Wonderful holiday, second chance romance that will pull at the heartstrings.

Emory and Tate together were great. I really adored these two and felt they were perfect for each other. Their second chance romance was earned and I liked that they didn't get back together right away. It took time for them to communicate about their past and see what went wrong the first time. It was a slow burn romance filled with plenty of yearning and heartfelt moments. I thought Emory and Tate were super sweet once they got past the heartache. There also wasn't a third-act break-up which was a nice plus.

I adored the setting! Makes me want to book a trip to Evergreen myself. It's the holidays at a Canadian ranch with horses. What's not to love?

I also think the dual timeline being told via Emory's diary entries was pretty genius. It's refreshing and tells the past in a unique and fun way.

Perfect romance book to cuddle up with!

A quick cozy Christmas read.

Initially this one pulled me in right away. Emory's family struggles were interesting and her pull back to Evergreen was sweet. I liked a good bit about Evergreen and it's residents. Tate and Emory had a little spark, but their miscommunication was hard to get through.

At some point in the story, I found myself needing more. The story moved slow, there was not much development or time between the two MC's on the page, and there excitement in the start of the book died down.

I did enjoy the HEA ending and really adored the small town aspect, but overall it feel flat.

This was a lovely holiday read that felt just like a hallmark movie. It had all the typical things like picturesque small town backdrop with the city girl running from her problems. I liked the structure with the cut aways to her teenage diary showing what initially happened between Emory and Tate. Some of the miscommunication in the current timeline got to be annoying - she just kept assuming he had to have a gf but never even asked once. I did end up finishing this in one sitting and had a good time throughout.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Christmas at the Ranch is the perfect read for anyone craving a touching, emotional romance filled with love, healing, and a dash of Christmas magic. It’s impossible not to get lost in the emotions and the hope that these two will finally get the happy ending they deserve.

Christmas at the Ranch is a Christmas-themed second-chance romance novel that is equal parts women's fiction and romance. It is set in a small town horse ranch outside of Toronto, Canada during Christmas. This was the first book I read by Julia McKay, and I noticed she also writes under two other pen names as well (Marissa Stapley and Maggie Knox) in other genres.

Short Book Summary: Almost 30 year old Emory can't move past her first love from a decade ago, Tate Wilder. She finds herself needing to escape a bad family situation and drives back to Tate's hometown of Evergreen, Canada. Due to car trouble, she is delayed in leaving Evergreen, and ends up having to face Tate again after all these years. The past hurts between them resurface, and the current challenges Emory is facing with her parents threaten to push Tate further away still. Will they be able to move forward and reignite the flame that used to exist? Or is it too late?

My Impressions: I love a good Christmas book that goes deeper than surface fluff, and this one delivered. It didn't feel like a superficial or salacious book, which I appreciated. I enjoyed the setting of the horse ranch and riding details immensely. The author balanced the women's fiction and romance well.

I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to those who enjoy Hallmark-style movies that have more substance, horses and horse ranches, and like books written similar to Annabel Monaghan's writing style. This book has first person POV, great pacing, and is a short but robust novel.

One thing to note: The opening scene is a diary entry from when the main character Emory is 18 years old. I started reading the opening scene wondering if I had accidentally stumbled into a YA novel. Just hold tight, because after that scene it goes back to more mature writing and the main story and it will make sense why it felt young at first. The diary entries are a fun way this author shows flashbacks of the past, and I really enjoyed them.

Content Considerations: There may have been one or two curse words in the whole book, so language was scant/light. There was a vague (not detailed or explicit) mention of a character recounting a sexual experience, one slightly descriptive make-out (a few sentences), and one open door scene at 95% between an unmarried couple. The open door scene was maybe a page max and mostly mild in detail. One mention of an LGBT married couple.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the complementary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My review is in no way influenced by the author or publisher.

It has all the things you could possibly want from a sweet holiday romance. Lots of snow, getting stuck in an adorable small town, friendly townsfolk, holiday traditions, and a chance for a small town boy to get his second chance with the city girl.

Emory, upon hearing some terrible life altering news about her father flees the city, and soon finds herself in the small town of Evergreen. Which just so happens to where her family spent one magical Christmas 10 years ago, where she fell in love with Tate. Of course Tate is still there, on the family ranch, living the life he had once dreamed of. Emory finding herself stranded in town realizes she can’t avoid him forever. Will they be able to overcome the things that tore them about all those years ago and find their way back together? Or is their relationship destined to remain in the past?

I really enjoyed reading Emory’s diary entries as a unique way of adding the dual timeline. Evergreen felt like a magical place to visit at Christmas, I would move right in if I could. If you are looking for a sweet holiday read to cozy up with this is the book for you.

This book is perfect for a cozy fireside read. I loved the setting, the cute romance story line, and the town vibes!

Miscommunication being the source of the core conflict irks me. When everything could have been solved with one conversation, I struggle to root for the characters, wishing I could shake them instead. As a result, I wanted to like this book more than I did. My favorite part was the small town charm and cast of fun side characters.

3.5 stars - Christmas at the Ranch is a cozy Christmas romance with a surprising emotional depth! I love romances with flashbacks to how a couple first met, and this one delivered on that fully. I loved the complicated dynamics between the characters, especially Emory's relationship with her parents. I would've rated it higher, but I felt like everything came together a little too easily and neatly at the end of the book. Overall this was a really cute read and I enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and Julia McKay for this ARC!

This book was adorable. Very "Hallmark" vibes on this second chance romance. I flew through this book in 4 days - very easy and fast-paced read. I really enjoyed the overarching conflict of the main character's life situation and thought that was a unique twist from typical romance books. After I finished, I was left feeling very warm and fuzzy which is exactly what I wanted.

Christmas at the Ranch is the perfect holiday read to curl up with when you’re in the mood for warmth, charm, and a dash of Christmas magic. Julia McKay has crafted a story that is as cozy as a crackling fire, filled with heart, hope, and the kind of Christmas spirit that makes you believe in second chances.

The characters are wonderfully relatable, and their journey toward love and healing is both sweet and touching. The ranch setting is absolutely magical during the holiday season—think twinkling lights, snow-covered landscapes, and cozy moments that make you want to jump right into the story and experience the joy for yourself.

What I loved most was the beautiful mix of romance, family, and the importance of finding your place—whether that’s at home, in your heart, or with the people who matter most. The story flows effortlessly, with just the right amount of holiday cheer and emotional depth to keep you invested from start to finish.

If you’re in need of a feel-good, holiday read that’ll leave you with a smile on your face and warmth in your heart, Christmas at the Ranch is a perfect choice. It’s like a holiday hug in book form.

Super cute romance. I really enjoyed the characters and their story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

A sweet second chance romance ✨

10 years ago Emory spent a Christmas holiday in a quiet northern town. There she met a local rancher Tate, and had an adorable holiday romance. Flash forward Emory is back in the quiet little town due to some unfortunate events, and is faced with seeing Tate again.

My Thoughts: This book was extremely slow, and I did not connect with the characters. Huge bummer for me because I have loved all of the authors other Christmas books. The Holiday Honeymoon Switch was one of my top for this year. I just thought the story was overall kind of boring. Definitely sweet, but not as hallmark-y as I would have liked. Not very much romance either. I did enjoy the diary moments giving us insight of the past. But overall it fell flat for me. If you like slow pacing in book, then this one is definitely for you!

Thank you Netgalley and G.P. Putnam Group for allowing me to read/review this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tags
•Small Town Romance
•Second Chance
• Holiday

Christmas at the Ranch is a sweet second chance romance between Emory and Tate. Emory's family rents the mansion next to Tate's families ranch over Christmas break when she is 18 years old. Emory and Tate spend 3 weeks together, fall in love and then it all ends.

Flash forward 10 years and Emory finds out her father and uncle are being arrested for financial fraud and her family is in crisis. While fleeing the city to get space from this scandal, Emory ends up once again in Evergreen. This time she is stranded at Wilder Ranch.

This book is sweet and I appreciated Emory's character. Tate was a sweet MMC, but I did not feel like I really got to know him throughout the book. This is a sweet holiday read, but I wish that it would have had more of Tate and Emory interacting. Most of their interactions were from her diary entries from 10 years ago.

I recommend this book if you are looking for a quick and sweet holiday read!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I couldn’t put this book down. It’s a perfect holiday read, with just the right amount of heart and warmth to make you believe in second chances. The chemistry between Emory and Tate is undeniable, and the book left me with that cozy, fulfilled feeling you get after finishing a truly special romance.

I love a good holiday romance book, and this one was adorable. Tate and Emory were so cute!
I will say the beginning of the book is pretty slow but you really do get invested into it after that.
I do wish we got more of Tate and Emory together and them learning to work through their past issues because I feel like the book didn't touch on it very much.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for honest review.

I'm a sucker for a good holiday romance and this one was so cute! Emory fell in love for the first time at age 18 while on a 3 week Christmas Break in Evergreen, a small sleepy town in Canada. She met Tate Wilder one night and hasn't been able to get him out of her head since. Due to teens being teens, their relationship didn't make it the first time around and they haven't spoken in 10 years.

After Emory finds out some unsettling news about her family, she gets in the car and drives with no destination in mind. She ends up back in Evergreen and through a series of comical events is unable to leave. Now, older and wiser, Tate and Emory finally get their second chance. It does take a lot of time, a fair bit of heartache for them to finally come together but once they work through their issues, their love is incredibly sweet!

I loved Tate and Emory together, I wish we had more of them actually together. The yearning was excellent and I so appreciated that there wasn't a third act break-up! I also loved the diary entries in lieu of flashbacks so we could see Emory and Tate as teens. The horses were perfection and I also loved how Emory helped save the town. My only wish was that Tate and Emory could have worked things out sooner so we could have seen more of their adult love! Will definitely be recommending this to everyone!

Christmas at the Ranch was a very cute christmas read. It’s in a small town where the two characters reunite and get a second chance. Tate and Emory are great and I really wanted to see more of their relationship together. Thank you Netgalley for the arc!

While the beginning was a bit too slow for me, I ended up really enjoying Christmas at the Ranch. I’ve never read from this author before but I definitely will be adding her books to my tbr!

Christmas at the Ranch is a great romance read! It gave me all the holiday hallmark movie vibes that I love! It is emotional and uplifting. It has all the small town Ranch vibes in it as well. The story was just as beautiful as the book cover! It is all about a second chance at romance! A girl named Emory leaves her family in Toronto and goes back to Evergreen Lake city. Emory unexpectedly sees a familiar face, a guy named Tate she fell for years ago. While this book starts off slow, it begins to unravel and turns into a great story. This story is all about love, hope, Christmas magic and promises! I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a heartfelt, emotional, Christmas romance! I give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Julia McKay and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for this digital advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is expected to be published on September 23, 2025!