I was so happy when I saw this book was coming out after reading and loving the original three stories.
I loved this one as much as the others! Everything I've ever wanted from a sapphic romance.
Ashley Herring Blake is now solidified as an autobuy author for me now!

I'm generally not a fan of second chance romance however I really enjoyed Ashley Herring Blake's previous books so wanted to give this a try and I'm so glad I did!

The second chance elements were done so well and whilst at the start I assumed I'd hate Brighton due to the nature of her jilting her partner at their wedding, after reading further and seeing her grow as a character I really grew to love her.

I also really liked the side characters. They all had their own personalities without being over bearing and I really hope some of them will be revised in future books!

I really enjoy Ashley's writing style and finding it really easy to read. There's enough humour to keep things light but they also show respect to harder topics and get the balance perfect between light and dark.

This is a wonderfully festive book without being too over the top. It felt like a hallmark Christmas movie and definitely got me into the festive spirit!

This didn't quite hit five stars for me purely from the point of view that at times the two main characters did come across as a bit childish and I wish they'd delved into Thier true feelings a little more but overall this was a really enjoyable read and I'm really looking forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the ARC

A sweet and cute holiday romance. I enjoyed the second chance trope and I'm always here for the sapphic love. It was funny and provided the Christmas spirit

I love Ashley Herring Blake and have been eagerly awaiting this release. I had high expectations and it did not disappoint!

I’m a sucker for a second chance romance and this delivered! Having knowing themselves since they were 12, Brighton and Lola have been through a lot together. This of course included lots of great moments but also some that weren’t as good so even though their love for each other was definitely still there, so was a lot of pain. I felt so much for both of them and just wanted to hug them and make them talk it out. Their connection was so strong and I was so happy when they finally decided to give each other another chance.

One of my favourite things about Ashley’s books is that their characters are incredibly realistic and I always find myself really connected to them and this wasn’t any different. Lola’s past, especially, and the way she built this whole persona to guard herself and her heart were heartbreaking but ultimately it was lovely to see Lola open up to not only Brighton but also her friends and allow herself to create the connections she so deeply craved. This friend group definitely became a little family and I loved that!!

Overall, an amazing sapphic holiday romance! If you haven’t read Ashley Herring Blake yet, you’re missing out!!

Thank you NetGally for this E-Arc!

I really enjoyed this second chance romance! It is the perfect book to read during the holidays!

Thank you for my earc of this book. I love Ashley’s previous books so was v excited for this release. Unfortunately the pace was too slow and the book itself too long. It felt dragged out to me and I struggled to make myself pick it up again. I gave up at 54%
It’s my first Herring-Blake book I’ve DNF and I hope it’s my last as I usually love her books!

Make the Season Bright is a spicy sapphic holiday romance. It was amazing, as always. After binge-reading the Bright Falls series, I couldn't wait to read more from Ashley Herring Blake. Her writing style is so comforting to me. Her characters were amazing and well-developed. They are not perfect, and we get to see their flaws too. The banter and the spice in this book were on point. It is a perfect read for the holiday season. I love everything about this book and can't wait to read the author's future works. Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Brighton and Charlotte both want a little escape from their life during the holidays but they end up stranded together at the same house for Christmas. Nobody except themselves know about what has happened five years ago between them so it’s safe to say that the tension is palpable. Will the Christmas dating events the town organises be able to melt the ice between Charlotte and Brighton?

I had a hard time getting into the story in the beginning since I am not a second chance trope lover. I’m also not the biggest Christmas fan but anything Ashley Herring Blake writes, I need to read and in the end she delivered! I didn’t understand Brighton’s behaviour and actions in the beginning but when the story unfolded I did get where she was coming from. The tension between them two was also very much present and the smut scenes were chef’s kiss 👩🏼‍🍳💋

A gem of a queery Christmas tale of Charlotte and Brightons second chance romance, set to the December theme with a Christmas romance being rekindled after a very dramatic left at the alter situation.

The book felt a lot shorter than the previous tales in the brightfalls series but the story is a very different theme, Charlotte after having being left high and dry on her wedding day is the grumpy, stoic and rightly so angry character. That honestly was hard not feel angry for her when by chance Brighton is back in her life. Does feel at times communication is the issue which is always a bit frustrating but also the fear that goes with listening to what that communication could bring plus honestly for me is always the key!

I enjoyed the characters and the story however I did struggle with feeling sympathetic for Brighton after her actions. The romance as always was spot on but did feel forgiveness came quick given over by the need to be loved. Lots of themes of found family, acceptable, love and following your heart plus a dogo!!

Great setting and lots of supportive queer friend with musical influences running throughout. Right I’m ready for Christmas now and will likely always be a fixture to re-read each festive season. I will given the opportunity to read as part of an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love Ashley Herring Blake's romance novels and I was so eager to read this one. Let me tell you this book did not disappoint in the slightest. I ended up devouring this book in one sitting and loved every minute of it.

At first I was concerned about the whole ex-fiancée situation but I really feel like it worked really well and once you find out why it happened you become more sympathetic to both sides of the relationship and why both Charlotte and Brighton feel the way they do. I loved their chemistry, even when they were trying to hate one another, also the spice was amazing! I loved watching the two dealing with some of their own person problems while also coming to terms with their feelings.

Make The Season Bright is an amazing, angsty and addictive Christmas romance that I absolutely recommend picking up. Ashley Herring Blake is one of my favourite sapphic romance authors and I cannot wait to read whatever she writes next.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was exactly the cutest sapphic Christmas story I wanted it to be but with even more layers.

It's a second chance romance story but also deals with a lot of self discovery, exploring how people grow apart, coming to terms with plans not working out how you want them to and learning to let people love you. All tied up with great characters, a snowy backdrop and Christmas ribbon.

The book is duel POV so really get to know Lola and Bright, seeing the story of their romance from two sides.

Was the book a little bit predictable? Yes, but it's a Christmas romance so that's going to be the case. I really didn't mind as the details of how it all played out were fun and also a bit heartbreaking.

This was the perfect start to my festive reading and a book I'll reach for each December.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of Make the Season Bright in exchange for an honest review. Ashley Herring Blake is one of my absolute favourite authors by now, so I was very excited to get to read her new book slightly ahead of time!

In this new adult romance novel, the protagonists are childhood best friends and ex's with a past of heartbreak. Brighton left Charlotte at the altar, Charlotte did her best to move on and build herself a stoic, unbreakable facade. For years, she hasn't let anyone in, even her new friends, because she is determined to never get hurt again the way she did when Brighton left. But fate has other plans, because the two women suddenly find themselves spending a festive week together at their respective best friends houses... which happens to be the same place, as the two are sisters. Between trying to pretend they don't know each other, festive dating events and music from the past, Brighton and Charlotte have to figure out what's still going on between them and whether they can well and truly move on.

As always, Ashley Herring Blake's writing is exceptional. Well-paced, witty and the perfect amount of descriptive. I couldn't stop reading, once I got going! The characters are well defined, with layers to peel back chapter after chapter - the MCs, as well as a couple of the supporting characters. Their second-chance romance is well developed, slow burn and angsty enough to feel appropriate for how their first relationship ended (and I'm not often so in favour of second chances). My only issue was with the lack of communication going on between the two MCs for a lot of the book. They could have saved themselves so much heartache with a proper conversation earlier on! That said, it would have spoiled the existence of the story, soooo we can't really complain ;)

I'd definitely recommend Make The Season Bright to anyone who loves a good holiday romance, sapphic love, second chances and strong friendships. I've already ordered my physical copy to proudly add to my AHB collection!

I loved Ashley's previous books and had high hopes for this one - and it did not disappoint! I thought the premise was great, it felt original and fresh and the setting was so cute and cosy. Really connected with both characters - and I loved the personal growth they each went on.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

it had all the elements that you would need... christmas, music and a lost love

charlotte was a survivor.... she had been dumped on her wedding day at the altar and she had rebuit herself in that time... she was an established violinist and they were about to go on a european tour

what she wasnt expecting was to come face to face with her ex at her friends house and that they would be spending the christmas holidays together...

Brighton Fairbrook was the ex.... and even her shock at seeing charlotte was on masked because she had seen charlotte before charlotte had seen her.... what she wasnt expecting was to be ignored ... but ignored she was....

things hadnt been going well for brighton she had been kicked out of her band and she was listless not knowing where or what to do. she also wasnt looking forward to spending christmas without her parents who were in france.... so this invite to spend christmas with her friend was what was needed but not bumping into her ex

an enjoyed read with all the bumps and spice anyone could possibly want.... cant wait to read the next book by this author

Well, this was great.
I flew through this. I could not stop reading. It was very good. I loved the setting, the characters and the romance, the circumstances. I also loved the side characters. I really felt for Sloane. Basically, this had everything and it made me feel everything.
A perfectly layered holiday romance.

3.5 ⭐

This was incredibly sweet and emotional, not too angsty, definitely a wonderful second chance romance.

I loved the humour, the music and passion, the spice was hot too.

But I strongly disliked Charlotte - she didn't seem grumpy to me, she came across as rude and entitled. And whilst it's made clear it's all due to her upbringing, she was unnecessarily cruel to her friends.

Brighton was brilliant, I preferred her as a character and her story made more of an impact on me. I did like them together as a couple, and the snippets of their developing relationship over the years were adorable too.

Overall, it is a very cute festive romance, but it's not on quite the same level as the Bright Falls series.

May the season be merry and queer! It might be October, but I could feel Mariah defrosting with every page turned.

Do I love a second chance romance? In real life, no. But in a romance novel I eat that right up and hunker down using red flags as warm fleecy blankets. And this story is no exception. I really wanted to dislike one of the main characters but once again there’s two sides to every story and in a dual narration novel, we’re going to hear them both. Neither of them are perfect, maybe you’d even go as far as saying they’re perfectly flawed and that honestly feels like any real relationship.

I ended up really routing for this to work out and make all the ups and downs they’ve suffered in their lives really worth it.

There’s second chance love, there’s abandonment issues, there’s perfectly set hallmark movie worthy scenes, and for all of you that like it there’s even some light spice. I will absolutely be buying and gifting this to my festive queers this Christmas.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for gifting this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars
This book was just... amazing.
I love Ashley Herring Blake books (Delilah Green is my bookish wife, after all!!) And this was no exception. I love the atmosphere and the found family. I love that the characters weren't perfect but flawed, and that makes them feel real.
I love the friendships (Sloane was my girl!), and the romance was fantastic.
If you want something sweet and sexy to start the season, this is it.

I adore Ashley Herring Blake's writing she is the reason I got back into reading after nearly a decade. I am not huge on second chance romances and I was scared by left at the alter trop but this book did not disappoint. I loved Adele and Brighton's friendship and the angst that was between Charlotte and Brighton. Forced proximity, one bed what was not to enjoy. Seeing each other for who they really are I am so excited to receive my physical of this. Stuck in the same house for Christmas 5 years after being left down the aisle? Since leaving her Bright has lost all of her love for music after being betrayed she hasn't picked up a guitar since. Since Lola was left waiting for Bright her careers taking off but her personal life is lacking the reunion gives them both something they need Bright picks up a guitar and Lola finally allows someone in again and this also helps her other relationships,

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
✰ 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
✰ 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴
✰ 𝘴𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯
✰ 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺
✰ 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤

The most wonderful time of the year is coming and this book was my first official read in the subgenre.
Needless to say I adored it! This book had it all: and emotional and super angsty second chance with two characters who so clearly still adored each other deeply, pain, hot spice and fun banter, a beautiful found family dynamic... all wrapped up in warm Holidays vibes!

I highly recommend this book this upcoming season. It's truly magical but again Ashley Herring Blake never misses!

*arc kindly provided in exchange of an honest review