Her Holiday Arrangement: A steamy sapphic CEO Christmas romance

by Emily Hayes

Fake dating. Real chemistry. One Christmas that changes everything.

Elizabeth Coventry doesn’t do chaos—or feelings.
As one of the city’s most powerful CEOs, her life is run like her clean, efficient, and completely under control.
Until her girlfriend dumps her three days before the holidays… and she’s still expected to show up at her family’s Vermont estate with a partner in tow.

Enter Riley Hart—Elizabeth’s messy, big-hearted assistant who talks too much, feels too much, and somehow keeps Elizabeth’s world running despite the coffee stains and mild disasters she trails behind.

A desperate proposal.
Ten days of pretending.
One shared bed that feels a little too real.

Between matching pajamas, meddling relatives, and stolen glances under the mistletoe, Elizabeth and Riley start to blur the line between fake and forever.
Because pretending to be in love is easy.
Not falling for each other? That’s the hard part.

Genres: Lesbian, Contemporary, LGBT

215 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 14, 2025

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Reviews

[Anne Hartley Pfohl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved Riley, so warm, vulnerable, sassy and real. Elizabeth was harder to like. I enjoyed this one.

Didn't like that Elizabeth's last name started out as Coventry and ended up as Hale. Sloppy editing. Yuk.

[Nat E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Riley was adorable and Elizabeth annoyed me. I felt terrible for Riley throughout most of the story. I would have been okay with Riley walking away. Riley gave in too easily. Elizabeth’s family sucked!

[Ramona · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somewhat Frustrating

I hate to give low ratings but this was a hard one to get through sadly. The spicy scenes were great but I kept waiting for the book to get better but I just found myself getting frustrated over and over. There were quite a few repeated parts where it was basically the same thing happening and I just wanted to the story to move along and felt like it dragged. I honestly felt disappointed unfortunately.

[Bee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Placeholder rating until I finish:

Just reading something quick and fun to round out the year. Initial frustration (stopped on page 24 to write this part): First FMC is Elizabeth Coventry, but that's only her last name twice in the book (only in the first 2 chapters), then her last name is Hale and they're going to the Hale estate for Christmas the entire rest of the book. Then!! The second FMC is Riley Hart according to the book synopsis on the KU listing, but the only last name ever mentioned within the actual book is Jensen. Names should be the very first think to ctrl+F for when editing. The premise still seems good enough I'm gonna see it through, but this will have a major impact on my final rating.

Upon further attempts to continue, I will be DNFing this one. The editing needs so much work.

[L · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m usually loathe to give bad reviews, but there were so many head-scratching inconsistencies, and those coupled with the repetitive, redundant prose really irked me. In mid-December, Elizabeth breaks up with Sophia, her girlfriend of 8 months, but *minor spoiler alert* later in the story, all of Elizabeth’s relatives refer to Sophia as if she was a longstanding fixture in the family. Plus it’s hard to root for Elizabeth and Riley when Elizabeth is such a coward. I wish I had stopped at the first inconsistency and given up, instead I struggled through to the bitter end, waiting for the book to redeem itself when it never did.

[Robin Kenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merry Christmas, covered in ice and snow!

Emily Hayes has provided us with another ice melting story! I love the intensity, the humor and the angst that builds right from the get go! Sophia is such a bitch, I kinda wish she had to deal with a come to Jesus moment! All the snarky relatives deserve a bitch slap as well! That is just a clue as to the depth of the emotions involved in this one! I loved it!

[KateJoanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed this, a predictable fake-girlfriend to take home for Christmas novel, but well written and with loveable, vibrant characters. I liked the no-drama third act, with the books focus on the romance more than a complicated plot.
Great chemistry, character depth and spice scenes too. Riley is loveable, chaotic and loyal— Elizabeth is a controlled Ice Queen with a few decades worth of buried emotion and trauma.
Would recommend and read again.

[Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall an enjoyable story with two good mc's and some pretty unpleasant snobby relatives . A good hea in the end although I would have liked some information as to how Riley managed to get from Vermont to her flat in New York leaving on Christmas Eve in the snow in an estate vehicle to be home on Christmas day???

[Erik S · Rating 5 out of 5]

FANTASTIC

EMILY I'm not usually much of a Christmas story reader but like usual yours was unbelievable,sexy,very interesting. You really are one amazing AUTHOR. Keep up the great sexy writing.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow fast burn

What a frustratingly slow burn

The sex might have come fast (pun intended) but you had to wait for the love but it was definitely worth it

[Sharee Betts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Poor Riley, she was frustrated, angry and totally falling in love with the CEO. Very funny book Riley had so much character. Really enjoyed reading it.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

This was very good but damnnnnn the ending could have did more on both their family's. This book is worth reading.

[S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

HATE the cover, love the book