My Favorite Holidate by Lauren Blakely is a flirty, fun rom‑com that leans hard into holiday vibes without ever feeling cheesy. The chemistry between the leads sizzles off the pages, and the “dating for the holidays” setup delivers exactly the kind of playful banter and emotional pay‑off you’d want. Blakely brings a good dose of sass and heart—her characters feel real, their stakes feel real, and even when it’s lighthearted, there’s a nice emotional undercurrent tying everything together. If you’re looking for a cozy, feel‑good read to curl up with as the seasons change, this one’s a top pick.

I have been a fan of Ms Blakely for a long time and have read a lot of her books, but this one was one that I could not get into. In fact, it was so hard to get into that I was unable to finish it. It started out strong between Fable and Wilder and the plan for a fake relationship but then it just went on and on making it hard for me to keep reading. The characters were well written, but the plot just went on too long with nothing really happening.

I received this book complimentary from NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

This isn’t bad at all. But I don’t feel it is up to Lauren Blakeley’s usual standards. I wasn’t as into the characters as I usually am. It was interesting but I felt dragged along beside it as I read. I wasn’t as invested. I think I struggled because I’m not as into boss-employee relationships. I find the power struggle to be more than I’d like, especially compared to reality. I couldn’t dive into this one unfortunately. I did enjoy the plot and setting, just didn’t love the chemistry (or lack thereof) between the MCs.

My Favorite Holidate, book five in the How to Date series by Lauren Blakely, stumbled into my lap through NetGalley and I was not disappointed. I had not read any of the other books in the series prior to reading this but better believe I’m definitely going to be changing that. This book was a walking trope, haha. We got single dad, billionaire boss, hero male lead, and fake dating. Blakely managed to slap an R rated Hallmark sticker on its butt and you got this book, which is as it sounds…a decent read. Fable and Wilder are obviously co-workers, Wilder being our hottie billionaire boss, who end up entangled in a fake dating plot after Fable’s ex cheats on her and she has no one to take to her sisters wedding. Tehe, Wilder steps up to the plate, in many ways. Ugh I loved Mac, Wilder’s daughter, she was a sweet little addition to this little rom-com book. Blakely carried pun-filled, witty banter throughout the book and some jokes were flat out cringey but I was here for them, hahaha. I did see that some readers found the audiobook to be hilarious and enjoyable, it’s always nice to see an audiobook get positive feedback as I love to listen to them myself.
Thank you so much, NetGalley and Atria Books.
4 stars!

Fable (NOT my favorite character name) is a talented sustainable jewelry and pro-football team merch designer. Her life is good…great job with the San Fran Renegades NFL team, loving family and great friends. At Thanksgiving, she about the find out that Brady, her boyfriend of 4 months, is a cheating f***wit but she’ll need to see him and his plus 1 who he cheated with at her sister’s Christmas Eve wedding…he’s the groom’s cousin. Wilder (another not fav character name) is the billionaire owner of the Renegades and a number of other businesses. He’s a single dad, self made man and has had a crush on Fable for a while. Wilder finds out what happened to Fable at Thanksgiving and it outraged on her behalf. So he agrees to be her fake boyfriend at Christmas and at her sister’s wedding…they are best man and maid of honor…to show up Brady. What could go wrong?? This is a fun, sexy and VERY Christmasy story. Grab a candy cane and enjoy.

A massive THANK YOU to the lovely Lauren Blakley, Atria Books, and NetGalley for my favorite summer indulgence- Christmas romances. 😜🎄❤️‍🔥 Truly, there’s nothing better than dreaming of mistletoe and hot cocoa, than when it’s 200% humidity here in Florida. ☕️❄️

This was my first Lauren Blakely book, and it won’t be my last! I was smiling the whole time I was reading. 🤭 Lauren has set the bar high for me for Christmas romances this year. 🎁 If this title feels familiar to you, it was indie published last year, and now being traditionally published by Atria this fall. (Releases Oct 7) It would be a fun one to scoop up for yourself, or as a cutsie paperback gift for a friend! 🎄📕

For my audiobook lovers, this one’s 13 hours and features a full cast narration. Yay! 🎧

My Favorite Holidate has an adorable, strong romance, with the backdrop of Christmas. ❄️ The first half of the book is in an urban setting, and starts off as a workplace romance between Fable and Wilder. 💼🌉 But then in the second half of the book, we’re transported to an adorable Christmas resort town, with Christmas competitions, and Fable’s sister’s Christmas Eve wedding. 💍

All my Favorite Romance Troupes:
❤️‍🔥 He falls first
⌚️ Billionaire football team owner, with rags to riches story
📸 Single dad, with tattoos
🎄 Lots of Christmas banter and innuendoes
💋 Mistletoe kisses, and more…
🫣 Jealous (and crazy!) ex boyfriend

I could not recommend this one more! And feel so honored to be an ARC reader. Be sure to snag this one when it releases, October 7th!🎄❄️💋🎁

Who doesn’t love a Christmas romcom story? This book felt like the coziest Christmas movie with a fake dating turned real plot, really fun banter, and some good spice. The MCs not only had great chemistry with each other but their loving and respectful relationships with their families, friends, and coworkers gave this book so much depth.

This is my first time reading a book written by Lauren Blakely and at times it felt like I was lost with all the references to characters and plots from her previous books. That being said, I love her writing and I know I will dive into her backlog and hopefully catch up with all these characters.

As always, thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved how much fun these two had. The chemistry was great, but the respect was even better. There was fun, playful banter, and a great group of supporting characters. It was a great read!

It was cute, but I wasn't vibing with the writing style as much as I had hoped. I ended up DNFing it around 20%. I did love the premise, but it felt like there was a lot going on at once, and I didn't connect with the characters as much as I had hoped.

I had the opportunity to re-read this one (thank you Netgalley for the ARC..6-2025) and I appreciated different things in the storyline this read through.

The way Wilder parents Mac, and Fable's growing connection with her hit harder the second time. Some of the secondary plots pulled me away from their romance, but my original feelings (stated in 11-2024): that this author does not disappoint, consistently writing books that I have a hard time putting down - and this fake dating, office, holiday read is just fantastic, still hold true today.

Wilder and Fable are very entertaining, with a great connection and steamy energy. It is a fun holiday read that I recommend adding to your Holiday reading schedule.
It definitely put me in a festive mood!!
Once done with this one, I recommend reading more from this talented author's catalog of work. Worth your time to do so.

I received a complimentary copy of this book (thank you) and happily leave my review.

This audiobook is wonderful! The full cast does not disappoint.

This book has wonderful Hallmark Movie vibes. So if you're looking for a comedic, steamy, holiday romance, this book is for you!

I was familiar with these MCs going into this book because they had been mentioned in Lauren Blakely's "Love and Hockey" series that had a few releases leading up to this book. But since my first reading of this story, I have gone even further back in the Lauren's catalog and have been delighted to see them pop up there as well!

This is my first book by this author and i absolutely loved it! Great flow, character development. I just wanted to keep reading it! Thanks for the ARC!

This was cute and man, do I wish it was winter already!!!
After almost giving up on the romance genre, this really surprised me.
This was cute but not in a roll your eyes kind of way.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love the fake dating trope, and this one delivered. Paired with a cozy winter setting, and it's set for an awesome holiday read.

Super cute cozy holiday rom-com. My first Lauren Blakely book and I'll definitely be reading more! Well developed storyline and characters, perfect spice with story ratio. A good read all around.

This was so much fun. A Christmas themed , he fell first, grumpy billionaire, fake dating, one bed, delight! It's a quick read and will have you laughing and cheering along the way. Spice is spicing. While it's a stand alone I would recommend reading Lauren's other books in the Love & Hockey series as many of the characters pop into this one.

Loved this book! Will be the perfect holiday book this year! A fake dating romance, swoony characters, reindeer games, and the Christmas spirit. So lighthearted, adorable and an absolute gem of a book!

A fun, festive, and slightly spicy holiday romance!
My Favorite Holidate by Lauren Blakely delivers a charming mix of humor, romance, and holiday spirit. Think: "spicy Hallmark movie."

Wilder is a billionaire, Fable is his employee, and their relationship unfolds in a fake dating setup—with bonus tropes like single dad and office romance. I did feel the book could’ve been a bit shorter, as some parts dragged and a few subplots weren’t really needed. But overall, it’s a solid holiday read that left me smiling.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the chance to read and review!

The perfect little holiday escape in the middle of summer! This festive romcom had me smiling, swooning, and already looking forward to my future Christmas reads. With fake dating, a sweet single dad, workplace shenanigans, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, it checks all the cozy romance boxes.

That said, it’s definitely a spicy one—🌶️🌶️🌶️—and I personally had to skip through some of the graphic scenes, which did take away from the experience a bit. BUT the audiobook? Absolutely fantastic! With a full cast of amazing narrators, including favorites like Erin Mallon, Jason Clarke, and Andi Arndt, it brought the story to life in the most fun and festive way! 🎧💕

I also really loved the heart behind the story—it wasn’t just laughs and spice. There were sweet, emotional moments woven in, especially around the single dad storyline, that added depth and warmth. The characters had great chemistry, and their journey from fake to real feelings felt natural and satisfying.

Plus, the holiday setting added just the right touch of magic and charm. If you’re in the mood for something lighthearted with a festive twist and top-tier audiobook narration, this is one to keep on your radar—whether it’s December or June! 🎅🏼📚✨

Sinopsis en español:

Se busca: multimillonario caliente para hacerse pasar por mi novio de Navidad. Debe estar dispuesto a poner celoso a mi ex infiel besándome bajo el muérdago en las fiestas navideñas. Bono si lo haces llorar".

Para sorpresa de Fable, su jefe multimillonario, Wilder Blaine, está más que dispuesto a asumir el desafío de interpretar a su novio de vacaciones. El sexy padre soltero necesita desesperadamente un plus uno para una boda de Nochebuena, donde él es el padrino y ella es la dama de honor. Con su ex también en la fiesta de bodas, los dos se unen como un par de insta-lovebirds para la temporada de vacaciones. Su asociación incluye participar en la competencia anual de Navidad de una semana de duración que conduce a la boda de destino nevada.

Lo que comienza como noches tardías elaborando las mejores bolas de palomitas de maíz para el concurso pronto se convierte en una noche apasionada juntos, donde las chispas entre ellas son imposibles de ignorar. Pero cuando terminen las vacaciones, ¿puede su romance en el país de las maravillas de invierno convertirse en algo real en la oficina? ¿O están destinados a ir por el camino de un árbol de Navidad el día de Año Nuevo?



Reseña: 3.5⭐️


Lo disfruté, pero es demasiado largo para el tipo de trama.