Faking All the Way

by Nikki Lawson, Christine Balfour (Narrator), C.J. Grey (Narrator)

One gorgeous hockey player. One little lie. One fake relationship that turns my holidays upside down.

When my asshole ex ambushes me at the airport with his perfect new fiancée, I panic and claim I'm dating Asher Vaughn, the hockey star whose face I just saw on the news.

Then the actual Asher Vaughn walks into baggage claim, so I do the only logical thing I can think I march over and kiss him like my life depends on it.

But the crazy thing is… he kisses me back.

He even agrees to go along with my lie in exchange for a place to stay while he's in town dealing with his estranged father. Should be easy enough. He'll take the guest house, we'll keep up appearances in public, and after the holidays, we'll go our separate ways.

I just didn't expect Asher to be so good at pretending. He defends my dreams, kisses me under the mistletoe, and looks at me like he's been starving for my curves his whole life.

And when we get snowed in one night with only one bed, all our rules go out the window.

The next thing I know, he's tying me up with Christmas ribbon and showing me everything I've been missing. Calling me “bright eyes” like it means something, teaching me to skate, and making me scream his name where my ex might hear.

This was supposed to be temporary. Just a deal to survive the holidays.

But as we count down the days until Christmas, I don't know what scares me that our fake relationship will be ending soon… or that I want it to be real.

TROPES IN THIS
Small town
Hockey player hero
Plus sized, black cat heroine
Fake dating with benefits
Holiday romance
Forced proximity
Opposites attract

Faking All the Way is a contemporary romance loaded with banter, chemistry, and all the holiday spice you've been craving.

It is a complete standalone with a HEA!

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Sports, Hockey, Sports Romance, Fake Dating

Audible Audio

Published November 10, 2025

Reviews

[CB · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEW

Rating: 4.75/5
POV: 1st, Dual
Tropes: Fake Dating; Artist FMC; Pro Athlete MMC; Forced Proximity; Found Family; Slow Burn
Heat Level: 5+/5
Kinks:Exhibitionism (maybe?); butt stuff

Likes:
* Fantastic banter and romantic build up for this couple! I imagined them as two puzzle pieces that just fit perfectly together
* I enjoyed seeing all the family moments. It just helps make a book really give off that cozy Christmas vibe

Dislikes:
* honestly it’s not even a dislike but I feel the need to mention it, the book is slightly over 400 pages, which is a lot for a Christmas book. It probably could’ve slightly been shorter with just less descriptive scenes. However I enjoyed every aspect of the book so it’s not necessarily a complaint for me!

Conclusion:
Well I just seem to be hitting the fake dating Christmas jackpot! Another wonderful story that I sort of just stumbled across! Granted it was on my TBR but I’ve been going into these books blind, not reading the synopsis before starting, and I’ve found it to really make the reading experience enjoyable.

The beginning of Asher and Kat’s fake dating might be the best one I’ve ever read! It was hilarious!! And I might just have to say Asher is A+ fake boyfriend material! To do thag with a complete stranger and how he immediately has her back was so swoon worthy. He was an incredibly romantic MMC! I think I might have a crush 🤭😂.

I enjoyed this so much that I’ll be adding this to my reread tag and can definitely see myself rereading this during the holiday season again! It was wonderfully Christmasy, very family oriented, HOT 🥵, and hilarious! What’s not to like??

Thank you for going along with my forceful self and reading this with me Lori!! ☺️😍


4.75/5

[Crystal (Crystalreads2)]

DNF @64%

[Lisa Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

something about this was just lacking for me... like dnf BUT Asher's grand gesture was adorable so that added an extra half star. This read totally Hallmark into the half way mark then did a dirty, spicy 180 that seemed awkward with how the first half was. Just didn't match.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 185 of 2025

I loved this full-length Christmas story—fake dating, small town, hockey player…what more could you ask for? Kat & Asher’s connection was so well-written and had me wanting to come back to their story every moment I had. I look forward to going back & reading one of Lawson’s other stand alones that connect to this one!

Format: ebook (KU)

[Reading is escaping reality · Rating 5 out of 5]

one name changes everything

If Nikki Lawson is writing it, I’m reading/listening to it! Faking all the way, is a super cute and steamy Christmas story! When he ex stays the night, omg Asher is the best, faking but turns out not to be faking! Whew, that’s where it all starts and when they realize that what they have is actually real, swoon and clenching of the heart! Because these two absolutely deserve each other!

[Michaele · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️❤️❤️

[Ashley A · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE a fake dating troupe! Throw in my favorite holiday plus a one bed scene and it’s an instant favorite!
I love the writing style and how quickly I connected with the characters. Watching their relationship grow was so fun to read.

[Haley Roeder · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why even say he's a hockey player when it has nothing almost at all to do with the plot? The FMC was insecure. The dialogue was boring. I've read at least 10 of this same book.

[Maria Arroyo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Giving this a two solely for the fact that I didn’t really had a strong Christmas vibe in my opinion. Also I was constantly bored.

[Noelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 🎧 Audiobook

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. It was okay. The spice was spicy but very unrealistic at times (one specific time especially). I just wasn’t blown away with this one but it was a cute little filler read for the holiday season.

[Hed · Rating 1 out of 5]

Like another reviewer, I dnf at about 30%. I enjoyed the beginning premise, and the texting was cute, but then it got boring. It felt too formulaic and perfect. There was no pining or conflict or anything to keep the story going, especially since we get both POV there is no mystery whatsoever about whether they like each other.

[Lori ◡̈ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ “This is how it always is with her—one touch, one kiss, and I’m lost. All my control, all my careful boundaries, evaporate like they never existed.”

🏒 Asher - 29 yrs old, was recently let go from his Philly NHL team and his career is in limbo until he can land a new team. So he travels to Small Town, USA, to visit his estranged father and help him out while he is recovering from a broken leg. Asher was a confident, humble golden retriever (but could bust out a hockey enforcer move if pushed too far).

🎨 Kat - 27 yrs old, was a struggling children’s book illustrator waiting for her big break. Upon arriving back to Small Town, USA, to visit her family for the holidays, she runs into her nasty ex-boyfriend Daniel and his new fiance in the airport at the baggage claim. One little lie leads to another and after a hilarious moment of her throwing herself at a famous hockey player standing close by, she walks out of the airport with a fake boyfriend.

These two were absolutely perfect for each other. They were so very sweet, respectful and supportive of each other, they did NOT jump into bed quickly, but rather had a nice slow burn - to an eventual “no strings attached, no feelings, just… sex” - to the sweetest declaration of “I Love You” that I have read in a long time. And it was so fun to watch them fall in love.

Cute moments:
🛄 meet-cute at the airport
📣 each others biggest cheerleader
🥂 festive holiday parties and atmosphere
💬 nightly marathon texting (could see each other thru their windows)
🔥“I’ll show you mine, if you show me yours” type of texting scene
⛸️ Ice skating lessons
🛏️ only one bed - steamy fake sex scene
💦 he was constantly desperate and losing his control for her
🪧 best “I love you” declaration scene

The writing was initially a little shaky for me, but after a chapter or two I realized it was actually really descriptive. The smells, sounds, sights, everything was shown to us instead of just told to us, I noticed that many times too.

My not so cute moment:
🍑 butt stuff scene done poorly. The story was already plentiful hot without needing this scene, and the scene felt very unrealistic and just randomly added for shock-value filler.
👀 his nickname for her was Bright Eyes, and it got old towards the end.

Regardless, I will check out more from this author.
Thank you CB for finding this for us to buddy read 🎄

[Rachel Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by Nikki Lawson and it certainly won't be the last. I can't quite remember how I came across this book but the moment I saw the title I clicked to read more of it. The blurb had me hitting that add to cart button so damn fast. And who doesn't love a holiday romance.

I was hooked from the very first page and I'm actually quite sad that I've finished it. I tried reading slower to make it last longer but the story had me invested that I needed to know how this story was going to end. Especially when it came fake dating.

Nikki really knows how to write a main MMC because Asher Vaughn... sweet lord. This book combines pretty much everything that I love in a book. It's a hockey romance. Holiday romance. Fake dating. Slow burn. Forced proximity. A found family.

Asher is between hockey teams right now and is visiting the town where his father current lives and is waiting for his agent to work his magic on getting him a new NHL contract. Kat is visiting her hometown for the holidays and she never expects to bump into her old boyfriend who is now engaged.

So she tells him that she is dating Asher Vaughn, the pro hockey player not realizing that not only is he in the same town as her. But he is in the same airport as her. So what does she do? March over to him and kiss him. An agreement is made. He pretends to be her fake boyfriend for the holidays and he can live in the guest cabin while he is visiting his father. It gets a lot more complicated after that. But god this story was perfect. Every single word.

It was sweet and spicy. I loved the budding friendship and relationship between Kat and Asher. How she was able to help him let go off the past and how he was able to make her see her true self. That she was worth so much more than what Daniel made her out to believe. It was super sweet and super sexy. Overall an amazing story.

So many scenes in this book will stay with me. The sweetest declaration of I love you that I have ever read. I'm never going to forget that scene. And the ending was perfect. This book will definitely be on my reread list before the end of the year.

I would love to read more about Kat and Asher in any future books. I cannot recommend this book enough and I will be reading more from this author. To me this book deserves more than 5 stars.

[Just_One_More_Chapter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nikki does it again! This was a super cute read and had a great mix of emotional scenes, character growth, communication, general romance, angst and spice. Kat finds herself face to face with her ex and rather than admitting she's currently single, she says that she is dating a professional hockey player. Lucky for her, that player just happens to be at the same airport at the same time and went along with her fake dating scheme no questions asked. Asher is a green flag golden retriever and I loved how sweet and protective he was of Kat. I also loved how much he helped his father, even though he lived for over 20 years thinking his father didn't want him. We didn't find out until close to the end why his father actually left him, and I wish we got to see their relationship develop more after that reveal. Still, I loved their scenes and Murphy stole the show. I also loved seeing Kat become more confident in herself and how much she wanted Asher to find his happiness again. Their banter was adorable, and although the story took place over only a few weeks there was so much communication and time spent getting to know each other that it felt much longer than that. It helped to avoid the insta-love feel. I didn't love the third act conflict because it felt random and rushed, but their HEA was beautiful.

I honestly wanted to give this book 5 stars but I couldn't get past a few scenes that could have used some more editing to avoid scenarios that didn't make sense or were repeated too much through the story already. I also didn't love that almost every spicy scene had a mention of Daniel in it. He and Kat broke up years earlier. I could see mentioning him a time or two since he was a big reason why Kat had low self esteem, but almost every time was a little much.

I hope we see a little cameo of Asher and Kat in Goal Line Hearts. This author is a must read and I cannot wait for the continuation of that series to come out next year!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kat and Asher's story was such a sweet read!

Kat is an illustrator for children's books. She's an independent woman who doesn't seem to stick to one place for long. She's back in her hometown for the holidays.
Asher is a hockey player, currently with no team after an injury. He's in town waiting on his agent to find him a new team and to help his injured father (who he has no relationship with) and to figure out if he even wants a relationship with him.

Kat runs into her ex and his new fiancé after a rough flight back to her hometown. When he asks what she's been up to Kat blurts out that she's been dating Asher Vaughn--Mr. hockey hottie. Of course she turns around and there he is and she has no choice but to go along with her lie in front of her pompous ex. Thankfully, Asher seems to be a good sport and goes along with it all perfectly. In exchange, he has a place to stay while he figures things out for himself.

The agreement Asher and Kat make is working out fine. They get to know each other well in order to pass off their fake relationship to family and friends. Neither is looking for anything real or long term--and their term is up after the holidays. They are able to sort of keep it all platonic until they have to kiss, under the mistletoe and things bloom from there. But an unexpected visit from his nasty ex could prove to spoil all of their fun and relationship progress.

This was such a good story! It flowed so nicely, the characters were so well done, low drama, low angst, some hot holiday spice and one of the sweetest, most heartfelt and heartwarming HEAs I've read in a while. Well written and totally recommend this.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Asher and Kat are put into a predicament all because of Kat and an impulse of saying his name and claiming he was her current boyfriend to an ex. Little did she know he would be walking into the same airport as her in her small area of Virginia and he would be willing to play the part.

Asher is a professional hockey player who is trying to find a team he can sign with and while that happens he is in a small town where his father is living and recovering from a broken foot. He doesn't have much of a relationship with his father after his parents divorce and once him and his dad actually sit down and talk he soon learns he was told stories and lies. Maybe he can repair that relationship while a new one is starting?

Kat is an illustrator and returning home to spend time with family during the holidays. She runs into her condescending ex boyfriend and throws out a name of her new current boyfriend, Asher, who just happens to be a professional hockey player and walking right towards them. Luckily he plays along with the ruse and along the way they get to know each other and really connect.

Asher helps Kat with her self esteem and builds her up, while Kat really sees Asher for who he is and not what he can do for her or get for her with all of his hockey money. She truly likes him for him.

However Asher's past comes back and puts a big ripple into their relationship and is it too much for them to be able to get back on track and be what each other need?

Loved this book!! So good and great book that is set during Christnas to get you into the Christmas spirit!

[MN Book Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good!

After running into her bragging ex at the airport, Kat proclaims she dating hockey superstar Alex, who just happens to be at baggage claim. Alex, being a good sport, plays along and finds himself with a fake girlfriend; something he’s happy to do after meeting the ex. It was only supposed to be a show around town in exchange for a place for Alex to stay. But lingering touches, one snowstorm stuck at grandma’s with only one bed and a fake romp later and things aren’t so fake anymore. But just as both of them are catching breaks in their careers, someone from Alex’s past comes back and makes Kat question everything.

Alex and Kat get their happy ending in this standalone book adjacent to a series.

I loved that Alex could have pushed Kat away and accused her of being a crazy fan but didn’t and just went with it. I do wonder what Alex would have done after realizing there wasn’t a place to stay in town if Kat hadn’t offered the guest house. Would he have stayed with his father? And don’t get me started on Kat’s parents not believing in her or seeing that her dreams were a viable career option! Did they not read books to their kids growing up? Did they not see her talent? Grandma obviously did and was proud to display it. And for Alex to see this immediately and defend it to everyone from the get go without proof of her talent was amazing and swoon-worthy!

[Angela Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kat tells her ex she’s dating hockey sensation, Asher Vaughn, never expecting to cross paths with him. Especially not two minutes later, when Asher shows up at the same baggage claim as her…and her ex, who is chomping at the bit to watch her humiliation. Luckily for her, when she impulsively kisses Asher and calls him her boyfriend, he plays along.

They strike up a deal: he’ll pretend to be her boyfriend through the holidays to help her save face, and she’ll give him a place to stay while he’s in town helping his father. Easy peasy. What they weren’t counting on, however, was their undeniable chemistry, nor the fact that they each might be what the other needs.

It was great watching them learn more about themselves and what they were capable of by seeing themselves through the other’s eyes. I loved the fact they drew strength and support from each other in order to be able to become the people they were meant to be before life threw them curve balls.

This is a cute story, but it’s not all fluff. There are some deep feels blended in, as well, which only adds to the satisfaction factor when you reach the end. So, if you’re wanting a feel-good, steamy, holiday read full of heart, look no further!

[Jamie Tuckwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚BOOK REVIEW📚

Faking All the Way - @nikkilawson.writes

What a fantastic read this was and a new author to me that I now want to devour everything else she has written.

Christmas came early by delivering Asher Vaughn to me! Oh my! This guy had me swooning so hard. And let me tell you, if you're a curvy girl then you deserve to be loved the way Asher loves Kat.

Asher and Kat don't exactly meet in a conventional way, but it is awkward to see the least. When Kat is confronted by her ex and his fiancé at the airport she lies and tells him she is seeing someone. Under pressure she says the first name that comes to mind which happens to be Asher Vaughn, the famous hockey player. Not expecting him to show up at that moment. He too goes along with the lie and it snowballs.

They find themselves fake dating throughout December but as time moves along they find they are well suited. They have so much fun together and Asher sees Kat for who she really is. He grounds her and never makes her feel any less than. She's been paranoid and self conscious about her weight before but he loves and adores her curves and never stops telling her so.

I really enjoyed the build up and the connection that then took them from being friends to lovers. They supported each others dreams and I loved all the Christmassy elements too. It was a great holiday read.

I loved Kat as well and felt I could relate to her so much. So I was so happy she got her happy ending.

[Jess ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faking a relationship was never in Asher’s playbook, especially not while he’s a 29-year-old NHL star recovering from an injury and freshly released from his team. But when he runs into Kat at the airport—panicked, adorable, and desperately claiming he’s her boyfriend—this man can’t say no. One quick pretend relationship? Easy. Except… it’s definitely not quick, and definitely not pretend anymore.

What starts as a spontaneous favor turns into weeks of shared moments, slow-burn tension, and chemistry that hits like a slapshot to the heart. Their lives intertwine effortlessly, and watching Asher soften (while still being able to flip into something very not soft when needed 👀🔥) is absolute perfection. This man is the definition of gentleman-on-the-streets, filthy-on-the-sheets.

Kat brings warmth, chaos, and charm; Asher brings strength, sweetness, and that quiet, simmering desire that sneaks up until it’s too late not to fall. Their connection feels natural, tender, and absolutely electric.

If you want a fake-dating romance with heart, heat, healing, and a swoony hockey hero who treats his girl like she’s the entire world? This book is it. Cute, sexy, and completely captivating.

[Neapolitan670 📚🖤 · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy fake dating, hockey player, hallmark Christmas movies…then this is the book for you!

Kat is visiting family for the holidays, landing at the airport she is met by the sight of her ex with a stunning woman on his arm. Of course, she can’t just disappear as they spot her, her ex is an arrogant, misogynistic male who at every step had tried to deem Kat ensuring she had no self esteem left. She decides to tell them she had a boyfriend, and comes up with a name unfortunately or fortunately as the case maybe the guy she named is also walking through the airport. Thus their story develops, with fake dating. Run ins with her ex at Christmas festivities, a budding friendship that develops into ‘friends with benefits’. Asher, does build her confidence and self esteem back up but he is also not without his own baggage.

𝐸𝓃𝒿𝑜𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌, 𝒷𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝑒𝓎𝑒𝓈?

It’s a nice holiday read, with a little bit of emotional turmoil, Christmas festivities and smutmas!

[Kimmy Patrizi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faking All The Way by Nikki Lawson. Kat and Asher's story was emotional, but amazing story. Kat is an illustrator for children's books. She's an independent woman who doesn't seem to stick to one place for long. She's back in her hometown for the holidays. Asher is a hockey player, currently with no team after an injury. He's in town waiting on his agent to find him a new team and to help his injured father (who he has no relationship with) and to figure out if he even wants a relationship with him.
Kat runs into her ex and his new fiancé after a rough flight back to her hometown. When he asks what she's been up to Kat blurts out that she's been dating Asher Vaughn--Mr. hockey hottie. Of course she turns around and there he is and she has no choice but to go along with her lie in front of her pompous ex. Thankfully, Asher seems to be a good sport and goes along with it all perfectly. Well written and totally recommend this.

[Becky Juarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all of Nikki Lawson's hockey books. I am so glad that I was able to come across this one.

Asher Vaughn, a hockey player who has been out due to injury and is unsure about his future playing for another team, never expected this Christmas to change his life forever.

Kat, an independent illustrator, goes home for the holidays, dreading every moment of it. She grew up in a small town, so everyone knew each other, along with all the gossip. The one person she never wanted to run into was her ex. That didn't last long since she ran into him at the airport, getting her bags. She just didn't expect the secrets and lies to start that soon.

All she wanted to do was make up a name and celebrate the holidays with her family. A name that she never thought would actually be in the same place at the same time. Time for some improv.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute and sweet holiday romance.

When you unexpectedly run into your ex at the airport and can only think of a famous hockey players name to give him as your new man what’s the worst that can happen? Kat finds out it’s when said hockey player is also randomly in the airport and now you need him to agree to be your fake boyfriend for the holidays.

Asher hasn’t seen his father in years and with his hockey career up in the air the last thing he expected was to be called babe by some women he’s never met at bag claim. But Asher goes along with Kat’s scheme and before long there’s nothing fake about their romance. ♥️

Thank you so much Nikki for the ARC of this book.

[Estee Carson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect holiday romance with spice

What begins as a fake relationship turns real. Her ex made her feel unworthy due to her size, personality and job but Asher the mmc loves her as is.
He had Dad issues, trust and abandonment issues so they agree to sex only ending after Christmas, but they both fall hard.
The ex gets his, the family realizes she's talented, Asher keeps his career and makes up with his Dad.
Sign up for the bonus scene, it shows their future, her success and a bit more :-)
Easy sweet book only NEGATIVE IS THERE WERE TWO PAGES MISSING, JUST BLANK, SKIPPED. BUMMER BUT STILL WORTH IT.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fake it ….

Story started out a little cliche for fake relationship… never met each other and Kat sees Asher on TV, uses his name as her fake boyfriend and he’s in the same airport. 🙄
Then.. it starts to build. Asher and Kat have a great getting to know each other friendship and instant chemistry. A little slow burn but then holy spicy!
Low drama with short third act breakup. MMC with some relationship trauma but still insanely sweet and sexy. FMC starts a little frumpy and insecure and has a moment at the end but overall very relatable.
If you’re looking for a hockey heavy read, this is not it… but a sweet, spicy holiday romance with HEA.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great meet cute that was so sweet. As someone who mostly reads dark romance, I kept expecting turmoil that unintentionally kept me on my toes haha I enjoyed having a genuinely great guy as the MMC. The way the dynamic grew between the main characters flowed nicely and nothing seemed forced. There was some holiday spirit in the book, giving this book 4 Christmas trees. It's mentioned lightly but it's very present in the storyline. The spice is there but it's definitely not a smut book; I'd say this is 2 peppers. The ending was great, very meet cute worthy; 5 stars for that. Tropes include meet cute (of course), fake dating, hockey, holiday.

[Josie Vaughn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable small town, fake dating, hockey romance! I really liked the story and think it would make a super cute hallmark movie... one I might actually watch lol. While on a flight home for Christmas, Kat sees a news story about a hockey player from her current local NHL team, so when she runs into her ex and his new fiancé in the airport the first name that pops in her head when mentioning she is dating.... you guessed it the hockey player, and who just happens to have just stepped off his flight is the same small town.... Asher Vaughn is sweet and sexy and totally a green flag kind of MMC. If you are looking for a cute spicy holiday romance... read this.

[Jo Collett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great festive read

I really love Nikki Lawson books and although this was a complete stand alone Christmas book it still had some small connection to the Love and Hockey series.
I laughed out loud at the awkward way that Asher and Kat first meet and how this snowballs into an elaborate fake relationship which started just because Kat was trying to avoid her ex boyfriends smugness.
The story is a small town slow burn Christmas romance.
Get into your Christmas PJ's, make a hot chocolate and get comfy on the sofa and enjoy this book.