It feels a little late to be talking about festive books still but I never got around to writing this post in December. There are so many fake dating books set around the holidays so I just had to squeeze this one in.
Yours for the Season by Emily Stone
This was one of my more recent festive reads, well kinda, it was my first of 2025 but that was back in August I think. It was a brilliant book to kick off my festive reads with as it was my favourite of the year.
This part of my reviews sums up quite perfectly why I think this is a great fake dating book, “We all know by now that I’m a real sucker for a fake dating book and one set at Christmas is just perfect for me. I especially loved that in Yours for the Season our fake dating ‘couple’ are ex’s that only broke up six months ago. This left a lot of room for angst, begrudging physical touch and anger. Which also equals fiery passion apparently.”
Fake dating as ex’s is a very niche sub-trope but I think we can all admit it leads to some really great character interactions. The fiery passion mentioned above is just one of them.
The inclusion of their past being interwoven with the present day was also done brilliantly. It makes you really root for them to sort out their grievances.
The 12 Books of Christmas: Yours for the Season by Emily Stone
Synopsis: Melanie has not had a good year. Things are definitely not going as planned in her work life, her best friend has moved to the other side of the world, and her favorite bagel shop is closing down. But the real reason this year has been awful is because Finn, the man who she was sure was the love of her life, dumped her. In front of everyone. At his sister’s engagement party.
So when Finn shows up at her doorstep two weeks before Christmas asking if she’ll help him, her first instinct is to slam the door in his face—or punch him. But he has a proposal for her.
Finn wants Melanie to spend the week of Christmas with him. He has to face the holiday at a vacation cottage in the Scottish Highlands with his two perfect siblings who are happily paired off with their perfect partners. His mother is obsessed with the idea of a perfect Christmas—and to try and help, Finn may have told his mother he and Mel are dating again. All she has to do is come with him and pretend they’re back together.
Melanie may hate Finn, but she loves his mom. And with her own parents on a trip, it looks like the only way to spend the holiday with someone she cares about is to suffer through being around the person she despises most.
So Melanie agrees—on one condition. At the end of the week, Finn will allow Mel to publicly dump him—in front of his family—so she can get her dignity back and he can experience the same humiliation she felt.
As they embark on seven days with Finn’s family, Mel tells herself it’s only a week. She just has to pretend to still be in love with him. Until she starts to lose track of which feelings are fake, and which are for real…
Snowed In by Catherine Walsh
Snowed In was one of my favourite festive reads of 2024. Catherine Walsh knows how to write a couple you root for. Her flirtatious banter is also excellent. What makes this one even better is the fact that they fake date, obviously, and that they are childhood friends (kinda).
You pretty much always know the fake dating will end in a real relationship but what I love most about Snowed In is the fact that Christian is a classic tale of ‘he falls first and harder’. He pretty much falls in love with Megan day one and the yearning is something to behold.
Book Review: Snowed In by Catherine Walsh
Synopsis: Megan is dreading going home for the holidays. She’s the village pariah, the she-devil who left local golden boy Isaac at the altar four years ago and ran away to the big city. She could really do without the drama. Particularly as he’s engaged again, and she’s just been dumped for the fourth time this year.
Christian’s fed up of being on his own every Christmas. He doesn’t mind being alone, but he hates his family’s sad eyes and soft tones as they sit around coupled up. Because he’s actually, totally, fine.
So when Megan literally bumps into Christian in a Dublin pub, they come up with a pact to see them through the holiday season. They’re going to be the very best fake dates for each other, ever.
Rules are drawn up, a contract is signed on a wine-stained napkin. They will sit through each other’s family gatherings and be outrageously in love until freed from their annual obligations. After all, it’s only for a few weeks.
But with everyone home for the holidays, two big families to deal with alongside old friends, old flames and old feelings, things are bound to get messy. And when a snowed-in cabin and a little Christmas magic are added to the mix, anything could happen…
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Like this post? Why not read this one too: Book Review: Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood