Description

When Emily Carter's boyfriend breaks up with her just days before Christmas, the last thing she wants is to show up to her family's festive, over-the-top holiday gathering alone. Desperate to avoid the inevitable pity and probing questions, she makes a bold move: asking her handsome but reserved neighbor, Ryan Harper, to pose as her boyfriend for the holidays.

To her surprise, Ryan agrees.

What starts as a fake relationship quickly begins to feel very real as Ryan fits seamlessly into Emily's chaotic, close-knit family—earning the affection of nieces and nephews, charming her skeptical sister, and somehow managing to be the perfect boyfriend in every way that counts. As the snow falls and mistletoe kisses turn genuine, Emily finds herself caught between the fantasy they're faking and the undeniable connection forming between them.

But pretending comes with consequences. Secrets unravel, feelings get tangled, and Emily is forced to confront the growing truth: she doesn't want Ryan to play a role—she wants him to stay.