Today is my stop on the Hear Our Voices blog tour, and I am so excited to highlight and talk about the US release of Only for The Holidays by Abiola Bello. It is never too early for a holiday romance, especially if you need a break from all terror and horror. Bello returns from her popular (and one of my personal favorites) YA debut, Love in A Winter Wonderland comes back with another delightful YA holiday rom-com where a fake dating scheme leads to a new wave of emotions.
What I love about Bello’s romances is that she gives readers an entertaining and feel-good romance and adds realism and truth to the heart of her stories. She doesn’t make them sound cheesy, which is very refreshing. You always root for her characters to the end, and that is no different from Quincy and Tia. Quincy and Tia’s interactions are fun to read and show how we need to see more black teen-centric love stories on our shelves. I loved this one, and it made me want to go to a Christmas ball in the countryside (I love the countryside, there would be a time I would want to experience city life, like Tia).
If you need a break from the spooky season and want to get a head start on your holiday reading, Only for the Holidays is a great place to start. Perfect for romance readers who are fans of fake dating and opposites attract tropes, Only for the Holidays is the diverse romance that needs to be on your TBR pile for the season.
My Rating:
Author Interview
As part of today’s blog tour stop, I had the chance to ask Abiola Bello questions about her latest book. I hope her answers encourage you to get a copy of her book!
Can you describe the inspiration behind Only for the Holidays?
Abiola: I wanted to write another Christmas story but explore the city vs country angle. I was watching loads of Bridgerton so then I thought a winter ball would be so fun! I wanted to explore two very different characters from different backgrounds who were dealing with poor relationships and how they navigate them separately and together.
Are the main characters, Tia and Quincy, based on people you know, and which characters do you identify with most?
Abiola: Tia is me! All the things she doesn’t like is all the things I don’t like lol. I moan less about it though 🙂 But Tia sums up all the girls who have dated a crap guy and doesn’t realize they are better off without him. Quincy is the typical nice boy and I love a nice boy but Quincy isn’t the most ambitious person and is happy staying in his small town and looking after horses forever which is so different from me as I’m so ambitious.
Without giving anything away, what would you say were your favorite scenes to write?
Abiola: The sheep, the hot tub, the first interaction with Quincy and Tia, the showdown with Mike and Tia, the forest scene.
This is your second Christmas romance. If you could write a romance with another holiday as the backdrop, which would you pick and why?
Abiola: I think New Years could be cute or Bonfire Night. Visually with all the fireworks would be nice.
We have the fake romance trope, enemies to lovers trope…which romance trope do you enjoy writing the most?
Abiola: I love fake dating. I’ve read an insane amount of fake dating books but I love how it’s always spun.
If Only for the Holidays was adapted in another format, such as film or TV, who be your dream cast?
Abiola: Ooh I don’t know! It’s hard with British films because I don’t feel like we have as much variety as US in terms of Black actors and everyone I can think off are like my age or older so it would need to be maybe new, young talent. But I love Emma Mackey, who plays Maeve in Sex Education who would be a good Eliza. We’ve got to get Idris Elba in there somewhere!
After readers finish Only for the Holidays, are there similar books you would like to recommend to your readers?
Abiola: There’s not many Christmas based romances with Black people in them unfortunately. Of course I would recommend Love in Winter Wonderland. For a fun romance book with Asian characters I love The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar.
We like a cup of tea on this blog while reading. So, what is your favorite beverage to drink while you are reading?
Abiola: I’m a breakfast tea kind of girl!
What do you want readers to take away from Only for the Holidays?
Abiola: I would say always wanting the best for yourself and not compromising love.
Do you have any upcoming projects you want to tell your readers about?
Abiola: This summer The Love Dare came out. Eva is dared to get Saint to ask her on a date so she can fix her dad’s car and it’s messy and funny. That explores the bet troupe and opposites attract and it starts at Notting Hill carnival. It’s a fun book. I have a younger fiction series and my final Emily Knight book coming out next year which I’m excited about.
About The Author
Abiola Bello is a British-Nigerian author from London, England. She is the bestselling, award-winning author of the children’s series Emily Knight I Am and the YA novel Love in Winter Wonderland, as well as a contributor to The Very Merry Murder Club anthology. Abiola has won London’s BIG Read 2019, was a finalist for the People’s Book Prize Best Children’s Book and was nominated for the Yoto Carnegie Award.
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