Only for the Holidays

by Abiola Bello

The Spanish Love Deception meets The Holiday in this fake dating YA romance about a city girl and country boy’s lives colliding at Christmas. 
 
City girl Tia Solanké is dreading the festive period. She’s fresh out of a break-up and the last thing she wants to do is spend Christmas away from London. Arriving at Saiyan Hedge Farm, Tia takes an instant disliking to it. She’s chased by sheep, falls in horse manure and the Wi-Fi sucks. How is she meant to stalk her ex now and concoct a foolproof plan to win him back?
 
Country boy Quincy Parker and his family run the farm, and this year they’ve been selected to host the biggest event in the village’s calendar – the Winter Ball. Preparations are underway, and Quincy is working around the clock to make it a success. The only problem is, he’s told everyone he has a date to the ball, when in reality that couldn’t be further from the truth. 
 
At first, Tia and Quincy don’t see eye to eye, until they realise they both have something to gain by pretending to be a couple. But when a snowstorm threatens to cancel the Winter Ball, their fake relationship is put to the test. Will Tia and Quincy be able to keep up the pretence and save the day, or will real feelings get in the way?

PRAISE FOR ABIOLA BELLO'S LOVE IN WINTER

‘A screen-worthy holiday romance.’ Joya Goffney, author of Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry

‘Gorgeous writing, witty dialogue, a magical setting and two characters you'll fall head over heels for.’ Jennifer Niven, author of All the Bright Places
 
‘I devoured this delicious YA rom-com. A treat to read any time of year.’ Katherine Webber, author of Twin Crowns
 
‘A wonderfully warm love story.’ Candice Brathwaite, author of Cuts Both Ways
 
‘A warm and cosy read that pulls you into the perfect winter romance. Abiola has given us all a gift to swoon over.’ Benjamin Dean, author of The King is Dead

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Young Adult, Holiday, Audiobook, Contemporary, Young Adult Romance

399 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 12, 2023

About the author

Abiola Bello is a Nigerian-British, prize-winning children’s/YA author who was born and raised in London. She wrote her first novel at the age of eight and experienced her first taste of ‘being published’ after winning a school poetry competition at the age of 12.

Abiola is an advocate for diversity in books for young people. She’s the author of the award-winning fantasy series EMILY KNIGHT (EMILY KNIGHT I AM, EMILY KNIGHT I AM…AWAKENED and EMILY KNIGHT I AM BECOMING). EMILY KNIGHT I AM…AWAKENED was nominated for the CILIP’s Carnegie Award, won London’s BIG Read 2019, and was a finalist for the People’s Book Prize Best Children’s Book.

Abiola contributed to THE VERY MERRY MURDER CLUB, a collection of new mystery fiction from thirteen exciting and diverse children’s writers which published in October 2021 (Farshore/HarperCollins). It was Waterstones November Children's Book of the Month, Amazon Number 1 bestseller, The Bookseller One To Watch, The Guardian's Children's & Teens Best New Novels.

Her debut YA, LOVE IN WINTER WONDERLAND, published Winter 2022 (Simon & Schuster UK). It was an Amazon Number 1 bestseller, The Bookseller One To Watch, Amazon Editor's Choice for Black History Month 2022, featured in The Guardian Children's & Teens Best New Novels and was on an Amazon Billboard for Black History Month in Leicester Square. LOVE IN WINTER WONDERLAND was sold to the US, Germany and Poland. The US edition is a Junior Library Guild Pick and the German edition was shortlisted for Best YA and Best Cover for the Lovely Books Community Award 2023.

Abiola's latest book ONLY FOR THE HOLIDAYS published Autumn 2023 (Simon & Schuster UK). It was The Bookseller One To Watch, one of Waterstones Best Paperbacks of 2023 and featured in The Guardian Children's & Teens Best New Novels.

Abiola won The Black British Business Awards - Arts and Media 2023, The London Book Fair Trailblazer Awards 2018. She is the co-founder of Hashtag Press, Hashtag BLAK, The Diverse Book Awards and ink!

Abiola has appeared in Cosmopolitan, Female First Magazine, The Mirror, BBC1XTRA to name a few. As well as being a writer, Abiola is a professional dancer. She has performed for more than a decade in prestigious venues including The Royal Opera House, The Barbican, Sadler’s Wells, Hammersmith Apollo, Unicorn Theatre. Abiola has also appeared on BBC’s The Apprentice, “Got To Dance” and Street Dance AllStars The Movie.

Reviews

[Shawnaci Schroeder · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 ⭐️
- This book was so fun!! I love that it focused on the holiday season but so many other things too. If you’ve ever had a boyfriend in high school that was the absolute worst, you will totally relate to this story!
- The story was a bit long for a holiday one and I wish it had been a tad shorter. I would have been so much more engaged in the ending!
- Definitely want to read more from this author. I haven’t been gravitating towards young adult books lately, but really loved this one.

[Anniek · Rating 4 out of 5]

After not really clicking with the author's previous book, Love in Winter Wonderland, I wanted to give this book a chance, but didn't know what to expect. But I ended up really enjoying it! This book is messy in a way that's so fitting for YA, with characters who are figuring things out but are still loveable. There are cute and funny moments and lots of winter vibes!

[ੈ✩‧₊˚ faithreads *ೃ༄ (inactive) · Rating 2 out of 5]

ok this book is a quick but fun Christmassy book! i loved the sweet family dynamics, farm setting, wintery vibes, and awesome romance!! i was not obsessed with the writing style....it felt very elementary and i just feel like the author didn't fully know how to like word things right?? and she kept saying "erm" which really annoyed me lol. also every single character, guys, girls, moms, etc, ended their texts with "x" no matter what!!! so i do think the writing was lacking. the romance was sweet though! i really liked Tia and Quincy, they were perfect for each other! again, some of their interactions were cringey but that's ok lolll. i also didn't realize that Tia was under 18....she's portrayed as like a 22 yr! drinking, hooking up, cussing, etc. that was super annoying for me and also just unrealistic lol. i hated Mike from the beginning, so I'm veryyyy happy that he got dumped haha! and i feel like Banks was a spoiled little brat...oh and at the beginning of the book i felt like Willow and Tia were like super close and stuff but then we never heard about her??? it was super weird. anyway i would recommend as a quick fun Christmas read!!

┌──────┐
tw's; underage drinking, partying
└──────┘

[୨୧ carissa ୨୧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

❄️🐎🌲

「　my thoughts　」
3.5⭐️ okay this was actually surprisingly good i wasn’t expecting to like it but i did!! the book was overall mostly clean but some of the language was surprisingly inappropriate i don’t have a problem with spice but like completely unnecessary compared to the rest of the book

。၄၃ characters ၄၃ 。

॥ tia॥ : she was interesting honestly she was a bit annoying especially when she first arrived at the hotel but she grew on me

॥ quincy॥ : he was a great guy i felt so bad for him that he lost both his best friend and girlfriend in the same moment

॥ mike॥ : i feel like he was so obviously a horrible guy and it was so obvious he was just using her to do his birthday party

॥ simon॥ : honestly what kind of person sleeps with his best friends girlfriend

॥ drew and regal॥ : they were so fun i loved them

॥ kali॥ : once again what kind of person sleeps with her boyfriends best friend?? honestly and the fact that she was saying she still loved him and then kissed him too i was like wth is wrong with you

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. Everyone go read it!❄🎁💕

[Hannah (The Book Snek) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another feel good YA romance, with fake dating and authentic loveable characters, I was rooting for a happy ending all the way from our MCs. Two of the side characters had me wanting more of their story... 👀

Pace is good, with two very distrinct POV voices from Quincy and Tia. Its a page turner with ample drama. I binged this in a day very easily.

Personal highlights:

Skating! ⛸️
Hot tub 😏
"He falls first.." ♥ (I will fight for this point)
Fake dating. 🤐
Troublesome exes. 🐍

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute little Christmas read and I loved the two main characters, I want a sequel to see what happens next. This is my only Christmas read this year and it definitely didn’t disappoint!

[Mai H.]

Holidays TBR

Valentine's Day TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Soho Teen

[Lit_Vibrations · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, cozy, and adorable YA Christmas read and while the book was super cute why was the drama so juicy lol. Kali and Simon would have never been forgiven let alone been able to speak to me again and everything about Mike screamed toxic Tia deserved better.

I loved the holiday theme and atmosphere the author created with the horseback riding, ice skating, the snow storm, and winter ball. The pacing started a bit slow but the build up to that magical night at the winter ball was perfect.

I think the author perfectly captured the complexities of teenage relationships exploring themes of trust, betrayal, miscommunication, personal growth, and letting go. The way Tia drove herself mad after Mike asked for space did annoy me. But what really got me was how he tried flipping things on her in the end. Quincy was the nicest guy in the book and him meeting Tia when he had was obviously fate. There wasn’t an instant connection between the two MC’s but I did enjoy the alternating perspectives and watching their connection build.

Overall, I liked the book and think it’s the perfect holiday read. If you enjoy fake-dating, opposites attract, he falls first, or burdened-ex tropes you’ll like this book. Special thanks to @hearourvoicestours @soho_teen for my gifted copy‼️

Rating: 3.5/5⭐️

[Kelley]

Cutie YA holiday romcom, exactly what I wanted it to be.

[Taees_Cozy_Corner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is was a cute little YA book

[Dana K]

DNF @25% - Tia was annoying and obnoxious. I think I’m getting too old for YA. 🙄 She is in college though so I didn’t expect her to act like a pouty 13 year old at every turn. Last straw was her dislike of dogs. Found myself hoping Quincy didn’t end up with her, that’s when I decided to DNF.

[nomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.0

too many horses

[nunu · Rating 2 out of 5]

i think the premise is super cute but the execution was so zzz boring and WAY too long

[Kyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review!

If you want to gently start gearing up for the Christmas season, or if you just want a feel-good wintery rom-com, look no further than Only for the Holidays. Laden with first love, excellent family dynamics, and a lighthearted storyline, this YA contemporary romance provides the warmth we all need on blustery October days.

Only for the Holidays is a festive, fake-dating novel featuring Tia, a loyal, loving and headstrong girl who is devastated when her boyfriend, Mike, suggests they need a break. Tia is determined to win him back, so she powers along with the birthday extravaganza she has planned for Mike’s 18th birthday. However, her plans are derailed when her mom announces they will be spending time on a farm for a couple of weeks to stay in a cosy cottage over Christmas. Not only does she have to deal with bad phone signal and sheep hellbent on destroying her wardrobe, but she also has to contend with Quincy, the son of the owners of the farm. Quincy has problems of his own. His family have been selected to host the biggest event in town - the annual winter ball. However, he hasn’t got a date for the ball, despite telling everyone he has…that’s when Quincy comes up with a plan. If he can get Tia to London to win Mike back in exchange for being his date to the winter ball, it’s a win-win situation for the both of them. However, what they didn’t factor in was a growing romantic attraction between them.

This book was so cute. Let’s break down just why this was such a fun, festive read!

1. The characters
I instantly warmed to the characters. This book featured dual POVs which really allowed Tia and Quincy’s unique personalities to shine. I loved Tia. She was feisty, headstrong, loyal, and big-hearted. I loved how the author depicted the nuances of her personality. She was extremely dedicated and loyal to Mike, even though it was clear she deserved way better than him. I loved how the author balanced her headstrong nature with her more vulnerable, sensitive side. Then there was Quincy, who I adored! He was a golden retriever in human form, let me tell you. His gentleness and patience with Tia, his loyalty, and his forgiveness were so endearing.

The cast of side characters was excellently written too! I loved Tia’s family, from her hard-working, loving mom to her caring older sister and adorable baby sister. Quincy’s brother Cam, his sister Drew and his best friend Eliza were also written with distinguishable personalities. I know it can be tricky to write side characters with enough depth to be unforgettable and be a positive addition to the story, but the author succeeded in this.

2. Relationships
The family dynamics were so good, y’all. I loved that the parents actually parented?! That’s the equivalent of gold dust in a YA book. When Tia throws a hissy fit or goes against her mom’s wishes, she gets reprimanded for it. The parents in this book are involved, they love their kids, and they discipline them. It was so good seeing realistic parent-child dynamics! I especially appreciated the fact that even though Tia and Quincy were 18, their parents were still really involved in their lives. I feel like that isn’t usually represented in books, so kudos to the author.

I also loved Tia’s relationship with her older sister, Willow. They told each other pretty much everything and had each other’s backs - it was so wholesome. Additionally, I loved Quincy’s relationship with his brother and sister - it showed the bickering rife in sibling relationships but also the steadfast love and loyalty.

3. The romance
Firstly, Mike sucked. I’m glad Tia realised her worth - I was cheering her on when she realised Mike just wasn’t worth it.

I loved Tia and Quincy’s relationship. It was a very natural progression, from wary strangers to friends to something more. I loved how they encouraged and embraced each other’s flaws and imperfections, and I loved how they helped each other become better versions of themselves. The fake dating element was so cute too…as soon as they started catching feelings, it made my heart feel warm and fuzzy inside.

4. Plot and writing
I loved how Only for the Holidays was written. The dialogue was realistic and the writing flowed smoothly. It was extremely easy to get swept up in the happenings and emotions of the story! Just for comparison's sake, this book was nearly 400 pages and I read half of it in one sitting. The other day I read a 500-page book and it took me around a week to get through. It was just so readable (for want of a better word). The plot was good too! It kept me engaged the whole way through, and I was compelled to keep reading to find out how Quincy would overcome the betrayal of his past, if Tia and Mike would reconcile, and if Tia and Quincy would finally get their HEA.

The only downside that prevented me from giving this book 5 stars is there was quite a lot of swearing, which I wasn’t expecting from a YA book. I personally prefer language to be more PG in the books I read, but I know a lot of people don’t mind as it makes the book more realistic. Also, I know Mike and Tia were on a break…and I guess Tia had wanted to set boundaries around whether or not they were allowed to see other people and Mike wanted to see if there was a spark with other people…so I guess it didn’t count as cheating but it did make me a tad uncomfy that they weren’t officially broken up. Probably not worth mentioning, but thought I’d put that out there.

If you’re looking for a cute Christmas romance that explores family and friendship dynamics, the difficulties of first love, and an unexpected romance, you’ll probably love this book!

[Latoya (jamaicangirlreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rarely read Holiday themed books when its not the holiday season because I want to be fully immersed in the holiday vibe, irl and in my fictional world at the same time.

But I finished Only For The Holidays and when I tell you I LOVED it, I LOVED IT! This Christmas themed, coming of age, romance story did not disappoint! My only tiny disappointment was with the ending, which suits the titel but i couldnt help but wanting more. I wasnt ready for Quincy and Tia to end yet but nevertheless I'm ready for more Holiday books bonus if they are cute YA stories like this one!

[D'Asia · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 Loved this YA romance! It makes me so excited to read more of Bello’s work. I only docked points off because we’ve been waiting for this freaking ball all book but Bello glossed over it at the end. I would recommend this to anyone who’s had to leave the city to go to a small farm for Christmas vacation.

[Charnae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the first 50% then read the last half. Cheesy typical YA romance but I loved it! They had me giggling and kicking my feet.

Not only did I love the main characters but the author did a great job of giving a full picture of everyone around them. If I did give half stars it would be a 4.5!

[Mar · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

This was such a fun and cute holiday read.
I love the setting and the family aspects and dynamics.
Our Hero was fantastic. I liked his relationship with his siblings and good he was with our heroine.
Now... I didn't like our heroine. She felt like a "pick me girl," and that's my least favorite type of h.
Overall, this was a wonderful holiday read that I'll definitely reread during the season.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Tomike Adeyemi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Someone needs to tell the author that it's statistically improbable that every single white person in this book has blue eyes because it is a recessive gene.
Also, I never would've picked up this book if I'd known it was YA. They're all just a bunch of whiny kids acting too grown for their own good.

[Paulski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vielen Dank an den FISCHER Sauerländer Verlag und Netgalley für das kostenlose Rezensionsexemplar. Meine Meinung wurde dadurch nicht beeinflusst.

"Only for the Holidays" von Abiola Bello hat mich positiv überrascht, besonders da mein erster Gedanke war: Hoffentlich kein unnötiges Teeniedrama. Glücklicherweise blieb das auch aus. Die beiden Hauptcharaktere, Tia und Quincy waren von Anfang an sehr sympathisch und ich habe es genossen, ihre Geschichte aus beiden Perspektiven zu erleben. Der Wechsel der Blickwinkel hat der Handlung eine schöne Dynamik verliehen, die das Buch lebendig und abwechslungsreich macht.

Auch die Nebencharaktere waren hervorragend gestaltet und haben sich perfekt in die Geschichte eingefügt. Keine Figur fühlte sich überflüssig an, sondern trug dazu bei, die Handlung noch facettenreicher zu gestalten.

Besonders hervorheben möchte ich den Schreibstil. Er war leicht und flüssig, dabei aber gleichzeitig so detailliert, dass ich mir das Landgut und die umgebende Natur sehr gut vorstellen konnte. Die malerische Umgebung wurde so lebhaft beschrieben, dass ich am liebsten selbst dort Urlaub machen würde!

Ein kleiner Wermutstropfen war jedoch, dass das Weihnachtsgefühl, das ich bei einem solchen Buch erwartet hatte, leider fehlte. Die Geschichte könnte genauso gut zu jeder anderen Jahreszeit spielen, da man vom eigentlichen Weihnachtsflair kaum etwas bemerkt. Das hat mich ein wenig enttäuscht, da ich mir hier mehr Atmosphäre erhofft hatte.

Nichtsdestotrotz ist "Only for the Holidays" eine klare Empfehlung für alle, die Cozy Romance lieben. Die Geschichte schafft es, ohne überdramatisierte Konflikte oder überzogene Dramatik eine warme und wohlige Stimmung zu erzeugen – perfekt zum Abschalten.

Alles in allem gebe ich dem Buch 4,5/5 ⭐️. Ein paar festlichere Momente hätten es für mich zur perfekten Weihnachtslektüre gemacht, aber auch so ist es ein tolles Buch, das man das ganze Jahr über genießen kann.

[Laura.has.too.many.books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tia is on a break with her boyfriend and now her mom also has decide to take an impulsive holiday break to the countryside. Her family travels to Saiyan Hedge Farm, which is run by Quincy and his family and how in the holiday period they are also responsible for organizing the annual ball that is always the talk of the town. Quincy and Tia don't see eye to eye on much, but they agree that both of them would benefit from faking a relationship, but it is only supposed to last for the holidays.

Pro's:
+ This book really goes thick on the holiday vibe and the author does a really good job of capturing that feeling in around 400 pages. Everything about this book feels like holiday and since I'm reading this around christmas, the vibe was just perfect.

Con's:
- This book is targeted for teenagers I think and therefore this book was not really for me. It was too dramatic for not really anything and I found the characters too young to be truly appealing for me.
- I had a hard time in figuring out where this story took place. Was this book in the US or in the UK? Honestly, it could have been both and still I'm not 100% sure where this story is located.
- Not sure if it was missed in editing, but there were a couple of spelling mistakes in this book that were so obvious that I wonder how it could have happened.

Well, I made a mistake with this book. This book was obviously for teenagers and I think I somehow missed that, because the story, drama and characters felt a bit too childish for my liking. The romance therefore did not work for me and with the weird confusion with the location this book was just not it. I really liked the holiday vibe though and I think the author really managed to capture the ultimate holiday vibe and put it on paper. I'd recommend this book for younger reader, but for adults I think this will be a very hard read.

[tre be · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ Abiola Bello has a knack for creating fun, youthful Christmasy/winter wonderland vibes each year, complete with teenagers misbehaving, and also doing good!

I really liked OFTH!

Tia has 2 dilemmas. Her boyfriend wants to take a break, and she has no time to fix things because her mom has arranged a holiday vacation in another town.

She’s pissed to be missing the opportunity to get him to change his mind. When they arrive to the vacation spot everything starts going awry - a mixup with the rooms, falling in muddy puddles (in my Peppa Pig voice), etc.

But, the cute guy working there may be able to turn this trip around.

Quincy’s family owns this farm and he instantly feels sparks for Tia. She’s right on time too because he needs a date for the annual Winter Ball.

The two start fake dating, but Tia still has a few tricks up her sleeve, which may get others caught up in her one-sighted plans.

This book was fun and entertaining YA! I loved the Black British narrators voices. I enjoyed all of the shenanigans going on, even Tia’s nonstop selfish madness. I do think the story could’ve been trimmed down as it dragged in some places.

[Shantel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I’ve had the pleasure of reading from this author and I really enjoyed it!!! I loved reading about wealthy British Nigerian people but also reading about working, not so wealthy British Nigerian people!!! Loved the food, playlists, close familial units and friendships! I also loved the cityfolk meets countryfolk appreciating one another’s differences. It was like reading a Black Hallmark movie written in book form and I loved it!

In general, I think I’ve outgrown YA and there was definitely times when I was rolling my eyes, screaming at Tia and wanted to throw this book at her, but I still enjoyed it! I look forward to reading more from this author!

Oh and I absolutely adored Banks! And how cool is Regal as a name?!

Abiola Bella has created magic yet again! 💖

[Mysia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Hear Our Voices PR & Soho Teen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Check out my tiktok and IG (@blackgirlbujos) for my reading journal spread for this story next week!

Only for the Holidays follows Quincy after a bad breakup. His girlfriend cheated on him with his best friend right before his family gets the opportunity to host their town's winter ball—leaving him without a required date. Then there's Tia, a girl whose mom plans a surprise vacation to Quincy's family farm just after her boyfriend Mike sends her the dreaded "I need space" text. When Tia needs a ride back to town for Mike’s party and Quincy needs a date to make his ex jealous, the two connect with a deal that becomes more than either of them planned for.

This was a truly cute romance. I could see my younger siblings and cousins loving this little love story. It dives into a lot of the insecurities and realities of firsts: first love is hard and confusing. You see Tia and Quincy take risks and make questionable decisions to impress others. It feels real. The side characters were fun and added to the story without distracting from the main focus.

CAWPILE Rating:
Characters: 7
Atmosphere: 7
Writing: 7
Plot: 8
Intrigue: 8
Logic: 7
Enjoyment: 8

This gives Only for the Holidays a 4 star rating, making it a light and heartwarming read that’s worth checking out!

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

City meets country in this cute YA holiday romcom. This was a fun read set in England that has a young Black teen girl getting dumped right before Christmas and then whisked off to spend the holidays at some farm with her single mom and younger sister. With meddlesome farm animals, a cute boy, some fake dating and lots of sparks, this was good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Talia Hibbert.

[thee.millennialreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Format: 🎧
______

This was such a cute read! I expected the pacing to move a bit faster since it’s a fairly short listen, but the background details ended up being really helpful. It definitely had the usual teen drama, but Tia wasn’t nearly as irritating as some YA main characters can be. And Quincy? Adorable — so sweet and absolutely did not deserve what his ex and best friend put him through. There were some meaningful lessons woven in, too. A great start to my holiday TBR!

[Ty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute holiday romance with all the cozy festive vibes. I love the fake dating trope and this one definitely delivered. I liked the progression of Tia and Quincy’s romance and how they helped each other heal after their breakups. There were some hilarious moments, especially all of Tia’s mishaps experienced while spending Christmas with Quincy’s family on the farm. I enjoyed the audiobook, the narrators kept me engaged the whole time. This story is perfect for the holiday season!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐

[Aimy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐️