Hello book lovers! I know it’s a bit early for Christmas books but some reviews do need to go a little early.
✔️marriage of convenience
✔️opposites attract
✔️reversed grumpy x sunshine
✔️he’s a billionaire
✔️banter
Happy Christmas by Kelsey Humphreys
This was such a fun read! It’s lighthearted, funny, cute, and super easy to read.
What is it about?
To say Janie Rowland is down on her luck would be a Las-Vegas-sized understatement. And said luck only gets worse when she’s spotted by him while working a booth at the Clark Industries Expo.
She has barely tolerated Benedict Clark (yes, as in Clark Industries) around their mutual friends. He’s a huge flirt, gorgeous, British, always with an entourage. Entirely over the top.
She’s his total opposite. Low key. Craves routine. In bed by nine. Has, like, three friends.
But he needs a wife before the end of the year and she desperately needs cash. A lot of it.
Their encounter in Sin City leads to a mutually beneficial proposition—a fake marriage in exchange for his family trust and her big payday. She just has to survive one festive season in her tiny, holiday-themed hometown, Juniper Falls, pretending to be madly in love.
Contests, carriage rides, planned kisses and cozy photo ops. It’s all for show.
Until it isn’t.
Because the more he leans in, the more she lets go—and the more this perfectly planned ruse starts to feel dangerously real. (Goodreads)
I loved how different Janie and Ben were, yet how beautifully they brought out the best in each other. The pacing felt well-balanced overall, and it’s such a quick read. There were so many adorable moments and, of course, plenty of laughs. And the banter? Perfect!
A few things I didn’t enjoy as much were that the pacing between certain scenes felt a bit off at times — a little too abrupt. I also expected this to be more of a Christmassy read, but I didn’t quite get that vibe. It leaned more toward autumn coziness rather than the festive warmth I was hoping for.
Still, it was a really fun story, and now I’m definitely intrigued to read Harper and Aiden’s book next!
Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
love, Lin
