Anna and Maryam are two young women from different cultures, but one thing that unites them are the feelings of inadequacy and not being appreciated by those around them. They meet on a flight during a the holidays, both stressed about meeting the expectations of those they love. This is a very particular year, by the way, 2000, which saw Eid, Hanukkah, and Christmas falling within days of each other. This also happens to be the year a snowstorm upends everyone's plans and leaves Anna, Maryam, and Maryam's family stranded at a quaint small town in Canada. They think all their plans have been ruined, but the chance to stop, reflect, and take chances allows each of them to experience some unexpected holiday miracles!

I found this book to be really pleasant. There wasn't a character in this endearing ensemble cast that I didn't love. (Except for Anna's boyfriend, but that sorts itself out!) The year 2000 was a very special setting for this holiday story because it's one of the few times that three major religions get to celebrate very important holidays at (roughly) the same time. It wasn't just superficial references to holidays, either, although yummy food and decorations are everywhere. This book strives to teach the reader about the rituals practiced by particular religions during their holiest of days, especially Ramadan.

This book is definitely women's fiction with romance liberally splashed in. Much of the book is about Anna and Maryam's relationships with their families, as well as the careers they hope to achieve. I loved seeing each of them realize their worth as people. There was a lot of the same ground covered quite a bit as characters had discussions with each other about how they were feeling and what they were experiencing. I was lightly entertained but didn't quite find anything super gripping. The romances each of them embark on were super cute. As a romance reader, I would have loved to see more romance.

I walked away from this story smiling and enlightened about cultures other than my own. It stands apart from the rest of this year's holiday offerings because of the lofty subject matter and appeal!

I'd like to thank PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Such a great holiday read. I loved the fact that it highlighted three different holiday celebrations and brought them together in such a creative way. I learned so much while reading this delightful holiday rom-com!

I found this holiday collaboration charming. Maryam Aziz's sister is planning to get married at the end of Ramadan. She insists Maryam plan her wedding to be set in Toronto (where grooms family lives) on fairly short notice. Maryam is the oldest sister. She is a pharmacist in Denver and cares for her family but secretly desires to be a writer. She meets Anna Gibson at the Denver airport. Anna is on the same flight heading to join her wealthy boyfriend of six months. She feels they are moving too fast and that he doesn’t know the real her. She has struggled to move on from her fathers death two years before. And feels doubly abandoned as her very loved step-mother has recently remarried.

Anna and Maryam bond during the flight. A storm of the century lands them in in a beautiful small town and all of them end at the Snow Falls Inn. In the few days they are stranded many changes happen opening both women to love. I also cheered the sister reconciliation too. Maryam’s family add to the chaos and sweet family togetherness. One of the most magical things in the story is the merging and celebrating Christmas, Hanukah, and Ramadan. The East Indian food descriptions are an added bonus. This is a clean and sweet holiday romance.

I’m new to the first author but have read Marissa Stapley previously under her partnership pen name of Maggie Knox. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin & Marissa Stapley!

So cute and heartwarming, just like a warm hug. I chuckled, I sniffled, and I kept saying just one more chapter. This was oodles of fun and I really enjoyed the mixing of the religions and holidays I also loved book Hallmark! Now if only I could find the real town….

When reading or watching a holiday tale, 3 important components which make or break it...a) solid characters b) interesting settings and c) a plot full of heartwarming goodness. In Three Holidays and a Wedding, Jalaluddin & Stapey master a and c beautifully...you will be absolutely endeared by these characters and the growth they make & the whole story wraps you up in a cozy blanket of family, love, hope and joy. This book made me smile and I loved it!
My only tiny little complaint is b) setting- the realistic side of me railed against the too perfect whimsy of the mulitcultural small town. Like I love the idea of a multicultural small town like that, BUT it may have bordered on too over the top...for me.
But overall, a wonderful, must-read for the holiday season!
Thanks to #NetGalley and #PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the ARC.

Lighthearted and a little fun I suppose, with some slight areas of concern if you're reading from an Islamic perspective. To put it plainly, this felt more like a Christmas story that just happens to have Muslim characters (and a character with indirect ties to the Jewish faith) in it. There was a lot more Christmas than anything else, even the Muslim family seemed more excited for Christmas than their own holiday (Eid) or even Ramadan. Where were the nostalgic Ramadan/Eid memories? The traditions and deep attachments to certain times and events that happened in/on or around them? Instead we get a grandpa who's obsessed with Christmas movies and sweaters and is spending his Ramadan days having a movie marathon instead of the things you'd expect even your most average Muslim to be doing in that month, ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST TEN NIGHTS! Not only that, but when it does come to the Muslim side of things, if it's not about Christmas it's more likely to be about the wedding drama and family issues than Ramadan care and prep for Eid or anything.

Coincidence is a running theme, so the town they're trapped in really has you suspending your disbelief A LOT if you want to accept some of the major conveniences that pop up. I can't say I was a fan of either of the love interests, and of course the predictable plotline with the jerk boyfriend was... Predictable.

I'm not familiar with the other author's works but I have read all of Uzma's books and I'll be honest, this one's at the bottom for me. I'm reviewing late because there were a few periods of time where, once I put it down, I did struggle to.pick it back up as soon as I should have. Others may enjoy it but I didn't feel too sucked into this world and it's plot.


With absolutely no offense toward any of differing beliefs, I'd like to say I yearn for the day there's an Islamic holiday centric Muslim romcom that doesn't feel like it's totally lost in the backdrop of someone else's story :/

As for the other side, I don't have too much to say as it falls mainly in what I'd expect of a typical holiday romcom set in a Christmasy town and all. Not much to complain about there other than a few predictable plot points and the drawn out part with the letter I won't spoil. But yeah, that's about it. Anna, in some ways, was probably the best character, although some of her chapters dragged a bit and I found myself waiting for Maryam's parts, only to then flip pages ahead to see how long her chapters were too!

2.5 stars out of 5, may boost upward after another read if I ever get around to it.

Three Holidays and a Wedding reads like a Hallmark movie and I couldn't help but devour this book in one sitting!

In the year 2000, Christmas, Hannukah and Ramadan all fell within days of each other, setting the stage for this heartwarming holiday novel, When a group of airline passengers find themselves stranded in a small and very snowy Canadian town, all kinds of things ensue! There are break-ups and reconciliations, family problems and resolutions, old loves and new loves. For Anna and Maryam, it is a complicated time, neither one of them truly happy—can they somehow use this time to discover what they really want for themselves and their future? I loved the two of them, as they get thrown into so many unexpected situations, building a friendship and opening up their hearts to find true love. It is also a time of great celebration and reflection for all of the religions represented in this book, and I loved that it was so inclusive and diverse. I also loved that this isn’t just a holiday romance; in fact, we are treated to TWO romances; but it is also a story of faith and family.

Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley’s book Three Holidays and a Wedding is such a pure joy to read!

The novel was set in the year 2000, a time when 3 major winter holidays holidays aligned at the same time: Hanukkah, Ramadan, and Christmas. Because of this and wacky holiday/winter travel coupled with a Snowmageddon, stranded the protagonists in a minor airfield in Canada, hundreds of miles from their ultimate destinations. The biggest problems were made worse or impossible because of this stranding. A very impatient parter and his family and an impractical boss were left out in the cold, and a Christmas wedding for a Muslim couple at the end of Ramadan was postponed, as everyone was digging themselves out of feet of snow (and some in Manolos because of lost luggage).

I loved how the authors used this massive adversity to whittle down the hearts of matters for the protagonists, Anna and Maryam and allowed them to find their true heart’s joy, vocation directed from their talents and passions, and soul’s peace. It was magical and a Hallmark moment.

Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for this wonderful ARC!!

During the winter of 2000, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Ramadan happen within the same time period. And then there is a major snow storm, landing a plane full of people in a small town in Canada, Snow Falls, Ontario. Well, once they leave Denver. Anna and Maryam sit in the same row. Anna is stressed because she’s meeting her boyfriend’s family for the first time, and his mother keeps a strict schedule. Maryam is stressed because she helped plan her sister’s wedding with her difficult mother-in-law to be. As they confess things to each other in the turbulence out of Denver, they slowly form a friendship while stranded. But they flight’s stranded passengers aren’t the only ones staying at the hotel, there is also a movie crew, working on a sequel to a very popular TV movie. Throughout their time in Snow Falls each woman had to make some decisions about themselves. I found this one to be so fun and cozy, and I like cozy. Snow Falls is a community that is diverse and welcoming and makes me want to go there. Anyone looking for a light read with a lot of heart will like this one.

A charming little Hallmark-esque holiday romance…if Hallmark recognized religions other than Christianity. This one covers Christmas, Hanukkah, and Ramadan and takes place in the year 2000 when all three of those holidays coincided to fall within days of each other.

In this book, we get 2 romances for the price of 1. The story focuses on Anna, a white woman who misses celebrating Hanukkah with her Jewish stepmom, and Maryam, a South Asian American Muslim woman. Anna is traveling to Toronto to spend Christmas with her wealthy boyfriend and his high-society family. Maryam and her parents and sister and grandfather are traveling to Toronto for her sister’s wedding. When bad weather forces their flight to be diverted to a charming little Canadian town called Snow Falls (no, really, that’s the name of the town) in the middle of nowhere, Anna and Maryam are forced to face some hard truths about their lives and the lies they keep telling themselves.

I really liked this story though I would probably call it more of a romantic fiction than a full on contemporary romance novel. The romance between Maryam with her painful romantic history and Saif, her long time childhood crush, is sweet and endearing, poignant and heartachingly tender. The romance between Anna and Josh, the cute guy she meets at a sports bar in Snow Falls, is full of misleading identities and false starts before both them finally admit to their true feelings. While I liked both romantic plot lines, I will say the book felt light on the actual romance and was more about Maryam and Anna going through some necessary growing pains and realizing the value of living their lives authentically and for themselves.

3.5 stars. A fun pair of interwoven stories that captures a much wider holiday experience than just Christmas.

Maryam Aziz and Anna Gibson end up sitting next to each other on a flight from Denver to Toronto over the holidays (in 2000, when Christmas, Hannukah, and Ramadan all overlapped). Maryam is going for her sister's last-minute wedding and Anna is going to meet her boyfriend's family for the first time. Severe turbulence results in them spilling their deepest hopes and fears to one another. They make an emergency landing where Anna, Saif (Maryam's love of her life, who definitely overheard her confessions), Maryam, and her sister's entire bridal party are all snowed in at the Snow Falls Inn. Anna's actor-crush is also filming in that small town. Both Maryam and Anna start to feel the magic of the holiday season and unexpected love.

I really enjoyed the story and getting to see the perspective of various people celebrating the three holidays in many different ways and combinations. I loved getting to see a small town that celebrated more than just Christmas as well, since that's so often what we get in holiday stories. Maryam and Anna were both relatable and they have to work through some trauma and they use this forced relaxation time to grow.

I think the biggest struggle for me is that this book often felt like two novellas woven into a single story. This means that we didn't get to know any of the main characters as well as I would have liked. I understand why the book ended up this way, but I almost wish it had been a bit longer and we got more chances to see Maryam and Anna individually and together.

Overall, this book is a fun addition to the holiday romance repertoire and I definitely recommend reading it this holiday season. It's a fun, quick read with lots of holiday feels (although it will also definitely make you crave holiday foods!).

I don't think I have ever sat down and watched a complete Hallmark Channel holiday movie, but I know the stereotypes and I've caught enough scenes while hanging out with my grandma to know that reality has to be suspended, there will be a happy ending, and the snow and small town charm is going to be laid on pretty heavy as the wholesome romance plays out.  This book is the literary equivalent of such a movie. So with that in mind, there are somethings I will concede can be overlooked, but religiously there are some things that need to be noted (see below).  I also have to admit that I couldn't put the book down and read the entire 384 page Adult book in two sittings. The book is told in alternating perspectives: Maryam and Anna.  Maryam and her family are Muslim, the book takes place in 2000 when Ramadan/Eid, Christmas and Hanukkah all took place within days of each other.  Anna celebrates Christmas, but grew up celebrating Hanukkah too.  Even if a romance that has Muslims ok with adopting "Christmas-y" celebrations during the last ten nights of Ramadan no less. is not a book that appeals to you, it is worth noting that this book does an incredible job of not becoming performative.  There is no internalized Islamophobia, self-othering, no over explaining, convincing, justifying or religious or cultural identity crisis. For a book co authored by a Muslim and a non Muslim and traditionally published, I am excited for the precedence this book sets.

SYNOPSIS:

Anna is in a perfect relationship, with the perfect guy, and accidently sees the perfect ring in her boyfriend's luggage.  With Christmas plans in Toronto to meet Nicks wealthy parents, it is clear that the perfect proposal is also going to happen.  But Anna is not perfect, and who she seems to be to Nick is not who she is or wants to be.  It feels so fake.  With separate flights from Denver to Toronto, getting redirected and stranded in Snow Falls, Ontario gives her the pause she needs to decide what she wants.  She meets Josh, someone in town visiting, which complicates things, and she sorts through her grief of loosing her father and the speed in which her ex step mother moved on, all why becoming good friends with Maryam and her family in this idyllic town that she doesn't want to leave.

Maryam is the oldest daughter who shoulders the expectation so that her younger sister can live her best life.  She became a pharmacist to carry on the family business, so Saima could be a physician with Doctors Without Borders.  Now Saima has decided that she wants a wedding in Ramadan and Maryam has to plan it. The flight being diverted and the wedding party being stuck in Snow Falls has long ago crush Saif and Maryam sorting through their past and a possible future together.  

The two protagonists, their past, future, love interests are all multiplied by a town full of love and holiday activities, a wedding that might be missed, a Holiday Hoopla show, a movie being filmed, fasting in Ramadan, and wise old Dadu, a former Bollywood director guiding the characters to a happy ending.

WHY I LIKE IT:

The book is an easy read, it really is a guilty pleasure escape from reality and that it comes from a place of- we are Muslim, we fast, we pray, we don't/shouldn't date without marriage in mind, and everyone in the book already knows all this makes you feel ok about indulging.  It even has a thread of analyzing parental expectation and peeling back some of the assumptions regarding the disconnect worked in throughout the story.  

It took a few chapters for me to stop fighting and accept that the snow is so bad that the airport is closed, but every store, restaurant, and the roads in the town are open.  That the phones are out, no one has a charger, but the payphone works and food can be ordered and delivered.  That Anna is strolling around in a cocktail dress and can find a sweater, but she can't find pants, and holiday gifts for everyone were not a problem to obtain.  The book notes the idyllic diversity and amazing payphone, but you really just have to let it go if you are to enjoy the book.

Some things I couldn't let go though are the Islamic religious portrayals.  The characters note that a wedding in Ramadan is a terrible idea, but for as authentic as the waking up for suhoor and fajr are every day and iftar is every evening, the Muslim wedding party spend the last 10 days and nights of Ramadan watching Bollywood movies, dancing at a music filled mehndi party, planning and performing in an interfaith holiday show, and listening to Christmas music.  I know Ramadan staples of reading Quran, doing thikr, and praying, don't fit the genre, but there are enough people to make jammat, one night it mentions they go to the musallah for taraweeh salat, but I really wish it was every night, and that more traditional Ramadan foundations were shared.  I did love that why Dadu couldn't fast was explored, and that when Saima was stressed she went to the musallah, but really Bollywood marathons and parties in Ramadan are uncomfortable even in fiction.

FLAGS:

For Adults and New Adults the book is remarkably clean.  The romance is tame even for YA, the characters are all adults and it is more the Ramadan non worship and Christmas normalization that is more flag worthy to me if a Muslim teen were to read it, than the relationships.  So take what you will from the flags: Anna and Nick seem to live together at the beginning, Anna and Josh hold hands, kiss.  Maryam and Saif hold hands and hug.  Saima and Miraj hug.  There are some other hetero couples that kiss. Mention of Maryam's prior relationship features her husbands infidelity, and Saif admits to having a girlfriend.  There are a few LGBTQ+ couples in the town that own stores and the inn, but don't seem to be Muslim, and their relationships are not significant plot points.   Muslims joining in Christmas activities. Alcohol and a pub are mentioned, but Anna partakes, no Muslim characters.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I don't think I could do this as an Islamic school book club choice for middle or high school.  But I do want to gush about it with my Lit Sisters.

If you're looking for the coziest, wintery, holiday vibes kind of read - this book is it! I cannot wait for it to begin snowing so I can dive into it again and experience a tiny portion of the book's settings.

About the book: So, it's the year 2000, and Christmas, Hanukkah, and Ramadan/Eid are all taking place around the same time, like literally within days of each other! But this winter also happens to be one of the worst in history and the book follows the POVs of Anna and Maryam who find themselves in a really unfortunate situation in this awful blizzard while they're also dealing with a lot in their personal lives.

Ok, on to my thoughts!
I can't say this enough, but maaaann did I LOVE the setting of the book. Like, I was regretting reading it during some of the hottest days this year has brought us, because all I wanted was the coziness! Actually, I wanted a blizzard where my whole family has a snow-day (or like a snow-week) and we can all just sit around and cuddle in with some hot chocolate and movies. In fact, this book NEEDS TO BE A MOVIE!!! This book is straight out of a Hallmark movie. If you've watched Last Christmas, those are absolutely the vibes all over this book! Minus the sad part lol. I'm one of those people who'll read a whole book just for the setting and honestly I can go on and on about it, but I will move on now. Also, one thing that had me tripping up was the fact that is was the year 2000 and there are no cell phones, people actually use phone booths, in fact some people thought phones were an absolute waste of time and space LOL. There would be things happening in the book, and I'd think "like why don't you text or email" and then I remember that the literally could not do that XD.

And about the characters, aaahh they were all so fun and full of life. I was loving them, hating them, screaming at them, I was feeling all the emotions and that's just how you know how well the book has been written! After I read Uzma Jalaluddin's Ayesha At Last, I knew immediately that she was an auto-buy author. But this is actually my first time reading anything by Marissa Stapley, and she has easily become a favorite! Their co-authoring was seamless and the transitions between Anna and Maryam were so smooth. The romance was maybe a little predictable, but absolutely cutesy and I did like one romance a tiny, little bit, more than the other

I think the best part about this book (ok maybe 2nd best, because that setting was wow), is having such a widely culturally diverse cast of characters. I mean I was so excited to see the mention of a Sri Lankan grocery store in the middle of nowhere. Especially considering the fact that this is supposed to be the year 2000, I loved the attempt to be inclusive and diverse.

However, the one thing that I felt like that could have been done better was the representation of Ramadan and Eid. The book is titled Three Holidays and a Wedding, and to me it felt as though the wedding took precedence over Ramadan and Eid for Maryam. Speaking as a Muslim myself, the Ramadan spirit is something that is so, very special to us and we do special things and try to be a lot more spiritual and I think the book was lacking that Ramadan/Eid essence. I understand that the circumstances and context of the plot are not ideal to showcase Ramadan/Eid to it's full extent. But if I could feel the Christmas and Hanukkah spirit, why did it feel like Ramadan and Eid were left out?

Ok that's the end of my thoughts! I hope you all enjoy the coziness as much as I did! <3

*****Publishing September 26, 2023*****

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ When Christmas, Hanukkah and Eid all fall within days of each other, this makes for a busy holiday season, especially in the airports!

Anna is on her way to Toronto to meet her boyfriend and his high-strung family for Christmas.

Maryam and family are headed to Toronto for her sister’s wedding. Maryam’s parents were not happy that her sister chose to get married during Ramadan.

Anna and Maryam are sitting next to each other on the plane when bad turbulence strikes. This causes them to confide in each other to take their minds off of it! Maryam confides she has a crush on Saif, who turns out to be sitting behind them and hears their conversation. Anna confides her boyfriend is going to propose, but is not sure she is ready. When a major snow storm hits, it diverts the plane from Denver to Snow Falls, instead of Toronto. This strands them for days!

This life-altering experience not only brought new friendships, it made Anna and Maryam evaluate what they really wanted in their life. This fun holiday Rom-Com will have you turning the pages to find out what is in store for them!

An entertaining read with likable characters and a unique story line! I loved how these authors chose to weave 3 different faiths into this book. It made for a wonderful culturally rich read! Definitely a great book to get you in the holiday spirit!

Thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam (G.P. Putnam's Sons), I was provided an ARC of Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin; Marissa Stapley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and G. P. Putnam's Sons for an arc of Three Holidays and A Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley.

"Once upon a time, the year 2000 to be precise, Christmas, Hanukkah and Ramadan all fell within days of one another. In a Denver, Colorado Airport a group of strangers were about to board a plane. They all had no idea that their lives would change forever."

Due to a horrible snow storm, thr plane had to make an emergency landing in Snow Falls, Ontario. Anna was supposed to meet her boyfriend, Nick, in Toronto for the holidays to meet his family for the first time. And since she found a diamond ring in his suitcase, she thinks a possible engagement. Maryam, her family and the rest of the bridal party are supposed to be heading to her sisters destination wedding.

When they all get stuck in a massive snowstorm in the little town of Snow Falls, magical things begin to happen. New love is found. New friendships are found. Will Anna get engaged? Will the wedding party make it to the wedding on time?

This is an absolutely amazing Rom Com! I would love to live in Snow Falls myself. I hope the authors write a second book to follow these characters!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 (Romance/ Holiday)

Synopsis: Anna Gibson is flying to Toronto to meet her very rich boyfriend’s family for the first time for Christmas. He’s perfect, he thinks she’s perfect, but that’s a problem, isn’t it? Maryam Aziz is the older sister in a Desi Muslim family, who has always been in control. When her sister decides to get married during Ramadan in 6 weeks, Maryam is left to plan the event. When the biggest snow storm in years causes Anna and Maryam’s flight from Denver to Toronto to land in Snow Falls, Ottawa, will the two women learn to let go and figure out what they really want in life?

My Thoughts: Honestly, I really loved this story. I thought it was so interesting to tell the story of the three holidays coinciding. I also wish I could go to a place like Snow Falls. How picturesque and cute does it sound! Christmas all year round? I liked that both women had a lot of growth and realized that their current life path that they were on was not going to make them happy, but that they were determined to figure out what would make them happy.

If you love holiday stories and famous person/ normal person romances, you’ll love this.

Thank you to #NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

So, I know it is a little bit early to start reading holiday romances, but I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book, which means you should try to read and review it before it gets released. This was such a cute holiday romance. What I love about it is that it focuses on SEVERAL winter holidays, not just Christmas (such as Chanukah and Ramadan). As Adam Sandler says in the beginning of his first Chanukah song, there are not nearly enough songs (or stories) about Chanukah, and definitely not other holidays. The main characters are such an unlikely group to become friends, but they find themselves thrown together as they are all forced to divert their actual holiday plans when they become stranded in a small town due to a major blizzard. I loved the small-town perfect holiday setting and the whole overall vibe to the story. Most of the characters were likable, and I enjoyed seeing all of their stories told and the friendships and relationships grow. It was really a heartwarming, feel-good type of story. If I had not received an ARC, I definitely would have enjoyed reading it around the holidays, since it perfect for getting into a happy holiday mindset, so I think it will be a big hit. Thank you so much to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam/G. P. Putnam’s Sons for sharing this book's ARC with me in exchange for my thoughts. I definitely enjoyed it and will be recommending it and looking forward to other work from these authors.

Witty, charming, and heart-warming, this is my new favorite and recommended read for this holiday season! Loved it!