by Meghan Quinn
First published 2024
Cole Black wants to spend winter hiding from the Christmas celebrations that consume Kringletown. His neighbors deck their homes with decorations and fill the streets with carols, but Cole prefers solitude. His plans crumble when Storee Taylor moves next door to help her Aunt Cindy. Storee brings chaos to his quiet world and announces she will compete in the town Christmas Kringle contest to honor her aunt. Cole refuses to let her win. He teams up with his friend Max to enter the competition himself. His strategy requires pretending his heart has transformed and he has fallen for the girl next door. Storee must play along to keep her chances alive. Their fake romance begins heating up as the contest intensifies. Soon they hide real feelings from Aunt Cindy while battling each other for the title. The competition grows fierce and their relationship grows complicated. One night threatens to destroy everything they have built.
Genres: romance, christmas, comedy, contemporary-romance
Vibes: emotional, intimate, whimsical
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating
Setting: Kringletown
480 pages · Paperback · Bloom Books