Member Reviews
"Three Holidays and a Wedding" co-authored by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley is a delightful adult novel that skillfully weaves romance into the tapestry of three holidays. The book's charming narrative and well-crafted characters capture the essence of love, family, and celebration. Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley's collaborative storytelling creates a heartwarming and engaging read that resonates with those who appreciate tales of love across different cultural and festive settings. "Three Holidays and a Wedding" is a perfect choice for readers seeking a multi-dimensional romance that beautifully intertwines with the magic of holidays and the power of connection.
Synopsis: This story revolves around two females: one on her way to a holiday celebration, the other on her way to a wedding. They meet on the plane to their destinations but get detoured to a “Hallmark-esq” town where a movie is being filmed. Drama and romance ensue.
Pros and cons: I love that this story celebrates not only Christmas, but Hanukkah and Muslim (Eid) holidays. The representation was enjoyable and informational. Although “Hallmark-y” itself I could see it being turned in to a cute made for TV movie. Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy!
Well this was a charmer! Chaste, wholesome, and sweet, the perfect novel equivalent for Hallmark movie fans, and I say that in an altogether good way.
Love that it’s set back in early 2000’s. It’s a fun concept with the three holidays and a wedding. I really wanted to love this book but it was really, really slow. I never fully could get into it.
This was a very cozy read. I loved how much it got me into the holiday spirit. Definitely reminded me a lot of a Hallmark movie which I personally loved. Definitely give this book a try :)
Three Holidays and a Wedding, written by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley, intertwines two blossoming romances amidst a colossal snowstorm, unexpected friendships, meddling relatives, and a captivating small-town setting. This enchanting novel promises to be the most delightful read of the year, brimming with festive cheer. It encapsulates a tale of hope, encouraging individuals to embrace vulnerability and embark on a quest to discover their true sense of belonging.
This was a really sweet holiday book that was different in the fact that the three major ones were occurring at the same time: Christmas, Hanukkah, and Ramadan. The two main characters were Anna and Maryam, who are complete opposites. They meet on a plane headed to Toronto, and things do not start well for them.
They land in a charming town called Snow Falls due to inclement weather, and the fun unravels from there as they each have love thrown into the mix. It was nice seeing Anna and Maryam get through their varying issues and get their guy in the end as well a great friendship with one another.
Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.
Hallmark multicultural Holiday story.
This is such a wonderful feel good story following two different women and finding themselves and love.
Oh my gosh, this is the cutest holiday read ever! This is Hallmark movie & warm hug in a book, and it will be such a great one to curl up with this upcoming holiday season.
Summary: In this dual-POV story, we follow Maryam and Anna, two strangers who end up on the same flight to Toronto in the middle of a blizzard. When the plane has to divert and land in the idyllic town of Snow Falls, both women have an opportunity to re-examine their lives, and maybe find love, in the midst of a unique tri-holiday season.
This book was such a treat. With it's lovable protagonists & side characters (especially Maryam's Dadu), perfect small town setting, and predictable yet unique plot, 3HAAW is a wonderful book for the most wonderful time of the year. There is some cheesy dialogue, yes, and of course there are love interests. But the authors also dive into more serious topics related to identity, culture, finding yourself & more, and they do this in a way that doesn't remove you from the story. Overall, the relationships between the characters - both old and new - are the highlight of this book, and I can't wait for more people to experience the joy of reading this.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Three Holidays and a Wedding is a story about coming together and finding friendship, reconnecting with family and falling in love. In the beginning it was a bit confusing at times with the multiple characters, however it all came together after a several chapters. Overall, I enjoyed this festive holiday read which gave me all the Hallmark Movie feels.
This book is very much a Hallmark movie in print. I loved the representation of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Ramadan holiday celebrations/traditions. It is set in the perfect snowy town with wonderful innkeepers. The romance was super sweet and very PG. While I don't tend to read those, sometimes they are absolutely perfect. Three Holidays and a Wedding is just that-- a perfectly sweet holiday romance.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley, a truly lovely, sweet holiday story.
What a sweet little holiday read. Predictable and cheesey, but that’s what makes it a “hallmark” type read. I really enjoyed the characters and the details about the three different holidays. There were a decent amount of characters but the writing was easy to follow and didn’t lose you while you met and learned details about them. Releases September 26 and highly recommend picking it up this winter!
* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.
I really liked that this was a “tri holiday” book and think anybody would enjoy it. It was maybe a little too PG for me. I would have loved even more romance but the characters were great!
Would recommend!
I received a free copy of, Three Holidays and a Wedding, by Uzma Jalauddin: Marissa Stapley, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Anna Gibson and Maryam Azia meet on an airplane, they tell each other everything, thinking they would never see each other again. Its Christmas, Hanukkah, and Ramadan, time in Canada and they end up at Snow Falls Inn, after an emergency landing. This was a cute story, I enjoyed it, Anna and Maryam are great characters and I fell in love with the town and Snow Falls Inn.
I enjoyed the hallmark movieNess of this book. The two fmcs were interesting and I enjoyed the focus on holidays that I am not as familiar with.
The sister was terrible.
There were way to many characters in this book. Found it very hard to keep up with what was going on. It is written by two different authors and it really seems like it was this book felt very disjointed.
Maryam and Anna are flying to Toronto for two different reasons. Maryam for her sisters impromptu wedding, and Anna to meet her boyfriend’s family for the first time. When an emergency has them confessing their darkest fears, never did Maryam think that the love of her life, Saif, would hear everything from two rows back.
When an emergency landing has them all stuck in a small quirky but picturesque town, great things are bound to happen. Will Maryam find it in herself to open her heart? And what’s in store for Anna?
I’ve enjoyed books by both authors of this book, so when I found out they were collaborating and writing a book together, I was excited.
This book ended up being the Christmas book I was looking for. But it isn’t just Christmas, it also discusses Hannukah and Eid. The characters were wonderful, and I loved the different points of view. I always enjoy learning about different cultures while I read and this one was just perfect. It really helped shine a light onto them. This book also perfectly captured the holiday spirit. The location this book took in was so cute. I want to book a flight and head there right now, though being stranded wouldn’t be my cup of tea, it might be a nice vacation.
If you are looking for a multi-faith holiday romcom then check this one out.
Thank you so much to the publisher Penguin Group, Putnam, G.P. Putnam’s Sons and Netgalley, @netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Additional links will be added once posted.
THREE HOLIDAYS AND A WEDDING by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley 🕎🎄🌙
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have your plans canceled and holidays disrupted because your flight was rerouted due to a blizzard?! And then you’re stuck in the same Inn with your crush or maybe someone around town has caught your eye?! Well, look no further because that’s exactly what happens in THREE HOLIDAYS AND A WEDDING.
In alternating POVs between Anna and Maryam, we learn how this major travel bummer impacts them. Anna is on her way to spend Christmas with her boyfriend and Maryam, along with her parents, grandfather, and sister Saima, are on their way to Saima’s wedding festivities. Their flight to Toronto gets rerouted to a cute little town, and well, chaos ensues.
Set in 2000, when Christmas, Hanukkah, and Ramadan all happen within a few days of each other, take a journey with Maryam and Anna to see how these strangers-turned-friends navigate being in a new town surrounded by Maryam’s lifelong crush Saif, a hottie around town that’s caught Anna’s eye, and the lovely blizzard outside that threatens to ruin plans. This book is full of diverse holiday representation, LOTS of snow, and some sweet romance to make you feel all warm during the holidays.
I’m an Uzma stan, I’ve read all of her books and will recommend them to anyone looking for lovable romance! This is my first book by Marissa but I’d like to read more. Thanks to the authors and #NetGalley for the eARC.
Who’s ready for some holiday romance? Check out THREE HOLIDAYS AND A WEDDING, out 09/26/2023!!
A very sweet, closed-door Holiday Rom-Com. I loved the inclusion of multiple faiths and their respective holidays. It was certainly a unique aspect of a holiday-time book. You can't go wrong with a story about finding love, friendship and yourself all wrapped up in holiday coziness. Overall a great holiday read.