The Twelve Holidates

Rating: 4 out of 5

If someone tells you waiting for your boyfriend in a giant stocking is a good idea, they're WRONG. A fact Taylor learned the hard way when she discovered her boyfriend is cheating on her. Yet again, she finds herself crying on the shoulders of her best friend, Weston. Even though Weston rejected her when they were teens, her feelings for him are starting to resurface. It becomes harder to deny these feelings when he insists that the two of them work through the list of twelve holidates Taylor had planned for her ex. Taylor agrees because it's twelve dates with her super hot best friend, but all the dates are disasters. Perhaps the biggest disaster is that she is about to have her heart crushed again by her best friend. Taylor can't hide her feelings anymore and being friends isn't enough.

This was a cute, fun and short holiday themed read. It is apparently best if read between the 4th and 5th books in the Love Cliches series, but it can be read by itself. I wanted a fun Christmas rom com and this book did not disappoint. Taylor and Weston have known each other since they were kids and it quickly becomes apparent they have an attraction to each other that they don't talk about. They are both friendzoned and don't want to do anything to ruin their decade long friendship. As you can imagine this book is full of shenanigans, starting with the stocking disaster and ending with a fight about a cheese ball.

The characters have great chemistry and lovely banter, at times they were so clearly pining for the other that it became annoying... I wanted to scream JUST TELL THEM!!! But I honestly loved the Hallmark movie vibes it gave off. I laughed a lot while reading this one. I think the established friendship between the two for years made it easier to believe that they had a HEA so quickly. I am also intrigued to read some of the books in the series now because the author has a very engaging writing style.