Fake dating my brother’s grumpy best friend wasn’t on my Christmas list.
As a professional matchmaker, my biggest job this holiday season should be simple: find a date for the sexy single dad hockey star—aka my brother’s best friend—for his team’s fancy Christmas Eve gala.
Sure Rowan’s hot as a crackling fire and spicier than a gingerbread man, but he hasn’t just sworn off romance. The Christmas hater has made a bet that I can’t find him a holidate.
What’s a matchmaker to do?
Win, of course. Even if it means fake dating the grinch myself to get him ready for the real thing.
Only…these fake dates at Christmas tree farms and hot cocoa competitions in the snowy small town of Evergreen Falls start to feel a little too real as I get to know the man behind the scowl.
Somewhere between kisses under the mistletoe and a snowed-in night in his cabin curled up by the fire (where the stockings aren’t the only thing hung), I realize I’m in over my elf-loving head.
And when Rowan opens up to me at last about his painful past, I’m determined to give my brother’s best friend the holiday he deserves. But what if the only gift I want him to unwrap this season is… me?
Tropes: Holiday romance, brother’s best friend, fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, small town, Christmas competition, matchmaker romance, workplace romance
I’m a sucker for fake dating and these two did it perfectly. This one was so much fun and I really loved Isla and Rowan’s story. We have a grumpy single dad hockey player who doesn’t believe in love and hates the holidays, so his friends get him a matchmaker. Unfortunately for Rowan, his matchmaker is the sunniest, happiest person he’s ever known, plus she lives and breathes holiday cheer. To be fair, he’s had a crush on Isla for a while now so it could be worse, but he’s not thrilled. He hatches a fake dating plan to get his friends off of his back and even enlists his daughter’s help pulling off his phony relationship with Isla.
The fake dating is so easy though. Too easy, in fact. And did I mention the temptation? This woman is gorgeous, smart and funny. She’s perfect, in Rowan’s opinion. She’s also his best friend’s sister so completely off-limits for a miserable grinch like him who doesn’t believe in relationships. Isla had her heart broken by a lying, cheating ex so she’s not open to dating and relationships either. Luckily for these two they have the town Christmas competition, a scheming nine-year-old, meddling parents and pushy friends to help them along. This one is a sweet and funny slow-burn with lots of spice and heart. I’d like to thank the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
