Make the Season Bright

Ashley Herring Blake — 2024

Two exes find themselves stuck at the same house for Christmas in this holiday romance by Ashley Herring Blake, USA Today bestselling author of Iris Kelly Doesn't Date. It's been five years since Charlotte Donovan was ditched at the altar by her ex-fiancée, and she’s doing more than okay. Sure, her single mother never checks in, but she has her strings ensemble, the Rosalind Quartet, and her life in New York is a dream come true. As the holidays draw near, her ensemble mate Sloane persuades Charlotte and the rest of the quartet to spend Christmas with her family in Colorado—it is much cozier and quieter than Manhattan, and it would guarantee more practice time for the quartet’s upcoming tour. But when Charlotte arrives, she discovers that Sloane’s sister Adele also brought a friend home—and that friend is none other than her ex, Brighton. All Brighton Fairbrook wanted was to have the holliest, jolliest Christmas—and try to forget that her band kicked her out. But instead, she’s stuck pretending like she and her ex are strangers—which proves to be difficult when Sloane and Adele’s mom signs them all up for a series of Christmas dating events. Charlotte and Brighton are soon entrenched in horseback riding and cookie decorating, but Charlotte still won’t talk to her. Brighton can hardly blame her after what she did. After a few days, however, things start to slip through. Memories. Music. The way they used to play together—Brighton on guitar, Charlotte on her violin—and it all feels painfully familiar. But it’s all in the past and nothing can melt the ice in their hearts...right?

Reviews

Ian Brakspear@ibrakspear

Jan 13, 2025

My last festive read of 2024; Yes, I know that its January 2025 but it’s cold out and I wanted to get to this one last year but ran out of time so no better time than the present! This is Ashley Herring Blake second-chance romance that delivers a lot with all the vibes of a Hallmark move but with some added Character depth.

The story kicks off with Charlotte Donovan, a talented violinist who’s still low-key not recovered from being ditched at the altar by her ex-fiancée, Brighton, five years ago. Charlotte’s life in New York is going well, but when her ensemble mate Sloane persuades her to spend Christmas with Sloane’s family in Colorado, she arrives only to find that Brighton will also be there.

It's clear that there is a lot of tension and unresolved emotions between the two characters and the journey that they go on to start thawing their relationship. I really enjoyed the contrast between Charlotte and Brighton, you have Charlotte who is closed off paired with Brighton’s more open-book personality made for an interesting and fun dynamic. On the Other hand, you have Brighton, who is trying to make things right, even though it’s far from easy. Her determination to fix the past, combined with the humour and tension of the "snowed in" scenario, made for some memorable moments. The found family aspect of the story, with the secondary characters adding warmth and humour.

If you’re a fan of second-chance romances, sapphic love stories, or holiday tales with a touch of humour and heart, this book is a must-read.

emily@jamesfarrow

dnf at 44%. i’m sorry but i would rather watch paint dry than read these two getting back together

Brittany Peterson@lardib

Oct 25, 2024

This book was just okay - i wanted more Christmas.

I also felt like some parts were very rushed and others were drug out and hashed out over and over and over.

This definitely wasn’t my favourite of hers - and that’s okay!

Cloudface@cloudface

Sep 12, 2024

Ashley Herring Blake is my favorite romance author, so I was very excited to read a holiday romance from her. This book didn’t quite capture my attention the way her others did; I liked Charlotte, but it took me a long time to warm up to Brighton as a character, and honestly their relationship seemed codependent in a way that made it hard for me to root for them. However, I did enjoy it in the end, and there was some nice character development on both sides that made them feel more believable as a couple.

Overall, this was good. I look forward to reading Blake’s new series when it comes out.