Published 1st August 2025 by Headline in ebook and audio formats. Paperback coming 9th October 2025.
From the cover of the book:
Escape with the BRAND-NEW unmissable festive holiday romance, perfect for fans of The Holidate and Anyone But You.Christmas with your ex and his family in a cosy cottage in the snowy Scottish Highlands?
It's the last place Mel imagined spending the holidays.
But when her ex-boyfriend Finn shows up on her doorstep, only months after inexplicably dumping her at his sister's engagement party, asking her to pretend to his family they're back together, she agrees - on one condition. Mel can publicly dump Finn at the end of the week and show him just how it feels.
But with Finn's mother set on making this Christmas picture-perfect, can Mel and Finn keep up the act without falling back into old feelings? As their white lie snowballs out of control, and the ice between them starts to thaw, Mel must decide if she really wants their romance to be just for the season - or something more...
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With her parents travelling the world, and her best friend in Australia, Mel is facing her first Christmas alone since breaking up with Finn. Heartsore, and lonely, she plans to work through the holiday, preparing to entice celebrity Lillian Hart to promote her artisan jewellery business.
But then Finn shows up on her doorstep. Apparently unapologetic about the way he dumped Mel months ago at his sister's engagement party, Finn has an unusual proposal for his ex-girlfriend - he needs her to pretend they are still together and spend Christmas with his family in the Scottish Highlands. Mel agrees, but under the condition that she can publicly give him his marching orders on Boxing Day.
Mel arrives in Scotland looking forward to getting her revenge, but being back among Finn's family makes her realise just how much she has missed them all. Finn's mum is determined to make this the best Christmas ever, and as old feelings stir Mel is not sure whether she can keep up her side of the agreement...
This lovely festive tale from Emily Stone unfurls from the perspectives of Mel and Finn, with flashbacks to significant moments in their relationship, and thrums with entertaining romantic tropes of the fake dating, forced proximity, second chances, and exes to lovers kind. What's not to like?!
Immersed in a family holiday dominated with Christmas activities in a snowy location, Mel's plan to get her revenge on Finn is thrown into disarray when she not only feels old feelings for him resurfacing, but she is also reminded how much she loves his close-knit family.
Themes of real love and expectation dominate, especially when it comes to how the marriages of our parents colour our own ideas of healthy relationships. Mel and Finn are the main focus of the story as they reassess their feelings for each other, but Stone also delves into the relationship issues of other members of Finn's family too, which I really enjoyed.
Running through the romantic plotlines, in present and past, Stone also explores Mel's dilemma about the direction of her jewellery business, which has separated her from the creative side of the operation (and from the closeness she used to share with Finn). As her feelings for Finn (and his family) resolve themselves, Mel also realises she has lost touch with the person she used to be and needs to make some professional changes is she is to find her happy place again.
This was a light and heart-warming read, full of love, laughter, family bonds, and friendship, which ticked many boxes on my festive story wish-list. A great way to head into the festive book season, now the days are growing shorter.
Yours for the Season is available to buy now in paperback (from October), ebook and audio formats.
Thank you to Headline and Random Things Tours for sending me an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review.
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