Faking Christmas by Cindy Steel Series: Christmas Escape #3
Also in this series: Cotswolds Holiday
Published by Self on November 2, 2022
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Holiday - Christmas
Pages: 340
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
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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.
★ Faking Christmas is a sweet, closed door romance full of sizzle, witty banter, and chemistry, but without explicit content.
I’ve been having so much fun with the Christmas Escape series this year! This series consists of 7 full-length, standalone novels that are all super swoony closed-door romances. In each story, someone is trying to escape something in their lives, whether it be the holidays themselves or someone/something in their life. One book was released per week, starting on October 16th, 2022 and ending on November 30th, 2022. And, as of right now, they’re all on Kindle Unlimited! Faking Christmas was the one I was most excited about, because I love fake dating and I loved Cindy Steel’s Christmas novella, A Christmas Spark, which I read last year! Faking Christmas did not disappoint one bit. In fact, it’s a new favorite and a book I plan to read again and again.
1. First off, I really love closed-door romances during Christmas. Don’t get me wrong, I love open door romances as well, but there’s just something about Christmas that makes me want to focus more on the holiday season than on intimacy. But I still love love. That’s why this series appealed to me so much. Cindy Steel is so good at creating these sweet, romantic moments and I don’t even miss the sexy scenes at all!
2. I loved Olive and Miles. Both are teachers at the same school, and they’re not the biggest fans of each other. I really don’t enjoy enemies to lovers stories so I was a bit worried, but these two are friendly enemies. They don’t care for one another, but they’re still kind and respectful to each other. They tease each other and poke fun at minor things, but there’s no hate there. Phew! I really struggle with characters who fight and argue all the time, so I’m so glad that was not the case with this book. Both characters are endearing, sweet, silly, and great for one another. Miles is a dreamboat and Olive is the girl next door.
3. I really liked most of the supporting characters. Miles’s family is wonderful. I love his dad in particular, and his mom is super nice. I also liked Olive’s sister and think they have a really cute relationship. She also has adorable twin nieces and a cool brother-in-law. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Olive’s mom, but I came around in time. Olive’s ex is also around for a little while, and he’s a slime ball.
4. I loved all the Christmas! The lodge in Vermont sounds stunning, with cabins all blanketed in snow. The lodge hosts a Christmas bingo with fun festive tasks for guests to complete, plus they have fun activities like sledding and gingerbread house making. The cabins all have Christmas trees, music plays over the speakers, dinner is done family style in the main building. It just sounds so perfect! Miles talks Olive into doing a polar bear plunge with him, and that might be my favorite scene.
5. The romance is *chef’s kiss*. I LOVE fake dating, and these two do such a great job… at first. Miles is so enthusiastic about the fake dating scheme and really goes overboard with affection. I couldn’t stop beaming as I read. He pushes Olive outside of her comfort zone, but in doing so he shows her what she truly deserves. They have multiple deep conversations, evening cuddle sessions, and flirty moments. The banter is perfection. The kisses were swoony and definitely steamed up my glasses. I love reading a good kiss.
6. There’s a deeper underlying issues surrounding grief and the loss of a parent (that happened before the book begins), which I feel was handled so well and allowed Olive and Miles to form a deep and meaningful connection. I felt so many feels!
All in all, Faking Christmas is a Christmas book lover’s dream come true. I highly, highly recommend you give it a try! It’s guaranteed to warm your heart and put a smile on your face. I hope it ends up on audio someday so I can listen when I need a pick-me-up!
The Christmas Book Flood by 
The book begins in Autumn, and the illustrations are sprinkled with fall leaves and pumpkins. I could feel the crisp, fall air. The anticipation of the Christmas Book Flood is palpable and the people walk along the dirt streets in their sweaters by the light of the Norther Light dancing overhead. Then the tradition is explained. The book says that “reading is magic–when you have the right book.” I couldn’t agree more! The books explains how much thought people put into selecting books for their loved ones, which I thought was so sweet. I turned the page to a cozy little village street speckled with bookshops and snowflakes, and my smile grew even larger than it was before. I could hear the crunch of the snow as the people on the pages walk past twinkling lights with their packages in tow after a long day of shopping.
How beautiful is this illustration? I’d love to visit this magical bookshop. The illustrations show a cute little girl searching for the right book, when she finally finds one just in time! Her joy is exquisite, and the page turns to reveal a magical scene from inside her imagination. Hot air balloons, a castle, and a sea monster fill the page. Then we turn the page again to reveal a family opening their gifts together and eating festive baked goods. “They pore over treasures and marvel together: new worlds and adventures, etched across pages bound between covers.” What a pretty line. I was delighted to see how this family celebrates together. They pile the floor by the Christmas tree with pillows and blankets and read together. Even their pets have books! Those who can’t read are perched on the laps of those who read to them instead.
Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle