The Christmas Swap

After a painful breakup with her long-term girlfriend, Margot Murray is in no mood for a holiday romance. However, when her friend Ben, awkward and unable to live up to his family’s expectations, asks Margot to be his fake girlfriend for the Christmas holidays, she agrees. Arriving at the manor for a two-week holiday, Margot immediately meets and falls for Ben’s sister, Ellie. Ellie knows something isn’t quite right with Margot and Ben’s “relationship” and sets out to discover what’s going on. When she discovers the truth, she and Margot quickly fall in love while still trying to keep up the charade. Samuels’s debut novel offers a merry little twist on the fake-relationship trope. This is the perfect holiday listen, offering a good-natured fake boyfriend and an appealing romance between Margot and Ellie. Kim Bretton narrates the confused and quirky Margot, balancing all sides of her character, while Emma Fenney’s narration of Ellie provides a perfect foil and makes the relationship believable. Though generally lighthearted, the novel also tackles some challenging topics, including emotional abuse and trauma.