THE SECRET SANTA SETUP

A teenager dreams of getting out of her small Vermont town.

Sixteen-year-old Amanda is ready to leave White Pine. Her mom is pushing her toward a summer internship (she has zero interest) and a study-abroad program in Switzerland (she’s definitely keen). After Switzerland, Amanda plans to backpack around Europe with her best friend, Celeste. She hasn’t told her parents yet, but once she’s saved enough money, she will. Luckily, on top of her barista job, her boss lets her run the coffee shop’s pop-up at a Christmas tree farm, where she meets the owner’s attractive nephew, Luke, who initially seems like a jerk. Amanda struggles with feeling defensive, tense, and quick to anger—although being stuck with Luke eventually leads her to fall for him. The sealed chapters dated December 1-25, which readers can open and enjoy like an advent calendar, along with the festive illustrations and worldbuilding, support the story’s holiday cheer. Moments of sincerity and emotional connection will evoke warm, nostalgic feelings. While Amanda can be difficult to spend a lot of time with and some of the characters are less complex, Luke and his dad exhibit emotional depth, and the likeable, emotionally mature secondary characters are easy for readers to connect with. A sweet balance between levity and community-focused sentimentality celebrates friendship, family, and the holiday season. The leads are cued white, and there’s racial diversity in the supporting cast.

A Christmas-themed romance with interesting characters and a heartwarming ending.