Another adorable Christmas book! Margot is a high powered businesswoman who has no interest in Christmas or frivolous relationships. Ben is sweet, loves Christmas and his family but he needs to bring a date home for Christmas to avoid questions. Margot has no where to go so she agrees to go with Ben. Usually you would think oh of course Ben and Margot are going to fall in love but not this time! Margot goes home with Ben and falls in love with his sister. This is a fun cast of characters and a cute Christmas story!
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Thank you #alcove #librofm and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

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I absolutely adored this holiday book! This book featured some of my favorite tropes and I loved the representation in this book. While it reads as a light, holiday romance there are some themes of emotional abuse that can hit hard.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the eARC! This was such a charming and fun holiday romcom, my favorite I’ve read so far this year. The characters felt realized and unique - I loved the family dynamics and the friendship between Margot and Ben and of course the relationship between Margot and Ellie, but most of all the growth the characters experienced. Reading this was utterly delightful between the laughs, meaningful character journeys and holiday setting. I simply adored this and will be seeking out other books by the author.

This was everything I wanted in a Christmas story and more. I loved every single second. And I can’t wait to read more by this author.

The Christmas Swap is a super fun, super sweet holiday rom-com. What I absolutely adored about this story is the depth of the characters - it dives into some topics that are a little heavier and not normally in holiday reads, and I think it truly adds something to the plot. I appreciated the way each sibling has a family stress, and how the story unfolds Margot’s realization of her ex’s abuse, while also maintaining the holiday cheer and Christmas vibe the story starts with. I adored this story and will be recommending to all my bookstagram followers to read.

The Christmas Swap was a sweet holiday read that starts out the way many a holiday books do: a pact.

While the storyline intrigued me at first, the more I read, the harder of a time I had following along. One thing I struggled with particularly was the back and forth of the dual POVs.

The book really picks up at about 50% and really takes off. I thought it tackles some deeper themes well and appreciated the cheesiness and lightness of this holiday read.

*3.5 stars*

The Christmas Swap follows Margo and Ellie. Margo is a lesbian who decides to fake date Ben, who needs someone to go home with for the holidays. Margo, having no other plans and being newly single takes up his offer where she meets his also lesbian sister. Margo feels instant attraction but there’s a central problem, she’s supposed to be dating her brother.

This story was very simple and cute. It had an overall good message and Margo and Ellie were very cute. My critiques is that it felt a little bit too long in the beginning and then the ending felt rushed. The pacing could have been better but it was still cute. I recommend this to anyone looking for a good lighthearted queer romance :)

this was perfectly fine and an enjoyable read. i probably wont think about it ever again but im not mad i read it! a cute, cozy, closed-door sapphic christmas romance if that's something you're in the market for.

3.5 stars!
The description of this book made me wary because it sounded a lot like another sapphic Christmas romcom that came out last year (even with one of the same character names). I’m sure that wasn’t on purpose, but it made me wary nontheless. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how different the books ended up being despite the same premise of going home for Christmas with your fake boyfriend only to fall in love with his sister. This book was charming, swoony, and delightfully British. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the ARC. I will definitely be recommended this book to my friends for a fun holiday read.

Unfortunately, this is going to be a DNF for me. While I found the narration easy to flow through and therefore enjoyable, it's gotten to the point where the stakes are boring and I no longer care about the characters or the romance.

First time reading Talia Samuels and I enjoyed it for the most part. I am always down to read a good ole Christmas romance and of course anything with queer characters! But I felt this book lacked a promising emotional depth, so it didn't quite hit the mark for me. Would still highly recommend it!

thank you so much netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel! this is the first book by talia samuels i have read and it won't be the last! i really enjoyed this story and how it all came together. although i did feel like the end of the story was rushed, i did enjoy this whole book. i really liked the grandpa character and the family in general. i read this in one sitting and enjoy that it wasn't like a typical lgbtq book, it all seemed so natural.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Alcove Press for the gifted e-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

Read this book if you like: Dual POV, fake dating, boyfriend's sister (kind of)

This is a light, easy holiday read. I liked Margot and Ellie together. The characters were funny and engaging. The beginning was a bit rocky for me. The ending worked out perfectly. I highly recommend it!

Thank you to LibroFM, Alcove and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

It was so lovely to discover that this was a British holiday romance when the audiobook started out. It was just a lovely, cozy and very Hallmark esque read. Highly recommend reading as an audio the narrator was excellent

The perfect fun and heartwarming rom-com to kick off my holiday reads! I loved the premises so much; fake dating only to then fall for your fake boyfriend’s sister! This book has the perfect magical English country-side holiday setting, great tension/banter, opposites attract, and fun family holiday traditions. I did a tandem read with my digital e-arc and the alc audiobook from LibroFM and was thoroughly immersed. It was a lighter predictable rom-com, but that didn’t take away from the fun.

well that was cute. There was a fake dating, sapphics, and miscommunication. There was no spice, but lots of cute romance. I will read more from Samiels.

Fake dating seems so difficult and especially if you don't know the other person that well and are not even straight. But you think his sister is hot right when you meet her.
Though said sister already thinks something is up because of sister telepathy. They are going along pretty well but his sister thinks she’s a golddigger. Until they both stumble upon the fact that they are attracted to each other. Then they start to get closer.
This was a cute sapphic holiday romance with some fun family moments and cute reconciliations at the end.

3.75 stars
Thank you alcovepress for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Cute holiday love story. It’s the classic guy needs date for holiday party with a twist. Instead of the fmc falling for him she falls for his sister. I think I really got into the book halfway through. The beginning was so much back and forth pov that I wasn’t feeling it. The second half has more romance and picks up. It still doesn’t really do a clear job of giving us much character development.

I did not enjoy The Christmas Swap. It totally fell flat for me. The characters were somehow boring and dramatic at the same time. Super disappointing read.

3.5 stars

3.14 on CAWPILE

this was a sweet, sapphic, christmas romance. i'm generally a fan of a while you were sleeping esque falls for your fake partner's sibling, and this did what needed what needed to be done. i enjoyed margot's character as well as her storyline but found ellie to be okay. there was a surprising amount of hijinks throughout the book that bogged down the plot at time. over all, this was an okay read for me. i would recommend for anyone looking to get in the christmas mood a little early this year.