Maya Bashir is dreading her drive home for Christmas and having to explain that she’s just left her high-paying job and a long-term relationship, so a brief detour to her friend’s festive party doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. Until Maya walks in to find the last person she wants to see. Sam, the boy who broke her heart eight years ago. And he’s serving drinks. Naked.
Sam Holland is working an extra job on the sly to help his friend get by. But little did he expect Maya Bashir to come barrelling back into his life, learning about his secret side-hustle and taking back her old job alongside him at his daytime role as a ski instructor on the slopes of the Scottish Highlands.
As both Sam and Maya realize that their reason for heartbreak so many years ago wasn’t entirely as it seemed, they must learn to stand up for what they want the most…or else miss their second chance at love.
Release Date: Sep 26, 2023
Heat Level: Sensual
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley
Price: $10.99
Maya and Sam used to be an item almost a decade ago. Maya never expects to see Sam again, but circumstances force her to return home and straight into Sam. She is rather shocked when she “sees” him again. To make things even more complicated, she started working as a ski instructor alongside him during the day.
I had different expectations for this book. I wanted a second-chance romance that made a bit more sense. Maya and Sam’s breakup didn’t really make sense. They both had thoughts that the other one ended things. They both held onto a lot of emotions, especially Maya. One conversation could have straightened this out.
Sam is currently dating someone who ends up becoming a villain in this story. I’m still not quite sure why the author had her in the story just to bring another layer of trouble. It turned me off that he was with someone else initially while pinning for Maya. She became a waste of a character. This made the romance move extremely slow.
Then there is Maya’s family, whom she has a hard time dealing with. They are bossy and opinionated. Maya needed to learn to speak up for herself. She struggles to figure out what she wants to do with her life. She just realizes she may want Sam to be a part of whatever she does.
This is my first book by Zoe Allison. I have to give her another try to see if this is the normal formula for her stories. The holiday element did bring some cheer to me despite my reluctance for the season to get here.
Overall, if you are a true fan of second-chance romances, The Ex-Mas Holidays is for you.
~ Samantha
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