Dive into In the Event of Love and the Fern Falls Christmas tree farm this holiday season, where there’s no lack of cozy vibes. A log cabin with freshly baked cinnamon buns awaits us and our main character.
Morgan Ross leaves when times are tough. When her grad party turns into a disaster that destroys her maybe-something-more relationship with her best friend Rachel, Morgan disappears to LA for 7 years. When she’s caught up in a scandal with a client from her event planning business, she retreats to her hometown of Fern Falls until the social media storm passes. What she doesn’t expect is to hold the most important event of her career—one to save the town she grew up in from corporate greed. Will Morgan leave when this plan goes awry too?
It becomes clear early on that Morgan and Rachel’s second chance romance hinges on the success of the event. I appreciated that the women bonded over their difficult relationships with their parents, but the chemistry between them was lacking for me. I didn’t understand why the argument almost a decade ago left such a rift between them or why they couldn’t stop thinking about each other for years afterward. Maybe this is because I didn’t find myself connecting well to Morgan as a POV character. She’s a bit self absorbed in a way I couldn’t get past. Rachel, on the other hand, is down to earth and shows tremendous care for everyone else in town. I absolutely rooted for her to get her happy ending.
What I loved most about this book was the bisexual representation. As a bisexual herself, Courtney Kae made sure to include us everywhere! Bisexuals aren’t all the same and neither were the bisexual characters, which I appreciated. Christmas wasn’t the only winter holiday mentioned either, as Jewish traditions are also briefly observed.
Where the book lacked, for me, were in other representations. I found myself wishing some of the main cast were BIPOC. Don’t get me wrong, I loved that Kae introduced side characters from all walks of life (including an Asian trans woman mayor!), but I’m bummed most of them weren’t mentioned more than once or twice.
If you’re looking for an easy read, filled with holiday charm and pop culture references, give In the Event of Love a try. Those who love to watch Hallmark movies in their pajamas by the fire, but wish the channel had more queer representation would enjoy this novel. This first person POV holiday tale is sure to be a hit for many.
Content warnings for alcohol and addiction.
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