I was so lucky to receive an ARC of Three Holidays and A Wedding. I loved the inclusion of so many different backgrounds and traditions in the holiday season. It is rare to find Christmas books that include other beliefs as well. This was a charming read. November and December are Hallmark months in our home and this book had all the makings of a classic Hallmark holiday film. I was unfamiliar with each author going into this book but I'll be checking out their other works!

Three Weddings and a Holiday both combines everything that readers love in a Christmas book plus adds even more, since it also tackles two additional holidays and, you guessed it, a wedding.

Maryam is flying to Toronto for her sister's last-minute holiday wedding, and her seatmate Anna is headed to meet and spend the holiday season with her boyfriend's rich family.

Turbulence causes them to bond and confess their hopes and fears, and an emergency landing leaves them snowbound in the very festive small town of Snow Falls.

There, Maryam, who celebrates Ramadan, re-connects with her crush and re-evaluates her place in the world and in her family. Meanwhile, Anna, who celebrates both Christmas and Hannukah, questions her relationship after she meets her celebrity crush, who's there filming a holiday movie.

Their snowbound status also puts the big wedding in jeopardy.

This book is a light and scrumptious treat for those who love closed-door romances, Hallmark movies, and a diverse holiday season.

This was just so cute. I loved the two stories and how they intertwined. The friendship between Anna and Maryam was so awesome. It was a little rocky and very funny at first. I loved seeing all the different holidays at once. The romances were sweet. I loved all the characters. Maryam's family was so loving. This was such a perfect holiday read. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I will read anything Uzma Jalaluddin writes, and while I’ve never read anything from her coauthor Marissa Stapley before, I was nonetheless sold on the concept of Three Holidays and a Wedding. Holiday romances that don’t solely center on Christmas are rare, and I loved how this one tied in not just Hanukkah, but also Ramadan and Eid, showing the power of different faith traditions to bring people together…and also exploring a particular time when all three overlapped.
I loved that the story centered these two heroines, Maryam and Anna, from two very different family backgrounds, coming together with their families, and happening to find each other on a flight to the same location. It highlights everything from the odd intimacy of plane rides to the closeness of spending the holidays together, even if you happen to come from very different backgrounds. While I’m not a devout Christian, that doesn’t mean that I’m super informed about other faiths either, and I love how this book modeled what Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all have in common, in spite of all the centuries of strife. Even with it being set in a somewhat different time, prior to the rise of increased Islamophobia in the West, the message remains relevant.
But as much as I loved the messages of friendship and interfaith connection, I feel it was a mistake to sell this as a romance. I love Jalaluddin’s books, and do consider them romances, but in trying to write a book with someone else that had two co-protagonists with two different love interests, the romances suffered. I can’t think of anything impactful about either love interest. This is sadly yet another “romcom” that fails to deliver the “genre romance” vibes.
While I had issues with the execution of the premise within genre standards, I did find a lot to like about it as well. If you’re looking for a story about the bonds that form between people from different faiths during the holiday season, and don’t mind that being more prominent than the romantic arc, I’d recommend checking it out.

What a wonderful idea for a story! Three holidays an entwined. Three stories entwined as well. I really wanted to love this book as I love a good holiday romance. Unfortunately it all fell a bit flat for me. Your mileage may vary, so I recommend you give it a try and see what you think.
Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Okay I completely loved this! I love a holiday novel that features unique holidays (more than just Christmas) so this was perfect! In a way this offers a unique take on the Found Family trope that I loved!

Title: Three Holidays and a Wedding
Author: Uzma Jalaluddin, Marissa Stapley
Genre: Romance, Small Town Romance, Holiday Romance
Spice: 🌶️ (very tame)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I don’t think I’ve ever read a holiday romance (or seen anything on the Hallmark channel, so I picked this book to get out of my comfort zone just a little bit…And I was pleasantly surprised! If you read the blurb about the book, it most definitely lives up to the description. I loved the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral and this book feels little like that, only add in some holiday antics and angsty moments. There were two overlapping story lines, but you come to love them both. I did love the idea of two stories going on at the same time, though I did find myself rushing through one of them, sometimes, to get back to the other story. I think I just got more invested in one of the stories because I could better relate to one of the female main characters. But don’t let that stop you from enjoying it! If you’re looking for a feel good, holiday romance, this is definitely a book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

CHEFS kiss 4 stars

Three times the holiday magic. Three times the chaos.

As strangers and seatmates Maryam Aziz and Anna Gibson fly to Toronto over the holidays—Maryam to her sister’s impromptu wedding, and Anna to meet her boyfriend’s wealthy family for the first time—neither expect that severe turbulence will scare them into confessing their deepest hopes and fears to one another. At least they’ll never see each other again. And the love of Maryam’s life, Saif, wasn’t sitting two rows behind them hearing it all. Oops.
An emergency landing finds Anna, Saif, Maryam, and her sister’s entire bridal party snowbound at the quirky Snow Falls Inn in a picture-perfect town, where fate has Anna’s actor-crush filming a holiday romance. As Maryam finds the courage to open her heart to Saif, and Anna feels the magic of being snowbound with an unexpected new love—both women soon realize there’s no place they’d rather be for the holidays.

lt was a nice change of pace to read a multi-faith holiday novel. So awesome that these two teamed up to create this story! All the heartwarming and festive feelings as a Hallmark Christmas movie, but more inclusive.

Drop everything now. Add this one to your winter holiday TBR IMMEDIATELY. This was such a great read! A magical, inclusive, snowy small town, unlikely friends, two adorable romances, THREE HOLIDAYS? What didn’t this book have? I’m actually a little furious that Snow Falls isn’t real and that I can’t move there immediately. I absolutely loved this book so much. Maryam and Anna’s friendship was written so well and I loved how they helped each other through their family and relationship issues. I thought both characters had such amazing growth and were just a delight to read. I loved Maryam’s family, especially Dadu and how they made Anna feel like a part of their group. The romances were so cute and both Saif and Josh were perfect for Maryam and Anna. I loved their patience and understanding with what both of the girls were dealing with. Also, my favorite thing about this book was that it didn’t just focus on Christmas, but Hanukkah and Eid too. The descriptions of each holiday’s traditions (and the FOOD) were so cool to read about! I’m so excited for other readers to pick this one up. I think it will become a holiday favorite!

Thank you to Putnam Books for the #gifted book in exchange for an honest review.

Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin; Marissa Stapley was such a beautiful story of friendship, family, and inclusivity. The world has been waiting for a tale like this one, where Christmas, Hanukkah, and Ramadan/Eid all share the spotlight equally; where the Muslim and Jewish characters are not merely tokens in a backstory, The characters were all complex, and I loved the friendships not just between the women of different faiths and backgrounds, but the intergenerational relationships that were developed as well (Dadu may be my very favorite character). The setting of the town of Snow Falls in Canada was magical, and not just Hallmark channel magical; I surely hope such a place of diversity and beauty exists. I would visit it in a heartbeat just for the food! The sense of community in this story was enveloping, and although there were many happy endings, they were hard-won. The conflicts were realistic, and played out over the course of the story, not easily solved in one chapter. I would be so happy if this was the first in a series either set in Snow Falls or based on Maryam's family. I will be looking for more from these two authors in the future!

This story was definitely nostalgic with some of the references but I loved reading about 3 different holidays. This is supposed to be a romance story, but I felt like it was more on the holidays and the families. Snow Falls ended up being a town where everyone found what they needed.

Why read a book about one holiday when you can read a book about three? With a throwback to the year 2000, we've got flip phones, long distance charges, and Y2K fashion. I loved that as a setting because it helped alleviate some of the usual communication lapse issues that I have. In 2000, it's totally believable that no one would have a phone charger! I felt like I learned so much about Hanukkah and Ramadan against the Hallmarkian landscape of Snow Falls. The town was so accepting of everything, even amidst the chaos of Snowmaggedon. I'd love to see Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley take us back to Snow Falls next year!

*Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Thank you to Uzma, Marissa, Netgalley and Atlantic Books for my ARC copy in exchange for my honest review!

Festive books are my JAM, and boy was this so cute and cozy! I love that this included so many different holidays and faiths, it was fun to learn more about the ones I wasn’t familiar with. Holidays bring people together, and this was a great example of how that happens.

Maryam is traveling to Toronto with her family to celebrate her sister’s impromptu wedding over the combined holiday season of Christmas, Hanukkah and Ramadan. Anna is also headed to Toronto to meet her boyfriend’s family for Christmas, missing her deceased father and former stepmother to celebrate the holiday and Hanukkah with.

An intense snow storm derails their plane to small town Snow Falls, trapping the travelers there without a way to escape. This sweet location may be the perfect escape they needed this holiday season. 🥰

The characters were so lovable and interesting to read about, and their contrasting personalities made them unlikely friends at first. While their stay in Snow Falls may not be long, their growth there was beautiful and lasting.

While this is a romance book, it was more than that. There’s family, friendship, grief management, self-discovery and hope all rolled into one. Everyone finds what they need in Snow Falls, and you just might find yourself wishing to spend your holiday season there too!

Grab this sweet read on September 26 and prepare for the upcoming festivities ⭐️

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.