Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to listen to the book. This was a cute holiday romance centered around our protagonist who has a thing for only dating Santa's and only around the holidays. Fresh off a long term Santa-ship, our protagonist is quickly snowed in in a small town where she runs into someone she met twenty years ago and has blamed for the awful Christmas's she has had since. Somehow he gets her to go and sit on all of the Santa's laps in town, and she uses these opportunities to "apologize" to her exes. And a holiday romance wouldn't be complete without a third act near breakup and a redemption story.

This was a cute and quick read.

This is a delightful holiday rom-com that perfectly blends Hallmark vibes with a spicy twist. The story follows a quirky heroine who only dates fake Santas and her swoon-worthy match, Nicholas—a charming silver fox with plenty of holiday grump.

The audiobook, narrated by Isabelle Turner, takes the story to another level. Turner’s performance perfectly captures the heroine’s quirky charm, Nicholas’s irresistible gruffness, and the humor of the small-town characters, making it a truly engaging listen.

If you love quirky romances with great humor and just the right amount of heat, this holiday read (or listen) is a must!

Rounded up to 3.5, I definitely enjoy Julie Olivia's way of world building and branding character arcs. This was humorous in the way that a person serial dating men who act as Santa is a wild concept and I'm here for that, but I do think the FMC was just slightly on the side of being a bit much when it came to her laurels. The trajectory of her growth was good to see but it felt like she was set on being stinted regardless of whatever happened. But the chemistry and the love scenes were definitely fire (i.e. the string light bondage hello? amazing).

This was a kind-of-cute story about a girl who hates Christmas but loves Santa.
It's a strange kind of trauma the MC had, but it made the dynamic between her and the love interest a little more fun.

I absolutely loved the novella when I read the ebook so when I got the opportunity to listen to the ALC, I knew I had to check it out. I enjoyed the ALC just as much as the ebook. Nick and Birdie Mae have such a cute and sweet story that is goes through all sorts of feelings and stages in such a short amount of time. The way Nick helps Birdie Mae process her internalized grief and some of her issues is truly wonderful. They help each other in ways they don't ever see coming. The narrator was also a great choice for this novella and I can't to listen to more Julie Olivia books come alive. Her writing is made for audiobooks! It's quippy and romantic and all around incredible.

This was a really cute listen with some laugh-out-loud scenes. Unlike other holiday novellas, this one has more of a slow burn plot.

Birdie Mae goes to a small town for her annual winter writing retreat. Little does she know that she has picked the place where her childhood grinch is. They end up having instant chemistry and Nick is just Birdie’s type: older, twinkling eyes, and a white beard. He ends up taking Birdie around town to visit different Santas where she takes the chance to use them as conduits to apologize to her exes.

The narrator, Isabelle Turner, does a fantastic job nailing all of the lines. I had a lot of fun listening to this audiobook. It felt zippy and the jokes landed.

Absolutely recommend this rom-com.

Thank you to Pen Pal PR and NetGalley for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a perfect quick Christmas read. Julie did a fantastic job at giving us so much with such a short story (154 pages). The story line was so cute and I loved the story and how she brings the main characters together. She definitely made me want more. If you want a fun quick Christmas read, with a spicy chapter, I would recommend reading this book !

This was so so cute! The way these characters were all together and it’s a Christmas cover really sold me! This was a cute rom com and I devoured it

Small town, second chance, slightly odd holiday story with the happy ending I read this genre for. Birdie Mae has a thing for Santa’s, short term relationships, the love family, and a while lot of weirdness going on in her head. She used to love Christmas and then her world changed after a visit with a Santa. She meets Nic and they each had very different experiences of the meeting. Years later they meet and we go along their funny journey to their happily ever after. It was well narrated.

The Fake Santa Apology Tour presents an interesting premise for a Christmas book - our heroine has a Santa kink but all she can think about is a Grinch she has history with. This had the potential to be cute and fun, but for me it didn't land and just came off as tacky and juvenile. But if you're looking for a Santa-filled, somewhat spicy, enemies-to-lovers insta holiday romance, this may be the quick listen for you.

Thank you to Dreamscape Select for gifting me with an ALC to review! All opinions are my own.

Absolutely adorable and hilarious, the narrators crushed it! I love Julie’s writing style so I was laughing lots and when the slow burn caught fire it was so worth it;)

3.5 🎄

Une petite romance de Noël qui reprend les codes du genre, tout en proposant un petit twist, avec cette fameuse tournée des pardons (qui interviennent d'ailleurs assez tardivement dans le récit).
L'héroïne déteste Noël depuis l'âge de 11 ans, et sa façon à elle d'exorciser ses démons, c'est de sortir avec des faux père Noël puis de les larguer. Elle se retrouve coincée dans un bled qui a tout du cliché des petites villes Hallmark et tombe sur le mec à l'origine de sa détestation de Noël, un mec qui déteste lui aussi Noël.
C'est une histoire assez courte mais bien équilibrée, avec pas mal d'humour et de jeux de mots, ainsi qu'une belle évolution du personnage principal féminin.
La version audio est sympa, la comédienne donne vie à l'histoire et aux personnages, c'était bien sympa !

A cute little story about a girl with a thing for Santa. There was a little spice but I was hoping for more.

Super cute! I love all that Julie writes! She always has a way to add in that 90s nostalgia!

I loved the premise here, it was a refreshing break from the standard Christmas novella that all blend together 😂 it was spicy, charming, swoonworthy… just the whole package!

This is a must add to your holiday TBR! Thanks so much to Julie & Pen Pal PR for this gifted early audio copy! The audio was clear and easy to understand even when I listen at 3x speed! The narrators brought these characters to life perfectly!

This was stinking adorable and I would highly recommend as a Christmas novella! The past connection and the way their stories intertwine are such a sweet element in this story! Five stars!

The Fake Santa Apology Tour is the perfect holiday rom-com for anyone who loves their Christmas cheer served with a side of laughs and a healthy dose of chemistry. After yet another breakup with a fake Santa, our heroine finds herself snowed into a small-town winter wonderland. The twist? The local bartender is none other than Nicholas Ryan—a blast from the past.

Nicholas is the ultimate silver-fox Santa stand-in: charming, rugged, and full of surprises. Their banter is electric, the tension crackles, and the story strikes the perfect balance between humor and heart. The audiobook adds an extra layer of magic with stellar narration that perfectly captures both the humor and swoony moments. With laugh-out-loud moments, snowball-fight-worthy banter, and some steamy holiday magic, this novella delivers a festive escape that’s impossible to put down.

If you’re a fan of quirky characters, second-chance romance, and Hallmark vibes with a spicy twist, this book belongs on your TBR.

Ehhhhhh….. I know all Christmas romances are cheesy but this I think may have crossed over the line a little into just odd. I think Birdie Mae taking Nick home after, FIVE DAYS???? And introducing him to family as her bf? Kind of ruined it for me. But the spice was good and the audio narrator was great!

Thank you NetGalley and Julie Olivia for the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook.
This was a funny and also surprisingly emotional quirky little romcom perfect for the season. It was a fun way to get into and stay in the holiday spirit.

*Thank you to Pen Pal PR and NetGalley for an ALC in exchange for my honest review*

Okay, the concept of this book is bananas in the best way. Put frankly - Birdie Mae has a Santa fetish. But you know what? Nick is one hot Santa and this book was freaking fun! From the Santa apology tour to a little bit of kinky holiday sex, I was laughing and squealing throughout. And it's a novella, so you'll fly through it. Easy good time Christmas romance.

4.5 ⭐️ read!

Thank you to Dreamscape Select and NetGalley for an ALC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is my second Julie Olivia book and she has become an auto buy author for me! She writes the coziest romance stories, that are always so warm and fuzzy.

I loved that the whole premise of this Christmas novella was so unique, because this time of year it sometimes feels like the same story being rewritten over and over.

Birdie Mae and Nicholas having a chance encounter in the small town of Saint Rudolph, twenty years after they first meet is how the story begins. And Nicholas takes Birdie on a journey to meet all the local Santa’s as she apologizes and is able to make amends with choices she’s made in the past. As I said, I really liked how unique this storyline was, and the hints of nostalgia sprinkled in were too good. I loved the nod to the Furby Craze of 1999, and fear of the millennium striking. Also their epilogue was just so perfect!

Overall, I highly recommend adding this one to your holiday romance TBR! I listened to the audiobook and it was fantastic!