4/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️

Thank you to Lauren, her publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of My Favorite Holidate!

This book was such a fun seasonal fake dating story! The FMC works for the MMC’s sports ball team as an apparel designer. They do not directly work together so they really ‘meet’ at a bridal shower. The FMC’s sister is marrying the MMC’s best friend.

The FMC catches her boyfriend at the time cheating on her with the caterer at the shower. The MMC’s aunt keeps trying to set him up and he really doesn’t want to be set up. They of course devise the fake dating plan. The FMC doesn’t have to deal with her ex at the wedding stuff, since he’s in the bridal party, and the MMC doesn’t have to deal with his aunt trying to set him up.

Over the course of the story we see them go from employee/employer to friends to more! All while being set in the backdrop of Christmasy activities and wedding stuff.

Lauren knows how to write a good romcom. She also knows how to write some good spicy spice!! I have read so much by Lauren and this is a fun one I highly recommend you pick up for the holidays!

I also had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook. The audio features a full cast of veteran narrators. Samantha Brentmoor voices the FMC and Jason Clarke voices the MMC. They are two of my favorites and really did a phenomenal job bringing this story to life.

Super cute book loved everything about it and I will definitely be rereading it during Christmas time will be recommending it to everyone

Solid 4 ⭐️’s. My first book by this author, and won’t be my last. Thank you NetGalley for this e-ARC. My Favorite Holidate is a festive, feel-good romance packed with humor, charm, and sizzling chemistry. Lauren Blakely brings the holiday spirit to life through a sweet friends-to-lovers story that’s both cozy and sexy. The banter is sharp, the pacing is snappy, and the holiday setting adds an extra layer of magic. While the plot follows a familiar path, the characters’ connection and heartwarming moments make it a delightful seasonal read.

I thought this was a cute holiday romance with a small taste of sports. There are a lot of different characters in this book but I loved the two main characters wilder and fable. I will say that at times the book felt a little long and like it could have been shorter. Mac was also a fun part of the story

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with this novel for a review!

This book was very predictable.. boss sees employee in trouble with ex, they try to make him jealous by fake dating, blah blah.. I’ve read the storyline a million times so I knew exactly where this was going so no surprise there.. nothing new stood out and I found it really hard for the 2 main characters to even connect.. not much chemistry at all to me.

Wilder and Fable are so good together. I love Wilder because he is so sweet and romantic but also throws out the spice when it is time. I love their banter. I also love how Fable is so determined and driven and how she loves her family, real and found or made. They just fit together. I love how Mac and Bibi add so much depth and emotion to the story with their matchmaking skills. The secondary characters, like her sister Charlotte and his friend Leo just amp up the fun. Fable's ex is just a real jerk and he pushes the revenge arc to the next level. This book is well worth the time.

Who says we have to wait until December for a little Christmas magic? This story had me hooked right from the start. I’m weak for these tropes, and this book delivered on all of them.
Fable and Wilder both have scars left by their fathers, and it leaves them doubting if real love is something they’ll ever have. They fall for each other faster than they can admit, but keep trying to convince themselves it’s just pretend 🙃. When they finally stop fighting it? Pure payoff. And the way he claimed her like his own Christmas present? Perfection
Lauren Blakely is a must read, every single time!

Lauren absolutely never misses with her books!

This full length holiday romance is absolutely everything and more! It is told in first person dual POV. I had the pleasure to be able to immersive read this with the full cast duet narration brought to life by Samantha Brentmoor and Jason Clarke, along with some amazing voices to bring the really make the side characters stand out.

After Fable catches her boyfriend getting his candy cane wrapped in a back bedroom by the caterer, what's a girl to do but come up with a revenge plan with her boss to make him jealous? Wilder has been drawn to Fable, but as her boss (and her being off the market), he never wanted to cross the line. When the opportunity arises to play the holiday boyfriend, things couldn't fit better. Thank you meddling Aunt Bibi.

The banter we love from Lauren and the adult Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, there's no way that Christmas hasn't arrived in June. 10/10 recommend!

Vibes include a billionaire singe dad, he spoils her, one bed, revenge/fake dating, small town/workplace romance

Of all the billionaire romances I've read; I think Wilder may be my favorite. He's sweet, caring, a great dad, an amazing son, a hard worker, down to earth, bossy, but too bad he's fictional. Both Wilder and Fable were good main characters and had good chemistry and it was a sweet and steamy holiday romance.

I would give this book 3 stars. It had good characters, but the story felt like it was haphazardly thrown together.

*Billionaire boss
*Workplace romance
*Fake dating

I received a free copy of, My Favorite Holidate, by Lauren Blakely, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Fable and Wilder, weird names for a Christmas story, but there you go, are pretending to be in love for the holiday season. I found these characters a bit to immature for my liking.

My heart almost burst with happiness reading this fun romance. Character driven, fun, and amazingly plotted. Loved it.

5⭐️ 3.5🌶️ Christmas in June, YES PLEASE! I’m a sucker for every trope that this books has and I was sucked in from the first page! The pinning and longing for each other was so well written, you FEEL the angst and power behind their feelings.

Fable and Wilder both have trauma from their fathers that make it hard for them to believe love could be in their future. They fall for each other quickly and wage a mental battle because it’s fAkE 🙃 But we all love a good “F**k it” moment and boy oh boy did it deliver! He wrapped her up with a pretty bow and made her his own personal Christmas gift 🎁 🌲

PS- Screw Brody 🖕🏼

Had fun reading this. You have a billionaire, single dad, fake dating holiday romance with cute little tropes all sprinkled in.

Would have loved more detailed winter and Christmas scenes to REALLY plant me in the Christmas holiday. I read Christmas books year round because I’m obsessed with the holiday. Lights. Christmas lights need to twinkle everywhere!

The revenge arc on the ex was quite funny and satisfying. Would have loved to see Brady complaining about how far away his cabin was more often 😅. That would have made me giggle a lot.

Spice level: 🌶️🌶️
Rating: 3.5⭐️
Do I recommend?: yes

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me an ARC for my honest review!

If you're looking for a cozy, spicy holiday read with just the right amount of glitter, snark, and heart, My Favorite Holidate delivers a sleigh-full of festive fun and fake dating fireworks.

Sparks fly early, and the chemistry only builds as the two main characters team up for a week of small-town holiday competitions, mistletoe makeouts, and emotional slow burns. The banter is snappy, the tropes are lovingly embraced (single dad! fake dating! office romance! billionaire!), and the snow-kissed setting feels like stepping into a Hallmark movie with a much steamier script.

Wilder, while ticking all the billionaire boxes, comes with depth and vulnerability, especially when it comes to his kid. Fable is sassy, self-aware, and wonderfully imperfect. Their connection starts out as a strategic arrangement but slowly blossoms into something real, making the ending feel both satisfying and earned.

It leans heavily into Christmas and can be a bit cheesy at times but honestly, that's part of the charm. I’m here for the sugar, spice, and a touch of scandal under the tree. It’s cute and predictable and keeps you turning the pages with all of the tension and spice.

Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Emotional payoff: 🎄❤️
Would I recommend it? Absolutely—just add hot cocoa and fuzzy socks.

This would be a perfect read around the Christmas Holiday or winter in general.

Fable ends up fake-dating her billionaire boss when she finds her boyfriend cheating on her during a holiday party hosted by her boss, single dad, Wilder. Wilder is a great dad who doesn't let his money outshine his need to please and help.

The story is cute and full of winter time feels, but I personally feel as though it could have been shortened a little. Towards the end, I knew where the story was going and had to push myself to finish it.

Light, festive, and totally charming. Blakely brings the holiday magic with witty banter and a swoony romance. The plot was simple but effective, and the chemistry was top-notch. Perfect for fans of cheerful seasonal love stories.

My Favorite Holidate was a sparkling holiday romance that delivered everything I wanted in a festive rom-com: fake dating, crackling tension, a charming single dad, and enough holiday spirit to light up a small town.
Fable was feisty and relatable, and her banter with Wilder, her swoony billionaire boss, made the pages fly by. Their “pretend” relationship—full of mistletoe moments, late-night baking, and strategically placed popcorn balls—was the perfect slow build to something much steamier. And the Christmas competition setting added a playful backdrop that kept things light even when emotions deepened.
While the story leaned on familiar tropes, The witty writing and undeniable romantic tension made it feel fresh. The added short story at the end was a sweet bonus. If you’re in the mood for something spicy and swoony with a big holiday heart, this one was worth unwrapping.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Lots of holiday vibes, sparkle and shine. There are mistletoe moments, Christmas trees, cozy settings, festivities and parties. And some fake dating thrown in for fun. . This is a perfect Christmas in July read or holiday season read. The writing is a bit redundant and all over the place. The story could be tighter and more focused. From the first page there are a lot of characters without a lot of clarification as to how they are all connected. Try this book if you want a holiday read but be prepared that the story can be hard to follow. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

I love a good fake dating trope, and this one delivered in all the best ways. I was not a fan of the main character names but it didn't bother me much. This is my first time reading from this author. This was fun and flirty with just the right dash of spice. If you’re into fake dating with layers of holiday warmth, definitely give this a read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

This is a very long book with characters names that baffled me making
it difficult to become part of the festivities. I enjoy stories set in San Francisco,
but could not feel a part of this. There were too many things going on and
too late I realized I was at a disadvantage because I did not read any of the
previous stories.
While I would not recommend this to older readers, it’s probably something
younger women would enjoy, glitter and all!
My thanks to Atria for the download copy of this book for review purposes.