Christmas Fling by Lindsey Kelk

 

Summary (from the publisher): Laura and Callum have met exactly three times – once at a mutual friend’s wedding (Laura doesn’t remember), once at a baby shower (Callum doesn’t remember) and once right now – when Laura lets herself into his flat to find him exiting the shower completely naked (they both remember).

When Callum's parents walk in and mistake Laura for his mystery girlfriend, Laura has no choice but to play along, accepting their invitation to spend Christmas at home in the Scottish Highlands.

But then Laura's best friends show up pretending to be her family, and Callum's ex is invited, and as Laura gets closer to Callum, she can't tell if the increasingly sizzling chemistry between them is real or just a very convincing part of the act…

Review: The first 25% of this book was a full five stars! I was laughing out loud at the scene where Laura and Callum unexpectedly meet when she walks into what she thinks is an empty flat. He is totally naked, both of them are shocked, and then his parents show up and assume Laura is Callum's girlfriend (because of, you know, said nudity) and thus a fake dating setup is born. 

I enjoyed so much of this book!

• I love a fake dating scenario, no matter how farfetched, and this one actually felt sort of realistic in how it begins?? But I really loved that it flipped the trope on its head and Laura is actively trying to make Callum's family dislike her. His family believes she is a vegan massage therapist named Caroline - and Caroline is absolutely awful and says the rudest things to his parents!
• Was very much here for the setting of this. Much of this is set at Callum's childhood home in the Scottish Highlands and I loved Laura's shock at the great estate and coterie of servants. 
• Absolutely loved Laura's two best friends, especially Joel. 
• I liked that this flips the traditional occupations on their head. Laura is a neurosurgeon, and Callum is a pastry chef. 
• This has some heft to it. I like that they have issues with their parents for very different reasons. They wonder which is worse - the apathy of Laura's father or the intense scrutiny of Callum's. 
• This was light on the Christmas content. I read this in January, so I appreciated this! Other than Christmas fueling their trip to Callum's home and one scene where they're putting up a Christmas tree, this is a rom com that could really be read at any point in my opinion. 
• I listened to the audiobook and it was very well done. 

However, there were elements of this that didn't work as well for me. 

• The lying went on too long. Laura's alter ego Caroline is just so snarky and awful. I just started to feel bad for his family for having to put up with such a horrible house guest. And also, for Laura to continue on in this charade for so long, especially after she and Callum start having feelings for each other. And what is the end game here? How do you then reverse and say, just kidding, I'm not actually totally unpleasant. It just was such a tricky situation and if I was his family I would have been really angry at the lying. 
• It also just became especially crazy once Laura's friends show up. Yes, they and their insane made-up alter ego lies for the sake of the fake dating ruse were funny, but it was also hard to believe his family would take it seriously and also just felt like too much. 
• There were SO many pop culture references - The Witcher, ACOTAR, Edward Cullen, ad nauseum. I knew virtually all of them and it was fine but also why?? It just feels like something that will quickly date the book when it would otherwise be a fun rom com regardless of when you read it. 

Despite the drawbacks, I did enjoy this Christmasy rom-com. I think this could be cute as a movie adaptation if done well. 

Stars: 4