My Frosty Fake Christmas Date: A Clean Cowboy RomCom

by Cassie Bowen

Every holiday season, my family puts on the largest Christmas Eve party in our small town, and every year, I’m reminded of my ex-fiancé…

And how long it’s been since I’ve brought along a date.

Well, this year, it’s going to change.

When I run into my ex’s old best friend, Tucker Madison, I strike a deal with him that he can’t resist. He agrees to play my swoon worthy, lovestruck boyfriend—as long as I set him up with time to pitch a business deal to my father. Then, at the end of the holidays, Tucker can dust off his hat and ride away into the sunset. It’s perfect…

Except for one small problem.

He’s not nearly as insufferable as I remember. Beneath his frosty exterior and even icier blue eyes, is a man who might hold the key to helping me find love again…

With him.

But just when I think my unplanned feelings are the only problem, our secret agreement is suddenly on the brink of being outed. Now, I could lose my family’s trust, Tucker could lose his livelihood, and we both might lose our chance at real love.

This is not what I asked for this Christmas.

**My Frosty Fake Christmas Date is a standalone closed door Christmas romantic comedy. It has a guaranteed happily ever after and no cheating.

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Fiction, Westerns, Fake Dating, Contemporary, Novella

148 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 18, 2024

Reviews

[Reann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it & I've found a new author to follow! It was a struggle to put this down! I loved the characters & they were well written with a good back story, especially Tuckers. I would love to see this made into a movie! This book has made it into my read again pile!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brenda Moser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written Christmas novella with strong characters in Julie and Tucker. The author gets you into the holiday spirit with this sweet romance. She moves the story quickly and smoothly and delivers an enjoyable read.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had some cute parts, but it was just not it

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

For this being a shorter story, I was really impressed with the depth of the characters. Also, a cowboy named Tucker...I couldn't resist.

[Morgan Menzel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't hate this book, but also didn't love it. My biggest issue was the length of it. When I saw it was 148 pages I thought, this story will be rushed... and it unfortunately was.

The deal was made within 12 pages, and then suddenly the characters were in their 'fake relationship scenario'. It just felt like nowhere near enough time was spent introducing the characters (and so many of them were unlikable). Also, I just really didn't feel the chemistry between them at all.

Then we get to the conflict where everyone finds out, and sure enough, it's resolved within less than 25 pages. If the book had even another 50 pages, it would've been better. It just fell flat. In saying that though, I enjoyed the premise and it did feel very Christmasy!

[Mary Lou Webb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Needs a good editor.

The story’s not bad, but it needs a good editor. I made some notes of the worst offenses, but a good editor could make this story into a delightful one to read. The characters are interesting and the plot is fine. Really, the grammar problems are the only thing keeping this from being a five star story. I was pulled out of the story so many times trying to figure out what the author meant. I won’t be purchasing any more books by this author as I’m afraid they’ll all have the same problem.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Frosty Fake Christmas Date
By Cassie Bowen

🎄ARC Review🎄

I am a sucker for a good cowboy romance and this checked all the boxes! This was such a cute novella that I can’t recommend enough.

Julie Cooper comes back each Christmas to Hillsdale and hears overlapping whispers of how her boyfriend in high school cheated on her with her “best friend”. Tucker Madison is a ranch hand who is looking for a new place to live after the land he was leasing is being sold.
What do these two in have in common, you might ask well she’s needing a boyfriend for Christmas and he’s needing a new place to live.
Julie’s father is the owner of one of the biggest ranches and this could be a huge help to Tucker. Julie and Tucker just so happen to reconnect in a local bar and while there Julie proposes this whole fake dating plan to him. He thinks it over and says yes. Tucker has always loved Julie but they’ve not ever been able to be together due to her being with his best friend.
How will this affect these two? You’ll have to purchase this book and read it for yourself to see! You’re not going to be sorry, I promise!

Thank you for allowing me to be an ARC Reader I enjoyed this novella so very much!

⛄️ Grumpy Cowboy
⛄️ Fake Dating

[Nicola “Shortbookthyme” · Rating 5 out of 5]

✅Thank you @cassie.bowen.author for the opportunity to read My Frosty Fake Christmas Date. This is my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

My thoughts:
What a cute Christmas story!
I loved the main characters, Julie and Tucker. The chemistry between them was so endearing.
Christmas Rom-Com
Fake Dating
Grumpy Cowboy
Forced Proximity
Ex’s Ex-Best Friend
Clean romance
This was the perfect cozy, sweet holiday romance. The story will pull on your heartstrings for sure!
If you are looking for a heartwarming Christmas read, you need to read My Frosty Fake Christmas Date.

#shortbookthyme
@shortbookthyme

[MacKenzie Emery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story! It was short and sweet but was so well written you were sucked into the story and felt like you were spending Christmas with the Coopers. You get cowboys, fake dating, and small town conflict. I loved Tucker’s authentic personality and how he genuinely wants to be a nice guy despite the hand life gave him. Julie deserved so much more than what happened with her ex and that girl must be a saint because the fact she is still cordial with them amazes me.

This is a dual pov, clean romance.

[Nicole Darius · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute Christmas novella with an adorable grumpy-sunshine couple and a cowboy to boot. Julie and Tuck are a believable couple and their relationship growth is sweet. I enjoyed the author's writing style and the wholesome love story. I was rooting for both of them to stand up to the past and realize their future. Great read for the holiday season and look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to Cassie Bowen for this ARC.

[littlesmuttyone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm sucker for a grumpy cowboy, especially tucker he such a great man, the kind that people tend to judge without truly knowing him.

Jules been through it tonight awful ex boyfriend and horrible ex best friend I wanted strangle them but the result I guess was worth it for tucker and jules

It is such a sweet swoony romance that it kind of reminds me of a hallmark movie. I'm sucker for those as well
I enjoyed it, especially Carson he nit a fan of nate either, so I love him for that

[Janett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a short cute Christmas romance!! Grumpy cowboy?! Yeeesss!!! Just how he has always loved her and protected her without her even knowing 😭 this books shows you just how big of a turn life makes and those who thought were above everyone well ended exactly where they needed to be! 🤭
Absolutely enjoyed reading it and recommend everyone to read! 💕💕💕

[Marcia Arguelles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an incredibly sweet, yet heartfelt novel. Was not expecting to like it as much as I did!
All the characters were incredibly well built and you can see a change in them throughout even tho it’s such a small book. I would have liked to have seen a more thorough change on Julie, but it was still a great read!

[Angelica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trauma dumping to a child is wild but okay 🙃

[Samantha DeVincentis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute & quick Christmasy, clean Cowboy romance !

[Madre Yam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read!!

I have to say that I am quite surprised and happy I read this book!! I will be looking for more books by this author.

[Jaclyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute story!

[Lindsey Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 🌶️

What a great introduction to Cassie Bowen. The first book of hers that I have read and I really enjoyed everything about it. Looking at her other two books, this seems to be a first for her in the rom-com genre and I am glad she has branched out. I hope to see more of her in this sub-genre of romance, along with longer books. Her style is fun to read, is well paced, and her clean romance doesn’t skimp on the sizzle. Our MCs have chemistry galore and it was very enjoyable to read about them finding each other.

Julie is coming home to Hillsdale for the holidays, but too soon starts hearing whispers of her past. The joy of living in a small town and everyone knowing your high school sweetheart cheated on you with your then best friend. What she wouldn’t give to have someone who could stop the old rumors and start some new ones. Coincidentally, someone from her past reappears in her life, maybe being the person she could lean on while home.

Tuck is in need of a new place to live. He doesn’t expect to see Julie at the local bar, but so glad he does. Having always loved her, dating his best friend once upon a time, he never shared these feelings. So when she proposes a fake relationship in exchange for a place to stay, he jumps at the opportunity. Maybe this is the opportunity he needs to show Julie how worthy she is of being treated right and that he should have been the man by her side all those years ago.

A short, cute read, I enjoyed watching Julie and Tucker rekindle their friendship and watch it grow into something more. These two are easy to relate to, their circumstances believable, and the heat dripping off their witty banter is perfect! I truly do hope to see more rom-coms from Cassie as she gave us a great holiday romance in this book.

As always, review any author notes before reading.

Tropes:
🥾Grumpy Cowboy MMC
🎄Fake Dating
🥾Forced Proximity
🎄Ex’s Ex-Best Friend
🥾Clean Romance
🎄Holiday Novella

[Anais Rosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Frosty Fake Christmas Date by Cassie Bowman is a sweet cowboy holiday romance that stole my heart. It’s a closed-door story with no spice, but I loved it all the same! 🤠🎄

What can you expect?
🏡 Small-town romance
❤️‍🔥 Fake dating
🌤️ Grumpy-sunshine dynamics
❄️ Forced proximity
👥 Ex’s ex-best friend
🚪 Closed-door romance

4.25 ⭐️

I was browsing Kindle Unlimited for Christmas novellas and stumbled upon this gem. The moment I saw it featured a cowboy, I knew I had to read it!

Julie rarely returns to her hometown, where people still gossip about her ex, even though the breakup happened over a decade ago. Enter Tucker, an orphan who lived in the town for only three years but made a lasting impact. Years ago, after defending Julie, Tucker was accused by his best friend (Julie’s ex) of being a thief. Now, he’s back in town, and when he reconnects with Julie at the local bar, she comes up with a plan. Julie has never brought home a boyfriend and is tired of being seen as the lonely girl, which is why she proposes the fake dating arrangement. She’s also scared to give her heart away again, which explains why she hasn’t been in a relationship since her breakup.

Tucker is grumpy and has no love for Christmas, but he agrees to help Julie and must pretend to enjoy the festivities with her family. Despite his reluctance, her family embraces him wholeheartedly, and he slowly begins to feel like part of their traditions. Tucker had a crush on Julie in high school, and those feelings resurface as they spend time together.

As for Julie, she starts to notice Tucker’s growth and the way he’s changed. The little moments between them—his attentiveness, his thoughtfulness, and their shared connection—make her realize she’s falling for him. It was heartwarming to see Tucker not only find love but also a sense of belonging with Julie’s family and even reconnect with some of his own extended family. The small-town traditions, the cozy holiday vibes, and the emotional journey of the characters made this a lovely read. If you’re looking for a sweet, closed-door holiday romance with a cowboy twist, give this one a try! 🎄✨

[Hannah Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

☃️ARC REVIEW☃️

This was such a fun, heartwarming, quick read! 🎄❤️

If you like tropes such as, fake dating, grumpy cowboy, ex’s ex-best friend, you will love Tucker and Julie’s story!😍

Julie Cooper is tired of coming back home to Hillsdale each Christmas without a man on her arm, and hearing the whispers of her high school boyfriend and how he cheated on her with her “best friend”.
Tucker Madison runs a cattle business but the land he leases is being sold leaving him needing to find a place to live and for his cattle.
Julie’s father, Cal Cooper is the owner of one of the biggest ranches in their state, and could be the perfect fit for Tucker and his business. When he makes a stop at the local bar in Hillsdale, he wasn’t expecting to see Julie, or for her to propose a fake dating plan in exchange for helping him get a deal with her Dad.

Tucker has always loved Julie, since arriving in Hillsdale when they were in high school but never said anything because she was with his best friend. Tucker had a complicated past, and never really had a family or true home. Will the Christmas spirit, and fake dating situation bring everything to light? You HAVE to read this book to find out!

I loved how this was written! I especially love a cowboy with a grumpy exterior, but soft and loving interior! 👏🏼 The characters were great, and very relatable. It’s the kind of holiday romance that you will read in one sitting, a great pallet cleanser! 🤌🏼😍


Thank you to the author for allowing me to read an ARC of this book and share my thoughts!

[Ireland Robbins]

❄️“My Frosty Fake Christmas Date” by Cassie Bowen❄️

Thank you so so much to Cassie Bowen and team for an ARC of this one♥️

Tropes:
🧤Grumpy/Sunshine
🧤Fake Dating
🧤Forced-Proximity
🧤Ex’s Best-Friend
🧤Christmas Setting
🧤Cowboy
🧤Small Town
🧤Clean/Closed Door

This was such a cute and quick Christmas-y read! I’ve decided not to give a star rating just because it was sooo short (less than 150 pages?!?), and I don’t typically rate novellas and shorter books, but I will say that if you’re looking for a quick palate cleanser romance, a little sugar, no spice, cowboy MMC, rancher’s daughter FMC, small town, fake dating, set at Christmas in Texas with all the holiday vibes… this one is for you!

Because it was so short, I did feel like the romance was a bit rushed, and if it was longer the depth and strength of the romance would’ve been more flushed out. I did feel like the romance happened really fast, all at once, right at the end. I would’ve liked to see more flirty banter and tension inducing scenes between our MCs so that I could really believe in their relationship. I love a slow burn but sometimes slow burn is only effective when you have a long enough book to really build up the tension.

All this to say, I enjoyed myself while reading and I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to receive and read this ARC! Now out on KU💚

[Shannon]

A big thank you to Cassie Bowen and her team for an ARC!

If you love heart warming and cheesy hallmark movies, this book is for you! It definitely read like a Christmas romcom movie. It was a quick read, coming in at just under 150 pages.

Fake dating tropes are my weakness, and I thought the set-up was pretty okay. Julie needs her family to stop thinking she's still hung up on her ex (from over a decade ago) and Tucker agrees to go along with it to use Julie's connections to expand his cattle business.

Unfortunately, a lot of this book didn't work for me. Most of the humor felt a little flat. There's a running bit with the main male lead having a strange obsession with his holiday themed bed sheets, and it was brought up soooo many times. There was also a paragraph where he trauma dumps on a four year old, that was definitely meant to be a somber moment, but the way it was written made it unintentionally hilarious.

The romantic parts came off super cheesy, and I caught myself rolling my eyes on more than one occasion. Julie (and honestly most of the characters) came off as super childish. I think the story would have been better if the couple was aged down a bit, focusing more on the years right after graduating high school.

For those looking for a short, low steaks (cattle pun intended), lighthearted holiday book, this would probably work for you!

[Meaghan Elizabeth 🌙 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun read just in time for the holiday season. The fake dating trope is one of my absolute favorites and this story did not disappoint.

Julie and Tucker have known each other since high school and Julie was dating his best friend, Nate. Tucker always had a thing for Julie and when he found out that Nate was cheating on her with her own best friend, he had a big falling out with Nate and wound up leaving town.

Tucker is a cattle farmer who is desperate to find an investor after losing his lease on his cattle ranch. When he goes back home to Texas, he runs into Julie, whose dad also happens to be a big investor.

Julie is sick of coming home for the holidays without a boyfriend, especially when she’s constantly reminded of her ex and ex best friend that are together. She strikes a deal with Tucker. If he plays the part as her boyfriend for the holidays, she will get her dad to invest in his business.

During their charade, Tucker soon realizes that his feelings for Julie never went away, and Julie starts to develop the same feelings for him. The two of them are so perfect for each other and they both received the happy ending that they deserved.

I definitely recommend this book. It is a short Christmas novella and has no spice, just a cute romance❤️🎄

[serysbookspace · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ARC REVIEW✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
— My Frosty Fake Christmas Date
☃️ by Cassie Bowen!

❄️ okay I ate this book UP!!! 😍 this storyline was so entertaining and I absolutely love a fake dating trope! 🤭 our main characters Julie and Tucker strike up a an interesting deal together through Christmas…

Julie promises that if Tucker pretends to be her swoon worthy boyfriend for the holidays, she will talk to her dad about accepting his business deal! It’s all going to plan until real feelings start forming 🤭🩷

I loved these characters so much and I loved getting to see this storyline unfold! The plot was so good and I loved the added family/found family aspect we see through the book. 🫶🏻

Tucker is a cattle rancher cowboy who will have you melting in your cowgirl boots for sure! 😉😍 I loved this book so much. I will be reading every story Cassie Bowen writes as both reads by her were 5 STAR ⭐️ for me!

If you love a fun cowboy small town romance, fake dating, closed door, Hallmark Christmas romance… this one is for you!

☃️My Frosty Fake Christmas Date
❄️by Cassie Bowen
☃️ AVAILABLE ✨NOW✨

Thank you so much, Cassie, for trusting me with your work and allowing me to ARC read for this lovely book! 🩷

[Makayla Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mix fake dating, Ex’s Ex-Best friend, forced proximity, and Christmas, and you get the cutest clean read ever! This is one of my first holiday reads of the season and it was exactly what I needed! Julie cooper is tired of coming back home to hillsdale, Texas to whispers and pity from the town about how her best friend cheated with her boyfriend back in high school! This Christmas she found herself “forever alone” once again so when she runs into her ex boyfriend’s ex best friend she takes it as an opportunity to convince him to be her fake boyfriend for Christmas! Just her luck, Tucker Madison used to have a huge crush on her and now is in need of some land to run his cattle on, which Julie’s father has an abundance of! This book transported me right into one of my favorite hallmark movies! I loved how supportive her brother and sister in law were throughout the book even when her mother made questionable choices regarding Maddie & Nate. I also loved the foster care representation and the found family aspect within Tucker’s story! I can’t wait to read more from Cassie Bowen! Thank you again to the author for my eARC!

[Bri M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute story and its a quick read. I loved it so much, my goal is to read this every Christmas season!

Julie and Tucker strike me as complete opposites, on most things at least. You've basically got the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who.

The minute Mr. Grumpy agrees to fake date Ms. Sunshine, I got giddy and wondered if Julie would be able to thaw out Tuckers heart any.  

My favorite thing about this story, was all the background info we also got on our MCs. I want to expand on this, but can't find any non-spoiler ways to put it. It'll make you feel a lot of feelings and you'll be glad it wasn't spoiled for you. 


Thank you to the author @ for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.


If you enjoyed this one, Cassie is also working on her Red River Series!

TROPES:

🎄Grumpy x Sunshine 
❤️Christmas Romance
🎄Fake dating 
❤️Forced proximity 
🎄Cowboy Romance 
❤️Rom-Com 


#reader #readersofinstagram #books #bookish #bookishcontent #bookishaccount #bookishvibes #romancereader #fantasyreader #arc #arcreader #arcteams #bookdragon #tropes #readmorebooks #grumpysunshine #fakedating #forcedproximity #romcom #cowboyromamce #christmasromance

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Frosty Fake Christmas Date was a cute Hallmark-ish Christmas book. Tucker is a grumpy cowboy Grinch who used to have a crush on Julie. Julie our sunshine FMC is the daughter of a rancher. Julie and Tucker set out to fake date through Christmas so Julie's family will leave her alone about being single and also hoping to get Tucker a lease at her family's ranch.

Tucker's history is heartbreaking, but it only makes his present and future with Julie that much better. Julie's history of a crappy ex boyfriend AND ex best friend made my heart hurt for her. She's so sweet and didn't deserve the way Nate used her and then treated her. The story was sweet and even though I'm a big fan of open door spice, this book was enjoyable even without it. I know this was a holiday book, but I would love to see more from the characters in this book. 4/5⭐

Carly was an absolute delight, I love that she just accepted Tucker as part of the family no questions.

[Kelsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: no spice

A girl who doesn’t want to show up to her families ranch to be only single Pringle at Christmas… again. And a grumpy cowboy who has a herd of cattle to maintain and no land or home to do it. But when these old friends get reacquainted in a bar they may just be the answer to each other’s crisis… and even though both are determined to keep feeling out of it fate, Christmas and their own hearts may just send a little love their way during this special holiday!

I absolutely loved this novella. It was a quick, fun romantic read with just a smidgen of ex-boyfriend drama. The characters were relatable and fun, the shenanigans from Christmas cookie decorating to town parades were hilarious, the romance was so sweet, the emotions were real, and the happily ever after was perfect! So if all of that sounds like what you’re looking for in your Christmas read I would highly recommend adding My Frosty Fake Christmas Date to your TBR!

HAPPY READING 📖

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fake Dating for Christmas . . .

Tucker Madison and Julie Cooper each need something from each other, so they agree to fake date to give Tucker an opportunity to discuss a ranch deal involving leasing some land for his cattle from her dad and Julie can get her family to stop pressuring her about not having a man in her life after her bad experience. So maybe this will prove she is finally over the breakup with Nate Roland. And her family’s huge Christmas Eve party is the perfect setting for them to each achieve their goal. What she didn’t count on was falling for him for real! But when Nate comes back to town, he seems ready to make trouble for them and his lies could ruin both the land lease agreement and the relationship Tucker and Julie have begun if he convinces her Tucker has just been using her all along for his own gain. Will his plan work? Or will they care enough about each other to stay together and find their HEA?

[Melissa Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a perfect novella to get lost in as Christmas season begins!😍🎄❄️ This novella packs so much holiday cheer into such a small package; Christmas parades, Holiday baking, Snowmen, and Small town charm.

One thing I really appreciated about this novella is the relationship between our MFC and MMC didn’t feel rushed, like it can in others. They already had a bit of a history growing up in the same town and him being her Ex’s best friend.

Now back to the small town charm I mentioned earlier, I’m sure you see from the cover of the book that our MMC Cooper is wearing a cowboy hat 👀 and YES!!! The answer to what you’re think is, this IS a cowboy romance too!!!😍🤭 Cooper is cattle rancher who is struggling to find a place to expand and it just so happens that our MFC Julie’s family owns a cattle ranch!

So if you’re looking for a fun, quick, and swoon worthy read to get you in the holiday spirits, THIS is the book for you!🫶🏻