Happy Christmas: A Hilarious Holiday Marriage of Convenience Romance

by Kelsey Humphreys

To say Janie Rowland is down on her luck would be a Las-Vegas-sized understatement. And said luck only gets worse when she’s spotted by him while working a booth at the Clark Industries Expo.

She has barely tolerated Benedict Clark (yes, as in Clark Industries) around their mutual friends. He’s a huge flirt, gorgeous, British, always with an entourage. Entirely over the top.

She’s his total opposite. Low key. Craves routine. In bed by nine. Has, like, three friends.

But he needs a wife before the end of the year and she desperately needs cash. A lot of it.

Their encounter in Sin City leads to a mutually beneficial proposition—a fake marriage in exchange for his family trust and her big payday. She just has to survive one festive season in her tiny, holiday-themed hometown, Juniper Falls, pretending to be madly in love.

Contests, carriage rides, planned kisses and cozy photo ops. It’s all for show.

Until it isn’t.

Because the more he leans in, the more she lets go—and the more this perfectly planned ruse starts to feel dangerously real.

Happy Christmas is another laugh-out-loud, low spice, high swoon, slow burn romcom that readers have come to expect from Kelsey Humphreys, but complete with all your cozy holiday read must-haves! Perfect for fans of Christina Lauren, Lucy Score, and Abby Jimenez.

Genres: Romance, Christmas, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Holiday

373 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 30, 2025

About the author

“If you don’t laugh out loud or get choked up, I’ve failed.” After tens of millions of video views, comedian Kelsey Humphreys has captured her hilarious, heart-warming characters in book form. Her steamy stories dig into deep truths about love, identity, purpose and family. When she’s not writing romance or creating comedy videos, she is reading, running, mom-ming and wife-ing in Oklahoma. She also writes fantasy romance under the pen name Kay Humphreys.

Reviews

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Christmas! 4.5stars

This was such a fun Christmas read and since it’s part of the author’s Heartlander series made it even better for me. And now I learn it’s also the beginning of a new series which I will definitely be reading as well. This whole series has been wonderful and this book fit right in with the rest. It’s not necessary to read the other books, but take it from me, you will definitely want to after reading this one. Very well written with two smitten characters who are afraid to admit they love each other. I should mention he’s a famous billionaire playboy that’s known for his way with women. She’s a simple very broke, accountant at one of his companies. It was a wonderful romance.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, Happy Christmas, by Kelsey Humphreys, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Janie and Benedict are pretending to be love, and that are getting married, he needs a wife and she needs money. I did not care for Janie at all, but I liked Ben.

[Jenn Sudeta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another gem by Kelsey! This book is chock full of grumpy sunshine vibes in a festive small town complete with nosey neighbors and holiday charm. The banter between Ben & Janie is top tier but, as typical with Kelsey, the characters have depth that make them, and the story, feel real. I also LOVED that it covers the whole span of the holidays from Halloween to Christmas so it’s a perfect book to kick off your holiday reads! I was honored to read this as an ARC but also purchased the special edition from an Indy bookstore! Yes, it’s a keeper!

[Elizabeth Yela · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was such a fun and heartwarming story!

The MCs are complete opposites, but circumstances bring them closer together in the sweetest way. Ben is charming and hilarious, while Janie is grounded and just as funny in her own way. I really enjoyed their relationship and the overall story, even though there were a few small details that felt unnecessary to me.

Still, I’d totally recommend this book if you’re looking for a light, festive fake marriage romance to get you in the Christmas spirit.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC — all opinions are my own.

[Madi Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and this book shocked me in such a good way.

I don’t know what I was expecting, maybe to just fall in love with christmas small town again but not really feel anything , but boy was I wrong. Marriage of convenience sets my heart aflame on the best of days but a BILLIONAIRE marriage of convenience ? Call me Janie because i’m signing the line.

I absolutely adored this book, it was so full of charm and all around adorably funny. I love how british Ben was, there were times i could actually HEAR his accent fluttering off the page whenever he spoke.

I was not, unfortunately, well acquainted with these characters as i had not previously read Humphreys Heartlander series, but i still found i picked up and understood the characters vibes quickly despite the lack of a strong introduction for them. I do believe that this book is very very strong as a standalone - however, having now read Humphrey’s other worlds, I do recommend reading the Heartlander series as Humphrey’s has a way of writing that really engulfs you in the world (and of course you’ll get some background on our lovely Ben and Janie).

I would genuinely be giggling and laughing out loud at certain parts in this book (i’ve received some odd looks from people when i suddenly burst into laughter). It feels so effortlessly funny, it never felt like it was trying to be something it wasn’t.

I am always a sucker for a man who uses a girls full name as opposed to her preferred name so i fear i instantly fell in love with Ben. He was funny, cocky, and every bit the billionaire you’d expect, but he’s also loving and involved and caring. He’s everything everyone wants in a man and i loved watching him realise he loves her and realise he was always watching her.

Janie was a difficult one for me to process, I loved her but i also found her jarring at times. Maybe it’s because of how much i relate to her and her feelings, and seeing so much of myself in her upset me. Maybe she was just genuinely jarring at times, either way I did ultimately enjoy reading her POV and watching her come to terms with the fact that she is allowed to open up again.

Their banter flowed so naturally and even beneath all the romance they showed a genuine friendship that runs even deeper than love.

I did feel as though there could’ve been a bit more development for surrounding characters and more scenery descriptive. While i felt very immersed in the world i did notice myself sometimes putting pieces together myself as opposed to having the town described in full to me. I enjoy getting fully dragged into the world and understanding immediately where we are at any given point. I think the second novel could be a good chance to really see more of the background characters we’ve already been introduced to and get to know more of the town as a whole.

Overall a very enjoyable book , and an incredible read to get into your feels this holiday season. Who doesn’t love the holidays ?

[Candice Wolters · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Hallmark movies and romantic comedies had a baby, and that baby was raised by a sassy small-town gossip, you’d get Happy Christmas.

Janie just wants to be left alone to live her quiet, predictable life. Benedict: the ridiculously charming British billionaire wants… well, honestly, I think he just wants to flirt and wear cozy sweaters. When circumstances throw them into a marriage of convenience, chaos, banter, and swoony moments ensue.

The highlights for me:
• The banter – Their back-and-forth is chef’s kiss and made me grin like I’d just found extra Christmas cookies in the pantry.
• The vibe – It’s festive without hitting you over the head with tinsel. There’s fall fair food, quirky townsfolk, and just enough twinkle lights to make you feel cozy.
• The romance – Think slow-burn, “I hate you but actually you’re really cute,” and the kind of chemistry that makes you yell at fictional people to just kiss already.

This isn’t just fluff… there’s a heartfelt thread about friendship, loyalty, and letting your guard down. But mostly? It’s the perfect mix of sweet and snort-laugh funny.

Five out of five gingerbread cookies from me.

[stephanie mirly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually adored this book. A fake marriage trope that honestly didn’t really have much conflict. Just got to enjoy the ride. Ben is a British billionaire that is forced to get married or give up his trust when he runs into an old family friend, Janie. Janie has found herself in significant debt due to family troubles and their grumpy sunshine personalities really add to the adorable banter throughout the book. A quick fun read that I really enjoyed.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

[Mylea White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelsey!! I seriously loved this book. I know it isn’t a Canton family book, but it took me back to the feelings I had when reading all the other books. I can’t wait for the next one.

I received an advance copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Leah M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Billionaires & their marriage of conveniences. Seems pretty unbelievable in my world, but book-billionaires always make it work 🤪 Janie & Benedict have been in each other’s universe for years. His brother is married to her cousin. But they’ve never been anything more than acquaintances. And now they’re married…

Kelsey has been an auto-read author of mine for a few years. She writes banter, texting & inner monologue that is perfectly my style! HAPPY CHRISTMAS is no different. I loved the cameos of characters from her Heartlanders series in this book. But most of all, I loved watching these two fall in love while trying to convince themselves it’s not happening & not real. It’s the best!

Not only do we get Christmas in this book, but also Halloween & Thanksgiving! Check this book out on Kindle Unlimited for all of the holiday shenanigans.

Thank you Kelsey for this gifted hardcover special edition. You’re the best!

[Shannon West · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked Benedict and the premise of the book.

It pains me to say this, but I did not like this book- I had to push myself to finish it. Going into it, I was looking forward to Janie and Benedict having their own story and it connecting to the Heartlanders Series which I enjoyed so much! I could not get behind Janie at all, I wanted to but she just made everything so difficult and went out of her way to be contrary to anything positive. It took too long to get to the happy part of the story and then the ending felt rushed and I did not feel satisfied with what I did get as a reader. I was also a little bummed that it didn’t feel more Holiday like- other than random “holiday” scenes thrown in, it didn’t give you the Christmas feels. I did like Benedict and his character arc and there were some funny scenes, but the rest of the story fell flat for me. That being said, there is another couple in the story that is setting up to be another book in the series, which I do look forward to reading.

Thank you to netgalley, booksirens & Kelsey Humphreys for the ARC!

[Alisheba · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book! This reverse grumpy/sunshine story is so, so good! I often find that grumps are usually portrayed as intolerant people-haters…you know, grumpy just because they’ve decided to be grumpy. In this book, it is very CLEAR why Janie is grumpy, and she has very good reasons for it! And honestly, I’m not even sure that grumpy is the right term; I think maybe “weary and unenthusiastic about life” suits her better.

Ben has great golden retriever energy. It’s interesting, because some would think that he, also, has reasons in his life to be grumpy, but he manages to keep his energy positive. Ben is incredible at SEEING Janie, and defusing her when she gets agitated. Janie is hesitant to get attached to him because he is so charming. All of her past relationships have been with “charming” men, and she’s over it. The difference is that Ben truly sees and respects Janie, which none of her former partners were able to do.

One of my favorite parts of the book is when Janie is trying to talk herself out of liking Ben because of her history with men. Her friend guides Janie into understanding the kind of man she is attracted to, and how to reconcile that with the man who Ben is. It felt like a real revelation!

I also noticed that both main characters were able to see themselves and recognize ways they had been “damaged” in the past, by past partners and by family. It was clear that both of them had worked through life with a therapist. As Ben says, “She just owns her issues. No shame.” I felt like Ben was good at this as well.

There is a part of this book that isn’t really talked about much in romance novels: a break-up of a friendship. I won’t spoil that bit, but I did find it interesting that Janie had a former friend, Skye, who had been her very best friend. They told one another everything, and truly KNEW one another. When Janie moved “home,” she reconnected with a childhood friend. They became friends again, but I found it interesting that Janie didn't really even try to have the level of intimacy that she had with Skye. A few times in the story, Janie thinks to herself: If Harper wants to tell me, she will, or when Janie has the opportunity to share things from her past, she just doesn’t share. I just noticed the vast difference between the two friendships.

Ok, that’s enough for now. Read this book! It’s fun and sweet, and has a very conversational tone!

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Janie Rowland is down on her luck. Her no-good brother has got in debt and she has literally had to liquidate all her savings, sell all her possessions, and move home to live in her granny's dilapidated house in Juniper Falls to try to get by, even now she's getting threatening emails and texts for the balance of the funds owed. She's a genius accountant (allegedly) and has taken a job working for a cutesy mayonnaise subsidiary of the global Clark Industries empire.

One day, while dressed as a hot dog at an expo in Vegas Janie is unlucky enough to run into Benedict Clark, a British trust fund fun-loving guy who she has met on numerous occasions at various family and friends' parties. Benedict is the sort of guy who is seen in gossip magazines with models and actresses hanging off his arm, he's a terrible flirt and a thrill-seeker.

Benedict pulls rank and gets Janie to spend the afternoon with him, life is becoming difficult, his father has laid down an ultimatum - get serious or he'll lose his trust fund and rumours will be spread that will make him unemployable.

Benedict comes up with a plan, they already know each other so its not impossible that they might have fallen in love. Get married before Christmas, attend a few events as a couple in the first year, then stay loosely married for another four years before getting divorced. In return, Benedict will pay Janie an obscene amount of money.

Janie has had terrible luck with men, her ex dumped her at their engagement party then got back with her, only to dump her again - in a small town that sort of thing is never forgotten.

Juniper Falls is one of those hokey towns that goes big for the Autumn/Winter holidays (it also brings in plenty of tourist dollars which helps the town stay afloat for the rest of the year) and Janie and Benedict agree to participate in a weekly event to give enough photo opportunities to give credence to their fake relationship.

Of course the chemistry is off the charts, but neither of them wants to be the first to say they've caught feels ... until the inevitable misunderstanding.

A lovely opposites attract, billionaire romance.

Free on Kindle Unlimited.

[Vanessa Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun and light read! While this is definitely a holiday romance, it is not solely centered on Christmas. We do get some Halloween and Thanksgiving scenes, so this can be a great read for anytime in the latter half of the year.

Janie and Ben are complete opposites which led to some great banter. Janie was constantly picking on Ben, but he absolutely ate that up and would counter with his signature charm. Something I really liked is that Janie and Ben do not immediately come up with the marriage of convenience plan. They actually tried other avenues to finding Ben a wife but after exhausting their ideas, it is then Ben realizes Janie would be the perfect match.

It was great to see Janie and Ben in various settings. Since they had such different upbringings, we got to see Ben experiencing small town shenanigans with Janie and then Janie getting a taste of the billionaire life.

I think my most favorite part was how Janie and Ben both truly saw one another. Although Ben was an adventurous extrovert, he was always willing to compromise with Janie and even when she would accompany him to an outing, he would find a way to provide her some time to herself and unwind. Janie was also so encouraging to Ben. She did not let him belittle himself and allowed him a space to unload some of his expectations.

I was, however, put off at the beginning by Ben's playboy ways. Right after Ben sent Janie home after their first night hanging out (this was at the beginning of the book and the first time they had truly spent time together), he ended up in a hotel room with twins. In his inner monologue he says they probably would have had a threesome had he not passed out. I was not a fan of that. I prefer my MMC to not even entertain the thought of other women as soon as they lay eyes on the FMC. But, that was also the final time Ben did entertain the idea of another woman as he and Janie then agreed upon their marriage of convenience, so I cannot complain too much.

[Emily (The Litertarian) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, wow! Finding a new indie author with serious chops can be difficult, but if Kelsey Humphreys new release of Happy Christmas is any indication, ladies, fellas, I've gone and done it.

I listened to the audiobook narrated in duet by Ryan Lee Dunlap and Audrey Obeyn and it was sooo excellent. I wasn't fully sure about the English accent at first, but it grew on me very quickly.

This is the story of Janie and Benedict, a down-on-her-luck once socialite and a doesn't-take-himself-seriously billionaire. They have friends in common, and reconnect at the beginning of the novel at a very opportune time. Benedict has received an ultimatum from his father to be married in order to inherit, and Janie happens to be desperate for cash to dig herself out of a hole. Even still, she's not sold on the idea that she could marry him.

But reader, she does.

Oh this book is good fun! Benedict is a lighthearted and silly guy much of the time, but he's never really been faced with a situation that warranted depth from him. He dotes on Janie, happily, and it's the most adorable thing ever to see his feelings develop through the novel.

Janie has her secrets, and she's keeping them, even though they've destroyed her life. She is far more guarded than Benedict, having been burned in the past. But she can't deny that whatever it is between her and Benedict, it's easy, and comes organically. They may be faking it for other people, but just between them? It's all natural.

I'm not ashamed to say I want more of this book. I will probably read it at least once more before Christmas this year, but I'm most excited to dive into the many other romantic comedies in Kelsey's backlist. What a joy this book is. I can't wait to see what Ms. Humphreys comes up with next!

Note:: I purchased this book myself and my opinions are my own.

For more of my book reviews, visit my blog thelitertarian.com.

[Poonam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book. I would go so far as to say this was one of my favorite books by Kelsey to date.
The book revolves around Benedict and Janie, whom we've met in many previous books as peripheral characters in the Canton family. Even though the trope and setting are nothing new, the characters and setting were really wonderful.

Benedict is the quintessential billionaire playboy with a heart of gold. He is over the top, and also very kind and generous. I really appreciated when as the story went on we saw depths in his character and got to know more of his experiences.

Janie is the typical grump who is dealt a bad hand, and has been hurt before. Even though she comes across as mean and difficult, I understand where she's coming from.

Ben and Janie met and got married because they each needed something from the relationship. But their journey from being a couple on paper, to friends, to being more and falling in love was heartwarming to see. Their banter was amazing, whether in text messages or in person, I loved reading their conversations. They were entertaining and witty. In the beginning it may seem like a very one-sided relationship with Benedict almost wearing his heart on his sleeve, but Janie shows over and over that she cares about him. In the end, they balanced each other out and I think that is a perfect relationship.

It was also nice to meet some new characters and catch up with some of the old ones. Overall, if you liked the Cantons and enjoy Kelsey's writing style, I think it was a great book, and the holiday theme really cinched it for me.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, this was such a fun book. First off, I did not know it's a spin off. Now I have to go back and read the rest of the series about the Canton sister. But even then, this book stands on its own perfectly fine.

The banter was awesome: quick, witty, no holds barred between a 'normie' Janie and a jovial billionaire, Ben. They've always in the same circle, just not close enough. He has a rep as a playboy and she has her own issues to deal with.

Then funny thing happens in Vegas, turns out she works in one of the subsidiaries for the Billionaire's family. Well, things just gotten interesting for him. She's fun to hang with, doesn't care that he's rich, doesn't want to take advantage of his fame, money, and status. As far as she is concern, she can careless, what does that has to do with her?! All the while, daddy is going to cut Ben off if he doesn't settle down. Not just money, excommunicated with the family, whom he cares deeply for his mom and cannot let that happen. So of course, in a drunken night, the two decided to go into a contractual marriage.

While she's disgusted in his billionaire gestures, she realized he's doing all these thing extra for her. None of those things were in the contract, but he went the extra mile. Of course, the sexual tension is wound tight, and them two gets more entangled as ever.

I like this story alot, and if life is not happening, I would've devoured it in one day. The banter is good, the pacing and plot line is good, and things moved along in a very good way, with the characters' insecurities and all.

Thank you NetGalley & Victory Editing for the ARC

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Magnamour and Net Galley for the ARC of Happy Christmas by Kelsey Humphreys!

This book is a spin off of Humphreys’ Heartlanders series, but rest assured that you can still enjoy this book without picking up any of the other books (I have not read them).
The novel is told in dual narration and centers on Janie-a woman who has turned her life upside down to take care of her ailing grandmother and bail her brother out of serious financial troubles- and Ben- a billionaire playboy who is not taken seriously by his family and definitely not by Janie. A chance meeting in Las Vegas by these two acquaintances starts with dinner and ends with an agreement to a marriage of convenience: Ben needs a wife to fulfill a stipulation set forth by his dad and Janie needs the money to get out of debt. Of course, as the two play their parts of husband and wife, the lines between was is real and what is not become blurred.
As a first introduction to these characters, I really enjoyed both Janie’s and Ben’s points of view. I found their banter to be fun, although Janie’s snark was-at times- a little much. Humphreys writes a charming and likeable character in Ben and it’s easy for the reader to get behind his pursuit of Janie. I did feel like there were some unresolved issues in the novel (I really thought there would be more to the missing money at Janie’s company and how are things with Gran?) but overall I enjoyed the book.

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well I have a lot of feelings about this book… and most of them are not great.

What I did enjoy was the writing style. It was very conversational and easy to read. I really did enjoy Ben and his determination to take care of people because he had the means!

Janie on the other hand… she was a difficult one to enjoy. She was written clearly as an introvert who in my eyes seemed neurodivergent but she did not have any redeeming qualities. Not all introverts are bitchy and that’s how this one was written. She constantly complained about how Ben spoke, complained about going out and doing things yet still did somethings when SHE felt necessary. She hated her small town even though she went out of her way to help folks.

My biggest complaint of all was Steve. The fact that the only gay background character was written as a pervy man really bothered me. Not to mention him saying he’d “switch teams again” for her was too much.

It was also so hard to follow without reading the other books. And the whole disagreement with Skye was dragged on for far too long and ended way too quickly.

Lastly, for a book with a Christmas title, the first 75% was based in fall/halloween.

I’m definitely NOT the target market for this author so that’s ok.

This advance reader copy was provided to me by BookSirens and Kelsey Humphreys

[Tiffany Schoenborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This opposites attract, marriage of convenience holiday romance was too. stinking. cute! Benedict is the golden retriever to Janie’s black cat vibes yet together … they somehow balance each other out. Their whole dynamic was very reminiscent of Hugh Grant & Sandra Bullock’s characters in Two Weeks Notice - the playful flirting, quippy snark & the sarcastic banter was hilarious & so much fun!! I absolutely adored Benedict and his unserious, charismatic billionaire antics. 😂

But what I truly love about Kelsey’s characters since the Heartlanders series - and these two are no exception - is how genuinely relatable they are. Okay, not so much the billionaire part, lol … but when you get down to who they are as people & the personal struggles they face - they’re just so sincere & authentic in ways that we can all relate to.

My only complaint is that I just wanted MORE - gimme all the details! 🤗 Carriage ride? Scooch over I’m coming too. Work trip?? Take me with you. Holiday dinner party with sizzling sexual tension?? I want to be sat at that table for all of it! 👀 Overall, this was a fun & heartwarming read - I am already looking forward to getting back to Juniper Falls for book 2.

I received an advanced review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Taylor Doran]

The title of this book is a little misleading because while the book ends at Christmastime, but we are still having fall festivals half way through the book. I think you can read it anytime of the year.

I was really set up for a Christmassy book with a couple of my favorite tropes, but the majority of the book isn't set during Christmastime. This can be read as a standalone, but it fits in well with the Heartlanders series by Kelsey Humphreys.

The tropes did deliver though!! Her being grumpy and him being sunshine is so fun to me. I also really enjoyed the banter both in person and through text. Guys, I love a billionaire romance and I love how the author makes fun of it all.

Tropes:
Marriage contract
Black cat FMC
Flirty playboy MMC
Introvert x extrovert
Billionaire romance

Why is this 3 stars? I wanted more small town characters to love. Also, the male POV got a little bit cringe at times. Most of his banter was funny and cute, but his inner dialogue about her body was a little much for me. The spice got a little out of hand as well.

Note: this book has language and explicit spice

This is for you if you like a spicy, marriage of convenience romance with a billionaire and banter.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored all the Cantons, but I remember Benedict's appearances in some of their stories and wanted more!

Kelsey simply DOES NOT DISAPPOINT!

Janie has known Ben through her best friend's family for years. A playboy billionaire always chasing the next good time, she's a little surprised to bump into him at his family's company conference in Vegas (Ben and work just don't seem to go together!).

Ben finds Janie working for one of his family's subsidiary companies and dressed in a goofy costume at the Clark Industries conference. He needs to get married to stay in the family's good graces, she needs money to take care of her grandmother, so they agree to a quickie Vegas wedding.

During the next few months of staged photo ops to make this marriage look real, they find themselves falling deeper into like with each other. Could it be that there's more to this good-time playboy than Janie though?

This story was so much fun and had lots of great moments! There is a horrible ex-fiancé, family drama, and mending friendships that seem to break with the distance of growing up.

Thank you to Kelsey Humphreys and Book Sirens for the advanced copy of this book!

[Jules Just Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book! Need a feel-good, fun, and cute RomCom to cheer you up? Look no further! Happy Christmas is a perfect cozy read for the holidays.

Happy Christmas starts with a marriage of convenience when the charming billionaire needs a wife to keep his trust and she needs money without strings attached. What better arrangement than two completely opposite people who have friends and family in the same circle? A fake marriage with no attachments between them would be safe and easy....or so they thought.

It turns out they're rather perfect for each other. Their relationship is so heartwarming. I loved their banter and dialogue. Ben is so freaking charming with his positive attitude and cute compliments whereas Janie is a classic introvert and isn't used to glitz, glamor, and flattery. It's all just so swoony and Hallmark-movie-worthy lol. I'd definitely recommend it if you're in the mood for a holiday RomCom!

Tropes:
✨️Marriage of convenience/Fake marriage
✨️Opposites attract
✨️Banter
✨️He falls first
✨️Small-town romance
✨️Billionaire romance
✨️Slow burn
✨️Mild spice (open-door scenes but not overly graphic)
✨️HEA

Thanks so much to Kelsey Humphreys for the gifted copy!

[Lin · Rating 3 out of 5]

BOOKSTAGRAM | BLOG
✔️marriage of convenience 
✔️opposites attract 
✔️reversed grumpy x sunshine 
✔️he’s a billionaire 
✔️banter 

3.5 ⭐️

This was such a fun read! It’s lighthearted, funny, cute, and super easy to read. I loved how different Jaine and Ben were, yet how beautifully they brought out the best in each other. The pacing felt well-balanced overall, and it’s such a quick read. There were so many adorable moments and, of course, plenty of laughs. And the banter? Perfect!

A few things I didn’t enjoy as much were that the pacing between certain scenes felt a bit off at times — a little too abrupt. I also expected this to be more of a Christmassy read, but I didn’t quite get that vibe. It leaned more toward autumn coziness rather than the festive warmth I was hoping for.

Still, it was a really fun story, and now I’m definitely intrigued to read Harper and Aiden’s book next!

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book. I am a sucker for small town and Christmas books, but it was the characters of this book that made it so good.

Janie, the FMC, is the FMC. And she is super quirky, but in a good way. She is an introvert, and has been conditioned to believe that is a bad thing. Ben, the MMC, is a British billionaire. He is adorable and absolutely funny. The two of these characters should absolutely not work together, but the author obviously disagreed and Happy Christmas is their adorably cute, but super steamy, story.

Ben and Janie are funny. Their banter is literally laugh out loud at times. They each try to take care of the other. They are great together, and their story is a great read.

While the title is Happy Christmas, a large percentage of this book is not set during Christmas so you can definitely read this anytime during the year. While it includes appearances from other books from this author, it can be read as a standalone.

Overall, this is a great holiday romance book.

[Lawlah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley, and as soon as I saw marriage of convenience + billionaire MMC + holiday setting — I was sat. This trope combo is totally my thing!

The dynamic is grumpy-sunshine — but with a twist I loved: she’s the grump, and he’s the sunshine. Ben was such a likable character — charming, patient, and just a genuinely good guy. Janie, on the other hand, wasn’t always easy to warm up to, but their banter was wholesome and kept me engaged.

One of my favorite things? The British expressions and curse words — they added so much personality and charm to the dialogue. I also really enjoyed the author’s writing style — smooth, funny, and heartwarming in just the right places.

It’s a guaranteed HEA (which I always appreciate), and even though it’s not a new favorite, I still had a great time reading it.
I’m giving it a solid 3.5 stars — and yes, I’d recommend it for fans of cozy holiday romances, billionaire tropes, and witty grumpy-sunshine dynamics.

[Kelsey Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are we joking?! That was absolutely amazing! Janie and Ben were 💋 chefs kiss if you ask me! While I’m not as hard of an introvert as Janie, I related to her on so many levels of that. Needing breaks, too much peopling, all of that. Ben was insanely swoon worthy and I just adored him! I love how respectful he was of Janie and knowing her boundaries. I also loved at it wasn’t totally about her all the time and we got to know him a little deeper. The town, Juniper Falls, sounds so cute! Holiday season galore, I’d want to visit! I also appreciated the friendship aspect of the book. BFF breakups are so hard, and having that as an off shoot to the relationship part of the book gave the book more depth.

Thank you so much to author Kelsey Humphreys and BookSirens for an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tropes
-Billionaire
-Marriage of Convenience
-Introvert/Extrovert
-Small Town
-Holiday Vibes
-Dual POV/First Person

[Ashli Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy Christmas is everything I want in a holiday romcom — cozy, funny, and full of heart.

Janie and Benedict are total opposites, thrown together in a fake marriage that’s supposed to be all business. But set against the backdrop of her tiny holiday-obsessed hometown, their relationship begins to feel dangerously real… and I couldn’t stop smiling.

It’s got all the best tropes: fake dating, forced proximity, one bed (!!), and a swoony British billionaire who slowly falls in love with a routine-loving small-town girl. The romance is a slow burn (low spice, high swoon), and the humor and heart perfectly balance each other out.

If you’re a fan of Christina Lauren, Abby Jimenez, or the cozy chaos of The Holiday meets While You Were Sleeping, add this to your TBR—whether it’s December or not.

[Kelsey Wible · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben and Janie 🖤

I really wondered if I would be able to get into a Christmas book in July, but I had no problems at all!

The tension, the banter, the man with an English accent, swoon. But not only all of that, the way i laughed and cackled at this story. It's the perfect side story to the Canton Sisters!

Kelsey has a way with writing characters that I just can't get enough of. I never want the book to end, I just continually want more, lol. it happened with The Heartlander Series and Loya! Janie and Ben are no exception to that, she just made Ben more swoony with his British accent.

If you want a light hearted, FUNNY read. Pick this one up!

I can't wait for the next book in the Juniper Falls series!

Thank you, Kelsey, for the advanced reader copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Amna Waqar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as a standalone and thought it was a really cute read. I do wish that I had read some of the previous books to get more insight and context into the other characters that were mentioned quite frequently.

I did have a couple of issues with the story. Firstly, I wouldn't consider this a Christmas read - it gave more autumnal vibes than anything else. Secondly, I thought that Benedict's 'britishness' was a complete fail on behalf of the author. He had an almost aristocratic upbringing and went to Cambridge, yet spoke like a working class character out of Eastenders. Also, he wouldn't have gone to primary school - he would have most definitely gone to prep school instead.

Having said that, overall, this was a fun read.

NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super cute and funny MOC romcom. Ben and Janie shared a night of too much alcohol and so many laughs that their greatest problems tumbled out- namely he needs a wife for a 3 month/ 5 year commitment (the timing was rather flexible) and she is flat broke after bailing her brother out of gambling debt and housing their grandmother. Their chemistry was good, their banter was so fun and the pacing was great too. I loved how their story all came together though it did end with them decided to give it a try for real. I dislike books that check out at that point- show them being happy and working together and showing up for each other. I also didn’t like how she was constantly freaked out/ confused by him having money.
Overall a very fun experience and would listen to again!

Janie and Ben