Rating: 4🌈
Author Keira Andrews rings in the holidays with the third in her Festive Fakes series, The Christmas Veto. Another in with a fake boyfriend theme, it has connected characters from the first story in this series, The Christmas Deal, which brings a special treat and holiday continuity.
Reid Cabot’s grandmother, matriarch of their wealthy family’s business, is still trying to fix Reid up with a suitable old money society girlfriend, thinking his bisexuality is just a phase that will fade away.
Reid’s solution is a fake boyfriend for the holidays. His younger brother’s best friend, Connor Lisowski, to be exact.
Connor’s is younger, someone who crushed hard on Reid growing up. And accepts for his own reasons.
Andrews’ storylines pulls together several themes, including first times, as well as fake boyfriends and sets it all down in well known New York City locations, made moving and fabulously beautiful by the season of Christmas. Whether it’s the well known High Line or the Carousel, the scenes with Reid and Connor are richer by their location.
Connor’s issues with coming out, considering he has two dads, are less clear because his problems with his biological father aren’t clearly stated here until the end. I found some of his background a little lost here.
The relationship between the two men is lovely. The author is able to build real connections between them, establishing a chemistry the reader can believe in.
The story moves forward pretty quickly, the few secrets that are held back from the beginning are revealed, and the holiday scenes are the heartwarming moments you want and expect from this author and Christmas romances. That includes a happy epilogue that leaves you feeling satisfied with the story and characters.
If you’re looking for a holiday story or three, check out the Festive Fakes series below. Absolutely charming holiday stories.
Festive Fakes:
✓ The Christmas Deal #1
✓ The Christmas Leap #2
✓ The Christmas Veto #3
Buy Link:
The Christmas Veto (Festive Fakes)
Blurb:
Can fake dating lead to true love?
My name’s Connor Lisowski, and here’s what you need to know about me:
I’ve had a massive crush on my best friend’s older brother since high school.
Everyone thinks I’m straight.
I have two dads but I’m afraid to come out.
I’ve never even been kissed.
And somehow, I’ve been roped into pretending to be Reid’s boyfriend for the holidays. Who’s Reid, you ask? Only the aforementioned best friend’s older brother who never looked at me twice.
Until now.
The Christmas Veto by Keira Andrews is a gay Christmas romance featuring fake boyfriends, a bisexual king in a designer suit, first times, and of course a happy ending. Connor first appears in The Christmas Deal, but this novel can be read as a standalone
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 