Last Summer's Secret delivers all the heartwarming charm and emotional resonance readers could ask for in a holiday romance. Eloise Parker and Trevor Hall’s story is a delightful blend of second chances, personal growth, and holiday magic that will leave readers swooning and smiling long after the final page.

Dr. Eloise Parker is a protagonist many will relate to—a woman torn between familial expectations, the demands of her career, and her own sidelined dreams. Her journey is as much about rediscovering herself as it is about finding love, and her passion for baking adds a cozy, festive warmth to the narrative. Trevor, on the other hand, brings a laid-back charm and emotional depth that make him the perfect counterpart to Eloise’s structured life. His nomadic tendencies clash beautifully with Eloise’s need for stability, creating plenty of romantic tension and meaningful conversations.

The setting of Maple Hollow feels like a character in itself, a picturesque small town that brims with holiday spirit and creates the perfect backdrop for their rediscovery of each other. Told through alternating perspectives, readers are given a glimpse into both Eloise and Trevor’s vulnerabilities and desires, making their eventual connection all the more satisfying.

What sets this book apart is its balance of romance and introspection. While Eloise and Trevor’s chemistry is undeniable, their story also explores themes of self-discovery, taking risks, and embracing life’s unexpected gifts. It’s a reminder that sometimes love shows up when we least expect it—just in time to change everything.

Perfect for fans of heartfelt holiday romances and second-chance love stories, Last Summer's Secret is a beautifully written tale about finding joy, connection, and the courage to follow your heart. It’s the kind of book that feels like a warm hug on a cold winter night—full of charm, emotion, and just the right amount of festive cheer.

👉🏻 Requested on Netgalley in return for an honest review! 👈🏻

Cute Christmas romance, but the Hallmark vibes are shooting through the roof! Not much depth, dialogue wasn't always great and hoped for a bit more spice. This is a typical romance set in a typical little town with typical experiences. Fun to read in between but don't expect uniqueness.

I liked the premise of this book, but the execution wasn't great

First of all, instead of telling the story through action and dialogue, there is a lot of info dumping and a lot of it isn't really relevant to the plot.

Secondly, it really annoyed me that every time there was a switch in perspective, the last scene had to be retold, even if it was just a mundane scene. It was maddening.

Feeling pressured by her parents and not so good boyfriend, Eloise decides to escape for the holidays and spend Christmas with her best friend's family. What she didn’t expect was to be spending Christmas with the one-night stand she had six months ago, who turned out to be her best friend’s brother. Trevor decides to spend the holidays with the family before starting new adventures in Europe after selling his business. When he arrives and bumps into Eloise, he begins to think that his holiday might just get a little sweeter, until she tells him to keep that they know each other a secret. Over Christmas, they both are forced to face the weight of their parent's expectations. Eloise must decide if she is willing to sacrifice her parent’s approval to follow her heart.
I really loved Eloise’s character growth. I don’t generally like the cheating trope but it did bring growth and tension into the story. I enjoyed the flashbacks to when Eloise and Trevor met as well as the relationships Eloise builds with Trevor’s family. This holiday romance has complex emotions, baking, and found family. The town of Maple Hallow sets the scene for this cute and cozy romance with Hallmark vibes.
Thank you Netgalley and Mari Suggs for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Second chance surprise during the holidays - cute cast of characters, over controlling family issues, learning to stand up for yourself, and finding real love and found family. An entertaining holiday romance.

Sweet one-night stand repercussions story. A light-weight Christmas version of "Part of Your World" without the the spice or character development.
Great book for a light holiday romance and to add to your holiday reading options instore.

It's really easy to fall for a story when you love the characters and the setting. Maple Hollow is a quaint town in Georgia that LOVES holidays. They go ALL out for Christmas and with the town as the backdrop, the magic of the season exudes throughout this adorable tale.

Dr. Eloise Parker is the quintessential people pleaser. All her choices revolve around making other people happy. She went to medical school to please her doctor dad and is now close to completing her residency. She's dating a doctor. And she's miserable. This isn't the life she would design for herself, but she feels too guilty to tell her family after all they've done for her.

When she finds out her boyfriend is to be attending Christmas with her parents, she balks. Things are already shaky between them and the LAST thing she wants is to spend her favorite time of year in an awkward position. Her best friend, Susie, invites her to spend Christmas with her and her family in a cabin in Maple Hollow. Eloise jumps at the chance and makes up an excuse that she has to work.

Enter Trevor, Susie's brother who had a fleeting encounter with Eloise 6 months ago. That she never mentioned to the bestie. And now he's here. At the cabin where she's supposed to spend the holiday.

I loved Susie & Trevor's mom Laura. She is the mom we all want. Grandpa Carl is quiet, but observant - popping in with the wisdom in clutch moments. The family is adorable as a unit. Christmas cookie baking & snowman making are tradition for the Hall clan.

Eloise & Trevor have playful banter. They make you want to root for them. Throughout the book, they both see growth. The only thing I was disappointed with was the lies from Eloise. She had multiple opportunities to open up, and she had me yelling at her to just let her people in. Let them see the mess. It's okay not to be perfect.

Thank you NetGalley & Mari Suggs for the ARC of One Christmas With You. I read it in a day & it hit on all this feels I needed for the holiday mood.

One Christmas with You by Mari Suggs | ARC Review

Thank you Mari Suggs and NetGalley for this book! It was a lovely read before the holiday season is upon us!

4⭐️//0🌶️

A sweet, wholesome holiday novel about second chances and an unexpected love story. Eloise and Trevor’s story is a delightful blend of past sparks reignited, unexpected revelations, and the kind of small-town coziness that feels like a warm cup of cocoa on a winter night. Eloise and Trevor's chemistry leaps off the page, particularly as their alternating dual pov brings humor, tension, and vulnerability to their interactions. The novel doesn’t shy away from deeper themes like personal growth, family pressure, and finding one’s true calling, all wrapped up in the festive magic of Christmas. Perfect for readers who enjoy Hallmark Christmas movies!

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

I wanted to like “One Christmas With You” as the beginning wasn’t too bad but unfortunately I did not care for the plot or the way the past and present goes back and forth. Not the worst book I read but I dnf at 37%.

3 stars

This was a lovely Christmas book. It gives a lot of Hallmark vibes but in a good way. I like the setting and the mmcs family was amazing.
The romance was the weakest part of the story. I didn't like how it started and how many lies the fmc said. I also didn't like the miscommunication and the fact that the heroine could have tell the truth so many times but didn't.
I liked the hero a bit more but still I wasn't fully in with them as a couple.
Overall this was a fun sweet read. Perfect for the season.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: One Christmas With You by Mari Suggs

It's December, which means I'm ready for Christmas time! Bring on the holiday books. 😃

Six months ago, Eloise had a one-night stand when she found out her boyfriend was cheating on her. When their flights were delayed, Eloise met Trevor at the airport. She thought she would never see him again. Flash forward to Christmas. Eloise is going to her best friend Susie's family cabin for Christmas. Who would have thought that Trevor was Susie's brother and that Eloise would see him again?

I enjoyed all the Christmas feels in One Christmas With You. The setting is a perfect small town called Maple Hollow that loves Christmas. There are many traditions and cookies that will put you in the comfy holiday spirit. I especially liked that this book is in dual POVs between Trevor and Eloise. I love getting perspectives from both of the main characters. Trevor is so sweet and is just a darling character. I also enjoyed the side characters; they brought so much personality to the story. One Christmas With You is a shorter story with many sweet and spicy moments. This book gives best friend's brother, found family, second chance romance, and small-town tropes.

I didn't really like a few things about One Christmas With You. One plot element that plays a big part in the story is cheating and lying, making it harder to like some characters. One character also makes a lot of bad choices, which doesn't help the likeability. Many plot points were added towards the end, meaning they could only partially develop.

Although One Christmas With You is far from perfect, I still enjoyed it. It was a short, sweet holiday read that can get you in the holiday spirit.

Thank you, Netgalley and Mari Suggs, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

I was so hooked on Eloise and Trevor, following in their footsteps and slowly understanding where their feelings came from, but when I got halfway through the book they lost me.
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Eloise is in one of her last years of residency, completely exhausted from giving everything to meet the goals and obligations expected by others, her parents, her friends and her boyfriend. Struggling to make and have her decisions respected, she dedicates herself fully to work but when she finds out that the Christmas break she was going to spend with her family becomes a social event where she will have to face the situation, she simply cannot do it and her best friend decides to invite her to spend it with her family in her hometown that looks out of a Christmas book.
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What Trevor least expects, right after selling all his things and putting what he needs in a backpack to go around the world, is to find in his parents' house the woman he cannot forget, his one night stand that he never saw again. And who he shouldn't approach after discovering that she is his sister's best friend. But being in a cozy cabin spending magical moments and learning more about each other becomes impossible to keep their distance.
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A little spoiler alert, but I have to talk about it to explain why I didn’t love it: I couldn't get over the number of times she had the opportunity to explain herself, the opportunity to come clean about what happened that one night stand months ago and then my enthusiasm went down the hill. I can't get over the fact that they moved on. I think if she had talked about her problems and current situation, and given him time to work out his emotions I would have enjoyed the ending so much.
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But I enjoyed the setting, the small town who loves Christmas so much and sound wonderful, the characters around the story and the dynamics of the main characters with them, also...the chemistry between the two main characters it was really good, and this whole cheating situation lowers me one point, it's one of my big No in romance books, I don’t care for excuses it doesn’t work for me
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Thanks to Mari Suggs and her team for give me a copy of this book for my honest and voluntary opinion.

Unfortunately I had to DNF this book. I tried so hard fm enjoy it but I found the FMC and MMC pretty unlikeable. The setting was nice but I couldn’t look past the characters. :(

If you are looking for a lighthearted, quick holiday read that also has a best friends brother trope, check this one out!
The main characters meet for a one night stand, thinking that they would never meet again. Until the FMC realizes that her one night stand is her best friends brother. There is a lot of tension, enough that even the family is picking up on it, even when they believe they're clever enough with the sneaking around. I did want to smack both main characters for how stubborn they were with holding their feelings back from one another.

I do wish that there was more tension, something more gripping. The plot got a little lost, but overall, its a good palette cleanser.

Thank you Netgalley, the author, and publisher for the ARC

I’ve given this 🌟🌟 🌟 /5, because although I enjoyed it on the hole, there were elements I thought could have been improved.

Starting with what I liked:

- It felt very festive and I loved the setting of the book. It’s in a cute Christmas almost village and cabin which feels so cosy.
- The dynamic between Susies family melts your heart because it just feels so much like a warm loving family that you would love to visit.
- It was a very easy read and also short at 200 pages, so nice to get stuck into!
- It’s very wholesome, Eloise following her heart standing up for herself, following her dream job and mixing with the new family.

What I thought could be improved:

- Because it is such a short book obviously the pace of the book is pretty fast. This is not a bad thing, but it leaves gaps in character development to really get attached to them, although this is also probably an event of personal preference.
- It felt like there was a lot of different plot events thrown into the mix for such a short book so that each element was underdeveloped. This is partly because of the type of book that it is, which again, is not a bad thing. It just isn’t a book where you are going to feel very emotional and attached to characters I don’t believe.

Would I recommend this book? If you enjoy a Hallmark Christmas film then yes, I would. It will put you in a festive mood and it is a quick and easy read.
If you are looking for something with a little more depth and emotional attachment, then probably not. But overall it was a reasonably good, easy festive read!

Thank you for the opportunity NetGalley and Mari Suggs!

This was a really cute premise!

I’m a fan of second chance romance, but not the cheating part - which is a huge crux of the whole thing. I liked Trev and Eloise as a couple, but Eloise was not my favorite character. In some ways I get her, but I feel like I couldn’t find her relatable at all. But maybe it was just the way she was written.

This is also not my favorite writing style, so that might be a part of my lower rating. There wasn’t as much dialogue as I normally like, and there wasn’t a whole lot of fluidity between paragraphs (writing felt stilted).

But I did like the other characters (not you Chris, go fall down a sidewalk grate). I enjoyed Susie and Chase and Ava. I think the parents and grandpa were grade A in terms of their features in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and team for the ARC, it was a nice easy holiday read!

Maple Hollow is the most precious, truly bringing the best small-town vibes. I felt really at home reading about this cheerful town and really found myself wishing I could transport myself there! I need a warm fireplace and one of Eloise’s sugar cookies ASAP.

I truly felt a part of the family with the found family trope in this book. It felt like you were a part of the family and were wrapped up in a warm hug. There were definitely features of family tension between the wholesome fluff but what holiday family occasion doesn’t?

This I would classify as “sexy Hallmark Christmas” as it has the wholesome Hallmark energy with some spice on the side. Trevor and Eloise definitely had undeniable chemistry.

I love the mixture of real-world issues with the added holiday romance. I do feel like at times there was a lot being thrown into the mix toward the end but didn’t allow enough time for those flavors to fully develop. Sometimes, simple is best. But I never found myself getting bored and was racing to get to the end to see what happened with our two turtledoves. I always adore a happy ending, especially during the holiday season.

Love conquers all.

I love the idea of this book, and it totally gives off the small-town Christmas-y vibes that I was craving, BUT I really wish Eloise was more likeable. She has horrible decision-making skills, from staying with (and not confronting!?) her boyfriend, Chris, to essentially doing the EXACT same thing to Chris that he did to her...I just feel like she needed more self-growth before getting a happily ever after. Poor Trevor honestly deserved better. AND SUSIE. Eloise's best friend in the world. She is literally dealing with Eloise's drama WHILE SHE IS ACTIVELY IN LABOR AND FRESHLY POSTPARTUM. She is a saint and, again, Eloise just comes off as a really unlikeable, immature person. I did like that she finally put a stop to her people-pleasing ways and stood up for herself to her parents in the end. And despite finding Eloise annoying I did really enjoy this! Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

This is such a cute and sweet read. The characters were likeable and relatable, usually there will be a character in a book that I find irritating, but they were all lovely! Apart from Chris though - he was awful!

This is a book to read if you’re looking for low angst and pure romance. You should be aware that cheating is a theme throughout, however there is no cheating between the main characters.

Overall a lovely cozy read, full of Christmas spirit.

Thank you NetGalley and Mari Suggs for the early access copy of One Christmas With You.

One Christmas With You follows the story of Eloise and Trevor. Eloise is a doctor in her residency who is feeling burnt out from the demands a job she doesn't love and maintaining a relationship for the sake of her parents. Eloise manages to get the holiday's off and is going to spend them with her best friend Susie in Susie's small town of Maple Hollow. What Eloise doesn't expect is to run into Trevor, Susie's brother and Eloise's one-night stand from six months before. Trevor is a minimalist nomadic who hasn't been able to stop thinking of his one-night stand who left without a word. Little did he know he'd be seeing her for the holidays.

This is a dual point-of-view, small town, holiday romance. This book may be a good fit for those interested in a personal-growth, holiday romance story. However, trigger warning that there are multiple instances of infidelity within this story.