Faking Christmas by Cindy Steel

 

Summary (from the publisher): One little white lie.

That's all it took. Now I'm suddenly having to fake-date my work nemesis to get me through a week at a Vermont Christmas lodge with my family.

The problem? I can't stand Miles Taylor. Not only that, but I don't date people I work with. But I can handle it. I've had practice faking my emotions for years. So it shouldn't matter that Miles never lets me get away with anything. And that he happens to boil my blood hotter than a steaming pot of wassail. So when he throws his annoying grin my way or forces me on dates he knows I'll hate, I'll just grit my teeth and smile.

Or maybe not. Did I mention that Miles is the one person in the world I can't seem to fool?

When my emotions begin feeling less like a sham and his arms feel way too comfortable, it makes me think that maybe Miles had a plan of his own. And I'm starting to like it a lot more than mine.

Review: Olive can't stand her colleague Miles. They're both English teachers at a high school but Miles is a published author and extremely handsome. When she finds herself in a situation where she must ask him to fake date her, no one is more shocked than Olive when she realizes that Miles is actually a pretty decent guy and she might actually like spending time with him.  

I personally love a fake dating, forced proximity plot no matter how unbelievable and this one was super cute. Great on audio, had wonderful banter, and the characters had great back stories and depth. Listen, I have read too many Christmas books this year. By the time this one came in off my Libby holds, I was sort of over it and not particularly interested in listening. But this book was so cute it made me like it despite my mood. A fluffy, feel good, funny Christmas read. 

I will say my one compliant is that Olive is not particularly nice to Miles for much of this book. He is unfailingly kind and funny back but I felt like he deserved better. He just seemed like such a catch that it seemed like a shame for him to end up with someone who was so off-putting towards him for no real reason for much of the book. 

Stars: 4