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Betsy St. Amant: Spotlight on Holly and Nick Hate Christmas

December 17, 2025 / 42 Comments

I’m excited to have Betsy St. Amant back on the blog this week to highlight her new release, Holly and Nick Hate Christmas. For a chance to win a paperback of this Christmas rom-com, comment below by December 23! (US resident only)

One of the common questions I get about Holly and Nick Hate Christmas is “is this based on any real-life experience?” And the answer is a resounding no—I love Christmas! In fact, I dedicated the novel to my parents, because they made Christmases so great for my sister and me growing up.

Some of my favorite memories are the traditions we shared, including my father’s homemade sausage balls and cheese biscuits, laying under the Christmas tree to see all the ornaments and lights from underneath, driving around to look at lights while drinking hot chocolate…and what’s really fun is I get to do those traditions now with my kids! (Who are crusty ol’ teenagers now, but they love it)

While Holly and Nick Hate Christmas was always meant to be a light-hearted rom-com, I loved the idea of exploring the answer to the question “What would make someone hate Christmas?” While I couldn’t relate, I did have years in my life as an adult, especially after my divorce, where the holiday was harder than usual. Where I would have given anything to not be the single mom putting together the Barbie dreamhouse alone in the middle of the night, not to have to split time with my kid on the special day, and not to have to financially struggle to make it all work. 

Those years never made me hate Christmas, but they made me realize that everyone has a story, and some chapters are harder than others. Those years gave me compassion I wouldn’t have had otherwise. And they also made me see how loved I was and how many “Santa’s helpers” I had in my life helping me. 

I think when you read the story, you’ll be able to understand and sympathize with both characters’ backstories. I was able to deep dive into Holly and Nick’s pasts and give them meaningful, relatable, holiday-tainted issues, without sacrificing the humor of the story—because that was always my priority. In fact, when my agent asked if I wanted to put together a proposal for a Christmas novel, I immediately knew it had to be the most fun, chaotic, family-secret-packed novel ever. I wanted to have fun writing it! And boy, did I. (Though there might have been several spreadsheets involved to keep track of which character knew what and when!)

I was inspired by two of my favorite movies (How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days and The Family Stone) and created a mash-up of tropes that include fake date, brother’s best friend, close proximity, enemies to lovers, and more. I think the biggest compliment I’ve seen in the reviews is that despite there being a lot of characters (Holly comes from a big family!) everyone was kept straight because of how different I made them. (Whew! In fact, someone even used the word “effortlessly” in their review regarding that topic, and I might have snorted out loud but I sincerely appreciate the compliment and assumption!)

I think readers will have a LOT of fun reading this book, but I also pray that if any readers find themselves, like Holly and Nick, struggling with the holidays for various reasons, the story might invoke a sprinkling of joy and a fresh perspective on the “reason for the season.” Because without the light of Christ coming, Emmanuel—God with us—none of us would ever have any lasting reason to hope. 

Happy Christmas!

Thanks so much for giving us a behind-the-scenes look at your new Christmas rom-com, Betsy. It sounds like a wonderful story! Have a Merry Christmas!

For a chance to win a paperback of @betsystamant’s #Christmas rom-com, Holly and Nick Hate Christmas, comment on her spotlight on the #HopeFilledFiction blog by 12/23. US only #giveaway

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Join the conversation. Are you a fan of Christmas books? Does Betsy’s Christmas rom-com sound like a story you’d like to read? What questions or comments do you have for Betsy?

Be sure to comment below by December 23 for a chance to win a paperback of Holly and Nick Hate Christmas! (US resident only)

Holly and Nick Hate Christmas by Betsy St. Amant

Click the book cover for purchase link

When a Christmas-hating woman’s brother sets her up with a fellow Grinch and it backfires, she decides to out-Christmas her date by kicking off a festive battle of wills in this “irresistible” (Publishers Weekly) enemies-to-lovers holiday romcom.

Holly Sinclair has hated Christmas for as long as she can remember. Who names their Christmas baby Holly in the first place? She was teased mercilessly growing up. Holly Berry, Holli-days, Holly Jolly . . . not to mention the fact that her birthday is often totally overlooked amidst the season.

To make matters worse, instead of getting the promotion she was expecting, Holly’s been downsized—which is just fancy holiday talk for fired. Now Holly has to go home single, unemployed, turning thirty, and only a tinsel strand of faith. Bah, humbug.

Holly’s big brother, Ryan, has dragged his best friend, known holiday-hater Nick Kinsley, home with him. But when Holly discovers that Nick’s here to be her pity date, she decides the best revenge is to play along . . . and Christmas like she’s never Christmas’d before. Commence Operation: Naughty List. The fact that she’s attracted to Nick is totally not the point. She’ll teach him a lesson, one ho ho ho at a time.

The holiday grows more complicated when Holly and Ryan find out their parents asked all the siblings to come home for Christmas this year, but refuse to say why. The rest of the Sinclair siblings descend, each with their own sleigh full of secrets. Rumors spread as everyone tries to guess the reason for their parents’ demand—and Nick turns out to have a secret of his own. Will this be a Christmas to forget? Or will Holly and Nick discover there is so much more?

Betsy St. Amant Haddox is the author of more than twenty-five romance novels and novellas. She resides in north Louisiana with her hubby, two teenagers, and one furry schnauzer-toddler. Betsy has a Bachelor of Arts in communication and loves teaching and speaking on the craft of writing. She writes frequently for iBelieve, a devotional site for women, and offers author coaching and editing services through Storyside LLC.

Connect with Betsy: Website / Facebook / Instagram / X / BookBub

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If you missed Kathleen Bailey’s spotlight on Hilltop Reunion last week, FIND IT HERE.

As a Jesus girl for more than thirty years, Deena Adams understands how important hope is to daily life, which fuels her passion to inspire others through hope-filled fiction based on true to life stories. She is a multi-award-winning author, an active ACFW member, and a six-year ACFW Virginia board member. Connect with Deena through her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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