The Holiday Mix-Up

Baird (Right Girl, Wrong Side) puts an unexpected twist on the fake dating trope in this playful holiday rom-com. Diner waitress Katie Smith is caught off guard when her regular customer and crush, Juan Martinez, asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend over Christmas at his family’s winery. She agrees, secretly hoping that this ruse will lead to something real—but her dream is dashed when, almost immediately after introducing her to his family, Juan is hit by a car and winds up in the hospital in a medically induced coma—leaving Katie to keep up the act with his large, quirky Puerto Rican family alone. The only Martinez who doesn’t welcome Katie with open arms is Juan’s brother, Matteo, who is wary of her in part because of his instant attraction to her. Katie is surprised to feel a strong spark with Mateo, too, and as the pair are consistently thrown together throughout the week leading up to Christmas, their feelings only grow. There’s just one problem: Matteo believes that Katie’s with Juan, and Katie doesn’t know how to come clean. Baird excels at capturing the Martinez family’s warmhearted and somewhat kooky dynamic, adding to the cozy, homey atmosphere. This is a delight. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary. (Oct.)