cover image In a Holidaze

In a Holidaze

Christina Lauren. Gallery, $16 trade paper (320p) ISBN 978-1-982123-94-9

Pseudonymous writing duo Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings (The Honey-Don’t List) put a fantastical twist on holiday cheer in this hilarious and heartwarming rom-com. Mae Jones is 26, single, and unhappy with her boring accounting job, but excited for her annual Christmas trip to a cabin in Park City, Utah, with her friends and family. Her vacation is ruined, though, by the announcement of the eminent sale of the cabin, threatening years of tradition. Mae finishes the trip despondent—only to be hit by a car and wake up back at the beginning of the holiday getaway. This Groundhog Day–style time loop repeats until Mae can figure out how to save the season, hold onto the cabin, and finally act on her yearslong crush on Andrew Hollis, the son of family friends. The messy, slow-burn romance between Andrew and Mae is delectable, but just as engrossing are the subplots devoted to Mae’s complex relationships with her vividly rendered friends and family, and her winding path toward self actualization as she realizes which traditions are worth holding onto. The result is a perfect Christmas treat. Agent: Holly Root, Root Literary. (Oct.)