Making the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake

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The details…

  • Title‏ : ‎ Make the Season Bright
  • Author‏ : ‎ Ashley Herring Blake
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley 
  • Publication date‏ : ‎ October 1, 2024
  • Formats ‏ : ‎ ebook, paperback, audiobook 
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
  • Audio : 10 hours and 25 minutes, narrated by Kristen DiMercurio
  • Genre : contemporary romance 
  • Themes : friendship, women loving women, sapphic relationships, forgiveness, hope, healing, second chances, starting over, music careers, first love, marriage, left at the altar, Christmas, finding love
  • Tropes : forced proximity, jilted lovers

The blurb from the publisher…

Two exes find themselves stuck at the same house for Christmas in this holiday romance by Ashley Herring Blake, USA Today bestselling author of Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date.

It’s been five years since Charlotte Donovan was ditched at the altar by her ex-fiancée, and she’s doing more than okay. Sure, her single mother never checks in, but she has her strings ensemble, the Rosalind Quartet, and her life in New York is a dream come true. As the holidays draw near, her ensemble mate Sloane persuades Charlotte and the rest of the quartet to spend Christmas with her family in Colorado—it is much cozier and quieter than Manhattan, and it would guarantee more practice time for the quartet’s upcoming tour. But when Charlotte arrives, she discovers that Sloane’s sister Adele also brought a friend home—and that friend is none other than her ex, Brighton.

All Brighton Fairbrook wanted was to have the holliest, jolliest Christmas—and try to forget that her band kicked her out. But instead, she’s stuck pretending like she and her ex are strangers—which proves to be difficult when Sloane and Adele’s mom signs them all up for a series of Christmas dating events. Charlotte and Brighton are soon entrenched in horseback riding and cookie decorating, but Charlotte still won’t talk to her. Brighton can hardly blame her after what she did.

After a few days, however, things start to slip through. Memories. Music. The way they used to play together—Brighton on guitar, Charlotte on her violin—and it all feels painfully familiar. But it’s all in the past and nothing can melt the ice in their hearts…right?

My thoughts…

Romantic tales have always been known to captivate the heart, but none are as gripping as those that feature a scorned or jilted lover, especially one that’s been left at the altar. These types of stories resonate deeply, pulling at readers’ hearts and emotions. The popularity of such romances lies in their exploration of heartbreak, the journey to self-discovery, and the hope for new beginnings. That’s just what Ashley Herring Blake’s new book Make the Season Bright delivers.

Heartbreak has always served as a powerful theme for romances, but when it’s reinforced by someone being stood up at the altar, it works overtime to feed the storyline. The moment when Charlotte Donovan is left standing alone, realizing Brighton Fairbrook is not going to be walking down the aisle towards her, feelings of shock and sadness are quickly replaced by bitterness. This emotional turmoil captures the reader’s attention and creates a connection, making the storytelling more impactive. Blake uses the experience of heartache and rejection as a tool to create a wall around Charlotte’s heart, and it’s effective. The stage is set for tension and drama to occur. Charlotte has learned her lesson; she’ll never let anyone get too close again. But all romance lovers know that pain puts the character on a journey of self discovery and healing, and that’s what we get with Charlotte, especially after she is unexpectedly forced to spend time with her ex over Christmas.  

Though I sometimes think that the forced proximity trope is an easy way out to solving the problem of how to get lovers back together, I don’t think so here. Typically, when ex-lovers are forced to share a space, the emotional stakes rise significantly. This naturally leads to intense confrontations and heartfelt conversations, enabling the characters to confront their feelings directly. Blake is spot on with this, making it believable with well-scripted tender scenes. When Charlotte and Brighton find themselves stuck in the same house during the holidays, it pushes them to communicate openly, revealing hidden emotions that have weighed heavy since their breakup. Blake’s approach not only deepens the plot but also allows readers to witness both characters’ growth as they navigate their shared history and road to recovery.

Because heartache and hope are the two major themes Blake uses in this romance, she knows she needs to find a balance between them, otherwise the believability will be thrown askew.  She finds a balance by letting forgiveness develop patiently and honestly. She gives the characters time to not only understand their feelings, but embrace them. Their ending was painful, so these women need a safe space to grow in their understanding of past hurts, especially if they are ever going to find the courage to love one another again. Blake accomplishes all of this by letting Charlotte and Brighton face their fears and insecurities inside some tough but well-written scenes. It is inspiring to watch unfold. Such endings always leave readers with a sense of optimism, reinforcing the idea that love can be found again, even after heartbreak.  

Final remarks…

Readers want to believe in second chances, and Blake doesn’t disappoint in Make the Season Bright. Though pitched as a “ditched-at-the-altar and now we are forced to spend Christmas together” romance, it more than captures the hearts of readers through its promise of a new beginning. Blake manages to highlight the experience of forgiveness in a captivating and engaging way, reminding everyone that letting go of hurt can lead to growth and love.

Strengths…

  • Entertaining
  • Engaging 
  • Heartfelt 
  • Well-written 
  • Likable, investable characters 
  • Well worth the read

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A bit about the author…

Ashley Herring Blake is an award-winning author and teacher. She loves coffee, cats, melancholy songs, and happy books. She is the author of the young adult novels Suffer Love, How to Make a Wish, and Girl Made of Stars (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), and the middle grade novels Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World and The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James. Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World was a Stonewall Honor Book, as well as a Kirkus, School Library Journal, NYPL, and NPR Best Book of 2018. Her YA novel Girl Made of Stars was a Lambda Literary Award finalist. She’s also the author of the adult romance novel Delilah Green Doesn’t Care, and a co-editor on the young adult romance anthology Fools in Love. You can learn more by following the links below.

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