First Thoughts: I love the winter holidays
Mood While Reading: Lovey
Song: Don't Walk Away by John Legend

A huge thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and PRH Audio for granting me access to Three Holidays and a Wedding y Uzma Jaluladdin and Marissa Stanley

Synopsis: 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.

I was looking for a hug in the pages of a book and Jalaluddin and Stapley delivered ten-fold. I loved the characters, I loved the exploration of different cultural celebrations, and the social gaffes even the most well intentioned person can make. The small town, snowed in setting was perfection. I highly recommend reading this on a cold day with a mug of steaming hot chocolate or tea. This book will remind you what the holidays are truly about-being with loved ones, appreciating the opportunity to reunite, and cherishing all the moments together that create memories to recall of years to come.

I switched back and forth between the audiobook and the text. I can't tell you which I preferred, because they both were great! I liked having the various voices to overlay when I swapped back to the book. As the book drew to a close, I switched back to my Kindle just so I could prolong the inevitable end of their stories.

A fun, romantic holiday read. Everything you're looking for in love story. A well written and entertaining read.

Three Holidays and a Wedding was so cute but it gave me so much anxiety in the beginning! I may have related to Anna’s people pleasing too much.

However, I’m glad I stuck through with it to the end, as I loved the romance and intermingling of holidays. This is a great book for readers like me who grew up in a multi-religious household! It’s nice to see our holidays represented.

Thank you Penguin Group, Putnam for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

If there’s one thing I love to read about in books, it’s storms. Storms have always fascinated me and snowstorms always make for great stakes in a holiday story. I also was particularly excited to read this book because as someone who loves Christmas and loves Christmas movies, rom coms, and books, I am always looking to find more stories that feature other holidays. Now, I know that the western calendar doesn’t mean that Christmas is the most important holiday, it’s just what has been prioritized in western culture. But I loved the premise of this book that is based on the year 2000 when all three holidays took place around the same time.

I thought this book was very cute and a perfect holiday read if you like family stories with a dash of romance. It’s got just the right amount of fun, heart, and holiday magic.

Synopsis:

“    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.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Story/Premise—I’ve always been fascinated and thrilled when the Muslim and Jewish holidays align with Christmas. Since we live in a country that doesn’t guarantee time off for the non-Christian western holidays (which is a problem in and of itself) I’m always happy to see this time align for families. I loved that this was a little period piece of the early 2000’s and featured a snowstorm. You know I love a good storm in a good!

The Characters—I thought the characters were vibrant and wonderful. I loved their relationships and bonds, I loved the small town and it kind of gave me Schitt’s Creek vibes, where it was a small town but full of accepting, diverse people.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

Wish it was 1st POV—I’m becoming a reader that really prefers first person POV in Romance which is entirely a personal preference!

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 0/5 Overall Rating: 3.75/5

Content Warnings:

gaslighting, death of a parent, grief, toxic relationship

As a third grade teacher, making time to read in the fall is always a daunting task with school starting up. Three Holidays and a Wedding was the perfect book to get me out of my busy and stressful days—-to escape into the world of Anna and Maryam and the surprises found in Snow Falls. After connecting on a plane ride which left them unexpectedly stranded in the small Canadian town, randomly also the frequent host to many Hallmark-Esque movie settings, the women embark on their own journeys of self discovery and love. I really enjoyed this book and found it a perfect distraction to my intense workdays—-escaping to Snow Falls was just what I needed too!

Thank you so much for letting me read this lovely, timely book! It was beautifully written and I loved learning more about Ramadan. This was a fantastic story with wonderful, relatable characters.
Thank you!!!

Thank you Netgalley for an arc of thisbook. I didn't find the book to be as interesting as it was described. However if you are in the mood for a holiday book this might be your cup of tea.

A sweet romance which is a balm to the issues in the world today. Anna and Maryam meet at the airport in Denver. On the way to Toronto, they encounter a massive snow storm and are redirected to a small town in Ottawa, Snow Falls. Snow Falls represents a dream small town, looking like a decorated Christmas village, but with the diversity of a big city. Acceptance of the three holidays converging at the same time, the celebrations of Christmas, Hanukkah and Ramadan provide the backdrop for this lovely romance. Maryam’s big family provides one story line, while Anna is trying to figure out where her future is, with Nick or someone else. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I was not able to finish the book and therefore do not feel that I can give an unbiased review about the book, its plot, characters, or the author's work. I might revisit this book at a later time and finish it then, but not right now.

3.5 stars. This was such a sweet, cozy, festive holiday story! If you want all the holiday feels, definitely read this one.

I really enjoyed how the authors explained but also honored three different cultures in one book. All the characters (well, except Nick!) were wonderful, and there were a lot of side characters but they did a good job not making them all confusing.

There were some moments where the plot seemed too unrealistic, and there were a few plot holes and also topics or issues that came up but were never addressed. But overall a great pick for the holidays.

Thank you to the authors, NetGalley, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my opinion.

In 2000, it was rare time when all three December holidays: Christmas, Hanukkah and Ramadan all overlapped. Two strangers are thrown together on a flight to Toronto. But it’s disrupted on their way due to a massive snow storm and they get diverted to Snow Falls. In the midst of the flight, these two strangers confess their secrets to each other.

Anna is on her way to meet her new boyfriend’s family after just 6 months of dating and she wants to make a good impression. Maryam is the oldest sister helping plan her younger sister’s wedding and dealing with her family is driving her mad. The two women use each other as support when they are snowed in during this massive snowstorm.

They are stuck there so long, they start to do someone of the traditional Muslim wedding events and this leads to helping with the town’s local holiday play. They both get cozy with men they meet on the trip; Anna meets Josh who is a famous actor know as Chase. Maryam runs into Saif, her childhood friend and crush who is on the way to the wedding too. The sparks are still there.

This was a very cute book and blending the holidays was a nice flip on a traditional Christmas book. I definitely learned a lot about Ramadan and I enjoyed the representation that not everyone celebrates the same holidays or even celebrates the same way. The holidays are about being together with loved ones and maybe if you are lucky, lots of snow. Maryam’s family was especially wonderful; her grandfather was a highlight of the story.

Thank you @putnambooks @uzmajalaluddin and @marissastapley for my gifted ebook. This is out now!

I truly regret that it took me so long to get to reading this ARC because I absolutely loved it. this book has it all - cheesy romance, (multicultural) holiday flair, dual perspectives, overbearing parents, and more rom-com tropes. Three Holidays and a Wedding is a nice, quick read that will get you into the holiday spirit.

If you're looking for a read that feels like a Hallmark movie threw up on it (in a good way!) = this is the perfect pick!

2 stars

This book was a mess. First of all, it was set in the year 2000 but had absolutely no reason to be. It wasn't any different than a book set in 2023 except no one had smart phones. The book wasn't even accurate to 2000 with the phrase "main character energy" and very tight airport security. In a pre-9/11 world? No way.

And I am not sure why this is categorized as a "romance" either. The two POV characters are Maryam and Anna, who become airplane friends, and it's more about their friendship and families? Also, they are both kind of spineless and passive in an irritating way. Just ask the boys you like if they have a girlfriend and if they want to go out with you is this so hard!!

There is also inexplicably a Christmas/Holiday pageant they put on in the town they get stranded in because of Christmas snow reasons. I'm pretty sure they were only there for like three days how did they accomplish this. And why would they be stranded so long for a little snow when they were flying from Denver and Toronto neither of which would be unfamiliar with snow...??? Also, they film Christmas movies in Canada in the summer not over actual Christmas look it up, authors. Also, I know this says Three Holidays in the title but Hanukkah and Ramadan both felt rather superfluous and tacked on which was disappointing. And this very diverse airplane just happens to land in a tiny United Nations City with every culture represented in the middle of nowhere Canada? Uh, ok, sure.

I wish this book was better but instead it was more irritating than enjoyable. A disappointment, for sure.

A beautiful holiday book that encompasses all forms of celebration and is done so well! You follow Anna and Maryam who due to a snowstorm are stranded in Snow Falls, a magical small town. As the snow storm continues to come down derailing Maryam’s sister’s wedding and Anna’s trip to Toronto the town embraces them and the time they spend in Snow Falls brings many unlikely people together. From new love to old friends falling in love all surrounded by important holidays this book is the winter hug we all need. Beautifully written and a must read this season.

Maryam and Anna find themselves on a plane from Denver to Toronto in the middle of the storm of the century, they have no idea that they will spark an unexpected friendship.

When the plane is diverted to a small town outside of Ottawa with no end to the snow, they all must change their plans. Anna is not able to make it to Toronto to spend Christmas with her boyfriend, and Maryam's sister's wedding is in jeopardy.

This is an absolutely enchanting Hanukkah, Ramadan, Christmas book for 2023 with a charming small town, a snowbound inn, and a touch of fate that brings everyone together. This is a holiday book at its very best. #gifted

** Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC and chance to read and review **

⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎄 holiday read
🎄 Duel-POV

Synopsis:
Three holidays at once causes quite the holiday chaos for both main characters, Anna and Maryam. The two strangers meet on a plane and find comfort in new-found friendship as a storm hits and they reroute to a small charming town.

Review:
A lighthearted holiday read that gave me many Hallmark movie vibes! I personally could not connect with any of the characters but I enjoyed reading about Christmas, Hanukkah and Ramadan. The book was such an interesting concept but I did feel that the story was quite repetitive.

Sweet and swoon-worthy, heartwarming and clever. I loved this light hearted holiday romance with likeable characters and the small town vibes.

Usually, holiday romances concentrate on just one holiday, but in this Hallmarky holiday story, we get traditions from Xmas, Hanukkah, and Ramadan as all three holidays just happen to converge in the week leading up to Dec. 25. This timing only happens every 30 yrs or so and I was a bit confused until I realized that the book was actually set around the year 2000.

The book features two FMCs, Anna and Maryam, who on the surface, couldn't be more different but who become fast friends and confidantes after first bonding during severe turbulence on the plane, then get stranded in a small town in Canada, many miles from their Toronto destination due to a Snowmaggedon that shuts down all transportation. Maryam's family and a few friends were also on the plane as they were all on their way to Maryam's sister's destination wedding. Anna is alone, on her way to spend the holiday with her wealthy boyfriend's family.

Both women have been surviving, not really thriving, something they admit to each other in the scary moments of turbulence on the plane. Once they land and are stranded, they are forced to make the best of the situation and find new hope, new love, and the courage to chart a new path for their lives.

I really loved the message of hope in the book and the reminder to not give up on your dreams. Normally, if there are two MCs with stories running in parallel, I tend to find one more compelling, but in this case I enjoyed both Anna's and Maryam's voyage of self-discovery and didn't mind when the book cut between them. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

This book is a cute holiday book with relatable characters. Anna is on her way to see her boyfriends family for the first time. Maryam is on the way to see her sister get married. During the flight secrets are shared and a plane takes an unexpected turn. This is a cute holiday story that you will enjoy.

Not your typical holiday rom-com, although it has all the components, but rather a warm hearted story that embraces, as the title states "three holidays and a wedding", when Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, and a wedding all coincide at once. To top it off, it is set in a dreamy small town that is a picture postcard that is Hallmark worthy. Anna Gibson and Maryam Aziz, two strangers thrown together in a snowstorm as their plane is diverted to small town Snow Falls in Canada on the way to Toronto, are running from their past and hiding who they really are. Anna is trying to be the perfect girlfriend to Nick and on her way for them to have the "perfect" Christmas with his family. Maryam is the oldest daughter who tries to make everyone else in her family happy but not herself, who planned her younger sister's wedding that was to take place in the middle of Ramadan. Being snowed in changes everything, and both women feel the brunt of others displeasure. Then Anna meets Josh (aka movie star Chase) and Maryam sees Saif, her childhood crush. As they are welcomed by the people in town and decide to help out with the local holiday play, both women slowly discover that they do deserve happiness and to let go of their past heartaches. I love how Maryam's family, especially her grandfather, embraces Anna. This is a quick read, a bit predictable, but so enjoyable for the holiday season. I love the take on "A Christmas Carol" to become "A Holiday Carol", embracing everyone. Many thanks for #netgalley #threeholidaysandawedding #uzmajalauddin #marissastapley #gpputnam for the opportunity to read and review this book.