Yin and Ari Christmas is going to be one memorable one.This is first book I've read from the Author and I enjoyed her writing.

I would rate it Five Stars and Recommend it to all readers.

Air and Yin are secondary characters in the Dreamers series who are now getting their own lovely story. We have seen their relationship build through the previous books of this series – particularly in the first and the third books. They have gone from friends to lovers and are well on their way to forging their journeys together in the world. They are both immigrants who have been through some difficult and trying times. But they have built a found family of friends – many other from other immigrant communities as well. It is their first Christmas together as a couple and as they look forward to moving on with their lives – getting into the graduate schools of their dreams and moving away from their bubble in Ithaca, things have taken on a larger than life status. And although they have agreed to a rather modest gift budget, neither of them is sticking to it. And of course you know this can just go all kinds of wrong 😉

They are both anxious about the gifts and come Christmas morning, things don’t go to plan. In their zeal to make the holiday perfect for the other, they have missed the signals and communication that might have helped them avoid the crossed wires and the FUBAR situation they find themselves in. But luckily their support team comes to the rescue and much to the guys chagrin, things get “fixed” as much as they can be. <3 The bottom line is that love is the most important thing.

I really enjoyed this lovely little novella. It’s based on a beloved O Henry holiday story and it’s done beautifully. The best part of the story for me was the acceptance from Yin and Ari that they can have help in achieving their dreams and in making things nice for the other. They have done so much on their own and they have faced a lot of dismissive and unwelcoming attitudes. But beyond that, there are those who are happy to help and are so proud of them for all they have achieved and how hard they are working to make their dreams come true. It’s so sweet and so lovely to see this whole community come together for these young men. Just a sweet feel-good Christmas miracle that will leave you with a smile 😀 Recommended – as is this whole series.

American Christmas by Adriana Herrera draws inspiration from Gifts of the Magi to tell a sweet and steamy holiday romance. Yin and Ari are spending their first Christmas together and feeling the pressure to ensure everything goes smoothly. When they hit bumps in the road, it helps to spark larger conversations about their relationship, their pasts, and their future. It's a romance that feels hard-won and has the perfect amount of holiday magic.

I do think that readers who have read the entire series will find something extra special here—both in getting a bigger picture of the love between Yin and Ari (who are side characters in earlier installments) and reuniting with other beloved characters. As always, Herrera delivers such a wonderful sense of community and it's always wonderful to read about characters you know have support when they need it most.

I was hoping for more and this book just didn't work for me, sadly. Sadly in the last few months a few of my former fave authors disappointed me with their new releases.

This is one that you might not fully enjoy unless you've read the previous books in Adriana Herrera's Dreamers series. Yin and Ari were minor characters in the early books and it was fun to see them now, surrounded by the friends readers first met in the previous installments of the series.

Overall, it's a lovely glimpse into the first Christmas Yin and Ari celebrate in their own apartment together.

Herrera can do no wrong and this book is not expection. I'll read anything she writes and know I'm going to enjoy it, the plot will keep me interested, and I'll care about the characters.

I loved diving back into this world and seeing Yin and Ari all grown up and in love. The Gift of the Magi retelling was perfect for a novella.

American Christmas is a novella, so it's a really quick read. It's also 4.5 books in to the Dreamers series. I've only read one other in the series, and I had the same problem with this one as I did with the last book - I just didn't connect with the characters or their romance. I don't know if that's because I'm missing some key things about them that may have been divulged in earlier books in the series, or if it was just these particular characters and their particular story. I did like the diversity, which seems to be a common thread in this author's work, and I really wanted to sink into the couch and enjoy this read, but I ended up straddling the fence. I have a feeling that someone more familiar with this series and its characters will enjoy this one more than me.

I love this series and I was so excited to dive back into the universe. This was really cute and sweet, and I loved hearing about how everyone has been doing since their story ended.

I loved revisiting familiar characters in this story, and the cover is my favorite holiday cover of the year. However, it was just way too short for me to feel deep satisfaction with it - the same issue I have with most novellas.

This was a great peek back into the Dreamers universe. I adored the books in that series and this was so fun to see that world again. This Christmas novella was a great addition to the series.

This was an interesting look into the lives of 2 characters and their queer love story.

I enjoyed reading this but my heart was in my throat the whole time with the conflict!

I wanted only softy mushiness for my loves but I understood why it was necessary to shake things up a little bit.

I loved having the other characters from the series come together to really show them love, family and friendship

Love this novella and would absolutely buy it for my library. Especially since it is diverse and LGBTQ+ based around a "traditional" holiday like Christmas. It could be a great gateway book for reluctant readers. Adriana Herrera continues to impress.

So good! I love a good queer holiday romance, and this one was seriously so sweet. And a novella was the perfect length to enjoy while coping with the business of the holidays.

Absolutely delighted to step back into the “dreamers world”. Adriana Herrera’s writing is delightfully heartfelt and spicy all in one.

*review of this novella was shared on my Holiday Highlights in IG stories.

I'm in love with this series. Have I mentioned that I'm in love with this serious? Adriana Herrera has quickly become one of my favorite queer romance authors. I haven't even read all her books yet, but I plan to. Anyway. American Christmas was a great final (?) installment to the series. It had the same vibe as the rest of the series, which is something some authors can't quite capture again as series go on. I definitely recommend this for fans of the series.

Rating (B+) Wayne Jordan

AMERICAN CHRISTMAS is a novella and Book #5 in Adrianna Herrera’s popular American Dreamers series. With this book, Ms. Herrera turns the stoplight on two characters, Denpo ‘Yin’ Thuta and Aristide ‘Ari’ Douniama, from the other books in the series. While this can be read as a standalone, a knowledge of the other books in the series does create a more intimate feeling as readers get to revisit previous main characters and get to know more about Yin and Ari.

It’s Christmas and the lovers want to do something special for each other. While this is the focus of the story, other issues arise. Both Yin and Ari are immigrant whose individual goal is similar…to be successful. Too often hard work takes priority over enjoyment of their happily-ever-after. Fortunately, despite a few twists and turns, a bit of angst, they discover that communication and love go hand in hand and that the gift that they already have, is the most important.

While this was a novella, Ms. Herrera is able to work her usual magic and give readers a wonderful story to end the turbulent ‘2020’ year. Readers will be left with that warm fuzzy ‘Christmas’ feeling.

If you haven’t read the other books in the series, you must. AMERICAN CHRISTMAS is a mere glimpse of the incredible talent which Ms. Herrera possesses. While lacking the fullness of her other work, AMERICAN CHRISTMAS is still the perfect stocking stuffer and a worthy addition to Ms. Herrera’s expanding portfolio.

This one makes more sense if you've read the Dreamers series in its entirety (I'm about halfway through and enjoy each book). Still a lovely updated Gift of the Magi retelling with characters to root for.

This was a sweet and charming contemporary romance take on 'Gift of the Magi," and I truly enjoyed it. This was my first Adriana Herrera read, and I'm not sure why it took me so long -- this novella works as a stand-alone, but clearly incorporates characters and relationships referenced in her other novels and those who have read her Dreamers series may appreciate the characters and context more fully.
I appreciated that the novella is about an established couple in a mature relationship working through issues in a healthy way -- refreshing to see, and very endearing, with some steam to boot!
This was a perfect way to kick of my season of Christmas romance reading!

(Disclaimer: I received a free eARC of this novella from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

This was a cute but forgettable novella from Herrera. I usually enjoy her writing, but there was just something missing from this one. Perhaps some of my failure to love it comes from the fact this is a spinoff from her Dreamers series and I have yet to read any of those books. Herrera is always a competent writer, I think these characters just lacked something for me.