#Make the Season Bright

[bookshelvesandtealeaves]

🎄 BOOK REVIEW 🎄

Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

[instagram]

This book was absolutely wonderful! I love a second chance romance and I really felt for both sides of this story.

Charlotte just needs a hug, honestly. And a lot of therapy, which I’m glad she got. All her walls, keeping people at a distance, made my heart ache.

For a while I struggled to understand how Brighton could do what she did, but then it hit me how hard it must have been to keep trying to have the hard conversations and having it swept under the rug that way, to not be seen, to feel trapped by the person you love most in the world.

Their reconciliation felt so deserved and I was so happy for them.

I LOVED the discussion about Adele being aromantic. The way she described her feelings about romance and partnership was so similar to how I feel about it. Every bit of aro rep like this I see helps me feel a little more comfortable in myself, so thank you, AHB.

There’s so many cute little moments in this book and some really fantastic side characters.

Definitely on my fave holiday reads list.

[bigdreamsandwildthings]

I just love knowing I have so many new stories to dive into when I need them 🥰

[betterthanthemovies]

(mostly) holiday themed queer romance haul! 🥰

i’ve heard lots of good things about the lovers and igbty, and i’ve yet to read an ahb book, so i figured mtsb would be a good place to start! 🫶🏻

[lgbtqreads]

Fave Five: New Queer Christmas Romances (2024 Edition)

I’ll Be Gone for Christmas by Georgia K. Boone (f/f) The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch (m/m) Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake (f/f) The Merriest Misters by Timothy Janovsky (m/m) This Christmas by Georgia Beers (f/f) Bonus: These are all Adult Romances, but for YA, check out Make My Wish Come True by Alyson Derrick and Rachael Lippincott (f/f)  and Flopping in a Winter…

[just-a-girl-who-likes-sharks]

January 2025 books 💚

Reading challenge: 4/100

Make the Season Bright, Ashley Herring Blake. Rating: ⭐️

I was blessed with eyes and I abused them because this book really was not it. Which actually was very disappointing, do you know how much my little lesbian heart wanted a cute lesbian Christmas romance? This book wasn’t that, it sucked and didn’t make any sense and the characters annoyed me so much (especially you, Bright).

Wicked, Gregory Maguire. Rating: ⭐️⭐️,5

I read Wicked after seeing the movie, which I loved by the way and yes I will make that movie/musical my entire personality and no one can stop me. Back to the book, it really wasn’t that good. It wasn’t very bad either, it was just very bland. Some of it was really good, some of it was really bad and most of it was very clearly written by a man in the 90’s. I normally never say this but… the movie was better.

- Robert des noms propres, Amélie Nothomb- Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This year I decided to work on my French. I was raised in two languages, with a bilingual mother who spoke Dutch to me and a French speaking father. But after doing all my school in Dutch, working in Dutch and living in Flanders my whole life, the only people I actually speak French with are my father’s side of the family and since I’m no contact with my dad and hardly ever see my… loving but right leaning grandparents… yeah. So I decided to read in French to get better at my second language. I will do this by reading one French book a month… the first one of which I had already returned to the library by the time I make this post, which is why it’s not pictured.

Back to business, this book was really good, the ending was pretty fucked up, so now I picked another book from this author to see if they’re all like this. Will update you on this in a month so stay tuned.

I was born for this, Alice Oseman. Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️,5

This book was literally IT. It’s rare that I relate so much to a main character, let alone two. I related to Angel in the sense that I sometimes also get carried away by the things I’m passionate about. It’s never been as extreme as it was with her in this book, but I can kinda get it. That being said, this whole The Ark thing with the Jowan shipping was so obviously about 1D and the Zayn and Harry shipping, I cringed so hard. I was never a fan lf them but I know how hardcore it was and this book was very good at portraying that.

Jimmy was also a character I related to. Not because I, like him, am a world famous musician (I wish I had that kind of talent) but because his whole anxiety thing felt very relatable. I’ve been there before, I still spiral sometimes with overthinking everything and thinking the world is against me. This book was very good in scaling these emotions up to the proportions of someone world famous with such emotions. I shiver even thinking about so many people knowing my name. All of this was so well done and I absolutely adored this book.

[fyrix]

Buddy read this wonderful book with @breezy-sapphic and let me tell you it was exactly what I needed to get into a sapphic Christmasy mood! It was cute, it was heartbreaking, and it was absolutely chock full of lesbian yearning, what more could you ask for? I loved every second, even when I was mad at some dumb lesbian asses. I’ll be sure to pick it back up come next Christmas!

Everybody say thank you Ashley Herring Blake!

5/5 ⭐️

[myhikari21things]

Read of Make The Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake (2024) (342pgs)

[theomnilegent]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this ARC of Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake.

This book was messy, and that's great, because I love messy. The characters were messy. The relationships were messy. The friendships were messy. It was all very messy and very dramatic and I loved (almost!) every minute of it.

Of the two leads, I have to admit, I felt more sympathetic towards Charlotte. Brighton certainly went through her fair share of crap situations after their breakup, too, but Charlotte's pain was real and raw and all too understandable. So early on in the story I found myself taking sides - Charlotte's version of events made the most sense to me. However, as we learn Brighton's story, Brighton's reasons behind the breakup, I found the ice in my heart melting for her, too. These were two women put in a series of circumstances they were perhaps too young to handle, and trying to handle them anyway.

So how wonderful they get the opportunity as adults to make it right! But of course, this is a romance book, and it wouldn't be a romance book without a bit of miscommunication and a third act break up. Still, by that point, this book has you hooked - Ashley Herring Blake has a way with characters that will have you on the edge of your seat, begging for more. Speaking of characters, the supporting cast, including Manish, Elle, Wes, Sloane, and Adele, were extraordinary. In some scenes, they stole the show entirely, but Sloane and Adele - as Charlotte and Brighton's best friends - were the most well developed of them all.

The tropes were so much fun. The snowed in, sharing a bed, huddling for warmth, saving her life, all had me wanting for more. I love that for a book that could have easily overdone it on the tropes Ashley Herring Blake actually kept it quite simple. Still, the tropes that were used were used so effectively. And the whole concept of Two Turtledoves was so cheesy it circled all the way back around to sweet.

Finally, I loved how important music was in this story, and how important it was to Charlotte and Brighton. It really added depth to the story and their characters.

I will be looking for Dream On, Ramona Riley when it becomes available!

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 2/5

Book Blurb:

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?

Review:

Two exes stuck in the same house for Christmas and the undeniable attraction between them. Charlotte Donovan was left at the alter by her fiancee five years ago, her fiancee who was her best friend and the love of her life... who never told her why and ran off. Charlotte is now focusing on her position in the string ensemble of the Rosalind Quartet and her life in New York.... except when her ensemble mate invites her to spend Christmas with a few other people and she gets surprised to see that said ensemble mate's sister is none other the ex fiancee who broke her heart??? Christmas is about to be a disaster. Brighton Fairbrook wanted a happy Christmas but its getting a bit hard when her band kicked her out and stole her song... and her ex is pretending like they've never even met each other. Brighton knows she messed up when she ran off at her wedding with Charlotte but seeing her again has her desperate to get a second chance... if only she could convince Charlotte to give it to her. This one missed the mark for me unfortunately because I honestly did not feel like Brighton deserved that second chance with Charlotte. I love a good second chance romance but honestly I just didn't find myself rooting for Charlotte and Brighton to get back together. After five years and after the "incident" I honestly don't think I would forgive Brighton.... maybe it's just me but realistically I don't see how someone who completely broke your heart, ran off at your wedding, and never explained why in 5 years and suddenly wants a second chance.... deserves one. The "reasoning" behind it just didn't feel good enough at all, especially when you find out that they were best friends since they were 12 and they couldn't even properly communicate? Nope. So if you like a second chance romance set during the holiday, maybe this one would work for you.

Release Date: October 1,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[lesbeanies-stuff]

Mwehehhehee since it's December I can finally start reading maje the season bright

Aaaaaaa I love her books so much. Truly the best queer books I've ever read. So much queer representation in them. There's an agender character in this one :3

[squirrelstone]

Someone told me the girl in plaid on the cover of Make the Season Bright is just modern Samantha Parkington and I was sold.

[justbackgroundnoise]

This book was so cute and so worth the wait. I finished it in a day and almost couldn’t put it down! If you enjoyed the Bright Falls trilogy and Ashley Herring Blake’s writing, you’ll like her new sweet holiday second chance romance. The cover art by Leni Kaufman is, as always, to die for and the use of music in this book just made me swoon. I like everything Blake writes and this book is no exception 💕

[louehlaufeyson]

December light, it’s you and it’s me,

dressed all in white, the start of a new story.

[the-final-sentence]

And then they played.

Ashley Herring Blake, from Make the Season Bright

[itachi86]

“Hey, hey, Ampersand!” Adele said into the mic on the small stage. “Freezing your asses off?” Cheers went up, hands in the air clutching liquor-filled glasses. Adele laughed. “Well, we’ve got a local fave here to warm you the hell up with her tales of betrayal and woe.” “Excuse me,” Brighton said, even though Adele couldn’t hear her."

-Make the Season Bright

[just-a-girl-who-likes-sharks]

Couldn’t agree more

(Make the Season Bright, Ashley Herring Blake)