This adorable Christmas novel gave me all the warm fuzzies. It was your typical “seeing first love ten years later” trope, but I loved seeing how their initial love story had unfolded through diary entries from the female MC.
The supporting characters were enjoyable, and I thought the chemistry between Everly and Tate was strong. You definitely get all the magic of Christmas vibes.

Christmas at the Ranch was such a cozy treat to get during these warmer months! really loved the way it blended that Hallmark-style holiday warmth with a story that still had some emotional weight. The ranch and small town setting was such a perfect set up for this romance. The diary entries we get from the FMC's past was a great tool to show us how the first version of their love story went. The layered love story was the perfect way to weave the stories together.

The “will they won’t they” between Emory and Tate was a slow burn in the best way. I appreciated that their connection wasn’t overly dramatic, but more about two people with shared history figuring out if that spark still had a place in their lives now. The tension felt natural, and I liked how the characters had clearly grown but still felt like the same people underneath. Their chemistry felt more grounded in memory and quiet emotion than big romantic gestures, which made it feel more believable.

Overall though, I felt like maybe the slow burn was a little tooooo slow. I was begging for the characters to just sit down and ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT THEIR ISSUES for what felt like 1/2 of the book. I also felt like the ending was rushed and would have appreciated getting more pages of them together at the end.

Overall, this is a good, solid, christmas romance. Anyone looking for hallmark-movie-in-a-book will LOVE this read this holiday season!

The perfect Christmas read!! It gives hallmark Christmas which I absolutely love! It’s an easy fast paced read.

Such a cute Christmas book! I’m a huge Christmas time girlie so this was fun to read 💖 it was giving all the Hallmark movie vibes!

Cowboys. Christmas. This has it all! Literally the perfect book for a cozy blanket and a fire with cocoa. All the sweet feels from this book!

If you love Hallmark Christmas movies, this book is for you. Julia McKay brings us a long-lost love connection in the snow-sparkled town of Evergreen, Canada.
After her father is arrested as an orchestrator of a Ponzi scheme, Emory flees Toronto and on instinct, arrives in Evergreen, a tiny town where her parents brought their friends (and their disconnected daughter) ten years prior for a Christmas holiday. During that holiday, Emory gained confidence in herself and fell in love with Tate, the son of a horse ranch owner. Memories, emotions, and time have filled the space between Emory and Tate, whose relationship ended abruptly on Christmas Day a decade ago.
Back in present day, upset by her family and the destruction that they caused, Emory slowly blends into the town, which is “home” in her heart. Balancing the regrets of the past with the emotional strain of her family’s financial and social situation, Emory doesn’t want to risk additional vulnerability by sharing her feelings with Tate.
Beautiful horses, heartfelt emotions, honest conversations, Heartland references, and hope abound in Christmas at the Ranch. McKay’s imagery and characters make the reader feel like they’re part of the small town, giving off Gilmore Girls and Virgin River vibes.
I had the pleasure to receive a gifted ARC on #NetGalley from the publisher, @PutnamBooks, and will happily recommend Christmas at the Ranch to my friends who are looking for a feel-good holiday read.

#ChristmasattheRanch #NetGalley @PutnamBooks @PenguinRandomHouse #romance #romancenovel #christmasromance #bookstagram #booksta #BookReview #fictionreview #romancereview

This cozy Christmas romance whisks you to snowy Evergreen—a Hallmark-perfect town—where first loves Tate and Emory find their way back to each other after ten years. Their heartfelt growth and enduring bond are a delight, and the festive small-town charm sets the perfect holiday mood. Though it leans on familiar tropes, the warmth of the story makes them feel like home. Add this to your 2025 Christmas reading list!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

ARC Review: Christmas at the Ranch by Julia McKay
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5/5)

Christmas at the Ranch delivers a cozy, second-chance holiday romance set against the snowy charm of a quirky small town. Julia McKay excels at creating lovable, eccentric characters—from the gossipy café owner to the barn-residing horses—that give the community a warm, lived-in feel.

The slow-burn reunion between our protagonists unfolds with gentle sweetness, but I found myself craving more time with the main couple—some of the tension lingered a bit too long before payoff. Despite the leisurely pacing, the chemistry between them eventually sparkles, giving a satisfying blend of nostalgia and new beginnings.

Overall, Christmas at the Ranch is a heartwarming escape ideal for curling up by the fire with a mug of cocoa. It may take its time reaching the spark, but its festive setting and charming supporting cast make it a delightful holiday read.

I had no idea what to expect when I read the summary of this book. This was such a cute hallmark esq story. I loved how this went from diary pages 10 years ago to current. The characters were well rounded and were the same but more grown up. I really enjoyed this book especially with the will they won’t they. It was easy to follow along and such an easy read.

4.5⭐️ Due to a family scandal, Emory flees to the only place that feels like home - Evergreen, Ontario. Due to a series of incidents (that can only be referred to as kismet) she's stranded in the small town where her first love resides, but Emory makes the most of it and even gets a temporary job while she's there. The side characters are charming too which just adds to the storyline.

If you're looking for a book that gives Hallmark-type vibes, I highly suggest picking this one up. If you like second chance romance, snowed in, and small town tropes, you'll love this quick and cozy read.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

A very cute second chance, cozy romance! If you're a fan of Hallmark Christmas movies, this will be a perfect read for you!

This book is a great cozy second chance romance. It’s definitely giving hallmark vibes.
Emory returns during Christmas after ten years and runs into the former love of her life from that description you can definitely feel the hallmark vibes 🩵 If you’re looking for a feel good quick holiday read this is your book. It’s sweet romantic and fast paced.

Christmas in May? Sure, why not?

This was a very sweet second-chance romance—Hallmark vibes all around. It’ll definitely give you the warm and fuzzies.

Emory is back in town after ten years away and runs into her former love, Tate, at the ranch. It’s a quick read, and while undeniably cute, it lacks depth. If anyone had simply communicated, everything could have been resolved pretty quickly.

Still, if you’re looking for a feel-good Christmas romance, you’ll love this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the advance copy.

This one slowly drew me in. I didn’t love the “Dear Diary” chapters because they felt immature. I know that was the point - they were written when Emory was a young teenager - but I was glad they were short and only sporadically included.

I enjoyed the small town and ranch life. It felt warm and homey, like a cup of coffee on a snowy morning, which is usually what you’re looking for when you pick up a Christmas romance. The plot was reminiscent of a Hallmark movie. The situation with Emory’s parents at the end was unlikely but wholesome.

Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

First time I read a book by this author. I definitely enjoyed this book. I love Christmas books, and this was the perfect Christmas book.

Emory Oakes es una periodista que huye del escándalo tras el arresto de su padre por fraude financiero. Su huida la lleva de vuelta, casi por accidente, al lugar donde vivió el mejor y más doloroso de sus amores: el rancho de la familia Wilder.

Diez años después de un romance adolescente con Tate Wilder que terminó abruptamente, Emory se ve obligada a enfrentarse al pasado que nunca logró superar. Mientras la magia de la Navidad y el destino hacen de las suyas, ambos se reencuentran en un ambiente cargado de recuerdos, silencios incómodos y emociones aún latentes.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest

3.5

thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review

this was so cute! i’m a sucker for a second-chance romance, so i’ll always eat it up

this book had a lot of hallmarky vibes, but it also had a lot of substance and the characters actually had personalities which were very fleshed out

it’s definitely a great choice for a cozy holiday romance!

sadly this book wasn't for me, though I was quite interested in how the story with go but I just could not feel the character development and the flow.

What’s not to love about second chance AND holiday romances? Two of my fav things! Emory and Tate are absolutely adorable and I loved their reunion. This book is full of Christmas magic and small town charm!

I have never read anything by this author, but I will be looking out for other books they write in the future. I really enjoyed the story as well as the pacing of the story.