e-ALC, 06:52:55
Narrated by: Rae DeVine & Shayna Small
Release Date: October 14, 2025
Published by: Books On Tape
Read from: November 20, 2025
Stand-alone
Source: PRH Audio App (I received this ALC free from the publisher and their app. This did nothing to influence my review!)
Content Warning: Abandonment, Mental Illness, Grief, Child Abuse, Infidelity, Alcohol
For Readers Interested In: 2sLGBTQ+, Audio, Auto Buy Authors, Contemp Romance, Contemporary, Dual POV, Fake Dating, Family Diversity, Holidaze, Sparkly Covers, Most Anticipated, Own, Racial/Ethnic Diversity, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Socioeconomic Status Diversity, YAWhen snow falls, sparks fly in this irresistible queer romance from Schneider Family Book Award and Stonewall Honor winner Mariama J. Lockington—for fans of She Gets the Girl and Jennifer Dugan.
High school senior Lyric has always found Christmas to be the hardest season. While other kids got presents and family time by the fire, she was in and out of foster care. An up-and-coming make-up influencer and aspiring cosmetology student who loves a bold lip, Lyric definitely isn’t looking for romance—not when opening up to someone feels a lot like asking to get hurt.
Christmas is Juniper’s favorite time of year. At least, it was, until her moms’ separation. They’re back together now, and Juniper hopes they’ll stay that way. Because if they’re happy, that means Juniper can leave for her gap-year trip after graduation (the one she has yet to tell her parents about, and can’t really afford without their help).
When a chance meeting brings these two opposite personalities together, they should clash . . . only they don’t. Instead Lyric strikes a deal with Juniper: pose as her fake girlfriend in a series of holiday-themed social media posts and they can split the money from her beauty sponsorships. But soon the lines between what’s real and what’s not start to blur. Could it be that sparks are flying both in front of the camera and behind it?
Told from dual perspectives, one in prose and one in verse, I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm is a cozy and modern love story from acclaimed author Mariama J. Lockington that’s perfect for the winter holidays or all year round.
*MY THOUGHTS*
I hated that I had to wait to get into the holiday mood to read this because I wanted to read this since the first time I saw this cover. And finally when I got to read it, it did not disappoint.
Now even though this is a holiday book, I will say this isn’t your average holiday book. It isn’t ONLY about the holiday and the feel good feels one gets as the day gets closer. In both stories Christmas had some sadness attached to it. And that may sound bad, but it was a big reminder that not everyone has a happy time during the holidays. And these are teens, so this is something important to know and remember as a YA librarian. I loved that this exists for these teens and they get this representation. With that being said, there is still some ice skating, taking pictures at a Christmas tree, hot chocolate bombs, and other holiday fun. I thought it was a really nice balance. And then there’s the very cute family time they spent together. It was cute. And it ends on New Years, so yeah, I’d still categorize it as a holiday romance.
The plot of this was a bit all over the place. But if you know me, you know I didn’t mind because it involved Fake Dating lol That part was crazy tho because it was like she was so delulu lol Lyric just basically told Juniper we’re going to do this and Juniper was like yep, yes we are lol It was so funny. But the two of them together was so cute. I loved seeing the little things they got to do together, like the hot chocolate bombs and other dates. It was so much fun.
I also liked the opposites attract trope in this. One character is a beauty influencer, and she is not a holiday fan. Her and her mom had issues, so she was raised by her grandma after going through foster care and she is constantly worried about money. And then there was the Juniper who loves this time of year and lives with her moms. Their differences run deeper, but seeing the two of them fall for each other in this was so cute! I loved how they set everything else aside and only thought about themselves and their relationship.
At this point I finished this book about two weeks ago. And even still I’m learning new things about it. I had no idea this was told in an alternating prose and verse style. This book was so different than what I was expecting. But I mean that in the best way posible. Definitely a holiday book I will be recommending season after season!
Overall, I give this
