Could a fake relationship with your ex over Christmas in Scotland be the perfect opportunity for revenge—or a second chance at love? One woman is about to find out in this charming holiday romance from the author of Always, in December and A Winter Wish.

Melanie has not had a good year. Things are definitely not going as planned in her work life, her best friend has moved to the other side of the world, and her favorite bagel shop is closing down. But the real reason this year has been awful is because Finn, the man who she was sure was the love of her life, dumped her. In front of everyone. At his sister’s engagement party.

So when Finn shows up at her doorstep two weeks before Christmas asking if she’ll help him, her first instinct is to slam the door in his face—or punch him. But he has a proposal for her.

Finn wants Melanie to spend the week of Christmas with him. He has to face the holiday at a vacation cottage in the Scottish Highlands with his two perfect siblings who are happily paired off with their perfect partners. His mother is obsessed with the idea of a perfect Christmas—and to try and help, Finn may have told his mother he and Mel are dating again. All she has to do is come with him and pretend they’re back together.

Melanie may hate Finn, but she loves his mom. And with her own parents on a trip, it looks like the only way to spend the holiday with someone she cares about is to suffer through being around the person she despises most.

So Melanie agrees—on one condition. At the end of the week, Finn will allow Mel to publicly dump him—in front of his family—so she can get her dignity back and he can experience the same humiliation she felt.

As they embark on seven days with Finn’s family, Mel tells herself it’s only a week. She just has to pretend to still be in love with him. Until she starts to lose track of which feelings are fake, and which are for real…

At this point, Emily Stone has carved out a permanent spot on my holiday reading list. I’ve loved all her previous books, and now that I’ve officially read her entire catalog, I can confidently say this one is up there with my faves. I went in expecting a cute, Hallmark-adjacent enemies-to-lovers story with a little fake dating sprinkled on top. Instead, I got something richer, more thoughtful, and much more emotionally grounded.

Enemies to lovers is a tricky trope for me. It can get loud and petty fast, and nothing makes me check out quicker than two people spending half the book yelling at each other for no real reason. Thankfully, that is not the vibe here. Melanie and Finn aren’t cartoonishly angry; their history is real and complicated.

I’ll be honest. When I read the synopsis and saw that Mel agrees to go to Scotland with Finn and pretend they’re dating again, I immediately though, “Why on earth would she put herself through that?” But once the story digs into their past—and once Finn’s side of things comes forward—it clicks. The structure of the book is a huge part of why it works. Current-day chapters follow Mel as she tries (and fails) to stay emotionally detached, while flashbacks from Finn’s point of view fill in the gaps of what went wrong.

It’s a clever setup because it lets the reader understand both sides without making either character the villain. Everyone gets to be messy, flawed, and human. And that makes their chemistry hit harder than any standard rom-com banter.

The emotional tone of the book is classic Stone. There’s heartbreak, humor, affection, complicated grief, and that sigh-inducing sweetness that never feels forced. And while this is definitely a romance, it doesn’t behave like a formulaic rom-com. It’s more about rebuilding trust, understanding each other’s wounds, and figuring out what forgiveness actually requires. The romantic payoff feels earned because the work comes first.

As always with Stone’s books, the heart of the book is in the characters. Mel is layered and funny, even when she’s hurting. Finn is charming in that slightly infuriating way that makes you understand why she fell for him in the first place. And Finn’s family? Absolute scene-stealers. Warm, chaotic, loving, and very relatable. Every scene with them feels like being wrapped in a wool blanket and handed a plate of holiday cookies.

I listened to the audiobook, and Rebecca Norfolk brings the entire cast to life. Her pacing is perfect, and she nails each emotional turn. The voices feel natural and distinct, and she keeps the momentum going even in the quieter scenes. If you’re looking for a good holiday audio while wrapping gifts or baking, look no further.

By the end, I wasn’t just rooting for Mel and Finn. I believed in them. Their relationship feels like something that grew back stronger, not something taped together for convenience. Their connection felt real rather than cookie cutter and I loved it.

If you’re craving a Christmas romance with depth, humor, a big-hearted family, and characters who feel like actual adults dealing with actual emotions, this is a fantastic pick. It’s warm, layered, funny, and surprisingly moving. Exactly what I would expect from an Emily Stone book. I adored it.