My Favorite Holidate

A Christmas wedding leads to fake-dating shenanigans in bestseller Blakely’s steamy fifth How to Date romance (after The Accidental Dating Experiment). Jewelry designer Fable Calloway catches her boyfriend, Brady, cheating on her with the caterer at her family’s Thanksgiving dinner, but keeps the betrayal to herself so as not to ruin her sister Charlotte’s surprise engagement. She similarly refuses to allow her feelings to interfere with Charlotte’s destination Christmas wedding, even though Brady, now fully dating the caterer, is a groomsman and she’s the dateless maid of honor. Fable’s billionaire boss, Wilder Blaine, is the best man and needs to find a date to fend off the matchmaking efforts of his meddling aunt. So he and Fable agree to fake a relationship, setting up some ground rules, including an expiration date, in hopes of maintaining professional boundaries. Wilder also privately aims to show Fable how a man should treat her, and Fable hopes to help him loosen up. The chemistry between these two is electric, and it’s a joy to watch their romance unfold. Unfortunately, the story becomes mired in subplots surrounding both characters’ complicated family dynamics, slowing the pace and distracting from the merriment. Still, Blakely’s fans are sure to fall for the swoony central couple. (Oct.)