Holiday Hoax

The Cartwright Family #1

by Maggie Cole, Ava Lucas (Narrator), Aiden Snow (Narrator )

Listening Length: 10 hours and 44 minutes

Little Miss Sunshine will make the perfect fake bride to take home for the holidays… who cares if I’m her boss?

She’s going to drive me nuts.

Nevertheless, her perky everything, endless legs, and innocent eyes will come in handy.

It’ll stop my family from pushing every country girl turned wanna-be Dallas socialite on me.

The town gossips will be disappointed she’s not another one of my financés that’ll never make it down the aisle. And they’ll be jealous when every man falls in love with her.

I’ll ignore everyone and work… except when she’s fueling my warped needs.

Although she did surprise me and negotiated a higher prenup for her silly cupcake bakery.

Too bad for her, I’m not a reckless billionaire—my attorney will find the loophole.
Once January 2nd arrives, I’m divorcing her.

Except the more we’re together, the more she’s infiltrating my heart… in ways that have me second guessing our secret arrangement…


Holiday Hoax is a billionaire fake marriage, enemies to lovers, office romance. It’s a slow-burn steamy standalone novel with a grumpy hero who has a broken past and a good girl spitfire heroine who keeps him on his toes.

Genres: Christmas, Holiday, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary Romance, Marriage Of Convenience, Audiobook

11 pages, Audible Audio

Published November 28, 2022

About the author

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Maggie Cole is committed to bringing her readers alphalicious book boyfriends and fiercely strong heroines.

She’s been called the literary master of steamy romance. Her books are full of raw emotion, suspense, and will always keep you wanting more. She is a masterful storyteller of contemporary romance and loves writing about broken people who rise above the ashes. Her books can often be found hanging out in the top 100, even years after publication.

Maggie lives in Florida with her son. She loves tennis, yoga, paddleboarding, boating, other water activities, and everything naughty.

Her current series were written in the order below:
All In (Stand alones with entwined characters)
It's Complicated (Stand alones with entwined characters)
Together We Stand (Brooks Family Saga - read in order)
Behind Closed Doors (Read in order)
Mafia Wars
Mafia Wars New York
Club Indulgence Duet
Mafia Wars Ireland
Wilted Kingdom Duet
The Underworld
The Cartwright Family (Holiday Romance)

Reviews

[Intel Chicky Reads Romance (Kara Merideth) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: fake marriage, forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine
Angst: 😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥

Absolutely loved it! Maggie Cole writes the best mafia romance around, but blew me away with this grumpy/sunshine, fake relationship Christmas story. Holiday Hoax reminded me of an NC-17 rated Hallmark Christmas special, complete with a big mess up, awesome groveling, and the absolute best grand gesture. I laughed, I shed a tear, and left with all the warm fuzzies. Sebastian was just the best. Super grumpy, but insecure in a way that will just tug on your heartstrings. The side characters were all wonderful and I truly hope we see more of this family in the future!

⛔️ My bookshelves can sometimes be spoilers

[QuinnReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sunshine for Mr. Smooth Moves

This! So much, this! ❤

I love everything about this book! I love that Sebastian has met his match when Georgia stumbled into his life. These two are opposites in so many ways, but they mesh perfectly... well, most of the time.

I don't think I've ever encountered anyone so boldly nasty upon first meeting yet so sinfully seductive at the same time.
-- Georgia Peach

This book had me laughing and crying, as well as my heart breaking. I love when he really pays attention, gets things right and celebrates his successes. Of course, they both get other things really right - wowza! 🔥 - and occasionally really wrong.

Hearing her say my name in her sugary-sweet voice stirs so many deviant thoughts. One way or another, I'm making her mine during this fake marriage.
-- Sebastian Cartwright

Watching Sebastian's walls melt with Georgia is so sweet. I love that we really get to see him jump into action when he wants something.

I hope Maggie circles back to tell stories for the rest of the Cartwright siblings.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.


UPDATED 12/2022:
I loved this when I read it, but listening is 10x better! Seriously! Sebastian and Georgia brought to life through my ears are just... *sigh* ❤️🎧💚 It's a holiday dream. 🎄

The narrators, Aiden Snow and Ava Lucas, both have accents that match their respective character and are just fabulous! The only thing that could make it better would be duet narration. (Yes, I'm obsessed with that style of narration.)

I received an author's copy of the audio book.

Story: 5 stars
Narration: 4.5 stars
Listening Speed: 1.5x

[ReadingInThe6ix · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty trash…mostly because of the hero.

This was just ok, had a weak heroine, and a storyline that made absolutely no sense (fake marriage for a month to avoid matchmaking?). Also, what happened to her internship? So so stupid.

But even if all that was fixed, the hero is trash. At one point he forcefully tries to kiss her and stick his hand in her underwear because he tells her he’s paid her and he can do what he wants. And he doesn’t stop on his own - she has to push him off and slap him. From that point, he was pretty much irredeemable and I hated him.

[Jamie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh...there are so many things that I did not like about this.

It felt like this story made no sense. So Sebastian propositions Georgia to be his fake wife for a month. First, that's just ridiculous. Why not at least 6 months or a year...nope 3o days. Yes Sebastian is a jerk, but you realize pretty quick why that is. If you can't figure it out, let me help you. Just read the inner dialogue because it's the WHOLE DAMN BOOK!!!!! She just wants me for my money, she can't truly be this nice, she can't truly care for me...literally it was on repeat the whole book. This guy is supposed to be an "alpha hole". There is absolutely NOTHING alpha about this guy. He's over-the-top insecure. Just because he wants to throw around money, doesn't make him an alpha. lol

Then you have Georgia and she comes off completely weak most of the time. Sure she's this sweet, southern girl, but dang was she a pushover. And her inner dialogue was too much too. And then of course we have some miscommunication (eavesdropping) which immediately leads to a third act breakup...ugh

Sebastian's family seemed great and I liked that portion, but it felt like this book was 200 pages to long.

[Kelli Miller a_brunette_bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just the book I needed to cleanse my mafia pallet from Maggie Cole. I cannot wait until we get to this time of year and all of these holiday books come out.

I love this one because it has a lot of my favorite tropes in it. Billionaire Romance, Fake Marriage, Grumpy Sunshine and a Spitfire Heroine. I loved these two characters so much. Sebastian and Georgia are just the right about of sweet and salty for each other. I cannot get over how much they go back and forth with their banter. Yes, this one is a bit of a slow burn but the author does a great job really gearing you up for the ultimate explosion.

Holiday Hoax is a great holiday read and I highly recommend it. Maggie Cole will write some of your fave dark romances but she also does the opposite very well. If you are looking for a holiday book to get you through the season this is the one.

[Maggie · Rating 1 out of 5]

....did I read the same book as everyone else? Also trigger warning for disordered eating/ED. Sorry I actually had to come back and edit this review to say he says in the beginning that women don't like what he likes to do in bed and implies he's wildly kinky and all we got was some light choking. Don't hype a man up like that and give us nothing. If women leave him because of his taste in the bedroom make it at least worth my time.

[Eva ✧ ࣪ ⋆ ⁺₊ ⋆ evathedreamer ₊˚.⋆ ☾ ⋆⁺₊ ✩ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book to kick off December! 😃👌
It was fun, steamy, and heartwarming - way better than I expected 🫶

Around 4.75-5 ⭐️’s

[Kay Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narrator Aiden Snow's voice talking dirty things in my ears was the ultimate distraction. Honestly, I couldn’t focus on anything. Work? Forget it. His dirty talk had me spooning my headphones.

Now, Holiday Hoax is the standard Fake Marriage trope to a billionaire. Our boss, Sebastian, ropes in his assistant for a fake marriage to fend off his mom’s endless parade of ‘perfect’ women. Holiday Hoax is light on the holiday and heavy on the "I do’s."

Georgia isn’t just playing the role of a fake wife; oh no, this woman negotiates her way to the top, securing her dream cupcake bakery in their “prenup.” Talk about goals! And the cupcake metaphors? It's frosting sweet enough to give you a toothache. But here’s the twist: our broody billionaire isn’t just avoiding sugar—it’s a whole thing. Diagnosed with diabetes as a kid, Sebastian gave up sweets, pastries, bread, everything and anything that could spike his blood sugar. That's until our five-star baker finds out and starts to whip up some “special treats” to satisfy his... cravings. Wink, wink.

The way this story mixes Sebastian’s struggles with diabetes and Georgia’s bakery dreams is pure perfection. It’s heartfelt and deliciously layered to make any other Fake Marriage trope to a Billionaire shine brighter than the North Pole. If you’re into sweet, minor holiday escapes, Holiday Hoax is your cupcake this season.



Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Audiobook: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) Ava Lucas, Aiden Snow
Spice: 🌶️🌶️ (2/5) Open Door, Minimal and not in detailed.

[Nicole A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holiday Hoax is a billionaire boss, fake marriage, forced proximity holiday romance.
This story is a hot version of a Hallmark movie and should be produced! It had me feeling all the feels. I laughed, I cried, I swooned. It broke my heart and then put it back together.
The character, side and main were all fantastic, so relatable and lovable. The Cartwright family are such a wonderful bunch, full of love for one another. Georgia Peach (that is her name!) is as sweet as her name. Her life has been difficult, but her positivity and sass had me hoping for her HEA. Sebastian is a rigid, pretentious, grumpy, yet hot, billionaire boss who makes an arrangement with Little Miss Sunshine so that he doesn’t have to visit his family alone.
The chemistry between Georgia and Sebastian is felt right from their first run in. They try to fight their attraction and keep their arrangement strictly business. But the more they are together the more the walls comes down and their relationship builds.
This is such a great holiday read with an interesting storyline, full of emotion and creating Christmas spirit along the way. Here’s hoping there’s more from Georgia and Sebastian and the entire Cartwright family!

[Maggie Morgan · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 15%.
I'm really tired of authors not understanding the difference between "grumpy" and "rude." The MMC in this book isn't "jaded" or "misunderstood", he's just a d**k. You can't redeem someone throughout the course of the book when they're so unlikeable.
I don't understand all the high reviews this book is getting.

[Stacey_Read_That · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️Cute, spicy contemporary holiday romance. Easy read. Grumpy/Sunshine is always good!

[Lammie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an awesome holiday read (finished 1 month post Christmas 😆😆). I love the fake marriage trope and this did not disappoint. Sebastian had the best inner dialogue.

Will definitely be checking out Maggie’s mafia books.

[Michaela Rodová · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 🌟

I did not expect myself to devour it that quickly. it was so much fun! I need to check other books from this author.

[Kat S.]

DNF. Y'all assholes are tripping if you think this is good, and I raaaarely make comments of this nature when I DNF bc to each their own...

But this hill? Will die on. This is not good.

[Yuri · Rating 1 out of 5]

She let him have her after she got a RING!!! And she is not wrong. He has two sides, not the good and bad ones but the "do whatever he wants" side and the "saying sorry 'I don't mean to offend you'"side.

[Grey's Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh - Ok

A contemporary Christmas romance where insta-lust leads the grumpy hero to ask his sunshine-like new employee to fake marry him so he can secure the CEO position. The heroine, 24-year-old Georgia Peach, is an honest and somewhat innocent girl fresh from finishing her MBA who just wants to save enough money to get her cupcake franchise off the ground. The hero, 36-year-old Sebastian Allen Cartwright, is the VP of his family's company disillusioned by love and tired of waiting for his father to fully retire.

If I had to choose one word for this book it would be immature. Both the characters and the plot just felt immature and over the top to me (details below). In a bit of a longer book like this (455 as opposed to 300 pages) I tend to expect a bit more character development, but this one did not deliver on that. The hero felt like two different characters in two different places. Both the hero & heroine had chronic cases of 'I can't speak my feelings-itis'. The synopsis also made it seem that the heroine didn't let the hero walk all over her, but clearly I have a different definition for that since she seemed to mostly let him have his way. It didn't help matters that I didn't connect well with these characters (i.e. they reacted differently to how I would expect several times). This is clearly not the author for me.





*****Spoiler Alert*****
This Book Includes
Violence. Brief physical altercation when another man hits on the heroine.
Sex. MF sex, some hand pinning, some dominance / orders in & out of bed, neck holding / squeezing airflow, fantasy of spanking, dirty talk, use of mirror, sex in a locked bathroom (semi-public), no mention of birth control or safe sex practices.

Things That Bothered Me
The CEO Position
If the hero is qualified, has contacts, and wants to be CEO he should just leave the family company and get hired somewhere else. Call his father's bluff or give readers a reason why he can't.

Over the Top
For example, the hero having 4 broken engagements is completely unbelievable & unnecessary. One fiancé that turned out to be a gold-digger would be enough to make the point he's disillusioned by relationships. Having been engaged to 4 gold diggers only makes him look stupid for repeating his mistake. Also his mother sending him pictures of available women is a bit too over the top to be believable, especially if she has an interest in him being with the right woman instead of a woman like his exes.

Immature
The hero is supposed to be 36, but he came off immature in several places (e.g. not handling gossip, his nerves about the bbq place not having wine, not standing up to his family, etc...).

Unredeemable
The whole agreeing to an amount and then planning on reneging on it through a loophole just makes the hero the kind of an asshole neither I, nor the heroine, should be spending time with. IMHO the author should've gone with something a bit less unredeemable, or rather nothing at all. She could've just had the big blowup being when his family found out.

Redeeming the Hero
The obvious thing the hero could do to prove she's more important to him than his job is to give up his job, but he doesn't. His father can give it back to him at the end or he can move on to work for another company or make his own.

Building the Bakery
If I shared plans that were near and dear to my heart with someone and they in turn shared them with people I didn't know behind my back and built them without me, then my reaction would be anger NOT thanks. It's her dream, so wouldn't she want to oversee every step of the process? Also, it just makes the hero more of an asshole. I mean the reason he gives for not giving her the money she negotiated is that he isn't a wasteful spender. Then he goes and wastefully spends all this money to fast track the bakery construction without her. I suppose the intention is to show how much more important to him she is at the end than she was at the beginning, but to me it comes off as trying to buy her love. In other words it seems immature and shows a lack of confidence in self. To some extent it shows a lack of confidence in her, that he's not giving her the chance to make her dreams a reality, but instead does it for her.

[Jaydaa Karam · Rating 1 out of 5]

CRINGE

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie Cole is one of my very favorite authors, and her mafia books are utter perfection that's for sure, and she's so talented that I knew she could write anything. Holiday Hoax is a delightful story with Christmas Magic, and no darkness so I'm definitely ready for the holidays (I'm normally a big scrooge). Our Georgia Peach (yes that's her name) is filled with all kinds of sunshine, while our Sebastian is definitely not on the same wavelength, and yet, somehow these two are perfect for each other. He talks Georgia into coming home with him for the holidays as his fake bride, and our girl definitely drove a hard bargain. He plans to find a loophole when he divorces her, but the best laid plans amirite?! In spite of his resolve, somehow the girl who drives him crazy starts to get under his skin, and now the sparks are flying like crazy. I loved the fact that our girl really put him through the paces, and maybe just maybe, these two could find their happily ever after but I'll never tell! There's so much goodness in these pages, with the humor, angst, tons of heat, and a delightful supporting cast so you don't want to sleep on Holiday Hoax as I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

[Brittany Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5 ⭐️
1.5/5 🌶️
🎧

This was a great listen! I would say it’s not fully as Christmas packed as I was expecting based on the title and blurb, but it was still good! I loved Georgia (love her full name) & Sebastian’s dynamic and the progress they went through.

🎄 Millionaire x Intern/Baker
🧁 Found Family
🎄 Fake Relationship
🧁 Marriage of Convenience
🎄 Grumpy x Sunshine

[The Dragon Den Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review of Holiday Hoax by Maggie Cole
* * * * *
A fake romance turns real as steel cold meets sunshine and sugar. It's as sweet as you'd believe it to be...and just as steamy.

Georgia Peach was starting her new internship while focusing on her dream of opening up her own bakery. However, it's not going so well when her boss is a man who taunts her very existence.
Sebastian has a problem. After turning into a workaholic, chasing after the title of CEO from his father, he is given an ultimatum...spend a month with the family or loose the position to hos brother. On top of it, his mother is pushing a girlfriend onto him.
He doesn't need a fake girlfriend...he needs a fake wife.
The very girl on his mind is one who drives him crazy with her positive attitude and sugary treats.
He offers her the opportunity to fulfil her dream.
Now they are both stuck playing pretend as they plan their real wedding...and things start to only get really complicated when feelings start to bloom.

Love how big this fake relationship went. It wasn't just fake girlfriend...but WIFE! Heavy family drama is great!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the stores but the phrase “I declare” was overused. But grumpy/sunshine, fake marriage and my least favorite, miscommunication but it’s not terrible. But the overall book is wonderful.

[Rena Spensley · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Holiday Romance books, then look no further as this one is fantastic!!! It's an office romance, fake marriage and enemies to lover's trope.

I'm going to be honest with you. When it comes to Sebastien Cartwright, I didn't like him at first, he's rude, arrogant, slightly entitled but once you get to know him and why he is the way he is you slowly start to love him. Then there is Georgia Peach (yes that is her name) and she's everything that Sebastien detests. Colorful, confident, cheery, loves to bake and eventually would like to own her own cupcake bakery franchise one day.

When it comes to Sebastien's family business, he realizes his getting named CEO is in jeopardy and hashes out a plan to get his way, and that plan is going home for Christmas to appease his parents and getting married during that time to his fake fiancée who happens to be Georgia. Georgia agreed or negotiated to be his fake wife for a hefty sum of money to get her franchise up and running. The wedding was only supposed to last a month and then they'd get divorced and or an annulment. But things get complicated when they start catching feeling for each other and have a hard time communicating as such as they think the other one is just in it for themselves. The chemistry amongst the two is hot enough to start a fire on a cold chilly night.

This is one of those Christmas books that you wish could be made into a Christmas movie. Kudos to Maggie Cole for bringing the love of the holidays to people everywhere.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Escape to the pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore a holiday romance and I have to say it’s the last thing I expected from Ms Cole but she does indeed pull it off.

Characters you hate then love, steam and a myriad of intriguing supporting characters, this is another fab book (minus the usual blood and violence we have come to know and love)

Though Sebastian did redeem himself I did spend a lot of this book severely disliking him. One track focused and selfish to the core, his treatment of Georgia edged on the despicable.

Georgia was literally a peach, one of life’s happy people, she brought cheer and joy to those around her (and the holiday spirit didn’t hurt either!) an adorable character I loved in the end how strong she was in the face of Sebastian’s actions.

A loveable holiday romance and I’m hoping to hear more from the rest of the Cartwright siblings, it certainly seems to be set up well for a new series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 - cute book. But, it should have been more Christmassy!

[Karen Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was everything and more! Georgia wants nothing more than to open her own bakery. She starts working for Sebastian, a very arrogant man. He is trying to take over the company when his dad retires. It seems as though Georgia and Sebastian wouldn’t be the perfect match. Well, throw in Sebastian’s family wants him home for Christmas and his mom wants to set him up. Sebastian isn’t having any of this. This is where Georgia comes in. Let’s just say, contract, married til January 2nd and meeting the family. How will this all turn out. Will this fake marriage turn into anything? Will Sebastian finally meet his match? Georgia sure gives him a run for his money, and she plays her part well. When they go on a honeymoon after their wedding, wait til you see Sebastian and Georgia’s interaction together. This book brought the steam, was a page turner and brought some tears to my eyes. I wasn’t team Sebastian at first, but he grew on me. I believe all in all a holiday hoax was what the doctor ordered for these two.

[Kerissa Smalltowncutie38 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sebastian Cartwright wants to be CEO so bad that he will do anything and everything to get his dad to step down and give him the title. When his new assistant comes in with cupcakes and smiles, he cant wrap his head around her. Georgia Peach wants nothing more but to open her own bakery and franchise. When Sebastian is called to come home for the holidays he proposes to Georgia to become his wife for money and she sees this as a perfect opportunity to get her bakery faster. What happens when the wedding goes well? What happens when you fall for your fake husbands family and your fake husband? What happens when your fake husband is everything you want and more?

I really enjoyed this fake marriage was incredible! I really felt bad for Sebastian cause he doesn't know who trust cause his past relationships have just been them trying to get his money. His epic grovel moment was perfect. I loved the Christmas present for her. I just adored the crap out of them!

[Meghan C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you need a spicy Christmas Hallmark movie - esque book in your life, this book is the perfect book for you. Holiday Hoax is a great fake marriage holiday story that stars a wealthy billionaire and a sassy heroine.

Georgia's dream is to open a bakery, so she starts a new job to save enough money to make that dream happen. She meets Sebastian at the new job, and he gives ms her a proposition that she cannot refuse. Sebastian and Georgia agreed to get married so he could become the CEO of his family’s company and Georgia could get the money to purchase a building for her bakery. Their phony marriage becomes real once they realize that they have undeniable chemistry with each other.

The entire book was so good, and I loved how Sebastian and Georgia are the total opposites but complement each other well. I highly recommend this holiday book!

[Laura Blakey · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first Christmas read of the year and I loved it! Sebastian is in charge of his company but in order to become CEO he needs a wife well a fake wife so enter Georgia Peach love that name!
She’s just trying to save money to one day open her bakery and make her cupcakes.
So after the accidental meet in a lift Sebastian decides Georgia is fake wife material so with the promise of money she agrees to be Sebastian wife this leads to planning a wedding and having feelings and chemistry developing can they really both say it’s only business and only money or has Sebastian met his real wife and partner in Georgia. This is a must read!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Katie MacLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? This is such a cute read. You cycle through all the emotions. 1) Disgust - how dare Sebastian act like such a jerk then ask her the outrageous. 2) Satisfaction - Georgia is such a sweet, classically Southern person but never gives up on her morals at any point in the book. 3) Pure Happiness - the contrast between Sebastian and Georgia is so perfect and when things start to get good, it’s SO good. 4) Despair - I was so heartbroken and to have to sit in that sadness was really hard. This book is so good and such a refreshing read for the holidays. Still want that witty banter, obvs some smut, strong woman, and then of course a billionaire? This is the book to pick up.

[Laura Forehand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Giiiiirrrrrllllll!!! I was not ready!!! I am ashamed to admit that I thought I was getting the standard fake romance. NOPE!!! As always, Maggie delivers. Thanks sug!!