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The Fake Santa Apology Tour: A Holiday Novella
I’m Birdie Mae, and let’s skip to the weird part of my story: Short-term relationships with good looking Santas are kind of my thing. And Nicholas Ryan is the good looking Santa I really don’t need in my life.
They say the spirit of Christmas finds you on holiday vacations, but instead I run into the only person who could get my Christmas lights twisted: freaking Nicholas. A man I haven’t seen in twenty years and who I never wanted to see again. Except now he’s my hot bartender, complete with a silver-fox beard, a twinkle in his eye, and looking a lot like my kryptonite: jingle belling Santa Claus.
It’s five days until Christmas, I’m stuck in a snowy town straight out of a Hallmark movie, and my ultimate goal? Avoid the Grinch who stole all my Christmases and pretend that our chemistry is simply just the magic of Christmas in the air.
They say the spirit of Christmas finds you on holiday vacations, but instead I run into the only person who could get my Christmas lights twisted: freaking Nicholas. A man I haven’t seen in twenty years and who I never wanted to see again. Except now he’s my hot bartender, complete with a silver-fox beard, a twinkle in his eye, and looking a lot like my kryptonite: jingle belling Santa Claus.
It’s five days until Christmas, I’m stuck in a snowy town straight out of a Hallmark movie, and my ultimate goal? Avoid the Grinch who stole all my Christmases and pretend that our chemistry is simply just the magic of Christmas in the air.
168 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2021
150 people are currently reading
3117 people want to read
About the author
Julie Olivia
29 books2,727 followersJulie Olivia writes cozy love stories filled with humor, spice, and close friend groups that feel like a warm hug. She is a roller coaster fan, avid romance reader, and rainy day enthusiast.
Julie lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and their very opinionated pets.
Sign-up for the newsletter for book updates, special offers, and VIP exclusives!: https://julieoliviaauthor.com/newslet...
She can be easily reached on Instagram at @JulieOliviaAuthor! Come say hi!
Visit her at JulieOliviaAuthor.com
Instagram: @JulieOliviaAuthor
Facebook: @JulieOliviaAuthor
Bookbub: https://bit.ly/2NbH7Jy
Julie lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and their very opinionated pets.
Sign-up for the newsletter for book updates, special offers, and VIP exclusives!: https://julieoliviaauthor.com/newslet...
She can be easily reached on Instagram at @JulieOliviaAuthor! Come say hi!
Visit her at JulieOliviaAuthor.com
Instagram: @JulieOliviaAuthor
Facebook: @JulieOliviaAuthor
Bookbub: https://bit.ly/2NbH7Jy
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 585 reviews
September 2, 2025
Had been eyeing this one, mainly lured by the cover but the title had never made so much sense until I'm further into the book.
The story begins with an eleven-year-old Birdie Mae, who loves Christmas and eager to get her letter to the real Santa asking him not to fire Rudolph after hearing the "news" from her sister (about the world is ending lol). She sought the help from Nic, who used to hate christmas but had his impression changed after the meeting. However, the same could not be said for Birdie Mae as she found Nic to be The Cursebringer. The Grinch who stole all her Christmases ever since.
The Fake Santa Apology Tour is undeniably charming. I love both of the characters and the story arc develops so well given the short pages. The way they revolve around each other, trying to get things right again was sublime. Birdie and Nic's relationship was complimentary and I felt like their love story is the epitome of "meeting the right person at the right time" which truly left me at awe at how on point the portrayal was.
I have to say that I didn't really dig in with the fetish over santa as I find it weird. And I hardly understand Birdie Mae recrimination towards Nic about her ruined christmas. Therefore, the part when she realized that it was a me problem all along got me dumbfounded (because it was so obvious) but then it makes so much sense with scapegoat-Nic when you realize the root to her painful memories.
With that being said, I think this book concluded its story wonderfully. It tackles what needs to be tackled and solved them delightfully. This was short, steamy and very Hallmark-esque which fits the holiday theme. Foremost, if you had the same Santa fetish as the heroine, this book might be the one you're looking for lmao.
The story begins with an eleven-year-old Birdie Mae, who loves Christmas and eager to get her letter to the real Santa asking him not to fire Rudolph after hearing the "news" from her sister (about the world is ending lol). She sought the help from Nic, who used to hate christmas but had his impression changed after the meeting. However, the same could not be said for Birdie Mae as she found Nic to be The Cursebringer. The Grinch who stole all her Christmases ever since.
The Fake Santa Apology Tour is undeniably charming. I love both of the characters and the story arc develops so well given the short pages. The way they revolve around each other, trying to get things right again was sublime. Birdie and Nic's relationship was complimentary and I felt like their love story is the epitome of "meeting the right person at the right time" which truly left me at awe at how on point the portrayal was.
I have to say that I didn't really dig in with the fetish over santa as I find it weird. And I hardly understand Birdie Mae recrimination towards Nic about her ruined christmas. Therefore, the part when she realized that it was a me problem all along got me dumbfounded (because it was so obvious) but then it makes so much sense with scapegoat-Nic when you realize the root to her painful memories.
With that being said, I think this book concluded its story wonderfully. It tackles what needs to be tackled and solved them delightfully. This was short, steamy and very Hallmark-esque which fits the holiday theme. Foremost, if you had the same Santa fetish as the heroine, this book might be the one you're looking for lmao.
December 27, 2023
Interesting concept but my butt cheeks were clenched the entire time thinking he was gonna confess to being attracted to her when he was 17 and she was 11. He didn't. But, still. Too much clenching. Also I didn't really feel the chemistry but some of it was funny. I would read a full length novel by this author to see what she's really about.
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December 1, 2021
A Santa look-alike who actually hates Santa tying up a woman with Christmas lights who exclusively only dates Santas while he fucks her over a bar counter.
(We love a kinky Santa look-alike.
It's this or nothing)
Read this and you're gonna get :
✨Banter
✨A lovely age gap ✋😌✋
✨Christmas puns....A LOT of Christmas puns.
✨A lil spice
✨ Annnd a small town romance
After reading this (which I did in one sitting because why not)
Christmas came early.
Mariah Carey said hi.
Thank you Julie for providing an advance copy
(We love a kinky Santa look-alike.
It's this or nothing)
Read this and you're gonna get :
✨Banter
✨A lovely age gap ✋😌✋
✨Christmas puns....A LOT of Christmas puns.
✨A lil spice
✨ Annnd a small town romance
After reading this (which I did in one sitting because why not)
Christmas came early.
Mariah Carey said hi.
Thank you Julie for providing an advance copy
July 5, 2023
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A woman who has a thing for Santas. Mmm... interesting.
Even though it was delightful in its own way, her confessions to the Santas did not make sense. Isn't she hating Christmas or believing there is a curse due to the random boy she met at the mall? Not all her past boyfriends? The details were a little gray in those areas. Anyways...
But if you want a fluffy read with a happy ending. This is it.
BLOG ⟫ INSTAGRAM ⟫ PODCAST ⟫
A woman who has a thing for Santas. Mmm... interesting.
Even though it was delightful in its own way, her confessions to the Santas did not make sense. Isn't she hating Christmas or believing there is a curse due to the random boy she met at the mall? Not all her past boyfriends? The details were a little gray in those areas. Anyways...
But if you want a fluffy read with a happy ending. This is it.
November 30, 2022
A decent read but I wouldn't rave too much about it
![Profile Image for Andrea ☾ [is inconsistently consistant].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1642113904i%2F116166019._UY200_CR2%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
December 7, 2022
3.5 ⭐️ She only dates Santas. He’s a bartender in a forever Christmas-y town.
Birdie Mae is a woman who loves just one thing about Christmas: Santa. She’s a successful author of spicy Santa fiction books and exclusively dates Santas: mall Santas, parade Santas, stripper Santas… And Nicholas is a bartender who used to hate Christmas, but now loves it… except for Santa. He hates Santa. All Santas. And it sucks that people keep comparing him to the jolly old man, with his white hair and white beard.
This novella was cute, and it packed an emotional punch I wasn’t expecting by reading the blurb, which was interesting. It’s not all that spicy, which I thought it would be. There’s 1.5 steamy scenes (iykyk) and the first kiss doesn’t happen until the 66%, but once it gets there it’s great. So yeah, I though this was going to be equal parts romcom-y and spice, and it’s not, so my rating reflects that.
But if you want a little open door romcom with a sprinkling of kink thrown into the mix for sh!t & giggles, you’ll have a grand old time!
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 5
🌶️ / 5
Ps. What’s with the cover? The FMC has brown hair, her sister is the one who’s a redhead. I’m so tired of illustrators not reading the books they illustrate, and the team and authors not correcting them!!!
Birdie Mae is a woman who loves just one thing about Christmas: Santa. She’s a successful author of spicy Santa fiction books and exclusively dates Santas: mall Santas, parade Santas, stripper Santas… And Nicholas is a bartender who used to hate Christmas, but now loves it… except for Santa. He hates Santa. All Santas. And it sucks that people keep comparing him to the jolly old man, with his white hair and white beard.
This novella was cute, and it packed an emotional punch I wasn’t expecting by reading the blurb, which was interesting. It’s not all that spicy, which I thought it would be. There’s 1.5 steamy scenes (iykyk) and the first kiss doesn’t happen until the 66%, but once it gets there it’s great. So yeah, I though this was going to be equal parts romcom-y and spice, and it’s not, so my rating reflects that.
But if you want a little open door romcom with a sprinkling of kink thrown into the mix for sh!t & giggles, you’ll have a grand old time!
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 5
🌶️ / 5
Ps. What’s with the cover? The FMC has brown hair, her sister is the one who’s a redhead. I’m so tired of illustrators not reading the books they illustrate, and the team and authors not correcting them!!!
December 6, 2024
4.5 ⭐
This was so incredibly fun!! I laughed so much it was really funny, sweet and incredibly cute!
The characters were fantastic , the romance was great! It wasn't too spicy which I appreciated.
I loved the writing! I will absolutely be reading more from this author ASAP!
Audiobook was lovely!
Thank You Netgalley and Dreamscape Select for the Audio ARC!! All opinions are my own!
This was so incredibly fun!! I laughed so much it was really funny, sweet and incredibly cute!
The characters were fantastic , the romance was great! It wasn't too spicy which I appreciated.
I loved the writing! I will absolutely be reading more from this author ASAP!
Audiobook was lovely!
Thank You Netgalley and Dreamscape Select for the Audio ARC!! All opinions are my own!
October 15, 2023
Unpredictable fun
Naughty and nice with some sugar and spice, this quirky holiday novella delivers a playful, bingeable read. Going in, I wasn't sure about the premise, but I've enjoyed enough of Olivia's books that I decided to dive in - and I'm glad that I did. It's fun and festive, with a story that's truly one-of-a-kind. Our heroine has a type, and that type is Santa. Young mall Santas for the most part, but you get the idea, lol. I loved the concept and it made for quite an interesting read. And it certainly didn't hurt that these characters have an instant spark of chemistry that is only complicated by their personal hangups revolving around the holiday. It absolutely flew by for me and I never knew what was going to happen next, which is really all I can ask for from a lighthearted holiday novella. It was fun!
The story follows Birdie Mae (31), a woman who loved Christmas as a child until a chance encounter with a stranger left her feeling like the holiday was cursed. In the years since, she's developed an accidental preference for men who remind her of jolly old Saint Nick - mall Santas who are secretly young under their suits, bearded (sometimes older) men, that sort of thing. So when she meets a sexy stranger in a bar and he's prematurely gray with a full beard... well, it's like catnip to Birdie Mae. But what was supposed to be a hot fling ends up being something else entirely, and it's not long before Nic (38) is helping Birdie Mae repair old hurts revolving around the holiday.
I don't want to give the whole plot away, but I can say that it was an unpredictable delight! I was mostly wary of reading this because there seemed to be a more extreme age gap (based on the cover), but there actually aren't all that many years separating Birdie Mae and Nic. I could feel the chemistry between them right away, and I was so absolutely curious to see what would happen next. The romance is obviously not as fully developed in this 150ish-page novella as it would be in one of Olivia's full-length novels, but the same kind of vibes were still there. I binged it in one sitting and was entertained the entire time, which is exactly what I wanted. It delivered on the sugar and the spice, so this was a win overall.
Naughty and nice with some sugar and spice, this quirky holiday novella delivers a playful, bingeable read. Going in, I wasn't sure about the premise, but I've enjoyed enough of Olivia's books that I decided to dive in - and I'm glad that I did. It's fun and festive, with a story that's truly one-of-a-kind. Our heroine has a type, and that type is Santa. Young mall Santas for the most part, but you get the idea, lol. I loved the concept and it made for quite an interesting read. And it certainly didn't hurt that these characters have an instant spark of chemistry that is only complicated by their personal hangups revolving around the holiday. It absolutely flew by for me and I never knew what was going to happen next, which is really all I can ask for from a lighthearted holiday novella. It was fun!
The story follows Birdie Mae (31), a woman who loved Christmas as a child until a chance encounter with a stranger left her feeling like the holiday was cursed. In the years since, she's developed an accidental preference for men who remind her of jolly old Saint Nick - mall Santas who are secretly young under their suits, bearded (sometimes older) men, that sort of thing. So when she meets a sexy stranger in a bar and he's prematurely gray with a full beard... well, it's like catnip to Birdie Mae. But what was supposed to be a hot fling ends up being something else entirely, and it's not long before Nic (38) is helping Birdie Mae repair old hurts revolving around the holiday.
I don't want to give the whole plot away, but I can say that it was an unpredictable delight! I was mostly wary of reading this because there seemed to be a more extreme age gap (based on the cover), but there actually aren't all that many years separating Birdie Mae and Nic. I could feel the chemistry between them right away, and I was so absolutely curious to see what would happen next. The romance is obviously not as fully developed in this 150ish-page novella as it would be in one of Olivia's full-length novels, but the same kind of vibes were still there. I binged it in one sitting and was entertained the entire time, which is exactly what I wanted. It delivered on the sugar and the spice, so this was a win overall.
December 9, 2021
get outta town this was cute and funny with the perfect amount of chemistry and i genuinely laughed whilst simultaneously overheating from the tension and banter and SPICE i just-
September 30, 2025
Some people have a type. They’ll tell you they don’t but you see a definite trend. They’re all tall or have blue eyes or a dazzling smile. The type might be suttle but in Birdie Mae’s case it’s really not. She’s into fake Santa’s- but just for the holidays. She’ll meet them they’ll spend a memorable holiday season together then she’ll ring in the new year solo. It’s worked lately to keep her Christmas’ as bearable as possible since the year she was cursed by a Christmas mall elf with poor holiday spirit. This year will be different though. She’ll work, visit her family and be done with her pattern. That’s until the further sub genre of hot bartender Santa makes an appearance.
This was such a fun listen! Birdie Mae was hilarious in her story telling and the recognition that her specific sub genre of men was a wee bit south of traditional. Nicolas the hot bartender in question was equal parts heartthrob and perfect wing man when Birdie Mae realized that her apologies needed to happen this holiday season in order for her to cleanse her holiday karma and move on from her pattern.
Pick this up if you need
-a dose of solid humour with your holiday season
-a comedic and karmic bad breakup cleansing
-a unique and lively take on Santa’s and their ability to not just be the man from the North Pole anymore
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for this gifted ARC
This was such a fun listen! Birdie Mae was hilarious in her story telling and the recognition that her specific sub genre of men was a wee bit south of traditional. Nicolas the hot bartender in question was equal parts heartthrob and perfect wing man when Birdie Mae realized that her apologies needed to happen this holiday season in order for her to cleanse her holiday karma and move on from her pattern.
Pick this up if you need
-a dose of solid humour with your holiday season
-a comedic and karmic bad breakup cleansing
-a unique and lively take on Santa’s and their ability to not just be the man from the North Pole anymore
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for this gifted ARC
December 5, 2021
"[...] I, Birdie Mae, always take Santas to bed. It's a gift and a curse."
This was delightfully quirky! Birdie Mae, a best-selling author of Santa romances, once loved Christmas until a fateful night twenty years ago stole her joy. Heading to the small town of St. Rudolph to complete a writing retreat, her path crosses with a familiar set of blue eyes owned by Nic, the silver-fox bartender.
Taking Birdie on a journey across town, one fake Santa at a time, this story was goofy in the best way possible. Unraveling what truly caused her dislike for Christmas and love for fake Santas, there was a really tender, emotional backstory that paired so well with the humour.
And the romance! I loved it. Nic was so charming. He certainly knew how to make use of Christmas lights (wink). This was truly a unique romance filled with laughs, feel-good moments, and Christmas fun.
This was delightfully quirky! Birdie Mae, a best-selling author of Santa romances, once loved Christmas until a fateful night twenty years ago stole her joy. Heading to the small town of St. Rudolph to complete a writing retreat, her path crosses with a familiar set of blue eyes owned by Nic, the silver-fox bartender.
Taking Birdie on a journey across town, one fake Santa at a time, this story was goofy in the best way possible. Unraveling what truly caused her dislike for Christmas and love for fake Santas, there was a really tender, emotional backstory that paired so well with the humour.
And the romance! I loved it. Nic was so charming. He certainly knew how to make use of Christmas lights (wink). This was truly a unique romance filled with laughs, feel-good moments, and Christmas fun.
December 5, 2021
This was such a cute little holiday themed novella. I absolutely adored the first chapter of the book. A lot of moments where I laughed out loud. Loved the banter of the two characters. Also the sitting on all Santa's lap like a kid was so so funny.
November 16, 2022
I enjoyed this age gap holiday romance novella between a silver fox bar tender (Santa look alike) and a writer trying to find inspiration for her next book while also getting over a break up. Lots of Hallmark style fun and romance and just an overall enjoyable read with LOTS of holiday puns!
December 31, 2021
This was such a fun surprise. I didn't think it would be bad by any means, but I didn't expect to have as much fun as I did reading it.
December 11, 2025
The Fake Santa Apology Tour was one of the most unique Christmas books I have read. That’s because Birdie Mae had a Santa fetish. She loved to hook up with them, but typically said goodbye when the new year came around. So when she ran into a hot bartender at the bar, who could easily pass off as a Santa, she was intrigued. But Nicholas Ryan was from her past. And was to blame for her now hating Christmas. So with snowball fights, Christmas sayings, lots of Santas, and steamy moments, this Christmas romance was an easy one to listen to! It ended happily, but was definitely quirky! Like The apology tour. My brain is still processing that lol. I definitely won’t forget this book lol.
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For more of my reviews, please visit:
Blog * Instagram * Facebook * Bloglovin * Feedly
December 8, 2021
Tinha expectativas altas pela nota, mas achei bem básico e genérico. Tenho certeza que daqui uma semana já vou ter esquecido tudo.
December 21, 2021
this is my formal apology to my book club
January 6, 2022
The Fake Santa Apology Tour was such a fun, quirky, and flirty holiday romance yet it had some emotional moments making it a delight to read.
Birdie Mae is a writer of illustrated sexy Santa novels which is interesting considering Christmas is a holiday she truly hates and she blames it on the curse of 2019. When she was 11 years old and met a boy named Nick Ryan when she was trying to slip a note into the mall Santa’s pocket and he told her that she’d grow to hate Christmas, little did she know he’d be right starting that very year. Now two decades later, she hates Christmas even more; she was dumped by her latest Santa boyfriend (yes it’s a thing for her), she’s behind on her writing schedule and headed to a small town recommended by her editor with only 5 days to Christmas she has a tight deadline and not a lot of inspiration until she walks into the local pub and sees the bartender who kind of looks like an insanely hot Santa and she knows she’s in trouble.
They flirt, they banter, they have a really good evening until the end of the evening and she begins to realize that insanely hot Santa bartender reminds her of someone and when they exchange names for the her fears are confirmed he’s the boy that cursed her twenty years ago.
I love how hard Nick worked to make things right after Birdie Mae tells him that he ruined Christmas for her even when she knows it’s not all his fault. He confesses he likes her books which she’s really not sure about and then proceeds to help her get past the Christmas curse by taking her to see the different Santas around town so she can make peace with how she treated the men in her past. I know it sounds a bit crazy, but it was fun and during their time together they learned so much about each other as well as beginning to like and trust each other immensely.
Between the crazy times at town events and both Birdie Mae and Nick reconciling their pasts, and watching them grow closer it was impossible to put this book down.
Looking for some fun and whimsy with a dash of emotion and some hot sexy times with Christmas lights?? Look no further, Julie Olivia has you covered in The Fake Santa Apology Tour.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
Birdie Mae is a writer of illustrated sexy Santa novels which is interesting considering Christmas is a holiday she truly hates and she blames it on the curse of 2019. When she was 11 years old and met a boy named Nick Ryan when she was trying to slip a note into the mall Santa’s pocket and he told her that she’d grow to hate Christmas, little did she know he’d be right starting that very year. Now two decades later, she hates Christmas even more; she was dumped by her latest Santa boyfriend (yes it’s a thing for her), she’s behind on her writing schedule and headed to a small town recommended by her editor with only 5 days to Christmas she has a tight deadline and not a lot of inspiration until she walks into the local pub and sees the bartender who kind of looks like an insanely hot Santa and she knows she’s in trouble.
They flirt, they banter, they have a really good evening until the end of the evening and she begins to realize that insanely hot Santa bartender reminds her of someone and when they exchange names for the her fears are confirmed he’s the boy that cursed her twenty years ago.
I love how hard Nick worked to make things right after Birdie Mae tells him that he ruined Christmas for her even when she knows it’s not all his fault. He confesses he likes her books which she’s really not sure about and then proceeds to help her get past the Christmas curse by taking her to see the different Santas around town so she can make peace with how she treated the men in her past. I know it sounds a bit crazy, but it was fun and during their time together they learned so much about each other as well as beginning to like and trust each other immensely.
Between the crazy times at town events and both Birdie Mae and Nick reconciling their pasts, and watching them grow closer it was impossible to put this book down.
Looking for some fun and whimsy with a dash of emotion and some hot sexy times with Christmas lights?? Look no further, Julie Olivia has you covered in The Fake Santa Apology Tour.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
December 1, 2021
“Ah, stop making me smile. You do that, you know? All the time. You… you have this light about you.”
As a child, Birdie Mae has always loved Christmas. While at the mall, she tries to sneak in a letter for Santa to read, but then one of the elves that works there finds Birdie Mae and ends up helping her deliver the letter. That elf ended up telling her that she’ll grow to hate Christmas, which begins The Curse.
Fast forward 20 years later, Birdie Mae doesn’t like Christmas anymore and has been exclusively dating men dressed as Santa’s. She takes a vacation to small town to get inspiration for her next Santa novel, but didn’t expect to be in the same place as Nicholas, the man that ruined Christmas for her.
He’s now a hot, younger Santa Claus look-a-like with his silver-fox beard, who loves Christmas but hates Santa. Nicholas wants to earn her forgiveness and decides to help her get closure by taking her to see all the Santa’s and apologizing as if it’s all of her exes. Birdie Mae is supposed to hate Nicholas but the more that they spend time together, the more she starts developing feelings…
The chemistry and the banter between Birdie Mae and Nic made me swoon so hard! I love them and I love this holiday romance! Give me all the forehead kisses, please! Also, who knew that I’m now attracted to silver-fox men?
🎅🏻READ IF YOU LIKE🎅🏻:
- hate to love
- forced proximity
- Santa Claus connoisseur
- bartender hero x author heroine
- silver fox men 🦊
- small town, slow burn romance
- witty banters
- snowball fights & eggnog
- forehead kisses
- Christmas Hallmark movie but steamy
- pine & peppermint
- purple Furby
cw: mentions of affair, loss of parent, dementia
Thank you to @julieoliviaauthor for the advanced copy! The Fake Santa Apology Tour is now available!
As a child, Birdie Mae has always loved Christmas. While at the mall, she tries to sneak in a letter for Santa to read, but then one of the elves that works there finds Birdie Mae and ends up helping her deliver the letter. That elf ended up telling her that she’ll grow to hate Christmas, which begins The Curse.
Fast forward 20 years later, Birdie Mae doesn’t like Christmas anymore and has been exclusively dating men dressed as Santa’s. She takes a vacation to small town to get inspiration for her next Santa novel, but didn’t expect to be in the same place as Nicholas, the man that ruined Christmas for her.
He’s now a hot, younger Santa Claus look-a-like with his silver-fox beard, who loves Christmas but hates Santa. Nicholas wants to earn her forgiveness and decides to help her get closure by taking her to see all the Santa’s and apologizing as if it’s all of her exes. Birdie Mae is supposed to hate Nicholas but the more that they spend time together, the more she starts developing feelings…
The chemistry and the banter between Birdie Mae and Nic made me swoon so hard! I love them and I love this holiday romance! Give me all the forehead kisses, please! Also, who knew that I’m now attracted to silver-fox men?
🎅🏻READ IF YOU LIKE🎅🏻:
- hate to love
- forced proximity
- Santa Claus connoisseur
- bartender hero x author heroine
- silver fox men 🦊
- small town, slow burn romance
- witty banters
- snowball fights & eggnog
- forehead kisses
- Christmas Hallmark movie but steamy
- pine & peppermint
- purple Furby
cw: mentions of affair, loss of parent, dementia
Thank you to @julieoliviaauthor for the advanced copy! The Fake Santa Apology Tour is now available!
October 2, 2022
cute, kinda forgettable but fun and quick.
December 4, 2024
3.5✨ very cute
December 5, 2021
My 100th book for the year!
December 27, 2024
I chose this book because I thought the concept sounded cute. While it was an enjoyable and fun read in the moment. It was also sadly forgettable. It's been about a week, and nothing memorable has stood out after all this time.
December 19, 2024
I adore this holiday novella, it’s so unique & fun! I read it 2 years ago and was so excited to see it come to audio 😍
📖 The Fake Santa Apology Tour by Julie Olivia
🎄 holiday novella
⭐️: 5/5
🌶️: open door, spicy
💭 overall thoughts:
The banter was spot-on and it was just super fun overall!
I love the concept of this book - Birdie Mae has a *thing* for good looking Santas, and has a fling with one every holiday season 🙃🎅🏼
I definitely wouldn’t call this a second chance romance , since Birdie Mae is 11 when they first meet 😂 I love that they both had such an impact on each others’ lives without even knowing it.
While it’s nearly impossible they’d actually meet up again like they did, I loved Nicolas & Birdie Mae’s history & present stories.
It’s a challenge to tell a full story with a novella, but this one got it right for me!
🎙️ audiobook thoughts:
Isabella Turner did a fantastic job bringing this story to life. Her narration added to and enhanced the story for me!
read if you love:
🎄 holiday romcom
🔥 age gap
🙃 opposites attract
🔗 forced proximity
🏡 snowy small town
💗 single 1st person pov
Thank you to Julie Olivia, PenPal PR & Dreamscape Media for an advanced audio copy. All opinions are my own.
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📖 The Fake Santa Apology Tour by Julie Olivia
🎄 holiday novella
⭐️: 5/5
🌶️: open door, spicy
💭 overall thoughts:
The banter was spot-on and it was just super fun overall!
I love the concept of this book - Birdie Mae has a *thing* for good looking Santas, and has a fling with one every holiday season 🙃🎅🏼
I definitely wouldn’t call this a second chance romance , since Birdie Mae is 11 when they first meet 😂 I love that they both had such an impact on each others’ lives without even knowing it.
While it’s nearly impossible they’d actually meet up again like they did, I loved Nicolas & Birdie Mae’s history & present stories.
It’s a challenge to tell a full story with a novella, but this one got it right for me!
🎙️ audiobook thoughts:
Isabella Turner did a fantastic job bringing this story to life. Her narration added to and enhanced the story for me!
read if you love:
🎄 holiday romcom
🔥 age gap
🙃 opposites attract
🔗 forced proximity
🏡 snowy small town
💗 single 1st person pov
Thank you to Julie Olivia, PenPal PR & Dreamscape Media for an advanced audio copy. All opinions are my own.
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December 20, 2022
To me it lowkey hinted that he had a crush on her when he was 17 and she was 11? Maybe (hopefully) I'm wrong. But also, why are you saying she changed your life from that interaction and still thought about her all these years late? I'm uncomfy. Reading through reviews, I feel like I'm the only one that thought that haha. I did like their dynamic though, so that's where it gained the star. I may reconsider my rating though.
December 19, 2021
For this year, I decided to embark on a readathon of Christmasy-themed books in order to get a little bit of that holidays cheers that I lost this year.
CHRISTMAS READATHON 2021 #3
The story begins with a flashback of 20 years before the main story occurs between Nicholas, an eighteen-year-old who has lost all hope in Christmas and in life, and Birdie Maw, an eleven-year-old who is fascinated with Christmas and wishes to deliver a letter to the real Santa. Twenty years later, the roles have reversed and when they meet again after two decades, everything Birdie Mae wants to do is run away. However, Nicholas sees this as a chance to thank her for giving him hope all those years ago and hopefully get to know her better (if you know what I mean).
Birdie Mae has a problem with Santas: she has been only dating Santas for the last decade; not as a kink but, since she hates Christmas, Santas are the only source of light she seems to chase. Therefore, Nicholas decides to help Birdie Mae and they embark on an apology tour in which Birdie Mae apologizes to several fake Santas as if they were her ex-boyfriends.
I must confess, I was a bit sceptical regarding this book due to the synopsis – let’s be honest, it’s weird as fuck. However, I decided to give it a chance because we love weird! The book turned out to be better than I anticipated.
The prologue/flashback scene was definitely a must when it came to set the 180º change in Nicholas and Birdie Mae’s personality: a lost boy with no faith in life who met a girl who changed his perspective on Christmas and life in general and a hopeful girl who lost all of hope that same day.
This book was small, probably barely 200 pages (my edition is different than the physical version) so the development of their relationship was fast which was believable over the fact that a) they’re adults and b) they already had a pre-establish meet. However, they’re in their 30s now, their personalities changed and I really appreciated that this whole book was focused on their relationship because it helped strengthen their rapid bond. Although the whole book is mostly focused on the romance, there is also space for Birdie Mae’s character development and for the development of other topics.
It’s only done from Birdie Mae’s perspective except for the epilogue which I really appreciated the change in point of view – it added a little bit of Nicholas that we didn’t see throughout most of the story.
Overall, it is a nice small Christmas book, perfectly done for a read between heavy dense books and to feel the Christmas spirit.
CHRISTMAS READATHON 2021 #3
The story begins with a flashback of 20 years before the main story occurs between Nicholas, an eighteen-year-old who has lost all hope in Christmas and in life, and Birdie Maw, an eleven-year-old who is fascinated with Christmas and wishes to deliver a letter to the real Santa. Twenty years later, the roles have reversed and when they meet again after two decades, everything Birdie Mae wants to do is run away. However, Nicholas sees this as a chance to thank her for giving him hope all those years ago and hopefully get to know her better (if you know what I mean).
Birdie Mae has a problem with Santas: she has been only dating Santas for the last decade; not as a kink but, since she hates Christmas, Santas are the only source of light she seems to chase. Therefore, Nicholas decides to help Birdie Mae and they embark on an apology tour in which Birdie Mae apologizes to several fake Santas as if they were her ex-boyfriends.
I must confess, I was a bit sceptical regarding this book due to the synopsis – let’s be honest, it’s weird as fuck. However, I decided to give it a chance because we love weird! The book turned out to be better than I anticipated.
The prologue/flashback scene was definitely a must when it came to set the 180º change in Nicholas and Birdie Mae’s personality: a lost boy with no faith in life who met a girl who changed his perspective on Christmas and life in general and a hopeful girl who lost all of hope that same day.
This book was small, probably barely 200 pages (my edition is different than the physical version) so the development of their relationship was fast which was believable over the fact that a) they’re adults and b) they already had a pre-establish meet. However, they’re in their 30s now, their personalities changed and I really appreciated that this whole book was focused on their relationship because it helped strengthen their rapid bond. Although the whole book is mostly focused on the romance, there is also space for Birdie Mae’s character development and for the development of other topics.
It’s only done from Birdie Mae’s perspective except for the epilogue which I really appreciated the change in point of view – it added a little bit of Nicholas that we didn’t see throughout most of the story.
Overall, it is a nice small Christmas book, perfectly done for a read between heavy dense books and to feel the Christmas spirit.
December 1, 2021
I was given an advanced copy of this book and I was so happy! A little background about me, I am not the biggest fan of Christmas. I have a December birthday and I’ve either been too spoiled to accept that my birthday is not as important as Christmas or I just let it lose the importance because of all the hectic chaos that goes with the holiday. Needless to say Christmas stories are not the first things I reach for. Julie Olivia stories however are stories I reach for. I was pleasantly surprised and entertained by this story. I identified with the character when she lets something get in the way of enjoying the holiday. I also had a period in my life in which spending the holiday with a relative with a similar state as the character’s mom made me apprehensive around holidays. I just loved this story and I LOVED Nic Ryan. It’s a beautiful story and I’d say something that could be read at any time of the year because even though it gives you holiday vibes, it’s not a cheesy holiday cliche. It’s a beautiful story of people finding something special in each other that gives them reasons to feel happy.
I don’t know if I have changed my stance on Christmas, because again my birth should outweigh Christmas, but I definitely enjoyed engulfing myself in this story and getting lost in St. Rudolph.
I don’t know if I have changed my stance on Christmas, because again my birth should outweigh Christmas, but I definitely enjoyed engulfing myself in this story and getting lost in St. Rudolph.
December 20, 2024
“Sure, they’re supposed to be sexy Santas, but they’re really just renderings of Nic. And my Santas have never looked this sexy.”
This book was absolutely lovely! I loved Birdie Mae and Nicholas, they were such a joy to follow! Their reunion was lighthearted, funny, and filled with flirty banter that was off the charts.
From the very beginning, I was hooked. The prologue felt like a story on its own, perfectly setting the tone for everything that came after.
When I think of Christmassy books, this is exactly what I picture. It’s charming, heartwarming, and left me with such a cozy feeling. I had the greatest time reading it.
I listened to the audiobook, and even with the dual narration (which I don't always love) I was fully immersed in the story. The narrator did a fantastic job bringing Birdie Mae and Nicholas to life.
This book was absolutely lovely! I loved Birdie Mae and Nicholas, they were such a joy to follow! Their reunion was lighthearted, funny, and filled with flirty banter that was off the charts.
From the very beginning, I was hooked. The prologue felt like a story on its own, perfectly setting the tone for everything that came after.
When I think of Christmassy books, this is exactly what I picture. It’s charming, heartwarming, and left me with such a cozy feeling. I had the greatest time reading it.
I listened to the audiobook, and even with the dual narration (which I don't always love) I was fully immersed in the story. The narrator did a fantastic job bringing Birdie Mae and Nicholas to life.
December 13, 2021
Birdie Mae (Beem) started hating Christmas after meeting Nic as a kid. However she developed a thing for fake Santa's, going through a string of temp boyfriends who moonlight as fake Santa's.
Beem grew up to became a writer of Santa smut, and after her latest breakup with a fake Santa (that lasted almost 2 holiday seasons) she needs to do her annual retreat to start writing her next book. She books a stay in a small town that screams Christmas, complete with a sexy bartender that LOOKS like a sexy Santa....only to find out that he's the reason she hates Christmas.
Sexy banter, fun activities, nosy kids, snowball fights, fisticuffs with fake Santas, and apologies galore lead Beem to rediscover loving Christmas, and possibly getting her own sexy Santa, who is not a temp.
There is some explicit scenes, but the story is adorable, if a little unbelievable.
Beem grew up to became a writer of Santa smut, and after her latest breakup with a fake Santa (that lasted almost 2 holiday seasons) she needs to do her annual retreat to start writing her next book. She books a stay in a small town that screams Christmas, complete with a sexy bartender that LOOKS like a sexy Santa....only to find out that he's the reason she hates Christmas.
Sexy banter, fun activities, nosy kids, snowball fights, fisticuffs with fake Santas, and apologies galore lead Beem to rediscover loving Christmas, and possibly getting her own sexy Santa, who is not a temp.
There is some explicit scenes, but the story is adorable, if a little unbelievable.
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