Tropes: (mildly) forced proximity; enemies to lovers, opposites attract, fake dating. Fade to black. Zero spice.

==

Seventeen year old Tia's life is officially over. First of all, her boyfriend Mike- whose eighteenth she is planning - asks for space via text, and then her mum takes the family away to a *farm* in the middle of nowhere for the Christmas season.

Meanwhile eighteen year old Quincy, is reeling from a devastating breakup, and is throwing himself into his work at his family's farmstay business, and preparing to host the Winter Ball - the first time ever hosted by a Black family. (I love that all of the principal characters and most of the supporting characters are Black!)

So when city-girl Tia meets farmboy Quincy, sparks fly for all of the wrong reasons. Despite their differences, Tia and Quincy make a pact - for Tia to be Quincy's date for the prestigious Winter Ball in exchange for a ride back to London for the party. But while they fake-date in order to look legit, could they actually fall for each other for real?

This was a fun YA romcom full of holiday charm and sweet romance. Told from both the POV of both Tia and Quincy, we get to watch the romance unfold even though they are very different people. (As an aside, I also listened to the audiobook of this, and the narrators Kenton Thomas, Nneka Okoye were fantastic in bringing the characters to life!) The supporting characters - Tia's sisters Willow and Banks, and mum Tope, and Quincy's siblings Cam, Drew, and cousin Regal - are fully rounded characters in their own right, and I'd love to read more stories about these families.

The romance was fade to black, with kissing being the most on-page detail.

A delightful, wholesome, holiday read. Perfect for YA readers who want romance but are not looking for spice.

~ Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I also purchased the audiobook from Audible ~

This is such a cute holiday read! Whilst it was cheesy at times, the characters were likeable and it was a fun quick read.

I'm not a huge romance reader but really enjoyed this. An easy and cosy read. I enjoyed the plot and getting to know the characters.

I unfortunately could not finish reading this book. I found the story line a bit confusing and thought that some of the things said were a little inappropriate.

I adored this book. It's just the type of sweet rom-com-esque romance that I love.

There's fake dating, a runaway horse, a hot tub and a ball. What more could you ask for?

As this is YA, there's appropriately no spice. The story focuses on the build-up of the relationship and how Tia and Quincy find their way to each other. It's a very sweet story, and I was hooked from the first chapter.

I appreciated the author exploring the challenges of teenage relationships and the need for young people to be wary of seeking external validation and basing a relationship on reliance on the other person to prop them up. It's an important topic for young people to consider as they're learning to navigate romantic relationships, and Bello's approach is empathetic while still requiring her characters to do some soul-searching.

I'm learning that often, my favourite part of romance novels is the family dynamics, and this is no exception. Tia and Quincy have strong family ties, and their families play an important role in their story. It will always warm my heart to see positive parent-child dynamics presented in YA.

Overall, this was a cosy, fun and heart-warming romance that I would recommend without hesitating!

I don’t mind a YA usually but this one felt very young. Tia in particular felt much younger than 17. It felt longer than it needed to be and the first half dragged for me. I really loved the family dynamics. Both Quincy and Tia had really strong bonds with their siblings which was really lovely to read. The plot was pretty predictable but I don’t mind that when it comes to a cozy YA Christmas read. Overall it was a pleasant enough read but not one that I would consider rereading.

I loved the cover of this book. The characters represented Quincy and Tia well. It was an easy, feel-good read. I enjoyed the unique moment when the sheep ate the green coat and when Banks spilled the beans. It made me giggle out loud. I liked how both characters were hard-working and had good family values. Quincy is a good person, it would have been so hard to try to move past things with ex-best friend Simon and ex-girlfriend Kali. It felt like the novel was building up to a huge confrontation with drama. That occurred with Kali but I feel like it seemed too easy for him once he spoke to Simon. I would have liked a bit more of an ending as it seemed a bit abrupt. I would have liked to know their plan going forward.

I loved this book. I was really drawn in and fell in love with the characters. I definitely embarked on the journey of another feel-good young adult romance. The classic trope of fake dating intertwines seamlessly with authentic, loveable characters. The heartwarming quest for a happy ending for our main characters is irresistible, while the intriguing stories of two side characters add an extra layer of anticipation.

The novel was well-paced and the narrative is driven by Quincy and Tia, providing a rich and immersive experience. The story remains a compelling page-turner, effortlessly devoured in a single day. With its engaging plot, authentic character dynamics, and just the right touch of drama, this book was a 5 star for me and I would recommend it to all.

This is my first Abiola Bello and it certainly won’t be my last - I am currently downloading Love In Winter Wonderland as I write this! Tia and Quincy are everything you want to see in a #yaromance. They are kind, they are caring and they are both a little worse for wear at the hands of their exes. (Something that I am certain some older teens will empathise with!) Bello has such a strong voice for #youngadultfiction. She plays the fine line between naïvety/immaturity incredibly well, showing a respect for her teen readers. For instance, Tia’s gripes with the going to the beautiful countryside at the expense of her ‘on a break’ boyfriend could have gone too far down the bratty road, but Bello reigned it in and showed her leading lady’s true self, which is one that values her family and friendship despite being a little clouded by a boy. I urge you to pick this one up for all the warm and fuzzies, the cosy winterish moments, as well as the luxuriousness of a grand ball.