What do you think?
The Friendsgiving Pact
Not yet published
Expected 20 Oct 26The last place college freshmen Avery and Theo want to be is home for the holiday. Both freshly single and dreading being in the same town as their exes for a week, they devise a plan to fake date to make it through Thanksgiving Break. Fans of cozy romances and friends-to-lovers will adore this fall love story.
Best friends Avery and Theo are home for the holiday during their freshmen year of college, and they have one goal this survive the week without romantic disasters. Avery’s determined to stay out of her ex-boyfriend’s orbit, while Theo’s dodging his ex-girlfriend who is thinking of switching schools to be with him. Their solution? Fake date through turkey dinners and awkward family moments, then “break up” the second they’re back on campus.
But pretending to be in love has a way of blurring lines. Between surprisingly hot kisses and the softer moments in between, Avery and Theo find themselves grappling with feelings that are anything but fake. Memories of high school spark, old wounds resurface, and the chemistry they’ve ignored for years becomes impossible to deny.
Caught between the holiday break chaos and their own tangled emotions, Avery and Theo must decide if this charade is really just a convenient escape… or the beginning of something far more real.
Fake dating
Friends to lovers
Bad boy x golden girl
Family drama
Small town
Best friends Avery and Theo are home for the holiday during their freshmen year of college, and they have one goal this survive the week without romantic disasters. Avery’s determined to stay out of her ex-boyfriend’s orbit, while Theo’s dodging his ex-girlfriend who is thinking of switching schools to be with him. Their solution? Fake date through turkey dinners and awkward family moments, then “break up” the second they’re back on campus.
But pretending to be in love has a way of blurring lines. Between surprisingly hot kisses and the softer moments in between, Avery and Theo find themselves grappling with feelings that are anything but fake. Memories of high school spark, old wounds resurface, and the chemistry they’ve ignored for years becomes impossible to deny.
Caught between the holiday break chaos and their own tangled emotions, Avery and Theo must decide if this charade is really just a convenient escape… or the beginning of something far more real.
Fake dating
Friends to lovers
Bad boy x golden girl
Family drama
Small town
1 pages, MP3 CD
Expected publication October 20, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
May 1, 2026
⭐️3.25 Stars⭐️
Sweet, cozy and a quick read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
Avery and Theo are both likeable characters, but Theo stood out more to me. Avery felt a bit messy, to be honest. They are both strong-minded people and like to bicker, but you can feel that they deeply care for each other.
Their behavior really shows how young they are. I wasn’t a fan of the back and forth involving Avery’s ex, which felt more frustrating than engaging.
The story overall just didn’t hit for me. The feelings didn’t really come through, and there was a lot of miscommunication toward the end of the book.
I did like the cozy fall and winter vibes though.
That said, it’s an easy and okay read—just not really memorable or groundbreaking.
Perfect for fans of:
• Best friends to lovers
• He falls first
• Fake dating
• Small town vibes
Sweet, cozy and a quick read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
Avery and Theo are both likeable characters, but Theo stood out more to me. Avery felt a bit messy, to be honest. They are both strong-minded people and like to bicker, but you can feel that they deeply care for each other.
Their behavior really shows how young they are. I wasn’t a fan of the back and forth involving Avery’s ex, which felt more frustrating than engaging.
The story overall just didn’t hit for me. The feelings didn’t really come through, and there was a lot of miscommunication toward the end of the book.
I did like the cozy fall and winter vibes though.
That said, it’s an easy and okay read—just not really memorable or groundbreaking.
Perfect for fans of:
• Best friends to lovers
• He falls first
• Fake dating
• Small town vibes
August 19, 2026
This was very cute! It’s a sweet small town college fake dating romance and it’s very fun! I loved Avery and Theo’s relationship and it was so sweet seeing them realizes their feelings for each other.
This was a quick read and has the perfect amount of cozy fall vibes! I think this would be so fun to read over Thanksgiving or fall break! The writing leans a little more to the new adult side which works since all of the characters are just starting college and the majority of the drama in the book revolves around things that happened when they were in high school.
Overall, i definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a fun cozy fall book!
Read if you like:
Fake dating
Small town
Friends to lovers
College romance
Thanksgiving break
Fall vibes
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was a quick read and has the perfect amount of cozy fall vibes! I think this would be so fun to read over Thanksgiving or fall break! The writing leans a little more to the new adult side which works since all of the characters are just starting college and the majority of the drama in the book revolves around things that happened when they were in high school.
Overall, i definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a fun cozy fall book!
Read if you like:
Fake dating
Small town
Friends to lovers
College romance
Thanksgiving break
Fall vibes
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 20, 2026
Cute and easy read.
Love the cozy lazy winter vibes.
Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes but this one just didn’t hit. A lot of miscommunication at the end that made the last part of the book kind of annoying. Avery, the main female character, is annoying and hard to read her
POV on multiple parts.
I really wanted to love this one but it wasn’t the most enjoyable read for me.
Love the cozy lazy winter vibes.
Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes but this one just didn’t hit. A lot of miscommunication at the end that made the last part of the book kind of annoying. Avery, the main female character, is annoying and hard to read her
POV on multiple parts.
I really wanted to love this one but it wasn’t the most enjoyable read for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I fear… I did not enjoy this book 🫣 I was super excited because it was a best friends to lovers fake dating story set in the fall, so it checked all the boxes for me, on paper. But honestly, I didn’t vibe with any of the characters which really made it difficult to like the book.
Theo and Avery were both not super developed individually, in my opinion. Theo was supposed to be a smart bad boy (à la Jess Mariano), but he really just seemed simultaneously introverted and confident in his “outsider-ness.” And Avery… she’s supposed to be this all-American perfect student good girl (again, à la Rory Gilmore), but the only two traits about her that really came through was her hatred of lying and her “high libido.”
And yes, the irony of a girl who hates lying so much suggesting a fake dating scheme is not lost on me.
And that’s where things really just fell apart for me — Avery gets mad at Theo for lying by not telling her how felt, when his feelings are totally his own. Like, in what world is she owed knowledge of his feelings, even if they are best friends?
Which brings me to another point — they didn’t feel much like best friends. We’re told that they are, and they talk often about being friends despite being wildly different, but their friendship was underdeveloped and, frankly, unbelievable to me.
Just, not the most enjoyable reading experience, unfortunately.
————————————
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for the ARC!
Theo and Avery were both not super developed individually, in my opinion. Theo was supposed to be a smart bad boy (à la Jess Mariano), but he really just seemed simultaneously introverted and confident in his “outsider-ness.” And Avery… she’s supposed to be this all-American perfect student good girl (again, à la Rory Gilmore), but the only two traits about her that really came through was her hatred of lying and her “high libido.”
And yes, the irony of a girl who hates lying so much suggesting a fake dating scheme is not lost on me.
And that’s where things really just fell apart for me — Avery gets mad at Theo for lying by not telling her how felt, when his feelings are totally his own. Like, in what world is she owed knowledge of his feelings, even if they are best friends?
Which brings me to another point — they didn’t feel much like best friends. We’re told that they are, and they talk often about being friends despite being wildly different, but their friendship was underdeveloped and, frankly, unbelievable to me.
Just, not the most enjoyable reading experience, unfortunately.
————————————
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for the ARC!
April 26, 2026
Thank you NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!!
+ pros:
- high school friends to lovers
- small town vibes
- easy to follow dual timeline
~ cons:
- clunky paragraph structure
- too much info while also getting not enough information where it matters
- miscommunication trope that envelops every aspect of decision making by every single character (including side characters)
the storyline idea itself is what pulled me in, but the writing feels almost stale, with detailed descriptions of scenes that didn’t feel important to story development. Also feels like too much emphasis on side characters and not enough on the MC’s personalities outside of the plot line of fake dating/secret keeping from other characters.
Because of this, everyone in this book seems to care so much about what people think about them but as the reader I don't even know who these characters feel like they are outside of them being perceived by others.
fun blackout drunk challenge while reading: take a shot every time they kiss instead of communicating!
+ pros:
- high school friends to lovers
- small town vibes
- easy to follow dual timeline
~ cons:
- clunky paragraph structure
- too much info while also getting not enough information where it matters
- miscommunication trope that envelops every aspect of decision making by every single character (including side characters)
the storyline idea itself is what pulled me in, but the writing feels almost stale, with detailed descriptions of scenes that didn’t feel important to story development. Also feels like too much emphasis on side characters and not enough on the MC’s personalities outside of the plot line of fake dating/secret keeping from other characters.
Because of this, everyone in this book seems to care so much about what people think about them but as the reader I don't even know who these characters feel like they are outside of them being perceived by others.
fun blackout drunk challenge while reading: take a shot every time they kiss instead of communicating!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 ⭐️ Read.
There is something about a Thanksgiving break, a hometown full of people who know WAY too much about you and a fake dating pact between two best friends that practically guarantees emotional disaster. And honestly? I was here for the mess. Avery and Theo have been best friends forever, so watching them attempt to convince everyone that they’re suddenly a couple was equal parts adorable and “you two are absolute idiots.” The problem with pretending to have feelings for your best friend is that eventually you start wondering where the pretending ends and the actual feelings begin.
Theo was definitely my favorite of the two. He cares about Avery so much and you can feel how much he’s been holding back. The man was basically carrying around a giant flashing sign that said I AM IN LOVE WITH MY BEST FRIEND while Avery was standing there like… “Hmm, I wonder if Theo might like me?” GIRL. PLEASE. I also liked that this wasn’t just romance and kissing in cute fall locations. There’s family tension, ex drama, friendships being tested and that weird feeling of coming home after starting college and realizing that maybe you’re not exactly the same person you were when you left.
Avery frustrated me sometimes. I understood why lying was such a huge trigger for her once we got more context but there were definitely moments where I found myself rolling my eyes. Some of her reactions felt bigger than they needed to be, especially considering Theo was someone she supposedly trusted with everything. The pacing was quick though and the short chapters made this ridiculously easy to fly through. I did wish the emotional payoff hit a little harder in places. There was so much buildup between Avery and Theo that I wanted their biggest moments to absolutely wreck me and sometimes they landed more softly than I expected.
Still, there was something really nostalgic about their relationship. That first year of college stage where you’re technically an adult but also absolutely making questionable romantic decisions? Yeah. The book captured that beautifully.
Final thoughts: this was a cute, quick fall read with fake dating, best friends to lovers tension, hometown drama, exes causing problems and plenty of emotional chaos. If you want something easy to curl up with while the weather starts getting colder, this definitely fits the autumn reading mood.
Thank you so much to Avon/Harper Voyager and Elizabeth Davis for allowing me to read this eARC early through NetGalley. The Friendsgiving Pact releases October 20, 2026.
There is something about a Thanksgiving break, a hometown full of people who know WAY too much about you and a fake dating pact between two best friends that practically guarantees emotional disaster. And honestly? I was here for the mess. Avery and Theo have been best friends forever, so watching them attempt to convince everyone that they’re suddenly a couple was equal parts adorable and “you two are absolute idiots.” The problem with pretending to have feelings for your best friend is that eventually you start wondering where the pretending ends and the actual feelings begin.
Theo was definitely my favorite of the two. He cares about Avery so much and you can feel how much he’s been holding back. The man was basically carrying around a giant flashing sign that said I AM IN LOVE WITH MY BEST FRIEND while Avery was standing there like… “Hmm, I wonder if Theo might like me?” GIRL. PLEASE. I also liked that this wasn’t just romance and kissing in cute fall locations. There’s family tension, ex drama, friendships being tested and that weird feeling of coming home after starting college and realizing that maybe you’re not exactly the same person you were when you left.
Avery frustrated me sometimes. I understood why lying was such a huge trigger for her once we got more context but there were definitely moments where I found myself rolling my eyes. Some of her reactions felt bigger than they needed to be, especially considering Theo was someone she supposedly trusted with everything. The pacing was quick though and the short chapters made this ridiculously easy to fly through. I did wish the emotional payoff hit a little harder in places. There was so much buildup between Avery and Theo that I wanted their biggest moments to absolutely wreck me and sometimes they landed more softly than I expected.
Still, there was something really nostalgic about their relationship. That first year of college stage where you’re technically an adult but also absolutely making questionable romantic decisions? Yeah. The book captured that beautifully.
Final thoughts: this was a cute, quick fall read with fake dating, best friends to lovers tension, hometown drama, exes causing problems and plenty of emotional chaos. If you want something easy to curl up with while the weather starts getting colder, this definitely fits the autumn reading mood.
Thank you so much to Avon/Harper Voyager and Elizabeth Davis for allowing me to read this eARC early through NetGalley. The Friendsgiving Pact releases October 20, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Avon Harper Voyager and Libro.fm for my copies! All thoughts are my own.
When it comes to holiday books, I am usually of the camp “the more the merrier”, literally. When I saw this title, I was excited for a Thanksgiving holiday romance! There aren’t many of them and I love how it highlights such a fun time of year. I think this is a quick festive read, but the audio production kind of ruined my experience.
Synopsis:
“Best friends Avery and Theo are home for the holiday during their freshmen year of college, and they have one goal this Thanksgiving: survive the week without romantic disasters. Avery’s determined to stay out of her ex-boyfriend’s orbit, while Theo’s dodging his ex-girlfriend who is thinking of switching schools to be with him. Their solution? Fake date through turkey dinners and awkward family moments, then “break up” the second they’re back on campus.
But pretending to be in love has a way of blurring lines. Between surprisingly hot kisses and the softer moments in between, Avery and Theo find themselves grappling with feelings that are anything but fake. Memories of high school spark, old wounds resurface, and the chemistry they’ve ignored for years becomes impossible to deny.
Caught between the holiday break chaos and their own tangled emotions, Avery and Theo must decide if this charade is really just a convenient escape… or the beginning of something far more real.”
What I Liked:
The Timeline—My favorite timeline in books is Thanksgiving-New Years Eve! So festive and fun. Plus, usually pretty high stakes with people going home and having to deal with family members and issues from their past.
The Festive Aspect—I thought this book captured the festive spirit of the season well!
What Didn’t Work For Me:
The Narration—I did not vibe with narrators at all. The performances made everything feel rather saccharine.
Read a Little Immature—The characters are young, but it’s not YA. I wish the writing had had a bit more maturity to it.
Character Authenticity: 3/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 2.5/5
Content Warnings:
N/A
When it comes to holiday books, I am usually of the camp “the more the merrier”, literally. When I saw this title, I was excited for a Thanksgiving holiday romance! There aren’t many of them and I love how it highlights such a fun time of year. I think this is a quick festive read, but the audio production kind of ruined my experience.
Synopsis:
“Best friends Avery and Theo are home for the holiday during their freshmen year of college, and they have one goal this Thanksgiving: survive the week without romantic disasters. Avery’s determined to stay out of her ex-boyfriend’s orbit, while Theo’s dodging his ex-girlfriend who is thinking of switching schools to be with him. Their solution? Fake date through turkey dinners and awkward family moments, then “break up” the second they’re back on campus.
But pretending to be in love has a way of blurring lines. Between surprisingly hot kisses and the softer moments in between, Avery and Theo find themselves grappling with feelings that are anything but fake. Memories of high school spark, old wounds resurface, and the chemistry they’ve ignored for years becomes impossible to deny.
Caught between the holiday break chaos and their own tangled emotions, Avery and Theo must decide if this charade is really just a convenient escape… or the beginning of something far more real.”
What I Liked:
The Timeline—My favorite timeline in books is Thanksgiving-New Years Eve! So festive and fun. Plus, usually pretty high stakes with people going home and having to deal with family members and issues from their past.
The Festive Aspect—I thought this book captured the festive spirit of the season well!
What Didn’t Work For Me:
The Narration—I did not vibe with narrators at all. The performances made everything feel rather saccharine.
Read a Little Immature—The characters are young, but it’s not YA. I wish the writing had had a bit more maturity to it.
Character Authenticity: 3/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 2.5/5
Content Warnings:
N/A
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"You're helping me with my problems so I'll help you with yours."
Avery and Theo have been best friend forever, so when Theo gets anxious that his ex-girlfriend will try to get back together with him over their college fall break, Avery volunteers to pretend to be his girlfriend so the ex won't bother Theo. Avery has been dreading returning home and being pressured to get back together with her ex-boyfriend anyway, so two birds, one stone- a perfect excuse. What begins as "we'll only lie to our friends" immediately becomes "everyone knows and we have to pretend 24/7". Stressed now from both lying to everyone they know, spending their time at home with a slew of people they don't want to, and this awkward new relationship between the old friends, emotions start to run high.
Which is where the book began to fall apart for me. "You get stupid when you're horny." is said about 18 times. Which is a shame for Avery as a whole, but as a reader, I GET IT 😅 And while I appreciate that the high school reading level allows for a broader audience, the theme is definitely for an 18+ audience. The composition felt a little immature for the constant sexual focus. The dichotomy was distracting from the story. And unfortunately, there wasn't much else to the plot to distract from the juvenile writing/adult content.
The ending did have some excitement with the fallout from the fake relationship and secret family revelation! And the flashbacks added some depth of emotion and believability to their chemistry in the romantic scenes.
Tropes: Dual POV, flashbacks, best friends, fake dating, friends to lovers, family drama, holiday focus, lgbt, small town, hea
Spice: 5/5 🌶️
Gore: 0/5 🩸
Language: 5/5 👀
Triggers: cheating
Thank you to HarperAudio Adult and NetGalley for this ARC!
Avery and Theo have been best friend forever, so when Theo gets anxious that his ex-girlfriend will try to get back together with him over their college fall break, Avery volunteers to pretend to be his girlfriend so the ex won't bother Theo. Avery has been dreading returning home and being pressured to get back together with her ex-boyfriend anyway, so two birds, one stone- a perfect excuse. What begins as "we'll only lie to our friends" immediately becomes "everyone knows and we have to pretend 24/7". Stressed now from both lying to everyone they know, spending their time at home with a slew of people they don't want to, and this awkward new relationship between the old friends, emotions start to run high.
Which is where the book began to fall apart for me. "You get stupid when you're horny." is said about 18 times. Which is a shame for Avery as a whole, but as a reader, I GET IT 😅 And while I appreciate that the high school reading level allows for a broader audience, the theme is definitely for an 18+ audience. The composition felt a little immature for the constant sexual focus. The dichotomy was distracting from the story. And unfortunately, there wasn't much else to the plot to distract from the juvenile writing/adult content.
The ending did have some excitement with the fallout from the fake relationship and secret family revelation! And the flashbacks added some depth of emotion and believability to their chemistry in the romantic scenes.
Tropes: Dual POV, flashbacks, best friends, fake dating, friends to lovers, family drama, holiday focus, lgbt, small town, hea
Spice: 5/5 🌶️
Gore: 0/5 🩸
Language: 5/5 👀
Triggers: cheating
Thank you to HarperAudio Adult and NetGalley for this ARC!
May 7, 2026
2 ⭐️ thank you netgalley and Elizabeth Davis for the e-arc!
I honestly hate leaving bad reviews so I am so sad to say that I did not enjoy reading this story. I loved the description and cover of the book, so I jumped right in and unfortunately almost every single part of the story fell flat for me. Avery and Theo were both insufferable to me, and I really, REALLY hate emotional cheating. It is something that absolutely takes me out of a romance book and since Theo has been in love with Avery the whole year he was with his ex, Izzy, it made it really hard for me to even root for Avery and Theo’s eventual relationship.
The fake dating plot didn’t have a substantial enough reason for them to jump head first into it… can people not have normal conversations anymore? Every single time there needed to be a discussion or a conversation the main characters would just kiss and pretend they don’t need to talk, and then, shocker!, it blows up in their face.
I also did not love Avery’s resentment towards her mom. It was very hard to read at times, very reflective of issues too close to my life that seeing how Avery reacted in this situation and coped with everything was very disheartening.
I know they are freshman in college, I know they are 18, but the immaturity in this book was just hard to get by. However… that has to be one of the most realistic parts. I think this book would be more successful as a young adult novel if we remove the two (for random, no reason?) super short but randomly descriptive, super short and fast, steamy fingering sessions?
I would love to give this author another shot on her next book, but this just didn’t do it for me.
I honestly hate leaving bad reviews so I am so sad to say that I did not enjoy reading this story. I loved the description and cover of the book, so I jumped right in and unfortunately almost every single part of the story fell flat for me. Avery and Theo were both insufferable to me, and I really, REALLY hate emotional cheating. It is something that absolutely takes me out of a romance book and since Theo has been in love with Avery the whole year he was with his ex, Izzy, it made it really hard for me to even root for Avery and Theo’s eventual relationship.
The fake dating plot didn’t have a substantial enough reason for them to jump head first into it… can people not have normal conversations anymore? Every single time there needed to be a discussion or a conversation the main characters would just kiss and pretend they don’t need to talk, and then, shocker!, it blows up in their face.
I also did not love Avery’s resentment towards her mom. It was very hard to read at times, very reflective of issues too close to my life that seeing how Avery reacted in this situation and coped with everything was very disheartening.
I know they are freshman in college, I know they are 18, but the immaturity in this book was just hard to get by. However… that has to be one of the most realistic parts. I think this book would be more successful as a young adult novel if we remove the two (for random, no reason?) super short but randomly descriptive, super short and fast, steamy fingering sessions?
I would love to give this author another shot on her next book, but this just didn’t do it for me.
September 28, 2026
This was a really cute and quick read. Anything with fake dating you know I am SAT for. Especially if it is a holiday cozy type vibe, which this does an amazing job of setting up the holiday vibes as this spans from Thanksgiving break to Christmas.
Theo and Avery are high school best friends in their first year of college. They both are dealing with issues from their exes and come up with the idea to fake date over Thanksgiving break to make sure they do not get back together with them. However this plan ends up spiraling so fast as everyone in their life has been waiting for them to get together so this small lie ends up with huge consequences.
I really enjoyed how different Theo and Avery's lives and backgrounds are. I think that showed the realistic reasons why they would hesitate to pursue anything serious. I also liked that it was a very cute quick read with a lot of good banter. I did not like the whole overreaction of lying from Avery. I get why she is like that but it seemed a bit unrealistic how she would legit blow up so many relationships over essentially nothing. That whole issue just irritated me. I also think many of the decisions that Theo and Avery made were abrupt, there was not as much building that I would normally like. With that being said though, a great book if you need something quick and easy.
Theo and Avery are high school best friends in their first year of college. They both are dealing with issues from their exes and come up with the idea to fake date over Thanksgiving break to make sure they do not get back together with them. However this plan ends up spiraling so fast as everyone in their life has been waiting for them to get together so this small lie ends up with huge consequences.
I really enjoyed how different Theo and Avery's lives and backgrounds are. I think that showed the realistic reasons why they would hesitate to pursue anything serious. I also liked that it was a very cute quick read with a lot of good banter. I did not like the whole overreaction of lying from Avery. I get why she is like that but it seemed a bit unrealistic how she would legit blow up so many relationships over essentially nothing. That whole issue just irritated me. I also think many of the decisions that Theo and Avery made were abrupt, there was not as much building that I would normally like. With that being said though, a great book if you need something quick and easy.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Avery and Theo are freshly single, back home for Thanksgiving, and determined to survive a week surrounded by their exes. Naturally, their solution is to fake date, because what could possibly go wrong when your best friend suddenly starts looking a whole lot more kissable? 👀
This was such a fun, cozy fall romance! I loved the friends-to-lovers setup and watching Avery and Theo navigate the line between pretending and realizing that maybe those feelings weren’t so fake after all. Add in small-town vibes, family drama, a golden girl and bad-boy dynamic, and plenty of holiday chaos, and I was completely here for it. 🍂❤️
The chemistry, the sweet moments, and the slow realization that sometimes your best friend might be your person made this such an adorable Thanksgiving read.
If you love cozy romances with fake dating, friends-to-lovers, and a little holiday hometown drama, put this one on your fall TBR! 🦃📚
This was such a fun, cozy fall romance! I loved the friends-to-lovers setup and watching Avery and Theo navigate the line between pretending and realizing that maybe those feelings weren’t so fake after all. Add in small-town vibes, family drama, a golden girl and bad-boy dynamic, and plenty of holiday chaos, and I was completely here for it. 🍂❤️
The chemistry, the sweet moments, and the slow realization that sometimes your best friend might be your person made this such an adorable Thanksgiving read.
If you love cozy romances with fake dating, friends-to-lovers, and a little holiday hometown drama, put this one on your fall TBR! 🦃📚
September 20, 2026
Loved the friends to lovers vibe. The best friends fake dating and one secretly pined for the other. The main male character in this was an excellent fake boyfriend. I was slightly annoyed with the lie but really not a lie that took place in this book. I felt the book was definitely more YA romance. Still enjoyed reading a cute holiday break book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Very cute for fall. It reads like a YA, which is more than fine but I have to be in the right mood for that.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Friendsgiving Pact had such a cute setup, and I really wanted to love Avery and Theo’s story. Best friends, fake dating, Thanksgiving break, and years of buried feelings sounded like such a fun combination, but unfortunately, the execution just didn’t work for me.
Avery and Theo return home for their first Thanksgiving break from college, both newly single and trying to avoid their exes. When they end up at the same party as both of them, they decide to pretend they’re dating. One kiss is supposed to make the lie believable, but it quickly becomes obvious that there are very real feelings underneath everything they’re pretending.
I actually liked Avery and Theo individually, which is part of why this rating disappointed me so much. Theo’s insecurity about the difference between their families felt believable. Avery comes from money while Theo doesn’t, and he has spent years convincing himself that people would never see him as good enough for her. Meanwhile, Avery has never cared about any of that and genuinely sees Theo for who he is.
Where the story started losing me was when their fake dating arrangement turned into friends with benefits. Avery apparently has “horny spells” where she tends to go back to her ex Cam, so Theo volunteers to become the person she turns to instead. The entire setup just felt strange to me and made their dynamic feel more awkward than romantic.
Cam also drove me crazy. He repeatedly drops Avery whenever another girl catches his attention and then comes back when things don’t work out. It was very obvious that he saw Avery as someone who would always be waiting for him, and I desperately wanted her to recognize that sooner.
But my biggest issue was the miscommunication. I normally don’t mind this trope when it’s done well, but here it became exhausting. Avery and Theo’s feelings were painfully obvious, yet every time something real happened between them, they would immediately pretend it was only part of their fake relationship. It became incredibly repetitive when almost every problem could have been solved with one honest conversation.
When they finally admit their feelings, decide they want something real, and sleep together, I thought we were finally past that conflict. Then the very next day Avery finds out Theo has been hiding how long he has had feelings for her and treats it like a huge betrayal.
I understood why honesty was such a sensitive subject for Avery because she grew up knowing her father was cheating on her mother. Trust understandably means everything to her. But her reaction still felt inconsistent considering she and Theo had spent most of the book lying to everyone else about their relationship. Theo hiding feelings he was afraid to admit didn’t feel comparable, so that conflict felt unnecessarily dramatic.
They do eventually sit down, communicate, and finally tell each other what they’re feeling and afraid of. Once that happened, everything came together pretty quickly, and I did enjoy seeing them finally choose each other.
There were pieces of this story I liked, especially Avery and Theo’s friendship and history, but the repetitive miscommunication and some of the choices surrounding their relationship kept me from connecting with the romance the way I wanted to. I just wanted so much more from this one.
Avery and Theo return home for their first Thanksgiving break from college, both newly single and trying to avoid their exes. When they end up at the same party as both of them, they decide to pretend they’re dating. One kiss is supposed to make the lie believable, but it quickly becomes obvious that there are very real feelings underneath everything they’re pretending.
I actually liked Avery and Theo individually, which is part of why this rating disappointed me so much. Theo’s insecurity about the difference between their families felt believable. Avery comes from money while Theo doesn’t, and he has spent years convincing himself that people would never see him as good enough for her. Meanwhile, Avery has never cared about any of that and genuinely sees Theo for who he is.
Where the story started losing me was when their fake dating arrangement turned into friends with benefits. Avery apparently has “horny spells” where she tends to go back to her ex Cam, so Theo volunteers to become the person she turns to instead. The entire setup just felt strange to me and made their dynamic feel more awkward than romantic.
Cam also drove me crazy. He repeatedly drops Avery whenever another girl catches his attention and then comes back when things don’t work out. It was very obvious that he saw Avery as someone who would always be waiting for him, and I desperately wanted her to recognize that sooner.
But my biggest issue was the miscommunication. I normally don’t mind this trope when it’s done well, but here it became exhausting. Avery and Theo’s feelings were painfully obvious, yet every time something real happened between them, they would immediately pretend it was only part of their fake relationship. It became incredibly repetitive when almost every problem could have been solved with one honest conversation.
When they finally admit their feelings, decide they want something real, and sleep together, I thought we were finally past that conflict. Then the very next day Avery finds out Theo has been hiding how long he has had feelings for her and treats it like a huge betrayal.
I understood why honesty was such a sensitive subject for Avery because she grew up knowing her father was cheating on her mother. Trust understandably means everything to her. But her reaction still felt inconsistent considering she and Theo had spent most of the book lying to everyone else about their relationship. Theo hiding feelings he was afraid to admit didn’t feel comparable, so that conflict felt unnecessarily dramatic.
They do eventually sit down, communicate, and finally tell each other what they’re feeling and afraid of. Once that happened, everything came together pretty quickly, and I did enjoy seeing them finally choose each other.
There were pieces of this story I liked, especially Avery and Theo’s friendship and history, but the repetitive miscommunication and some of the choices surrounding their relationship kept me from connecting with the romance the way I wanted to. I just wanted so much more from this one.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐.75
The Friendsgiving Pact by Elizabeth Davis was a cozy, cute fake-dating, friends-to-lovers college romance! The main characters are just beginning college, so this definitely leans toward young adult, with a little spice. The spice level is pretty tame, though, making this a sweet and easy listen.
Avery and Theo are both heading home for Thanksgiving break, and they each have an ex they’d rather avoid. Their solution? Fake dating! Theo hopes it will help Ivy finally let him go instead of trying to transfer to his school, while Avery wants to avoid falling back into old habits with her ex. Of course, fake dating between two friends can get complicated when feelings are involved!
SPOILERS BELOW!
Overall, I enjoyed both the narrators and the characters. Given how young Avery and Theo are, their communication and relationship dynamics felt very reflective of their age. They’re both trying to navigate their feelings while figuring out who they are and what they want.
Theo has realized that he’s been in love with his best friend since high school, even though he was still dating someone else while developing those feelings for Avery. While I can understand why some readers might find that frustrating, I didn’t think it was completely unreasonable given their age and emotional maturity. Avery’s relationship with her ex also felt incredibly immature, but I think that was intentional. They weren’t good for each other, and that became increasingly clear throughout the story.
One of the biggest themes in the book is Avery’s strong aversion to lying. Her dad had been cheating on her mom for years, and Avery knew about it. That experience clearly shaped her perspective and made dishonesty especially difficult for her to tolerate. So, when she discovered that Theo had feelings for her and hadn’t told her, she felt betrayed and blew the situation up into something much bigger than it needed to be.
Honestly, I was glad her friends held her accountable and called her out because her reaction really was a bit ridiculous! She accused Theo and her friends of lying to her because no one had told her about Theo’s feelings, yet she was also lying to those same friends by pretending to date Theo. The hypocrisy was hard to miss!
That said, I appreciated how the story explored the messy feelings and poor decisions that can come with being young and inexperienced in relationships. Avery and Theo aren’t perfect, and their immaturity definitely shows, but it also feels fitting for characters who are just starting college and learning how to navigate love, friendship, and communication.
Overall, this was a quick, cozy, and enjoyable audiobook. While some of the characters’ decisions frustrated me, I think the writing did a good job portraying their struggles in a way that felt appropriate for their age. I’d especially recommend this one to readers who enjoy college romances, fake dating, and friends-to-lovers stories with younger characters. I think it would appeal most to readers in the 18–25 age range!
Thank you to NetGalley, Elizabeth Davis, and Harper Audio Adult for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review!
The Friendsgiving Pact by Elizabeth Davis was a cozy, cute fake-dating, friends-to-lovers college romance! The main characters are just beginning college, so this definitely leans toward young adult, with a little spice. The spice level is pretty tame, though, making this a sweet and easy listen.
Avery and Theo are both heading home for Thanksgiving break, and they each have an ex they’d rather avoid. Their solution? Fake dating! Theo hopes it will help Ivy finally let him go instead of trying to transfer to his school, while Avery wants to avoid falling back into old habits with her ex. Of course, fake dating between two friends can get complicated when feelings are involved!
SPOILERS BELOW!
Overall, I enjoyed both the narrators and the characters. Given how young Avery and Theo are, their communication and relationship dynamics felt very reflective of their age. They’re both trying to navigate their feelings while figuring out who they are and what they want.
Theo has realized that he’s been in love with his best friend since high school, even though he was still dating someone else while developing those feelings for Avery. While I can understand why some readers might find that frustrating, I didn’t think it was completely unreasonable given their age and emotional maturity. Avery’s relationship with her ex also felt incredibly immature, but I think that was intentional. They weren’t good for each other, and that became increasingly clear throughout the story.
One of the biggest themes in the book is Avery’s strong aversion to lying. Her dad had been cheating on her mom for years, and Avery knew about it. That experience clearly shaped her perspective and made dishonesty especially difficult for her to tolerate. So, when she discovered that Theo had feelings for her and hadn’t told her, she felt betrayed and blew the situation up into something much bigger than it needed to be.
Honestly, I was glad her friends held her accountable and called her out because her reaction really was a bit ridiculous! She accused Theo and her friends of lying to her because no one had told her about Theo’s feelings, yet she was also lying to those same friends by pretending to date Theo. The hypocrisy was hard to miss!
That said, I appreciated how the story explored the messy feelings and poor decisions that can come with being young and inexperienced in relationships. Avery and Theo aren’t perfect, and their immaturity definitely shows, but it also feels fitting for characters who are just starting college and learning how to navigate love, friendship, and communication.
Overall, this was a quick, cozy, and enjoyable audiobook. While some of the characters’ decisions frustrated me, I think the writing did a good job portraying their struggles in a way that felt appropriate for their age. I’d especially recommend this one to readers who enjoy college romances, fake dating, and friends-to-lovers stories with younger characters. I think it would appeal most to readers in the 18–25 age range!
Thank you to NetGalley, Elizabeth Davis, and Harper Audio Adult for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review!
June 15, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance reader copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Tropes: Friends to Lovers, YA Small Town Romance, Fake Dating, He Falls First, Unrequited Love, Denial of Feelings, Family Drama, Dual Timeline, Dual POV, Miscommunication, Third-Act Breakup
Oh man. I was really hoping to like this one. I loooove a good Friends to Lovers trope. Add in fake dating and a small town? Sounds like heaven. But somehow, this book really fell short for me. Don’t get me wrong, it was cute and an easy read, but I had so many issues with it.
First of all, our FMC, Avery. I really did not like her. She is so good at lying to herself. And don’t even get me started on her “libido” problem. You’re telling me you’ll keep going back to the same guy after he keeps breaking up with you, then gives a good apology, just because he’s “good in bed”? Come on, girl. Get yourself a toy or something and have some self-respect. You can’t tell me that you are that desperate. That whole point of the story (and the fact that all her friends know it) just seemed unnecessary.
Oh, and also her thing with lying. She literally fake dated her best friend and told none of her other friends, then gets angry with people about something at the end that leads to the third-act breakup, when it wasn’t even that big of a deal! And her whole reasoning that she gave people was crap. The whole thing felt very childish, and it was hard to read her POV at the end.
Now onto our MMC, Theo. This guy just needs to communicate more. Like, dude. We get flashbacks to homecoming when they went together, had a moment on the dance floor, and apparently that’s when Theo recognized his feelings for her, and then he did nothing about it. For so long. And everyone knew. Then, when they are fake dating and it turns more real and serious, he still can’t tell her how he felt. I will say, this was not a big deal and should not have led to a third-act breakup, but I could tell this is what the author was going to use as the breaking point, and I was just screaming at him to tell her. But I will go back to it being an Avery issue that she freaked out way too much.
This was written around Thanksgiving and Christmas time, but it felt like it was just a regular old day. I couldn’t feel the holiday atmosphere in this book at all. It felt like I was just reading time passing by instead of being immersed in the world and the small-town holiday charm.
The ending felt very anti-climactic. Even her friends were over it by the end and were like, “Okay, whatever. Can we please all move on with our lives now?” Which is exactly how I felt. This book would have had a much stronger ending without a third-act breakup over something so trivial.
Overall, although this had the potential for a cute fall romance and my favorite tropes, it all just fell flat and did not deliver.
Tropes: Friends to Lovers, YA Small Town Romance, Fake Dating, He Falls First, Unrequited Love, Denial of Feelings, Family Drama, Dual Timeline, Dual POV, Miscommunication, Third-Act Breakup
Oh man. I was really hoping to like this one. I loooove a good Friends to Lovers trope. Add in fake dating and a small town? Sounds like heaven. But somehow, this book really fell short for me. Don’t get me wrong, it was cute and an easy read, but I had so many issues with it.
First of all, our FMC, Avery. I really did not like her. She is so good at lying to herself. And don’t even get me started on her “libido” problem. You’re telling me you’ll keep going back to the same guy after he keeps breaking up with you, then gives a good apology, just because he’s “good in bed”? Come on, girl. Get yourself a toy or something and have some self-respect. You can’t tell me that you are that desperate. That whole point of the story (and the fact that all her friends know it) just seemed unnecessary.
Oh, and also her thing with lying. She literally fake dated her best friend and told none of her other friends, then gets angry with people about something at the end that leads to the third-act breakup, when it wasn’t even that big of a deal! And her whole reasoning that she gave people was crap. The whole thing felt very childish, and it was hard to read her POV at the end.
Now onto our MMC, Theo. This guy just needs to communicate more. Like, dude. We get flashbacks to homecoming when they went together, had a moment on the dance floor, and apparently that’s when Theo recognized his feelings for her, and then he did nothing about it. For so long. And everyone knew. Then, when they are fake dating and it turns more real and serious, he still can’t tell her how he felt. I will say, this was not a big deal and should not have led to a third-act breakup, but I could tell this is what the author was going to use as the breaking point, and I was just screaming at him to tell her. But I will go back to it being an Avery issue that she freaked out way too much.
This was written around Thanksgiving and Christmas time, but it felt like it was just a regular old day. I couldn’t feel the holiday atmosphere in this book at all. It felt like I was just reading time passing by instead of being immersed in the world and the small-town holiday charm.
The ending felt very anti-climactic. Even her friends were over it by the end and were like, “Okay, whatever. Can we please all move on with our lives now?” Which is exactly how I felt. This book would have had a much stronger ending without a third-act breakup over something so trivial.
Overall, although this had the potential for a cute fall romance and my favorite tropes, it all just fell flat and did not deliver.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for the advance E-copy of this book.
All opinions are my own!
This book started a little hard for me to follow, there were a lot of names thrown in at once and they weren’t explained entirely who everyone was for a few chapters. I only knew the fmc was Avery in the beginning because of her POV chapter.
The formatting of the writing was different than I was used to, the paragraphs seemed to run on. I caught a few grammatical/spelling errors, but it was an unedited e-copy so I know that’s to be expected!
The premise of the story really caught my attention though. Best friends-with secret feelings for each other-he falls first-fake dating-small home town-friends with benefits-to real dating, it was quite the ride! I did enjoy that a lot and it kept me going the entire story!!!
Theo was willing to do whatever he needed to do to be close to Avery, including suppress and not talk about his true feelings towards her. If that meant keeping her from her toxic Ex Cameron by fake dating her, he was for it.
He did benefit from this little arrangement because it also meant keeping his ex Izzy from transferring colleges just to be with him.
No one was surprised when Avery and Theo came home for Thanksgiving break holding hands and saying they were together. Which caused another slew of issues for both of them. Their time home was short but eye opening for them both. It was a bit chaotic and very messy (which I admit I do love a little messy chaos)
Avery had a thing against lying, which of course was hypocritical since she was lying to everyone in her home town about her and Theo. The reasoning that’s found out at the end for why it triggers her, makes sense. I just don’t understand why she couldn’t tell any one of her 4 best friends.
The angst, suspense and wait for these two to figure it out took awhile but when they did, I was happy for them but it was a little anticlimactic for me. They talked, apologized, kissed and woke up together in bed the next morning…why did we wait so long to talk about our feelings? Especially when BOTH of them were actively thinking about the other? Miscommunication is not my favorite, especially between two people who start as best friends and told each other practically everything.
The spice of this book was confusing, it started as open door, switched to closed, went back to open, then for their big reunion after their fight, all we got as them waking up naked cuddling. There was a lot more potential to make the reunion between them feel real and to put a LOT more emotion into it, since emotion was running very strong throughout the rest of the book.
All opinions are my own!
This book started a little hard for me to follow, there were a lot of names thrown in at once and they weren’t explained entirely who everyone was for a few chapters. I only knew the fmc was Avery in the beginning because of her POV chapter.
The formatting of the writing was different than I was used to, the paragraphs seemed to run on. I caught a few grammatical/spelling errors, but it was an unedited e-copy so I know that’s to be expected!
The premise of the story really caught my attention though. Best friends-with secret feelings for each other-he falls first-fake dating-small home town-friends with benefits-to real dating, it was quite the ride! I did enjoy that a lot and it kept me going the entire story!!!
Theo was willing to do whatever he needed to do to be close to Avery, including suppress and not talk about his true feelings towards her. If that meant keeping her from her toxic Ex Cameron by fake dating her, he was for it.
He did benefit from this little arrangement because it also meant keeping his ex Izzy from transferring colleges just to be with him.
No one was surprised when Avery and Theo came home for Thanksgiving break holding hands and saying they were together. Which caused another slew of issues for both of them. Their time home was short but eye opening for them both. It was a bit chaotic and very messy (which I admit I do love a little messy chaos)
Avery had a thing against lying, which of course was hypocritical since she was lying to everyone in her home town about her and Theo. The reasoning that’s found out at the end for why it triggers her, makes sense. I just don’t understand why she couldn’t tell any one of her 4 best friends.
The angst, suspense and wait for these two to figure it out took awhile but when they did, I was happy for them but it was a little anticlimactic for me. They talked, apologized, kissed and woke up together in bed the next morning…why did we wait so long to talk about our feelings? Especially when BOTH of them were actively thinking about the other? Miscommunication is not my favorite, especially between two people who start as best friends and told each other practically everything.
The spice of this book was confusing, it started as open door, switched to closed, went back to open, then for their big reunion after their fight, all we got as them waking up naked cuddling. There was a lot more potential to make the reunion between them feel real and to put a LOT more emotion into it, since emotion was running very strong throughout the rest of the book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperAudio for an ALC copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Tropes:
- Fake Dating
- Friends-to-Lovers
- Small town vibes
This book was a cute, short read, and perfectly fits the cozy fall vibes. I also love that it was set during thanksgiving since you so rarely find books set at that time. It was giving a bit of Gilmore Girls which I was ESPEICALLY here for. While the vibes and the plot were definitely on point, but there were a few glaring issues with the romance aspect that is stoping me from rating this higher.
Before I begin, let me just say I did try to give these characters a LOT of grace since they’re only 18. I wasn’t expecting the maturity levels of full adults but I was expecting at least a little maturity.
First, Avery as a whole really irritates me. Her whole personality is she is this type-A, all-American good girl (hello Rory?) with a strict moral compass. None of that actually was fleshed out on the page. She was hypocritical to a fault and that, for me, is not something I’m okay with. One or two hypocritical choices, sure but it felt like her whole character was just one hypocrisy after another. She was also VERY immature, it honestly felt like I was reading about a 14 year old girl rather than an 18 year old. And again I tried to give a LOT of grace because I recognize she’s still young but my goodwill only took me so far.
Theo as well, was supposed to be this bad boy maverick from the “wrong side of the tracks” but never actually gave any indication of that. He was slightly more mature than Avery, but even he had his moments of immaturity that just really turned me off.
The relationship itself felt disingenuous too. They’re supposed to be best friends but there was an insane lack of chemistry. There was lust, sure, but not the dynamic I would expect from “best friends”. There was so much miscommunication during this story I’m honestly shocked that there was any real communication at all.
And my biggest issue was the exposition and pacing. We were given so much detail for scenes that didn’t need it, and yet absolutely nothing for scenes that desperately did. And the pacing was so off, it feels like everything important happened in the first 20% and last 10% and it made the story hard to get through, despite being so short.
I honestly wish I could rate this higher. If we were just going off vibes, I’m sure I’d give this at least 4 stars but with these issues I’m really pushing it giving 2.
Tropes:
- Fake Dating
- Friends-to-Lovers
- Small town vibes
This book was a cute, short read, and perfectly fits the cozy fall vibes. I also love that it was set during thanksgiving since you so rarely find books set at that time. It was giving a bit of Gilmore Girls which I was ESPEICALLY here for. While the vibes and the plot were definitely on point, but there were a few glaring issues with the romance aspect that is stoping me from rating this higher.
Before I begin, let me just say I did try to give these characters a LOT of grace since they’re only 18. I wasn’t expecting the maturity levels of full adults but I was expecting at least a little maturity.
First, Avery as a whole really irritates me. Her whole personality is she is this type-A, all-American good girl (hello Rory?) with a strict moral compass. None of that actually was fleshed out on the page. She was hypocritical to a fault and that, for me, is not something I’m okay with. One or two hypocritical choices, sure but it felt like her whole character was just one hypocrisy after another. She was also VERY immature, it honestly felt like I was reading about a 14 year old girl rather than an 18 year old. And again I tried to give a LOT of grace because I recognize she’s still young but my goodwill only took me so far.
Theo as well, was supposed to be this bad boy maverick from the “wrong side of the tracks” but never actually gave any indication of that. He was slightly more mature than Avery, but even he had his moments of immaturity that just really turned me off.
The relationship itself felt disingenuous too. They’re supposed to be best friends but there was an insane lack of chemistry. There was lust, sure, but not the dynamic I would expect from “best friends”. There was so much miscommunication during this story I’m honestly shocked that there was any real communication at all.
And my biggest issue was the exposition and pacing. We were given so much detail for scenes that didn’t need it, and yet absolutely nothing for scenes that desperately did. And the pacing was so off, it feels like everything important happened in the first 20% and last 10% and it made the story hard to get through, despite being so short.
I honestly wish I could rate this higher. If we were just going off vibes, I’m sure I’d give this at least 4 stars but with these issues I’m really pushing it giving 2.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Friendsgiving Pact
Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
This story follows two college freshmen, Theo and Avery, as they hatch a plan to fake-date during Thanksgiving break to avoid issues with their respective ex-partners. Theo and Avery, who are also best friends, pretend to be in love to their friends, family, exes, and everyone in their small town. They plan to break up soon after the break, but real feelings start to creep in… Let’s just say that things very quickly get complicated.
This book had the makings of a fun, albeit predictable, romance, but it ended up falling pretty flat for me. Avery, who has a huge issue with lying but is somehow fine lying to everyone around her just to avoid her ex, is not someone I could find myself rooting for, especially after Theo's big secret is revealed. Shout out to her friends for calling her out on her BS… Theo is a Jess Mariano type, which I love, but his communication skills are lacking. While unsurprising, it is slightly frustrating. I understand that all of the characters are in their late teens, roughly 19 years old, but they all kind of act like children.
I found it very hard to root for Avery and Theo, mainly because of Avery. The way she acts and reacts throughout the book is frustrating, and a lot of the conflict could've been squashed if they'd all just sat down and talked things out, including with their respective exes. While I think the idea of fake dating can be inherently childish but fun, this one just felt childish.
This book has some overall enjoyable moments, but a lot of it is overshadowed by the weird pacing, unlikable characters, and frustrating plot. Also, and this is just nitpicky, this book is heavily advertised as a fall book, but 90% of the book takes place in a snowy town. The cover and advertising were misleading because it felt much more like a winter romance than a fall one. Again, that is very much me nitpicking, but still.
The Freindsgiving Pact had some good moments, a promising premise, and was a little cute, but overall it was not something I will give much thought to again. Not long after reading it, I struggled to remember what happened, but I did remember how much this book frustrated me.
Thank you again to NetGalley and Avon Books for providing me with an ARC of this book!
Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
This story follows two college freshmen, Theo and Avery, as they hatch a plan to fake-date during Thanksgiving break to avoid issues with their respective ex-partners. Theo and Avery, who are also best friends, pretend to be in love to their friends, family, exes, and everyone in their small town. They plan to break up soon after the break, but real feelings start to creep in… Let’s just say that things very quickly get complicated.
This book had the makings of a fun, albeit predictable, romance, but it ended up falling pretty flat for me. Avery, who has a huge issue with lying but is somehow fine lying to everyone around her just to avoid her ex, is not someone I could find myself rooting for, especially after Theo's big secret is revealed. Shout out to her friends for calling her out on her BS… Theo is a Jess Mariano type, which I love, but his communication skills are lacking. While unsurprising, it is slightly frustrating. I understand that all of the characters are in their late teens, roughly 19 years old, but they all kind of act like children.
I found it very hard to root for Avery and Theo, mainly because of Avery. The way she acts and reacts throughout the book is frustrating, and a lot of the conflict could've been squashed if they'd all just sat down and talked things out, including with their respective exes. While I think the idea of fake dating can be inherently childish but fun, this one just felt childish.
This book has some overall enjoyable moments, but a lot of it is overshadowed by the weird pacing, unlikable characters, and frustrating plot. Also, and this is just nitpicky, this book is heavily advertised as a fall book, but 90% of the book takes place in a snowy town. The cover and advertising were misleading because it felt much more like a winter romance than a fall one. Again, that is very much me nitpicking, but still.
The Freindsgiving Pact had some good moments, a promising premise, and was a little cute, but overall it was not something I will give much thought to again. Not long after reading it, I struggled to remember what happened, but I did remember how much this book frustrated me.
Thank you again to NetGalley and Avon Books for providing me with an ARC of this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoyed diving into The Friendsgiving Pact! The chapters are very short and felt like a fast quick read.
This story follows avery and theo, best friends who decide to enter a "fake relationship" pact to avoid back tracking with their recent exes before heading off to college. They think it will be an easy task because they don’t have feelings for each other, and they are bestfriends so how hard could it really be? If things got uncomfortable they can always tell each other and stop immediately, but the spark everyone else already saw starts to become impossible for them to ignore.
Dual pov: I loved being able to see inside both avery and theo’s heads. Getting both perspectives made the chemistry feel so much more intense and passionate.
The writing was perfect. I felt like I was right there in the story. I found myself smiling so much at their interactions. the way they describe their moments together is incredibly heartfelt.
Watching them slowly realize that their act was becoming a reality was definitely the highlight. You can really feel the emotional toll.
What frustrated me was avery has a deep hatred for lying because of her parents' history, which I understood, but it felt hypocritical at the time since she was actively lying about the pact to her family and friends. So Her over reaction to theo and her friends over a relatively small thing, made it hard to side with her at times. When she found out theo had feelings for her since way before the pact and yet he still went with her idea, she used it as a reason to stop talking to him. Then seeing her run back to the familiarity of her ex. The same guy who dumped her over FaceTime! It was a frustrating turn after all the progress they made.
My final thoughts, The characters are great and the emotional stakes are high, but the ending felt a little bleh for me. It left me wanting more. I felt like something was missing. I really hope there is a sequel in the works because I’m not ready to say goodbye to these two yet! Overall, a very solid romantasy read that kept me hooked until the last page.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced read.
This story follows avery and theo, best friends who decide to enter a "fake relationship" pact to avoid back tracking with their recent exes before heading off to college. They think it will be an easy task because they don’t have feelings for each other, and they are bestfriends so how hard could it really be? If things got uncomfortable they can always tell each other and stop immediately, but the spark everyone else already saw starts to become impossible for them to ignore.
Dual pov: I loved being able to see inside both avery and theo’s heads. Getting both perspectives made the chemistry feel so much more intense and passionate.
The writing was perfect. I felt like I was right there in the story. I found myself smiling so much at their interactions. the way they describe their moments together is incredibly heartfelt.
Watching them slowly realize that their act was becoming a reality was definitely the highlight. You can really feel the emotional toll.
What frustrated me was avery has a deep hatred for lying because of her parents' history, which I understood, but it felt hypocritical at the time since she was actively lying about the pact to her family and friends. So Her over reaction to theo and her friends over a relatively small thing, made it hard to side with her at times. When she found out theo had feelings for her since way before the pact and yet he still went with her idea, she used it as a reason to stop talking to him. Then seeing her run back to the familiarity of her ex. The same guy who dumped her over FaceTime! It was a frustrating turn after all the progress they made.
My final thoughts, The characters are great and the emotional stakes are high, but the ending felt a little bleh for me. It left me wanting more. I felt like something was missing. I really hope there is a sequel in the works because I’m not ready to say goodbye to these two yet! Overall, a very solid romantasy read that kept me hooked until the last page.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Oh to be young and have your whole life in front of you and your biggest problems to be making plans with your friends again! This was so nostalgic in the sense that it really takes you back to being 18 again with your life roles by hormones and young love and friendship! I don’t think any of us have ever not missed those days at least once when your problems at the time seem bigger than life itself but really looking back it was all trivial and silly.
Theo and Avery are best friends from high school are on the way home from their first semester at college for Thanksgiving break and quickly come up with a plan to fake date over the break because they both have exes from home that they want to avoid rekindling so they think this is the best solution. Their friend group is both surprised and not as they’ve all seen chemistry between them over the years but there’s also hurt feelings and drama with exes. Both of them also find they have more feelings than they realized and have to sort through them while also dealing with their own personal family dramas over the holidays and not causing too many issues within their friend group and also making new friends at college. It was fun to go back to this perspective as you truly felt like you were in an 18 year olds mind blinded by lust and making poor decisions right along with them and all their priorities. This is also such a crucial time leaving your home town for the first time and being out on your own and trying to discover yourself without your family and friends. I thought it was great and an easy read and perfect for fall. Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the arc for my review! Overall rating 3.25 ⭐️
Theo and Avery are best friends from high school are on the way home from their first semester at college for Thanksgiving break and quickly come up with a plan to fake date over the break because they both have exes from home that they want to avoid rekindling so they think this is the best solution. Their friend group is both surprised and not as they’ve all seen chemistry between them over the years but there’s also hurt feelings and drama with exes. Both of them also find they have more feelings than they realized and have to sort through them while also dealing with their own personal family dramas over the holidays and not causing too many issues within their friend group and also making new friends at college. It was fun to go back to this perspective as you truly felt like you were in an 18 year olds mind blinded by lust and making poor decisions right along with them and all their priorities. This is also such a crucial time leaving your home town for the first time and being out on your own and trying to discover yourself without your family and friends. I thought it was great and an easy read and perfect for fall. Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the arc for my review! Overall rating 3.25 ⭐️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Avery and Theo are friends who both have reasons to be reluctant to return home for Thanksgiving. During their drive to return to their hometown, they make a pact to pretend to date in order to fix their problems. Yet this only creates a ton more issues for them as Thanksgiving approaches.
I started out hopeful, though the way it's written, it took me a few to figure out that Theo was the friend and not the ex (likely my own problem, I may have just had a brain hiccup). I really like the author's writing style and the friendships amongst all the characters is believable and the visuals painted a good picture for me.
That being said-I couldn't finish this. The tension between the two characters and the "lying" about their emotions for one another is just...kind of a stretch for me to buy. The moment any physical borders were crossed more than once I just couldn't believe it anymore. Honestly, the FMC Avery is just far too unlikeable for me personally.
I just found it to be tedious, I didn't like either character and I highly dislike emotional cheating. The fact that they took it as far as they did and yet I was still supposed to believe that they were ignorant of each other's feelings...I just personally found it hard to keep trying to get through. This of course is just my personal take-the writing and visuals themselves were great. I had high hopes for this and was holding out for it to capture me, but the more I read it just became almost painful to care about what happens next. I DNF'd around the 60% mark and couldn't go on.
I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I started out hopeful, though the way it's written, it took me a few to figure out that Theo was the friend and not the ex (likely my own problem, I may have just had a brain hiccup). I really like the author's writing style and the friendships amongst all the characters is believable and the visuals painted a good picture for me.
That being said-I couldn't finish this. The tension between the two characters and the "lying" about their emotions for one another is just...kind of a stretch for me to buy. The moment any physical borders were crossed more than once I just couldn't believe it anymore. Honestly, the FMC Avery is just far too unlikeable for me personally.
I just found it to be tedious, I didn't like either character and I highly dislike emotional cheating. The fact that they took it as far as they did and yet I was still supposed to believe that they were ignorant of each other's feelings...I just personally found it hard to keep trying to get through. This of course is just my personal take-the writing and visuals themselves were great. I had high hopes for this and was holding out for it to capture me, but the more I read it just became almost painful to care about what happens next. I DNF'd around the 60% mark and couldn't go on.
I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Two freshly single best friends don’t want to go home to see their exes, so they devise a plan to fake date during Thanksgiving break.
This is the cutest coziest cover that has me sooo excited for Fall!!! I was really hoping the writing would match the gorgeous cover, but I was disappointed.
The writing was a bit clunky for me.
I felt like the way the fake dating sprung into action was quick and hard to buy into. I think I needed a little more build up to make it feel right.
Honestly the entire book felt so fast paced it didn’t give me time to really enjoy each character and their growth. I didn’t think the time jumps served the story well enough. And the dialogue didn’t feel believable.
Because of this, I didn’t love the MCs. Avery especially. I think it’s likely due to how young they are in the book, and that immaturity shows. Avery constantly being like, “wow he’s hot im horny” was a bit overkill. And for being best friends they sure do kiss a lot instead of actual communication.
The way she is so impulsive and then freaks out over the honesty stuff while lying to her friends about fake dating was also beyond hypocritical and I just couldn’t get behind her reasonings at all. Her “aha!” moment didn’t give me enough growth either.
I honestly felt bad for Theo. He was down bad the entire time and just wanted to make her happy no matter what and he deserved more.
Overall, this just wasn’t my cup of tea.
Tropes:
Fake dating
Small town
Friends to lovers
Cozy romance
Thank you NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Elizabeth Davis for allowing me to ARC read in exchange for an honest review!
This is the cutest coziest cover that has me sooo excited for Fall!!! I was really hoping the writing would match the gorgeous cover, but I was disappointed.
The writing was a bit clunky for me.
I felt like the way the fake dating sprung into action was quick and hard to buy into. I think I needed a little more build up to make it feel right.
Honestly the entire book felt so fast paced it didn’t give me time to really enjoy each character and their growth. I didn’t think the time jumps served the story well enough. And the dialogue didn’t feel believable.
Because of this, I didn’t love the MCs. Avery especially. I think it’s likely due to how young they are in the book, and that immaturity shows. Avery constantly being like, “wow he’s hot im horny” was a bit overkill. And for being best friends they sure do kiss a lot instead of actual communication.
The way she is so impulsive and then freaks out over the honesty stuff while lying to her friends about fake dating was also beyond hypocritical and I just couldn’t get behind her reasonings at all. Her “aha!” moment didn’t give me enough growth either.
I honestly felt bad for Theo. He was down bad the entire time and just wanted to make her happy no matter what and he deserved more.
Overall, this just wasn’t my cup of tea.
Tropes:
Fake dating
Small town
Friends to lovers
Cozy romance
Thank you NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Elizabeth Davis for allowing me to ARC read in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Tropes:
Fake Dating
Best Friends to Lovers
Drama
Small Town Vibes
This was an okay book. The premise is that the two main characters, Avery and Theo end up fake dating. They do this for..well honestly for reasons that don't make sense. This very much was more like a YA than an adult book, and it was obvious by how the characters acted. Overall, I liked Theo's character, but I had issues with the FMC, Avery. She was an absolute mess, and I just couldn't really like her at all. She seemed too hypocritical and acted often like a mean girl. What Avery wanted, Avery got, even at the expense of others.
There were some things that were hard to get past in this book. It was an attempt at a cozy, but 75% of the book was the two being at either family gatherings or at drunk fest parties. The other issue was that names and people were just thrown at us. We were expected to know sooooo many names (SO MANY), who they were, how they were related to the MC's, etc. I think we had about 20-30 random people thrown at us that had no huge part in the plot. It was a lot.
One of the things that was hard to get through was that the author inserted a lot of....random paragraph stuff (it was a LOT, I mean a good portion of the book was nonsense). It was an attempt to create more backstory, but I found myself literally skipping these paragraphs because it had genuinely no involvement with the story at all. It felt like the author wasn't exactly sure where to go with the story, and so these paragraphs were added.
Fake Dating
Best Friends to Lovers
Drama
Small Town Vibes
This was an okay book. The premise is that the two main characters, Avery and Theo end up fake dating. They do this for..well honestly for reasons that don't make sense. This very much was more like a YA than an adult book, and it was obvious by how the characters acted. Overall, I liked Theo's character, but I had issues with the FMC, Avery. She was an absolute mess, and I just couldn't really like her at all. She seemed too hypocritical and acted often like a mean girl. What Avery wanted, Avery got, even at the expense of others.
There were some things that were hard to get past in this book. It was an attempt at a cozy, but 75% of the book was the two being at either family gatherings or at drunk fest parties. The other issue was that names and people were just thrown at us. We were expected to know sooooo many names (SO MANY), who they were, how they were related to the MC's, etc. I think we had about 20-30 random people thrown at us that had no huge part in the plot. It was a lot.
One of the things that was hard to get through was that the author inserted a lot of....random paragraph stuff (it was a LOT, I mean a good portion of the book was nonsense). It was an attempt to create more backstory, but I found myself literally skipping these paragraphs because it had genuinely no involvement with the story at all. It felt like the author wasn't exactly sure where to go with the story, and so these paragraphs were added.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Avery and Theo - long time best friends - agree to fake date when they return to their hometown for Thanksgiving break, mainly to avoid their exes.
Best friends to lovers? check
Fake dating? check
Small town romance? check
Unfortunately, this book falls into the weird category between YA and Adult. I would say it reads best as new adult and those aged ~17-20. Perfect for late teenagers and college students struggling with those transitions.
I read in other reviews that readers did not like how immature and young Avery and Theo's management of their feelings/actions was. However, considering their ages (18 and at the end of their freshman semesters in college), their emotional maturity is exactly where I would expect it to be at. What 18 year old has it all together in terms of love and how they react to being wronged? In fact, while I do feel like some of Avery's behavior was overreacting, she reacted the same way many of us would have at 18 in that scenario, but she actually found the cause of the reaction and was able to address it maturely.
The only problem I had with this book is how much it is stressed in the beginning that Avery tends to think with her - you know what - when it comes to men, and I thought this was handled in such a weird way and that it completely warred with her character.
Overall, this was a very quick and cute read. It gave me exactly what I expected when I picked the book up. If you want a cute, fall-vibes, reliable romance? This is for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Best friends to lovers? check
Fake dating? check
Small town romance? check
Unfortunately, this book falls into the weird category between YA and Adult. I would say it reads best as new adult and those aged ~17-20. Perfect for late teenagers and college students struggling with those transitions.
I read in other reviews that readers did not like how immature and young Avery and Theo's management of their feelings/actions was. However, considering their ages (18 and at the end of their freshman semesters in college), their emotional maturity is exactly where I would expect it to be at. What 18 year old has it all together in terms of love and how they react to being wronged? In fact, while I do feel like some of Avery's behavior was overreacting, she reacted the same way many of us would have at 18 in that scenario, but she actually found the cause of the reaction and was able to address it maturely.
The only problem I had with this book is how much it is stressed in the beginning that Avery tends to think with her - you know what - when it comes to men, and I thought this was handled in such a weird way and that it completely warred with her character.
Overall, this was a very quick and cute read. It gave me exactly what I expected when I picked the book up. If you want a cute, fall-vibes, reliable romance? This is for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 9, 2026
The Friendsgiving Pact by Elizabeth Davis is a friends to lovers, fake dating, small town romance between college freshmen Avery and Theo. Avery and Theo have been best friends for years, and while visiting their small-town home of Itasca during Thanksgiving break they decide to fake date each other to avoid their exes. However, fake dating each other leads to some very real feelings.
This was a quick, cute fall read. I loved the fall vibes and winter vibes that we get towards the end of the book too. Avery and Theo are likeable enough, but they each got on my nerves at different times. Avery with her hatred of lying and then suggesting to fake date her best friend; and Theo complaining about Itasca and how he doesn’t fit in and is the outsider, yet it doesn’t really seem like he tries all that much.
While this was an easy read, I wasn’t super engaged with the characters or the story. There was a whole lot of miscommunication or just lack of communication all over the place too between the MCs, the FMCs parents. Every time Avery and Theo would need to communicate about something they inevitably ended up just making out, which they are freshmen in college so really who wants to communicate that much when you’re 18 years old. It is a romance so they do work everything out in the end, but *gasp* it takes communication!!
Tropes:
Small-town
Friends to lovers
He Falls First
College romance
Fake Dating
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Spice: 🌶️
Thank you, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was a quick, cute fall read. I loved the fall vibes and winter vibes that we get towards the end of the book too. Avery and Theo are likeable enough, but they each got on my nerves at different times. Avery with her hatred of lying and then suggesting to fake date her best friend; and Theo complaining about Itasca and how he doesn’t fit in and is the outsider, yet it doesn’t really seem like he tries all that much.
While this was an easy read, I wasn’t super engaged with the characters or the story. There was a whole lot of miscommunication or just lack of communication all over the place too between the MCs, the FMCs parents. Every time Avery and Theo would need to communicate about something they inevitably ended up just making out, which they are freshmen in college so really who wants to communicate that much when you’re 18 years old. It is a romance so they do work everything out in the end, but *gasp* it takes communication!!
Tropes:
Small-town
Friends to lovers
He Falls First
College romance
Fake Dating
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Spice: 🌶️
Thank you, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
-small town
-friends to lovers
-fake dating
-third act break-up
I am very grateful to have received this as an Advanced Reader Copy. This book was precisely what I needed. It follows Avery and Theo, who are college students and best friends. They decide to pretend to date to avoid their respective ex-partners over Thanksgiving. I appreciate Avery and Theo's dynamic as friends, and the way the awkwardness was portrayed when they decided to date was truly refreshing. The author did not simply make their relationship work; there was a genuine push and pull. Additionally, their friend group includes representation for the LGBTQ+ community. This book does have some personal cons, but some love this troupe miscommunication. Which I dont like personally, if you like it you will love this. Also the secret Avery is hold back is sad, but once its out you feel relieved.
To elaborate on Avery, she is a loyal friend who endeavors to see the best in various situations. She also has an undisclosed issue that occasionally makes her a bit jaded, but overall, she is a sweet individual.
Theo is depicted as an antisocial, intelligent individual, reminiscent of Jess from Gilmore Girls. He is also the newest member of the friend group and has not always felt fully integrated, a feeling he also experiences at home.
This sweet, fun book is perfect for getting you in the mood for fall! I love fall romance books, especially with a cup of coffee and a blanket. 🍂☕️📚
-friends to lovers
-fake dating
-third act break-up
I am very grateful to have received this as an Advanced Reader Copy. This book was precisely what I needed. It follows Avery and Theo, who are college students and best friends. They decide to pretend to date to avoid their respective ex-partners over Thanksgiving. I appreciate Avery and Theo's dynamic as friends, and the way the awkwardness was portrayed when they decided to date was truly refreshing. The author did not simply make their relationship work; there was a genuine push and pull. Additionally, their friend group includes representation for the LGBTQ+ community. This book does have some personal cons, but some love this troupe miscommunication. Which I dont like personally, if you like it you will love this. Also the secret Avery is hold back is sad, but once its out you feel relieved.
To elaborate on Avery, she is a loyal friend who endeavors to see the best in various situations. She also has an undisclosed issue that occasionally makes her a bit jaded, but overall, she is a sweet individual.
Theo is depicted as an antisocial, intelligent individual, reminiscent of Jess from Gilmore Girls. He is also the newest member of the friend group and has not always felt fully integrated, a feeling he also experiences at home.
This sweet, fun book is perfect for getting you in the mood for fall! I love fall romance books, especially with a cup of coffee and a blanket. 🍂☕️📚
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Friendsgiving Pact was a sweet and cozy fall romance that perfectly captured the messy emotions of coming home during your freshman year of college. Between fake dating, unresolved feelings, family drama, and small-town awkwardness, this had all the ingredients for a comforting autumn read.
Avery and Theo’s friendship was definitely the strongest part of the story for me. Their history together made the emotional moments feel believable, and I liked seeing the shift from longtime friends to something more. Theo especially stood out as a love interest. He had that classic bad boy energy, but underneath it all he was thoughtful and genuinely cared about Avery.
The fake dating setup created some cute moments, especially during the Thanksgiving gatherings and hometown encounters. I also appreciated the cozy seasonal atmosphere throughout the book. It really feels like a story made for chilly weather, blankets, and a cup of coffee.
That said, I did feel like the pacing dragged a bit in places, and I wanted a little more emotional depth from certain conflicts and conversations. While the chemistry between Avery and Theo was good, I did not always fully connect with the romance as much as I hoped to.
Overall, this was an enjoyable and comforting fall romance with lovable tropes and cozy vibes. Perfect for readers looking for a light friends-to-lovers story during autumn season.
Avery and Theo’s friendship was definitely the strongest part of the story for me. Their history together made the emotional moments feel believable, and I liked seeing the shift from longtime friends to something more. Theo especially stood out as a love interest. He had that classic bad boy energy, but underneath it all he was thoughtful and genuinely cared about Avery.
The fake dating setup created some cute moments, especially during the Thanksgiving gatherings and hometown encounters. I also appreciated the cozy seasonal atmosphere throughout the book. It really feels like a story made for chilly weather, blankets, and a cup of coffee.
That said, I did feel like the pacing dragged a bit in places, and I wanted a little more emotional depth from certain conflicts and conversations. While the chemistry between Avery and Theo was good, I did not always fully connect with the romance as much as I hoped to.
Overall, this was an enjoyable and comforting fall romance with lovable tropes and cozy vibes. Perfect for readers looking for a light friends-to-lovers story during autumn season.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5⭐️
This was honestly a little basic… but in the same way pumpkin spice lattes are basic. Like yes, technically. Do we still love them? ABSOLUTELY.
The Friendsgiving Pact hit at exactly the right time for me. Sometimes you don’t need a romance that completely reinvents the genre. Sometimes you just want a cozy, holiday-flavored friends-to-lovers story with fake dating, unresolved feelings, awkward family moments, and enough chemistry to keep you smiling the entire time. And this delivered that perfectly.
The Thanksgiving setting honestly made the whole thing work for me even more. There’s just something about holiday chaos, seeing hometown exes, cold weather flirting, and catching feelings while pretending you’re not catching feelings that scratches a very specific romance-reader itch.
Avery and Theo were sweet together, and while I do wish the story had a little more depth emotionally, I still had a genuinely fun time reading it. It’s very bingeable, very comforting, and gives major “curl up under a blanket and ignore your responsibilities for a few hours” energy.
Was it groundbreaking? No.
Did it make me happy? Yes.
And honestly sometimes that’s exactly what I want from a romance novel.
This was honestly a little basic… but in the same way pumpkin spice lattes are basic. Like yes, technically. Do we still love them? ABSOLUTELY.
The Friendsgiving Pact hit at exactly the right time for me. Sometimes you don’t need a romance that completely reinvents the genre. Sometimes you just want a cozy, holiday-flavored friends-to-lovers story with fake dating, unresolved feelings, awkward family moments, and enough chemistry to keep you smiling the entire time. And this delivered that perfectly.
The Thanksgiving setting honestly made the whole thing work for me even more. There’s just something about holiday chaos, seeing hometown exes, cold weather flirting, and catching feelings while pretending you’re not catching feelings that scratches a very specific romance-reader itch.
Avery and Theo were sweet together, and while I do wish the story had a little more depth emotionally, I still had a genuinely fun time reading it. It’s very bingeable, very comforting, and gives major “curl up under a blanket and ignore your responsibilities for a few hours” energy.
Was it groundbreaking? No.
Did it make me happy? Yes.
And honestly sometimes that’s exactly what I want from a romance novel.
Read
June 9, 2026This is a new adult story about high school friends who decide to fake-date over their first Thanksgiving home from college and end up (of course!) complicating everything.
The holiday setting felt genuinely lived-in—caroling concerts, sledding, tense Thanksgiving dinners. The author leans into both the charm and the chaos of coming home for the holidays, and it works.
That said, this one didn't fully land for me. The third-person POV felt like a stumbling block, which is not something I usually say. The opening chapters move quickly and it takes a little while to get your bearings with the characters (like who was Theo or Cam). The fake-dating premise is so fun on paper, but the pact itself didn't quite land with the tension or spark I was hoping for. And while the flashback chapters did a lot of heavy lifting to build out Avery and Theo's friendship, I wished that warmth had translated more into their present-day dynamic. The author does attempt to remedy this with flashback chapters, but the emotional payoff felt unearned.
Overall, it's clear that there's a lot of heart here, and I think readers who love cozy, low-stakes friends-to-lovers vibes could like it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.
The holiday setting felt genuinely lived-in—caroling concerts, sledding, tense Thanksgiving dinners. The author leans into both the charm and the chaos of coming home for the holidays, and it works.
That said, this one didn't fully land for me. The third-person POV felt like a stumbling block, which is not something I usually say. The opening chapters move quickly and it takes a little while to get your bearings with the characters (like who was Theo or Cam). The fake-dating premise is so fun on paper, but the pact itself didn't quite land with the tension or spark I was hoping for. And while the flashback chapters did a lot of heavy lifting to build out Avery and Theo's friendship, I wished that warmth had translated more into their present-day dynamic. The author does attempt to remedy this with flashback chapters, but the emotional payoff felt unearned.
Overall, it's clear that there's a lot of heart here, and I think readers who love cozy, low-stakes friends-to-lovers vibes could like it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.
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