Christmas Charade: A Small Town MM Fake Dating Holiday Romance

by Bree Hollis

He needed a fake boyfriend for three weeks. I've been in love with him for thirteen years.

Garrett Schafer has spent the last decade building a life in Juniper Bluff—running his beloved coffee shop, building family with his friends, and definitely not pining over Hayden Bartlett, the guy who never noticed him in high school before leaving for bigger things.

So when Hayden walks back into The Perch desperate to avoid his mother's holiday matchmaking schemes, Garrett does something completely insane: he offers to be Hayden's fake boyfriend for the Christmas season.

It's supposed to be simple. Attend a few family dinners, survive some small-town gossip, maybe share a practice kiss or two under the mistletoe. Easy.

Except nothing about falling for Hayden Bartlett has ever been easy.

Between awkward family dinners, protective friends who see right through their act, and enough sexual tension to melt a Colorado snowstorm, their fake relationship starts feeling dangerously real. But when Hayden's demanding career pulls him back to Denver just days before Christmas, Garrett has to was their connection genuine or just a really good acting job?

A heartwarming small-town M/M romance

Fake dating that becomes oh-so-realA coffee shop owner with the biggest heart in ColoradoA workaholic learning what really mattersFound family who meddle with the best intentionsChristmas magic, community warmth, and a happily-ever-after worth waiting forChristmas Charade is the first book in the Juniper Bluff Christmas Collection—a series of interconnected standalone romances set in a charming Colorado mountain town. Each book features a different couple, complete with holiday magic and guaranteed happy endings.

Genres: Christmas

133 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 7, 2025

Reviews

[Jimbo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book, but when the crisis happens, well, Garrett becomes a whiny idiot. He wanted Hayden for thirteen years (or twelve depending on where you were in the story!), but three days was too much? Seriously?
Yes, they were cute together, the friends were kind of fun. Hayden's mother was insane and his father was a nonperson, but there was romance at least. No compromises, though. Hayden gave up everything, and Garrett shared his apartment. It's not too fair in my book.

This needed a stronger edit. Phrases kept getting repeated. I'm not sure why, except it is too short of a book to do that. Lunch happens right after lunch somewhere else. Really corrective things.
Kind of sloppy, but okay story.

[Shannon Boote · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I’m conflicted. This story line was sweet and had that Hallmark movie vibe but queer and not as cringy. The writing though, was confusing because it had moments that really stood out but they were overshadowed by the sheer numbers of continuity errors and the dizzying flip-flopping between character points of view that made me have to back up and go “wait, but this was from Garret’s point of view but now all of a sudden it’s Hayden talking and his POV”. It made it confusing and I’m not easily confused. If I have to turn back pages to get my bearings then the author has failed at their job, which is sad because the story itself is solid in imagination it was just the execution that failed. It needed more editing and beta readers who can root out continuity errors, which were plentiful in this case. As an Indie writer myself, I know how hard publishing is, how hard editing can be. That said this felt lazy and it’s a shame because a little polishing could have made this a 3.5-4 star read. Instead is a generous 2.5 star read rounded up because Goodreads doesn’t listen to the people using its platform and allow half stars, at the very least. I also think another 25-30 pages of them falling harder and harder would have benefited the story too. I felt their breakup hurt to be more believable than falling in love because it felt more fleshed out. Even one or two more chapters would have put it in the sweet spot. I’m disappointed that the loveliness of the story was a victim of poor writing and/or editing choices. Am I going to try this author’s other books? Possibly. I want to root for good storylines finding good writing. Here’s hoping the next one is a win.

[Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tight group of friends protect one of their own when a high school crush returns home

Within a few pages of this excellent book by Bree Hollis, I was deeply moved by the power of her words to convey the strength of friends who continue to support their friend who lost his parents years ago. Her words, efficiently arranged, gave the love and respect these contemporaries had for their parentless friend.

Garrett Schafer, as a very young man, took over his parents' coffee shop, making it support him and this special community of Juniper Bluff. The friends, who have a designated booth in the coffee shop, and who check in each morning, are his protection and his shield.

When Hayden Bartlett shows up in town, it renews Garrett's memories of lusting after him in high school. Hayden was suave, and Garrett carried around his yearbook picture in his wallet until it disintegrated from frequent touches and more than a decade of viewing. Hayden's back because for years he had ignored his family's pleas to come back home for Christmas. He's on a trajectory for a key post in the marketing agency he's part of, and only wanted to come back to town, endure his family's questions about why he hasn't found someone as a life partner. Garrett offers himself up as a fake date for his parent's Christmas Eve dinner, where his mother was to have introduced him to a far-less-desirable date.

To sell the fake dating, they date and make appearances all over town, causing tongues to be wagging and stories to be told about the budding romance of the two men.

But of course, they fall in love and recognize the bond between them. I detest angst added for the sake of increasing page count in MM romances, but in this one, the angst is mountain-sized when Hayden has to return to Denver to fix a $12-million account; he leaves Garrett in the dark for three days before Christmas.

The result is that Garrett sees this as an indicator of what life would be like with the Tesla-driving, professionally made suits-wearing Hayden if they were together. He can't forgive him and goes dark.

There's a happy ending, and it reflects the necessity of candid communication in relationships. It also confirms that the big money is consistently earned without sacrifices, including those made when hearts are damaged.

Bree Hollis has provided a fantastic story of the failures that can derail a relationship, and how earning trust again can save those relationships. Her writing is crisp, and I didn't feel as though I was having to read inflated words to drive page count. It was an afternoon read for me that will remain with me for some time.

[Lora Graham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many errors for a short story

Really cute, really sweet, mostly likeable characters. Hayden’s family, especially his mother, were unbelievably overbearing when it came to his love life, thankfully mostly off page.

There was a “3rd act breakup”, but it was definitely warranted. I actually felt sad because I could relate. Or that could’ve been my depression.

While there aren’t a lot of mistakes there are more than I care for in a book under 150 pages. About 4-5 times the POV was switched, and then switched back, sometimes in the middle of a conversation. Ex: Hayden was thinking about waking up with Garrett in his bed, but a page or so later he was grabbing his clothes off of Garrett’s dresser. Or when Hayden asked Garrett if he still had the journal he’d bought him - Garrett had bought it for Hayden - then in the next few sentences he asks Garrett if he can earn it back.

[J.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas Charade by Bree Hollis is an absolute delight! The chemistry and holiday setting adds just the right amount of cozy charm. I loved how the story balanced humor, heart, and “cozy” 😉 moments, making it impossible to put down. The plot kept me engaged from and the emotional depth of the characters made their journey feel authentic and satisfying. Though the writing was a little tricky to follow here and there, it’s perfect for anyone looking for a fun, romantic, and heartwarming holiday read.

[V · Rating 2 out of 5]

needs proofing

Reads like it was written by AI or not proofed. Continuity errors and constant repetition. Had potential but hard to get into the story with the timeline jumping around and not consistent.