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Uzma Jalaluddin

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Three Holidays and a Wedding Kindle Edition

by Uzma Jalaluddin (Author), Marissa Stapley (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

3.9 541 ratings

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A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BUZZ PICK

"The most festive book you'll read this year."—Carley Fortune, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After

Three times the holiday magic. Three times the chaos.

As strangers and seatmates Maryam Aziz and Anna Gibson fly to Toronto over the holidays—Maryam to her sister’s impromptu wedding, and Anna to meet her boyfriend’s wealthy family for the first time—neither expect that severe turbulence will scare them into confessing their deepest hopes and fears to one another. At least they’ll never see each other again. And the love of Maryam’s life, Saif, wasn’t sitting two rows behind them hearing it all. Oops.
An emergency landing finds Anna, Saif, Maryam, and her sister’s entire bridal party snowbound at the quirky Snow Falls Inn in a picture-perfect town, where fate has Anna’s actor-crush filming a holiday romance. As Maryam finds the courage to open her heart to Saif, and Anna feels the magic of being snowbound with an unexpected new love—both women soon realize there’s no place they’d rather be for the holidays.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BUZZ PICK
An Oprah Daily Dreamy Holiday Romance to Read by the Fire
A GoodReads Naughty & Nice Pick
A Town & Country Best Holiday Book for a Festive Read
A Book Riot Best Christmas Book of All Time
A BookPage Five Best Holiday Romances Pick

“The quintessential holiday rom-com…Three Holidays and a Wedding combines two budding romances, a massive snowstorm, unlikely friends, meddling family members, and one magical small-town for the most festive book you’ll read this year. It’s a hopeful story about having the courage to open yourself to others and the journey to finding where you belong.” —Carley Fortune, author of Every Summer After

“A perfect sprinkling of chaos and magic with a double dash of romance." – Reader’s Digest

“A sweet and touching celebration of friendship, family, faith, and of course, love that will delight readers seeking to lose themselves in the romance and magic of the season…A new festive classic.” —Lily Chu, author of The Stand-In

“This charming multicultural and multi-faith romance sparkles with an adorable cast of characters and a storyline that reads like a movie one would want to watch again and again.” –Library Journal (starred)

“[A] holiday romance with charm to spare...Proving that ‘holiday miracles can happen anywhere, to anyone…. It’s a keeper.” – Publishers Weekly

“The perfect cozy read that turns winter travel chaos into triple-holiday magic! Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley create a sparkling world readers will never want to leave.” —Amy E. Reichert, author of Once Upon a December

"A festive fairytale. This sweet, sparkling novel is as fun and surprising as a perfect snow day.” —Lauren Fox, author of Send for Me

“A heartwarming celebration of love, family and faith, Three Holidays and a Wedding tenderly explores the bonds that bring us to our best selves.” —Jean Meltzer, author of The Matzah Ball

“Three Holidays and a Wedding has as much variety and appeal as a box of holiday cookies." –Entertainment Weekly

"[A] perfect sprinkling of chaos and magic with a double dash of romance. Set in a small, charming town, this is a Hallmark Christmas movie in novel form (with added diversity) and a delightful December romp that I already plan to gift to some friends." – Reader’s Digest

About the Author

MARISSA STAPLEY is the New York Times bestselling author of Reese's Book Club pick Lucky, as well as international bestsellers Mating for Life, Things to Do When It's Raining, and The Last Resort. She has also co-written The Holiday Swap and All I Want for Christmas with bestselling author Karma Brown under the pen name Maggie Knox. Many of her novels have been optioned for television and her journalism has appeared in publications across North America. She lives in Toronto with her family. UZMA JALALUDDINis the internationally bestselling author of Ayesha at Last and Hana Khan Carries On. A high school teacher, she has also written a regular column for the Toronto Star and contributed to The Atlantic. Her first novel was optioned for film by Pascal Pictures and her second novel was optioned for film by Kaling International and Amazon Studios. She lives in Toronto with her family. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

One
Anna
December 20, 2000
Denver, Colorado

5 days until Christmas
2 days until Hanukkah begins
The 25th day of Ramadan

Anna Gibson awoke to the sound of sleigh bells ringing. She opened her eyes to see her boyfriend of six months, Nicholas Vandergrey, standing beside the bed, his blond curls still mussed from sleep. He was wearing the deep blue bathrobe she liked because it matched his eyes and a Santa hat at a jaunty angle-and he was holding a ribbon of sleigh bells.

"Good morning, most perfect woman in the world," he said, smiling down at her. "It's time for you to wake up." He shook the bells, and she tried not to wince at the jangling sound. "You have to get out of bed and start this day, because it's going to end with you landing in Toronto and joining the Vandergreys for the best Christmas of your life." He knelt down beside the bed and stared deep into her eyes. "I love you, Anna."

Anna found herself hoping she had remembered to remove last night's mascara as she said, "I love you, too, Nick."

"I can't wait for what's in store over the next week. I have so many Christmas surprises for you."

"And I have so many surprises for you," she said, sitting up in bed. "It really is going to be the perfect Christmas." She felt a small twinge as she said the word "Christmas." She couldn't help it. This year, Christmas and Hanukkah fell at the same time, which brought memories of a childhood long past, when her family celebrated both holidays, no matter where they landed on the calendar. The best years were when they aligned, like this one.

Except she had a new life now. A perfect life. With Nick.

"You okay there, Anna?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Just"-she smiled at him and told a tiny lie-"happy."

There is only one happiness in this life. To love, and be loved. Anna heard her father's encouraging voice in her head, the way she often did. Jack Gibson had always been a big proponent of useful aphorisms-and now that he was gone, Anna was grateful for these sayings because it often felt like she still had him guiding her.

She now smiled a genuine smile. She was twenty-seven years old and on her way to a happy ending. Plus, it was wonderful, she decided, that two of her most beloved holidays were falling at the same time. She had read in the Denver Post the day before that it was Ramadan, too; this was why the stores and airports were busier than ever this year. The increased demand on travel from this rare tri-holiday season was the reason she hadn't been able to get on the same flight as Nick,whose mother, Alicia, had booked his ticket home ages ago. As much as she had wanted to fly with her boyfriend, catching a slightly later flight gave her time to stop into the office and approve one last thing as deputy photo editor of Denver Decor magazine-and squeeze in a hair appointment before heading to Toronto. "There's just so much festive joy and celebration floating around," Anna said to Nick. "We're bound to have the best holiday season of our lives, aren't we?"

"Guaranteed," Nick said. "Now, come on, sleepyhead. I made you some coffee. But it's in the kitchen, meaning you have to get out of bed to enjoy it." He winked. "I'm going to hit the shower."

Anna waited until the bathroom door closed before she fell back on the pillow and rolled on to her side to look at the small framed photo beside the bed, taken the night they met. It was six months earlier, at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Anna's boss, Janey Sawchuk, had come down with the flu that night and had called Anna in a panic. Someone from Denver Decor simply had to attend the Habitat for Humanity Under the Stars fundraiser, Janey insisted. Anna had plans with friends that night, but she couldn't say no to her boss if she wanted to keep her job; Janey had a reputation for firing people on a whim.

The night of the gala, Anna had dutifully dashed off to the mall to grab the closest approximation to a gala-appropriate dress on her limited budget. She had borrowed teetering golden sling-backs from Karina, the style editor. Gia, Janey's long-suffering assistant, had a deft hand with hair and makeup. Soon, her work friends had transformed Anna from harried office worker to upscale gala attendee. "Please make a good impression, Anna," Janey had instructed. "Nicholas Vandergrey of Vandergrey Industries is sitting at your table-and if you play your cards right, they'll advertise."

At the time, all Anna had known about the Vandergrey family was that they owned one of the biggest household cleaning product companies in the world. A quick Google search told her that the company had originated in Toronto, so Anna, who had been born in Toronto, left for the gala confident that she had at least one icebreaker in her back pocket.

She had assumed Nicholas Vandergrey would be a gray-haired man in a business suit and had not realized there was a Nicholas Vandergrey Junior-who preferred to be called Nick, and was quite charming, in addition to looking very much like Scott Foley. Okay, so it was Scott Speedman who was her ultimate Felicity actor crush-but after a few glasses of champagne she had forgotten all about that. She might have even blurted out, "Has anyone ever said you look like-"

"Scott Foley?" Nick had replied. "I get that a lot. Has anyone ever told you you're a dead ringer for Audrey Hepburn? I swear, you might just be the most perfect woman I have ever seen in my life."

That was the first time he had called her "perfect"-but it wouldn't be the last. After six months, even if she knew deep down inside she was nowhere close to perfect, she had almost started to believe him.

She snuggled further down into Nick's thousand-thread-count sheets and tried hard not to think about the things she had never gotten around to telling him. The way she had been derailed by her grief over her father's sudden death two years ago. But the mess she had previously made of her life because of grief had no place in her busy schedule today. At the gala, when Nick had asked what she had been doing before starting at Denver Decor, she had told him she had decided to be impulsive and go traveling-which was technically true. What she hadn't told him was that she had given zero notice to her job at Colorado Interiors, then only made it as far as Paris before falling into a depression so deep she had only seen the inside of a Latin Quarter hotel room and the underside of a duvet cover for almost a month. Eventually, she ran out of money and maxed out her credit card on a plane ticket home.

"I'm so glad you went traveling and found yourself in Europe," Nick had told her once. "Because the self you found is absolutely right for me."

If only you knew, she would sometimes think. But it was too late to tell him now. She needed to leave the past behind-which was an easy thing to do when Nick knew so very little about who she had been before they met. The night of the gala, they had bonded over both being Torontonians at heart. "Up until a few years ago, my dad and I always went back there for a few days over the holidays," she had told him, feeling the pull of nostalgia.

"Why did you stop going?" Nick had asked. There must have been other people at the table, but Anna didn't remember who-she and Nick had been completely wrapped up in each other.

"My dad passed away last year," Anna had told him. Nick had told her how deeply sorry he was for her loss. But he had not asked for details, and this became a pattern. Anna had learned that Nick did not like to dwell on unpleasantness. He felt life was for living, and the past was the past. Which was true, wasn't it? It was a better way to live than wallowing in loneliness and misery.

"What if I promise, here and now, to take you to Toronto during the holidays?" he had asked Anna that night at the gala. She had nearly melted into a puddle on the ballroom floor-and then he had asked her to dance.

When she had relayed the story to her work friends the next day, their reactions were divided. "This is magical," Gia had declared, swooning onto the couch in Karina's crowded-with-fashion-samples office. But Karina had been more cynical. "I could swear I saw a photo of him in the society pages just last month, out on the town with his girlfriend, Elsa Miller. The model."

"Well, he didn't mention any models last night," Anna had replied, her expression dreamy. It was clear she had fallen head over borrowed heels. Karina had patted her on the shoulder and said, "I love seeing you so happy-but keep your eyes open." So, Anna dutifully made a weak attempt to look into Nick's past relationships by going through newspaper back issues and asking around. Except she felt like she was testing her luck. If she looked too deeply into him, he might do the same to her-and not like what he found. So, Anna had decided to stop digging and take Nick at his word. From day one, Nick was fully committed to her. He was the perfect boyfriend, and she was the perfect girlfriend-and they were going to have a perfect life together. Which now included the most perfect Christmas ever.

Anna hopped out of bed and crossed the room to where Nick's packed suitcase sat open. It was a marvel of rolled-up socks, neatly folded boxers and undershirts, an array of silk pajamas, ties in several colors. A heavy garment bag beside the suitcase contained his suits and tuxedo, the sort of attire that was required for a Vandergrey family Christmas. Anna knew it was all going to be dazzling-and very expensive. She felt queasy when she thought of the state of her already pathetic bank account after she bought several expensive new outfits and a thoughtful, tasteful gift for each of his family members. Growing up, she hadn't been deprived of anything, but her family's celebration of both Christmas and Hanukkah had been homespun rather than all store-bought. Anna, Jack, and Anna's stepmom, Beth, had always exchanged at least one handmade gift-which, Jack always said, were the gifts that came from the heart.

Even though Anna sensed handmade gifts were not the Vandergrey style, she hadn't been able to resist making Nick just one special thing-to show him how much she cared about him and invite him into her holiday world. This gift wasn't one Anna necessarily wanted Nick opening in front of his family. It was humble and personal: a handmade photo album chronicling their relationship so far. It had only been six months, but there were still many photos to fit in the little album. So many that Anna had had a delightfully hard time choosing among the snaps of their weekend in New York City, their ski trip to Vail, charity balls, picnics, and dinner dates. Now, as she flipped quickly through the album, smiling back at her own grinning face, the cache of memories made her feel secure and confident in her relationship. She was nervous about meeting his family, but it was all going to work out. She carefully moved aside a pair of socks so she could slide the album into Nick's suitcase, where he would find it later as a surprise.

Anna was the one who was surprised, though: a tiny jewelry box was tucked in among Nick's clothes.

She shouldn't look at what was inside; she knew that. But suddenly Anna felt consumed by the desire to know what the box contained. She had bought Nick solid gold cuff links in the shape of little stars, a loving reminder of their meeting at the Gala Under the Stars-but if Nick had bought her something far more extravagant, she would need to get him something else, too. She didn't want to be caught unawares, embarrassed in front of his family. There was so much riding on this. Just a tiny peek, she told herself. Just so she could make sure this was going to be the most magical Christmas ever and she was not going to disappoint Nick in any way.

She flipped open the box-and gasped.

It was a square-cut diamond on a yellow gold band-just like the one Brad Pitt had once given to Gwyneth Paltrow.

An engagement ring.

For her.

Anna stared down at it and tried to slow her racing thoughts.

Nick was planning to propose over Christmas. It was so romantic!

It was also... so soon.

She heard the shower turn off and quickly replaced the ring in the suitcase. Then she dashed across the room and hopped back into bed, mind still reeling. She had thought about marrying Nick, many times-of course she had. You didn't meet a Prince Charming and not fantasize repeatedly about walking off into the sunset together. But she had always assumed they'd date at least a year before getting engaged.

Was it terribly romantic that he wanted things to move fast? Or was it terri-fying?

The bathroom door opened. Anna stared up at the ceiling, trying to get her breathing to return to normal.

Nick entered the room in a towel and stopped when he saw her. "Hey. Don't you need to get to the office, then to the airport? Today has to go like clockwork, don't forget."

"Right, yes, of course," Anna said, hopping out of bed and planting a kiss on his cheek as she headed into the kitchen for her coffee.

After showering, Anna dressed in the outfit she had planned for this very eventful day as she listened to Nick in the kitchen, singing along to a Michael Bublé Christmas album piping through the many speakers in his apartment. She surveyed herself in the mirror. Her outfit was not practical for winter weather but could go seamlessly from day to night, and airport to gala: a blue silk strapless cocktail minidress paired with an oversized blazer she could shrug off and replace with the pashmina she had rolled into her handbag.

She double-checked that her own luggage was as perfectly packed as Nick's. It was a small carry-on bag-which she and Nick had agreed was the right choice to ensure she could get out of the airport as quickly as possible. They were heading straight to a champagne reception his family was hosting in a private room at the Ritz. After that, it was off to Roy Thomson Hall for box seats at a seasonal symphony performance with a select group of family and friends. Anna couldn't remember if they were eating dinner before the symphony or after-but she knew it was all on the schedule, printed and placed in her suitcase by Nick so she wouldn't get confused about the swarm of activities his family had planned.

Normally, a holiday during the winter months required packing winter gear items like parkas or boots, but Nick had explained there wouldn’t be time for any outdoor activities. "Not even skating at Nathan Phillips Square?" Anna had asked, thinking back to another fond memory from her days in Toronto as a child.

Nick had tilted his head quizzically, as if the thought of going skating at Toronto’s city hall had never occurred to him. Anna had decided not to pursue it – and did not suggest tobogganing on the Christie Pitts slope or a wintry walk through High Park, either.

"Okay, babe, I’m heading out."

Anna walked with Nick to the door of his spacious condo unit, one that overlooked downtown Denver on one side and the Rockies on the other, to give him a kiss before he left for the airport. She could still see the engagement ring in her mind’s eye, sparkling, beautiful...and overwhelming. She looked up into his eyes and wondered when it would happen. Would he propose to her in a stolen moment that was just the two of them? Or would he do it on Christmas morning, in front of the tree...and his entire family?

She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him goodbye.

"Mmm," she murmured. He tasted like the expensive toothpaste he ordered from Italy. But he pulled away from her and frowned.

"Coffee breath," he said with a shrug. "Hope you didn’t pack your toothbrush already." Then he put his hands on her shoulders and held her firmly. "Okay, so remember. Clockwork. I’ll see you later at Pearson." This was Toronto’s main airport.

"Of course. Got it. I have the schedule," Anna said, lowering her head as she spoke because she now felt self-conscious about the coffee breath. But as she ducked her head, she nestled into his chest for a moment and listened to the beating of his heart. This was going to be the best Christmas. She just had to get through one morning of work, grab a taxi to the airport, fly to Toronto – and then, the fairy tale holiday season would begin. She looked up at Nick again and smiled. "Everything is going to be perfect."

"It has to be," Nick said, patting her on the head, then releasing her. "Now one last thing. I have a surprise for you before I go."

Anna felt lightheaded. It was happening already. If this was going to be the big moment, maybe that was a relief – because, she realized, her hands suddenly slick with sweat, she didn’t know what she was going to say. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BRM1WDQM
Publisher ‏ : ‎ G.P. Putnam's Sons (September 26, 2023)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 26, 2023
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 7159 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0593543912

Best Sellers Rank: #502,426 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #190 in Christmas Romance
- #606 in Christmas Holiday Romance eBooks
- #5,129 in Multicultural & Interracial Romance (Kindle Store)

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3.9 541 ratings

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Uzma Jalaluddin

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I am the author of AYESHA AT LAST, a Pride and Prejudice retelling set in a close knit Toronto Muslim community. My second novel, HANA KHAN CARRIES ON, out Spring 2021, is inspired by "You've Got Mail" and set in rival halal restaurants. I also write a funny parenting column for The Toronto Star, and my byline has appeared in The Atlantic. I live near Toronto with my husband and children. Learn more at www.uzmajalaluddin.com.

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Travel Books and Movies

Great December Book Club Selection

Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2024

Verified Purchase

Book: Three Holidays and a Wedding⁠
Author: Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley ⁠
Format: Paperback⁠
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Holiday, Self-Discovery/Change ⁠
Places Featured: Snow Falls, Canada 🇨🇦⁠
Review Score: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⁠
Review: Approximately every 30 years, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Ramadan all occur around the same time. This special occurrence happened in the year 2000 and authors Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley have written a sweet romance that captures what that looked like for Anna and Maryam–two ladies flying from Denver, Colorado to Toronto, Canada, who end up stuck in the magical town of Snow Falls, Canada thanks to a massive snowstorm. Being forced to celebrate their holidays in an unexpected place, the ladies are also forced to take serious looks at their lives and what they really want. The plotline is a bit predictable and sometimes tries a little too hard to fit so much into one book, but it’s still a good story, a good way to learn about different cultures, and would make a good December selection for book clubs.⁠ (I even wrote a book club discussion guide for it.)

Helpful

Kristen Killen

Absolutely everything I wanted!

Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2023

Verified Purchase

I can't sing the praises enough. This was a beautiful collaboration. I love holiday books and holiday movies and holidays in general. This holiday book had it all. It had 3 holidays! It also had the quintessential, picturesque small town which was the filming site for a holiday romcom. It had travelers stranded on the way to their holiday plans in said small town, and you had a holiday pageant in need of a new writer and some inclusive refreshment.

Snow Falls, Canada is where I'd like to retire. It's a multicultural haven near Ontario. You have all of the shops that you might expect with either puns or alliterations in their names. But you also have a lot that you might not expect from a small town community. For the record, if I could move there before retirement age, I would not be sad in the slightest.

Anna is traveling to Toronto to spend Christmas with her boyfriend's family. Maryam is traveling with her family to Toronto for her sister's wedding. Everyone on that fated flight is rerouted to Snow Falls due to weather. In 2000, when the book is set, Ramadan, Hanukkah, and Christmas are all happening around the same time. As a Muslim family observing Ramadan, Maryam and her family are concerned about their meal options. Turns out everyone was lucky to spend their holiday in Snow Falls. You get to see all of them learning about one another and their customs and traditions.

I know that this is an idyllic, romanticized snapshot of these people. But boy was it everything that I needed in my life right now. To see these people of different faiths and backgrounds coming together to help one another and celebrate together was really beautiful. And that's nothing to speak of the actual romance contained within the pages, because they were beautiful.

4 people found this helpful

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Patti Stanford

Average

Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2023

Verified Purchase

This book started very slow but picked up about page 120. I thought it was cute and sweet for a while. Yes, the town was lovely. The story line became a little artificial or contrived at some point. Two couples, one having a past, and one just meeting up on this Christmas trip, eventually and VERY slowly realize they are the one for each other. This book was about 70 pages too long. The 349-page story could have been rounded down to 275. I eventually just "skimmed" my way to the end. The best part was the multicultural theme during the holiday season. This part was informative and interesting. I am glad I read but it will not be on my list of best or memorable Christmas books.

2 people found this helpful

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Kim V.

A wonderful story celebrating Ramadan, Hanukkah, and Christmas

Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2023

Verified Purchase

What a wonderful winter story set in 2000 when Ramadan, Hannukah, and Christmas were all within days of each other. While the two protagonists had typical romance storylines, the combination of all the holidays and their new friendship elevated this novel.

Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2024

Verified Purchase

"Three Holidays and a Wedding" is just pure holiday fun. In December 2000, Hannukah, Ramadan, and Christmas all fell within the same few days. Unfortunately, a winter storm blows through, and a group of plane passengers get stuck in a small town in Canada. The passengers become fast friends, and the story is told through two of their perspectives.

I really enjoyed the two points-of-view, and all the characters were delightful. There's some romance here, but there's also family drama, making friends, and growing as an individual. There are several cozy holiday scenes and a good mix of funny and emotional moments. I recommend this book if you're looking for fun, diverse, Hallmark-y reads. This book is not a spicy romance.

I already knew I liked Uzma Jalaluddin's writing, but I want to read more from Marissa Stapley now as well.

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