Having read and enjoyed several of Amy Andrews’s contemporary romances, I was in the mood for a Christmas novel and dug into my pile of unread books to find The Trouble with Christmas. It’s the middle story in the author’s Credence Colorado series, and a good choice for some holiday cheer in a spicy Hallmark way.

When painter Suzanne St. Michelle’s best friend moves to Credence, Colorado, she takes the opportunity as an excuse to spend Christmas in a new environment, something more ‘Christmassy’ than her parents’ rather sterile holiday abode with its minimalist tree and no festive décor, so she rents a guest cottage on rancher Joshua Grady’s land, next to his house. She’s also looking for inspiration. As a reproduction artist, Suzanne is paid thousands for her creations, but some people don’t see her abilities as talent since she doesn’t produce her own original work, unlike her famous sculpture artist mother. She’d like to change that and hopes a change of scenery will help. When she meets Joshua, she becomes suddenly inspired – to paint him! Over several days she paints him (well, his face) into several famous works, and she’s delighted to have finally painted something new again, even if only for her enjoyment.

Speaking with her mother, Suzanne says she won’t be coming home for Christmas this year, and makes up a story that she’s got a new boyfriend and will be spending the holidays with him. And not only that, but he goes over the top for Christmas, something she knows her parents will find distasteful. But to her surprise, her mother sounds disappointed that they won’t see Suzanne during the holidays (and reveals that she and Suzanne’s dad are having marital problems). In a panic, Suzanne invites them to spend Christmas with her and her new beau, and her mother gladly accepts.

When Suzanne breaks the news to Joshua that she not only needs him to pretend to be her boyfriend but that she needs to decorate his house like it belongs in a scene from a kitschy Hallmark movie, Joshua is far from thrilled. And when he discovers the paintings she made with his face, he’s even less so. Suzanne isn’t above using blackmail to get her way, if it means her parents will have to spend some time together and may have a chance to reconnect. She threatens to give the paintings to a local café, resulting in Joshua grudgingly agreeing to her plans. So when her parents arrive, all is set, including multiple matching ugly Christmas sweaters for her and Joshua, inflatable outdoor decorations, and holiday lights to make the ranch visible for miles around.

Joshua doesn’t know what to make of the whirlwind that is Suzanne, and how she’s upended his quiet, if lonely, existence. When he was seventeen, he lost his parents and high school girlfriend in a car accident just before Christmas, and in the years since then Christmas has been his least favourite season. Taken in by his aunt and uncle in Credence, the running of the ranch (that he took over when his uncle retired) is his whole life. But he can’t deny he’s attracted to Suzanne, and playing her fake boyfriend, complete with public displays of affection (especially around the mistletoe) leads to some steamy encounters. But what will happen after the holidays when Suzanne plans to return to her normal life?

I enjoyed this story for what it’s supposed to be – a holiday rom-com. Sure, the over the top holiday decorations (inside and out) are REALLY crazy, but that’s all Suzanne’s idea, intended to drive her parents towards spending more time alone in the guest cottage and away from her and Joshua in the main house. Suzanne’s job as a professional forger (legal and paid) is an interesting career choice for a heroine. The idea of having your face being put into a bunch of art pieces would probably freak me out just like it does Joshua, and I’d probably do a lot of things to make sure they didn’t become public – so as blackmail material, that definitely works. The small-town folks are friendly and welcoming to Suzanne (and as this is the middle story in a series, we learn some backstory about the town and its recent influx of inhabitants, including the friend Suzanne is there to visit). As far as heroes go, Joshua is more of an ‘insert cowboy here’ character with his tragic backstory and grumpy attitude. He’s not particularly memorable but he doesn’t need to be – he fits the description required. The ending is predictable; insta-love served up with a dollop of whipped cream for your holiday sweet tooth.