Release Blitz: Merry Little Kissmas: Lauren Blakely
Merry Little Kissmas
Lauren Blakely
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Performed in duet by Vanessa Edwin & Connor Crais with a FULL CAST
Signed & Personalized
October 28, 2025
October 28, 2025
Wanted: A fresh shot at love for the holidays. But fake dating my brother’s grumpy best friend? He’s my new client, for Santa’s sake!
As a professional matchmaker, my biggest job this holiday season should be simple: find a date for the sexy single dad hockey player—aka my brother’s best friend—for his team’s fancy Christmas Eve gala.
Sure Rowan’s hot as a crackling fire and spicier than a gingerbread man, but he hasn’t just sworn off romance. The Christmas hater has made a bet that I can’t find him a holidate.
What’s a matchmaker to do?
Win, of course. Even if it means fake dating the grinch myself to get him ready for the real thing.
Only…these fake dates at Christmas tree farms and hot cocoa competitions in the snowy small town of Evergreen Falls start to feel a little too real as I get to know the man behind the scowl. Somewhere between kisses under the mistletoe and a snowed-in night in his cabin curled up by the fire (where the stockings aren’t the only thing hung), I realize I’m in over my elf-loving head.
And when Rowan opens up to me at last about his painful past, I’m determined to give my brother’s best friend the holiday he deserves.
But what if the only gift I want him to unwrap this season is… me?
Tropes: Holiday romance, brother’s best friend, fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, small town, Christmas competition, matchmaker romance, workplace romance
Rowan Bishop is the Grinch who hates Christmas. But now his hockey team has conspired to get him a matchmaking package, whether he wants it or not. And that brings him in close proximity with his agent/best friend's sister, his secret crush, Matchmaker extraordinaire, Isla Marlowe.
Rowan is the grump to her sunshine. But she likes to take his pessimism and flood it with optimism, and she loves a challenge. She is determined to crack him open and find him someone to love. And ignore the slight little crush and attraction she has for him.
They have no business liking each other so much. They are not sure if they are frenemies or antagonists, but they do love the idea of a bet. And they are both determined to win. They have feisty and flirty banter, challenge each other, and thrive on bets, challenges, and games. They are competitive and love to one-up each other. But they also use it as armor to hide their vulnerabilities.
They have plenty of reasons why they should not entertain anything together. He is her client, and she is his best friend's sister. These two seem like opposites, but the more time they spend together, the more they realize they share some issues with trust and fear of being hurt again. But they also find they are compatible in some important and fun ways.
From bets to practice dates to fake dating and a magical holiday setting with many well-meaning wingmen and wingwomen, these two are Oh Oh Oh-ing all over Evergreen Falls in the guise of it being temporary and fake and getting it out of their systems. But there is his daughter, their families, and friends involved. And things are starting to feel all too real.
Can Santa give them the gift they both want for the holiday, but are afraid to ask for?
This is a grumpy Grinchy hero/Sunshine heroine, single dad, matchmaker and hockey player client, best friend's sister, fake dating, small town, Christmas love story. I am a sucker for a broody hero, and one who is a girl and dog dad just made me love him more. I loved seeing his little Grinchy heart start to grow and open up as he started spending time with her, and as he started to begin to trust again. And she is sweet, sassy, and his perfect match and challenge for him.
It’s all fun and games when it’s got the practice or fake excuse to feel safe, but being real involves vulnerability, trust, bravery, and being willing to take a risk, and there are other people involved.
It's naughty and nice and brings plenty of spice. Their rapport and chemistry are fantastic. They play off each other so well and enjoy fun bedroom games, and all kinds of outdoor fun. They bring out the best in each other, and the magic of a small town Christmas in Evergreen Falls is the perfect backdrop for a swoony and sexy holiday romance with the not-really-so-Grinchy hockey player and the Miss Christmas.
I loved seeing the characters as they took baby steps, trying to move forward from the past, but it’s not easy, and they’re not perfect. I loved his daughter Mia and her bright personality. Rowan was such a good dad, and a lot of his choices just related to him making sure he was doing the right things for her, and that’s not a bad thing.
This was just such a sweet, fun, banterrific, emotional, inspiring little bit of holiday magic with a side of personal growth. I absolutely adored these two together and was totally invested in their story. I loved seeing them challenge and one-up each other, and both evolve individually and together. Rowan‘s emotional growth arc was huge, not only embracing the ideas of love and trust, but also the holidays that have been traumatic for him. And the relationships with his daughter and all of their friends really added depth to the story. This is the perfect holiday pick-me-up to get you in the Christmas spirit and bring a smile to your face.
Isla is a matchmaker building her business and living her dreams. As Christmas approaches, she is ready to gear up for her favorite holiday traditions.
Rowan is a single father and professional hockey player. He used to love Christmas, but his holiday cheer left with his wife and now he puts on a perfunctory show for his daughter, but with reluctance. His teammates and friends put him up to finding a worthy date for the team’s gala and enlist a matchmaker to help him. He plays along, and as the game continues he finds himself wanting to spend more time with the matchmaker than the women he is being set up with and he proposes they fake date so that she can still work his case but he won’t have to actually date anyone.
A little fake dating during the holidays can’t hurt anything, can it? Especially if it makes all the people around Rowan happy. But he’ll have to convince Isla to go along with his plan.
This was a super cute holiday read with a Grinch/Cindy Lou Who take on grumpy/sunshine. Rowan and Isla are nearly opposites in their love for the holiday, and it takes a lot of effort on Isla’s part to convince Rowan to partake in festive tasks. But as they spend more time with each other, first for Isla to get to know what type of woman she should set Rowan up with and then as they navigate fake dating, Rowan’s thoughts on the holidays also begin to shift.
This has great banter, cute interactions, and fun holiday vibes throughout. There is a lot going on in the plot and there are several challenges standing in their path to happiness. I loved watching as these two navigated their relationship and the pacing they took along the way.
Lauren Blakely
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A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sexy, feel-good and witty. Her books have been featured in US Weekly and People. Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and she is the vegetarian at your dinner party.
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