It’s only fitting that on the night Eli Ward returns home for Christmas after years away, he runs into his still-hot, still-charming ex-boyfriend. Eli’s a different person now—post-transition, sober, and recently unemployed after his TV writing gig blew up—and it takes Nick a moment to put the pieces together after their carts bumped into each other. They hang out for the remainder of the holidays, both unsure if the flames are really being rekindled or not. Second Chances in New Port Stephen is such a sweet and funny book about family and love and identity.

✨ From Stay Warm with These Holiday Romances at Crooked Reads, a monthly collection of bite-sized reviews of three books on a theme.