Christmas at the Ranch by Julia McKay

A special thank you to the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

She hasn’t been in love in ten years, but she’s about to get back in the saddle.

With the holidays around the corner and her father recently imprisoned for financial fraud, disgraced journalist Emory Oakes doesn’t know where to turn. She’s only certain of one thing: She needs to get away.

Fate takes the wheel, leaving her stranded in snowy Evergreen, the picturesque town where she spent her happiest Christmas as a teen—and chronicled every moment in her journal as she fell in love with handsome local, Tate Wilder, at his family’s idyllic horse ranch—until it all went wrong.

Emory isn’t ready to face Tate, but kismet and Christmas magic have other ideas. As the love they’ve denied for a decade rekindles, the betrayals that kept them apart resurface, as does Emory’s family scandal. Yet Tate Wilder and his ranch feel more like home than anywhere ever has. Will Emory and Tate’s alchemy fizzle or will their Christmas wishes come true? 

This swoony second chance holiday romance is about a woman who escapes a family scandal by fleeing to the charming, nostalgic place where she both fell in love for the first time and had her heart broken. Set against a perfect snowy setting, Christmas at the Ranch is a story of love, hope, and the magic of Christmas. With themes of forgiveness and second chances, this is the perfect holiday escape.

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JULIA McKAY is the pen name of Marissa Stapley, a New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels, including the Reese's Book Club pick Lucky (soon to be an Apple TV+ limited series starring Anya Taylor-Joy). She has also co-written several bestselling holiday romances, including The Holiday Swap, All I Want for Christmas, and Three Holidays and a Wedding. 

Stapley divides her time between city life in Toronto and lake life in Haliburton, where she writes about love, second chances, and the magic of the holidays.

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Q & A with Julia McKay*

GWR: What inspired you to write holiday romances? 

JM: There’s just something about the holidays that makes my storytelling heart come alive. The lights, the traditions, the way love and nostalgia seem amplified—it’s irresistible! I’m also fascinated by the contrast the season brings: joy and celebration isn’t all there is to the holiday season. It can also be full of loneliness and family unrest, which can stir up old tensions or heartbreak. That mix of comfort and complexity gives me so much to explore as a writer. And, of course, I adore capturing the cozy magic of a small Canadian town blanketed in snow.

GWR: What sparked the idea for Christmas at the Ranch? What is the story behind the story? 

JM: The story was born from my deep love of cottage country—and my own little slice of it. The lake in the book is inspired by the one where I spend my summers (and sometimes snowy holidays), where the ice makes the most haunting, beautiful sounds as it shifts and cracks. I’ve also been an equestrian most of my life, so weaving in a ranch setting and that bond between humans and horses felt natural. Christmas at the Ranch is my love letter to winter in Ontario—snow, family, healing, and second chances all included.

GWR: You’ve also co-authored holiday romance books writing as Maggie Knox (with Karma Brown) and with Uzma Jalaluddin—is there a trope that you haven’t explored yet that you would like to?

JM: I have a soft spot for Opposites Attract, and I think an office romance might be next on my wish list. That seems like it could be great fun—especially when the mistletoe gets involved.

GWR: What elements are a must in a holiday novel?

JM: Even the most laugh-out-loud or glamorous holiday story needs emotional truth underneath,  that spark of connection and hope that makes readers feel deeply invested in the love story. Setting is key, too: snow-covered streets, glowing windows, twinkle lights, and the smell of something baking in the background. And of course, a satisfying happily-ever-after...because if not at Christmas, when?

GWR: I loved the juxtaposition of Toronto and cottage country. What is it about the small-town setting of Evergreen that makes it the perfect backdrop for a Christmas romance?

JM: Evergreen is everything I love about small-town Ontario: it’s full of charm, community, and a little mischief. People know one another’s business—for better or worse—but that also means they show up when it counts. The natural beauty of the snow-covered lake and forests creates a built-in sense of wonder, and the town provides the perfect opportunity to introduce a quirky cast of supporting characters, something I always love to do.

GWR: You utilized a dual timeline as well as an epistolary element through the inclusion of Emory’s diary entries—how did this structure come about? 

JM: I wanted readers to feel the depth of Emory and Tate’s history,  to sense how the past still echoes in the present. The diary entries allowed me to weave in emotion, secrets, and reflection in a really intimate way.

GWR: If your book was a beverage, what would it be? 

JM: For a cocktail, I’d say Ranch Water: traditionally made with tequila, water, and lime, but made festive with a splash of cranberry juice, a few frozen cranberries, and a sprig of rosemary. It easily becomes a mocktail by skipping the tequila and adding a dash or two of bitters.

GWR: Can you share what are you working on now?

JM: I’m currently finishing my next romance novel, which I’ll be able to share more about soon—but for now, I can say it’s set in small-town Ontario and full of cozy vibes, second chances, and seasonal magic. On the other end of the spectrum, I’m also deep into writing the sequel to Lucky. It’s a busy but very exciting time!

*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada.

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay

A special thank you to the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When doppelgänger best friends trade one’s cabin Christmas vacation for the other’s Hawaiian would’ve-been-honeymoon, both might just find love they weren’t expecting.

Holly Beech and Ivy Casey are bury-the-body besties. They’re so in sync, they even look alike. So when Holly’s fiancé jilts her, leaving her in shock and with a nonrefundable honeymoon, Holly convinces Ivy to switch places. Ivy will go on the Hawaiian honeymoon her best friend can’t bear to take alone, while Holly escapes to Ivy’s rented Hudson Valley cabin to binge-watch holiday movies and heal.

But Holly’s wallowing is interrupted when her rugged Airbnb host turns out to be her high school academic rival who’s had a major glow-up. Meanwhile, Ivy’s (now Hawaiian) annual solo art retreat is upended when Holly’s ex-fiancé checks into the honeymoon suite—with a new woman. Raging and bedless, the last thing Ivy expects is for the hot hotel bartender to come to her rescue. Against all odds, this Christmas might prove the most magical yet. 

For fans of The Holiday and Hallmark movies, The Holiday Honeymoon Switch is a best friends, dual point of view, new chance at love in the most opposite of settings. This is the perfect read to kick off your holiday season.

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JULIA McKAY/MARISSA STAPLEY is a journalist and the bestselling author of Lucky, The Last Resort, Things to Do When It’s Raining, and Mating for Life. She co-authored All I Want for Christmas and The Holiday Swap with Karma Brown as Maggie Knox, and Three Holidays and a Wedding with Uzma Jalaluddin. 

Stapley lives in Toronto with her family.

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Q & A with Julia McKay*

GWR: How long did it take you to write The Holiday Honeymoon Switch, and how many drafts were there before publication?

JM: The timelines are really tight with my holiday romance novels—given that there is no leeway, and they must come out before the holiday season! So, I tend to write them in more concentrated bursts. It took me about five months to complete the first draft, and then there were two faster drafts after that before we got to copyedits. 

GWR: Is there any significance to the name Julia McKay?

JM: Julia is my middle name; McKay is my Grannie Maggie’s maiden name—and she was a writer, freelancing for many Canadian newspapers and magazines over the years and penning short stories as well. 

GWR: Were you inspired by any holiday movies or other holiday rom-coms?

JM: I was inspired by one of my favourite movies, The Holiday, as well as one of my favourite rom coms, The Unhoneymooners! 

GWR: Give us your best Hollywood pitch for the book.

JM: For fans of The Holiday, but make them besties … When Holly gets left at the altar of her Christmas themed wedding, she swaps holidays with her best friend, Ivy—and, out of heartache,  both friends find unexpected love beyond their wildest dreams. 

GWR: What comes first for you—the overall idea or the characters?  

JM: It always depends. Sometimes a situation or plot will come to me first, sometimes the main characters. In the case of The Holiday Honeymoon Switch, Holly and Ivy appeared first, and I knew these were characters I wanted to work with. Then I had to take some time to sort out the kind of journey I was going to take them on. 

GWR: Do you have more fun with character development or plot?

JM: I have a lot of fun with both. It’s really exciting to get to know your characters during the early stages of book conceptualizing—almost like meeting a new friend! I always use questionnaires to learn about my characters, such as the Proust questionnaire or the one in Save the Cat Writes a Novel, and it’s so entertaining to come up with answers for a person who doesn’t really exist. But I also adore plotting and planning. I feel such a rush when I’m writing an outline, even if I know things are likely to change somewhat once I get to the writing stage. 

GWR: This novel is as much about romantic relationships as it is about friendship. What were the most important characteristics and dynamics that you wanted Holly and Aiden’s/Ivy and Oliver’s relationships to have, as well as Holly and Ivy’s friendship? 

JM: It is very important to me that my characters have agency, and full lives outside of their romantic relationships. So, in this case, it was key that any relationship either character ended up in would work with her best friendship. I wanted both male leads to be secure and confident, with some baggage but not the sort that would get in the way of outside relationships. And I also thought it would be good if they were both a little isolated in their lives and really in the market for a bromance, which is definitely what I see happening between them after the final pages of the novel, by the way!  

As far as Holly and Ivy’s friendship goes, if you’re lucky enough to have this kind of friend then you know what it’s like. It’s such a gift to have someone you can truly be yourself with, someone who accepts you for who you are even if you aren’t always perfect—because no one is—supports and brings out the best in you, and is there for you no matter what. I feel lucky to have a best friend I know I can call in any crisis, and who will also be unconditionally happy for my successes. I didn’t find this friend until I was in my forties; it’s completely okay to hold out. But I love that Holly and Ivy met in university. 

GWR: What do you hope readers will take away from The Holiday Honeymoon Switch? 

JM: That it’s okay to take risks in the pursuit of happiness. That safety and responsibility are good, but following your heart is, too. That love comes in many forms, and the love you have for a friend is just as important as the love you have for a romantic partner. 

GWR: If your book was a beverage, what would it be? 

JM: Since there are two love stories, there would have to be, two! A Hawaiian Bonfire cocktail for Ivy, a peppermint mocha with extra whip for Holly. 

GWR: Will there be another Julia McKay book or holiday novel with one of your other partnerships?

JM: Although Uzma and I would love to write together again once we find the time and the right idea, Julia McKay is here to stay. A second novel will be out next holiday season, and I’ll be sharing news on that soon. 

*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada. 

The Christmas Countdown by Holly Cassidy

A special thank you to the author, Holly Cassidy, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

All Callie wants for Christmas is to hibernate. She's still reeling from being dumped by her childhood sweetheart, and under no circumstances will she go home for the holidays considering her ex will be right next door with his new, perfect partner. Callie is officially in grinch mode, but her meddling sister, Anita, won’t let her give up on life, love, and Christmas quite so easily.

Anita stages a Christmas intervention for Callie with a homemade Advent calendar challenge—cheerful tasks to push Callie out of her comfort zone and into the holiday spirit, inspired by a childhood tradition. Callie reluctantly plays along, but when she comes face-to-face with a charming baker who just might be the spoonful of sugar she needs, her strict rules on love and the holidays are tested.

As they strike a deal to do the activities together, could the twenty four little doors on Callie’s Advent calendar not only open up one, but two closed-off hearts?

Full of Advent activities—carolling, sledding, hot chocolate, eggnog, and even ugly Christmas sweaters—this holiday rom-com will you have you decking your halls and jingling your bells. The Christmas Countdown is the perfect gift!

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HOLLY CASSIDY is the pen name for internationally bestselling author Hannah Mary McKinnon. Her suspense novels include The Neighbors, Her Secret Son, Sister Dear, You Will Remember Me, Never Coming Home, The Revenge List, and Only One Survives. 

McKinnon was born in England, grew up in Switzerland, and now lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and three sons. 

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Q & A with Holly Cassidy*

GWR: How long did it take you to write The Christmas Countdown, and how many drafts were there before publication? 

HC: It took about 4 months to write and self-edit the first draft I shared with my editors. After that we had a large round of structural edits, followed by two smaller ones. Once those were done, we went through another few rounds to cover line, copy, and proof edits. I’m so happy with the result and adore Callie and Marco’s story.

GWR: What was the inspiration for the novel? 

HC: At the end of my first Holly Cassidy rom-com, The Christmas Wager, the protagonist Bella describes a homemade calendar she has prepared for her boyfriend, Jesse. That tiny segment was the inspiration for The Christmas Countdown although the books are standalones and feature a new setting and an entire new cast of characters. It was fun to have one of my books inspire another.

GRW: Do you have a favourite chapter or scene? 

HC: I loved the carolling and sledding scenes—and of course the one where Callie follows Dazey Rocket onto the roof, which made me laugh out loud. I adored everything that touched on Switzerland. I grew up in Interlaken and lived in Switzerland for decades before coming to Canada in 2010. Incorporating my heritage was wonderful. For example, the Mailänderli and Basler Brunsli cookie recipes are straight from my high school home economics book, which I still have and use.

GWR: What were the most important characteristics and dynamic that you wanted Callie and Marco’s relationship to have? What about Callie and Anita’s?

HC: I wanted the relationship between Callie and Marco to be a friends-to-lovers arc with a grumpy/sunshine dynamic. They’ve both been hurt by other people and are wary of opening their hearts to anyone. It was important for me to demonstrate those vulnerabilities, and how they can affect us. 

Regarding Callie and her sister, Anita, I wanted to show a different side of Callie, not only her romantic one. She and Anita get along well, but like most siblings, there’s friction at times. Anita’s far more outgoing and spontaneous and thinks Callie should move on from her ex, stat. It was interesting to have siblings who are so different yet have a close and ten­der bond. It gave the story and the characters more depth.

GWR: The advent calendar was so creative—where did you get the ideas?

HC: It’s based on an Advent calendar I made for our three sons when they were young. Each year, I’d syphon off Halloween candy, which I’d pop into twenty-four little bags I’d string up on the banister. I’d add one little note to the bags, always alternating between a task and a treat. A task would be things for the boys to do such as laying the table or paying someone a compliment. A treat would be us reading an extra bedtime story together or them staying up 15 minutes later. This became the basis for the Advent calendar Callie and Anita’s mum made for them when they were small, and which Anita levelled-up to help Callie find her zest for life again. It was a lot of fun taking something so simple for my past and building an entire world around it.

GWR: If your book was a beverage, what would it be? 

HC: Oh, fun question. How about the “Grinch Cocktail” mentioned in the book, made from midori liqueur, rum, lemon lime soda, and maraschino cherries? Delicious!

GWR: What are you working on now?

HC: My next Hannah Mary McKinnon thriller is tentatively called A Killer Motive and slated for publication in the fall of 2025. It’s about a guilt-ridden true crime podcaster, Stella Dixon, who promotes her show A Killer Motive on the radio. A disgruntled listener asks why there hasn’t been another podcast episode about her brother, Max, who vanished from a beach party Stella took him to six years ago. Days later, Max’s alleged abductor contacts Stella, and after she dismisses him as a crank, Max’s best friend disappears. The abductor challenges Stella to find him or he dies. If she succeeds, she’ll finally learn the truth about Max’s whereabouts…but she can’t breathe a word to anyone. I think it features my most twisted protagonist yet!

*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada. 

The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox

A special thank you to Edelweiss and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

All they want for Christmas is a different life.

When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell--both of which are critical to her success as one of the show's judges. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family's bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won't get the memo that they're over.

With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven't done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician's assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix. Will the twins' identity swap be a recipe for disaster, or does it have all the right ingredients for getting their lives back on track?

The Holiday Swap is the first offering from Maggie Knox which is the powerhouse duo of Karma Brown and Marissa Stapley. Perfectly paced for a holiday read, it strikes the right balance between banter and charm. With a dusting of decadent baking and themes of sisterhood and empowerment, this book is a gift (and perfect for gift-giving). 

Complimented by two festive romances and a delightful small-town setting that's like living in a snow globe, The Holiday Swap is the quintessential seasonal rom-com to give you all the Christmas feels. 

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KARMA BROWN is an award-winning journalist and author of the bestsellers Come Away With Me, The Choices We Make, In This Moment, The Life Lucy Knew, and Recipe for a Perfect Wife. Her first non-fiction book, The 4% Fix, published in 2020. Karma's writing has appeared in publications such as Redbook, SELF, and Chatelaine. 

Brown lives just outside Toronto, Canada with her husband, daughter, and their adorably handsome labradoodle, Fred.

MARISSA STAPLEY is a journalist and the bestselling author of Mating for Life, Things to Do When It's Raining, The Last Resort and Lucky which has been optioned for television. 

Stapley lives in Toronto with her family. 

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Q & A with Maggie Knox*

GWR: How did the partnership come about?

MK: Back in November 2019 we were both at different stages in our publishing schedules—Karma was hard at work on the publicity for Recipe for a Perfect Wife and Marissa was deep into  edits for Lucky. On the phone or by text we would share when we hit a pitfall in our respective processes. Until one of us quipped: “Wouldn’t it be great if we could just swap places whenever we felt like it?” 


This conversation quickly morphed from a bit of a joke to something more serious—but still very fun! What would it be like to work as a team? And, what would it be like to write a twin swap, one of the tropes we consider the most fun (Parent Trap, anyone?). It went from there!

GWR: Is there any significance to the name Maggie Knox?

MK: We wanted to use the initials MK (or KM, it didn’t really matter!) to represent both our names. Maggie is Marissa’s paternal grandmother’s name—her Grannie Maggie was a writer and she thought if using a pen name it would be a nice nod to her heritage to use that name. And the K in Knox is for Karma, of course—but we took a bit of a circuitous route to settling on that name that had a little to do with the needs of our publisher, as well as how we wanted the name to sound and look. 

GWR: What sparked the idea for The Holiday Swap?

MK: As we mentioned above, the idea came about when we were joking around about writing something fun together. We had a great time going back and forth about the most charming, feel-good, festive, Hallmark movie-esque novel we could think of writing, something that would make us feel so happy to write. And the next thing we knew, we were writing it! We are similarly ambitious and driven when it comes to our writing careers, so once we got going, there was really no stopping us. We got our agents on board right away, and just went for it. 

GWR: Writing a rom-com is a bit of a departure for both of you. Were you inspired by any other rom-com or holiday romance books/authors?  

MK: Absolutely. We both love losing ourselves in a light, romantic and joyful holiday romance story during the holiday season, whether its relaxing with a novel after a long day of shopping, or watching holiday rom coms on television while wrapping presents. We were definitely inspired by our enjoyment of novels by Josie Silver, Mary Kay Andrews, Karen Swan, Karen Schaler and by moves like The Holiday, Let It Snow, and basically anything on the Hallmark Channel! 

GWR: Tell us about the writing process—with two main characters, did you each tackle one? 

MK: We decided we each needed to have an equal investment in the twins’ storylines—and also that one of the benefits of working with a partner was being able to trade off when the going got tough. That meant we did not each take on one twin but instead wrote a very detailed outline and then divided up the chapters and spent an equal amount of time with each twin, in each setting. This really worked for The Holiday Swap, and meant the writing was seamless. It also means when our friends and loved ones read the novel, they have a hard time figuring out who wrote which chapter. Sometimes we can’t even remember! 

GWR: Let’s talk about the food! Are any of Charlie and Cass’ recipes inspired by your own holiday baking? Do either of you have a family recipe that could rival Starlight Bread? 

MK: Marissa got really into baking sourdough bread during the pandemic, while Karma watched, mystified (how often are you supposed to feed a starter?) from the sidelines, so that’s why there is so much sourdough in the book. It was partly Marissa trying to explain to Karma exactly how it all worked. And both our grandmothers had a Christmas cake they always made that inspired the flavours of the Starlight Bread. 

GWR: What did you have the most fun with, character development or plot? 

MK: We both like different aspects of the writing process best: Marissa loves writing early drafts and having fun getting to know the characters, while Karma enjoys the editing and fine-tuning stage of things. While we both enjoyed the plot and character of this book, Marissa probably enjoyed the outlining and drafting and figuring out all the fun twists and turns, while Karma enjoyed digging in and layering in our edits and little details that made the twins feel like real people. 

GWR: If your book was a beverage, what would it be?

MK: An Aperol Spritz! Light, fizzy, bright, and festive! 

GWR: What’s next for Maggie Knox?

MK: We’ve got our second holiday rom com, All I Want for Christmas, coming out next fall. Right now we’re in the editing phase (meaning Karma is happy and Marissa is missing the writing stage!). This novel is like The Hating Game meets the show Nashville and we love it! It’s a festive and sexy enemies to lovers story about singer/songwriters Sadie Hunter and Max Brody, who are paired up to sing a duet while competing in a Nashville-set reality singing competition show. Sparks fly when they perform together, so much so that everyone thinks they must be in love—and the world falls for the idea of them as a couple. (They even get a hashtag: #Saxie). But in truth, they can hardly stand each other. In the interests of launching their careers and winning the competition they agree to pose as a couple for one year, but as Christmas—and the deadline for the dissolution of their fake relationship—approaches and they come together to write an original holiday love song, they start to realize that their intense feelings might be very real…

*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada.

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

A special thank you to Libro.fm Audiobooks, Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, NetGalley, and Penguin Group Putnam for an ARC/audiobook listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

Alix Chamberlain is a mom and blogger who has become somewhat of a social media darling and her own brand. She is a privileged white woman who always gets what she wants and has made this her business model.

Emira is the young black babysitter for the Chamberlains. Working two jobs, she is trying to make rent, keep up with her health insurance, and decide what exactly she wants to do with her life.

While minding Briar one night, Emira is confronted by another shopper and security guard in the Chamberlain's upscale neighbourhood supermarket—she is accused of kidnapping the toddler. A crowd gathers to watch the events unfold, and a bystander captures everything on his phone. Emira is left shaken, humiliated and determined to put the incident behind her whereas Alix makes it her mission to right the situation.

When the video unearths someone from Alix's past, the women end up on a crash course that will topple their delicate relationship and undo them both.

What could easily be mistaken as a light and breezy beach read is quickly squashed—this rich and captivating narrative has many layers and subtle nuances. Such a Fun Age is an explosive debut with a comment on racism, classism, and transactional relationships.

Reid's character development is nothing short of amazing. Both Alix and Kelley perceive that they are protecting Emira and saving her, but what they don't realize is the huge disconnect they have from her real life. They think that they are the hero whereas the other is the villain. Alix and Kelley also can't seem to see the bigger picture—even though they are well meaning, they are part of the problem. And can we just talk about Briar for a moment? She is precocious but there is an innate sadness about her, she can sense that she is not important to her mother but has no way of articulating her feelings. Reid gives voice to this by creating an anxious, serious child that flourishes under Emira's care. The exchanges between Emira and Briar are some of the best writing in the book.

Alix's feelings towards Amira force a relationship that is not only inappropriate as her employer, but borders on being unhealthy. I think that Alix is a bit unhinged, perhaps this is a result of her micro-celebrity status, therefore she tries to control those around her, especially through her need to help. This is a case of where well-intentioned white people try to save black people and instead, make the situation more difficult.  

Can I just tell you how outstanding the audiobook version is? Nicole Lewis is incredibly talented. I highly recommend this five star book.

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KILEY REID earned her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she was awarded the Truman Capote Fellowship and taught undergraduate creative writing workshops with a focus on race and class. Her short stories have been featured in Ploughshares, December, New South, and Lumina.

Reid lives in Philadelphia with her husband.