Melissa Ferguson’s The Christmas Yes List Finds Holiday Romance in Learning to Say No

The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson sets up a familiar holiday-romance dilemma with a useful twist: its heroine isn’t trying to win everyone’s approval so much as figure out how to stop giving it away at her own expense. Chloe’s attempt to change before Christmas leads her into a comic clash with a man who seems ready to agree to almost anything. The result, reviewer Carolina Johnson writes, is a cute seasonal romance whose central change of heart stays more modest than the most dramatic version of this setup might promise.

The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson, 352 pages. Thomas Nelson (HarperCollins), 2026. $19.

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL
APPEALS TO: SOME

A seasonal reset with a comic premise

At 25, Chloe finds herself jobless and single, circumstances that prompt her to look hard at her habit of pleasing other people. She heads home determined to try rejection therapy before Christmas: in practice, that means getting used to saying no and risking the awkwardness that follows. Her plan takes an unexpected turn when she meets a man whose reflex seems to be saying yes, even to suggestions that strike Chloe as ridiculous.

That pairing gives Ferguson room to play with opposite ways of handling other people. Chloe’s instinct to accommodate has become costly to her, while the man’s apparent lack of concern about others’ opinions can shade into rudeness. The comic energy comes from watching these tendencies meet, and from the question of whether either extreme offers a workable guide to living with other people.

Johnson reads the book’s answer as a search for balance. That’s a strong foundation for a holiday romance: Chloe’s growth can be personal without requiring her to transform into someone who never cares what anyone thinks. The premise also makes the seasonal setting do more than supply a festive backdrop. A deadline before Christmas gives Chloe a reason to test her resolve now, while the romance puts that experiment into conversation with another person’s very different habits.

A less explosive kind of romantic conflict

The setup could easily lead to a familiar escalation: a misunderstanding grows, the couple falls apart near the end, and a grand gesture repairs the damage. Johnson says she expected a dramatic climax and a cringy third-act breakup, but was pleasantly surprised by Ferguson’s more restrained response. That choice sounds well suited to a story about learning to adjust one’s behavior. A quieter resolution can keep the focus on the characters’ choices instead of turning their relationship into a contest of increasingly large emotional gestures.

That restraint is also part of the book’s appeal for readers who enjoy romance with a light comic touch. The contrast between Chloe’s self-defeating agreeableness and her counterpart’s willingness to disregard social niceties offers a clear source of humor. At the same time, the story’s premise points toward a recognisable question: how can someone become more direct without treating kindness as a weakness? Johnson’s account suggests that Ferguson is interested in the middle ground, rather than presenting either extreme as a model to imitate.

The review’s praise is measured. Johnson calls the novel cute and places its appeal with some readers, rather than describing it as a universal pick. That makes it an especially plausible choice for adults looking for a light holiday romance built around personal growth and comic friction. Readers who prefer high stakes or a more sweeping emotional payoff may want to weigh Johnson’s description of the modest resolution when deciding whether it suits their tastes.

Content notes and publication details

The review rates the language PG, listing one swear word and no use of the “f” word. Mature content is rated PG and includes illegal activity, mentions of alcohol, and a joke about incest; violence is rated G. These details give readers a quick sense of the material alongside the recommendation. The buying advisory is “ADULTS - OPTIONAL,” and the stated appeal is “SOME.”

The Christmas Yes List runs 352 pages and is listed from Thomas Nelson (HarperCollins) for 2026 at $19. For readers choosing a seasonal book, its clearest promise is a playful romance that lets its heroine work toward a more sustainable way of treating herself and other people. Johnson’s review suggests the novel keeps that journey light, and lets its characters reach a modest resolution rather than forcing the story into a more punishing final turn.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson