Lizzie Huxley-Jones

This book. I loved it.

All the unlikely-yet-predictable shenanigans of a Christmas rom-com with lovable characters - not just the leads - and a steady flow of awkward/funny/snarky/yearning dialogue.

Haf (it's Welsh) is in her late twenties. She runs social media for an animal welfare group and is still wounded after a painful breakup. She is "plus size" and identifies as bisexual. Author Lizzie Huxley-Jones tells us Haf is autistic and dyspraxic (both undiagnosed and never mentioned in the novel, though observable in Haf's actions).

Haf and her flatmate, Ambrose (pronoun: "they", influencer), crash a Christmas party where she meets Christopher. They immediately 'click', though not romantically/sexually. When a rom-com misunderstanding™ leads Christopher's ex to believe they are a couple, Haf agrees to accompany Christopher home for Christmas with his family in the traditional rom-com role of fake girlfriend™.

Shenanigans ensue. Everyone is a joy to spend time with - well, everyone but Christopher's ex's rebound guy, who is an irredeemably terrible human being.

And we know, because it is written on the book cover, that Haf will fall for Christopher's sister. Because of-course.

This book kept me grinning and chuckling through a mostly sucky time of year, and I've told my wife she has to read it immediately.

This is Lizzie Huxley-Jones' first published romance. I can't wait to read whatever she comes up with next.

Very highly recommended!… (meer)