I am the biggest fan of Ashley’s books!!! And the cover and everything !! I can’t handle it! I just love this book and can’t wait to share my love to friends. I love the characters and the growth, and the second chance romance is a fav. I loved the side characters also! Which really makes a book honestly. I will say I could’ve used less miscommunication though, felt like didn’t get fully resolved. The only one cabin trope is always a win in Christmas time :)

I’ve been a fan of Ashley Herring Blake’s work since I first read Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World. Although I was initially skeptical about her transition to writing adult fiction, I was quickly won over by the charm of Delilah Green and the Brigh Falls Trilogy. (Writing those words, I find myself eager to revisit Bright Falls.) I was also excited to dive into Make the Season Bright, especially given my love for queer holiday romances.

Charlotte is a character driven by her career ambitions, fueled by past traumas, especially those tied to the month of December. Her emotional wounds stem from being left at the altar by her childhood sweetheart and presumed true love. Charlotte’s early experiences with love were marred by her mother’s emotional neglect, but her friendship with the Fairbrook family, particularly through her bond with Brighton Fairbrook, helped her start to heal. Unfortunately, the scars reopened when Brighton left her on their wedding day in front of family and friends.

Brighton, on the other hand, chased her own music dreams in Tennessee but was soon cast aside by her band in favor of a more upbeat singer. Now struggling as a bartender and living with a Christian roommate determined to convert her, Brighton's life is far from easy.

When Charlotte and Brighton unexpectedly spend Christmas together during a town's matchmaking festival, they confront their past pain, attempt to rebuild their fractured friendship, and grapple with the simmering feelings that may finally come to a head.

Make the Season Bright is a poignant blend of heartbreak, sweetness, and steaminess. Ashley Herring Blake once again proves her skill as a nuanced and heartfelt writer. This novel reaffirms that there’s joy to be found beyond Bright Falls. The digital ARC even included an excerpt from Blake’s upcoming Dream On, Ramona Riley, which teases a connection to a beloved character from the trilogy. I’m eagerly anticipating the cover reveal on August 14 and hoping for a cameo or three—or six!

3.5 stars.

"Make the Season Bright" by Ashley Herring Blake is a solid book! A sapphic second-chance Christmastime reconnection featuring music and secondary character shenanigans? What's not to love?! I am typically not a fan of second-chance romances, but this one felt very well-earned. These characters are not only compelling, but they have terrific character arcs that make you truly believe in and get invested in their growth and changes. The banter is really good, and there is quite a bit of angst between the main characters, Brighton and Charlotte. It might be predictable, but the journey to get to the ultimate destination is fun, festive, and spicy. I do think the story is a bit too drawn out and long. I wasn't necessarily wowed by it to make it an "every Christmas* read, but I did enjoy it nonetheless.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ashley Herring Blake, and Berkley Publishing Group for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

It's only been a couple days since I finished this but I genuinely forgot all about it immediately after being done. I think it's time for me to admit that I only like Ashley Herring Blake's middle grade books and not her adult ones.

Ok. I did end up enjoying this at certain parts of the book but there was still something missing, not too sure. The early scenes were great but I think the second chance trope here didn't hit the spot. The book rushes through their backstory to tell you how they ended up where they are today. The lack of communication was also getting a bit frustrating between the two. And then the lack of connection between them towards the end, it all just felt rushed. It just didn't wow me.
Brighton was okay but I just couldn't connect with Charlotte.
It made it hard to get into the story and want to root for them at the end. Not something I would necessairly recommend but also maybe other people may end up liking it more than I did.
Thank you Netgalley for the eARC

Didn’t vibe with this one, unfortunately. Charlotte and Brighton both kind of annoyed me: Charlotte is so self-centered she doesn’t even know the name of her best friend’s sister, and Brighton is alternately a sad sack or a bitch. The secondary characters were all absolutely delightful, though; can we get a book about Sloane and Wes’s second-chance romance or Manish and Dorian’s m/m one instead, please? Also, the logistical issues keeping them apart all worked themselves out in the last chapter so unrealistically even for a romance novel that it was hard to suspend my disbelief.

I was so thrilled to receive an ARC of this book! After reading Delilah Green Doesn’t Care over the summer, I fell in love with Blake’s writing style.

Blake has a gift for portraying characters with complex pasts and guarded hearts, making their emotional journeys feel genuine and satisfying. The relationship between Charlotte and Brighton is messy, heartfelt, and so worth the ride. Through Christmas events and snowy Colorado landscapes, their slow, reluctant reconnection is filled with tension, warmth, and nostalgia. The cozy, festive vibe had me craving hot chocolate and the smell of Christmas trees—Blake brings the holiday spirit alive in a way that’s tender and magical.

With a beautifully diverse, all-queer cast, Blake creates a romance that’s as inclusive as it is heartwarming. Each character brings their own story, making this book feel as layered and warm as a Christmas sweater. If you’re looking for a romance that wraps around you like a blanket on a winter night, this one’s a true holiday treat!

It would have to take something pretty major for me to still want to root for a second chance romance where one person ghosted the other with no warning on their wedding day. This book does not achieve that at all. I have never been so against a couple being together in a romance novel before. The descriptions in the steamy scenes also did not do it for me (her 'center??'), but it's definitely hard to enjoy a romantic scene between two people you really don't want to see together.

What happens when you are forced to spend Christmas with your ex who left you at the alar? You fall in love again of course!

To be honest, we struggled with our feelings on this book. It's a second change romance, which is our least favorite, and we really didn't like either of the main characters that much, Charlotte was just so closed off and unfeeling. It made it really difficult to connect with her. Brighton was better, but we couldn't get past the leaving at the altar bit.
There was much steamy spice, which we always appreciate, but this just was not our favorite Ashley novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the arc!

okay really struggled with this one which is so sad because i ADORE ashley herring blake books!!! i just found the MCs unlikeable, the miscommunication trope of it all was not for me. loved the side characters and setting!

No one does sapphic romance like Ashely Herring Blake.

A sweet, funny, holiday romance that made me want to bake cookies and cuddle up on the couch with some cocoa while I was reading.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4.25⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: contemporary romance📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
A cozy second chance sapphic holiday romance

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Holiday reads with hallmark vibes
Second chance romance
Sapphic romance
Forced proximity- exes trapped in the same house
Small Colorado town Christmas vibes
Childhood friends to lovers
Violinist x singer/song writer
New York/ Nashville settings
All the angst
Found family
Snowed in

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
All the festive elements

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
While I wanted Charlotte ad Brighton to end up together I didn’t really connect with them and felt like they shouldn’t have gotten back together so quickly
Miscommunication

Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake offers a heartwarming second-chance romance set against the festive backdrop of a small Colorado town. I appreciated the authenticity of Charlotte and Brighton's rekindled relationship, noting how Blake captured the complexity of reconciling past hurts and rebuilding trust. I would have loved to see deeper conversations to resolve lingering issues. However, the story’s cozy seasonal atmosphere and the chemistry between the leads kept it engaging. The cast of side characters, including Charlotte’s friends and the locals, added humor and warmth, embodying a classic holiday “found family” charm. Overall, it's a sweet, comforting read that mixes emotional depth with festive cheer, making it an enjoyable choice for the holiday season

This queer Hallmark book was a wonderful read! It's to be expected, having read Blake's Bright Falls series, but was charming nonetheless.

I'm interviewing her for my podcast this coming Monday (10/28) and very excited to share the book with the world!

This book is the sapphic Hallmark movie we all needed. In a holiday where media is overly heteronormative, this is the perfect queer addition for those who love christmas and are looking for the representation they deserve. Not only that, but the Christmas joy is deeply felt despite the negative outlook on the holiday. The two main characters are well developed and the scenes of their "dates" are absolutely perfect, and so are the more tender and vulnerable scenes. As previously noted, this is just like a Hallmark movie in the sense that its large city people going to a small town for the holiday and finding love and the most wonderful time of the year. This is a classic second-chance romance Christmas romcom in queer book form and I'm here for it!

It's hard not to fall in love with an AHB novel, but this one takes the cake with the Christmas ambiance. A second-chance romance done right, with such vibrant characters and plenty of holiday mishaps. Would someone please make her books into romcom movies?! This will be a new staple for Christmas reading.

Another fantastic sapphic book from Ashley Herring Blake! I quite literally could not put this down. Charlotte and Brighton are each fabulously flawed and interesting and I just wanted even more from this book! I can’t wait for my next read from AHB!

I loved the found family vibes, snowy setting, forced proximity, and second chance pining!! Such a perfect book to curl up with during snowy weather.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the e-arc!
Another absolutely amazing romance by Ashley Herring Blake! She is such an auto-read author for me and I was so excited to see a holiday romance book being released. Compared to her previous work, I still have such a soft spot for her bright Fall series, but I enjoyed this. The vibes brought a ton of enjoyment as I am a sucker for a holiday romance, and Blake definitely knows how to set up a cute romance.
Now, second-chance romances are very hit-or-miss for me, and I struggled a bit with it in this story. I flipped-flopped a bit on how I was feeling, and I am kind of still on the fence. The explanations/execution just fell a bit flat for me. There were moments I liked and moments I didn't, so I am still unsure about the overall rating.

Ashley Herring Blake's Make the Season Bright is a delightful queer holiday romance. Five years after Brighton leaves Charlotte at the altar, they are forced together on a Christmas vacation with friends they met post breakup who happen to be sisters. This is a character driven second chance romance with a strong cast of supporting characters. Brighton, Charlotte, and friends are all participating in the town's single holiday dating extravaganza. It was a great little book to get in the holiday spirit.