The Holiday Hoax

ReRead November 2022

Probably more of a 3.5 rounded up this go around.

Still can take or leave fake dating - though I do like the friends fake dating and accidentally catching feelings. Which this is not because Evan didn't really know JD existed before the start of the story. (Just vaguely ‘I think you're in my dorm.') (I theorize that JD not only knew Evan existed - as he admitted - but that he was also a little infatuated with him.)

I like how sweet and chill both boys are, I don't like the fact that JD isn't just fake dating, but is actually ‘pretending' to be the ex, Tyler, to Evan's family. I like the epilogue being a year later so we can see how slow they took things, which was also good.



Original Review

I will admit, I'm not usually the biggest fan of fake dating. I've read it in fan fiction (where it seems to always crop up) and I kind of view it as a means to angst and misunderstandings. This book, however, is very angst free, and filled with actual conversations instead of misunderstandings. Being honest, I mostly read it because I loved Evan's voice from the preview. He's got such a big heart and a bad habit of giving it away to the worst people. Until he doesn't and seeing how good he and JD are for each other was really nice. Kind of adore the fact that his family celebrates both Hanukkah and Christmas, too.