Faking it Under the Mistletoe by Ashley Shepherd
Olivia Langley is the human embodiment of Christmas cheer, and she has absolutely no problem spreading it around for all to hear. Christmas sweaters? She has twenty. Christmas cookies? She’ll take three dozen. Christmas movies? Yeah, she’s seen them all. So it’s no surprise when she’s put in charge of Loveridge & McGowan’s holiday festivities. Secret Santas? Yep. Ice skating? Of course. Holiday trivia? Duh. Christmas-themed bar crawl? That’s one big jingle bell hell yes. Kissing her boss at a Christmas tree lighting in front of his ex-girlfriend? Well… it is the season of giving. And Olivia does not come with a gift receipt. No exchanges. No returns. No refunds. All sales are final. In an effort to ungrinch the grinchiest man she’s ever met, Olivia enlists herself, Santa’s Executive Helper, to scheme up a plan that includes sleigh rides, snow days, and one too many mistletoe kisses, which certainly gets Asher’s tinsel in a tangle. She’s pretty sure that she sleighed this whole fake relationship thing. Well… until she realizes there’s nothing fake about her feelings for Asher, and suddenly tangled tinsel, unsolicited Christmas trees, and celebrity heartthrobs are the least of her worries.
A Hallmark loving intern pretends to be dating her boss when she sees how upset he is at a company event after his breakup.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
🔥🔥.5 out of 5 steam level
This book is REQUIRED READING FOR ROMANCE LOVERS!
I'd seen this book around Instagram and people seemed to almost entirely love it! So when I snagged a Kindle unlimited deal for a few months I knew this one needed to be at the top of my list!Now it opens the book with a trigger warning and I'll open my review with that as well- this book has a trigger warning involving a sexual predator storyline and sexual harassment. It is not descriptive or suspenseful in this storyline.
I read this book in one sitting and loved it! There are Hallmark movie references and even a reference to Lifetime making Christmas movies! (If you follow me on Instagram... And you should!... You know I've been watching and reviewing ALL of the Christmas movies this year! Check out my Instagram highlights!)There was even a reference to my FAVORITE bakery in all of New York City, Le Vain Bakery. (Sidenote I make these knock off cookies and they're amazing. You're welcome.) Olivia, our heroine, is struggling to make ends meet. She is sassy and confident in personality and in her body (this is rare for me to mention in a heroine because it's honestly rare to read about!) Her personality flaw would be that she doesn't like disappointing people and will help anyone to the point of meddling.The plot is funny and moves quickly, I was surprised how many drama points fit into it without it bothering me remotely.Asher, our main man, was really overly grumpy in the beginning. It almost turned me off of him but I'm so glad I stuck with him because I ended up loving him!
My biggest wish list is that I wish there was a chapter from his perspective from what he thought of her in the beginning or when he started to fall for her... Maybe a reminiscing chapter where he tells her! Fingers crossed there will be a newsletter with a novella or something!!! This book features an enemies to lovers trope, a Grinch trope, fake relationship and coworkers trope!
This book is best read between Thanksgiving and Christmas. BUT, full disclosure, I read it the day after Christmas. So I think in general it should be a winter read!
Listen to some of my favorite Christmas music!-Johnnyswim's Christmas Album-Ben Rector's Christmas Album-The Christmas Song by Lauren Daigle-Amy Grant's Christmas Album-The Pentatonix Christmas Album(okay, you got me. I love Christmas music! What can I say?!)