I just loved this story and the way these two loved each other 🥰. I especially loved how Quincy went out of his way to make sure Tia was ok after the horse riding incident 🤭. Abiola is definitely on my list of authors to read because she ate this YA story up.

This book was on my radar for a while and it did not disappoint. It had me feeling in the holiday spirit early, which is no easy feat as I am all about the Halloween vibes right now but it really got me invested in the relationship and I read it very quickly.

So this was very cute. I loved the farm setting, the Nigerian food, and the festive culture. I will say it was way too long. Clocking in at almost 400 pgs it started to lag when it would've been better if it was edited down by at least 100 pages which is a running problem with traditionally published romance right now. Lots of slow burn titles that are overwritten.

I enjoyed this cute, funny YA romance. The fake dating trope was well told and there was so much going on with these two characters. I loved how Quincy was so mature and Tia was a mess but in a good way. She had great character development. There was a diverse cast of characters and cultural representation. This will definitely be a great holiday read.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for letting me review this book.

There's feelings, ups and downs. The story kept me wanting to read more and more.

I love the holiday vibe. Who wouldn't!

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a sweet romance read.

Includes:
Skating
Hot tub
He rescues her

This was a fun, cute romance book! It's a book about the troubles that everyone can deal with during first loves! I really enjoyed the characters, even the side characters! Tia and Quincy are trying to figure things out and it's definitely not neat, it's messy, and they definitely make some questionable decisions but it was fun to follow along! If you are looking for a book with plenty of fun and cute moments with lots of winter vibes then you will definitely enjoy this one! Thank you Colored Pages Book Tours, Soho Teen and Abiola Bello for sharing this book with me!

Now, I am not always the biggest fan of YA romances, but OMG, this one was so stinking cute and adorable. I was not expecting to love this so much! This story follows Tia, a big city girl who is struggling after a "break" from her boyfriend and Quincy, the cutest country young man I have ever read, who recently broke up with his long-term girlfriend. He and Tia and thrust into each other's lives when Tia's mother has an impromptu vacation to Quincy's family farm.

It was very much giving hallmark Christmas movie of Big city teenager has to go to the country and falls in love, but I really liked the contemporary touches. I don't care what anyone says Quincy falls first and HARD~ I feel like the pacing was good, and the story kept me hooked from beginning to end. There was just enough tension and drama to make the story interesting, but not over the top where it was unbelievable.

I will say that both Kali and Mike can kick rocks and cease to exist. Overall, I enjoyed this story so much. It was cute and cozy and definitely giving Christmas vibes. Would recommend to anyone who's looking for a holiday theme book, with all the cute parts of being in the countryside - horses, ice skating, country living, etc.

Tropes - He falls first, Fake Dating, City girl x Country boy, Christmas time romance, YA romance,

Thank you so much NetGalley and the Publisher for the e-ARC. Totally Enjoyed this one alot!

Tia is forced to go on holiday. Quincy is forced to deal with her less than stellar attitude. Somewhere along the line, these enemies join forces towards common goals.

This is was a lovely, cute holiday read.
It has the small town romance. Where every one knows your name.

- City girl, country boy
- fake dating
- small town romance
- YA romance

I have many thoughts but I’ll keep them to myself as I am not the intended audience of this book. If you like a small town holiday romance give this book a try. It’s gives Hallmark movie for teens.

Thank you NetGalley, Soho Press - Soho Teen, and Abiola Bello for the early access copy of Only for the Holidays.

Only for the Holidays is a dual point-of-view, coming-of-age, teen holiday romance that follows Tia a city girl and Quincy a country boy.

Tia is devastated when her boyfriend Mike suggest they take a break. To make things worse, she is forced to spend the holidays away from the city in a small town. Quincy’s family is hosting the annual winter ball. After his girlfriend betrays his trust and cheats on him with his best friend, Quincy is determined to not attend the winter ball solo. Sparks fly when the two decide to work together in this holiday romance.

This book is a cute and cozy YA novel with a hint of mess, it truly reminded me of a Hallmark Christmas movie.
This book starts off a little slow but I think the author did an amazing job with painting the winter vibes, also I really enjoyed the family dynamics and how even the side characters added immensely to this story.
Our main characters are young and at times dumb but that's okay because it proves to be that those not so smart decisions will eventually lead them to the path of a small town romance. I could definitely see a follow up book in the works.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and it was a great palette cleanser from all the thrillers l've read recently.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Alright, so let me break it down for you. This book is a holiday vibe masterpiece. Picture this: Tia’s life is flipped upside down when her boyfriend hits her with the classic “we need a break” line, just as her mom decides they're spending the holidays in the countryside. Bummed but determined, Tia’s on a mission to crash her not-so-ex boyfriend's birthday bash and patch things up. Enter Quincy, who’s nursing a double heartbreak from his girl and best friend, and needs a fake date to save face at his family's fancy winter ball. Sparks fly when these two team up, and it’s a wild ride through the snowstorm, ice skating, and all that winter jazz.

The author nails the holiday setting like a pro, with those horseback rides and cozy vibes. The characters aren’t just cardboard cutouts; they’re full of quirks and flaws that make them super relatable and hilarious. If you're all about fake-dating, opposites attract, and a dash of “he falls first” action, this book is your perfect festive escape. Trust me, it’s the kind of feel-good read that’ll warm your heart faster than a cup of hot cocoa.

Thank you hearourvoicestours, Soho Teen and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for ARC.

First of all - I don't know who decided that in romances it is necessary to explain the characters by telling the story of their lives through them in their heads in the first few pages, but it is a cheap treatment. I prefer to get to know the protagonist through the action and their actions, not an internal monologue about how much she couldn't stand her sister's toys on the floor.

I expected a template Christmas romance, I received a teen drama. But what a drama it was! I am not at all disappointed with the direction in which it was developed. However, in my opinion, it would have been appropriate to suggest in the description that the characters are in their teens and can be grounded by their mother. I know the publisher's name suggests it, but sometimes that doesn't prove anything.

An interesting idea with a hint of racial considerations, but without pretentiousness. A sweet romance for younger and older readers. I enjoyed myself quite a bit. Ah those first loves, so dramatic and fiery. A perfect read for the holiday season.

I'll admit, I love summer all day every day! But this book gave me the cozy Christmas vibes I didn't know I needed. This was a wholesome young adult romance with a hint of humor and plenty of drama.

I loved the Black Excellence representation! Quincy's family owned the Saiyan Hedge Farm and were one of the elite families in town. I really liked Tia's family. Her mom was non-nonsense but down to earth. Willow was supportive & Banks was the funniest.

Both Tia and Quincy were struggling in the relationship department, but the chemistry between them was cute. If you like the enemies to lovers and/or fake dating trope, this is the book for you!

Thank you @hearourvoicestours for the opportunity to review this book

Quincy is fresh out of a relationship and from the countryside while Tia is a city girl looking to reignite her relationship with her boyfriend Michael. However, while on vacation for the Christmas holiday on a farm with her family, Tia and Quincy find it hard to fight their connection.

Only for the Holidays" by Abiola Bello is a heartwarming read that captures the essence of love, family, and the magic of the holiday season. The story revolves around the complexities of relationships, particularly focusing on Tia's journey as she navigates the challenges of her personal life during the Christmas holiday.

I am one of those individuals that does not wait for Christmas season to begin to read themed stories. So when I got the notice for this tour, I jumped at the chance to read this book (plus I absolutely loved the last book I read from them). I enjoyed this book as much as the first one. It had me laughing many times (and thankfully I wasn't eating when it did), and was such a heartwarming and beautiful story. I think my favorite part was how Tia learned a lesson at a Young age that took many if us older women many years to learn ( and TBH, some of us still haven't taken it to heart at our big ages.) This author is two for two for me and I can't wait for their next book.

Don’t let the cold snowy front cover fool you, this romance novel has plenty of heat! I’m typically not a big romance reader but I was thoroughly entertained and had a lot of fun reading Only for the Holidays by Abiola Bello.

Fun and down to Earth there’s a lot to love about Only for the Holidays. With loveable characters Quincy and Tia, these polar opposites manage to pull off fake dating despite a whole lot of drama and mess. Despite them being opposites, the chemistry is intense and seen from the very beginning, which kept me wondering how this romance would turn out.

Fake dating, opposites attracting, self-identity and warming icy hearts are fun themes found in this romance of Tia and Quincy navigating the ups and downs of love. From betrayal to the forbidden "I need space" request, Only for the Holidays has plenty of other plot twists that will keep you reading to see what happens next.

Only for the Holidays is the perfect young adult feel good romance that has plenty of spice to keep you warm during the cold winter months. If you love romance novels with forced proximity, fake dating, and betrayals of the heart then Only for the Holidays by Abiola Bello is must-read. It will fit perfectly in your Christmas to be read pile.

Only for the holidays was a cute fake dating story. Tia had her own thing going with a bf who couldn't get it together. Quincy and his gf just had broken up so this was perfect. While Tia was trying her hardest to make somelne SEE HER. Quincy saw her immediately when she and her family arrived for their vacation. The connection wasn't instant. Tia was playing hard to get but Quincy was hard to get rid of. It was so cute. Once the idea 💡 came about them being "GF and BF" the two actually realized they liked each other.

There's more to the story. Download ‼️ Order a copy for yourself and let me know how you liked it!

I think this low rating is 100% my fault because I didn’t realize this was a YA.

But, Sophie, it’s literally in the first sentence of the blurb?

Your girl is an idiot.

Okay, so this was rushed and slightly annoying. Both MCs were whiny (this is where the YA comes into play because this may not have bothered me 10 years ago) and kinda superficial. Like, I get it, Tia is supposed to be this city girl, but introducing her by having her complain about her nails and then borderline insult her friend in her head while they're talking, yeah, it wasn’t a good start. Also, her boyfriend wants to break up and she says "I still have to host his party, I love him" girl, love yourself more at this point.

Quincy was mostly forgettable, aside from his whining too lmao

I kept thinking his name was Cam and I was like, why?? It’s his brother 💀 I literally couldn’t keep the characters straight in my head, including the POV swtiches (their tones/voices were kinda all the same)

Anyway, take this with a grain of salt because like I said, I thought this was NA/Adult and it threw me off because I had high expectations😭😅

*All this to say I still like YA, but don't reach for YA contemporary aside from a few exceptions*

*Only for the Holidays* by Abiola Bello was a delightful surprise. At first, I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy Tia's character—her attitude toward the countryside was a little over-the-top, and her obsession with stalking her ex felt a bit juvenile. But as the story progressed, she grew on me, especially as she was caught up in the quirky charms of Saiyan Hedge Farm. Her misadventures, like falling into horse manure and dodging sheep, brought plenty of laughs, and it was fun to watch her evolve from a self-absorbed city girl into someone more open to new experiences.

Quincy Parker, on the other hand, is immediately likable. His commitment to the farm and his family while dealing with his own breakup made him an easy character to root for. The fake dating trope is a favourite of mine, and I appreciated how Bello brought Tia and Quincy together in a natural way despite their initial friction. Their chemistry develops steadily, and the fake relationship trope is done well here—filled with sweet, often humorous moments, and you can't help but hope for the genuine feelings to take over.

The rural setting was also a refreshing backdrop for a holiday romance. The Winter Ball preparations, the cozy farm atmosphere, and even the snowstorm all added charm to the story. The ball itself felt like a magical culmination of the slow-burn romance, and the tension created by the storm made for a satisfying climax.

If I had one critique, it would be that Tia's fixation on her ex lingered a little too long for my liking. It took her a while to let go of him and focus on what was developing between her and Quincy, but the story took off once she did.

Overall, this was a heartwarming and funny holiday read, perfect for anyone who loves an excellent fake-dating romance set in the countryside.