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joonswifey's review
4.0
i wish i didn’t love fake dating, christmas, and cliche jock x nerd stories so much because it’s embarrassing how much i loved this. this was so bad it was glorious. it was like to all the boys i’ve loved before without the personality and culture, half the story, and double the cringe. absolutely wonderful. please give me this life. i would love a hot man to fall in love with my nerdy self.
jeannie_riley's review
4.0
I enjoyed the fake relationship turned love trope, but the characters did seem to be written a little older than they actually were. It may have been better featuring young adults instead of teens. Still, overall a cute story story and a fun read!
saradavcamp's review
5.0
Hot and sweet, very romantic
Super cute high school story. He’s a jock who seems like a jerk. She’s a weirdo who’s into retro fashion and everything. But they are perfect for each other. Very romantic story. Clean, but with enough kissing to keep things exciting.
Super cute high school story. He’s a jock who seems like a jerk. She’s a weirdo who’s into retro fashion and everything. But they are perfect for each other. Very romantic story. Clean, but with enough kissing to keep things exciting.
lissajean7's review
4.0
Light and fun
A solid 3.5 stars. I would've loved more depth out of him--there was certainly the family circumstance to warrant it--because as it was there was not quite enough jerkface to sweetheart moments to be believable. That aside, I really enjoyed it. It was cute and sweet and light and fun, just was I was looking for.
A solid 3.5 stars. I would've loved more depth out of him--there was certainly the family circumstance to warrant it--because as it was there was not quite enough jerkface to sweetheart moments to be believable. That aside, I really enjoyed it. It was cute and sweet and light and fun, just was I was looking for.
mrsmar10thereader's review
4.0
Fake to Real Love
This was the cutest quick read. Imagine being the star quarterback stuck in the hospital over Christmas break, injured, no family, no friends, and your girlfriend just broke up with you! In walks this weird Christmas obsessed candy-striper that doesn’t have time for your crap. What do you do...make a plan to get her to be your fake girlfriend together your old girlfriend back. Things may not end the way you want it.
This was the cutest quick read. Imagine being the star quarterback stuck in the hospital over Christmas break, injured, no family, no friends, and your girlfriend just broke up with you! In walks this weird Christmas obsessed candy-striper that doesn’t have time for your crap. What do you do...make a plan to get her to be your fake girlfriend together your old girlfriend back. Things may not end the way you want it.
auburnedge's review
5.0
Get ready for sweetness
It's that time of year. Where you find yourself reading cheesy and gushy holiday romances. Not a care that they are predictable and not really realistic. This is one of those and the read is so worth it. It's a feel good happy romance perfect for Hallmark movie lovers!!
It's that time of year. Where you find yourself reading cheesy and gushy holiday romances. Not a care that they are predictable and not really realistic. This is one of those and the read is so worth it. It's a feel good happy romance perfect for Hallmark movie lovers!!
lenoreo's review
4.0
https://celebrityreaders.com/2019/11/14/the-candy-cane-kiss-by-maggie-dallen/
4.5 stars — OK, so the oddest thing is that this book contained a jerk hero too, and yet I loved it so much more than the previous book I just finished reading. I mean, I was worried when I started it and Lucas was HARSH with a capital HAR. And not just in his meanspirited taunts and comments, but inner thoughts as well. But the thing this book got right is that there was depth to him…there was guilt when he said these things when he thought he hurt her, he was just kind of a selfish guy so his own emotional moments trumped others. I’m still not completely sold on the mean people suddenly being less mean thing (Blake anyone?)…something felt a bit too easy in there. I’m not sure if it was unreliable narrators in Lucas and Lola, but something just wasn’t quite believable. Hence why it’s not bumped up a half star (though part of me wants to anyways) (and apparently I will by the end of this review).
But I did buy some of Lucas’s transition. Was it fast? You bet…it was YA fast, you know? Just like their feelings were fast. But if you can set that aside, I feel like Lola challenging Lucas really was what he needed to get out of his own head and stuff. Somehow this author just made it work.
And the thing I loved was that it wasn’t Lola is the best and somehow “fixed” Lucas. She had her own hangups, and even though they were being a bit mean to each other, I loved when they each called the other on their shit. I loved how it made them both open their eyes to how they could be better. They truly were a couple that was better together, that brought out the best in one another.
And I really loved Lola. I totally agreed with Lucas’s observations of her holding herself back and above others, but I loved that she didn’t change who she was intrinsically. She still loved what she loved and wouldn’t let anyone get to her. Her backbone was surprisingly admirable. There were so many moments where someone was mocking her, and I would have been crying, but she just like burns them back in a different way. It was kind of great.
And the two of them together…while it took me a minute to get over them teasing each other because I’m a sensitive soul, I kind of loved that they had that snarky banter together. And I truly felt their chemistry. I truly believed Lucas came to care for her, and that she saw past his flaws to the more inside.
Some interesting secondary characters, from friends to ex-girlfriends to Lola’s epic Grandpa.
Ah screw it. I’m going to bump this up to 4.5. While there were moments that made me cringe, I was really impressed with how the author massaged all of that and made me believe in their redemption. That deserves an extra half a star.
4.5 stars — OK, so the oddest thing is that this book contained a jerk hero too, and yet I loved it so much more than the previous book I just finished reading. I mean, I was worried when I started it and Lucas was HARSH with a capital HAR. And not just in his meanspirited taunts and comments, but inner thoughts as well. But the thing this book got right is that there was depth to him…there was guilt when he said these things when he thought he hurt her, he was just kind of a selfish guy so his own emotional moments trumped others. I’m still not completely sold on the mean people suddenly being less mean thing (Blake anyone?)…something felt a bit too easy in there. I’m not sure if it was unreliable narrators in Lucas and Lola, but something just wasn’t quite believable. Hence why it’s not bumped up a half star (though part of me wants to anyways) (and apparently I will by the end of this review).
But I did buy some of Lucas’s transition. Was it fast? You bet…it was YA fast, you know? Just like their feelings were fast. But if you can set that aside, I feel like Lola challenging Lucas really was what he needed to get out of his own head and stuff. Somehow this author just made it work.
And the thing I loved was that it wasn’t Lola is the best and somehow “fixed” Lucas. She had her own hangups, and even though they were being a bit mean to each other, I loved when they each called the other on their shit. I loved how it made them both open their eyes to how they could be better. They truly were a couple that was better together, that brought out the best in one another.
And I really loved Lola. I totally agreed with Lucas’s observations of her holding herself back and above others, but I loved that she didn’t change who she was intrinsically. She still loved what she loved and wouldn’t let anyone get to her. Her backbone was surprisingly admirable. There were so many moments where someone was mocking her, and I would have been crying, but she just like burns them back in a different way. It was kind of great.
And the two of them together…while it took me a minute to get over them teasing each other because I’m a sensitive soul, I kind of loved that they had that snarky banter together. And I truly felt their chemistry. I truly believed Lucas came to care for her, and that she saw past his flaws to the more inside.
Some interesting secondary characters, from friends to ex-girlfriends to Lola’s epic Grandpa.
Ah screw it. I’m going to bump this up to 4.5. While there were moments that made me cringe, I was really impressed with how the author massaged all of that and made me believe in their redemption. That deserves an extra half a star.
nataliesboooks's review
4.0
While not terribly Christmassy, the cute romance more than made up for the lack of holiday feels. I love fake dating schemes, and the chemistry between Lola and Lucas was great. I loved that she wasn’t afraid to give attitude right back to him. Also, for a novella, there was a surprising amount of character growth. I didn’t like Lucas at all at first, but he turned out to be such a sweetheart!
shellreadz's review
2.0
I don't like to give bad reviews, so I'm just going to say this book just wasn't for me. I needed romance and this just didn't cut it for me. I felt like he was a jerk and she was a little stuck up, and it was like I was reliving a high school moment which was a little totureous. Like what made him think that whatever he decides is "cool" will be what everyone in the school does!?! Ugh like I said high school flashbacks. I get that I was reading YA, but it could have been a cute holiday romance not a high school ego parade for a guy that thinks he's king of the school. The writing was fine and the grandpa in the story was enjoyable, but that's not enough for me.