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My Christmas Boyfriend
After what is going down in history as the worst day of her life – so far – Annie Anderson, finds herself on a train heading home for Christmas.
Going against all the laws of travelling on British Rail, she strikes up a conversation with the angry man opposite. After downing his supply of brandy (residing in a convenient hip flask) they soon discover they have something in common.
He needs a girlfriend and she needs a boyfriend – for Christmas anyway.
In a haze of brandy fumes, she agrees to be his date to a family wedding. In return, he will accompany her home and play the role of her boyfriend for Christmas.
With no regard for her safety, armed only with Dutch courage, and her sense of adventure, she follows him into what can only be described, as the craziest Christmas ever.
Be prepared for Christmas overload.
A festive and funny Romance, with lots of bad behaviour and Christmas spirit.
Going against all the laws of travelling on British Rail, she strikes up a conversation with the angry man opposite. After downing his supply of brandy (residing in a convenient hip flask) they soon discover they have something in common.
He needs a girlfriend and she needs a boyfriend – for Christmas anyway.
In a haze of brandy fumes, she agrees to be his date to a family wedding. In return, he will accompany her home and play the role of her boyfriend for Christmas.
With no regard for her safety, armed only with Dutch courage, and her sense of adventure, she follows him into what can only be described, as the craziest Christmas ever.
Be prepared for Christmas overload.
A festive and funny Romance, with lots of bad behaviour and Christmas spirit.
283 pages, ebook
First published July 1, 2017
739 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
About the author
S.J. Crabb
33 books174 followersS J Crabb lives in the UK in the South of England and when she isn't writing feels pressured to go to the nearby Zumba class because apparently, that's what you should do these days.
She loves Krispy Kreme doughnuts, shopping and Florida.
You may also find her pretending she can act in her village drama group and she always wants to play the Fairy. One of her goals in life is to take a selfie without looking like she's escaped from somewhere and discover a filter that takes at least twenty years off.
Having tried every craft going she tried her hand at writing and discovered a new passion. If you love Romantic Comedy and happy endings these books may be for you.
She has featured in many bestseller charts on Amazon and her books have been enjoyed around the world.
You can follow her on the usual social media so head on over to her website and click on the links to follow. sjcrabb.com
She loves Krispy Kreme doughnuts, shopping and Florida.
You may also find her pretending she can act in her village drama group and she always wants to play the Fairy. One of her goals in life is to take a selfie without looking like she's escaped from somewhere and discover a filter that takes at least twenty years off.
Having tried every craft going she tried her hand at writing and discovered a new passion. If you love Romantic Comedy and happy endings these books may be for you.
She has featured in many bestseller charts on Amazon and her books have been enjoyed around the world.
You can follow her on the usual social media so head on over to her website and click on the links to follow. sjcrabb.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
December 6, 2018
Let me preface this review by saying I watched Netflix's Christmas Prince, and then I watched The Princess Switch the next day, so clearly I can take a lot. My threshold for trash is high. And yet, this, despite a very enticing (Christmas, pretend relationship, British railways) premise and a somewhat engaging first chapter bombed so badly, one star seems generous.
Let's start with details and work our way up to the big picture. First of all, no one has even proofread this blasted thing. Apostrophes are running wild here – plural of brandy is ‘brandy’s’, plural of ‘wedding’ is ‘wedding’s’ and there is even the mysterious ‘beggar’s belief’. What even…? Also, I’m no comma police but there are some basic rules that I even I try to stick to and this book occasionally looks like some incoherent internet comment with random punctuation. The whole thing is written in the first person and present tense that did my head in.
There are so many repetitions - certain phrases, sometimes even entire concepts and explanations pop out again and again. We hear the family has a tradition of buying one pound Secret Santa gifts to each other and then we hear it explained again and start to worry we live in some truly horror version of the Groundhog Day where we have to re-read that book every single day. And I’m sure other readers would join me in wishing the heroine would finally run her fingers through the hero’s hair and get it over with because if I had to read one more time how she really wanted to do it I was going to scream. Yes, we get it. The man is not follicly challenged.
Don’t even get me started on the heroine. She was an accountant who gets sacked on the very first page and we are supposed to believe it was unfair and every single colleague of hers was an asshole and/or an idiot. However, as we get to know Annie it becomes painfully obvious she is an actual moron who has never had one logical thought in her life, so I seriously doubt she could be even a half good accountant. Everything that can be misinterpreted, will be misinterpreted and she will overact and behave like a banshee. So how come does the gorgeous and successful Liam fall for her so hard? Simple. Liam is not an actual human being but a rather unsophisticated bot. His only job (other than being gorgeous and successful) is to tell Annie how gorgeous, smart, funny and full of personality she is. I mean, yeah, compared to a bot, maybe. Yes, people, that is all he does.
There is no real romantic development here. Annie just constantly pines for Liam and thinks about how ‘soon this will be over and he will go back to his glamorous life’. ‘What would he want with a girl like me?’ It’s such an excruciatingly boring pity party I wanted Annie to just get in the sea.
The whole set-up is unclear anyway. Whenever the ‘pretend relationship’ trope is used in romance novels/movies both parties must have very clear reasons to participate in the charade. I’ve no idea what Liam needed a pretend girlfriend for really. So he can take her to a family wedding where she can be humiliated and ridiculed? Yes. She meets Liam’s family who turn out to be truly toxic and malicious but somehow she is like “ah, wait until you meet my crazy family, you will regret this whole thing”. Annie constantly tells Liam he really ‘didn’t know what he signed up for.’ Yeah, Liam, wait till you meet Annie’s mother. She is really nice and likes The Famous Five a lot and named the dog Timmy. Holy shit, I hope you’re ready. Annie’s motivation for the charade is that her sister is bringing her boyfriend, so Annie doesn’t want to look like a failure. And she also talks about how she really doesn’t want to go there and dreads it. And then her family is perfectly nice, and from the moment she arrives she just talks about how much she loves them and loves being there and it’s really unclear how this family could possibly give her a hard time for not bringing a boyfriend for Christmas. That freaking neurotic Annie.
But the time with the family is well spent because Liam gets to see how caring Annie is, when she learns her little boy cousin wants a Barbie doll for Christmas. She is initially horrified of course, but soon it turns out the little boy just wants to exchange the doll for sexual favours from a girl in his school who wants that particular doll. Phew! You would think this would be a good time to explain to the little boy that you don’t exchange presents for sexual favours but the characters are so relieved the little boy isn’t gay or something that they miss this great educational opportunity.
Most of the plot and subplot make absolutely no fucking sense but eventually all ends well and the Hysterical Annie and Liambot live happily ever after.
And now come the spoilers because I just need to share these oddities with you.
It’s a very clean romance; all that happens are two kisses (and one of them is for show). Despite Liambot’s gorgeousness, Annie doesn’t have any sexy thoughts about him, and dreaming about running her hand through his hair is as salacious as it gets. On the other hand, though, there is a true cornucopia of truly bizarre sex subplots and episodes. I kept remembering more as I was writing them down. It's a very Puritanical sex obsession, that has no time for normal nice and healthy sex but plenty for the unhealthy kind.
There is probably more.
Let's start with details and work our way up to the big picture. First of all, no one has even proofread this blasted thing. Apostrophes are running wild here – plural of brandy is ‘brandy’s’, plural of ‘wedding’ is ‘wedding’s’ and there is even the mysterious ‘beggar’s belief’. What even…? Also, I’m no comma police but there are some basic rules that I even I try to stick to and this book occasionally looks like some incoherent internet comment with random punctuation. The whole thing is written in the first person and present tense that did my head in.
There are so many repetitions - certain phrases, sometimes even entire concepts and explanations pop out again and again. We hear the family has a tradition of buying one pound Secret Santa gifts to each other and then we hear it explained again and start to worry we live in some truly horror version of the Groundhog Day where we have to re-read that book every single day. And I’m sure other readers would join me in wishing the heroine would finally run her fingers through the hero’s hair and get it over with because if I had to read one more time how she really wanted to do it I was going to scream. Yes, we get it. The man is not follicly challenged.
Don’t even get me started on the heroine. She was an accountant who gets sacked on the very first page and we are supposed to believe it was unfair and every single colleague of hers was an asshole and/or an idiot. However, as we get to know Annie it becomes painfully obvious she is an actual moron who has never had one logical thought in her life, so I seriously doubt she could be even a half good accountant. Everything that can be misinterpreted, will be misinterpreted and she will overact and behave like a banshee. So how come does the gorgeous and successful Liam fall for her so hard? Simple. Liam is not an actual human being but a rather unsophisticated bot. His only job (other than being gorgeous and successful) is to tell Annie how gorgeous, smart, funny and full of personality she is. I mean, yeah, compared to a bot, maybe. Yes, people, that is all he does.
There is no real romantic development here. Annie just constantly pines for Liam and thinks about how ‘soon this will be over and he will go back to his glamorous life’. ‘What would he want with a girl like me?’ It’s such an excruciatingly boring pity party I wanted Annie to just get in the sea.
The whole set-up is unclear anyway. Whenever the ‘pretend relationship’ trope is used in romance novels/movies both parties must have very clear reasons to participate in the charade. I’ve no idea what Liam needed a pretend girlfriend for really. So he can take her to a family wedding where she can be humiliated and ridiculed? Yes. She meets Liam’s family who turn out to be truly toxic and malicious but somehow she is like “ah, wait until you meet my crazy family, you will regret this whole thing”. Annie constantly tells Liam he really ‘didn’t know what he signed up for.’ Yeah, Liam, wait till you meet Annie’s mother. She is really nice and likes The Famous Five a lot and named the dog Timmy. Holy shit, I hope you’re ready. Annie’s motivation for the charade is that her sister is bringing her boyfriend, so Annie doesn’t want to look like a failure. And she also talks about how she really doesn’t want to go there and dreads it. And then her family is perfectly nice, and from the moment she arrives she just talks about how much she loves them and loves being there and it’s really unclear how this family could possibly give her a hard time for not bringing a boyfriend for Christmas. That freaking neurotic Annie.
But the time with the family is well spent because Liam gets to see how caring Annie is, when she learns her little boy cousin wants a Barbie doll for Christmas. She is initially horrified of course, but soon it turns out the little boy just wants to exchange the doll for sexual favours from a girl in his school who wants that particular doll. Phew! You would think this would be a good time to explain to the little boy that you don’t exchange presents for sexual favours but the characters are so relieved the little boy isn’t gay or something that they miss this great educational opportunity.
Most of the plot and subplot make absolutely no fucking sense but eventually all ends well and the Hysterical Annie and Liambot live happily ever after.
And now come the spoilers because I just need to share these oddities with you.
It’s a very clean romance; all that happens are two kisses (and one of them is for show). Despite Liambot’s gorgeousness, Annie doesn’t have any sexy thoughts about him, and dreaming about running her hand through his hair is as salacious as it gets. On the other hand, though, there is a true cornucopia of truly bizarre sex subplots and episodes. I kept remembering more as I was writing them down. It's a very Puritanical sex obsession, that has no time for normal nice and healthy sex but plenty for the unhealthy kind.
There is probably more.
December 3, 2020
Kaut kā man nesanāk noķert Z-svētku fīlingu ar grāmatām pagaidām, vasarā izdevās labāk.
Šis varētu būt kārtējais britu rom-com, bet kaut cik baudāma ir pirmā nodaļa, diemžēl tālāk viss aiziet pa pieskari. Tāda sajūta, ka to ir uzrakstījusi vidusskolniece ar ne pārāk labām sekmēm gramatikā, bet toties lieliem, naiviem sapņiem par pasauli.
Šis varētu būt kārtējais britu rom-com, bet kaut cik baudāma ir pirmā nodaļa, diemžēl tālāk viss aiziet pa pieskari. Tāda sajūta, ka to ir uzrakstījusi vidusskolniece ar ne pārāk labām sekmēm gramatikā, bet toties lieliem, naiviem sapņiem par pasauli.
December 7, 2019
After what is going down in history as the worst day of her life - so far - Annie Anderson, finds herself on a train heading home for Christmas. Going against all the laws of travelling on British Rail, she strikes up a conversation with the angry man opposite. After downing his supply of brandy (residing in a convenient hip flask) they soon discover they have something in common. He needs a girlfriend and she needs a boyfriend - for Christmas, anyway. In a haze of brandy fumes, she agrees to be his date to a family wedding. In return, he will accompany her home and play the role of her boyfriend for Christmas.
The book is written in 1st person, with Annie narrating. The style of writing easy to get on with - though there were a few instances where I thought sentences were worded oddly. But generally, the writing style is good and the chapters are very short, most being about 5 minutes long on my kindle. The book is pretty tame, though sex, porn and bondage are all mentioned a few times. But its not at all explicit.
I enjoyed this book, I liked Annie and I liked the set up of it - the fake boyfriend. It was interesting to see the development of their relationship. Their families were also quite funny, especially Annie's. I liked that the focus was on Christmas and having a good time. The book was also very lighthearted and fun, even though there were some darker moments, I never felt bogged down with them.
There was nothing I really disliked about the book - I've mentioned that I sometimes found the sentence structure a bit odd. But there was nothing else really.
All in all, I did really enjoy this book and would probably read another book by this author.
The book is written in 1st person, with Annie narrating. The style of writing easy to get on with - though there were a few instances where I thought sentences were worded oddly. But generally, the writing style is good and the chapters are very short, most being about 5 minutes long on my kindle. The book is pretty tame, though sex, porn and bondage are all mentioned a few times. But its not at all explicit.
I enjoyed this book, I liked Annie and I liked the set up of it - the fake boyfriend. It was interesting to see the development of their relationship. Their families were also quite funny, especially Annie's. I liked that the focus was on Christmas and having a good time. The book was also very lighthearted and fun, even though there were some darker moments, I never felt bogged down with them.
There was nothing I really disliked about the book - I've mentioned that I sometimes found the sentence structure a bit odd. But there was nothing else really.
All in all, I did really enjoy this book and would probably read another book by this author.
November 21, 2017
Kindle Unlimited, typos and way too many extra or wrong commas along with oddly/wrongly phrased sentences and misunderstanding one after another coupled with time after time of huh? - having to reread a sentence and most times it still not making any sense but especially not for if the 'sex' was on video recording how was it found and by who and who played it with the added part of who filmed it since it was filmed that way evidently. The one person viewpoint present tense definitely didn't work right nor well, and such major errors as asides going 'round for dinner' and seeing a couple's personal bedroom shots made even less sense than some of the other stuff, because it specially said before that it was for their bedroom. Pretty bad when a reader can, barely but still, figure that out yet the person writing the story can't. By the way, a strip club is not the same as a sex club. and the last sentence made absolutely no sense. If I don't go ahead and post this review will end up dropping it to a 2, the more think about what all was wrong with this. {Note that the blurb is written more in past tense type, whereas the actual story line was not, and whatever that was ended up just being beyond confusing. I went out of my way to cut this slack as it was because don't do 'romance' and 3 is the BEST rating.
A festive and funny Romance, with lots of bad behavior and Christmas spirit. After what is going down in history as the worst day of her life – so far – Annie Anderson, finds herself on a train heading home for Christmas. Going against all the laws of travelling on British Rail, she strikes up a conversation with the angry man opposite. After downing his supply of brandy (residing in a convenient hip flask) they soon discover they have something in common. He needs a girlfriend and she needs a boyfriend – for Christmas anyway. In a haze of brandy fumes, she agrees to be his date to a family wedding. In return, he will accompany her home and play the role of her boyfriend for Christmas. With no regard for her safety, armed only with Dutch courage, and her sense of adventure, she follows him into what can only be described, as the craziest Christmas ever.
Be prepared for Christmas overload.
A festive and funny Romance, with lots of bad behavior and Christmas spirit. After what is going down in history as the worst day of her life – so far – Annie Anderson, finds herself on a train heading home for Christmas. Going against all the laws of travelling on British Rail, she strikes up a conversation with the angry man opposite. After downing his supply of brandy (residing in a convenient hip flask) they soon discover they have something in common. He needs a girlfriend and she needs a boyfriend – for Christmas anyway. In a haze of brandy fumes, she agrees to be his date to a family wedding. In return, he will accompany her home and play the role of her boyfriend for Christmas. With no regard for her safety, armed only with Dutch courage, and her sense of adventure, she follows him into what can only be described, as the craziest Christmas ever.
Be prepared for Christmas overload.
December 10, 2021
1st book I've read by S J Crabb. This was a very easy Christmas themed read with humour and some adventures along the way.
November 19, 2021
I really wanted to love this. Fake relationships are the shizz, add in a Christmas theme and I could barely wait to delve into this one, but I did find myself skimming.
Jobless, single and on her way to visit her family for Christmas our heroine seems completely incompetent at adulting when she takes alcohol from a stranger then falls asleep in front of him on the train. Said stranger was super grumpy when he first boarded, but once they share more of his brandy she can see just how gorgeous he actually is.
He needs date to his cousin's wedding, in exchange, he'll attend her family Christmas.
I was let down by Liam and his ignorance to his family's treatment of Annie. His mother is horrible (and seriously with that epilogue?! I don't believe that outcome for shit!) and the whole wedding debacle was ridiculous!
Moving onto her crazy family.... mmkay.... whatever. They really weren't that crazy.
The quintessential romance novel miscommunication was borderline gross.. NO ONE speaks to their cousin that way.
She has a persistent texting cheater ex, he has an supermodel ex-girlfriend that the whole world wants to see him back together with. Too-cool-to-be-called-Gran is somewhat sex obsessed. And her father asks a whole lot of weird questions for a perfectly good reason.. Predictable. Cliched. But readable. I didn't hate it.
Jobless, single and on her way to visit her family for Christmas our heroine seems completely incompetent at adulting when she takes alcohol from a stranger then falls asleep in front of him on the train. Said stranger was super grumpy when he first boarded, but once they share more of his brandy she can see just how gorgeous he actually is.
He needs date to his cousin's wedding, in exchange, he'll attend her family Christmas.
I was let down by Liam and his ignorance to his family's treatment of Annie. His mother is horrible (and seriously with that epilogue?! I don't believe that outcome for shit!) and the whole wedding debacle was ridiculous!
Moving onto her crazy family.... mmkay.... whatever. They really weren't that crazy.
The quintessential romance novel miscommunication was borderline gross.. NO ONE speaks to their cousin that way.
She has a persistent texting cheater ex, he has an supermodel ex-girlfriend that the whole world wants to see him back together with. Too-cool-to-be-called-Gran is somewhat sex obsessed. And her father asks a whole lot of weird questions for a perfectly good reason.. Predictable. Cliched. But readable. I didn't hate it.
October 29, 2018
Omg what a truly wild, entertaining and fabulous story. The author has encompassed an exciting witty journey into the lives of two people who meet on a train to their families at Christmas and agree to help each other. Guaranteed laugh out loud adventure and romance.
dnf
December 4, 2019DNF at 23%
The writing was very sloppy and I did not like the main character and her "boyfriend". Will try another holiday book by this author.
The writing was very sloppy and I did not like the main character and her "boyfriend". Will try another holiday book by this author.
January 7, 2019
Lord help me. I actually finished this entire book although I must admit that there were times when I seriously considered putting it down for something... ANYTHING, else. Please don't get me wrong, I didn't hate the story. Not at all. However, I do have this tiny little thing about grammar and the proper use of it. While reading this book, my OCD was going nuts over every misplaced comma and apostrophe. Someone get this author an editor. While you're at it, get her a proofreader as well.
At first, I thought it cute, in a tongue in cheek sort of way, when they referred to each other as "boyfriend" and "girlfriend". Like they had a secret that they weren't sharing with anyone else. And they did... they weren't actually dating! However, that gets really old, really fast and I found myself cringing every time I read then referring to each other as "boyfriend" or "girlfriend". "Good morning, boyfriend." "Did you sleep well, girlfriend?" "Would you like to go for a walk, boyfriend?" I mean seriously? A bit over the top, wouldn't you say? Still, I could almost overlook the fact that these are supposed to be grown adults speaking this way and not a couple of 13 yr olds dating for the very first time, if not for the children.
We all know precocious children, hell, I had one and he kept me in stitches. So the whole "doing it" thing was admittedly funny. And it was very sweet that they all went above and beyond to get Elliot the Barbie doll, but come on... it didn't occur to any of these so-called adults to explain to the child that you shouldn't be trading toys for "doing it"? Hell, even a note from "Santa" explaining that this sort of behavior is naughty list worthy would suffice. But no, they move heaven and earth for the Barbie doll.
Overall, it wasn't a terrible story. I thought her family was actually quite charming and adorable. Even if the heroine made them sound like hell on earth. Lizzy was awesome. She reminded me of my own grandma, who up until she passed away at the age of 79, spoke her mind, still dyed her hair to cover the gray, and was never without her makeup on and her red lipstick. (And god help any of her grandkids who called her grandma! lol) I just don't see what the big deal was about her family. I thought they were great. A bit eccentric, but loads of fun. The story though could seriously use an editor and a good proofreader who could help keep the story from going off the rails.
At first, I thought it cute, in a tongue in cheek sort of way, when they referred to each other as "boyfriend" and "girlfriend". Like they had a secret that they weren't sharing with anyone else. And they did... they weren't actually dating! However, that gets really old, really fast and I found myself cringing every time I read then referring to each other as "boyfriend" or "girlfriend". "Good morning, boyfriend." "Did you sleep well, girlfriend?" "Would you like to go for a walk, boyfriend?" I mean seriously? A bit over the top, wouldn't you say? Still, I could almost overlook the fact that these are supposed to be grown adults speaking this way and not a couple of 13 yr olds dating for the very first time, if not for the children.
We all know precocious children, hell, I had one and he kept me in stitches. So the whole "doing it" thing was admittedly funny. And it was very sweet that they all went above and beyond to get Elliot the Barbie doll, but come on... it didn't occur to any of these so-called adults to explain to the child that you shouldn't be trading toys for "doing it"? Hell, even a note from "Santa" explaining that this sort of behavior is naughty list worthy would suffice. But no, they move heaven and earth for the Barbie doll.
Overall, it wasn't a terrible story. I thought her family was actually quite charming and adorable. Even if the heroine made them sound like hell on earth. Lizzy was awesome. She reminded me of my own grandma, who up until she passed away at the age of 79, spoke her mind, still dyed her hair to cover the gray, and was never without her makeup on and her red lipstick. (And god help any of her grandkids who called her grandma! lol) I just don't see what the big deal was about her family. I thought they were great. A bit eccentric, but loads of fun. The story though could seriously use an editor and a good proofreader who could help keep the story from going off the rails.
December 2, 2017
More of a 2.5. I loved the first few chapters and thought Annie was really funny, but when the male lead came into the story, she got less likeable. I'm insecure as hell but her insecurity didn't even make sense. Her fake boyfriend was calling her gorgeous and stunning every 5 minutes and saying he'd never had so much fun in his life yet she was constantly thinking he didn't like her. Sigh. Also every time they called each other 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend' a part of me died.
December 12, 2018
It was a decent book, although I was very annoyed by the constant repetition of the phrase "for my/our sins..." I don't know if that's a British thing or, but for some reason it just really annoyed me. Also how Annie and Liam kept calling each other "girlfriend" and "boyfriend"...that just annoyed me too. But maybe I was just in an annoyed state of mind while reading. Anyway, decent story, but I don't know that I would go out of my way to read anything else by this author.
December 20, 2019
Sorry, Ms. Crabb
Had I thought this book was written by a middle schooler FOR a middle schooler, I might give it a passing grade after some rigorous editing. The story was silly. However, the most bothersome issue is the deplorable grammar and rampant misuse of punctuation. Random commas and apostrophes everywhere! Don't laugh: these errors seriously detracted from what little story there was.
Had I thought this book was written by a middle schooler FOR a middle schooler, I might give it a passing grade after some rigorous editing. The story was silly. However, the most bothersome issue is the deplorable grammar and rampant misuse of punctuation. Random commas and apostrophes everywhere! Don't laugh: these errors seriously detracted from what little story there was.
December 28, 2019
Funny and clever! Perfect read during Christmas time. Some typos and extra commas/apostrophes make it seem a bit sloppy. Overall, I really enjoyed the story and would recommend it.
August 8, 2020
Take festive journey with Annie (Anne) and Liam, who meet on the train down to Dorset. Annie is heading home for Christmas as the bottom of her world has fallen out. Losing her job, catching her boyfriend in the act and about to be made homeless. Despite all this heading home is the last place she wants to be.
Liam is headed to his cousin's wedding where he is the photographer. Although he doesn't think much of the groom so isn't exactly looking forward to it. Plus he's family, especially his mother aren't too happy with him at the moment.
A chance interaction on the train, a hip flask of brandy and a cunning plan has them conspiring together to get through the festive season.
One to make you laugh, she'd the occasional tear and long for them to wake up to what is in front of them.
Liam is headed to his cousin's wedding where he is the photographer. Although he doesn't think much of the groom so isn't exactly looking forward to it. Plus he's family, especially his mother aren't too happy with him at the moment.
A chance interaction on the train, a hip flask of brandy and a cunning plan has them conspiring together to get through the festive season.
One to make you laugh, she'd the occasional tear and long for them to wake up to what is in front of them.
December 19, 2018
A sweet Christmas Romance.
Annie after losing her job and her boyfriend meet a stranger on a train and concocts the ultimate Christmas deception.
I liked Annie's character alot... She was funny original and relate-able, the other characters came up a little bland in comparison, not bad just a little predictable.
Definitely an easy read that will put you in the Christmas spirit
Annie after losing her job and her boyfriend meet a stranger on a train and concocts the ultimate Christmas deception.
I liked Annie's character alot... She was funny original and relate-able, the other characters came up a little bland in comparison, not bad just a little predictable.
Definitely an easy read that will put you in the Christmas spirit
November 21, 2021
Cute holiday, fake-dating romance story
I enjoy a fake- dating romance and the added holiday season, plus a wedding made for a good story setup!
I found the first half of the book an easy read, but struggled a bit with the second half relating to the characters, and overall felt they didn’t have much in the way of depth. All-in-all it was just an ok read for me and reminded me a bit of a hallmark Christmas movie… not very deep characters, everyone seems so happy or dramatically not if they aren’t, and I tend to forget what happened soon after watching, which I think will happen here haha.
But be sure to pick it up if you enjoy fake-dating, wedding romances, dramatic families, and simple characters!
I enjoy a fake- dating romance and the added holiday season, plus a wedding made for a good story setup!
I found the first half of the book an easy read, but struggled a bit with the second half relating to the characters, and overall felt they didn’t have much in the way of depth. All-in-all it was just an ok read for me and reminded me a bit of a hallmark Christmas movie… not very deep characters, everyone seems so happy or dramatically not if they aren’t, and I tend to forget what happened soon after watching, which I think will happen here haha.
But be sure to pick it up if you enjoy fake-dating, wedding romances, dramatic families, and simple characters!
Read
November 16, 2017DNF'd at 53%
This story just doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
Most of the writing s repetitive about how they look at the main female protagonist as well as how Single, jobless and almost homeless she is.
There isn't anything remarkable about the relationship aspect they're trying to create either.
This was a no for me.
This story just doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
Most of the writing s repetitive about how they look at the main female protagonist as well as how Single, jobless and almost homeless she is.
There isn't anything remarkable about the relationship aspect they're trying to create either.
This was a no for me.
December 8, 2017
The synopsis of this book was right up my ally and I really wanted to like it, sadly it missed the mark. The main character was to wishy washy and annoying to be likeable and everything seemed repetitive.
March 5, 2018
Very repetitive Liam is constantly pulling her close and holding her tightly! This is an extremely frustrating book as it started off so very well then it just became intolerable. If you like cheesiness and Rom coms this may just be for you!!
July 2, 2017
Annie Anderson sat in front of Mr. Prendergast as he gave her the bad news. She was being let go from her job, right before Christmas. As she thought about the non-helpful, non-friendly people she has been working with, she fixed them the worst coffee she could make and served it in dirty cups that no one else washed. She wrote an email listing all their miserable attributes, sent it, and left the office.
After spending the afternoon looking for work, she decided maybe she would go to her boyfriend’s office party after all. She had said no at first, but networking now was important and she might run into someone there who needed a worker. Besides, her boyfriend always made her laugh and feel happier.
But Annie can’t seem to find Gary. A close friend of his was surprised to see her there. As Gary’s boss, Alex, was thanking everyone for a good year and promising bonuses, Annie heard Gary’s muffled ringtone and his friend frantically dialing. She opened the closet and she and the entire office stared at Gary, pants down and a woman wrapped around him. Annie ran to the elevator and Alex ran after her to offer to call a cab for her safety. As far as plans go, she has one more unpleasant thing to face – she’s heading home to her parents’ for Christmas.
Even the train ride is disastrous. The only room left is in first class, costing her additional precious money. And an angry passenger sits down across from her. The coffee she buys is horrible, the train lurches, and she spills it all over the angry man’s clothing! He pulls out a flask then offers her some as well. Each tells their story as the flask passes back and forth. Annie passes out, but when she wakes to see the stranger grinning at her, he shocks her with the suggestion they help each other out. He needs a girlfriend at a wedding, and she needs a boyfriend at her family’s home for Christmas – so would she be interested in the deception? That idea just might work! Will she be willing to play along? Nothing could go wrong, could it?
I enjoyed this crazy story! The characters are all so distinct and well-drawn! The twists and turns keep the reader fully engaged in what will happen next! The story line was delightful! I definitely plan to add this author to my reading list! It’s so nice to find a laugh-out-loud funny book to immerse myself into. I voluntarily reviewed this book and my comments reflect my honest opinion.
After spending the afternoon looking for work, she decided maybe she would go to her boyfriend’s office party after all. She had said no at first, but networking now was important and she might run into someone there who needed a worker. Besides, her boyfriend always made her laugh and feel happier.
But Annie can’t seem to find Gary. A close friend of his was surprised to see her there. As Gary’s boss, Alex, was thanking everyone for a good year and promising bonuses, Annie heard Gary’s muffled ringtone and his friend frantically dialing. She opened the closet and she and the entire office stared at Gary, pants down and a woman wrapped around him. Annie ran to the elevator and Alex ran after her to offer to call a cab for her safety. As far as plans go, she has one more unpleasant thing to face – she’s heading home to her parents’ for Christmas.
Even the train ride is disastrous. The only room left is in first class, costing her additional precious money. And an angry passenger sits down across from her. The coffee she buys is horrible, the train lurches, and she spills it all over the angry man’s clothing! He pulls out a flask then offers her some as well. Each tells their story as the flask passes back and forth. Annie passes out, but when she wakes to see the stranger grinning at her, he shocks her with the suggestion they help each other out. He needs a girlfriend at a wedding, and she needs a boyfriend at her family’s home for Christmas – so would she be interested in the deception? That idea just might work! Will she be willing to play along? Nothing could go wrong, could it?
I enjoyed this crazy story! The characters are all so distinct and well-drawn! The twists and turns keep the reader fully engaged in what will happen next! The story line was delightful! I definitely plan to add this author to my reading list! It’s so nice to find a laugh-out-loud funny book to immerse myself into. I voluntarily reviewed this book and my comments reflect my honest opinion.
July 2, 2017
Annie Anderson sat in front of Mr. Prendergast as he gave her the bad news. She was being let go from her job, right before Christmas. As she thought about the non-helpful, non-friendly people she has been working with, she fixed them the worst coffee she could make and served it in dirty cups that no one else washed. She wrote an email listing all their miserable attributes, sent it, and left the office.
After spending the afternoon looking for work, she decided maybe she would go to her boyfriend’s office party after all. She had said no at first, but networking now was important and she might run into someone there who needed a worker. Besides, her boyfriend always made her laugh and feel happier.
But Annie can’t seem to find Gary. A close friend of his was surprised to see her there. As Gary’s boss, Alex, was thanking everyone for a good year and promising bonuses, Annie heard Gary’s muffled ringtone and his friend frantically dialing. She opened the closet and she and the entire office stared at Gary, pants down and a woman wrapped around him. Annie ran to the elevator and Alex ran after her to offer to call a cab for her safety. As far as plans go, she has one more unpleasant thing to face – she’s heading home to her parents’ for Christmas.
Even the train ride is disastrous. The only room left is in first class, costing her additional precious money. And an angry passenger sits down across from her. The coffee she buys is horrible, the train lurches, and she spills it all over the angry man’s clothing! He pulls out a flask then offers her some as well. Each tells their story as the flask passes back and forth. Annie passes out, but when she wakes to see the stranger grinning at her, he shocks her with the suggestion they help each other out. He needs a girlfriend at a wedding, and she needs a boyfriend at her family’s home for Christmas – so would she be interested in the deception? That idea just might work! Will she be willing to play along? Nothing could go wrong, could it?
I enjoyed this crazy story! The characters are all so distinct and well-drawn! The twists and turns keep the reader fully engaged in what will happen next! The story line was delightful! I definitely plan to add this author to my reading list! It’s so nice to find a laugh-out-loud funny book to immerse myself into. I voluntarily reviewed this book and my comments reflect my honest opinion.
After spending the afternoon looking for work, she decided maybe she would go to her boyfriend’s office party after all. She had said no at first, but networking now was important and she might run into someone there who needed a worker. Besides, her boyfriend always made her laugh and feel happier.
But Annie can’t seem to find Gary. A close friend of his was surprised to see her there. As Gary’s boss, Alex, was thanking everyone for a good year and promising bonuses, Annie heard Gary’s muffled ringtone and his friend frantically dialing. She opened the closet and she and the entire office stared at Gary, pants down and a woman wrapped around him. Annie ran to the elevator and Alex ran after her to offer to call a cab for her safety. As far as plans go, she has one more unpleasant thing to face – she’s heading home to her parents’ for Christmas.
Even the train ride is disastrous. The only room left is in first class, costing her additional precious money. And an angry passenger sits down across from her. The coffee she buys is horrible, the train lurches, and she spills it all over the angry man’s clothing! He pulls out a flask then offers her some as well. Each tells their story as the flask passes back and forth. Annie passes out, but when she wakes to see the stranger grinning at her, he shocks her with the suggestion they help each other out. He needs a girlfriend at a wedding, and she needs a boyfriend at her family’s home for Christmas – so would she be interested in the deception? That idea just might work! Will she be willing to play along? Nothing could go wrong, could it?
I enjoyed this crazy story! The characters are all so distinct and well-drawn! The twists and turns keep the reader fully engaged in what will happen next! The story line was delightful! I definitely plan to add this author to my reading list! It’s so nice to find a laugh-out-loud funny book to immerse myself into. I voluntarily reviewed this book and my comments reflect my honest opinion.
July 2, 2017
Annie Anderson sat in front of Mr. Prendergast as he gave her the bad news. She was being let go from her job, right before Christmas. As she thought about the non-helpful, non-friendly people she has been working with, she fixed them the worst coffee she could make and served it in dirty cups that no one else washed. She wrote an email listing all their miserable attributes, sent it, and left the office.
After spending the afternoon looking for work, she decided maybe she would go to her boyfriend’s office party after all. She had said no at first, but networking now was important and she might run into someone there who needed a worker. Besides, her boyfriend always made her laugh and feel happier.
But Annie can’t seem to find Gary. A close friend of his was surprised to see her there. As Gary’s boss, Alex, was thanking everyone for a good year and promising bonuses, Annie heard Gary’s muffled ringtone and his friend frantically dialing. She opened the closet and she and the entire office stared at Gary, pants down and a woman wrapped around him. Annie ran to the elevator and Alex ran after her to offer to call a cab for her safety. As far as plans go, she has one more unpleasant thing to face – she’s heading home to her parents’ for Christmas.
Even the train ride is disastrous. The only room left is in first class, costing her additional precious money. And an angry passenger sits down across from her. The coffee she buys is horrible, the train lurches, and she spills it all over the angry man’s clothing! He pulls out a flask then offers her some as well. Each tells their story as the flask passes back and forth. Annie passes out, but when she wakes to see the stranger grinning at her, he shocks her with the suggestion they help each other out. He needs a girlfriend at a wedding, and she needs a boyfriend at her family’s home for Christmas – so would she be interested in the deception? That idea just might work! Will she be willing to play along? Nothing could go wrong, could it?
I enjoyed this crazy story! The characters are all so distinct and well-drawn! The twists and turns keep the reader fully engaged in what will happen next! The story line was delightful! I definitely plan to add this author to my reading list! It’s so nice to find a laugh-out-loud funny book to immerse myself into. I voluntarily reviewed this book and my comments reflect my honest opinion.
After spending the afternoon looking for work, she decided maybe she would go to her boyfriend’s office party after all. She had said no at first, but networking now was important and she might run into someone there who needed a worker. Besides, her boyfriend always made her laugh and feel happier.
But Annie can’t seem to find Gary. A close friend of his was surprised to see her there. As Gary’s boss, Alex, was thanking everyone for a good year and promising bonuses, Annie heard Gary’s muffled ringtone and his friend frantically dialing. She opened the closet and she and the entire office stared at Gary, pants down and a woman wrapped around him. Annie ran to the elevator and Alex ran after her to offer to call a cab for her safety. As far as plans go, she has one more unpleasant thing to face – she’s heading home to her parents’ for Christmas.
Even the train ride is disastrous. The only room left is in first class, costing her additional precious money. And an angry passenger sits down across from her. The coffee she buys is horrible, the train lurches, and she spills it all over the angry man’s clothing! He pulls out a flask then offers her some as well. Each tells their story as the flask passes back and forth. Annie passes out, but when she wakes to see the stranger grinning at her, he shocks her with the suggestion they help each other out. He needs a girlfriend at a wedding, and she needs a boyfriend at her family’s home for Christmas – so would she be interested in the deception? That idea just might work! Will she be willing to play along? Nothing could go wrong, could it?
I enjoyed this crazy story! The characters are all so distinct and well-drawn! The twists and turns keep the reader fully engaged in what will happen next! The story line was delightful! I definitely plan to add this author to my reading list! It’s so nice to find a laugh-out-loud funny book to immerse myself into. I voluntarily reviewed this book and my comments reflect my honest opinion.
November 16, 2018
I’m not entirely sure of why I got this book in the first place. It’s not really my kind of book. I've had the book a while but something must have caught my eye about it and it did keep me interested enough to finish it.
The book got off to quite a good start. When Annie and Liam decided to help each other out by pretending to be each others boyfriend and girlfriend, they first attended the wedding of Liam’s niece. This part of the book I thought was quite good. It moved along at a pace and kept me interested. It had its funny moments and I was enjoying it.
The next part of the deal was for Liam to go along with Annie to spend Christmas with her family and to pretend that he was her new boyfriend. They were all lovely characters in the book and they certainly knew how to make the most of Christmas, especially Annie’s mum. However this is the bit where I started to lose interest. However it is a Christmas story, which isn’t something I am particularly a fan of. Even so there was a bit of added mystery to the story to do with Annie’s mum and dad plus some sibling rivalry between Annie and her sister to keep things lively.
What did it for me in the end, which I found incredibly irritating was the authors over use of the word ‘grin’. At one point there was a grin in every paragraph virtually through to the end of the book which became so blatantly obvious that it kind of spoiled the story as I began to focus on predicting when the next ‘grin’ was going to come along instead of losing myself in the plot. It did show a lack of editing I thought, towards the end. Other reviewers have criticised it for poor grammar especially with regard to apostrophes. This wasn’t something I noticed myself but then I am the last person to ever comment on peoples use of apostrophes being grammatically incorrect as I’ve never got my head around them myself.
All in all it was an OK book but then as Christmas books are not really my cup of tea (or mulled wine) I can hardly complain that I lost interest. I think I probably would try another book by this author, just not one with a Christmas theme.
The book got off to quite a good start. When Annie and Liam decided to help each other out by pretending to be each others boyfriend and girlfriend, they first attended the wedding of Liam’s niece. This part of the book I thought was quite good. It moved along at a pace and kept me interested. It had its funny moments and I was enjoying it.
The next part of the deal was for Liam to go along with Annie to spend Christmas with her family and to pretend that he was her new boyfriend. They were all lovely characters in the book and they certainly knew how to make the most of Christmas, especially Annie’s mum. However this is the bit where I started to lose interest. However it is a Christmas story, which isn’t something I am particularly a fan of. Even so there was a bit of added mystery to the story to do with Annie’s mum and dad plus some sibling rivalry between Annie and her sister to keep things lively.
What did it for me in the end, which I found incredibly irritating was the authors over use of the word ‘grin’. At one point there was a grin in every paragraph virtually through to the end of the book which became so blatantly obvious that it kind of spoiled the story as I began to focus on predicting when the next ‘grin’ was going to come along instead of losing myself in the plot. It did show a lack of editing I thought, towards the end. Other reviewers have criticised it for poor grammar especially with regard to apostrophes. This wasn’t something I noticed myself but then I am the last person to ever comment on peoples use of apostrophes being grammatically incorrect as I’ve never got my head around them myself.
All in all it was an OK book but then as Christmas books are not really my cup of tea (or mulled wine) I can hardly complain that I lost interest. I think I probably would try another book by this author, just not one with a Christmas theme.
December 30, 2021
This was a pretty fun Christmas book!
Annie has lost her job and caught her boyfriend cheating, so is headed home to be with family for the holidays. On the train her grumpy seat mate, Liam, turns out to be a nice guy after they share some brandy and they plot to help each other through their dreaded holiday gatherings. She’ll be his fake girlfriend for his cousin’s high class wedding, and he’ll be her fake boyfriend for her crazy family’s Christmas. There are cringeworthy, hilarious, and heartfelt moments at each location. Annie and Liam seem like they could be great together, but it seems he is lured back to his supermodel world. Or is he?
Yes this is cheesy and predictable, and not a great work of literature. But it’s still a fun read! I literally laughed out loud several times! And had tears, too. There are a lot of funny references to kinky activities, but it’s a closed door romance with only one real kiss by the fake couple. The connection is a tediously slow buildup. But the fun side characters and antics helped fill in the gaps for the too slow romance. It’s a British book - so some aspects might play better if you can connect with them more. I had to look up about the Famous Five and Annie’s family’s obsession with them. It’s really a hoot! Time with Liam’s uptight family had funny moments, but Annie’s family had some hilarious oddities. And some really sweet moments, too. I found it to be a great balance.
Overall I enjoyed reading this! It’s fun, sweet, and full of family Christmas traditions.
Annie has lost her job and caught her boyfriend cheating, so is headed home to be with family for the holidays. On the train her grumpy seat mate, Liam, turns out to be a nice guy after they share some brandy and they plot to help each other through their dreaded holiday gatherings. She’ll be his fake girlfriend for his cousin’s high class wedding, and he’ll be her fake boyfriend for her crazy family’s Christmas. There are cringeworthy, hilarious, and heartfelt moments at each location. Annie and Liam seem like they could be great together, but it seems he is lured back to his supermodel world. Or is he?
Yes this is cheesy and predictable, and not a great work of literature. But it’s still a fun read! I literally laughed out loud several times! And had tears, too. There are a lot of funny references to kinky activities, but it’s a closed door romance with only one real kiss by the fake couple. The connection is a tediously slow buildup. But the fun side characters and antics helped fill in the gaps for the too slow romance. It’s a British book - so some aspects might play better if you can connect with them more. I had to look up about the Famous Five and Annie’s family’s obsession with them. It’s really a hoot! Time with Liam’s uptight family had funny moments, but Annie’s family had some hilarious oddities. And some really sweet moments, too. I found it to be a great balance.
Overall I enjoyed reading this! It’s fun, sweet, and full of family Christmas traditions.
December 22, 2019
So cute! This book is every holiday story trope rolled into one! It was everything it promised to be and I loved every second of it. The only negative I found was in the main character, she is a bit dense and kind of a prude which was a bit lame. Her lack of self esteem in the later half of the story is jarring compared to the woman we first meet and then is hard to reconcile with the woman who agrees to this deception and stands up for herself multiple times at the wedding. In general I get annoyed when “adults fail to communicate” becomes a plot device; it feels a little lazy to me but I suppose this is not meant to be profound literature. It was a fun Christmas story and that is exactly what it advertised itself as, so overall I enjoyed this book.
February 2, 2022
A Christmas to remember
I so much enjoy S J Craig's books . They are a refreshing realistic take on what we feel and think when it comes to the holidays . We all know how embarrassing family can be when you introduce someone to them the first time , just knowing they'll never want to be friends again but we might just have the best crazy Christmas after all and true boyfriend in the end . The characters were spot on crazy funny ... I'm ready ready for more great laughs . You must read !
I so much enjoy S J Craig's books . They are a refreshing realistic take on what we feel and think when it comes to the holidays . We all know how embarrassing family can be when you introduce someone to them the first time , just knowing they'll never want to be friends again but we might just have the best crazy Christmas after all and true boyfriend in the end . The characters were spot on crazy funny ... I'm ready ready for more great laughs . You must read !
June 22, 2017
It is fun to read My Christmas Boyfriend. It is entertaining, lighthearted, makes you smile and laugh out loud. This is the story of Ann and Liam who happen to come across on a train. They decide to pretend to be sweethearts to avoid from their boring parents during Christmas time. You are always curious as to what will happen next when reading. Little secrets both arise curiosity and make it more intriguing. The book flows smoothly from one chapter to another.
June 29, 2017
A Christmas story in the middle of summer! But that didn’t matter at all and it was everything I had expected. Light, easy to read, fun! I could relate to Annie, which is something that is always a plus for me. I really enjoyed it and if you’re in the mood for some humorous romance, you’re in the right place! Sweet and spice and everything nice…
I received a complimentary copy of this book and voluntarily provided an honest review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and voluntarily provided an honest review.
November 22, 2017
Merry Mayhem
The collision of Annie, a self-professed ugly duckling with an independent and quirky spirit, and Liam, a glamorous high-powered but unfulfilled Fashion Photographer, results in an unexpected Holiday adventure full of hilarious confrontations and self-realization. An interesting cast of characters and a pervasive Christmas Spirit round out this fun Romance read that flies headlong into an HEA with only minor bumpsoi
The collision of Annie, a self-professed ugly duckling with an independent and quirky spirit, and Liam, a glamorous high-powered but unfulfilled Fashion Photographer, results in an unexpected Holiday adventure full of hilarious confrontations and self-realization. An interesting cast of characters and a pervasive Christmas Spirit round out this fun Romance read that flies headlong into an HEA with only minor bumpsoi
November 30, 2018
A joy to read!!!
I adore S J Crabb’s style of writing. My review cannot do justice to the flow of her stories, the fun and laughter, the way she has her characters rebound from bad. This book is all that and more when Liam and Annie meet on a train. From there it just gets better and funnier with so many side stories so it becomes not just about Liam and Annie alone but about them interacting with their wacky families. Great read.....loved it!!!!
I adore S J Crabb’s style of writing. My review cannot do justice to the flow of her stories, the fun and laughter, the way she has her characters rebound from bad. This book is all that and more when Liam and Annie meet on a train. From there it just gets better and funnier with so many side stories so it becomes not just about Liam and Annie alone but about them interacting with their wacky families. Great read.....loved it!!!!
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