The Holiday Hookup List

Alexis Daria is an auto-read author for me, so I was excited for her new novella, The Holiday Hookup List, even though I don’t read a lot of holiday romances. When former school enemies reunite at a holiday party, a steamy hookup brings them closer than they could have expected. Valencia and Gideon have both had a tough year, so they decide to enjoy 12 days of Christmas together. They come up with a list of 12 holiday activities to do together… plus 12 sexy experiences they want to try. But when their holiday whirlwind is over, will there be enough to keep them together beyond Christmas?

What I Liked:

• Turning a bad year into a fun quest. Both Valencia and Gideon have gone through rough times recently, from a broken engagement and cheating ex to the death of a parent. Instead of spending the holidays alone and miserable, they decide to transform their unexpected reunion into something exciting. Twelve holiday-related activities, like getting hot chocolate and wrapping presents together… And twelve sexy activities they may not have ever tried before. (And wow, does this get spicy!)
• Family dynamics. In the wake of loss, Valencia and Gideon are each navigating new family norms and holiday traditions this year. I liked seeing the complex relationships, including dynamics that may not seem as traditional.

Audiobook:

Ramona Master and Noah B. Perez narrate as Valencia and Gideon. Both do a great job of capturing their characters. Valencia is infused with extra attitude and strength, while Gideon’s vulnerable side comes out. I enjoyed listening to this book in the audio format.

Final Thoughts

The Holiday Hookup List is an extremely steamy but heartfelt novella for those who love a side of naughty with their nice Christmas romance. It’s a quick read that’s perfect for the busy holiday season.

Special thanks to Montlake, Brilliance Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Get the Book

You can buy The Holiday Hookup List here – it’s available as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

The Holiday Hookup List by Alexis Daria
Audiobook Narrator	Ramona Master and Noah B. Perez
Audience	Adult
Genre	Holiday Romance
Setting	New York City
Number of Pages	205
Format I Read	Audiobook & Ebook (NetGalley ARCs)
Original Publication Date	October 7, 2025
Publisher	Montlake

Official Summary

The twelve days of Christmas have never been hotter! Spice up the holiday season with this sizzling enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy by an internationally bestselling author.

Valencia

After calling it quits with my cheating fiancé, I’m definitely not feeling the Christmas spirit this year. But when my best friend invites me to a holiday dance party, I show up ready to shake my ass.

Except I must be on Santa’s naughty list, because who do I run into? My infuriatingly sexy high school archnemesis, Gideon Noble.

The pulsing music, red and green strobe lights, and Gideon’s bitable bottom lip make me reckless, so I drag him onto the dance floor.

And then? I take him home with me.

Gideon

If this is my second chance with Valencia, I’m not wasting it.

We’re both alone this Christmas, so we create a naughty and nice list that would make Santa blush: twelve days of wholesome yuletide cheer, and twelve nights decking each other’s halls.

As Christmas Eve, and the end of our list, approaches, I realize that twelve days with Valencia Torres isn’t enough.

I want forever.

But does she?