It’s Emmy Brewer’s tenth Christmas since she lost her mom, and without her, Emmy’s floundering. Her job is pointless, and she struggles to find direction and passion. So when her sister invites Emmy’s childhood crush and former neighbor, Charlie Russell, to their family Christmas, and he shows up, given her state, Emmy is anything but excited.

Their meeting sets off a string of events that bring them together once a year at Christmas. Through trying moments, laughter, and bad timing, Emmy must face her life’s choices and decide what she actually wants. Will it be Charlie? Or will he be the catalyst for something else entirely?

~Standalone~

This story may contain language, violence, and/or sexual situations intended for an adult 18+ audience.

Title:  Ten Christmases Without You
Series:  ~Standalone~
Author:  Jenny Hale
Published:  October 23, 2025
Publisher:  Harpeth Road Press
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Ten Christmases Without You is a charming standalone Christmas Romance that will give you all the holiday feels you desire, and give you something to linger on in your mind long after the final page is turned.

Spanning a decade between 2015 and 2025, we’ll follow Emmy, who lost her mother years ago and has, since then, flitted through life.  Not in a social butterfly way, but a deep into her own thoughts way.  She has a job that she’s overqualified for, but it’s a paycheck, and she’s afraid to really try the profession that has been her dream.  Perhaps her life isn’t a true limbo, but she is floating along in life with grief and second-guessing as her constant companions.

Then, one Christmas, while she was home visiting her family for the holiday, a ghost from the past appeared at their Christmas table.  Charlie had been a neighbor, a friend… and an unrequited high school crush so many years ago.  Her sister has invited Charlie, who is back in their hometown visiting his own parents, over for Christmas.  What follows this surprising development is life changing for both Emmy and Charlie… but, it’s the slowly growing, questioning decisions, perhaps finally willing to take a few risks type of changes coming into both of their lives as their yearly Christmas time together with family allows us to see their growth, their changes… and perhaps finally seeing each other as far more than they’d ever dreamed possible.

I enjoyed Ten Christmases Without You by Jenny Hale so much.  It’s thought-provoking and so emotional as we watch Emmy (and Charlie to a lesser degree) take a good, hard look at her life and make the choice to begin embracing changes, to move beyond where she is now to where she could be if she’d take a few risks and trust herself.  While romantic, their story is also a look at how life changes us, and how one person’s steady influence, even if it’s only once a year, can give a new outlook on life.  It’s well-written, full of laughter and tears, grief and joy, and slowly accepting changes in life.  If you enjoy a Christmas Romance that gives you far more than expected with characters you’ll be wishing a happy future for, then you’d love this one.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank them for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review, giving my personal opinion about this book.*

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