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The Christmas Orphans Club

A Novel

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From bookfluencer and host of the BAD ON PAPER podcast, a riotous holiday rom-com about four friends in NYC who hold onto their unconventional Christmas tradition even when their paths diverge—but the changes they fear might be exactly what they need…

Hannah and Finn have spent every Christmas together since college. Neither has anywhere else to go—Hannah’s parents died, and Finn’s disowned him when he came out. Their tradition of offbeat holiday adventures only grows more outrageous with time. When the pair starts their adult lives in New York City, they add stylish Priya and mysterious Theo to the group, solidifying a found family and sense of belonging they’ve always craved.

But now, when Finn announces a move to L.A., this Christmas may be their last. Hannah is terrified of losing the family she’s built for herself, even as her boyfriend nudges her toward commitment. Meanwhile, Finn struggles with the things he’s about to leave behind—namely, his unexpressed feelings for Theo. Does growing up mean growing apart? This Christmas the changes these friends fear may be exactly what they need. . . .
Praise for The Christmas Orphans Club:

“Becca Freeman gives a much-needed update to classic holiday tales. Told over the course of eleven Christmases, this witty and heartfelt debut tracks a group of four young New Yorkers as their friendship solidifies into a chosen family, one with its own traditions, tensions, and drama. It’s a whip-smart story of modern love, letting go, and growing up.”
Carley Fortune, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Meet Me at the Lake

“A fabulous festive read about found family. I loved it from the first sentence.”
—Sophie Cousens, New York Times bestselling author of Before I Do

“I’m completely in love with this book! The Christmas Orphans Club is a beautiful story of friendship with laugh-out-loud dialogue and characters you can’t stop thinking about. Becca Freeman’s debut is witty, heartwarming, and hilarious and the most delightful thing you’ll read all year.”
—Jennifer Close, New York Times bestselling author of Marrying the Ketchups

“Freeman's writing is filled with wit and insight, and her dialogue crackles. Beneath the abundant humor and charm is a thoughtful exploration of friendship, tradition, and the challenges of growing old.”
—Grant Ginder, bestselling author of The People We Hate at the Wedding and Let's Not Do That Again

“If you adore Christmas and loved Friends, then this is the perfect book for you. I would happily abandon my husband and kids to spend Christmas in New York with Hannah, Finn, Theo and Priya. A festive, funny, hug of a novel about love in all its forms.”
Clare Pooley, New York Times bestselling author of Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting

“Funny and wise—this totally unexpected story of chosen family warmed me from the inside out. I absolutely adored it.”
Annabel Monaghan, author of Nora Goes Off Script
 
The Christmas Orphans has everything you could want in a holiday book-treat: sweetness, laughs, and delicious rom-com moments that'll make you jump up and yell, 'Kiss him! Kiss him!' Thank you, Becca Freeman, for an ensemble cast so lovable I wish they were real and could be my friends.”
Mary Laura Philpott, author of Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives

“Set in the holiday glow of a luminously rendered New York City, The Christmas Orphans Club is a big-hearted, poignant, page-turning novel about the chosen families that sustain us. Becca Freeman is a writer who truly knows what it means to be a good friend, and she perfectly captures the tensions that arise within a tight-knit group when we make room for romantic love. With this dazzling debut, Freeman is the heir apparent to the mantle of sophisticated, feel-good fiction. I will read anything she writes.”
—John Glynn, author of Out East: Memoir of a Montauk Summer

“A hilarious and poignant contemporary fable.”
Seattle Times

“Freeman’s take on how relationships evolve is full of feeling.”
—Publishers Weekly

“This book is so, so special. It has a focus on friendship — but really, what’s more romantic than friendship? I couldn’t put this book down.”
New York Post
© Allie Provost
Becca Freeman is the co-host of the popular books and lifestyle podcast Bad on Paper and the co-creator of RomComPods. She is a graduate of Boston College. Becca currently lives in Brooklyn, where she enthusiastically celebrates Christmas every year. View titles by Becca Freeman

Discussion Guide for The Christmas Orphans Club

Provides questions, discussion topics, suggested reading lists, introductions and/or author Q&As, which are intended to enhance reading groups’ experiences.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

About

From bookfluencer and host of the BAD ON PAPER podcast, a riotous holiday rom-com about four friends in NYC who hold onto their unconventional Christmas tradition even when their paths diverge—but the changes they fear might be exactly what they need…

Hannah and Finn have spent every Christmas together since college. Neither has anywhere else to go—Hannah’s parents died, and Finn’s disowned him when he came out. Their tradition of offbeat holiday adventures only grows more outrageous with time. When the pair starts their adult lives in New York City, they add stylish Priya and mysterious Theo to the group, solidifying a found family and sense of belonging they’ve always craved.

But now, when Finn announces a move to L.A., this Christmas may be their last. Hannah is terrified of losing the family she’s built for herself, even as her boyfriend nudges her toward commitment. Meanwhile, Finn struggles with the things he’s about to leave behind—namely, his unexpressed feelings for Theo. Does growing up mean growing apart? This Christmas the changes these friends fear may be exactly what they need. . . .

Reviews

Praise for The Christmas Orphans Club:

“Becca Freeman gives a much-needed update to classic holiday tales. Told over the course of eleven Christmases, this witty and heartfelt debut tracks a group of four young New Yorkers as their friendship solidifies into a chosen family, one with its own traditions, tensions, and drama. It’s a whip-smart story of modern love, letting go, and growing up.”
Carley Fortune, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Meet Me at the Lake

“A fabulous festive read about found family. I loved it from the first sentence.”
—Sophie Cousens, New York Times bestselling author of Before I Do

“I’m completely in love with this book! The Christmas Orphans Club is a beautiful story of friendship with laugh-out-loud dialogue and characters you can’t stop thinking about. Becca Freeman’s debut is witty, heartwarming, and hilarious and the most delightful thing you’ll read all year.”
—Jennifer Close, New York Times bestselling author of Marrying the Ketchups

“Freeman's writing is filled with wit and insight, and her dialogue crackles. Beneath the abundant humor and charm is a thoughtful exploration of friendship, tradition, and the challenges of growing old.”
—Grant Ginder, bestselling author of The People We Hate at the Wedding and Let's Not Do That Again

“If you adore Christmas and loved Friends, then this is the perfect book for you. I would happily abandon my husband and kids to spend Christmas in New York with Hannah, Finn, Theo and Priya. A festive, funny, hug of a novel about love in all its forms.”
Clare Pooley, New York Times bestselling author of Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting

“Funny and wise—this totally unexpected story of chosen family warmed me from the inside out. I absolutely adored it.”
Annabel Monaghan, author of Nora Goes Off Script
 
The Christmas Orphans has everything you could want in a holiday book-treat: sweetness, laughs, and delicious rom-com moments that'll make you jump up and yell, 'Kiss him! Kiss him!' Thank you, Becca Freeman, for an ensemble cast so lovable I wish they were real and could be my friends.”
Mary Laura Philpott, author of Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives

“Set in the holiday glow of a luminously rendered New York City, The Christmas Orphans Club is a big-hearted, poignant, page-turning novel about the chosen families that sustain us. Becca Freeman is a writer who truly knows what it means to be a good friend, and she perfectly captures the tensions that arise within a tight-knit group when we make room for romantic love. With this dazzling debut, Freeman is the heir apparent to the mantle of sophisticated, feel-good fiction. I will read anything she writes.”
—John Glynn, author of Out East: Memoir of a Montauk Summer

“A hilarious and poignant contemporary fable.”
Seattle Times

“Freeman’s take on how relationships evolve is full of feeling.”
—Publishers Weekly

“This book is so, so special. It has a focus on friendship — but really, what’s more romantic than friendship? I couldn’t put this book down.”
New York Post

Author

© Allie Provost
Becca Freeman is the co-host of the popular books and lifestyle podcast Bad on Paper and the co-creator of RomComPods. She is a graduate of Boston College. Becca currently lives in Brooklyn, where she enthusiastically celebrates Christmas every year. View titles by Becca Freeman

Guides

Discussion Guide for The Christmas Orphans Club

Provides questions, discussion topics, suggested reading lists, introductions and/or author Q&As, which are intended to enhance reading groups’ experiences.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)