August 29, 2022
A sparkling winter wonderland, quirky family traditions, and a messy “love trapezoid” make the yuletide gay in this earnest queer rom-com from Cochrun (The Charm Offensive). The previous Christmas, anxious aspiring animator Ellie Oliver spent one magical day stranded in a Portland, Ore., snowstorm with a gorgeous woman, Jack, who she’s pined for ever since. This year, Ellie’s holidays look far grimmer. She’s lost her animator job and she’s on the brink of losing her apartment—until the landlord of the coffee shop where she now works, the stunning Andrew Kim-Prescott, offers her a deal: if she’ll marry him to help him access his $2 million inheritance, he’ll give her 10% of the money. But first, she must pose as his fiancée at a weeklong family Christmas celebration. Ellie’s genre-savvy enough to know that fake dating often ends in real love and she’s excited to finally move on—until Jack walks through the Kim-Prescott’s door. Turns out, she’s Andrew’s sister, and her best friend, Dylan, is Andrew’s ex. Sparks fly between these mismatched couples against a backdrop of cozy holiday cheer. Cochrun can go a bit heavy on the exposition, but it’s delightful to watch this clever spin on the fake dating trope unfold. This is a winner. Agent: Bibi Lewis, Ethan Ellenberg Literary.
March 1, 2023
Last Christmas, Ellie Oliver had a Christmas fling with a mysterious woman named Jack. Ellie felt on top of the world, newly transplanted to Portland and working a dream job. Now she's jobless, loveless, and depressed. When a chance encounter with her landlord, Andrew, leads to a marriage of convenience, Ellie is shocked to discover that her mysterious woman is, in fact, Andrew's sister. Cochrun's (The Charm Offensive) latest is a sexy Christmas romance with not just a love triangle but a "love trapezoid," composed of Ellie, Andrew, Andrew's ex, and Jack. Natalie Naudus narrates this slightly steamy audio, providing lively characterizations and tapping into the novel's smart banter and momentum. The relationships between the characters will keep listeners engaged and hoping for a happy ending for all. The novel offers a sensitive representation of what it is like to live with generalized anxiety disorder, all the while showing that a person can be more than their diagnosis. VERDICT This joyful queer holiday novel delights. Share with fans of Christina Lauren's In a Holidaze or Casey McQuiston's One Last Stop.--Elyssa Everling
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.