The Wrong McElroy Review | K.L. Hughes | Is It Worth Reading?

A fake girlfriend, a boisterous Arkansas family, and one Christmas weekend that goes sideways the moment Fiona meets exactly the wrong McElroy sibling.

If you love holiday-set rom-coms, big loud found-family chaos, and a fake dating premise with an unexpected twist, The Wrong McElroy by K.L. Hughes belongs on your list. It is especially suited to readers who want a fast, funny, single-weekend romance over a slow-building epic.

Our take: this is a quick, funny holiday read carried by strong sibling banter and instant chemistry, though the short timeframe, a large ensemble cast, and an abruptly placed love scene won’t work for every reader.

Quick Facts

Author	K.L. Hughes
Publisher	Ylva Publishing
Publication date	October 29, 2019
Pages	194
Language	English
Series	Standalone
Series order	N/A
Genres	Contemporary Lesbian Romance, Holiday Romance
Format	Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook
ISBN	978-3963242632
ASIN	3963242639 (Paperback) / B082495ZR8 (Audiobook)

Reader Match

Perfect for readers who…

• ✓ Love holiday-set rom-coms with big, chaotic families
• ✓ Enjoy a fake dating setup with an unexpected twist
• ✓ Want fast-paced flirtation and banter over a slow burn
• ✓ Like found-family humor mixed with some real family tension
• ✓ Appreciate a short, festive read perfect for the holiday season

Avoid If

Skip this if you want…

• A slow burn (this romance develops fast, over a single long weekend)
• No on-page bigotry (an elderly family member makes racist and homophobic remarks that are challenged but present)
• Heat that builds gradually (the one sex scene arrives abruptly, right after a tense family moment)
• A longer, fully fleshed-out novel (this is a quick, novella-length read at roughly 194 pages / 64,000 words)

Book Synopsis

Fiona Ng agrees to pose as her best friend Michael’s girlfriend for his family’s Christmas gathering in Arkansas, hoping a few days of harmless pretending will finally get his relatives off his back about his love life.

The plan unravels almost as soon as Fiona meets the rest of the sprawling, competitive McElroy clan, especially Michael’s sharp, magnetic younger sister Lizzie, who makes it very hard for Fiona to remember whose girlfriend she is supposed to be pretending to be.

As the holiday weekend fills up with family traditions, old rivalries, and a grandmother who doesn’t hold back her opinions, Fiona has to decide whether to keep playing it safe or risk something real with exactly the wrong McElroy.

My Review

The Wrong McElroy’s biggest asset is its cast: Hughes fills the McElroy household with enough competitive, funny siblings that the group scenes crackle even when the central romance takes a back seat.

The chemistry between Fiona and Lizzie is charged and playful from the start, closer to instant sparks catching than a patient burn. Readers should go in expecting a fast-moving few days rather than a long courtship: the flirting escalates quickly, and the real feelings sneak up on Fiona almost immediately once Lizzie is in the room.

Where opinions split most is pacing and placement. Several readers have noted that the large, competitive family and an unrepentant, prejudiced grandmother eat up a lot of page space, and the book’s one sex scene lands at a moment many found jarring rather than earned, arriving right on the heels of a tense family confrontation.

Still, for a short holiday read, it delivers real laughs, a likeable central pairing, and a satisfying, low-angst happy ending that has made it an easy yearly reread for some fans of the genre.

Romance Profile

Relationship	Fake Dating, Holiday Romance, Family Gathering, Opposites Attract
Age Gap	None indicated
Slow Burn	No, a fast-developing single-weekend romance
Forced Proximity	Yes (staying under the same roof for the holiday)
Heat	Medium (one explicit scene)
Ending	HEA
Representation	Lesbian, POC leads
Dual POV	No, single POV (Fiona)
Steam	[Add rating]

Emotional Profile

• Funny
• Swoony
• Angsty
• Hopeful

Content Warnings

Not officially published by the author or publisher; compiled from reader reviews and should be verified by sensitive readers before purchasing.

• Racist and homophobic remarks from an elderly family member, challenged but present on the page
• Family pressure around coming out and staying closeted around relatives
• Brief on-page marijuana use
• One explicit sex scene

Book DNA

Main Tropes	Fake Dating, Holiday Romance, Family Gathering, Opposites Attract
Relationship Dynamics	Best friend’s little sister vs. reluctant fake girlfriend, flirtation hiding in plain sight
Emotional Journey	Guarded restraint to swept-up attraction to earned happiness
Reader Moods	Amused, Swoony, Angsty, Hopeful
Themes	Family expectations vs. authentic self, chosen partners vs. pretend ones, holiday togetherness
Tone	Light, funny, and fast-moving, with pockets of real family tension
Heat	Medium
Ending	HEA
Representation	Lesbian, POC leads

Similar Books

• Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun
• Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
• Season of Love by Helena Greer
• Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake

For more similar books visit: Sapphic holiday romance books

About the Author

K.L. Hughes is an American poet-turned-novelist who began writing as a child growing up in a small town and has spent her career since writing across genres, from contemporary sapphic romance to literary fiction and poetry. Her other novels include Popcorn Love, The Art of Us, and The Sea.

Read more K.L. Hughes reviews →

FAQ

Is The Wrong McElroy spicy?

It sits at a medium heat level. There is one explicit love scene, which arrives fairly abruptly late in the story.

Does The Wrong McElroy have a happy ending?

Yes. The book ends with an upbeat HEA for Fiona and Lizzie.

Can The Wrong McElroy be read as a standalone?

Yes. It is a standalone novel and not part of a series.

Is The Wrong McElroy slow burn?

No, it is a fast-developing romance that unfolds over a single holiday weekend rather than a long, patient burn.

Is there an age gap in The Wrong McElroy?

No significant age gap is indicated between the leads.

Who narrates the audiobook?

The audiobook is narrated by Nicole Blessing.

Is The Wrong McElroy a fake dating romance?

Yes. The central hook is Fiona posing as her best friend Michael’s girlfriend for his family’s Christmas visit.

Does The Wrong McElroy use dual POV?

No, the story is told from Fiona’s perspective only.

Final Verdict

Who should read it: fans of holiday rom-coms, big rowdy family stories, and fake-dating setups with an unexpected twist.

Who shouldn’t: readers who want a slow burn, a longer novel-length romance, or a story free of on-page bigoted remarks from a family member.

Final score: 8.6/10

Affiliate Disclosure

This post may contain an affiliate link. If you purchase through it, Lesbian Romance Reads may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Buy The Wrong McElroy on Amazon