Stars falling down and I fell for you: THE CHRISTMAS SWAP.

The Christmas Swap by Talia Samuels
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

At first I thought THE CHRISTMAS SWAP was destined to disappoint me like so many other holiday stories, but it managed to redeem itself. Sweet, nerdy Ben Gibson hasn't had much luck in serious relationships, much to the consternation of his family, which encourages perfection. So he asks Margot Murray, who recently designed his company's website, if she'd mind accompanying him to his family's beautiful country house (which doubles as a B&B) and posing as his fake girlfriend. Dealing with her own relationship drama, Margot happily say yes as she's eager to get away from the city. Ben and Margot make great friends, but Margot quickly realizes she has major romantic feelings for a different Gibson: Ben's sister, Ellie.

Told in a back and forth POV from Margot and Ellie, SWAP is a bit repetitive at first as we see events through both Margot and Ellie's eyes. At first, this looks like it's going to be a story filled with characters who do not communicate and lack common sense (ok, this may be a theme throughout). Ellie immediately makes a (wrong) snap judgement about Margot and then vacillates in her feelings about her in a very annoying and unhinged way. What follows is a series of bad decisions and miscommunications that made me cringe.

Luckily, around halfway through, the book picks up, as Ellie wises up a bit and we gain more insight into Margot's history. The book deals well with some serious topics, such as emotional abuse and anxiety about expectations, which I really appreciated. It's very festive; I wouldn't read it hungry, as it describes delicious food quite well! By now, things are predictable and silly, but in a good way. Margot and Ellie have a cute chemistry, and as we get to know them, it's easier to realize that they are not making their bad decisions maliciously.

There's no deep character development here, perhaps with the exception of the little exploration into Margot's past relationship, but I grew to care for everyone, including some fun side characters, like Ben's grandpa and other sister. And, of course, it's always fun to see a lesbian holiday romance. Oh, and there are cute dogs! Overall, a fun holiday read, especially if you like that sort of thing. 3.5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Alcove Press and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.

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