What do you think?
Rate this book
Mistletoe Falls #1
Better Not Pout
A sugar-filled, fake holi-dating, small town romance filled with heat, heart, a couple of temperamental weenie dogs, and heaps of holiday cheer from USA Today Bestselling Author Maren Moore.
A lost letter to Santa gone terribly wrong…or perfectly right?
As the owner of my family’s vintage candy shop, there are two things I’m great at: Sweet treats and Christmas.
Love on the other hand?
Not so much.
So when my best friend insists we write letters to Santa asking for our dream men for Christmas, I figure it’s just a bit of holiday fun…until my letter mysteriously disappears.
And then Wells McCoy moves in next door.
Retired hockey player. New bar owner. Ridiculously handsome.
Infuriatingly expert at pushing all of my buttons.
And somehow, he checks off nearly every box from my dream man wish list.
When Wells unexpectedly steps in to help me save face in front of my ex, we strike a deal: A little fake holi-dating to get us both through the season. No feelings and no strings.
But between confusing mistletoe kisses, cozy nights with his family, and chemistry that feels anything but fake, lines start to blur.
Suddenly, fake feels a lot like falling.
And with the clock ticking down to Christmas, I can’t help but wonder: was it all just a sweet coincidence… or is this Christmas magic after all?
Read this if you love:
Holiday romance
Small town
Fake HOLI-dating
Forced proximity
Dislike to... banging
Hallmark AFTER DARK 🌶️
A lost letter to Santa gone terribly wrong…or perfectly right?
As the owner of my family’s vintage candy shop, there are two things I’m great at: Sweet treats and Christmas.
Love on the other hand?
Not so much.
So when my best friend insists we write letters to Santa asking for our dream men for Christmas, I figure it’s just a bit of holiday fun…until my letter mysteriously disappears.
And then Wells McCoy moves in next door.
Retired hockey player. New bar owner. Ridiculously handsome.
Infuriatingly expert at pushing all of my buttons.
And somehow, he checks off nearly every box from my dream man wish list.
When Wells unexpectedly steps in to help me save face in front of my ex, we strike a deal: A little fake holi-dating to get us both through the season. No feelings and no strings.
But between confusing mistletoe kisses, cozy nights with his family, and chemistry that feels anything but fake, lines start to blur.
Suddenly, fake feels a lot like falling.
And with the clock ticking down to Christmas, I can’t help but wonder: was it all just a sweet coincidence… or is this Christmas magic after all?
Read this if you love:
Holiday romance
Small town
Fake HOLI-dating
Forced proximity
Dislike to... banging
Hallmark AFTER DARK 🌶️
243 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 14, 2025
1287 people are currently reading
3086 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 865 reviews
November 12, 2025
Better Not Pout by Maren Moore
4/5 stars
Better Not Pout is such a sweet, funny, hot, delicious and grin inducing Christmas romance. I was sucked in right from the first page onwards and just couldn't stop reading.
The book starts with Rosalie having a drink with her best friend Kennedy. Rosalie and her grandparents own a candy store named Sweet Sullivan. And every year they have a mail box where the locals can leave a letter and in the past her grandmother answered them. Now it's Rosalie's task. And Kennedy has the bright idea to ask Santa for their dream man. Rosalie sputters at first. But then she starts writing and wishes for a lumberjack, a hot and dog loving man.
And the very next day when she wants to retrieve the letters from the mailbox, they have disappeared. The empty store beside the candy store finally got sold and she storms in there thinking her neighbour is a letter stealing thief! There she spots the man of her dreams. Wells instantly makes her insides tingle and they have a delicious argument.
A few days later Rosalie's ex who treated her so poorly and who knocked down her confidence completely is asking her to take on an order for his upcoming wedding. Wells sees her stumble and after he hears how awful he treats her, he steps in and pretends to be her boyfriend. It gives her the strength to continue the conversation but afterwards she is livid. Their small town will instantly think they are dating and at first she is annoyed. But quite soon they devise a plan to keep the ruse going so they have a holi-date for both their Christmas commitments.
And that is what this fun and beautiful book is about. It's about two people who are attracted to each other thinking they can keep things professional. But right from the get go they know deep down it's doomed to fail.
I love how much heart this book has. Rosalie's grandparents are the kindest and most supporting grandparents in the entire world. And Wells' close family is a huge, tightly knitted family who would do anything for each other. I also loved the presence of their dogs.
But what I loved most is that Wells sees how deep the emotional scars run that Rosalie's ex inflicted upon her. Making her feel like a big girl, a girl who doesn't deserve the world, made her feel like a stepping stone to something better. I love how he builds her up. How he compliments her constantly. How he appreciates her curves. How he gives her the strength to find her own strength. I love how fierce she becomes.
And I adore how we learn in the end how her letter to Santa got missing.
This is a must read for Christmas! If you haven't picked it up then definitely pick it up and give it a try. It is worth your time. And I just know you'll fall for them like I did.
4 huge stars for Better Not Pout!
4/5 stars
Better Not Pout is such a sweet, funny, hot, delicious and grin inducing Christmas romance. I was sucked in right from the first page onwards and just couldn't stop reading.
The book starts with Rosalie having a drink with her best friend Kennedy. Rosalie and her grandparents own a candy store named Sweet Sullivan. And every year they have a mail box where the locals can leave a letter and in the past her grandmother answered them. Now it's Rosalie's task. And Kennedy has the bright idea to ask Santa for their dream man. Rosalie sputters at first. But then she starts writing and wishes for a lumberjack, a hot and dog loving man.
And the very next day when she wants to retrieve the letters from the mailbox, they have disappeared. The empty store beside the candy store finally got sold and she storms in there thinking her neighbour is a letter stealing thief! There she spots the man of her dreams. Wells instantly makes her insides tingle and they have a delicious argument.
A few days later Rosalie's ex who treated her so poorly and who knocked down her confidence completely is asking her to take on an order for his upcoming wedding. Wells sees her stumble and after he hears how awful he treats her, he steps in and pretends to be her boyfriend. It gives her the strength to continue the conversation but afterwards she is livid. Their small town will instantly think they are dating and at first she is annoyed. But quite soon they devise a plan to keep the ruse going so they have a holi-date for both their Christmas commitments.
And that is what this fun and beautiful book is about. It's about two people who are attracted to each other thinking they can keep things professional. But right from the get go they know deep down it's doomed to fail.
I love how much heart this book has. Rosalie's grandparents are the kindest and most supporting grandparents in the entire world. And Wells' close family is a huge, tightly knitted family who would do anything for each other. I also loved the presence of their dogs.
But what I loved most is that Wells sees how deep the emotional scars run that Rosalie's ex inflicted upon her. Making her feel like a big girl, a girl who doesn't deserve the world, made her feel like a stepping stone to something better. I love how he builds her up. How he compliments her constantly. How he appreciates her curves. How he gives her the strength to find her own strength. I love how fierce she becomes.
And I adore how we learn in the end how her letter to Santa got missing.
This is a must read for Christmas! If you haven't picked it up then definitely pick it up and give it a try. It is worth your time. And I just know you'll fall for them like I did.
4 huge stars for Better Not Pout!
Currently reading
December 17, 2025➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ Mareen Moore 🤝 Christmas novellas IT'S TIMEEE
November 21, 2025
3.5 stars!! ⭐️
A cute little holiday romance!! 🫶🏼
A cute little holiday romance!! 🫶🏼
December 3, 2025
⋆˙⟡ — 2 stars
this was so boring 😭
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ it’s december so yk what that means 🤭 time to binge christmas books!! 🎄💗
this was so boring 😭
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ it’s december so yk what that means 🤭 time to binge christmas books!! 🎄💗
November 16, 2025
3.25⭐️
This was an adorable, whimsical, and delightfully spicy Christmas novella! With its cozy small town vibes, this book is a perfect holiday read.
I adored every character, especially Rosalie, who’s slowly finding her confidence again after a toxic relationship. The romance between her and Wells was so tender and wholesome, the kind that wraps around you like a cozy blanket.
There were moments when the writing felt a bit cringey and I struggled to connect with the characters, but it was still an easy, lighthearted read overall!
This was an adorable, whimsical, and delightfully spicy Christmas novella! With its cozy small town vibes, this book is a perfect holiday read.
I adored every character, especially Rosalie, who’s slowly finding her confidence again after a toxic relationship. The romance between her and Wells was so tender and wholesome, the kind that wraps around you like a cozy blanket.
There were moments when the writing felt a bit cringey and I struggled to connect with the characters, but it was still an easy, lighthearted read overall!
December 11, 2025
REVIEW
Rating: 5/5
POV: 1st, dual
Tropes: Fake Dating; Neighbors; CR/Romcomish; Found Family; No 3rd Act Breakup; Slow Burn;
Heat Level: 2/5
Kinks: Lots of Good Girl (praise)
Likes:
* Both MC's! Such lovely characters and they were seriously so perfect for one another
* Fantastic side characters! There was a lot of love to go around and it just helped give the story even more of a Hallmark feel
Dislikes:
Conclusion:
What a great introduction to this author. I loved this Christmas novella. It was able to provide a true romance without instalove and that is hard to do (or so it appears since this is rare!).
The MCs, Rosalie and Wells, were so perfect for one another. Literally Rosalie basically wished Wells into existence with some Santa/Christmas magic and some meddling side characters lol. They had so much in common and Wells may have checked off everything on a certain list!
I highly recommend this sweet and romantic story with a very dirty mouthed MMC 😏😏
And in typical fashion I had a lovely time buddy reading this with Lori! 💕
5/5
Rating: 5/5
POV: 1st, dual
Tropes: Fake Dating; Neighbors; CR/Romcomish; Found Family; No 3rd Act Breakup; Slow Burn;
Heat Level: 2/5
Kinks: Lots of Good Girl (praise)
Likes:
* Both MC's! Such lovely characters and they were seriously so perfect for one another
* Fantastic side characters! There was a lot of love to go around and it just helped give the story even more of a Hallmark feel
Dislikes:
Conclusion:
What a great introduction to this author. I loved this Christmas novella. It was able to provide a true romance without instalove and that is hard to do (or so it appears since this is rare!).
The MCs, Rosalie and Wells, were so perfect for one another. Literally Rosalie basically wished Wells into existence with some Santa/Christmas magic and some meddling side characters lol. They had so much in common and Wells may have checked off everything on a certain list!
I highly recommend this sweet and romantic story with a very dirty mouthed MMC 😏😏
And in typical fashion I had a lovely time buddy reading this with Lori! 💕
5/5
November 9, 2025
Better Not Pout is a small town, fake holi-dating, forced proximity (they own businesses next door), holiday romance! Super fun and spicy, very much hallmark after dark vibes.
Rosalie works at a vintage candy store that has been in her family for generations and loves being a candy maker! One night her and her bestie decide to fill out letters to Santa on their perfect partner. The next day their letters have gone missing mysteriously and Rosalie meets the new business owner next door who seems to perfectly match all the things she wished for in her letter to Santa…! Wells is the grumpy, retired hockey player who moves in next door to her store and is opening a bar. They get off to a not-so-great start when she accuses him of stealing her letter, but things get better when he steps in and pretends to be her boyfriend in front of her ex.
Fake dating for the holidays, it helps Rosalie with her ex who is already engaged and asking for her shop to make candy for his engagement party and helps Wells out who is the only single one in his big family when they gather for the holidays. Loved the holiday vibes in this one! So much fun, very spicy, their dogs were super cute, fun small town vibes, great holiday read! Maren Moore always delivers on fun holiday romance reads.
I received an ARC, all thoughts in this review are my own!
Rosalie works at a vintage candy store that has been in her family for generations and loves being a candy maker! One night her and her bestie decide to fill out letters to Santa on their perfect partner. The next day their letters have gone missing mysteriously and Rosalie meets the new business owner next door who seems to perfectly match all the things she wished for in her letter to Santa…! Wells is the grumpy, retired hockey player who moves in next door to her store and is opening a bar. They get off to a not-so-great start when she accuses him of stealing her letter, but things get better when he steps in and pretends to be her boyfriend in front of her ex.
Fake dating for the holidays, it helps Rosalie with her ex who is already engaged and asking for her shop to make candy for his engagement party and helps Wells out who is the only single one in his big family when they gather for the holidays. Loved the holiday vibes in this one! So much fun, very spicy, their dogs were super cute, fun small town vibes, great holiday read! Maren Moore always delivers on fun holiday romance reads.
I received an ARC, all thoughts in this review are my own!
November 16, 2025
It was fun. I liked the dislike (one-sided) to fake dating to lovers trope in the book. It was on the shorter side, 240+ pages, but still an entertaining read.
The MCs started their fake dating when Rosalie's (28) ex and his new fiancée ambushed her to prepare sweets for their upcoming engagement party. Wells (30s?) witnessed the whole encounter, and when he saw how uncomfortable she was, he decided to step in and pretended to be her boyfriend.
However, prior to this, there was already a one-sided dislike between them. She accused him of stealing her letter, and instead of getting annoyed, he thought she was gorgeous. Since then, she has disliked him (though she also finds him attractive), and he has made it his mission to annoy her at every opportunity because he thinks she looks beautiful when she's angry.
Also, this charade would help him out too, especially with his family constantly nagging him about settling down.
Anyway, in the end, they both fell fast and hard, and they decided they were done with the pretending and just went for it and started dating for real.
Overall, it was a cute read. Enjoyed it and the MCs were pretty likable, imo.
Book info:
- Holiday novella
- Fake dating
- Small-town romance
- Meddling grandparents
- No cheating, OW, separation
- Minor OM (Her ex tried to make her feel bad by rubbing in his engagement.)
- No V (h - said she had bfs, H - no info at all)
- HEA (1 yr later, engaged)
The MCs started their fake dating when Rosalie's (28) ex and his new fiancée ambushed her to prepare sweets for their upcoming engagement party. Wells (30s?) witnessed the whole encounter, and when he saw how uncomfortable she was, he decided to step in and pretended to be her boyfriend.
However, prior to this, there was already a one-sided dislike between them. She accused him of stealing her letter, and instead of getting annoyed, he thought she was gorgeous. Since then, she has disliked him (though she also finds him attractive), and he has made it his mission to annoy her at every opportunity because he thinks she looks beautiful when she's angry.
Also, this charade would help him out too, especially with his family constantly nagging him about settling down.
Anyway, in the end, they both fell fast and hard, and they decided they were done with the pretending and just went for it and started dating for real.
Overall, it was a cute read. Enjoyed it and the MCs were pretty likable, imo.
Book info:
- Holiday novella
- Fake dating
- Small-town romance
- Meddling grandparents
- No cheating, OW, separation
- Minor OM (Her ex tried to make her feel bad by rubbing in his engagement.)
- No V (h - said she had bfs, H - no info at all)
- HEA (1 yr later, engaged)
November 15, 2025
4⭐️ | 3.5🌶
I LOVED this plot! Wells and Rosalie were magic. It felt refreshing and warm and exactly like a Christmas movie. I loved the McCoys. I will say, that I wish we'd seen Rosalie share that one big dream with her grandparents. But overall, this was the perfect holiday novella if you're looking to start festive reads. Thank you to valentine pr for this
I LOVED this plot! Wells and Rosalie were magic. It felt refreshing and warm and exactly like a Christmas movie. I loved the McCoys. I will say, that I wish we'd seen Rosalie share that one big dream with her grandparents. But overall, this was the perfect holiday novella if you're looking to start festive reads. Thank you to valentine pr for this
December 8, 2025
3.5. stars for this one.
sugar, spice and, evening nice in this book.
full rtc
sugar, spice and, evening nice in this book.
full rtc
November 16, 2025
Her family runs the candy shop and he’s renovating the shop next door to become a bar. After a meet hate they keep running into each other and their banter is top notch. Of course he has to rescue her when her toxic ex shows up and the start fake dating but is it really fake when they are obsessed with each other?
This feels like a classic cozy holiday romance with the cuteness of Santa’s letters, fake dating and banter x1000. It’s easy to read and perfect for the season!
Read this if you’re in the mood for…
- holiday novella
- fake dating
- hallmark after hours vibes
- found family
- BANTER
I would recommend!
This feels like a classic cozy holiday romance with the cuteness of Santa’s letters, fake dating and banter x1000. It’s easy to read and perfect for the season!
Read this if you’re in the mood for…
- holiday novella
- fake dating
- hallmark after hours vibes
- found family
- BANTER
I would recommend!
November 25, 2025
Better Not Pout served sugar, spice, and a whole lot of holiday chaos in the best way. The fake holi-dating between a Christmas-obsessed candy shop owner and her maddeningly handsome new neighbor, Wells, was festive, flirty, and full of spark. Their banter was sharp, the chemistry was undeniable. This was a sweet, steamy, and delightfully over-the-top story. It was just the kind of holiday romance that made the season feel a little more magical.
December 2, 2025
I’m a sucker for the fake dating and one bed trope. Wells was everything in this book. The snarky banter between Wells and Rosalie was 🤌 I found the body insecurity so relatable with Rosalie. I loved how Wells handled her insecurities with such care. Wells left me with a goofy smile on my face. My only gripe is that, I wish we got 100 more pages. I couldn’t get enough of those two.
Read
October 18, 2025beta read🫶🏽
November 21, 2025
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Wells McCoy.
That's it, thats the review. I will accept no criticism on this man.
Maren is my queen and she absolutely outdid herself with this one. it was fantastic and I loved everything about this. She does spicy Hallmark Christmas novellas so dang well.
I could not put this book down.
Fake dating is my jam, and fake dating with a side of retired hockey player with a penchant riling up his neighbor candy maker makes it even better. I love Maren's holiday romances in genera, but this one was hands down my favorite. Wells and Rosalie have my whole heart.
✨ Holiday Romance
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ Retired Hockey Player x Candymaker
✨ Fake Dating
✨ Dislike to More
✨ A letter to Santa
This whole book was charming, and cozy and romantic, and I loved Wells and Rosalie on their own as characters and I loved them even more together, I know this nook was shorter but I got all the feels and everything I wanted from it. Plus there are two adorable weenie dogs so really I can't ask for more.
and lets talk about the spice. Just send me straight to the naughty list, because it was so good.
I loved every second of this.
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Wells McCoy.
That's it, thats the review. I will accept no criticism on this man.
Maren is my queen and she absolutely outdid herself with this one. it was fantastic and I loved everything about this. She does spicy Hallmark Christmas novellas so dang well.
I could not put this book down.
Fake dating is my jam, and fake dating with a side of retired hockey player with a penchant riling up his neighbor candy maker makes it even better. I love Maren's holiday romances in genera, but this one was hands down my favorite. Wells and Rosalie have my whole heart.
✨ Holiday Romance
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ Retired Hockey Player x Candymaker
✨ Fake Dating
✨ Dislike to More
✨ A letter to Santa
This whole book was charming, and cozy and romantic, and I loved Wells and Rosalie on their own as characters and I loved them even more together, I know this nook was shorter but I got all the feels and everything I wanted from it. Plus there are two adorable weenie dogs so really I can't ask for more.
and lets talk about the spice. Just send me straight to the naughty list, because it was so good.
I loved every second of this.
November 25, 2025
The tropes for this one had me absolutely locked in. I mean who can resist
🎄Small Town
🎅🏻Fake Dating
🎄Forced Proximity
🎅🏻Enemies to Lovers
Not I!
It was my first Maren Moore novella and it did not disappoint. I felt the small town holiday charm and fell for the characters (we love seeing a grumpy man fall HARD). It was sweet. It was spicy.
Recommending this one if you want a quick holiday read!
🎄Small Town
🎅🏻Fake Dating
🎄Forced Proximity
🎅🏻Enemies to Lovers
Not I!
It was my first Maren Moore novella and it did not disappoint. I felt the small town holiday charm and fell for the characters (we love seeing a grumpy man fall HARD). It was sweet. It was spicy.
Recommending this one if you want a quick holiday read!
November 20, 2025
This might just be my favorite holiday romance novella by Maren so far. It had everything I want in my holiday reads; great banter, fake dating, cute small town, sweet treats, spicy romance and TWO adorable weenie dogs! Seriously, what’s not to love!
November 13, 2025
4.5/5 ⭐️
This holiday novella was sugar, spice & everything nice! 🤭 Maren, the queen that you are!!! Truly the perfect Christmas read and gave all the cozy vibes!
Rosalie wrote a letter wishing for her dream man and little did she know he’d soon appear. Fate brought Rosalie and Wells together and it was written beautifully. The playful banter between Rosalie and Wells had me giddy! His possessiveness over her >>>
I love how Maren can write such relatable characters and you get hooked on page 1. Rosalie having insecurities over her body, but Wells being the MAN he is gave the reassurance anyone would love!
I loved everything about this book and couldn’t put it down! Thank you Maren and Valentine PR for gifting me an ARC for this book! 🎄💓
This holiday novella was sugar, spice & everything nice! 🤭 Maren, the queen that you are!!! Truly the perfect Christmas read and gave all the cozy vibes!
Rosalie wrote a letter wishing for her dream man and little did she know he’d soon appear. Fate brought Rosalie and Wells together and it was written beautifully. The playful banter between Rosalie and Wells had me giddy! His possessiveness over her >>>
I love how Maren can write such relatable characters and you get hooked on page 1. Rosalie having insecurities over her body, but Wells being the MAN he is gave the reassurance anyone would love!
I loved everything about this book and couldn’t put it down! Thank you Maren and Valentine PR for gifting me an ARC for this book! 🎄💓
November 17, 2025
4.5 stars.
Maren Moore has done it again! "Better Not Pout" is a fun, cute, magical, spicy, restorative small-town, fake-holi-dating, forced-proximity Christmas novella with fantastic characters, smouldering chemistry, and wonderful character arcs. Rosalie and her friend decide to write letters to Santa so they can manifest the dream men they want for Christmas... and then the very next day, the letter is gone, and Wells, the very embodiment of everything she wants, has rolled into town and purchased the bar next to her family's candy shop! Wells pushes all of her buttons from their very first interaction, but the chemistry between them is ELECTRIC and SPARKLING! The candy shop scene!! Good lord, that will live in my head rent-free for years to come! I adored this book. It's spicy and funny and fun, sure, but it's also deceptively deep. Rosalie has a lot of insecurities about her size, but Wells WORSHIPS her every curve, dip, and dimple. He falls and he falls HARD, and his addiction cannot be satiated! The more she lives with Wells, the more confident and self-assured she becomes, wiping away all the awful people who made her feel she wasn't worth it or their time. Wells also has his reasons for wanting to be in their small town after an injury forced him to stop playing professional hockey. I just loved this one. It's the perfect length without a lot of unnecessary filler. It's got tons of wonderful banter, steamy scenes, and emotional depth. Read this one ASAP!!
Thank you to Maren Moore and Valentine PR for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
Maren Moore has done it again! "Better Not Pout" is a fun, cute, magical, spicy, restorative small-town, fake-holi-dating, forced-proximity Christmas novella with fantastic characters, smouldering chemistry, and wonderful character arcs. Rosalie and her friend decide to write letters to Santa so they can manifest the dream men they want for Christmas... and then the very next day, the letter is gone, and Wells, the very embodiment of everything she wants, has rolled into town and purchased the bar next to her family's candy shop! Wells pushes all of her buttons from their very first interaction, but the chemistry between them is ELECTRIC and SPARKLING! The candy shop scene!! Good lord, that will live in my head rent-free for years to come! I adored this book. It's spicy and funny and fun, sure, but it's also deceptively deep. Rosalie has a lot of insecurities about her size, but Wells WORSHIPS her every curve, dip, and dimple. He falls and he falls HARD, and his addiction cannot be satiated! The more she lives with Wells, the more confident and self-assured she becomes, wiping away all the awful people who made her feel she wasn't worth it or their time. Wells also has his reasons for wanting to be in their small town after an injury forced him to stop playing professional hockey. I just loved this one. It's the perfect length without a lot of unnecessary filler. It's got tons of wonderful banter, steamy scenes, and emotional depth. Read this one ASAP!!
Thank you to Maren Moore and Valentine PR for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
November 6, 2025
Better Not Pout by Maren Moore eARC Review 🎄
Nothing beats a hallmark Christmas movie and this book was like a hallmark Christmas movie come to life… with just enough spice sprinkled in.
The meet cute in this book is adorable!Rosalie writes a letter to Santa asking for her dream man and all of a sudden a hunk of a man is renovating the space next to her families candy shop. Coincidence? 🤭
Rosalie and Wells don’t exactly get off on the right foot. Their back and forth banter is so entertaining and when her ex shows up, causing past hurtful feelings to surface- Wells swoops in and recommends fake dating during the holidays. Why not right?
Hallmark vibes, a hunky retired hockey player, a sweet candy maker, fake holiday dating and a little Christmas magic and you have the perfect holiday romance.
What to expect:
Small town
Fake holi-dating
Forced proximity
Dislike to…banging
Hallmark after dark
Thank you so much Maren and VPR for the opportunity to read this as an ARC for my honest opinion and review!
Nothing beats a hallmark Christmas movie and this book was like a hallmark Christmas movie come to life… with just enough spice sprinkled in.
The meet cute in this book is adorable!Rosalie writes a letter to Santa asking for her dream man and all of a sudden a hunk of a man is renovating the space next to her families candy shop. Coincidence? 🤭
Rosalie and Wells don’t exactly get off on the right foot. Their back and forth banter is so entertaining and when her ex shows up, causing past hurtful feelings to surface- Wells swoops in and recommends fake dating during the holidays. Why not right?
Hallmark vibes, a hunky retired hockey player, a sweet candy maker, fake holiday dating and a little Christmas magic and you have the perfect holiday romance.
What to expect:
Small town
Fake holi-dating
Forced proximity
Dislike to…banging
Hallmark after dark
Thank you so much Maren and VPR for the opportunity to read this as an ARC for my honest opinion and review!
November 15, 2025
sweet and spicy
"𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆. 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖."
✨ Better Not Pout is such a funny, hot, sweet and delicious Christmas romance. From the first page, I was sucked in and couldn’t stop reading.
Rosalie and her best friend, Kennedy had a drink and decided to write a letter to santa asking for their dream man. The next day, she went looking for the mail and it went missing.
Their first met was not so great. But it gets better when the ex boyfriend enter the frame. Fake dating for the holidays benefited both of them. It was so much fun reading this book. I was smiling and giggling through it. Fun holiday read and very lovely small town vibes!
It is a perfect holiday read if you are looking for a perfect mix of something sweet and spicy.
🍬Holiday romance
🎄Small town
🍬Fake HOLI-dating
🎄Forced proximity
"𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆. 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖."
✨ Better Not Pout is such a funny, hot, sweet and delicious Christmas romance. From the first page, I was sucked in and couldn’t stop reading.
Rosalie and her best friend, Kennedy had a drink and decided to write a letter to santa asking for their dream man. The next day, she went looking for the mail and it went missing.
Their first met was not so great. But it gets better when the ex boyfriend enter the frame. Fake dating for the holidays benefited both of them. It was so much fun reading this book. I was smiling and giggling through it. Fun holiday read and very lovely small town vibes!
It is a perfect holiday read if you are looking for a perfect mix of something sweet and spicy.
🍬Holiday romance
🎄Small town
🍬Fake HOLI-dating
🎄Forced proximity
November 17, 2025
Maren has mastered the art of holiday novellas because this felt like a cliche Hallmark movie, but in the best way possible! It was swoony, sweet, charming, & adorable, but also so hot- I was constantly either giggling & kicking my feet, or sweating & blushing. It was short, fun & fast-paced, & I gobbled it up. Rosalie is sassy & kind, with a sharp tongue & quick wit. Wells is a tad bit grumpy, but very flirty & charming. His dirty mouth had me clutching my pearls🫢 There was instant tension & animosity between Wells & Rosalie, however their undeniable connection made it impossible for them to stay away from each other, especially once they started fake dating. Their banter, & the way Wells liked to purposely get under Rosalie’s skin was entertaining; their open & honest communication made their relationship feel so authentic & effortless; & their physical chemistry was steamy af😮💨
Thank you to Maren & Valentine PR for this arc💚
Thank you to Maren & Valentine PR for this arc💚
November 14, 2025
better not pout by maren moore 🎄🐾🍭
another queen of christmas romance is back with her newest release, better not pout, out today!! this was a fun holiday novella with all the small town vibes, banter, and spice! rosalie sullivan helps run her grandparents candy store and when her dream guy moves in next door, she does everything she can to avoid him. however, after a run in with her ex (the worst), wells comes in to save the day pretending to be rosalie’s boyfriend. from there is the CUTEST story filled with forced proximity, fake dating shenanigans, tension, and love. It is also a joy to read a new maren moore book and better not pout is no different, make sure to pick this one up this holiday season!!
rating: 4.5⭐
read if you like:
🎄 holiday novella
🐾 small town
🍭 retired hockey player
🎄 fake dating
🐾 two adorable puppies
🍭 forced proximity
🎄 hallmark after dark
thank you to valentine pr and maren moore for the arc!
another queen of christmas romance is back with her newest release, better not pout, out today!! this was a fun holiday novella with all the small town vibes, banter, and spice! rosalie sullivan helps run her grandparents candy store and when her dream guy moves in next door, she does everything she can to avoid him. however, after a run in with her ex (the worst), wells comes in to save the day pretending to be rosalie’s boyfriend. from there is the CUTEST story filled with forced proximity, fake dating shenanigans, tension, and love. It is also a joy to read a new maren moore book and better not pout is no different, make sure to pick this one up this holiday season!!
rating: 4.5⭐
read if you like:
🎄 holiday novella
🐾 small town
🍭 retired hockey player
🎄 fake dating
🐾 two adorable puppies
🍭 forced proximity
🎄 hallmark after dark
thank you to valentine pr and maren moore for the arc!
November 14, 2025
POV: Dual
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️
It’s officially holiday season for me because I’ve had my traditional Maren Christmas novella! This one included everything I love about holiday romances- fake holiday-dating, cute small town Christmas events, and only one bed in a cabin! For bonus points, Wells is a retired hockey player and Rosalie is a baker/candy maker at a cute family owned store.
Obviously this is a fast burn story as it is a novella, but as always Maren made their relationship feel like one that had been building for much longer. Wells is just an all around good guy who really helps Rosalie to love herself more.
I absolutely loved the holiday “magic” this included with Rosalie’s letter to Santa, it really just gave all the warm and cozy feels!
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️
It’s officially holiday season for me because I’ve had my traditional Maren Christmas novella! This one included everything I love about holiday romances- fake holiday-dating, cute small town Christmas events, and only one bed in a cabin! For bonus points, Wells is a retired hockey player and Rosalie is a baker/candy maker at a cute family owned store.
Obviously this is a fast burn story as it is a novella, but as always Maren made their relationship feel like one that had been building for much longer. Wells is just an all around good guy who really helps Rosalie to love herself more.
I absolutely loved the holiday “magic” this included with Rosalie’s letter to Santa, it really just gave all the warm and cozy feels!
November 14, 2025
✨ARC Review✨
Better Not Pout
By: Maren Moore
“I’ve just decided that we’re going to write a letter to Santa asking for our dream man. Our wish list for the perfect man. And not the one who sent me a nude with his d!ck wearing a Santa hat.”
“Rosalie Sullivan has my full attention, whether I want it that way or not. Her smart mouth, sharp tongue, curves that go on for days.”
“But I’m starting to realize just how wrong I am about you. Now, all I want is to find out if you taste as sweet as I’ve imagined, Rosalie Sullivan.”
Wells my man, he is so incredibly sexy!! And the way he praises Rosalie, gah!! Their story starts as neighbors, when Rosalie realizes her letter to Santa for the perfect man is missing. She goes to the neighboring building to question the owner about the mail when she meets Wells.
At first Wells enjoys getting a rise out of Rosalie but then when Rosalie’s sh!tty ex shows up, Wells steps in and pretends to be Rosalie’s boyfriend. As the story goes on, the fake feelings become real and Wells worships Rosalie and her body. In return, helping Rosalie heal her body image issues and helps her become more confident in her body. This story has me so giddy! Wells has such a dirty mouth and loves to eat and praise his women, and d*mn is Rosalie a lucky woman!
Tropes:
Small Town
Fake Dating
Forced Proximity
Hallmark After Dark
Holiday Romance
Spice starts at: 56%🔥
Spice: 2.5/4🌶️
Stars: 4.5/5⭐️
Available on Kindle Unlimited November 14th
Better Not Pout
By: Maren Moore
“I’ve just decided that we’re going to write a letter to Santa asking for our dream man. Our wish list for the perfect man. And not the one who sent me a nude with his d!ck wearing a Santa hat.”
“Rosalie Sullivan has my full attention, whether I want it that way or not. Her smart mouth, sharp tongue, curves that go on for days.”
“But I’m starting to realize just how wrong I am about you. Now, all I want is to find out if you taste as sweet as I’ve imagined, Rosalie Sullivan.”
Wells my man, he is so incredibly sexy!! And the way he praises Rosalie, gah!! Their story starts as neighbors, when Rosalie realizes her letter to Santa for the perfect man is missing. She goes to the neighboring building to question the owner about the mail when she meets Wells.
At first Wells enjoys getting a rise out of Rosalie but then when Rosalie’s sh!tty ex shows up, Wells steps in and pretends to be Rosalie’s boyfriend. As the story goes on, the fake feelings become real and Wells worships Rosalie and her body. In return, helping Rosalie heal her body image issues and helps her become more confident in her body. This story has me so giddy! Wells has such a dirty mouth and loves to eat and praise his women, and d*mn is Rosalie a lucky woman!
Tropes:
Small Town
Fake Dating
Forced Proximity
Hallmark After Dark
Holiday Romance
Spice starts at: 56%🔥
Spice: 2.5/4🌶️
Stars: 4.5/5⭐️
Available on Kindle Unlimited November 14th
November 13, 2025
I think this might be my new favourite Maren christmas novella (and I've read them allll) HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Rosalie is such a sweetheart! She works with her grandparents at their candy shop, she lives and breaths sugar. Her bestie convinces her to write a letter to Santa detailing her 'dream man'. And what a coincidence.. Wells McCoy, retired hockey player aka Rosalie's dream man, arrives in town.
Ugh these two were soooo cute together. Throw some forced proximity in with the 'fake' dating, real feelings develop between the two of them and their chemistry is insanely hot. Wells has the filthiest mouth and he loves to eatttttt. He was so obsessed with her, and Rosalie found the love that she deserved! The caramel scene.. my GOD.
If you're after a quick, sweet, Hallmark after dark christmas novella, highly recommend this one!
Thank you for the arc, Maren!
Rosalie is such a sweetheart! She works with her grandparents at their candy shop, she lives and breaths sugar. Her bestie convinces her to write a letter to Santa detailing her 'dream man'. And what a coincidence.. Wells McCoy, retired hockey player aka Rosalie's dream man, arrives in town.
Ugh these two were soooo cute together. Throw some forced proximity in with the 'fake' dating, real feelings develop between the two of them and their chemistry is insanely hot. Wells has the filthiest mouth and he loves to eatttttt. He was so obsessed with her, and Rosalie found the love that she deserved! The caramel scene.. my GOD.
If you're after a quick, sweet, Hallmark after dark christmas novella, highly recommend this one!
Thank you for the arc, Maren!
December 18, 2025
Absolutely loved this book from the start Short & sweet but is Full of Christmas magic & delicious SPICE!!!
Dare I believe in some of that Christmas magic to deliver my very own Christmas miracle🙏✨
Dare I believe in some of that Christmas magic to deliver my very own Christmas miracle🙏✨
December 6, 2025
A fun, sweet and spicy holiday romance book.
✔️Romantic Comedy/Contemporary
✔️candy-shop owner/retired hockey player - now bar owner
✔️fake dating
✔️Romantic Comedy/Contemporary
✔️candy-shop owner/retired hockey player - now bar owner
✔️fake dating
December 9, 2025
“we’re slaying the fake dating thing” brb wrapping my hairdryer cord around my neck
November 21, 2025
#Review: *Better Not Pout* - Maren Moore - ARC [18+]
4.4/5✨
3.5/5🌶️
When Rosalie Sullivan was pushed by her best friend, Kennedy, to write a Christmas Letter to Santa, asking for the man of her dreams, she didn't think too much about it. It was just for fun. Rosalie wanted someone to accept her for who she was, unlike her ex boyfriend, Bradley, who was constantly body shamed her and didn't appreciate her at all. What Rosalie didn't know was that maybe her wish wasn't that bold and that maybe that someone was closer than ever.
Wells McCoy has bought the place across Rosalie's sweet shop, wanting to have a fresh start. But that would come with a feisty neighbour who would steal his attention and who would make him want more. And maybe the universe was also plotting somehow in that way🤭. They just needed to get comfortable for the ride!
This was a really sweet, spicy and empowering read. It had a bit of everything in there, but it mostly focused on the tensioned connection between Rosalie and Wells. I just loved the care and attention he offered Rosalie🥰. It was the cutest thing ever to see how things started to shift between them and how lines began to blur. Her ex was such a dush. He wasn't at all what Rosalie needed, because he really didn't think too much about the words that came out of his mouth, that they might deeply hurt Rosalie. Otherwise, this story was lightheaded and pretty hot🔥. Just be prepared for some steamy scenes out there🤭.
'Better Not Pout' can be a perfect choice in the holiday season, a fun story sprinkled with some spice and crazy chemistry.
Thank you so much Maren and Valentine Pr for this cute e-copy!!🥰
✨Tropes
#SmallTown
#FakeHoliDating
#ForcedProximity
#DislikeToLove
#FormerHockeyPlayer
#CurvyHeroine
#Banter
#Spicy
4.4/5✨
3.5/5🌶️
When Rosalie Sullivan was pushed by her best friend, Kennedy, to write a Christmas Letter to Santa, asking for the man of her dreams, she didn't think too much about it. It was just for fun. Rosalie wanted someone to accept her for who she was, unlike her ex boyfriend, Bradley, who was constantly body shamed her and didn't appreciate her at all. What Rosalie didn't know was that maybe her wish wasn't that bold and that maybe that someone was closer than ever.
Wells McCoy has bought the place across Rosalie's sweet shop, wanting to have a fresh start. But that would come with a feisty neighbour who would steal his attention and who would make him want more. And maybe the universe was also plotting somehow in that way🤭. They just needed to get comfortable for the ride!
This was a really sweet, spicy and empowering read. It had a bit of everything in there, but it mostly focused on the tensioned connection between Rosalie and Wells. I just loved the care and attention he offered Rosalie🥰. It was the cutest thing ever to see how things started to shift between them and how lines began to blur. Her ex was such a dush. He wasn't at all what Rosalie needed, because he really didn't think too much about the words that came out of his mouth, that they might deeply hurt Rosalie. Otherwise, this story was lightheaded and pretty hot🔥. Just be prepared for some steamy scenes out there🤭.
'Better Not Pout' can be a perfect choice in the holiday season, a fun story sprinkled with some spice and crazy chemistry.
Thank you so much Maren and Valentine Pr for this cute e-copy!!🥰
✨Tropes
#SmallTown
#FakeHoliDating
#ForcedProximity
#DislikeToLove
#FormerHockeyPlayer
#CurvyHeroine
#Banter
#Spicy
Displaying 1 - 30 of 865 reviews