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The Wrong McElroy
When Fiona Ng’s best friend, Michael, needs a pretend girlfriend to bring home for Christmas in Arkansas, Fiona girds her loins and steps up. Besides, how hard could one festive family weekend be, anyway?
That’s before she meets the boisterous McElroy clan, with accents as thick as a homemade pie crust, and an endless supply of competitive siblings, including Lizzie, Michael’s beautiful younger sister.
Lizzie seems to be everywhere, with her intoxicating scent, wandering hands, lingering gaze, and that bright, echoing laugh. The more time Fiona spends in her orbit, she wonders how she can even concentrate let alone pull off a convincing fake relationship.
An amusing, charming lesbian romance about finding unexpected love inside family expectations.
Themes: Christmas · family · holiday romance · POC
64,000 words
That’s before she meets the boisterous McElroy clan, with accents as thick as a homemade pie crust, and an endless supply of competitive siblings, including Lizzie, Michael’s beautiful younger sister.
Lizzie seems to be everywhere, with her intoxicating scent, wandering hands, lingering gaze, and that bright, echoing laugh. The more time Fiona spends in her orbit, she wonders how she can even concentrate let alone pull off a convincing fake relationship.
An amusing, charming lesbian romance about finding unexpected love inside family expectations.
Themes: Christmas · family · holiday romance · POC
64,000 words
194 pages, ebook
First published October 16, 2019
59 people are currently reading
1463 people want to read
About the author
K.L. Hughes
8 books481 followersKL Hughes is an American poet and fiction author writing in multiple genres. Growing up in a small town of just over 1500 people, she spent much of her time inventing various ways to entertain herself as well as others. Whether it was through vocal performances of original children’s songs or theatrical re-enactments of books, movies, and actual events, Hughes showcased her extensive imagination and creativity at a very early age.
She began writing poetry at the age of nine, a passion that rapidly grew and expanded to include short stories, novellas, and eventually novels. Throughout elementary school and high school, Hughes won several contests and competitions focused in original poetry and short-story composition.
After graduating valedictorian of her high-school class, Hughes went on to pursue and earn a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree in Theatre Arts and English Literature. Her collegiate studies allowed her to develop and hone her skills in poetry, playwriting, screenwriting, and fiction prose.
Working as a writer full-time, Hughes lives in the United States with her wife and their Dalmatian. When not writing, she enjoys theatre and film, travel, visits to old cemeteries and haunted houses, putting on one-woman musicals for her wife, long walks and hikes, and family time.
She began writing poetry at the age of nine, a passion that rapidly grew and expanded to include short stories, novellas, and eventually novels. Throughout elementary school and high school, Hughes won several contests and competitions focused in original poetry and short-story composition.
After graduating valedictorian of her high-school class, Hughes went on to pursue and earn a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree in Theatre Arts and English Literature. Her collegiate studies allowed her to develop and hone her skills in poetry, playwriting, screenwriting, and fiction prose.
Working as a writer full-time, Hughes lives in the United States with her wife and their Dalmatian. When not writing, she enjoys theatre and film, travel, visits to old cemeteries and haunted houses, putting on one-woman musicals for her wife, long walks and hikes, and family time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 250 reviews
October 4, 2019
'ARC provided by Ylva-Publishing in exchange for a honest review'
**'Anyone can express themselves but what writers want to do in their profession, more than simply express themselves is to communicate..The character's attitude is more important than the plot..'
'THE WRONG McELROY' is a story of a huge family (The McElroy clan) of brothers, sisters, mom, dad, grandparent, niece and nephew; coming together for their yearly gathering -- where revelations of secrets, new lovers, spouses, heartbreak etc.. -- is captured in as many seamless series of individual moments.
Ms.Hughes weaves an array of family/sibling history in great detail through out her storytelling and even makes growing up in this tiny suburban town in Arkansas come alive. There's gossip, disagreements, race related conversations, kindness and Love. In the midst of all the family entertainment and socializing, readers become aware of a developing romance brewing between a sister and her brother's fake girlfriend that both did not see happening. As one showed her attraction to the other while trying to hide their many sneaky lip service sessions, their joyful interludes take a turn when another someone discover their intimate moment and get the shock of her life. This then led to everyone's secret having to be unwrapped and then admitting to the entire family.
I was really amused and Loved the emotional and interactive depth that this storyline explored plus it felt real with the many believable and flawed characters.
There are a few things that I think many interested readers will enjoy about this book; like Michael always knowing just what to say or do to make Fiona smile and feel welcome around his family, like Lizzie with her quirky and charming ways and not to be forgotten the inclusion of a best friend from a different cultural background. Such a well written story and i do recommend it to everyone!
**'Anyone can express themselves but what writers want to do in their profession, more than simply express themselves is to communicate..The character's attitude is more important than the plot..'
'THE WRONG McELROY' is a story of a huge family (The McElroy clan) of brothers, sisters, mom, dad, grandparent, niece and nephew; coming together for their yearly gathering -- where revelations of secrets, new lovers, spouses, heartbreak etc.. -- is captured in as many seamless series of individual moments.
Ms.Hughes weaves an array of family/sibling history in great detail through out her storytelling and even makes growing up in this tiny suburban town in Arkansas come alive. There's gossip, disagreements, race related conversations, kindness and Love. In the midst of all the family entertainment and socializing, readers become aware of a developing romance brewing between a sister and her brother's fake girlfriend that both did not see happening. As one showed her attraction to the other while trying to hide their many sneaky lip service sessions, their joyful interludes take a turn when another someone discover their intimate moment and get the shock of her life. This then led to everyone's secret having to be unwrapped and then admitting to the entire family.
I was really amused and Loved the emotional and interactive depth that this storyline explored plus it felt real with the many believable and flawed characters.
There are a few things that I think many interested readers will enjoy about this book; like Michael always knowing just what to say or do to make Fiona smile and feel welcome around his family, like Lizzie with her quirky and charming ways and not to be forgotten the inclusion of a best friend from a different cultural background. Such a well written story and i do recommend it to everyone!
October 24, 2019
Well this is a shocker, I actually really enjoyed this. If you follow my reviewers you will know I am not a rom-com fan. In fact it is my least favorite category in all of lesfic to read. My funny bone seems broken when it comes to book comedy, so I honestly just struggle. The reason I grabbed this book was because of the author. Hughes wrote the wonderful The Art of Us and of course the excellent short (that should be made into a full length book) The Sea. Hughes is an automatic read for me now even with a category of book I don’t like. I also noticed some of the early reviews are mixed so I figured my chance of liking this was even less. Well, to say I’m surprised how much I enjoyed this would be an understatement. It’s not a perfect book, I’m not trying to overhype it, but for what the book actually was- I thought it was well done.
I love fauxmances (which this is) but I normally prefer them to be between two women. This fauxmance was actually with a lesbian and her best guy friend who needed to have a girlfriend to take home for the holidays so his parents and siblings would leave him alone. But what happens to this plan if the fake girlfriend can’t stop having feelings for one of her best friend’s sisters?
I loved the premise of this story. I like books that go to in-laws or girlfriend’s parent’s houses for holiday’s or special occasions, especially when they have a big crazy family like in this book. With this book taking place over Christmas with fun holiday traditions, this is a good choice to read in November or December.
Since I mentioned my funny book bone is broken, I do want to say that even with this book that I had such fun with, I didn’t laugh out loud. Some sort of noise maybe a light grunt might have come from me while reading. There was even a smile that got pretty big about three different times. So no laughing but it was so much closer than most books can get from me.
This book takes place over a long weekend so I have seen people complain it’s too short for the character to have a full romance. I get that and actually agree. However, this is not a romantic romance where they are soul mates and the I love yous are said with every breath. No, this is the beginning of a new relationship. And that’s perfectly fine. I hate rushed I love yous, it doesn’t have to happen in every romance, sometime characters need more time together just like in this book. What this does have is great chemistry. The flirting and accidental or not so accidental physical contact, just kept making these two characters spark together. I believed these two had a very lusty connection and because it was forbidden, it made it even better. Both characters are witty and likeable and together they are even better. Like others have mentioned they did jump into bed shortly after their first kiss, which was a little jarring especially the hot sex scene they did have. But again, they had so much build-up before the first kiss even happened that I’m not surprised they didn’t combust after it finally did happen.
I know from the early reviews that this is not everyone’s cup of tea but somehow it sure worked for me. I love a story with good chemistry, flirting, and just great main characters. For Hughes to make me enjoy a rom-com this much just proves what a great author she is.
An ARC was given to me for a honest review.
I love fauxmances (which this is) but I normally prefer them to be between two women. This fauxmance was actually with a lesbian and her best guy friend who needed to have a girlfriend to take home for the holidays so his parents and siblings would leave him alone. But what happens to this plan if the fake girlfriend can’t stop having feelings for one of her best friend’s sisters?
I loved the premise of this story. I like books that go to in-laws or girlfriend’s parent’s houses for holiday’s or special occasions, especially when they have a big crazy family like in this book. With this book taking place over Christmas with fun holiday traditions, this is a good choice to read in November or December.
Since I mentioned my funny book bone is broken, I do want to say that even with this book that I had such fun with, I didn’t laugh out loud. Some sort of noise maybe a light grunt might have come from me while reading. There was even a smile that got pretty big about three different times. So no laughing but it was so much closer than most books can get from me.
This book takes place over a long weekend so I have seen people complain it’s too short for the character to have a full romance. I get that and actually agree. However, this is not a romantic romance where they are soul mates and the I love yous are said with every breath. No, this is the beginning of a new relationship. And that’s perfectly fine. I hate rushed I love yous, it doesn’t have to happen in every romance, sometime characters need more time together just like in this book. What this does have is great chemistry. The flirting and accidental or not so accidental physical contact, just kept making these two characters spark together. I believed these two had a very lusty connection and because it was forbidden, it made it even better. Both characters are witty and likeable and together they are even better. Like others have mentioned they did jump into bed shortly after their first kiss, which was a little jarring especially the hot sex scene they did have. But again, they had so much build-up before the first kiss even happened that I’m not surprised they didn’t combust after it finally did happen.
I know from the early reviews that this is not everyone’s cup of tea but somehow it sure worked for me. I love a story with good chemistry, flirting, and just great main characters. For Hughes to make me enjoy a rom-com this much just proves what a great author she is.
An ARC was given to me for a honest review.
October 15, 2019
This is a FUN read :)
Im not really a big fan of romantic comedies but i have to admit the author really pulled this off quite well! i can easily see this made into a cute movie :)
So the plot is around a fake relationship between Fiona the MC and Michael and obviously Fiona falls for the sister :) This book relies heavily on supporting characters which actually made it quite fun to read!
i have to say this was a surprise for me to see Hughes write a book that is so different from The Art of Us which for me was an INCREDIBLE read! But i really have to applaud the author here for writing such diverse books!
The whole book takes place in just 4 days, so expect to dig in into so much info, characters, and laughs! It's like a small tornado hit you :) But, it's funny, entertaining and romantic. I cant say it's incredibly romantic, but still, i did like the connection between both MCs.
My rating is a 3.5 rounded up to 4 and i recommend this book if you want to relax, have a fluffy light read, want to laugh a bit and just CHILL on your couch and enjoy a cute book :)
"ARC provided for an honest review."
Im not really a big fan of romantic comedies but i have to admit the author really pulled this off quite well! i can easily see this made into a cute movie :)
So the plot is around a fake relationship between Fiona the MC and Michael and obviously Fiona falls for the sister :) This book relies heavily on supporting characters which actually made it quite fun to read!
i have to say this was a surprise for me to see Hughes write a book that is so different from The Art of Us which for me was an INCREDIBLE read! But i really have to applaud the author here for writing such diverse books!
The whole book takes place in just 4 days, so expect to dig in into so much info, characters, and laughs! It's like a small tornado hit you :) But, it's funny, entertaining and romantic. I cant say it's incredibly romantic, but still, i did like the connection between both MCs.
My rating is a 3.5 rounded up to 4 and i recommend this book if you want to relax, have a fluffy light read, want to laugh a bit and just CHILL on your couch and enjoy a cute book :)
"ARC provided for an honest review."
October 28, 2019
Too much and not enough.
Oh geez this was not what I was expecting from an author who has written some pretty amazing books. The too much I'm referring to, is it felt like the author was trying to cram too many characters and happenings into an already short amount of time. I get the need to show the McElroy's family dynamic but did we really need such extensive scenes that involved everyone including the family's cat?
That brings me to the not enough part of this review. Because so much of the narrative was spent on the McElroy clan it didn't leave enough time to develop the relationship between Fiona and Lizzie. The attraction and chemistry was there but when they finally acted on it... I cringed from beginning to end. I mean everything from the timing to the location to even the 'talking' had me appalled.
Finally.
Where do I even start when talking about the racism part of the plot? I'm just going to jump right into the deep end and say I'm impressed. Really, because Fiona (and by extension KL Hughes) managed to put into words things I've been struggling with more and more lately, namely:
To sum it all up and though not a bad read, this wasn't the book for me.
Oh geez this was not what I was expecting from an author who has written some pretty amazing books. The too much I'm referring to, is it felt like the author was trying to cram too many characters and happenings into an already short amount of time. I get the need to show the McElroy's family dynamic but did we really need such extensive scenes that involved everyone including the family's cat?
That brings me to the not enough part of this review. Because so much of the narrative was spent on the McElroy clan it didn't leave enough time to develop the relationship between Fiona and Lizzie. The attraction and chemistry was there but when they finally acted on it... I cringed from beginning to end. I mean everything from the timing to the location to even the 'talking' had me appalled.
Finally.
Where do I even start when talking about the racism part of the plot? I'm just going to jump right into the deep end and say I'm impressed. Really, because Fiona (and by extension KL Hughes) managed to put into words things I've been struggling with more and more lately, namely:
To sum it all up and though not a bad read, this wasn't the book for me.
April 8, 2021
This book is barely a romance but it's a hoot nonetheless.
Fiona Ng is lesbian but agrees to be the fake girlfriend to her best friend, Michael, when he travels home to Arkansas for Christmas. Unfortunately, she falls for one of his seven siblings, Lizzie, and shenanigans ensue.
"The Wrong McElroy" is almost more of a best friends book than anything. Fiona and Michael's chemistry is really cute and heartwarming. The entire read had me cracking up and smiling widely all the way through and I LOVED all of the family events. The cast is pretty large but each member of the family is distinct.
Some sparks are thrown between Fiona and Lizzie but the romance is on the lighter and more superficial side since the entire book takes place over about three days. There are some uncomfortable moments since Lizzie going after her brother's girlfriend is so over the line but that gets explained later, with a pretty good punchline, so all is well.
Also props for making the leads less traditional. Fiona is Chinese and Malaysian while Lizzie is a more plus sized freckled red head. The only part I wasn't a fan of was the casual drug use but that's me. I was highly entertained by the read.
Basically, if you want a true comedy with some sapphic overtones, this book is it. Sit back and enjoy the ride.
Fiona Ng is lesbian but agrees to be the fake girlfriend to her best friend, Michael, when he travels home to Arkansas for Christmas. Unfortunately, she falls for one of his seven siblings, Lizzie, and shenanigans ensue.
"The Wrong McElroy" is almost more of a best friends book than anything. Fiona and Michael's chemistry is really cute and heartwarming. The entire read had me cracking up and smiling widely all the way through and I LOVED all of the family events. The cast is pretty large but each member of the family is distinct.
Some sparks are thrown between Fiona and Lizzie but the romance is on the lighter and more superficial side since the entire book takes place over about three days. There are some uncomfortable moments since Lizzie going after her brother's girlfriend is so over the line but that gets explained later, with a pretty good punchline, so all is well.
Also props for making the leads less traditional. Fiona is Chinese and Malaysian while Lizzie is a more plus sized freckled red head. The only part I wasn't a fan of was the casual drug use but that's me. I was highly entertained by the read.
Basically, if you want a true comedy with some sapphic overtones, this book is it. Sit back and enjoy the ride.
October 8, 2019
Fiona is stuck spending Christmas weekend with the McElroy family. Her best friend, Michael, has convinced her to go home and pretend to be his girlfriend because he is tried of hearing his family hound him about finding someone.
The McElroy family is large. A grandma, some parents, and a slew of children (Two sets of twins, even), and a cat. The cat is a ginger, just like the rest of the clan.
There is a lot I liked about this book. It was a romantic comedy. Infused with humor and most of it hit it's mark. I laughed out loud at Michael and Fiona's banter about her height. The McElroy's family traditions that put Fiona in several comical situations. The best friend relationship between Michael and Fiona was goals. The tension and will/they wont/they between Fiona and Michael's sister, Lizzie, was exciting.
This also had a tiny focus on racism. Fiona is a mixed Asian woman and grandma McElroy made some pretty infuriating comments. There was some internal thoughts about always trying to make other people feel comfortable about their racism was interesting. And I also just flat out liked that the lead was Asian. There is not enough diversity in lesbian fiction.
On the flip side, there were a couple of things that I didn't quite care for about the book. Casual pot smoking. I'm no prude about this, but it just seemed out of place in this cute romance. The couple of references took me out of the story. The first sexual encounter was fairly jarring. Like skip zero and go directly to 1000. It wasn't sweet, and that made me not really care about their budding relationship as much. It had more of a hookup vibe to me and I had the feeling that they wouldn't last beyond Lizzie going back home to LA.
I do love this author, though. Her first two books are favorites of mine. I think the difference is that those were more drama and angst and this is humor and holiday. She is a great writer but I did not agree with the two story choices mentioned above. And that is too bad, because just a couple different decisions and this would have been a 5 for me.
But I can and do recommend this book to those who enjoy holidays, romances, best friends, family traditions, red heads, freckles, and heterochromia.
I received an ARC from YVLA for an honest review.
The McElroy family is large. A grandma, some parents, and a slew of children (Two sets of twins, even), and a cat. The cat is a ginger, just like the rest of the clan.
There is a lot I liked about this book. It was a romantic comedy. Infused with humor and most of it hit it's mark. I laughed out loud at Michael and Fiona's banter about her height. The McElroy's family traditions that put Fiona in several comical situations. The best friend relationship between Michael and Fiona was goals. The tension and will/they wont/they between Fiona and Michael's sister, Lizzie, was exciting.
This also had a tiny focus on racism. Fiona is a mixed Asian woman and grandma McElroy made some pretty infuriating comments. There was some internal thoughts about always trying to make other people feel comfortable about their racism was interesting. And I also just flat out liked that the lead was Asian. There is not enough diversity in lesbian fiction.
On the flip side, there were a couple of things that I didn't quite care for about the book. Casual pot smoking. I'm no prude about this, but it just seemed out of place in this cute romance. The couple of references took me out of the story. The first sexual encounter was fairly jarring. Like skip zero and go directly to 1000. It wasn't sweet, and that made me not really care about their budding relationship as much. It had more of a hookup vibe to me and I had the feeling that they wouldn't last beyond Lizzie going back home to LA.
I do love this author, though. Her first two books are favorites of mine. I think the difference is that those were more drama and angst and this is humor and holiday. She is a great writer but I did not agree with the two story choices mentioned above. And that is too bad, because just a couple different decisions and this would have been a 5 for me.
But I can and do recommend this book to those who enjoy holidays, romances, best friends, family traditions, red heads, freckles, and heterochromia.
I received an ARC from YVLA for an honest review.
December 26, 2021
the wrong mcelroy is a warm and fluffy sapphic holiday romance, and it is absolutely permeated with laughter.
the premise is very fun: lesbian fiona offers to be her best friend's beard and accompany him home for christmas, but quickly finds herself falling for his charming sister, lizzie.
i was struck again and again by the warmth and laughter within the book. fiona and her bff michael share a constant stream of banter and laugher. the large and spirited family continually laugh together, and fiona and lizzie learn to laugh together. it's sweet and pure way to bond, and helps add to the happy softness of the story!
it reminds me a lot of one of my favorite christmas movies, the super gay the happiest season from 2020. silly and outlandish romcom hijinks mixed with warm, believable heart. they're both good comfort stories.
k.l. hughes made an interesting choice to add a racist and homophobic grandma to round out the mcelroy clan. this is realistic, but the inclusion of the bigotry strikes me as odd since it's only briefly addressed. i do love that fiona articulates her discomfort, and holds michael accountable to be a better ally. but damn, wish there were some consequences for grandma! i guess since it's a corny romcom the tone has to stay light. but i would have appreciated it if the grandma's hate was addressed more thoroughly.
one of the highlights of the book for me is the surprise ace representation!
there is a sense of warmth and loving acceptance that radiates from fiona, michael, and lizzie. it sometimes strays into corny, but it's so sweet and comforting to snuggle up with. there's also an intense coming out conversation between lizzie and her mom, and then fiona and lizzie share an unexpectedly sexy sex scene. it's short and sweet, a perfect happy sapphic read for christmas! 🥰🎄🥰
the premise is very fun: lesbian fiona offers to be her best friend's beard and accompany him home for christmas, but quickly finds herself falling for his charming sister, lizzie.
i was struck again and again by the warmth and laughter within the book. fiona and her bff michael share a constant stream of banter and laugher. the large and spirited family continually laugh together, and fiona and lizzie learn to laugh together. it's sweet and pure way to bond, and helps add to the happy softness of the story!
it reminds me a lot of one of my favorite christmas movies, the super gay the happiest season from 2020. silly and outlandish romcom hijinks mixed with warm, believable heart. they're both good comfort stories.
k.l. hughes made an interesting choice to add a racist and homophobic grandma to round out the mcelroy clan. this is realistic, but the inclusion of the bigotry strikes me as odd since it's only briefly addressed. i do love that fiona articulates her discomfort, and holds michael accountable to be a better ally. but damn, wish there were some consequences for grandma! i guess since it's a corny romcom the tone has to stay light. but i would have appreciated it if the grandma's hate was addressed more thoroughly.
one of the highlights of the book for me is the surprise ace representation!
there is a sense of warmth and loving acceptance that radiates from fiona, michael, and lizzie. it sometimes strays into corny, but it's so sweet and comforting to snuggle up with. there's also an intense coming out conversation between lizzie and her mom, and then fiona and lizzie share an unexpectedly sexy sex scene. it's short and sweet, a perfect happy sapphic read for christmas! 🥰🎄🥰
October 22, 2019
This is another one of those books I have to stop reading every few pages because there are too many feelings to process. At first it was because I was laughing too hard and had to keep breathing, then after a while it was because I felt my heart squeezing in on itself. Which is both painful and so so so good.
For one long Christmas weekend in Arkansas, Fiona, an out and proud lesbian, has agreed to pretend to be straight and her best friend Michael’s girlfriend. Of course she didn’t expect to feel almost immediately and very intensely attracted to one of his sisters, Lizzie.
The McElroy family is huge, and Hughes didn’t waste the opportunity to create exciting characters. Michael is a sweetheart and I love how ready he is to learn and do better. The relationship between him and Fiona is a dream. The youngest sister, Jessie, is darkly hilarious. And Lizzie is just so… Lizzie, I guess.
The story is told from Fiona’s POV. She was born and grew up in Los Angeles. Her father is Chinese, her mother is Malaysian, they met in Singapore. She now lives in St Louis, where she is studying to become a nurse. Besides the fake relationship and trying to resist falling for her best friend’s sister, her meeting with the McElroys is full of ups and downs. As an only child, she longs for a big family and the feeling of belonging the siblings seem to enjoy. And she’s also faced with racism, and has to deal with others’ reactions to it as well as her own. That first scene when she meets the grandmother, Sophia, and the aftermath is one of the best I’ve read on this topic.
I’m so happy I liked this book, because K.L. Hughes The Art of Us was one of my first 5* books when I began rating, so I had hopes for Popcorn Love but it fell a little flat for me, for some reason. The Wrong McElroy definitely doesn’t. It’s very different from The Art of Us, it’s more rom com than drama. It’s very nicely written as well, with loads of emotions and banter. I love banter when it’s well done. Also, as I’ve written before, I don’t often laugh at others’ attempts at being funny, so when I laugh reading, it’s usually a good sign (at least for me).
Oh, and now I want to be spend Christmas with the McElroy family, and I don’t even like people.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
For one long Christmas weekend in Arkansas, Fiona, an out and proud lesbian, has agreed to pretend to be straight and her best friend Michael’s girlfriend. Of course she didn’t expect to feel almost immediately and very intensely attracted to one of his sisters, Lizzie.
The McElroy family is huge, and Hughes didn’t waste the opportunity to create exciting characters. Michael is a sweetheart and I love how ready he is to learn and do better. The relationship between him and Fiona is a dream. The youngest sister, Jessie, is darkly hilarious. And Lizzie is just so… Lizzie, I guess.
The story is told from Fiona’s POV. She was born and grew up in Los Angeles. Her father is Chinese, her mother is Malaysian, they met in Singapore. She now lives in St Louis, where she is studying to become a nurse. Besides the fake relationship and trying to resist falling for her best friend’s sister, her meeting with the McElroys is full of ups and downs. As an only child, she longs for a big family and the feeling of belonging the siblings seem to enjoy. And she’s also faced with racism, and has to deal with others’ reactions to it as well as her own. That first scene when she meets the grandmother, Sophia, and the aftermath is one of the best I’ve read on this topic.
I’m so happy I liked this book, because K.L. Hughes The Art of Us was one of my first 5* books when I began rating, so I had hopes for Popcorn Love but it fell a little flat for me, for some reason. The Wrong McElroy definitely doesn’t. It’s very different from The Art of Us, it’s more rom com than drama. It’s very nicely written as well, with loads of emotions and banter. I love banter when it’s well done. Also, as I’ve written before, I don’t often laugh at others’ attempts at being funny, so when I laugh reading, it’s usually a good sign (at least for me).
Oh, and now I want to be spend Christmas with the McElroy family, and I don’t even like people.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 24, 2020
Me, putting a book on my favorite shelf two months before it's even published?
More likely than you'd think.
Actual Review:
I called it months ago and I'm confirming it now. This is it. This is the book I’m just not going to shut up about for some time.
Because no matter the mood of the story, KL’s writing does things to my emotions that barely any other author can. It gives you the feeling that nothing is ever meaningless. Every word you say, every breath you take, every moment is part of a story that can be wonderful and devastating and simply extraordinary.
While KL is known for ripping my heart out and still making me want more of that pain, this time she had me grinning and biting my lips from the first chapter on. I don't know how to put into word how GOOD and GIDDY this made me feel before anything even happened.
And then, you know, as it goes with books, things did happen.
It’s one downside is that it is short, but it might be better that the short time period is not dragged out too much.
So it is basically all my dreams and hopes for a romance novel put into four days of fast paced, but gentle and breathtaking story:
• Lovable, fun and realistic characters
• Dazzling and painfully intense chemistry between two ladies
• Playful banter
• Fake Dating with a twist
• Amazing friendship and family dynamics
• Rom-Com Christmas Movie aesthetic without it being too christmas-y
• A hint of Angst that makes my heart beat loudly in my ear and time freeze around me
• Teasing hot moments that make my skin tingle and my face grin out of control
And now I guess I’m back in my dark existence where I won't be able to read this book for the first time again. Thanks I guess?
Also, I want 3000 fan arts and a comic about this. But since it’s a bit early for that, I had to do sth myself.
[Review on Tumblr]
More likely than you'd think.
Actual Review:
I called it months ago and I'm confirming it now. This is it. This is the book I’m just not going to shut up about for some time.
Because no matter the mood of the story, KL’s writing does things to my emotions that barely any other author can. It gives you the feeling that nothing is ever meaningless. Every word you say, every breath you take, every moment is part of a story that can be wonderful and devastating and simply extraordinary.
Whatever it was, they needed to stop it before it became impossible to disentangle themselves, before they became such a mess together that there would be no hiding it, no going back. No retreat.
While KL is known for ripping my heart out and still making me want more of that pain, this time she had me grinning and biting my lips from the first chapter on. I don't know how to put into word how GOOD and GIDDY this made me feel before anything even happened.
And then, you know, as it goes with books, things did happen.
Those different circumstances she wished for, being surrounded by a family she already felt so much a part of—those longings were because of her, because of Lizzie. As much as she wished it weren’t the case, it was. Fiona didn’t want to be there pretending to be somebody’s special someone. She wanted to actually be a McElroy’s special someone. Just not Michael’s.
It’s one downside is that it is short, but it might be better that the short time period is not dragged out too much.
So it is basically all my dreams and hopes for a romance novel put into four days of fast paced, but gentle and breathtaking story:
• Lovable, fun and realistic characters
• Dazzling and painfully intense chemistry between two ladies
• Playful banter
• Fake Dating with a twist
• Amazing friendship and family dynamics
• Rom-Com Christmas Movie aesthetic without it being too christmas-y
• A hint of Angst that makes my heart beat loudly in my ear and time freeze around me
• Teasing hot moments that make my skin tingle and my face grin out of control
And now I guess I’m back in my dark existence where I won't be able to read this book for the first time again. Thanks I guess?
Also, I want 3000 fan arts and a comic about this. But since it’s a bit early for that, I had to do sth myself.
[Review on Tumblr]
November 6, 2019
It’s with trepidation that I read any Hughes book because I’m still traumatized by The Art of Us. Never fear, this is nothing like that and is a very light, humorous read. Fiona Ng agrees to be her best friend’s pretend girlfriend on his trip home to Arkansas for Christmas. Michael is badgered by his family for his lack of girlfriend every time he goes home and he thinks that turning up with a girlfriend will give him some respite. Fiona has some misgivings but he’s her best friend. Michael is one of eight children though, and all but one will be there for Christmas.
It’s a riot as only a large family can be. If you want to get heard you need to be loud; if you want something you don’t have to share, you have to win it. Fiona, an only child, finds herself in the thick of Michael’s boisterous red-haired family, which is complicated by her attraction to Lizzie, a younger sister.
I enjoyed the humour and the insanity of the Christmas games the McElroy’s engage in. Fiona’s discomfort from a racial point of view, an only child point of view and her attraction to her fake boyfriend’s sister was tangible and realistic, even when everything else seemed over the top. I found it less of a romance and much more of a comedic take on coming clean and coming out. It’s fun and constantly entertaining.
Book received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
It’s a riot as only a large family can be. If you want to get heard you need to be loud; if you want something you don’t have to share, you have to win it. Fiona, an only child, finds herself in the thick of Michael’s boisterous red-haired family, which is complicated by her attraction to Lizzie, a younger sister.
I enjoyed the humour and the insanity of the Christmas games the McElroy’s engage in. Fiona’s discomfort from a racial point of view, an only child point of view and her attraction to her fake boyfriend’s sister was tangible and realistic, even when everything else seemed over the top. I found it less of a romance and much more of a comedic take on coming clean and coming out. It’s fun and constantly entertaining.
Book received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
October 23, 2019
Fiona was convinced by her best friend Michael to be his girlfriend during a long Christmas weekend with his very large family. There she met her sister Lizzie...
And well, damn, I was left wanting more. A long weekend is not enough for a nice, beautiful love story.
And well, damn, I was left wanting more. A long weekend is not enough for a nice, beautiful love story.
December 19, 2022
Such a fun reading, this one, really amusing. It could also be considered a suitable reading for a Christmas holiday, but since you have so many other things, you just have to read it whenever you can.
The story begins with a fauxmance between two friends. He, Michael, has a very large family, of Scottish descent, and he's kind of fed up with all of them asking him about his love life over and over again. His sexual definition is not clear along the book, maybe he doesn't know himself. She, Fiona, is the lesbian friend disposed to lend a hand for a few days, faking the rol of her girlfriend during Christmas Holidays at McElroy's home. She is also a Chinese-Malaysian-Singaporean origin and is an only child, so arriving at the McElroy reunion is a bit overwhelming for her. And the title of the book explains all that is necessary to know before reading it.
During the four or five days in which the whole story takes place, the family puts into practice their traditions, many of which are totally incredible especially for Fiona, due to her different cultural background and her more different family situation. But she can't help having to participate in all family activities, some of which are really hilarious.
For me has been a reading fun and fresh and really recommended.
An ARC was given to me by YLVA for my honest review
The story begins with a fauxmance between two friends. He, Michael, has a very large family, of Scottish descent, and he's kind of fed up with all of them asking him about his love life over and over again. His sexual definition is not clear along the book, maybe he doesn't know himself. She, Fiona, is the lesbian friend disposed to lend a hand for a few days, faking the rol of her girlfriend during Christmas Holidays at McElroy's home. She is also a Chinese-Malaysian-Singaporean origin and is an only child, so arriving at the McElroy reunion is a bit overwhelming for her. And the title of the book explains all that is necessary to know before reading it.
During the four or five days in which the whole story takes place, the family puts into practice their traditions, many of which are totally incredible especially for Fiona, due to her different cultural background and her more different family situation. But she can't help having to participate in all family activities, some of which are really hilarious.
For me has been a reading fun and fresh and really recommended.
An ARC was given to me by YLVA for my honest review
October 28, 2020
This was HILARIOUS!!! Omg I laughed so hard while reading this. All the characters were just so likable and funny, except the grandmother. And Lizzie and Fiona were just so adorable and cute 😍 All the teasing and then that happy ending was just *chef’s kiss*
October 28, 2019
3 stars - I want to start this review by saying I’ve always been a fan of KL Hughes. I’ve read every single fanfic she ever posted. Her work has always been a source of comfort in the early hours of the night for me. Whenever I think of SwanQueen and Clexa fandoms, Chrmdpoet is the first name I think of. I’ve read Popcorn Love (the fic) more times than I care to admit and it will forever have a special place in my heart.
So you can imagine I was really looking forward to this new release by Hughes. It honestly pains me to say I was disappointed with The Wrong McElroy. And it’s not that it’s a bad book, far from it, but it simply wasn’t for me :(
Rom-coms are usually a hit or miss (more often than not) for me, and sadly this one was another miss.
Being a really good friend, Fiona Ng agrees to go home with her best friend Michael for Christmas and pretend to be his girlfriend. It couldn’t be too bad, right? Fiona has no idea what she is getting herself into and she definitely never considered she would start crushing hard on Michael’s younger sister, Lizzie.
I think if it had been a movie, I probably would’ve loved it and it would be the kind of thing I would rewatch every year. It’s got a great cast of likable characters and a bunch of funny moments, but in book form, I just got overwhelmed with the many characters and quickly lost interest.
I would’ve liked to get more scenes between Fiona and Lizzie because they were great together, but there wasn’t any real romantic build-up or chemistry between them. The ending felt rushed and unrealistic considering they’d known each other for 3 days, shared one kiss and had a quickie in Michael’s bedroom. That said, I probably would have appreciated the ending a little more had I enjoy the story for what it was.
I totally recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good rom-com and loves fauxmance.
(Oh, and the McElroys are like the muggle version of the Weasleys…)
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
So you can imagine I was really looking forward to this new release by Hughes. It honestly pains me to say I was disappointed with The Wrong McElroy. And it’s not that it’s a bad book, far from it, but it simply wasn’t for me :(
Rom-coms are usually a hit or miss (more often than not) for me, and sadly this one was another miss.
Being a really good friend, Fiona Ng agrees to go home with her best friend Michael for Christmas and pretend to be his girlfriend. It couldn’t be too bad, right? Fiona has no idea what she is getting herself into and she definitely never considered she would start crushing hard on Michael’s younger sister, Lizzie.
I think if it had been a movie, I probably would’ve loved it and it would be the kind of thing I would rewatch every year. It’s got a great cast of likable characters and a bunch of funny moments, but in book form, I just got overwhelmed with the many characters and quickly lost interest.
I would’ve liked to get more scenes between Fiona and Lizzie because they were great together, but there wasn’t any real romantic build-up or chemistry between them. The ending felt rushed and unrealistic considering they’d known each other for 3 days, shared one kiss and had a quickie in Michael’s bedroom. That said, I probably would have appreciated the ending a little more had I enjoy the story for what it was.
I totally recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good rom-com and loves fauxmance.
(Oh, and the McElroys are like the muggle version of the Weasleys…)
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
November 7, 2019
ARC received from YLVA in exchange for an honest review.
I went back and forth on the rating for this one, I liked a lot of the story, but not all of it.
Ok, so, this is a fauxmance with a difference, in that MC Fiona agrees to act as the ‘beard’ for her best friend Michael when he goes home for Xmas. Michael is sick of his mother and grandmother always nagging him about getting a girlfriend, so takes Fiona home to ease the pressure. Problem is that when Fiona meets Michael’s sister Lizzie, she finds the McElroy she really wants, and the feeling is mutual.
Michael comes from a huge family, he’s one of eight siblings, and all but one of them are home for the holidays. This was actually one of the annoying aspects, I get that people have large families, but in books it’s not so great, and here it just lead to too many characters. Michael also has an old world homophobic, racist grandmother, and there’s quite a few ‘learning moment’ scenes around her behaviour.
The chemistry between Lizzie and Fiona was great and they had some fun scenes, but as with a few other reviewers I found the time frame too short, the whole book takes place in three or four days. I would have preferred less of the ‘family time’ and more of what happened once they left. The ‘first time’ scene was also squicky, once I realised they were actually going to do it at that precise moment after everything that had just happened I skipped over it, that was just hella inappropriate. And honestly unnecessary, if ever a book could have survived without a sex scene, it’s this one. I also could have lived without the pot stuff, not sure why that even needed to be included.
I did love the depiction of Michael and Fiona’s relationship, it’s not often that lesfic features a platonic opposite sex relationship that is that intimate. If Michael had had a few less siblings, and more time had been devoted to what happened once Christmas was over I’d probably have rounded up to four stars, I give this 3.5, rounded down.
I went back and forth on the rating for this one, I liked a lot of the story, but not all of it.
Ok, so, this is a fauxmance with a difference, in that MC Fiona agrees to act as the ‘beard’ for her best friend Michael when he goes home for Xmas. Michael is sick of his mother and grandmother always nagging him about getting a girlfriend, so takes Fiona home to ease the pressure. Problem is that when Fiona meets Michael’s sister Lizzie, she finds the McElroy she really wants, and the feeling is mutual.
Michael comes from a huge family, he’s one of eight siblings, and all but one of them are home for the holidays. This was actually one of the annoying aspects, I get that people have large families, but in books it’s not so great, and here it just lead to too many characters. Michael also has an old world homophobic, racist grandmother, and there’s quite a few ‘learning moment’ scenes around her behaviour.
The chemistry between Lizzie and Fiona was great and they had some fun scenes, but as with a few other reviewers I found the time frame too short, the whole book takes place in three or four days. I would have preferred less of the ‘family time’ and more of what happened once they left. The ‘first time’ scene was also squicky, once I realised they were actually going to do it at that precise moment after everything that had just happened I skipped over it, that was just hella inappropriate. And honestly unnecessary, if ever a book could have survived without a sex scene, it’s this one. I also could have lived without the pot stuff, not sure why that even needed to be included.
I did love the depiction of Michael and Fiona’s relationship, it’s not often that lesfic features a platonic opposite sex relationship that is that intimate. If Michael had had a few less siblings, and more time had been devoted to what happened once Christmas was over I’d probably have rounded up to four stars, I give this 3.5, rounded down.
October 19, 2019
KL Hughes brings us a zany romantic comedy with her latest noel The Wrong McElroy. This book involves a huge family brought together to celebrate Christmas. Think National Lampoons, there is a lot is going on here, and it's just so much fun. Plus there is adorable romance, always a good thing.
Fiona Ng adores her best friend, Michael McElroy. These two grad students have an amazing bond and are really each other’s people. When Michael begs Fiona to come home with him to Arkansas and pretend to be his girlfriend, she reluctantly agrees. She has no clue what kind of craziness she has just subjected herself to.
Fiona’s biggest problem, aside from Michael’s racist granny, is she is 100% attracted to one of Michael’s sisters. Lizzie captures Fi’s attention from the very first moment they meet. The chemistry is there, and it is heavy on both sides. These two just have a magnetic pull to each other. This is a zany will they won’t they romance with one big problem, a bestie who is also your pretend boyfriend.
This is a fun read that keeps you entertained until the very last page. It’s your go-to book with you want a lighthearted read with a side of romance. 3.75 stars
Fiona Ng adores her best friend, Michael McElroy. These two grad students have an amazing bond and are really each other’s people. When Michael begs Fiona to come home with him to Arkansas and pretend to be his girlfriend, she reluctantly agrees. She has no clue what kind of craziness she has just subjected herself to.
Fiona’s biggest problem, aside from Michael’s racist granny, is she is 100% attracted to one of Michael’s sisters. Lizzie captures Fi’s attention from the very first moment they meet. The chemistry is there, and it is heavy on both sides. These two just have a magnetic pull to each other. This is a zany will they won’t they romance with one big problem, a bestie who is also your pretend boyfriend.
This is a fun read that keeps you entertained until the very last page. It’s your go-to book with you want a lighthearted read with a side of romance. 3.75 stars
December 10, 2019
This was a great book, lots of humour, lovely characters, well written. Enjoyed it very much and will certainly read it again sometime. Recommend.
March 27, 2020
Loved it! Really enjoyed the family interplay - shocked at how quickly the ending came - but felt real and excellent. Forgotten how well K L Hughes writes. All 3 of her's I've read get 5*s!
Ug! Trying to start another book and this one is still in my head!
Ug! Trying to start another book and this one is still in my head!
November 1, 2019
beyond cute
February 7, 2020
Fiona Ng’s best friend, Michael, needs a pretend girlfriend to bring home for Christmas in Arkansas so what could go wrong? But Fiona wasn’t prepared for the McElroy clan of eight competitive and boisterous siblings, including Lizzie, Michael’s little sister, who is very beautiful and apparently very gay. But when their mutual attraction skyrockets to impossible to deny levels, Fiona will have to choose between friendship loyalties or what her heart wants.
I wanted to listen to this audiobook since I heard so many good comments about the book edition. I think that the audiobook experience might be quite different from reading it. This audiobook has many different characters and I think that the narrator did a good enough job for the females but not so much for the males. I found her narrating tone and pace acceptable for both the light and more dramatic moments.
The book blurb clearly states that the McElroy’s Arkansas’ accent is quite thick and the narrator took that to the letter. I’m not an expert in accents but I searched on the internet to see if Ms. Blessing’s rendition of Arkansas’ accent was authentic and it seems so. The problem is that the accent is so thick that it annoyed me a bit, but I have to say that it’s my personal preference.
This story has a lot of funny and entertaining moments typical of a rom-com but, in the last few chapters, it takes a turn to a more dramatic tone that caught me by surprise. While I understand that this mood change makes sense within the plot, I personally would have preferred Ms. Hughes to keep the typical rom-com lightness throughout the book. As I didn’t read the novel, I cannot tell if this change of tone is exacerbated by the narration of Nicole Blessing or just the mere product of the written words.
Additionally, while the sex scene is well-written and well-narrated, I thought that its place in the plot was forced. Again, it would have made more sense in the rom-com context rather than in the middle of a big family drama. I’m not gonna go into details to avoid spoilers but it didn’t seem to be a natural thing to happen at that time and in that context.
So, in conclusion, I’m on the fence on this audiobook. Because it’s not available with either Audible Escape of Scribd, I’d recommend to read the book first and see how you feel about it. Duration: 6 hours, 32 minutes.
Overall, a good lesbian rom-com audiobook with a heavy dose of family drama. 4 stars for both the story and narration.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
I wanted to listen to this audiobook since I heard so many good comments about the book edition. I think that the audiobook experience might be quite different from reading it. This audiobook has many different characters and I think that the narrator did a good enough job for the females but not so much for the males. I found her narrating tone and pace acceptable for both the light and more dramatic moments.
The book blurb clearly states that the McElroy’s Arkansas’ accent is quite thick and the narrator took that to the letter. I’m not an expert in accents but I searched on the internet to see if Ms. Blessing’s rendition of Arkansas’ accent was authentic and it seems so. The problem is that the accent is so thick that it annoyed me a bit, but I have to say that it’s my personal preference.
This story has a lot of funny and entertaining moments typical of a rom-com but, in the last few chapters, it takes a turn to a more dramatic tone that caught me by surprise. While I understand that this mood change makes sense within the plot, I personally would have preferred Ms. Hughes to keep the typical rom-com lightness throughout the book. As I didn’t read the novel, I cannot tell if this change of tone is exacerbated by the narration of Nicole Blessing or just the mere product of the written words.
Additionally, while the sex scene is well-written and well-narrated, I thought that its place in the plot was forced. Again, it would have made more sense in the rom-com context rather than in the middle of a big family drama. I’m not gonna go into details to avoid spoilers but it didn’t seem to be a natural thing to happen at that time and in that context.
So, in conclusion, I’m on the fence on this audiobook. Because it’s not available with either Audible Escape of Scribd, I’d recommend to read the book first and see how you feel about it. Duration: 6 hours, 32 minutes.
Overall, a good lesbian rom-com audiobook with a heavy dose of family drama. 4 stars for both the story and narration.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
August 26, 2021
7/10
K. L. Hughes sure does know how to write highly entertaining reads!
I found myself smiling a lot while reading it and loving the wide range of energetic characters.
I couldn’t help but keep comparing it to another book with the similar story idea, Anyone But Her by Erica Lee, which I didn’t enjoy that much. Firstly this didn’t feel like some angsty YA novel. Even though I also had a bit of problems with this story - like the fact that the MCs, Lizzie and Fiona, got together too soon - it wasn’t that bad. Hughes’ characters had chemistry and I was loving their moments.
I also wish it was only a little bit longer since I needed some time to justify their feelings (or maybe it’s just my extra slow burn loving self) and to get to know more of the family.
Surprisingly, I wasn’t confused by all the siblings and had them memorized in the beginning when Fiona was doing it as well and I think the author did it pretty good since this is the first time that happened to me. I wanted to get to know Mike’s sisters more but I feel like I’m asking for too much since this is supposed to be a light romantic comedy.
Mike, Fiona’s best friend and Lizzie’s brother, was also way more mature than the brother and best friend in Anyone But Her by Erica Lee which made me like him even more. Close minded families did hit a bit too close to home but it’s life, eh. Though, here it ended on a happy note. As much as it's possible.
The second book by the author which I really liked and definitely recommend. Especially to read it in the winter season - I bet that’d hit differently.
Can’t wait to get more Hughes’ books!
K. L. Hughes sure does know how to write highly entertaining reads!
I found myself smiling a lot while reading it and loving the wide range of energetic characters.
I couldn’t help but keep comparing it to another book with the similar story idea, Anyone But Her by Erica Lee, which I didn’t enjoy that much. Firstly this didn’t feel like some angsty YA novel. Even though I also had a bit of problems with this story - like the fact that the MCs, Lizzie and Fiona, got together too soon - it wasn’t that bad. Hughes’ characters had chemistry and I was loving their moments.
I also wish it was only a little bit longer since I needed some time to justify their feelings (or maybe it’s just my extra slow burn loving self) and to get to know more of the family.
Surprisingly, I wasn’t confused by all the siblings and had them memorized in the beginning when Fiona was doing it as well and I think the author did it pretty good since this is the first time that happened to me. I wanted to get to know Mike’s sisters more but I feel like I’m asking for too much since this is supposed to be a light romantic comedy.
Mike, Fiona’s best friend and Lizzie’s brother, was also way more mature than the brother and best friend in Anyone But Her by Erica Lee which made me like him even more. Close minded families did hit a bit too close to home but it’s life, eh. Though, here it ended on a happy note. As much as it's possible.
The second book by the author which I really liked and definitely recommend. Especially to read it in the winter season - I bet that’d hit differently.
Can’t wait to get more Hughes’ books!
February 3, 2020
Very sweet story...because all you do is a favor for your best friend and ending not only outing his sister but also falling for her.
I love the interactions between characters and the setting in this big family!
As every family they had issues, but you could tell the love was there!
Very quick read as well.
I love the interactions between characters and the setting in this big family!
As every family they had issues, but you could tell the love was there!
Very quick read as well.
December 15, 2023
Holiday read #2 was fantastic! Just the fake dating messiness I needed in my life. Hughes hits it out of the park again with this book. I would die if they made this into a movie. Highly recommend.
Thank you to Ylva Publishing and NetGalley for providing an eARC for an honest review.
Thank you to Ylva Publishing and NetGalley for providing an eARC for an honest review.
December 18, 2023
DNF at 20%. I couldn’t get into the humor of this book. I know lots of GR friends liked it but not for me today.
October 5, 2019
I liked this book, even though it was not anything like I was expecting. It is more of a rom-com about both Micheal McElroy and Fiona. I thought it was interesting because this is Hughes' first romantic comedy. I like that it hits most of its jokes and has some heart to it, too. I love that Micheal's and Fiona's relationship is so intimate without even once showing that they are romantically involved (one because Fiona is very much a lesbian, and two Micheal has a bit of a secret that he even keeps from Fiona). They are each other's people, and I loved that.
What gets me is the relatively fast pace to the book. It takes place over a period of about four days. But so much happened! It was almost too much. So many feelings - happiness, sadness, love, everything! I couldn't really keep up. If anything, it helps because the characters outside of Fiona and Micheal are pretty cookie cutter, but there are a ton of them to get to know in such a short period of time, that it works. I may not remember all their names, but I know most of their personalities. I also thought it helped me understand Fiona's insta crush on Lizzie - she's interesting and different from her siblings. Also, Lizzie is a massive flirt, and way too smooth. I can't help but think that one scene in the beginning was actually calculated by Lizzie to help break the ice. That's how smooth she is.
In any event, this one has some good laughs, with some really nice heartfelt moments, and a hilarious running gag that never failed to make me chuckle. I wasn't blown away by it, as it was little too fast, but it's a nice happy read.
Thanks to Ylva for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
What gets me is the relatively fast pace to the book. It takes place over a period of about four days. But so much happened! It was almost too much. So many feelings - happiness, sadness, love, everything! I couldn't really keep up. If anything, it helps because the characters outside of Fiona and Micheal are pretty cookie cutter, but there are a ton of them to get to know in such a short period of time, that it works. I may not remember all their names, but I know most of their personalities. I also thought it helped me understand Fiona's insta crush on Lizzie - she's interesting and different from her siblings. Also, Lizzie is a massive flirt, and way too smooth. I can't help but think that one scene in the beginning was actually calculated by Lizzie to help break the ice. That's how smooth she is.
In any event, this one has some good laughs, with some really nice heartfelt moments, and a hilarious running gag that never failed to make me chuckle. I wasn't blown away by it, as it was little too fast, but it's a nice happy read.
Thanks to Ylva for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 28, 2019
When Micheal McElroy goes home for any holiday he usually gets to listen to the question, “Did you meet anyone, do you have a girlfriend???’ , so this year he decides to use his best friend, who just happens to be a lesbian, to come home with him for Christmas. Micheal’s family is a big one with many brothers and sisters. Including his younger sister Lizzie. Now Michael thinks he knows all there is to know about Lizzie but Lizzie has a big secret she’s been keeping from her family.
Lizzie McElroy loves her loud, fun loving family but there are certain things she’s just not ready to share. Working in LA , she comes home to visit with her family and share in their holiday celebrations, which includes lots of competitions. Everything to snowball fights to building and decorating gingerbread houses.
Fiona Ng is Michael’s best friend, so after listening to Michael telling her about how hard it is for him and than nagging her forever she agrees to go along with him pretending to be his GF. She knew it was going to be hard just remembering his brothers and sisters names but it becomes all the harder when she finds herself falling for one of them.
Another fun, fast paced read from Ms Hughes. Very, very enjoyable read.
ARC via Ylva Publishing
Lizzie McElroy loves her loud, fun loving family but there are certain things she’s just not ready to share. Working in LA , she comes home to visit with her family and share in their holiday celebrations, which includes lots of competitions. Everything to snowball fights to building and decorating gingerbread houses.
Fiona Ng is Michael’s best friend, so after listening to Michael telling her about how hard it is for him and than nagging her forever she agrees to go along with him pretending to be his GF. She knew it was going to be hard just remembering his brothers and sisters names but it becomes all the harder when she finds herself falling for one of them.
Another fun, fast paced read from Ms Hughes. Very, very enjoyable read.
ARC via Ylva Publishing
October 6, 2020
I could not really read this book seriously as I was constantly reminded the MC and her best friend, notably a straight man went to a family party where the family all were orange-haired, freckled oompa loompas. The flirtation begins immediately and the reciprocal interests were way too quick. None of this seemed real or entertaining in any way to me. Maybe I'm in a Covid-19 mood but this is how the book struck me.
"
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January 3, 2020
When I first started reading I really like the book and then characters that Hughes created. Even when I finished the book, I still really loved all the characters. So why the three stars? Well despite the likable characters, the funny dialogue, and even funnier situations, I really hated what Lizzie did despite her claiming to know about Mike and Fi without really knowing. It kinda made what she did shitty and dampened the story for me. It's well written and the characters are likable, two things you can expect from Hughes; but this one wasnt a favorite of mine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2023
She had a way of making Fiona feel calm even amidst the storm brewing inside and between them, even as she stirred the storm with her own hands, her own words, her own unique effect.
3.5 stars. This was so dang charming! Coincidentally, I think its the third or fourth book I've read where a woman goes home with a guy as his fake girlfriend for the holidays and ends up falling for his sister, but it's a fun premise, and none of the ones I've read have been all that similar to each other, so it still feels fun and fresh. In this, Fiona and Michael have been best friends in college for years, and he asks her to be his fake girlfriend so that his huge family will stop nagging him about getting a girlfriend and settling down. Fiona agrees, but pretty much from the first morning, she feels a strong pull towards his little sister.
This had all the holiday romance classics, and a few others. I loved the atmosphere of a huge, boisterous family, and it's fun seeing elements of the chaotic Christmases that I'm used to. The snowball fights and gingerbread baking competitions were so fun, especially with the backdrop of Lizzie's relentless flirting and the undeniable attraction. At first I wasn't too sure of how much I liked the progression of the attraction and relationship, because I'm not a huge fan of infidelity, even fake infidelity. But the things we learn in the latter half definitely made up for it. It's a very standard plot, with one person freaking out about breaking 'the friendship code' or whatever by falling for their friend's sister, but Fiona as a main character was super adorable, and she made it so relatable and fun. The friendship between Michael and Fiona was also really cute; they were like siblings themselves. Lizzie and Fiona has so much chemistry; I especially liked the snowball fight scene and the cinema scene. It's a short book, so it's pretty much only showing us the beginning arc of their relationship, but they have enough meaningful conversations and connection, and the author makes you believe that there's really something here. I wasn't the biggest fan of the racist grandma plot at first, but by the end, I did enjoy how it ended. Not everyone can change their ways because of the ~magic of Christmas~, and that's realistic.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Nicole Blessing, and really liked it! I'm no expert on American accents or southern ones, but this all sounded great to me. A quick simple read, but a really romantic and steamy one, with so much great holiday cheer. <333
“And you think it’s not okay, but it is. It’s okay to want me.”
July 27, 2020
Very fun and quick read!
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