2 stars.
For a novella length story, I don't think I can rate this any higher than 2 stars. To be honest, this book was just the ramblings of gym rat bro. And he points out that he is a gym rat bro in the beginning, so it's not a shock or anything. Basically we are following a guy complaining about visiting his family over the holidays and decides to cancel going home so he can go bar hopping, work out at the gym, and hooking up with other guys. Not much else to talk about.

3/5 ⭐️

This was a cute little holiday novella, and the setup definitely had me intrigued. Instead of the classic Hallmark-style “back to the small town, fall in love, live happily ever after” trope, Mitch is determined to do the opposite. No cozy family dinners, no small-town reconnections—just a week of freedom, fun, and maybe a few hookups. Honestly, I liked that twist on the usual holiday romcom formula.

The friendship at the center—Mitch and David—was sweet, and the characters were lovable in their own way. But I have to admit, they didn’t really have the depth I was hoping for. There were moments where the story could have dug deeper into their feelings, their backgrounds, or even the shift from friendship to something more. Instead, it skimmed the surface, and that made parts of it feel a little rushed.

Some of the turns the story took just didn’t vibe with me either. They weren’t bad, but they pulled me out of the flow now and then. I wanted more tension, more build-up, something that made me really root for them.

That being said, it’s short, light, and easy to read. If you want a quick holiday romance that doesn’t lean too heavily into clichés, this could be fun. But for me, it stayed in the “nice, but nothing special” zone.

It’s a cute quick read. The plot was also straight-forward, and because it’s a short story, I managed to finish it under 2hrs. Don’t want to tive out too much about the book, but it’s definitely a warm read for the holiday.

I saw the book on NetGalley, and since it took place in my old NYC neighborhood, I had to give it a chance. It was a spicy read, made me laugh and cringe all at the same time. Lots of truth, some silliness and exaggeration... not everyone is that hot, come on! LOL But it has a great holiday theme and gives you the expected good feels at the end.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

This was a sweet story.

And I love a missed timing trope that comes back around.

A novella is difficult to pull off because sometimes it seems as if the characters could be more developed and resolution to conflict could be more flushed out. But overall, I enjoyed the story — it was entertaining and who doesn’t love a holiday story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is a shorter read at maybe 2-3 hours. Sometimes a gay romance feels identical to a straight romance, only with the genders swapped out. This book isn't that. This book has a taste of gay bar culture in the city that would not be found in a straight romance. It will likely appeal to readers who enjoy going to big city bars. It might appeal less to people who are not interested in bar/club hopping. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Heartwarming, Hilarious, and Hugely Queer Holiday Delight!
Happy Holigays by Matthew Cooper is an absolute festive triumph! From the very first page, this book wraps you up in a warm, glittery hug of queer joy, laughter, and love. It’s everything I didn’t know I needed in a holiday rom-com — charmingly chaotic, unapologetically queer, and bursting with heart.
Cooper's writing sparkles with wit and emotional resonance. The characters are beautifully drawn — flawed, fabulous, and fiercely lovable — and the dialogue is as sharp as a peppermint martini with a twist. Whether you’re LGBTQ+ or simply love a great holiday story that breaks the mold, this book delivers a heartfelt celebration of chosen family, holiday mishaps, and finding love where you least expect it.
It’s rare to find a book that makes you both laugh out loud and wipe away a tear, but Happy Holigays does just that — and with tinsel on top. If you’re looking for a new seasonal favorite, this queer holiday rom-com deserves a permanent spot on your December (and year-round) reading list.
Pure joy. 10/10. Would sleigh again.

I loved it! This was sweet and honestly I wanted it to be longer.
The characters were great and I loved the writing.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. It's funny and entertaining to read and I enjoyed the whole story until the (sudden) end. I couldn't believe that it took me only a few hours for the whole book. How about a sequel?

Merry Christmas in ….. August? To start I’m so happy the title of this book changed from “Homo for the holidays”. The new title is as cute as the cover. And I would never admit to someone I’m reading a book called “Homo for the Holidays” as I feel the word “homo” has negative connotations. That being said this story is less then 100 pages but still has unneeded parts. The SA in the book benefits nothing to the story. Also I found the romance lacking. The story focuses more on Mitch maturing that it reads as more of a fiction character piece. I also felt the story fell into a lot of the gay man cliches and stereotypes.

I enjoyed Matthew Cooper's writing style and ear for dialogue. After a promising beginning, though, setting up Mitch's gradual realization that he enjoyed his life but was ready for something a little more in-depth than an endless round of work, home and hookups, it suddenly rushed its way to the end. I would've liked to have seen Mitch realize how he felt about David sooner, or for the novella to have been a bit longer. As it was, I felt like was reading two excerpts from a longer work.

I was a bit confused while reading this. I never knew which couple I was supposed to be rooting for. Was is Mitch and Andy? David and (I don't even remember what that gym guy's name is. Whoops)? Mitch and David? I never really got a feel for who the main couple was meant to be until the 70% mark, and then everything just moved so quickly and came to a very rushed ending.

I didn't like that Mitch was pretty firm on not visiting his family over the holiday because outside of his mother, they're pretty homophobic and unbearable, and all his friends and acquaintances were like "but it's Christmas! They're still your family!" Like. No. Fuck that. Bad people are bad people, and they don't get a pass just because you happen to be related to them.

I went into this book expecting a wholesome, holiday centred cosy romance however what I read was not quite a romance at all, rather it felt more like a contemporary fiction with elements of a romantic subplot.

Whilst there were some elements of the story which I found appealing such as the relaxed/lighthearted vibe, the book for me fell flat with uniting this with characters and emotions. Throughout the book we see Mitch maturing, realising that he does not want to deal with homophobia, politics and family drama over the holidays and reflecting in an attempt to develop his sense of self but these crucial and more intriguing elements are not given the time and development which I would have liked.

Happy Holigays is not only a very short book but also, in my experience, a quick read due to its simple language which makes it difficult for the reader to become fully invested in the characters. Many side characters aren't even given names and the main 'cast' is small yet they lack a certain depth that would allow them to build the intimacy and connections which are essential in cosy and holiday-vibe stories.

Some of the plot points were slightly predictable for my tastes which in itself is not an issue however there is a lack of emotional involvement (both with the reader and the characters) and in turn the 'romance' itself doesn't feel real, making the ending somewhat unsatisfying. We learn of Mitch's feelings for the love interest suddenly - after having him sleeping around and hooking up for over 60% of the book - and without really being able to see how he comes to this realisation whilst I believe the emotion and chemistry which felt most prominent and real was with a different character entirely.

The SA scene (which readers are not warned about in advance despite the content being potentially triggering) is not only unnecessary but poorly handled with Mitch laughing it off at first before later getting angry and defensive. It is a disappointing approach to the subject matter and adds no value whatsoever to the story or characters which leaves me to wonder why it was included at all.

Additionally, the love confession scene felt rushed as it came late in the book and was moved over quickly to a somewhat wholesome but abrupt ending. What should have been one of the biggest plot elements in a 'romance' book was not thoroughly explored, the emotions not really delved into and the arguments not quite resolved which made the ending somewhat of a jarring read.

The book seems to have potential and I can certainly see where the appeal may lay however the execution fell flat for me.

2 Stars

Great book, loved the storyline and the attachment to the characters, just wished it wasn’t closed door/fade to black!

So Mitch hooks up with other people and there's some talk of him doing that. The SA scene was uncalled for and I could've done without that. This didn't really feel like a romance and it was very character-driven. There's also scenes and not chapters. There were some funny moments and at least the newly published cover is better

Such a sweet romance book. I love the way each character was described and everything was developed. It is a light-hearted, quick read. And these types of wholesome, pure romances are needed to keep us going.