"Tis the Season for Secrets" is the second book in Kate Callaghan's "Village of Yule" series. In this book, Juliet Frost is a book editor who has recently acquired an old family chest. In this chest are some long-buried family secrets that lead her to look at her family with new eyes. Will Duncan, her hunky one-night stand is now turning into something more, and it turns out he has ties to her family as well. When Will transports Juliet to a magical Christmas village, things start running out of control in Juliet's mind and she has to determine the next best step.

While I enjoyed the originality of this story, I didn't believe in the chemistry between Will and Juliet, and I didn't appreciate how he would get mad at her so quickly. He understood what was going on more than she did and I though he should have been more patient. Overall, it was a cute book but just not for me. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Before reading, put on a Christmas album and have hot cocoa ready, then sit down to a wonderful story. I have read the first book in what I'm hoping will a continuing series. I love returning to Yule and the characters are engaging with an unusual plot line. I definitely recommend this book and the previous one written by Ms. Callaghan. I received an e-book from NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.

In our trip back to the town of Yule the latest drama has us dealing with the forced choices made upon young people and the consequences of their actions. We learn about Juliet and Will and the instant attraction that pulls them together no matter what they try. You fall in love with them, and what they go through and of course the town of Yule Al over again. I love that this one is a little spicer than the last and I think there is room for a 3rd book to this series <3. If you love Hallmark Christmas movies with spice you will love this sequel. Thank you Netgallery, and Kate Callaghan for picking me to be an arc reader of this book!

Book Review: 'Tis the Season for Secrets (Village of Yule #2) by Kate Callaghan

'Tis the Season for Secrets' by Kate Callaghan delivers a holiday romance brimming with magic, mystery, and emotional depth. The second installment in the Village of Yule series, this enchanting tale sweeps readers into a festive world where the spirit of Christmas and family secrets collide, keeping the pages turning as you root for the characters.

The story follows Juliet Frost, an aspiring editor who stumbles upon her family's hidden history after inheriting an old chest. What begins as a simple holiday turns into a whirlwind of revelations as Juliet discovers her connection to Yule, a magical Christmas village, and learns that she is the product of a forbidden love affair. The novel’s use of this hidden legacy offers a fresh twist on the holiday romance genre, pulling readers into a captivating web of family intrigue.

At the heart of the book is the rekindling of Juliet's unexpected romance with Will Duncan, a mysterious man from her past who holds crucial answers about her origins. Their chemistry sizzles right from the start, thanks to their shared history—a one-night stand that neither has forgotten. Will's return, steeped in his own secrets, adds tension and allure to the romance as the couple grapples with questions of fate, trust, and belonging. The forced proximity trope is effectively woven into their dynamic, enhancing the romantic tension while exploring deeper emotional stakes.

Callaghan beautifully captures the essence of a winter wonderland, infusing the narrative with vivid, atmospheric descriptions of Yule. The village itself becomes a character in the story, with its whimsical charm and magical undertones. This setting, combined with the festive season, evokes warmth and coziness, making the perfect backdrop for a holiday romance full of surprises.

The author also does an excellent job balancing the lightheartedness of holiday festivities with more profound themes of identity and self-discovery. Juliet's journey of unraveling her family's secrets and coming to terms with who she truly is adds emotional complexity to the plot. Meanwhile, the evolving romance with Will, complete with steamy moments and undeniable chemistry, is both engaging and heartfelt.

While this book can be read as a standalone, Callaghan’s recommendation to read The Naughty or Nice Clause first is well-founded. Having that background on the Village of Yule enhances the enjoyment of the overarching plot threads and the shared world of magic and holiday spirit. That said, new readers will still find ’Tis the Season for Secrets enjoyable as it stands alone with its own arc, delivering a satisfying holiday romance complete with a guaranteed HEA (happily ever after).

For readers who love cozy, magical holiday romances with a dash of intrigue, hidden family histories, and a second-chance love story, 'Tis the Season for Secrets hits all the right notes. With mature content and well-executed romantic tropes like "Bodyguard x Editor" and "One Night Stand," it’s a book for readers looking for something heartwarming yet steamy. Kate Callaghan skillfully blends fantasy, romance, and seasonal cheer to create a delightful escape into a world where magic and love are always in the air.

Rating: 4.5/5

The blurb on the back of the book sounded promising and fun. The story, unfortunately, was not that good. At the beginning I liked Will and Juliet and the way they met. But after a while I got the impression that the story becomes circular and nothing big happens anymore. When the chest comes in, it starts to get more exicting again but, nevertheless, I just could not feel the story the way, I would have wished.
The writing style in 3rd person sometimes threw me off. I had the impression, that I could not empathise with the characters as much as I wanted. For me, it was a bit like reading the newspaper and not a novel. It just could not catch me enough.
The characters were sweet and I had fun reading about Juliet and Will but there were so many other characters that I did not like that much or I just could not figure out how to get to know them better. Maybe there were too many characters so that the sidekicks seemed plain.
Also the storyline was not a hundred percent my type. I liked the fact that there was a bit of magic involved and that Jule was perceived as a special place and this is what I love about Christmas books. But this one could not wrap me up with Christmas spirit.
I was not a fan of this book. It was okay to read it but there are nicer Christmas books out there. If you like magic, a bit of miscommunication and secrets, this book might be the right one for you.

A fun story with just the right amount of drama. I enjoyed the story, the characters, and the seeting; and, as someone who hadn't come across Yule before, I'm going to have to go back and read Lyra and Mason's story.

I LOVED this book, it reads like a Hallmark Christmas movie in the absolute best way possible. Despite being a sequel of sorts, this book could also work well as a standalone. The building of Yule and the characters first introduced in the first book is very well done, and I think it would flow well without having read the first (though, you totally should!)

Highly recommend.

Juliet is gifted an old trunk and finds out she has ties to a christmas village, but what does it mean? a little mystery and a little romance.

Ooh this second book in the series (which i had to read immediately after the first one of course) is soo good! The first one was fun, but this one definitely hits all the right spots. The characters are good and likeable, the plot is so good, i love the added friendship aspect and some characters from book 1 returning. They also had some real chemistry, which was really nice.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review

Great premise but way too many plot lines, much too much dialogue and a very unsatisfying ending make this a hard sell

I really enjoyed this book! The characters and the plot are very well written and the story was interesting and thought out well. I would definitely recommend this book to my audience and friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kate Callaghan for an ebook in exchange for an honest review!

Rating : 4/5 Stars

I had a great time with this one!! I really loved the first in this series so I was super excited for this one. It gave me allll the holiday vibes and I loved every second of it!!

When aspiring editor Juliet Frost gets an old family chest, her peaceful holiday season takes a wild turn. Inside, she discovers secrets that reveal she’s the product of a forbidden love and has ties to a magical Christmas village called Yule. Just when things get complicated, her mysterious ex, Will Duncan, reappears with answers about her past. But he’s hiding secrets too. Is their reunion a twist of fate or part of a bigger plan? Juliet must figure out where her heart truly belongs in this delightful tale filled with holiday magic and surprises.

"Tis The Season For Secrets" is the second novel in the Village of Yule series by Kate Callaghan and as always, Callaghan has created a wonder world her for characters.
While this story can be read as a standalone, there are numerous references to the story of Lyda and Mason from the first novel (The Naughty or Nice Clause), and you are missing out on some of the fun between the characters, along with understanding the workings of Yule re visitors - in short, read and thoroughly enjoy both novels are they are the perfect festive treat.
This time around, our story features Juliet and Will. Juliet's family originally come from Yule, though she is unaware of her true heritage and Will is her guardian. Of course all sorts of shenanigans ensue when Juliet is accidentally transported to Yule but is not legally about to visit!
Now, how can I get a ticket to visit Yule? 😊

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

Thanks to Net Galley for providing the arc
I really enjoyed this book
The story follows Juliet and Will
Juliet is a member of the frost family who was banished from Yule generations ago
She was raised by the frosts and separated from her mother who's from Yule
Will is a guardian of Yule and is tasked by Juliet's mother to find her and re-introduce her to the world of Yule
I liked Juliet's character a lot her hard working nature her protectiveness towards loved ones and the chemistry between her and will was instant and i liked how it is shown throughout the story
Will is caring protective and will make you swoon
I also liked the friendship between Juliet and Margot
Seeing characters from the previous book in the series was amazing and although this is a standalone book and can be read without reading the first book i really recommend reading The naughty or nice clause

Julia Frost is intrigued when she is left a family heirloom from her Grandmother. It starts a journey that leads to the knowledge of a forbidden love affair and an enchanted hidden village called Yule.
This was a lovely Christmasy story, perfect for the winter season. It was easy to read and also featured characters from the previous books which I liked.

📕: Tis the Season for Secrets-Village of Yule Book #2

✍️ By: Kate Callaghan-I read The Naughty or Nice Clause and gave it 3.5✨

📃 Page Count: 322

🗓️ Publication Date:8-24-24 | Read: 9-21-24

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley and CallaghanWriter for this ARC 🎅🏾! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Genre: New Adult Fic, Romance, Fantasy

🌏Setting: New York to Yule-North Pole

Tropes:
🔺1- night stand
🔺holiday romance
🔺forced proximity
🔺forbidden romance
🔺found family
🔺family drama
🔺hidden secrets
🔺small magical town


⚠️ TW: sexual harassment, toxic parents, parental abandonment

POV: dual, 3rd person

💭 Summary 💭 Juliet hopes for a promotion to editor after 5 years at Harley and Bowe Publishing House as an assistant. She receives a chest via mail with a golden bell charm from her Nana. Her family treats her like an outcast, so when Juliet's given the chance to find out about her parents' past, she trusts Will Duncan. They have a meet-cute (not really) and Will finds a way into her life as a favor to her mother. He is a guardian from Yule, knows about the Frost family banishment, and is attracted to Juliet at first sight.

♀️Heroine: Juliet Frost-26, asst at publishing firm Harley and Rowe. Gossiped and shunned by the Frost family for being illegitimate.

♂️Hero: Will Duncan-30's British, CEO of Duncan Recruiting and a guardian of Yule that helps former Yule citizens live on the "outside."

🎭Side cast:

Margot Roth-Juliet's roommate and BFF since college who owns her own tech-based private investigator firm.

Nana Rose Frost + Reginald Frost- Juliet's grandparents -both deceased

Beth-Juliet's half-sister

Eloise Heart-Juliet's mother, was a guardian banished from Yule

Gillian-Juliet's stepmother

Harvey Bryce-Will's friend, expelled from Yule academy

Jeremy Frost- Juliet's father

Victor+ Diana-Juliet's father figure/ their driver and the housekeeper/cook


🤔My Thoughts: Another holiday romance with magic, love, and Santa. I liked the hidden secrets and family banishment in Juliet's family. With Will's help she learns the truth, how to accept Yule, and her newfound family. Nice cameos from Lyla, Mason, Kevin, and Mrs. Klaus from book one.

Range of emotions: 😬🤔🙄
🌶️: Spice 3/5
😭: Emotion 4/5
❤️: Couple 4/5
⭐️: Rating 4/5

Juliet finally got the promotion she was has been working so hard for, but Will and the Guardians of Yule have other plans for her...
This one night stand, forced proximity, Christmas, loe fantasy romance is book 2 in the Village of Yule series. I have absolutely loved other books by this author, and although this one was not bad at all, it didn't live up to my expectations. Now, don't get me wrong, this book is a really cute holiday romance, perfect to read by the fire/Christmas tree lights, enough to make me yearn December, but the pacing felt a touch off and I wanted more from the characters. Absolutely loved the found family aspect of it all.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3.5 stars rounded up. I preferred this to its predecessor The Naughty or Nice Clause, possibly because the world was already established and this develops it further - I do recommend reading the first in the series before this one though, to get the most out of it. Juliet is the scapegoat of her wealthy family and struggling to land a promotion at work, when she receives a posthumous gift from her grandmother that turns everything she thinks she knows on its head. From there the plot zips along, only slightly unevenly - the highlight is the instant chemistry between Juliet and Will, and it’s nice to see characters from the previous book making an appearance. It did feel like everything with Juliet’s family wasn’t completely resolved, but still the book builds to a very satisfying and festive conclusion.