Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalauddin and Marissa Stapley (Review by Stephanie Rowitz)

Rating: 3/5

Maryam Aziz and Anna Gibson don’t have much in common other than they both find themselves on the same flight from Denver to Toronto. When unexpected turbulence hits and they feel like they’re in their final moments, the women share their deepest secrets with each other and find they’re more alike than they thought. After the plane makes an emergency landing in frosty Snow Falls, chaos ensues. Full of high-maintenance Bridezilla sisters, intrusive family members, and, of course, romantic entanglements for both women, it seems a bit like Murphy’s law: holiday edition. 

This is a light-hearted book that features something you don’t see that often in romances, the gift of new female friendships. Typically in romance novels, the best friend is the sassy sidekick–good for one-liners and not much else and who’s about as well-rounded as a paper napkin. However, because both Maryam and Anna are the protagonists in this book, you get to see them both navigate their individual challenges and romantic prospects, while also developing a close connection to each other. 

The book has a few pitfalls like Anna not recognizing Josh in person after having just watched a movie in which he was the male lead and Saif suddenly having romantic interest in Maryam after overhearing her confession on the plane. However, if you don’t look too closely, it’s an enjoyable read. I liked the dynamic between Anna and her estranged stepmom as well as Maryam’s relationship with her grandfather. These were sweet, nuanced relationships that felt very dear to the authors and I enjoyed them immensely. I just wished we got to see a bit more of those relationships and less of the erratic sister and controlling ex-boyfriend taking up Maryam and Anna’s time and energy.

All in all, Three Holidays and a Wedding is a cute story about female friendships and the magical power of snow, which can bring unlikely people together.