The ex-mas holidays

For a recently laid-off Maya Bashir, the only thing worse about having to move back home for the holidays is taking a temporary job as a ski instructor working alongside Sam Holland, who dumped her on the slopes eight years ago. Whether it is Sam's side hustle as a "naked butler" or Maya's ongoing career battle with her father, Allison displays a rare gift for both humor and insight.

Going home for the holidays prompts a second chance at love in this light but frustrating contemporary from Allison (Second Chance at First Love). Freshly dumped, fired from a high-powered job, and homeless, 20-something Maya Bashir reluctantly returns to her hometown in the Scottish Highlands to move in with her parents. En route, she stops in at a friend's Christmas party--where she's shocked to see Sam Holland, her best friend's twin brother and her own long time crush, working as a naked bartender. Eight years earlier, they were on the brink of starting a relationship. Now they hate each other, and they haven't spoken since. What happened? From Sam's perspective, Maya cruelly rejected him; from Maya's, Sam humiliated and betrayed her. It takes until the end of the book for the real truth to come out. As they work side by side as ski instructors at a local resort, resentment and awkwardness turns to friendship--and maybe something more, if only they could learn to communicate. Allison tries to sell this exasperating lack of communication by emphasizing the leads' insecurities, littering both of their internal monologues with extreme negative self-talk. Though the premise is cute and moments of humor and tenderness appeal, it's hard to invest in Sam and Maya's connection. Readers will be disappointed. Agent: Hannah Todd, Madeleine Milburn Literary. (Sept.)

When Maya Bashir loses her job and breaks up with her long-term boyfriend moving back home is her only option. She doesn't mind moving back to Glenavie, Scotland, but she dreads living under the same roof as her father. Dr. Bashir wanted his daughters to achieve success in stable (boring) careers. He pushed Maya into a job she hates, and she's too afraid of conflict to tell him how she feels. When a former boss asks her to sub in at a ski resort to teach children's ski classes, she leaps at the chance to be back on the slopes. But being there means working alongside her first crush, Sam Holland. Sam never expected to see Maya again. She was his first love, and it took him years to get over her. Both protagonists are written with sympathy and understanding, their obstacles lending the novel realism and emotional depth. The potentially heavy content is balanced with laugh-out-loud humor and outrageously funny scenarios. VERDICT With witty dialogue and relatable characters, this second-chance, holiday romance from Allison (Sun, Sea and Summer Vibes) will be a hit with readers.--Heather Miller Cover

*Starred Review* For a recently laid-off Maya Bashir, the only thing worse about having to move back home for the holidays is taking a temporary job as a ski instructor working alongside Sam Holland, who dumped her on the slopes eight years ago. Whether it is Sam's side hustle as a "naked butler" or Maya's ongoing career battle with her father, Allison displays a rare gift for both humor and insight. Copyright 2023 Booklist Reviews.

When Maya Bashir loses her job and breaks up with her long-term boyfriend moving back home is her only option. She doesn't mind moving back to Glenavie, Scotland, but she dreads living under the same roof as her father. Dr. Bashir wanted his daughters to achieve success in stable (boring) careers. He pushed Maya into a job she hates, and she's too afraid of conflict to tell him how she feels. When a former boss asks her to sub in at a ski resort to teach children's ski classes, she leaps at the chance to be back on the slopes. But being there means working alongside her first crush, Sam Holland. Sam never expected to see Maya again. She was his first love, and it took him years to get over her. Both protagonists are written with sympathy and understanding, their obstacles lending the novel realism and emotional depth. The potentially heavy content is balanced with laugh-out-loud humor and outrageously funny scenarios. VERDICT With witty dialogue and relatable characters, this second-chance, holiday romance from Allison (Sun, Sea and Summer Vibes) will be a hit with readers.—Heather Miller Cover

Going home for the holidays prompts a second chance at love in this light but frustrating contemporary from Allison (Second Chance at First Love). Freshly dumped, fired from a high-powered job, and homeless, 20-something Maya Bashir reluctantly returns to her hometown in the Scottish Highlands to move in with her parents. En route, she stops in at a friend's Christmas party—where she's shocked to see Sam Holland, her best friend's twin brother and her own long time crush, working as a naked bartender. Eight years earlier, they were on the brink of starting a relationship. Now they hate each other, and they haven't spoken since. What happened? From Sam's perspective, Maya cruelly rejected him; from Maya's, Sam humiliated and betrayed her. It takes until the end of the book for the real truth to come out. As they work side by side as ski instructors at a local resort, resentment and awkwardness turns to friendship—and maybe something more, if only they could learn to communicate. Allison tries to sell this exasperating lack of communication by emphasizing the leads' insecurities, littering both of their internal monologues with extreme negative self-talk. Though the premise is cute and moments of humor and tenderness appeal, it's hard to invest in Sam and Maya's connection. Readers will be disappointed. Agent: Hannah Todd, Madeleine Milburn Literary. (Sept.)