Yours for the Season

In the festive second sapphic romance in Cochrane’s Puck Struck series (after Wake Up, Nat & Darcy) Olympic gold medalist hockey player JT Cox is guilt-tripped into spending an uncomfortable Christmas season with her hard-to-please family in their hometown of Hart’s Landing, N.H. There, she reunites with her best friend’s older sister, Ali Porter, who’s settling into a new home post-divorce. JT is more than happy to unpack boxes and build bookshelves for her childhood crush. The two also spontaneously decide to team up and compete in the annual holiday festival competition. JT hopes to beat her creative siblings and finally gain recognition from her parents, while Ali wants to outperform her arrogant ex and prove to her meddling mother that she’s far happier without him. Quaint seasonal challenges, including a hot chocolate–making contest and a comically entertaining sled race, add to the feel-good atmosphere of their charming romance. Less successfully handled are both women’s family conflicts, which become repetitive as they drag on, and some poorly fleshed-out side characters, including Ali’s villainous ex-husband. Nonetheless, this heartfelt romance will get readers excited for the nostalgic merriment of the holidays. Agent: Paige Terlip, Andrea Brown Literary. (Oct.)