Merry and Bright: A Callisto Christmas: A Christmas Alien Fake-dating Rom Com

by J.J. Hynd

Ali won't make it home for Christmas.

She can't get the time off work to travel back to Earth. The forensic lab already has a backlog, and with only two weeks til the big day it's not happening. Her parents decide to surprise her with a festive family visit instead. They want to see Callisto at Christmas, and meet her mystery man she's told them about. Only problem is Ali's man is fictional. Fabricated to appease her parents and stop them worrying.

What Ali needs is a boyfriend for Christmas.

This is a standalone Christmas Romance with fake dating, nerdy date nights, and some alien anatomy.

PLEASE This book is intended for readers 18+

[Finalised cover to be confirm]

112 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2025

About the author

J.J.Hynd is a Londoner that ran away to the North. As a single parent with a short attention span, and even less free time, they write stories that are pace fast, ADHD friendly. They write about lovers in space, alien crime lords, murderous AIs, the occasional dinosaur, and barbarian kings.

Reviews

[Alexander Li-Timmins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merry and Bright - out soon
I'm very happy to share this one. A Christmas esk romance by @J J Hynd | SciFiRomance Author . I'm honoured to have been able to read this through Wing&Words arcs @Wings & Words and can honestly give this a big, fat, illuminescent-blue 5 stars.

Ive read two of JJ Hynds books now and love the writing style and story telling. In this specific book, the characters are relatable, real and you have some empathy towards them. It's a lovely tale with a very happy ending (more ways than one). The interactions between the characters, even the side characters feels real and well placed. A big recommendation from me to grab this when it's released

[Neapolitan670 📚🖤 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Come on, who doesn’t love a bit of alien peen at Christmas 👽🎄

For Ali, it’s all work and no play being an analyst in a lab at the police dept. Until just before Christmas when her parents tell her they are coming to visit her in Callisto, unfortunately, she told then she had a boyfriend when in fact she had never found the time to engage in any social activities. Her boss jumps to her aid by arranging for her to meet Variso, he’s from Lumosis from their first meeting they start to learn about one another to fool her parents into thinking she really does have a boyfriend. As time goes on Ali, starts to have sincere feelings for Variso.

"𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧,” 𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧.

It’s a really quick Christmas love story complete with some fun elements, Christmas jaunts and alien smutmas! Totally, made me smile 😊

[Kimberley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to JJ Hynd and Wings and Words for an ARC copy.

I throughly enjoyed this quick festive read. With just as much humour as romance, It certainly gave the warm feel good fuzzys. I just wish their was more to devour. JJ Hynd knows how to tell a beautiful tale within a short time frame and I'm here for it.

[Georgina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: Merry & Bright: A Callisto Christmas by JJ Hynd

Thank you to JJ Hynd and Wings & Words for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. I loved it! 💚

Merry & Bright is a funny, fast-paced and delightfully spicy Christmas novella that brings festive chaos, swoony moments and a surprising amount of spice for its 94 pages. (Four scenes. Ninety-four pages. I’ll let the maths speak for itself.) It isn’t smut though imo, it’s well-placed spice and I was absolutely here for it.

Tropes:
• Instalove (we’re talking under a week)
• Fake dating at Christmas
• Secret pining
• He falls first, and harder
• Unusual anatomy and… festive emissions 🤭

Ali needs a fake boyfriend for Christmas and who better to step in than a leather-clad friend of a friend who happens to roll in on a motorcycle? Sparks fly, hearts engage and the whole thing unfolds with alien charm.

I devoured this in about an hour. It’s a fun, festive escape that absolutely delivers on humour, chemistry and Christmas cheer. One thing I absolutely love in an alien romance is communication barriers and this is something JJ got right with so much humour!

You won’t regret picking it up. 🎄

[Bookish ButterflyBeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderfully lighthearted christmassy read. I love JJs writing. this was nearly 100 pages and i didnt feel like i was missing anything. I do want more though!!!!

I really enjoyed the characters and i loved the mmc broken english...made me giggle but landed perfectly. "i am comfortable. I am seated" also.... Consent King!!!!

micro trope, he holds her chin. "You cum like a glowstick" priceless

Loved, Loved, Loved - highly recomend. Thankyou JJ for letting me read early. Reviewed voluntarily.

[Poppy || Monster Lover · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea behind this story was cute and I quite liked Varios. Some of the writing was choppy and it would take me out of the story.

Spice: 3/5

Triggers: FMC works in police precinct, loneliness

[Chloe Downie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ & 2 🌶️🌶️.

All I can say is why was this so short?!?

I adored this spicy alien romance novella, it had inter species confusion hilarious moments, cute and tender gives you the fuzzies moments, and of course scorching hot spicy moments with interesting… anatomy!

I loved how the world was built up so amazing so fast and also our characters chemistry was off the charts!

This was so incredibly well done for a wee novella!

Please can we get a book on the planet Varios is from?
I bet it’s as beautiful as he is!

I would post my favorite highlights but most of them are not suitable for reviews. One of the safer ones included:

“Why is there an avian on the winter tree?”
“These socks are pleasing”

The acknowledgment saying thanks to Chloe for inspiring a certain scene? Yeah that definitely wasn’t me 😆🤭🎄

Thank you wings & words and author JJ for the opportunity to read in advance, I am leaving the review voluntarily and honestly!

[T || · Rating 5 out of 5]

first of thanks to Beth at wings and words community as always ! & JJ!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Right from the beginning you know this is going to be an awesome fast paced book. Ali from Earth is working on Callisto (the moon) in the lab of the police department - she is a workaholic, so cant make it home for Christmas. Ergo- her parents come to her. The catch, she told them she had an alien boyfriend. But she doesnt - enter Varios for fake dating and meeting the parents.

Ali's mother is a firecracker and I swear she has Undiagnosed ADHD 🤣 i loved it lol.

Varios & Ali. I love how he takes the fake dating so serious from the beginning a pure indication of how innocent and honest his genetic / race are, instantly uncomfortable with lying lol. It seemed like Ali was taken with Varios right from the first meeting.

And their first "act" as a "couple" when he takes her to see christmas lights. Hawttt.

I absolutely loved and adored Ali's parents and how they treated Varios! Its so sweet. Everything about this was perfect.

It was sweet, cozy, so focused on family and traditions, unexpected love, funny as hell.

"You cum like a glowstick" killed me off i cried for about 15 minutes laughing 😭🤣🤣👽

"I am comfortable, im seated" showing just how matter of factly and serious Varios is and it was halerious 🤣🤣 - when it was nothing to do with that. The banter in this was incredible.

I just loved everything about it. I wish it was longer. Did her mother ever get her grandbabies? 🥷🤣

Highly recommend this for a quick, lighthearted, heart warming read.

[Aida Rivero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merry & Bright: A Callisto Christmas
By JJ Hynd

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Releases December 1

Tropes:  
❤️Fake dating
🎄Cosy Christmas
🛸Alien romance
👽Unusual anatomy
💕Nerdy date nights
👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻 He falls first
🗣️ Language barrier.

J.J. Hynd delivers the perfect dose of festive merriment and alien romance in Merry & Bright: A Callisto Christmas! This book releases on December 1st and is an absolute must-read for fans of quirky, cozy holiday romance.
The fake dating trope is one of my favorites, and it shines here with a unique, intergalactic twist. Ali needs a fake boyfriend to appease her visiting Earth parents, leading to charming language barrier mishaps and adorable, nerdy date nights on Callisto. The "he falls first" dynamic was executed perfectly and truly warmed my heart.
The atmosphere is everything you want in a Christmas book—cozy, fun, and full of holiday cheer, despite being set on Callisto! It’s a standalone romance that hits all the right notes for a heartwarming and entertaining read.
If you are looking for a quick, feel-good Christmas read that’s out of this world, pick this up! Highly recommend.

10/10 highly recommended to family and friends

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well wasn’t that just a little bit of bottled bioluminescent joy!

It was such a lovely short read, with all the essential things I really want from a Christmas romance;
- two sweeter than pavlova main characters
- enough yearning to carry you through the Yuletide season
- a decent sprinkle for spice for your Boxing Day spicy margs!

I love the fresh take on an alien romance. JJ does space so well, I wish I could live in their galaxy beyond our atmosphere. And the sweet pay off towards the end it’s the best kind of Christmas gift.

Add it to your TBR today!

Thanks JJ for the opportunity to read this fabulous Christmas Tale early 🎄♥️💚

[Emma Garbutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first foray into alien romance and this hits a spot I didn't know existed!
Ali and Varios are cute AF. The chemistry is evident from the get go!
Such a great quick read - packs a punch and although leaves you wanting more, it doesn't leave anything left unsaid. It gives you the warm and fuzzies and had me giddy at points!

Also, I now realise bioluminescence can be hot as hell. Lol.

Thank you to Beth and the rest of the Wings and Words team for giving me the opportunity to read this arc free, it was a real pleasure!
I am happily leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ali Evers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished it and loved it. A few things in particular ...obviously, who doesn’t love a Christmas-light dick? Iconic.
I also adored that it ended with his POV and that he knew from the start 🤩 So sweet.
And the overly sex-positive parents? Hilarious. American parents could never!
The story has a great arc, a fun blend of dry humor, and cozy holiday imagery. A fantastic novella overall. Highly recommend.

[Alex Lux · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC and it is a new favorite. It is a great fit for anyone who loves Hallmark Christmas movies but want a sci-fi twist. I laughed all the way through this book. The alien MMC is adorable and so easy to love. He is very literal which makes his interpretations of Christmas traditions incredibly entertaining. Combining that with the FMC's slightly inappropriate parents makes for a hilarious read.

To be honest, I was won over at the Star Trek and Xena references 😉

[Cloud · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️and 3 🌶️
Absolutely loved this fun little Christmas alien romance. If you love a cheeky bit of fake dating, hot aliens who ride motorcycles and all things glowing…this one’s for you! My only complaint is that there wasn’t more of it to read, I would’ve loved to have read more chapters from Varios' perspective 😍. Big thank you to JJ for giving me an opportunity to read this ARC for free!

[Micaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from wings & words and J J Hynde (thank you)This book was a quick fun spicy read. Excellent main characters and I loved the parents. Would definitely recommend and am going to look and see what else J J has written

[Amy Lismore · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was my first SF romance and it was amazing and I loved and The characters are amazing, and I read it in a couple of days. I love j.j written it made me laugh at times and I love it.

[Katieandgroot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc Review : these are my free and honest opinions.

I love an oblivious FMC. Like Ali is so smart yet can't suss out Varios's very real feelings for her. This was a good time and I loved the alien interpretations of holiday festivities! The characters are so loveable. I can't wait to explore more of this world in future books!

[Shannon's Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

a hot spicy, out of this world Novella wrapped in a christmas bow.. this is exactly what I needed for a palate cleanser!

[Rhiannon Sharples · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone watches Hallmark movies at Christmas, this is just the same except not. It's such a fun twist! The writing had me laughing out loud, the characters were relatable and hilarious! The language barrier giggles, the back and forth between the kid, who is a fully grown adult, and the parents! Chef's kiss.

I don't do Christmas so was wondering if it would be a bit of a put off for me but honestly it was beautifully done. It's in the story and it's done so well as to not take over everything but make the story flow even smoother.
.
.
It is SPICY guys so make sure it's your level before jumping in
.
thank you JJ and Wings & Words for the ARC copy!!

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re craving fake dating chaos, he-falls-first devotion, and a sprinkle of alien anatomy intrigue, this novella is pure festive magic. JJ Hynd wraps up the warmth of a Christmas romance in a shimmering sci-fi bow, setting it all on Callisto for that perfect mix of cozy and otherworldly.
✔️Fake dating shenanigans
✔️ He falls first
✔️ Cozy vibes on Callisto
✔️ Spice with a twist (alien anatomy makes things very interesting 👀)
The banter? Adorable. The chemistry? Off the charts. The world-building? Just enough sparkle to make you believe in Christmas on a moon. It’s short, sweet, and steamy—perfect for curling up with a blanket and pretending your alien boyfriend is bringing you cocoa under the stars!

[Tehmeena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Content Warnings; contains scenes of s*xual nature & unusual anatomy.

~Thank you to JJ Hynd and Wings & Words community for the free Arc. I am leaving this review voluntarily.~

Tropes;
♥️❄️𝓒𝓱𝓻𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓶𝓪𝓼 𝓝𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓪
❄️♥️𝓢𝓬𝓲-𝓕𝓲 𝓡𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮
♥️❄️𝓗𝓮 𝓕𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓼 𝓕𝓲𝓻𝓼𝓽 & 𝓗𝓪𝓻𝓭
❄️♥️𝓐𝓵𝓲𝓮𝓷 𝓜𝓜𝓒 𝔁 𝓗𝓾𝓶𝓪𝓷 𝓕𝓜𝓒
♥️❄️𝓗𝓮'𝓼 𝓖𝓸𝓽 𝓑𝓲𝓰 𝓗𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓼
❄️♥️𝓕𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓓𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰
♥️❄️𝓐𝓵𝓲𝓮𝓷 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭
❄️♥️𝓜𝓮𝓮𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓟𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓼
♥️❄️𝓤𝓷𝓾𝓼𝓾𝓪𝓵 𝓐𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓸𝓶𝔂
❄️♥️𝓐𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓕𝓾𝔃𝔃𝔂 𝓕𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓼
♥️❄️𝓢𝓮𝓬𝓻𝓮𝓽 𝓨𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰
❄️♥️𝓕𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓜𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓼 𝓥𝓲𝓫𝓮𝓼
♥️❄️𝓝𝓸 𝓒𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓯-𝓗𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻
❄️♥️𝓗𝓔𝓐

Ali, our FMC, lives on Callisto, the moon, living and working amongst the fellow aliens. She also works for the police department, a workaholic, and never has any time for fun or socialising. Receiving a phone call during work hours from her parents leaves her on edge, though. Why, you ask? Because they randomly announce that they're coming over for a surprise visit from Earth to meet her and her "man" that she's been lying about. Taking the opportunity, Quercus, her alien boss, helps set her up with someone he thinks will be perfect for this occasion: Variso from Lumosis. With no other choice but to go along with the facade to appease them, she meets Variso, and they learn about each other. But what happens when she begins to grow attached to him? As time passes, she learns about her own feelings for him. Does he even feel the same, or is it just something temporary for him after all?

Varios, he's our dreamy, MMC. As soon as he's introduced in all his motorcycle gear glory, he becomes my latest hawttt alien book boyfriend. He has such endearing qualities such as the subtle, curious head tilts and the inclination to really know more about her. WHY IS THAT SO ADORABLE/ATTRACTIVE? He's so attentive. Also, I could imagine him so well with the descriptions - a little bit too well - not that I'm complaining. Delicious. Yes, I'm obsessed with him. I like the contrast between the way he appears so predatory to his soft nature. He's caring, protective, and so f*cking sweet. Romantic, thoughtful, and assertive if needs be.

Ali is our down to earth and relatable FMC. I take a liking to her from the beginning because she's brings ereaders to a date because just in case? She's is nervous and self-conscious about her body, but I like how, over time, she becomes more confident! I found myself cheering and rooting for because she deserves happiness, to feel good about herself, to be truly loved. She's equally curious to know more about him as well, which only proves how their romance/love blossoms over time naturally and isn't forced.

Quercus and Julia are absolutely brilliant - also a couple - and I like how encouraging they are towards Ali and Varios. They bring they own fun personalities. Quite memorable! Her parents are sweet and supportive. Some emotional moments, too. Both Ali and Varios's characters are lovable, charming, and compliment each other. I love their unique relationship dynamic. I can't get over how good the spice is: it's sizzling hawt! Enjoyed every second of it. The world building is fabulous. All the hustle and bustle is fascinating! The plotline is sweet, cosy, and wintery. It leaves you wanting more because it has that "feel good" vibes. It doesn't drag, is fast-paced without it rushing, and wraps up pretty well. I did go "aww." And I LOVE the surprise POV of Varios at the end.

Out of Fives;
♥️❄️𝑪𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓:✨✨✨✨✨
❄️♥️𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒆:🔥🔥🔥🔥
♥️❄️𝑩𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓:🎉🎉🎉🎉
❄️♥️𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆:🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
♥️❄️𝑩𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒔:🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
❄️♥️𝒀𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈:💐💐💐💐💐
♥️❄️𝑺𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔:🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓
❄️♥️𝑪𝒐𝒔𝒚 𝑽𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒔:🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠
♥️❄️𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝑽𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒔:🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁
❄️♥️𝑪𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒚:⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡
♥️❄️𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔:🎲🎲🎲🎲
❄️♥️𝑨𝒍𝒊 𝑭𝑴𝑪:🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷
♥️❄️𝑽𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒔 𝑴𝑴𝑪:🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶
❄️♥️𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆:🎬🎬🎬🎬🎬
♥️❄️𝑷𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈:⌛⏳⌛⏳⌛
❄️♥️𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕:🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
♥️❄️𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈:🌏🌎🌍🌏🌎
❄️♥️𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅: 𝒆𝑨𝑹𝑪/𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒆.
♥️❄️𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔: 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆.
❄️♥️𝑷𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔: 114.
♥️❄️𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔: 12.
❄️♥️𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: 𝑭𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝑵𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒂, 𝑺𝒄𝒊-𝑭𝒊, 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆.
♥️❄️𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 : 1 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 2025.
❄️♥️𝑾𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝑰 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅: 𝒀𝒆𝒔.
♥️❄️𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a brilliant, wholesome, joyful novella for around the festive season!

It has all the festive cheer, tree decorating, mulled wine, Christmas markets scenery that you'd expect from a Hallmark Christmas movie, only this is set on another moon, where the MFC is human, married to her work.

She goes into a spin when her parents announce 1 week before Christmas day that they are coming to her for Christmas, there's one big problem she's told them she has an Alien boyfriend! So this is where the story really kicks off, as she embarks on a mission to find someone who will agree to some fake dating.

The main club just gave me a multi-cultural just like the Mos Eisley Cantina bar vibes on Tatoonie (yes, that is a Star Wars ref!), just not so dark & seedy. The world building was fantastic for a novella as you don't get lost in it, but there's enough to hold the storyline together.

It is a slow burn, with moderate pacing, but with it being only 144 pages long you can devour it within a couple of hours. Be warned it maybe a slow-burn, but you do get a little bit of spice along the way to 'wet your whistle' so to speak!.

Overall this was a great, fun read that I would definitely recommend.

* Thank you to the Wings and Words community for the free ARC copy of this e-book! I'm leaving this review voluntarily*

[Denise O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merry And Bright a Callisto Christmas 🎄 by @authorjjhynd ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ali has 8 days to find herself a boyfriend before her parents come to see her for Christmas 🎄 She’s not able to visit them because of work so they decide to visit her instead leading her to make up a boyfriend she doesn’t have.
Her friends from work set her up with Varios a species she hadn’t see before but what Ali doesn’t remember is that she met him at work before. She finds herself out of practice in the dating world, she wonders if she and Various are compatible.
She tells Varios about her situation with her parents about lying about having a boyfriend and she just needs him to pretend to be her boyfriend while her parents visit her. He’s happy to help especially when he learns about the human touch of a kiss. When they are apart he thinks a lot about her.

“Out here I watch the stars and think of you”

The more they get to know each the more they are falling for each other. He makes her feel happy and excited whenever she see him. Varios realise she’s his mate.

I loved Ari and Varios story, the heartache Ali would have felt if they parted after their time was up but what she didn’t know that Varios was yearning for her for a long time. A sweet spicy Alien Christmas novella.🎄🎄

[GeeAlbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The dedication is everything!

I really enjoyed how even though fake dating is a well used trope, JJ’s approach to it was more interesting; a fake blind date leading to a fake relationship.

The language barrier was a fun addition, giving that sense of realism but also humour. The structure of the book itself was clever, it really brought that feeling of Christmas to life.

It gives a ‘they fall together’ vibe. Ali is curious about Varios & very much finds him attractive, & he is enamoured by her, wanting to be the perfect mate.

Ali’s parent feel so homely & cozy but they are hilarious too. They have that perfect parent feeling to them; slightly irritating to their child but extremely caring & loving.

JJ’s creativity with Varios & the spicy scenes were brilliant; a glowing, ribbed appendage & glowstick juice. Definitely a new one for me. I was living for it! It was fun & took festivity to a whole new level.

I also really loved the ‘I licked it so it’s mine’ use. Honestly, this was such a fun & enjoyable read! It was romantic & beautiful. I want more alien romance from JJ!

[Reading.With.Flo📚 · Rating 4 out of 5]

💫🎄ARC Review

I had such a joyful time reading this short Christmas novella! The characters were beautifully written, and their chemistry absolutely sparkled on the page. From tender moments to sizzling spice scenes, this story delivered everything I crave in a festive alien romance — and then some.

I found myself giggling more than once, swept up in the charm and warmth of their connection. It’s the kind of read that leaves you glowing, with just the right mix of cozy holiday vibes and interstellar heat.

I truly hope J.J. Hynd continues this story — I’d love to see more of these characters and their world. Huge thanks to the Wings & Words ARC community and the author for the opportunity to be part of this ARC team. It was a delight from start to finish!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

** ARC REVIEW **

Ali’s parents are coming to visit for the holidays and are under the impression that she isn’t desperately single. So when her coworker offers to set her up with a fake boyfriend for the holidays she figures there isn’t much to lose.

She obviously doesn’t expect to fall hard for the cinnamon roll Lumosis alien. But his unerring charm and commitment to help her make the charade a success quickly win her over. Now she just has to figure out if he also wants to trade fake dating for real romance.
This novella made me want to kick my feet and squeal. Varios and Ali were adorable and adorably oblivious.

We had so many fun alien x human tropes (I’ll try not to spoil them for you). Highly recommend for a sweet and spicy holiday read ❤️👽🎄

[Alicja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although it was a short book, it managed to span around a week before Christmas. It was written from the FMCs POv except for the last chapter which was kind of like a prologue. The spice was sprinkled throughout but it wasn’t placed too soon in the book and wasn’t too overwhelming throughout. The way that the MMC was written was very realistic as well, often you have alien written as though they were humans but in this book he was written like an alien whose trying really hard to learn which was a nice and welcome change. I honestly wish this was a series and we got to know everyone else and their world a lot more. It was a great, happy ending read, which I managed to finish in one day because I just couldn’t put it down! I would definitely recommend.

[Lady Grimm · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this! I *inhaled* this book hahaha If you're looking for a cozy alien holiday novella with a fast burn and some adorable banter, this one's for you! Pretty much zero angst, all good vibes and OH MYs! There's a bit of miscommunication with translators being literal, fake dating, fancy, peen, Christmas-light bondage, he falls first/mate bond, and witty British banter. I've not read anything from this author before, and I look forward to reading more of their work in the future!
A big thank you to JJ Hynd, and Bookish_butterflybeth at Wings&Words for allowing me the opportunity to ARC read this lovely holiday novella!

[Heather Deffley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this fantasy romance take of Christmas. A human is off planet and her parents let her know they are visiting for the festive period. They believe she has a boyfriend but she doesn't, so operation boyfriend begins and in enters Varios.

Varios is an alien who is sensitive to light and is super cool even rides a motorcycle.

He is more than happy to be Ali's boyfriend, but really she is actually his mate, she jujst doesn't know it yet.

A really lovely Christmas Novella with a HEA, you wont be disappointed.

Thank you to wings and Words for this letting be a ARC reader for this book, its was amazing.

[Simplymetaramarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5☆
One of the best quick holiday romances I've read. If you love holiday romance, motorcycles, handsome aliens, and fake dating, you need to pick this up. Fast-paced, humorous and entertaining.

Ali, a workaholic, book and science nerd, living on Callisto, needs a fake boyfriend for Christmas after learning her embarrassingly happy and demonstrative parents will be visiting for the holiday. Posing as the boyfriend she told her parents she had is Varios, an unexpectedly attractive being, whom Ali hadn't noticed at work until now. After being introduced she is noticing! This interspecies relationship is fun, tender, and glowingly spicy.