Holly and Nick Hate Christmas

Two cynics find unexpected joy in the holiday season and each other in this fun romance from St. Amant (Where I Found You). When Holly Sinclair gets laid off from her job as a social media manager two weeks before Christmas, it’s just one more reason to despise a holiday that falls on—and always overshadows—her birthday. Her sympathetic older brother Ryan persuades her to head home to Ohio, where he reintroduces her to his friend Nick Kinsley, who hopes to be Holly’s date to their parents’ holiday bash. But when it turns out Nick’s only there to persuade the Sinclairs to invest in his summer camp nonprofit, an irritated Holly decides to get even by feigning over-the-top, grating holiday cheer. Nick’s annoyed but can’t help the attraction he feels toward Holly, who likewise struggles to keep plotting against someone so handsome and likable. With plenty of flirty banter and holiday hijinks, the narrative sprints toward its sweet conclusion but leaves enough room for character development to keep readers emotionally invested in the enemies-to-lovers romance at its center. This is irresistible. (Sept.)