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Their Holiday Secret: An Uplifting Inspirational Romance
Can their pretend relationship
Turn into a true Christmas gift?
Preston Green will do anything for a fake girlfriend—even bid on one at a charity auction. Sweet and quirky baker Lulu Boyd is the perfect choice to stop his mother’s constant matchmaking. And it’s just for one holiday family dinner—until his father’s failing health makes ending their ruse impossible. Soon it feels all too real…but another secret might make this their last Christmas together.
From Love Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.
Turn into a true Christmas gift?
Preston Green will do anything for a fake girlfriend—even bid on one at a charity auction. Sweet and quirky baker Lulu Boyd is the perfect choice to stop his mother’s constant matchmaking. And it’s just for one holiday family dinner—until his father’s failing health makes ending their ruse impossible. Soon it feels all too real…but another secret might make this their last Christmas together.
From Love Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published October 24, 2023
9 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
About the author
Betsy St. Amant
47 books875 followersBetsy St. Amant Haddox is the author of almost thirty romance novels and novellas. She resides in north Louisiana with her hubby, two teenagers, and one furry schnauzer-toddler. Betsy has a bachelor of arts in communication and loves teaching and speaking on the craft of writing. When she’s not suffering through a CrossFit workout or baby talking her dog, she can usually be found in the vicinity of an iced coffee. She writes frequently for iBelieve, a devotional site for women, and offers author coaching and editing services through Storyside LLC.
also published under Betsy Ann St. Amant
also published under Betsy Ann St. Amant
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 11, 2023
Good characters and story, lovely town.
December 22, 2025
I really enjoyed this story. The 'fake boyfriend/girlfriend' trope can be overdone sometimes, but the circumstances surrounding Lulu and Preston's 'relationship' changed unexpectedly, and things started to snowball from there.
I appreciated that both Preston and Lulu learned that secrets (even well meaning ones!) can have some pretty uncomfortable consequences that may reach further than expected. I also liked that both of them realised that the lessons they were learning about their relationship secret need to also play out in their personal lives, especially with how they felt about themselves.
The faith thread in this book was really strong too . . . affirming that Christmas is a time of worship and reverence to the Babe of Bethlehem.
I appreciated that both Preston and Lulu learned that secrets (even well meaning ones!) can have some pretty uncomfortable consequences that may reach further than expected. I also liked that both of them realised that the lessons they were learning about their relationship secret need to also play out in their personal lives, especially with how they felt about themselves.
The faith thread in this book was really strong too . . . affirming that Christmas is a time of worship and reverence to the Babe of Bethlehem.
December 12, 2023
A really sweet Christmas read that perfectly hit the spot during a weekend getaway - something quick, light, and yet thought-provoking. Loved it!
January 29, 2024
I LOVE a book that has me laughing one minute and in tears the next! This book has all the feels! History teacher Preston Green feels like he is in competition with his younger brother for his parent’s approval. After all his brother has his own construction business and is married to Preston’s former girlfriend, which has his mom constantly trying to find him a girlfriend. His family is coming for Christmas and he needs a “fake date” for a family dinner. He”buys” donut lady extraordinaire, Lulu Boyd, at a charity auction and the secrets begin!
December 25, 2023
This book was a fun read. It was self-confessed full of holiday movie tropes. The teenagers were delightful. And the characters learn some lessons on secrets and doing the wrong things for the right reasons.
December 7, 2025
I loved this Christmas story so much! It gave me all the feels! A story of laughter and tears. Forgiveness and hope! Betsy St. Amant is one of my favorite authors. Her books never disappoint!
October 4, 2023
Since I started celebrating fall in September, somehow I'm looking forward to Christmas already in October!
Their Holiday Secret provided the perfect solution. It's a fake-dating, faith-based book centering around a loveable and quirky donut shop owner and a handsome history teacher.
I loved so much about it, from the dating auction, to the hilarious one-liners (don't you know that Christmas butterflies in the stomach should be referred to as a herd of flying reindeer 😂). Plus, there are more serious themes such as communicating with others and seeking validation from the right Source.
I couldn't put it down, so if you love "The Proposal," "The Wedding Date," or Hallmark movies with that Christmas touch, you have to check it out!
Their Holiday Secret provided the perfect solution. It's a fake-dating, faith-based book centering around a loveable and quirky donut shop owner and a handsome history teacher.
I loved so much about it, from the dating auction, to the hilarious one-liners (don't you know that Christmas butterflies in the stomach should be referred to as a herd of flying reindeer 😂). Plus, there are more serious themes such as communicating with others and seeking validation from the right Source.
I couldn't put it down, so if you love "The Proposal," "The Wedding Date," or Hallmark movies with that Christmas touch, you have to check it out!
March 6, 2024
Their Holiday Secret by Betsy St. Amant is a delightfully charming Christmas book centering around a fake relationship between Preston and Lulu. I loved the storyline. What started as fake became obvious the relationship was turning into something much more. It was an entertaining, easy to read book and I thought the author did a great job in the character development. A special thanks to the author for sending this book to me and these opinions are strictly my own. I rated it a five.
January 6, 2025
Good read. Short but full of real live challenges and, of course, love. Holidays can be difficult. Families can be trying. Teenagers are a challenge. A project to help a homeless family going wrong. And in the mist of all this, a relationship blossoming...or is it?
December 30, 2024
So exciting!
May 7, 2025
This was adorable from start to finish. Loved it!
November 14, 2025
Great book!! Loved it!!!
December 20, 2023
What an incredibly charming book about a Christmastime romance! I loved that the author even mentioned all the elements of a perfect Christmas story in a cute, tongue-in-cheek way as part of the book. Beyond the picturesque setting of Tulip Mound, I would have to say that this book stands out based on its remarkable treatment of secrets. I've typically found the fake relationship trope to be a difficult one to tackle in Christian fiction; however, Betsy not only addresses the issues of deception and lying head-on, she brings it all back to what it means to have integrity as a Christian. Characters experience the consequences of their decisions and there are meaningful discussions about what secrets can do to people. Their Holiday Secret is probably one of the best stories I've read in bringing up ethical intentions and behaviours, and how God views them.
Along with strong messages about faith, prayer, and self-sacrificial love, the story between Lulu and Preston unfolds in such a realistic and heartwarming way. I love that their relationship is not in a vacuum and that you can see how they interact with both teenagers and family members in this book. One of the highlights is seeing the faith transmission that takes place and how these two adults make a serious impact on the next generation by living out their Christian walks. Furthermore, I also appreciate that while there's a hint of chemistry and attraction, it isn't drawn out and overemphasized. Instead, readers can catch a glimpse of why Lulu and Preston are so special based on how they act and treat others, making it even more wonderful to see how their relationship develops. This is a book that I don't want to keep a secret based on how well it's executed!
Review link: https://christianshelves.blogspot.com...
Along with strong messages about faith, prayer, and self-sacrificial love, the story between Lulu and Preston unfolds in such a realistic and heartwarming way. I love that their relationship is not in a vacuum and that you can see how they interact with both teenagers and family members in this book. One of the highlights is seeing the faith transmission that takes place and how these two adults make a serious impact on the next generation by living out their Christian walks. Furthermore, I also appreciate that while there's a hint of chemistry and attraction, it isn't drawn out and overemphasized. Instead, readers can catch a glimpse of why Lulu and Preston are so special based on how they act and treat others, making it even more wonderful to see how their relationship develops. This is a book that I don't want to keep a secret based on how well it's executed!
Review link: https://christianshelves.blogspot.com...
December 19, 2024
Heartwarming and sweet. I loved Lulu, the owner of the donut shop. Her social awkwardness was so relatable, and I loved her kind spirit. The family dynamic with Preston and his parents was great as was the underlying theme of competition between Preston and his brother, Jackson. I disliked Jackson greatly at first but was grateful to the author for adding dimension to his character as the book progressed.
The whole pretend-dating scenario was amusing but also poignant. I am a person who dislikes confrontation like Preston, so his motivations were understandable. I did feel that the refusal to communicate trope started to grate on me a bit toward the middle of the book, but romance is not my usual genre, so perhaps I was simply impatient.
If you enjoy fun characters, sweet but strong heroines and holiday vibes, (I'd have loved to enter that gingerbread house-decorating competition), and a story with a good if slightly flawed family dynamic, then I recommend Their Holiday Secret. A nice read for Christmas.
God bless you all.
The whole pretend-dating scenario was amusing but also poignant. I am a person who dislikes confrontation like Preston, so his motivations were understandable. I did feel that the refusal to communicate trope started to grate on me a bit toward the middle of the book, but romance is not my usual genre, so perhaps I was simply impatient.
If you enjoy fun characters, sweet but strong heroines and holiday vibes, (I'd have loved to enter that gingerbread house-decorating competition), and a story with a good if slightly flawed family dynamic, then I recommend Their Holiday Secret. A nice read for Christmas.
God bless you all.
October 30, 2023
“Their Holiday Secret” by Betsy St. Amant features high school teacher Preston Green and donut shop owner Lulu Boyd. It also has one of my favorite tropes – pretend relationship!
With his family coming to Tulip Mound for Christmas, and to stop his mother from matchmaking, Preston needs a date immediately and the always giving Lulu is just the right person.
Preston and Lulu have pain from their pasts. Together, they find a way to move beyond those painful memories and to accept the people they’ve become.
And to realize how much they need each other – for real.
Ms. St. Amant writes a story of acceptance, compassion, and forgiveness while sprinkling in some humor.
The secondary cast of characters brings more life to the story.
With his family coming to Tulip Mound for Christmas, and to stop his mother from matchmaking, Preston needs a date immediately and the always giving Lulu is just the right person.
Preston and Lulu have pain from their pasts. Together, they find a way to move beyond those painful memories and to accept the people they’ve become.
And to realize how much they need each other – for real.
Ms. St. Amant writes a story of acceptance, compassion, and forgiveness while sprinkling in some humor.
The secondary cast of characters brings more life to the story.
October 29, 2023
Charming, uplifting Christmas read!
I was engaged from the beginning! Characters are fun, instantly relatabl, and the reader is invested from the start! Everything is not always as it seems....
And there is an epilogue, always a winner for me!
I was engaged from the beginning! Characters are fun, instantly relatabl, and the reader is invested from the start! Everything is not always as it seems....
And there is an epilogue, always a winner for me!
December 18, 2023
Fake dating at Christmas makes for an enjoyable read. I loved Lulu's awkwardness, she was adorably real. The town was its own character, fun and sweet and full of characters that rounded out the story nicely, especially the teens. ❤️
December 20, 2023
What a cute book! Loved the characters, the town, and the situations! Great Christmas read …& I love epilogues!!!!
January 7, 2024
One of my favorite Holiday books of the season!
November 23, 2023
If Lulu “rolled in her lower lip” one more time I actually was going to toss this book.
November 12, 2023
Great book
November 25, 2023
Author Betsy St Amant is one of my favorites, and when she wrote a Christmas story for Love Inspired why wouldn’t I read it? Quirky, funny, and heartwarming, Their Holiday Secret is my favorite Christmas book this year (2023).
A fake relationship to stop a mother from meddling, it has all things Christmas which is a must have for me. Hot cocoa. Christmas trees. Snow. Lights. It’s all here! And as you may expect mistletoe changes things for Preston and Lulu.
A must read, and a must read again!.
A fake relationship to stop a mother from meddling, it has all things Christmas which is a must have for me. Hot cocoa. Christmas trees. Snow. Lights. It’s all here! And as you may expect mistletoe changes things for Preston and Lulu.
A must read, and a must read again!.
October 28, 2023
What an introduction to a new-to-me author! This story was filled with twists and turns, long held and new secrets, questions of will he, will she or will they, all with the undercurrent of seeking the Father, learning to trust Him and allowing Him to guide each step. Definitely an author whose works I will pursue moving forward!
November 10, 2023
I love the fake dating trope. It’s one of my favorites! All the tension and waffling back and forth. And fake dating mixed with all of the excitement of Christmas? Perfection! Betsy St. Amant’s “Their Holiday Secret” has it all. Corny Christmas jokes, tree buying and decorating, baking cookies, gingerbread house decorating, hot cocoa, and of course a little mistletoe!
November 5, 2023
Sweet Christmas story reminding all that God just be at the center of all you do or secrets and lies can overshadow His peace and joy.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews