Two weeks before Christmas, Mel's ex-the one who broke up with her six months ago-shows up at her doorstep. He asks her to spend Christmas week with him and his family... and pretend they're back together.
Looking at this lovely cover, you might expect a cute, holiday romcom, but this book goes deeper than that. It explores how parents' choices and behaviors can shape their children, and how insecurity and a lack of honest communication can quietly erode a relationship.
I really liked how the characters slowly opened up to each other and rebuilt trust. I believed in them! At first, I was mad at Finn, but once I saw things from his perspective, my heart melted.
The book also delivers a wonderful wintery, family-filled atmosphere. I enjoyed every page-even reading it during the summer!

I love a holiday romance. Mel & Finn find themselves spending Christmas together months after breaking up. While at first it isn’t easy pretending they are together, soon enough old feelings resurface. Along with Christmas adventures and a variety of interesting family members with their own stories and secrets, Yours for the Season is an enjoyable holiday read!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

A cute winter read. I always pick to read one Christmas themed book for "Christmas in July".

Positives:
The wintery setting filled with family members made for a cute read
Dual timelines
fake dating and slow burn romance
solid romance

Negatives:
The way the author skipped around I sometimes thought this was the second book in a series and I missed the first one. But it did not make the plot difficult to understand.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Stone, and Ballantine for access to this ARC!
📖Book Review: Yours for the Season by Emily Stone
⭐️ 5/5

Emily Stone has done it again!! No one writes a cozy, heart swoony Christmas romance quite like her. Six months ago, Finn broke Mel’s heart in the worst way: dumping her at his sister’s engagement party. Since then, Mel’s been throwing herself into her business, determined not to think about him… until he shows up on her doorstep, asking her to be his fake date for his family’s Christmas getaway.

Mel agrees, but she’s got her own plan: she’ll use this trip to finally get her revenge by being the one to walk away this time. Totally foolproof, since she’s definitely over him… right?

Set against the backdrop of a snow-dusted cottage in the Scottland, this book delivers everything you want in a festive romance: crackling fireplaces, family warmth, and that delicious will-they-won’t-they tension. The story goes exactly where you think it will, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s comforting, romantic, and brimming with the magic of the season.

This is the kind of book you curl up with under a blanket, hot cocoa in hand, and finish in one sitting. It’s about second chances, family love, and the belief that Christmas is best spent with the people who mean the most.

This was long and drawn out. I appreciated the relationship between Mel and Finn, the premise was there and every time I started to get tired of the constant angst, something would happen that picked up my attention. The flash backs were more of the same. Honestly a decent enough read, just slow. Someone else may enjoy this, it just was not me.

emily stone just writes solid, get in your feels books. i have to read whatever she puts out when i need my emotions toyed with. i loved the dual POV and the slightly fake dating vibes. some heavy stuff, as always, but i enjoyed the story.

this was okay!

things i LOVED: the raw + real descriptions of found family, being enveloped in the people important to the person you love, and also the very imbalanced, unfair pain of losing all of that attached to a single choice. the scotland descriptions, christmas list and scavenger hunt descriptions!
things i HATED: finn’s description of his mistakes, he just repeats the same things over again and until mel said GROW UP (snaps!), i was just irritated by his “reasoning.” the ending….? there were parts where i was like okay this is logical. but there were pieces that either weren’t tied up or were done so hastily and that made me sad.
**but probably a lovely christmas story and slay for speaking on things that some books would never venture near even if it was intensely restated all the time**

Brief Summary:
It’s Christmas time and this will be Mel’s first time celebrating the holiday on her own since her horrific breakup with Finn. Her retired parents are off on a cruise for several months, while her best friend is teaching abroad in Australia, which leaves Mel alone with her work.

At least, that’s what she thought, until the night Finn shows up at her door out of the blue asking her to spend one last holiday together in a cabin in Scotland with his family. Turns out, he’s lied to them, claiming he’s been back together with Mel for months. While everything is telling her this will be a bad idea, Mel decides to go, if for no other reason than getting the chance to dump Finn this time, even if it’s fake.

Tropes & Other Info:
✨ Holiday Plans
✨ Fake Dating
✨ Second-Chance Romance
✨ Families & Found Families
✨ Career-driven, business-owning FMC
✨ Long distance friendship
✨ Travel to Scotland
✨ Holiday Competitions
✨ Cooking
✨ Crafting
✨ Spice
⚠️ Secrets
⚠️ Hospital scenes
⚠️ Cancer

Thoughts:
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the eARC copy of this book!

I’ve really loved books from Emily Stone, and have looked forward to them every year. However, I do have to admit that the major reveal in this book is something my own family is dealing with this year, and because I recognized the signs of it early in the story through its foreshadowing, it did hinder my enjoyment a bit.

That said, this story has fake-dating that involves a second-chance romance with tons of forced proximity. I really liked how the story was crafted, where present events are told from the FMC’s perspective, while the past events are told from the MMC’s. I did struggle with it being told in third person though, because it made me feel separated from the characters. The choice to use it kind of made sense because characters were keeping secrets and some held others at arms length, but it made me feel like I was on the receiving end of it as an audience member, and I personally needed more connection.

With so many secrets, there were a lot of “reveal” moments. I would normally be okay with a couple, but this one had one for almost every single female character and the MMC, so it felt a bit overdone, especially as the foreshadowing caused me to guess every single one well in advance, including the third act breakup.

Otherwise, I really liked how the FMC, Mel, is a driven business owner trying to figure out her next steps, and I loved the connection she has with her family, her best friend, and the MMC’s family. I also liked the scenes where she and the MMC, Finn, take part in a bunch of holiday activities with his family.

Overall, this one was a cute holiday story with a happy ending. If you like fake dating, second-chance romance, forced proximity, and cute family outings, this one might be for you!

Boy meets girl. Boy and girl fall in love. Boy breaks girl’s heart. We meet Mel and Finn six months after they have broken up when Finn asks Mel to be pretend to be his girlfriend again for his family Christmas in Scotland. Surprisingly, Mel agrees but she has her reasons.

One thing I enjoyed about this book is that it was a dual POV and had flashbacks to other moments in their relationship. Finn’s family is also great, so I could see why Mel would want to spend time with them again. Like Mel, I felt like it took too long to find out why their relationship had ended and it made it difficult to be on Team Finn!

An overall enjoyable read, just wish the beautiful setting could have been used a little bit more in the story.


Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine/Dell for the e-ARC!

This was a cute emotional romance story. The love between the two characters and seeing both sides to their story from an outsiders perspective was so cute and so sad. Communication between couples is a huge topic in this book. So many problems, not just with the main couple, could have been worked through or avoided with communicating. Which is a huge lesson readers can take away. Loss and expectations are also key points brought in. The fear of loss and the actual loss of loved ones( in death or in failed relationship) and not trying to live up to others' expectations but your own. I took a lot of great things from this book and would definitely recommend it to others.

I think I am just not really into second chance romances. This was a cute enough romance, and I didn't mind the back and forth in the chapters, but it was just an ok read for me. Cozy and sweet, it will be one that many people will enjoy this holiday season. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a very cozy Christmas read. This is my first Emily Stone book and I’m intrigued to read more! Thank you Dell and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

This was a cozy and warm holiday read. Mel owns her own jewelry making business. She is a bit of a workaholic. Her ex shows up at her door needing her help with a little family situation. He’s going on family holiday and they all think Mel and Finn are back together. The shenanigans that happen on a family holiday could cause either one of them to crack in their little white lie.
It’s a sweet and cozy Hallmark type read. This sounded like a holiday I want to be on. There is a little spice but not very much. But, it will make your heart happy for the holiday season!
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine publishers for the opportunity to read this advance ebook.

Yours for the Season is a holiday book that has that classic Christmas feel you want. We follow Mel as she pretends to be with her ex, Finn, again—but just for Christmas. Nothing could go wrong, right?

This book is written mostly in Mel’s point of view but goes to Finn’s with sporadic flash backs. We get insight into both of them, and I enjoyed that. I do have one question though.

Did WhatsApp sponsor this book? It’s mentioned so many times that someone could use it to make a drinking game. Another repetitive thing was the scraping their hands through their hair, especially for Finn. I can imagine how angry his scalp must be.

I figured out what was going on pretty early on because of a Christmas movie I love that’s similar to this but without the fake relationship. I still enjoyed it.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

Emily Stone does it again! Always tears and always love. This one definitely had a happier ending than some of her others!! A beautiful second chance romance story that ended up a bit predictable but that’s honestly what I love about romance novels. You know people will end up happy and that’s really all we want at Christmas. A beautiful Christmas read that I would recommend to any of my fellow Christmas book friends.

Melanie has had a tough year, and after Finn dumped her, it was even worse. Finn shows up at Mel's doorstep, and he proposes that Mel and Finn go to Scotland and pretend to date. No biggie, so Mel agrees, as long as Mel can publicly dump Finn.

It was a cute story and gave me all the Christmas feels!

Yours for the Season is another lovely, luminous Christmas romance from Emily Stone that I enjoyed from start to finish. The tropes are some of my favorites: enemies to lovers, second chance romance, one hotel room/bed, and fake dating, along with main characters who truly love, yet deeply misunderstand each other. Mel and Finn's journey back to each other makes a story that is absorbing and a lot of fun to read, with sympathetic supporting characters in Finn's family and Mel's best friend. The relationship between the two has background elements of family dysfunction (troubled relationships with parents) and the pressure of Mel's work, which has spiraled into something that controls rather than satisfies her. Both characters make false assumptions about the reasons behind the other's behavior and decisions, but their misunderstandings are understandable, not contrived or ridiculous.
This is a Christmas romance that I'm sure I'll reread over time, and I recommend it to anyone who loves a character-driven story about love and second chances, in romantic relationships, familial relationships, and friendships.

I picked this one up since I saw fake dating at Christmas but it just didn't work for me. I didn't realize it was second chance and the whole book was basically a miscommunication trope with a bunch of other miscommunication Tropes from the side characters as well. I just didn't really connect w the characters and the as pretty frustrated the whole time.

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

Emily Stone’s Yours for the Season is a charming and heartwarming holiday romance. Melanie has been having a hard year after her best friend moves away and her boyfriend breaks up with her out of the blue in front of his whole family, so when Finn shows back up two weeks before Christmas asking her to pretend they got back together for his family’s holiday trip, she’s cautious. Now, they just have to make it seven days to convince his family they’re still in love, but it’s hard to see what’s pretend when old feelings arise. Okay, first, while I did like this book, Finn 100% should’ve asked Mel in a kinder way, or more patient. I didn’t have the best first impression of him, but he did grow on me. This also has a dual timeline where the story is mostly from Mel’s POV, but there are chapters of her and Finn getting together from his perspective. I really loved that contrast and having both of their voices present. There are some predictable twists throughout, but Emily Stone’s writing is lovely. This is a holiday romance I read in a night. It was filled with fun banter and an endearing and flawed family doing the best they can. It’s honest and vulnerable and a slow burn romance that’s heartwarming.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy of Your For the Season, by Emily Stone. My goal this July was to read a few Christmas books for the Christmas in July feels. This was a great addition! The book begins 6 months after our leading couple has broken up. Finn somehow convinces Mel to come with him for a week long Christmas vacation with his family and pretend that they are still dating. Christmas cooking, scavenger hunts, movies, and crafts are all in abundance in this rom com. The family of side characters are fun and add a lot of merry and bright into the story. There are lots of emotions to be had, both good ones and bad, but this is another great holiday second chance trope novel and I will be recommending this to the Christmas readers out there.