Three Holidays and a Wedding is a gem of a novel – poignant, fun, and jam-packed with characters you can root for.
It does not get better than two romance storylines, three holidays, and a wedding in one book.Three Holidays and a Wedding is a gem of a novel – poignant, fun, and jam-packed with characters you can root for.
Maryam Aziz – nicknamed Bor-yam by her more adventurous sister – has spent the last several months arranging her sister’s wedding in Toronto. As the family travels to Toronto, a massive snowstorm hits, and they are forced to land – and stay – in Snow Falls, Ontario. The groom, unfortunately, is stuck in Toronto.
Maryam is the family’s frazzled and over-scheduled organizer and caregiver. “If there was one thing Maryam Aziz was good at, it was pushing her emotions to the bottom of her to-do list.”
Anna Gibson is on the same ill-fated flight, traveling to meet her boyfriend’s family and spend the holidays with them. Her boyfriend, Nick, flew in earlier and missed the snowstorm. Rather than being concerned for Anna, he opts to pout.
The novel reminds us that we’re more alike than we are different.
Anna and Maryam meet on the flight, and while they have vastly different backgrounds and personalities, they become fast friends in the magical town of Snow Falls, with its quaint stores, friendly townspeople, and the glamour of a movie being filmed in town, complete with Hollywood’s It actor of the moment, Josh Tannenbaum.
Anna, Maryam, and her family spend their time celebrating the three holidays that overlap that year – Ramadan, Christmas, and Hanukkah – and trying to salvage the wedding.
I loved this story for many reasons, primarily because it is so warm; it’s the fuzzy blanket of stories. The characters are wildly likable without being saccharin, and the story moves at a brisk clip.
Although there is much to enjoy in Three Holidays and a Wedding, Maryam’s grandfather, Dadu, steals the show, a former Bollywood director full of panache and doling out sage wisdom to everyone who crosses his path.
The novel reminds us that we’re more alike than we are different. As Marissa Stapley says in the author interview at the back: …all faiths are predicated on some universal tenets and truths about God, faith, charity, kindness, goodness…it really is all the same light, even if it hits a little differently in certain places.
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What Other People Are Saying About Three Holidays and a Wedding
VERDICT This charming multicultural and multi-faith romance sparkles with an adorable cast of characters. Along with a storyline that reads like a movie one would want to watch again and again. – Library Journal
Proving that “holiday miracles can happen anywhere, to anyone, no matter what they celebrate,” the authors deliver heartfelt romance and plenty of cheer while also tackling heavier issues, including the weight of immigrant parents’ expectations and grief. It’s a keeper. Publishers Weekly
An earnest look at the myriad ways that people can find love if they are open to seeing it. – Kirkus
About the Author – Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley
Uzma Jalaluddin is the internationally bestselling author of Ayesha at Last and Hana Khan Carries On. A high school teacher, she has also written a regular column for the Toronto Star and contributed to The Atlantic. Her first novel was optioned for film by Pascal Pictures. Her second novel was optioned for film by Kaling International and Amazon Studios. She lives in Toronto with her family.
Marissa Stapley is the New York Times bestselling author of Reese’s Book Club pick Lucky. As well as international bestsellers Mating for Life, Things to Do When It’s Raining, and The Last Resort. She has also co-written The Holiday Swap and All I Want for Christmas.
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Uzma Jalaluddin is the internationally bestselling author of Ayesha at Last and Hana Khan Carries On. A high school teacher, she has also written a regular column for the Toronto Star and contributed to The Atlantic. Her first novel was optioned for film by Pascal Pictures. Her second novel was optioned for film by Kaling International and Amazon Studios. She lives in Toronto with her family.
Marissa Stapley is the New York Times bestselling author of Reese’s Book Club pick Lucky. As well as international bestsellers Mating for Life, Things to Do When It’s Raining, and The Last Resort. She has also co-written The Holiday Swap and All I Want for Christmas. 
