The Christmas swap : a novel

Title:

Author:

Summary:

Margot Murray is a newly single, successful businesswoman with no interest in a cutesy seasonal romance after her breakup with her long-term girlfriend. Ben Gibson is an unlucky-in-love sweetheart in need of a woman to bring home for the holidays. Together, they make a pact: Margot gets two blissful weeks away from London in a picture-perfect manor, and Ben gets a fake girlfriend for his holiday at home with his family. Upon arriving to the manor, Margot meets Ben’s sister, Ellie, who is suspicious of the supposed relationship right from the start. Ellie intends to get to the bottom of their relationship, not being able to see how the two of them work as a couple. As Ellie and Margot grow closer, will Ben and Margot be able to keep the charade up, or will Margot and Ellie risk the chance at something real? -- Amazon.

General Note:

"Some love stories can't be faked" -- Cover.

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

328 pages ; 21 cm

Genre:

Romance fiction.

Subject Term:

Single women -- Fiction.

Businesswomen -- Fiction.

Friendship -- Fiction.

Lesbians -- Fiction.

Manors -- Fiction.

Geographic Term:

Cheshire (England) -- Fiction.

Publisher:

Alcove Press,

Publication Date:

2023

ISBN:

9781639106028

Publication Information:

New York, NY : Alcove Press, 2023.

Call Number:

SAMUELS

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003682955	New Adult Fiction	SAMUELS Talia	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Perfect for fans of Alison Cochrun and Helena Greer, Talia Samuels' debut sapphic romcom is about one woman who fake dates her friend...only to fall for his sister.

Margot Murray is a newly single, successful businesswoman with no interest in a cutesy seasonal romance after her breakup with her long-term girlfriend. Ben Gibson is an unlucky-in-love sweetheart in need of a woman to bring home for the holidays. Together, they make a pact: Margot gets two blissful weeks away from London in a picture-perfect manor, and Ben gets a fake girlfriend for his holiday at home with his family.

Upon arriving to the manor, Margot meets Ben's sister, Ellie, who is suspicious of the supposed relationship right from the start. Ellie intends to get to the bottom of their relationship, not being able to see how the two of them work as a couple. As Ellie and Margot grow closer, will Ben and Margot be able to keep the charade up, or will Margot and Ellie risk the chance at something real?

Author Notes

Talia Samuels entered the world of work at a busy London restaurant, before eventually starting her own vegan catering business. Her dream of writing a book never left her mind. At 2am after a late kitchen shift, Talia started writing and has hardly stopped since. She likes writing quirky modern rom-coms and laughing at her own jokes.

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Samuels debuts with a fun and festive lesbian rom-com set in the week leading up to Christmas. Recently heartbroken digital marketer Margot Murray has nowhere to be for the holidays--so when her client turned new friend Ben asks her to accompany him to his family's idyllic manor house in the English countryside for Christmas, with the sole caveat being that she pretend to be his girlfriend to get his judgmental parents off his back, she agrees. Once there, however, she meets--and instantly falls for--Ellie, Ben's gorgeous sister. Ellie, meanwhile, senses that something is off between Margot and Ben, and sets out to prove that Margot isn't whom she says she is. For all the mix-ups and misunderstandings along the way, the plot is entirely predictable, but it's still a cozy, comforting outing packed full with Christmas cheer, including all the cinnamon, chocolate, and gingerbread one could possibly stomach. A subplot about Margot reevaluating her last relationship and realizing that her ex was emotionally abusive adds depth and resonance that is largely missing from the sweet but oddly passionless romantic story line. Despite a few hiccups, this is sure to get readers into the yuletide spirit. Agent: Emily Glenister, DHH Literary. (Oct.)

Library Journal Review

DEBUT Margot Murray, a marketing executive in London, agrees to her client Ben Gibson's offer to pose as a fake couple and spend the Christmas holiday with him and his family at their manor. Margot won't have to be alone on Christmas after a recent breakup with her girlfriend, while Ben won't have to answer a flurry of questions from his family about his love life. The plan hits a snag when Ellie, Ben's sister, becomes suspicious of Margot's intentions. Then Ellie finds out that Margot is also a lesbian and expresses her attraction to her, leading to midnight rendezvous between the two women. What is supposed to be a picture-perfect Christmas get-together, however, is overtaken by misunderstandings as the Gibsons reveal their struggles to one another and Margot processes the effects of an abusive previous relationship. How much longer Ben and Margot can keep up with their fake relationship depends on how well Margot and Ellie maintain their secret relationship--or risk something real. VERDICT Samuels's debut will appeal to readers looking for a quick, lighthearted story filled with cozy romantic tropes.--Michelle Mistalski