Fa-La-La-La Faking It by Teri Wilson
Published by: Harlequin Special Edition
Publication Date: Oct 22 2024
Series: A Comfort Paws Romance Book 2
Genres: Contemporary Romance / Holiday Romance
Pages: 272
Format: eARC
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

It’s beginning to look a lot like kiss…er…Christmas!

Matchmaking services as a Christmas gift? No thank you! It’s bad enough that, to save her grandmother’s feelings, Adaline Bishop fibs and says she’s seeing someone. It’s worse when Jace Martin, her grade school crush turned nemesis, volunteers that he’s the someone. Now Adaline will have to fake it until Jace’s flannel-shirted, piney-scented goodness leaves town in a couple of weeks.

Jace would like to make up for his past transgressions and for his elderly uncle’s meaner-than-the-grinch behavior during Adaline’s therapy dog visits. In the spirit of peace and goodwill toward all, Jace will happily be her fake boyfriend. It’s just that what began as a lie as big as Texas is starting to feel like the magic of a Christmas wish come true.

From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness

My Review and Reflections

Adaline Bishop owns the local bakery, Cherry on Top, where she sells pies, cakes, and other sweet treats. She is also the proud owner of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Fuzzy, who is a therapy dog in training for the volunteer organization, Comfort Paws, which she co-chairs with friends. Twice a week, she takes Fuzzy to the senior living center where they provide support for those in the extended care unit where 24-hour care is needed, including for Adaline’s grandmother.

On their route, they visit Room 212 where Mr. Martin, the grumpy old man with no Christmas spirit resides. Stepping outside of Mr. Martin’s room, Adaline runs into Jace Martin, who happens to be the great-nephew of Mr. Martin. Or, Uncle Gus, as Jace knows him. Pretty quickly, Adaline notices the resemblance to t.the boy she met, who tormented her in fifth grade, and realizes that it is, in fact, him. Slowly, Jace comes to the realization that Adaline is the girl he had a crush on in fifth grade. The only year Jace attended school in Bluebonnet. He can’t figure out why Adaline is so cold toward him.

Adaline wants nothing to do with Jace. Her fifth grade year was horrible because of him and she just can’t let it go (clearly). And things aren’t looking too good now. Despite her good nature and the desire to care for others in any way she can, she draws a hard line in extending those feelings to Jace. When Jace sets up a Christmas Tree Lot in the county square after she’d wooed the mayor into letting her use it for the Holiday fundraiser to secure a building for Comfort Paws, her feelings just got more heated—and not in a positive way. But cash and an actual permit go a lot further than a good pie. No matter how good it is. Jace goes out of his way to make it up to Adaline, even though he did nothing wrong other than be a normal fifth grader many years ago. One day, as he is trying to thaw out his ice cold uncle Gus -Jace has a lot of chilly people around him – he hears Adaline telling what is clearly a lie to her Gram about an imaginary boyfriend who will attend her brother’s wedding with her. Well, if it’s a boyfriend Adaline needs, a boyfriend she will have. Adaline, who is a terrible liar because it’s not something she normally does, has no choice but to go along with it. Less she hurt her Gram which is not something she is willing to do.

It’s easy to get lost in the book, except for the fact that the dog was always in the bakery—how is that not a health department violation? Because of this, you’re reading along, and you should know it’s coming by the title Fa-La-La-La Faking It, but you get so engrossed in the story that you think you’re reading an enemies-to-romance trope, and…bam!…it hits you.You do this wild hand-clapping thing that you do when you’re so overjoyed about something (okay, maybe that’s just me) and become giddy that the big moment is here. The fake relationship trope. And then you rush to your computer to type this part of the review because you do not want to forget all the feels (just me, again?). This is what a great Christmas story is. This is what Christmas movies are made of. Harlequin, are you listening?

Side note: I may have also gone to Instagram at this point to seek out Teri Wilson, subscribe to her newsletter, and quietly do my author stalking so I can read every book she writes, share it in my stories, and comment on it. For someone who claims not to have a TBR, it’s getting pretty long. Also, why do these authors not follow me back? Fear? Hmmm, I kinda get that.

I really loved that Adaline is a baker, and there was so much talk about baking, pies, flavors, and smells. Jace has a Christmas tree farm, and there’s a lot of talk about the smell of trees and lumberjack scents. And, non smell related, how Jace reminded everyone of the Brawny paper towel man. Even I find it hard not to fall for a fictional character that is described this way. Luckily, my husband is not a jealous man.

The book wasn’t all light-hearted, fake-romance fun. It is ripe with Christmas themes – redemption, family, and even loss. Uncle Gus’s story is touching and provides a realistic view of how some people may be when they have reached the end-of-life stage and have not opened their hearts to others.

If you enjoy Hallmark movies like The Christmas Contract or Marry Me at Christmas you’ll enjoy reading this book. Romance book lovers who enjoy childhood friends-to-romance, small town romance, and fake relationship tropes will love this book. Oh, and Christmas lovers. Overall, a wonderful five-star read.

Which do you enjoy more:
Christmas, baking, or Brawny Paper Towels?

Thank you to Harlequin Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.