The Rules of Mistletoe

by Taylor Epperson

She's got a list of rules and he's about to break them all.

Rules for my future boyfriend (husband):

3. He always opens doors for me
6. He has to lean (like in While You Were Sleeping)
8. He has a good relationship with his mother
11. He loves watching romcoms and thrillers (because I have excellent taste in movies across a variety of genres)


I, Holly Nelson, have been dreaming about the perfect romance my entire life. You know the kind: guy and girl have an adorable meet cute and slowly, over the course of the movie, fall madly in love. I have spent hours of my life watching romcoms and I now have a list of qualities and rules for my perfect man.

I finally found him, but I haven’t figured out how to get him to notice me. Instead, I’m stuck with Drew Rossi.

Andrew (Drew) Rossi doesn’t fit a single item on my list and yet he’s coming home with me for Christmas, posing as my boyfriend. He breaks every single one of my rules, well, except for maybe #5, because he does have an arm full of tattoos. But Drew is not my perfect guy, and we both know it.

This fake relationship started because of a misunderstanding, but when Drew agrees to help me land my dream man & he agrees to follow my rules, I reluctantly agree. We don’t actually like each other, so what could go wrong?



The Rules of Mistletoe is a sweet romantic comedy. It is the second in a series of stand-alone romances.

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Contemporary, Fake Dating, Holiday Romance

206 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 5, 2023

About the author

Taylor Epperson writes sweet romances that are sure to make you laugh and swoon!

Reviews

[Megan (messybun.bookishfun) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas frenimies to more

Cute novella, quick read but doesn’t feel too short. Grumpy co-worker and happy-go-lucky never been kissed girl plan a fake dating experience over the Christmas holiday. Never would have guessed that affection would come of it.

[Kim Golding · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rules of Mistletoe was such a cute and fun Christmas romcom! Holly and all of her rules had me cracking up from the start, so it was fun to see them get broken over the course of her friendship/fake dating relationship with Drew! I thought they were adorable together and loved watching them go from friendship to more!

[E.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and sweet!

An easy read (I did audiobook) that was fun for the holidays! I love a bit of grumpy sunshine and this was definitely that!

My rating: 3.5*

—-
Thanks to the narrator for a gifted copy! All opinions are my own.

[Mai | mai.readingnook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a Hallmark Movie-cute story! A fluffy, feel-good holiday romance packed with Christmas joy.

❄️ fake dating
❄️ grumpy / sunshine
❄️ forced proximity
❄️ going home for Christmas
❄️ big family with lots of Christmas traditions & activities
❄️ he takes care of her when she's sick 🥹

Snuggle up and get cozy, maybe with a hot cup of cocoa, and enjoy ✨️

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rule #6: He has to lean (like in While You Were Sleeping)

Holly and Drew are co-workers, art teachers at a high school, and an impromptu decision to not be home for Christmas leads Drew to invite himself (aka beg, plead, negotiate) home for the holidays with Holly.

I was captivated by this unlikely couple. Holly is all things positive, bright and bubbly, colorful, and sweet, while Drew is the drastic contrast. Although he does possess some deep-hidden charm, he's grumpy, wounded, and a loner. Which...leads for some hilarious and cozy times with the extended Nelson family Christmas festivities.

Holly's list of rules for her future husband were hilarious, especially as Drew couldn't have been more opposite. I couldn't get enough of the sizzling attraction and chemistry-laden interactions. The teasing, flirting, banter, and connection were the berries in the Christmas punch of this book. While there are a few moments of heart, this story is solidly swoony and entertaining.

This is my first book by Taylor Epperson and it for sure won't be my last. She has an impressive way of capturing all there is to love in a sweet romance and I'm here for it.

Content: mild romance (kissing, light innuendo); mild language

*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and are voluntarily given.*

[Stephanie M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, cute holiday rom/com

If you ever need to read a cute holiday romance that’s not super long, doesn’t have a ton of drama, and feels like you’re experiencing a Hallmark movie in book form, I urge you to check this one out. Holly and Drew are so cute and I spent most of the book with a big grin on my face.

You may enjoy this book if you love:
🎄fake dating
🎄Christmas obsessed family with tons of traditions
🎄Grumpy x sunshine
🎄a somewhat meddlesome grandma
🎄he falls hard
🎄light drama

[lacyreadsromance · Rating 4 out of 5]

What’s to love in this holiday story?

🌲fake dating
🌲Rule #5 - tattoos
🌲fun family traditions
🌲she’s a painter, he’s a photographer
🌲While You Were Sleeping - the lean
🌲Gran
🌲mistletoe moment
🌲tubing and ice castles
🌲Christmas pajamas
🌲when Drew recalls the first time they met - swoon
🌲living with grief
🌲letting people in
🌲rom-com to real life
🌲the epilogue

“Shouldn’t the person you’re with be your best friend? Shouldn’t he be someone you can talk to and fight with and laugh with? The one you can see a future with. One you’d want by your side in sickness and health? Shouldn’t you be more worried about the deeper things like does he believe in God? Does he want a family? Does he have similar values as you? And what about how he treats you, doesn’t that matter at all, or only looks? Does he love you just the way you are, not expecting you to change for him because he knows you and only wants what’s best for you? Don’t those things matter.”

“Of course, those things matter………I just didn’t think you’d care about those things.”

Drew was adorable. Even if he had built up walls from being left at the alter, those walls crumbled quickly when he was with Holly. As for Holly, I think we’ve all made a list of what we think our dream guy would look like, but like most of us, have to consider tweaking that list when someone unexpected comes along and breaks all the rules.

So, so cute. Thank you Taylor Epperson for the ARC of this book. I’m definitely going to jump back a read the first book in the series!

[Cait | GoodeyReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

FLOUNDERED.

BLOG || INSTAGRAM

I wanted to love this, instead I really struggled with multiple aspects and unexplained plot points that were never resolved. Why the list? Why did we never get more true details about it? Those are the beginning of the questions I have.

There’s plenty of holiday cheer and I like seeing big families come together for the holidays. I will say there were a few cute moments between the main couple and it is dual POV which is always a nice bonus in a romance.

The third act aspects also didn’t quite make sense. I felt like there was an imbalance of “heavy” topics and the “light Christmas rom-com” vibes that I thought this book was going for.

Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Holiday Romance
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: low
- Trigger/Content Warnings: recounting loss of a mother, mentions of cheating (in the past)

[Summer Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is number two in the Nelson Sisters series, and I absolutely loved this book. If you love a sweet, funny, wholesome type story, then Taylor Epperson is the author to read. She writes such wonderful stories, and this book is no exception. Drew and Holly couldn't be more different, but when they have to fake date during the Christmas break while at Holly's family's house, let the fun and angst begin! Holly is definitely the sunshine to Drew's grumpy. But they have such amazing chemistry, and just like in the first book, I just want to keep reading about it. This book definitely made me cry more as it did touch on a few tougher topics, but it was so well done. I just can't say enough nice things about this book. I can't wait for Annie and Sam's book next!! 😍

[Moni · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 out of 5 stars

I receive a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. This is the first book of the author's that I've read and I would like to read more from her. It's book 2 in The Nelson Sisters series but can be read as a standalone. The book's blurb lets you know what to expect. It's a sweet opposites attract first person dual pov Christmas romance.

While Holly thinks she may have finally found the perfect man to fit her list of things she wants in her boyfriend/husband, she is isn't quite sure what to do when it comes to romance. Though she has gone on dates, they never led to anything serious. Drew offering to help her in exchange for her helping him is the last thing she would've guessed but she couldn't say no when he asked. Holly is bubbly and able to laugh at herself and she's the kind of person that Drew avoids. After being hurt in the past, he's closed off and a bit of grump. But, going home with Holly for the holidays means that he can avoid a situation that he doesn't want to face. As they spend time together, Drew finds himself wanting to know more about Holly and she realizes maybe her list doesn't hold true anymore.

Because of their own situations, the romance is a slow burn. Drew isn't interested in a relationship at all and Holly isn't interested in Drew. Of course, as they begin their fake dating, it allows them to view each other differently. Holly's nature and the way she is with her family made it easy for Drew to open his heart to her and possibilities he didn't think about before. Meanwhile, Holly began to see past the walls that Drew had up and also reflect on some of her own choices about her life. So, while it's a slow burn, the pacing of the story doesn't really make you feel it. Their romance is sweet and a clean one consisting of only kissing. I know some readers like to be aware of this so there is mention of two characters who like those of the same sex but they are minor characters who don't play a major role for the story. I liked how even though the story was light and funny it explored delicate situations in a realistic way. I would've liked there to be more of a build up for Holly's decision that she made at the end of the story and for Drew's confrontation of his issue to happen earlier but that's just a personal preference and the story was still fine as is. Overall, I enjoyed this book and think that others will too. I look forward to reading more from this series.

[Ashley Sills · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a Christmas romcom to add to your list this month, make it this one! 🎄

I don’t read too much contemporary romance, but I will always read Taylor’s books; I love the way she writes characters with real struggles, sweet family relationships, mental health representation, and the CUTEST romances.

The Rules of Mistletoe follows Holly, a bubbly art teacher who loves Christmas, and Drew, her grumpy fellow teacher. After their work Christmas party, Drew begs her to let him come home with her for Christmas. One phone call and a misunderstanding later, and Holly and Drew are heading home together as a fake couple. But it’s okay, because Drew Rossi is NOT Holly’s type, and vice versa. What could go wrong?

I loved this cute story about two seemingly incompatible people falling for each other and learning a lot about themselves in the process. It kept me up until two in the morning, so I basically had to give it five stars, right? 😉

Some things to expect:
- grumpy/sunshine goodness ☀️
- the BANTER 😍
- cozy Christmas traditions 🎄
- Dual POV 💕
- a few cameos of Tally and Noah from The Luck of Finding You

Taylor’s first book, The Lucky of Finding You, is about Holly’s younger sister, Tally, and it is just as adorable (think romance-novel-reading hero, a girl who doesn’t believe in love, and crazy book club ladies 😂) The series is inter-connected but each book can stand alone.

Go read this heartwarming Christmas love story and tell me what you think! If you love contemporary romance, I will suggest Taylor’s books every time.

⚠️ Grief, loss of a parent, car accident/hospital stay
🌶️ Two brief kissing scenes, flirting, tension

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Please don’t ask me how my brain works, I don’t understand it either.”

She’s got a list of rules and he’s about to break them all.
Rules for my future boyfriend (husband):
3. He always opens doors for me.
6. He has to lean (like in While You Were Sleeping)
8. He has a good relationship with his mother.
11. He loves watching romcoms and thrillers (because I have excellent taste in movies across a variety of genres).
I, Holly Nelson, have been dreaming about the perfect romance my entire life. You know the kind: guy and girl have an adorable meet cute, and slowly, over the course of the movie, fall madly in love. I have spent hours of my life watching romcoms and I now have a list of qualities and rules for my perfect man.
I finally found him, but I haven’t figured out how to get him to notice me. Instead, I’m stuck with Drew Rossi.
Andrew (Drew) Rossi doesn’t fit a single item on my life and yet he’s coming home with me for Christmas, posing as my boyfriend. He breaks every single one of my rules, well expect for maybe #5, because he does have an arm full of tattoos. But Drew is not my perfect guy, and we both know it.
This fake relationship started because of a misunderstanding, but when Drew agrees to help me land my dream man and he agrees to follow my rules, I reluctantly agree. We don’t actually like each other, so what could go wrong?

This book missed the spot for me. I thought it was just okay. There were some cute and swoony moments in the book. 3 stars.

[Randi Sampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rules of Mistletoe is the second book in The Nelson Sisters series. I had not personally read the previous book in the series and found that this read just fine as a standalone.

I absolutely adored this story. Holly is such a fun character that I couldn't help but like right from the start. Were her expectations for the perfect man a little unrealistic? Sure, but it certainly was the perfect set up for a love story... and to see her falling for the man who was the complete opposite of what she thought she wanted in almost every way. This story has two of my very favorite tropes-- fake dating and grumpy/sunshine. Drew is definitely not a people person, but as we get to know him, we understand why he struggles to allow others in... and it only made me root for him to get a happily ever after all that much more. Along with all the humor and swoon-worthy moments that I love in a romcom, this also has all the warmth and traditions of the holidays too! Family, caroling, mistletoe kisses... what's not to love about all that? If you're looking for a quick, fun holiday romance, this is definitely one to check out.

The Rules of Mistletoe is a closed-door romance with nothing beyond kisses. There is just a bit of minor language throughout the story.

**I received an ARC for consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Holly Schwartz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟 rounded up

This was SO SWEET. I loved The Luck of Finding You when I read it last year, and this second book was worth the wait. I know it wasn’t easy for Taylor to write, and it was done so well!

Holly and Drew are total opposites and somehow it works SO WELL for them. I loved the fake dating! It came up seemingly so casually, but then they were thrown into such a high pressure situation with her family! And I loved it! And they were able to have fun and be themselves around each other and realize they might know each other like they thought they did.

I loved how he challenged everything she thought she wanted in a partner. And she made him realize he was holding on to things that weren’t benefitting him, things that were holding him back.

I thought the way Holly’s and her families grief was written so well. They were all still very much grieving her mother, but they all showed it in different ways. Seeing her and her dad really talk about it was done with so much care by Taylor and even Holly and her dad were so honest and careful with each other. I also l loved Drew and his brother reconnecting, it wasn’t perfect but again they were both honest and Drew was able to still have boundaries. It was done so well.

Thank you so much to Taylor Epperson for this ARC in exchange for an hosts review! I am VERY excited for Annie and Sam’s story!

[Tati Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Book Review: The Rules Of Mistletoe

Rating: ⭐️⭐⭐⭐⭐️
Spice:
Tropes:
Dual POV
Sweet Rom Com
Fake Dating
Grumpy/ Sunshine
Home for Christmas

I just finished reading this wonderful story, and I have to say, it exceeded all my expectations! From the moment I saw the cover, I knew I was in for a treat, and I was not disappointed. The Christmas wonder in the story just warmed my heart and made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Drew and Holly were such wonderful characters, and I loved the Nelson family too. The way the story played out made me feel like I was right there in Utah with the rest of the Nelsons. As someone who values Christmas traditions, I was thrilled to see one of my family traditions mentioned in the story - getting Christmas PJs on Christmas Eve. That scene was extra special to me and made me feel even more connected to the characters. And the ending! It left me feeling so content, with a peaceful sigh and a big smile on my face. But, as much as I loved the story, I can't help but want more of Drew and Holly soon. Overall, I highly recommend this Christmas rom-com to anyone in need of a heartwarming mood boost. It truly made me happy the whole time reading, and I can't wait to read more from this author.

[Cherilyn (Cherwhatyouread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored Holly and Drew. I loved the opposites attract, the fake dating, the future husband list and how Drew didn’t met all of Holly’s “requirements” but it was so much better than what she hoped for. This book was just so good.

This book had me turning into putty over the main characters holding hands.
Seriously this quote:
I feel more than hear Holly’s groan against my chest. “I just don’t want to give the wrong idea.” Oof. That’s like a knife straight to my heart. I remind myself that I shouldn’t care so much—that I can’t care so much—because all of this is fake anyway.  “The only way it would give me the wrong idea is if you did this.” With my free hand, I find hers and lace our fingers together for a moment. We both stare at our entwined hands for a second before I pull away. “But since we’re not doing that, no confusion.”

Followed by this in the next chapter—
I’m the one that made the move to hold Drew’s hand. I’ve never done anything like this before. I’ve never been so forward in my life and I don’t know what compelled me to grab his hand in the first place. I just couldn’t get what he’d said out of my head, how if I was holding his hand that would be confusing since this is fake. And it is. This is crazy confusing.

[Chelsey Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

🚨 Release Day ARC Review 🚨

The Rules of Mistletoe contains themes of forgiveness, family, and love all wrapped up into one heartwarming Christmas novel!

Holly, a brightly-dressed art teacher, has had a list of rules for her Future Boyfriend/Husband since she was a child.

Her colleague, Drew, is a grumpy art teacher who breaks most of these rules. When a family commitment leaves him wanting an out, Holly miraculously agrees to bring him home for Christmas in order to make her dad happy- as a friend, of course.

What does this book have?

🎄Dual POV
🎄Fake dating (in the cute way!)
🎄Family bonds
🎄Own voice grief representation
🎄Sunshine x grumpy trope
🎄Cute teasing

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Content: 🍓🍓🍓.5

Touchy Topics: lgbtq+ characters + marriage, forgiveness, cheating, vehicular trauma, hospital, parental loss + grief, estranged siblings, family betrayal, stepparents/blended family, characters not believing in God

If you’re anything like me and love Christmas, you will find comfort in Holly and her story. 🎄❤️

The Rules of Mistletoe by @authortaylorepperson is available TODAY, October 5th! Grab yourself a copy! 🎉

[Ashley Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

AHHHH!!!! Another cute romance by Taylor!

The Rules of Mistletoe is everything you could want in a fake-dating Christmas romance.

-Christmas movies
-Christmas traditions
-Man falls first!!! <3
-Cute grandma who knows more than she lets on
-SNOW!
-Grumpy/sunshine!

Holly has a list of things that her future boyfriend husband must do/be/have. She may have been called "too picky" once or twice in her life, but she knows what she wants!

She is not too thrilled to be heading home for Christmas since her dad is getting remarried on Christmas Eve, so when her co-worker, Drew, practically begs to go with her to avoid his own problems, she decides fake-dating might be the thing to make this trip better.

Little does she know that the more time they spend together, the quicker they will fall.... literally.

Another great closed door, sweet romance from Taylor Epperson! I can't wait to see what she writes next!

TW: Death of a parent, cheating, hospital time

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this 3.75 stars. ALMOST 4, but not quite. It’s a cute, clean, holiday read. Frenemies to lovers, fake dating, home for the holidays, grumpy/sunshine. All the best tropes. I also really related to the way that grief was written about, so that was really appreciated.

My biggest complaint is that it felt very young. Holly seemed more like a 19-year-old than a 29-year-old. I feel like it would’ve made more sense if she was a 19yo art student and Drew was a 22yo who worked at a local gallery she volunteered at, or something like that. But her absolute lack of romantic experience + her naive (and absolutely psycho) fantasy plan she made up “if the worst happened” when they were on the plane back to California + the immaturity about her dad’s relationship and wedding felt very unrealistic for an almost 30-year-old.

And the epilogue had me rolling my eyes so hard. Did Drew not learn the first time?? Six months?! Oy.

[Cari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read these books out of order, which wasn't a huge deal, but they would probably be best read in order.

The issues I had with the first book I also have with this book. I thought that Holly was super whiney and immature. Holly and Drew's romantic feelings towards each other also felt a bit rushed, which makes sense considering how not thick this book is. I also feel like we get a mention of Holly's crush on her principal at school...but we're never really told how he fits into her list of rules considering she hasn't ever had an actual conversation with him.

With the first book and this one, the MC's dad is getting remarried, and both girls are upset by this. Again, I am a big supporter of not telling anyone how to grieve, for how long, etc. - but that applies to their dad as well. He is his own person, and you do not have the right to make him feel guilty for wanting to be happy again. Period.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness. Love love love love love love LOVEEEEE. I am obsessed with Drew and Holly. I seriously don’t know if I could let an annoying co-worker come home with me for Christmas but it was everything I would have assumed it was. The Christmas aspect was magical. I really loved when they went tubing. I truly felt like I was there and it made me laugh. I just love Christmas time. Aside from the romance story itself, I actually am in an extremely similar situation as Holly and I cannot tell you how oddly comforting it was to feel validated in my feelings surrounding the situation. Even though she’s a fictional character, it was nice to feel like someone else felt the same way as me for once. Taylor doesn’t even know and she did that through this book anyway.

[Katie Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet and fun read! Christmas romances are always cute. 😍 I really liked the dynamics of the MCs and felt like their relationship was well written. The side characters (especially Gran) were so fun! 😂 I also appreciated the talks of grief and how to move on from the passing of a mother. Looking forward to reading Annie’s story now!

The only thing I didn’t like was that the author claims to be a Christian, yet has gay characters (they weren’t prominent thankfully) and had her MMC say he doesn’t care for religion. If she doesn’t want to make her books specifically Christian that’s fine, but to go the opposite and have them specifically NOT Christian?? Idk it just rubbed me wrong.

[Kathleen Denly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sweet romantic comedy has a unique setup and although the grumpy-sunshine trope isn't usually my cup of tea, these two were irresistible. I loved going along with their journey from acquaintances with seemingly little in common to two people so right for each other that imagining them apart is heartbreaking. Thankfully, this is a true romance with a requisite happy ending. While this story didn't have me clutching my stomach as I rolled with laughter, there were several inside chuckles and even a few out-loud laughs. Add to that a charming supporting cast and an unexpected twist to make this one of my favorite holiday reads this year.

Also, I enjoyed this story via audible and the narration was well done which helped to keep me listening.

[Heidireadsitall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun and festive fake dating romcom! Holly's list of "rules for love" had me laughing out loud, especially as Drew managed to break every single one of them in the most charming ways possible. Their banter and chemistry made this such an easy listen, and the Christmas vibes were chef's kiss.

Lisa Lynn Sanalin absolutely nailed the narration! She brought Holly's personality to life and made Drew sound perfectly swoony and sarcastic at the same time. Her performance added so much warmth and humor to the story.

If you love holiday romcoms with rule breaking heroes, fake dating gone wrong (and oh so right), and a narrator who keeps you smiling the entire time, this one's a must listen!

[C.P. Cabaniss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really sweet story with great leads in Holly and Drew. Seeing their relationship unfold and how they had to adjust their preconceptions about each other was great. All of the Christmas traditions were fun and it added a nice way for Holly and Drew to grow closer in a way that didn't feel forced.

I am excited to read the third book in this series of connected standalones when it releases.

Thank you to the author for an ARC of this book.

Note: I don't use a star rating system. The only time you will see star ratings from me is if it's for a self-published or lesser known author that I am trying to support, since I know that ratings can make a big deal.

[Megan Thornton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so cute! I was drawn in from the first page and pulled through all the way to the end. I was so invested.

The angst and drama is rather minimal in this fake-dating, Christmas romance. It's perfect for a comforting holiday read.

The fake dating was very believable for me, and I think it's because Drew volunteers to be Holly's fake boyfriend all on his own, instead of her asking him. (It all happens in a bit of a miscommunication with her father on speakerphone.)

I loved seeing a "late bloomer" as a character. Holly is almost 30 and never been kissed. I like seeing rep like that.

[Kristiann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know it’s October and maybe you’re not ready for a Christmas story, but you should be. Holly and Drew are the sweetest couple. These characters felt like friends I was getting to know. I mean who doesn’t want a quirky, color wearing artist and a bearded tattooed photographer in their life?!

The moments that Holly and Drew have together our some moments I’ve experienced with my own love which made this book so special. Also the Christmas traditions and experiences that Drew has with Holly’s family were so fun and touching and my heart swooned.

If you love Christmas, a grumpy/sunshine trope, and cute romantic moments, you have to read this book!

[allison christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let the season of Christmas romances commence!

This was such a sweet, fun, and cozy holiday story! Holly and Drew were great, and I loved watching them navigate their growing feelings. Holly's journey through grief felt real and honest in a way I appreciated, and I'm an absolute sucker for a guy who doesn't believe in love who gets absolutely swept off his feet but a colorful and chaotic girl, and Drew served those vibes so well!

I loved the dynamic between Holly's family all together for the holidays. They were all so cute and hilarious, and I loved seeing Tally and Noah again. All the Christmas-y activities and cozy holiday vibes were exactly what I wanted.

Definitely make sure this one is on your list of holiday romances for this season! You do not want to miss it!

Romantic Content: Kisses

Thank you SO MUCH to the author for an ARC of this story to read and review!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a bit early for Christmas books, but definitely bookmark this one for your December reads! This checks all the Christmas read boxes: cozy vibes, family shenanigans, adorable tropes, and Christmas feels! I really loved this and Holly and Drew are so sweet! I have specific criteria for 5-star Christmas reads and that is: just make me smile and give me all the comforting feels! This was perfect for those reasons. ❤️💚

**I received an arc in exchange for a review; these are my honest thoughts!

[Sahana Ramnath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahh this was such a cute and swoony read Christmas themed read, it really cheered me up! It's a fake dating between a grumpy/sunshine (pessimist/optimist) teacher duo who go to her house for the holidays + an impromptu wedding of her dad. The fake dating and the fake-to-real-affection arc really served 😭 and the third act non-breakup was really sweet.

TWs - death of parent (past), sibling and family in an almost-fatal accident (present), cheating (past), being left at the altar (past)

-- ty to the author for an advanced copy!