The Christmas Yes List
~Melissa Ferguson

The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson will have even the most cynical holiday hater feeling a little warm and fuzzy while getting delightfully tangled in tinsel.

Chloe Hollis is heading home to Maple Falls, West Virginia, with her suitcases packed and absolutely no intention of returning to Seattle. A recent breakup and an eye-opening revelation at work have forced her into some much-needed self-reflection, leading her to realize she is a card-carrying member of the People Pleaser’s Club. Determined to change before Christmas, she creates a plan she dubs “The Christmas No List.”

After earning over half the points she needs to reach her goal during the flight home alone, Chloe figures finishing the challenge before Christmas should be easy. But when a handsome stranger offers to help retrieve her luggage at the airport, she instinctively turns him down, only to immediately begin worrying that his possible disappointment is somehow her fault. Slipping right back into old habits, she apologizes and accepts his help, mentally deducting all the points she had just earned.

When she later spots him outside heading toward a car, Chloe sees an opportunity to regain a few points and offers him a ride, fully expecting him to decline. To both of their surprise, he accepts. And from there, no matter how unusual the request, he simply goes along with it. Surely every man has his limits, right? Once Chloe discovers they are both headed to the same small town, she makes it her mission to find those limits and hopefully reclaim every point she has lost along the way.

Ferguson delivers the spirit of Christmas with a sleigh full of holly-jolly characters. But if Chloe and James are going to hear those Christmas bells ringing, they each have personal journeys they must complete first. The novel is packed with the cozy humor readers expect from a small-town holiday rom-com, where everyone knows everyone and nobody’s business stays private for long.

Chloe is an overthinker through and through, constantly trying to make everyone around her happy regardless of the personal cost. James, meanwhile, is the strong, quiet type who appears indifferent to the opinions of others. Beneath that exterior, however, lies a sincerity that is both genuine and heartfelt. Both characters are relatable, and most readers can likely identify someone in their own lives who mirrors aspects of each.

Their relationship dynamic is unique, with James often serving as a grounding force for Chloe throughout much of the story. However, around the three-quarter mark, the narrative introduces an information dump that didn’t entirely mesh with everything that came before it. Suddenly, I found myself questioning who Chloe really was and whether parts of her personality had been genuine all along. It created a bit of disconnect that left me uncertain.

Don’t get me wrong, The Christmas Yes List is still a feel-good, meet-cute romance with solid bones. I rarely struggle to connect with characters, but I simply never formed that bond with Chloe. If you love charming meet-cutes and festive rom-coms, there is a very good chance you will thoroughly enjoy this story. I genuinely loved the premise and foundation of the novel; I simply struggled with the character connection, and the late information reveal threw me a bit.

Overall, The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson wraps up everything kitschy and cozy that readers have come to expect from a holiday rom-com and places it right into your hands with a beautiful velvet bow, ready to be enjoyed. Releasing on October 6, 2026, and available now for pre-order on Amazon!

I would like to thank author Melissa Ferguson and NetGalley for the opportunity to Alpha/Beta/ARC The Christmas Yes List. As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition – Karen Brooks aka The Tx Lit Chic. I have not been promised any compensation, current or future, by the author or publisher for a fair and honest review of The Christmas Yes List.

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