Second chance romance AND two grumpy scrooges? This is the book for me. Christmas romances are always hit or miss for me, but this one hit. I loved that Caleb knew that he messed up and that he grew up enough to realize he had to fix it. This had all the You've Got Mail vibes in it and since that is one of my favorites, this was a win. I am all about novellas and usually they satisfy me with their length, but I did want more of Caleb and Nola because I felt like it was a little rushed a the end. Overall, this was a sweet holiday romance that will satisfy your Christmas scrooge and hopefully make you a little bit merrier.
Thank you to Meghan Quinn, Amazon and Netgalley for an early copy.

This was so stinking cute! I wish MQ would write shorter stories more often - not necessarily ‘short stories’ but this was a refreshing change of pace for her. Definitely pick it up! 4.5 stars

This was a cute second chance Christmas short story. It had the lol moments I’ve come to expect from Meghan Quinn’s books. I could have definitely seen this as a full novel, and am hoping for some spin-offs.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

In true Meghan fashion, this is a laugh out loud , hilarious story! I love how Meghan makes you forget your everyday problems and sucks you into the story!!
If you need a quick read or want something to get you into the holiday spirit … this book is for you!! I highly recommend this book!
Christmas is the vain of their existence for Caleb and Nola. But can they come together and find happiness…. Together? Or will the past tea them apart ?
I adore Meghan’s books! I’m a fan for life and I regret nothing !! They always get me in my feelings , always!! And let’s not forget… they make me like laugh no other author!! I can’t wait to see what Meghan has in store for us next!!

Thank you Netgalley for this short story. It was easily predictable, but I found the interactions in the letters between the two characters charming and humorous. Definitely a fast feel good Christmas novela.

Such a fun novella! This is my first book by Quinn and this You've Got Mail letters trope story brought me so much joy and a few out loud laughs as I read on the couch. It was sweet and cute and so much fun. I loved the town and the banter and the super fast pace. Holiday novellas are absolutely winning for me this year.

An adorable second chance, small town holiday romance romance!

I loved the backstory of Caleb and Nola. I loved the back and forth letter writing between "Resting Scrooge Face" and "Ho Ho No" and watching them bond over what first they hate, and then love, about the holiday season. The sharing of their lives, bit by bit, not knowing they were writing each other.

I ADORED Grandma Louise and Arden.

A cute holiday romance that gives you all the things you want in a holiday read. The only downfall is that it is a novella and not a full on novel!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Super short Christmas read with just the right amount of adorable and funny! Loved the meddling grandparents and small town feel.

What a title and cover!

A short story full of festive cheer. If you could package up a cheesy Christmas rom com and make it a book you read in one sitting - this would be it.

It was light hearted, full of puns and humour, and just what I needed to feel Christmassy.

Don't expect any major plot twists, but if you want a quick light-hearted seasonal read this is for you!

𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘨𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘦 follows Nola who's back in her hometown after an excruciating recent event that has stolen all her holiday cheer. Another someone who seems to be undergoing the same dilemma is Caleb who's triggered by the news of Nola's coming back, after all she was the one who got away.
With some intervening from their loved ones and anonymous sharing of letters over their mutual hatred for the Christmas season, Nola and Caleb find their way back.

- ~ -

For a short story of some fifty pages, I had a lot of fun reading it and there was surprisingly a good bit of humour.

There's always some magic in smalltown romances and Bright Harbour was no different. Especially with its people who make the place a home both Nola and Caleb can't live without returning to.

Nola and Caleb's reconnection was undoubtedly the best part but the letters they exchanged was a close second.

Also I got to know that Nola is Ryot's sister from the author's other book Untying The Knot? Now I can't wait to dive into that one.

- ~ -

3.85 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘈𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘰𝘯 𝘖𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 & 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

Resting Scrooge Face is a short Christmas-themed story by American author, Meghan Quinn. Dumped by the boyfriend, Nola Bisley quits their Upper East Side apartment and heads home to Bright Harbor, her only refuge. While her parents are off on a Christmas vacation, she’s helping to gut and restore her childhood home. She just hopes she doesn’t run into the man who broke her heart years ago, Caleb Butler.

Ever since Nola returned to Bright Harbor a month ago, Caleb has been in a foul mood. He knows he did the wrong thing when Nola wanted to pursue her dream of becoming an interior designer, in New York City. His irritation with all the Christmas cheer around him stems from anger at himself, for losing the woman he loved, and still loves. He vents in a letter he signs Resting Scrooge Face, then discards into his hardware store’s waste paper basket. But somehow, it ends up being delivered to Nola, via the town’s seventy-year-old mailman, Arden. Nola replies in kind, signing hers Ho Ho No.

Their first in-person encounter sparks anger and strong words, but Arden and Nola’s Grandma Louise eventually manoeuvre the pair into a truce that soon becomes more. A short and sweet Christmas Happy Ever After.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories.

This was such a fun short read. I read it in about 45 minutes and I laughed hysterically. My husband was getting angry that I was shaking the bed- it was that funny.

Nola and Caleb were super cute, I loved their banter and wish this was a full length book!

I have to admit, I was waiting for the spice, and I was a bit sad when I didn’t get any.

I received an ecopy of this book from NetGalley, in exchange for my review.

Super quick and super cute holiday pen pal story about two grumpy exs. Nola moved back to her hometown just in time for the holiday season and just can’t get into the spirit of the season while also avoiding her ex Caleb. Nola was the one that got away after Caleb broke her heart when he let his fears get the better of him but now with Nola back he wonders if they can ever get to a good place again. Through their mysterious letters, Nola and Caleb soften their distain for the season and start to wonder who they are writing and secretly hoping it’s the other.


Thank you @netgalley and publishers for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.
Huge fan of Meghan Quinn & so happy she takes us back to Port Snow (love that series) in a quick-read novella set in nearby Bright Harbor. Fun story but way too short! Great idea with the letters back and forth, and who can't resist matchmaker Arden?

I did not know I needed this book and yet it came at the right time and I am in love. When an author can write a holiday book with deep layers of sexy sweetness as well dropping in cameos from previous characters! I loved it all.

The story was a short read full of great banter, sweet second chances, an adorable small town, and Meghan Quinn's classic humor.

Read this book and then go read all the rest of her books and then come and thank me because I know you will love all of it!

I loved this!! Just a short, fun, holiday read. Caleb and Nola are grumpy/grumpy about the holidays and the letter-writing is charming. I finished it with a goofy smile on my face. It delivers all the holiday feels!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

This was a really cute Christmas story, and it’s perfect if you’re looking for something sweet & short to read for the holidays!

I loved the letters included in the story and I thought they did a great job at showing the progression of Caleb and Nola’s relationship.
I do wish the story had been a little longer so we could’ve seen more of Caleb and Nola interacting outside of writing letters to each other, but overall I really liked this one!

Thank you to Netgalley and Meghan Quinn for for an eARC of this book!

This book was a very cute happily ever romance that seemed very reminiscent of every Hallmark movie that I love. A girl loved her small town in pursuit of the American dream in a big city and returns home, and the book begins. The love story was very lovingly cheesy in the best way and it had the most perfect Christmas vibes. This is the type of novella I could read every year around Christmas time in one sitting, it is so good! I honestly just wished I got more and it was longer or it would have been a 5 star read for me!

Resting Scrooge Face was an adorable second-chance romance wrapped up in a short story filled with anonymous letters, meddling old people playing matchmaker, and all the holiday spirit you could hope for.

An easy read to enjoy snuggled on the couch with a blanket and a hot beverage, I absolutely adored Nola and Caleb. Just enough background is given to understand the heartbreak but the banter and chemistry is what really sells the plot.

Thank you NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review

This book put me right into the Christmas spirit. Despite it being mid-November when I read this, I automatically feel like eating candy canes and cozying up in a blanket surrounded by LED fairy lights. How could a book affect me so much? Well, because it's the book form of a hallmark movie.
You might moan and groan about hallmark movies but around Christmastime those hallmark movies become a staple to the season. Also I actually, quite genuinely, squealed near the end. I rarely ever squeal. I was shocked when the sound came out of my mouth.
Caleb owns a hardware store, and Nola is trying to renovate her parent's house. Whilst I've seen tropes of 'they're bound to bump into each other at some point,' I felt like this was a creative way of doing it that I haven't seen before. Along with a well-written atmosphere and cheerful side-characters, it really felt like it was Christmas already.

Unfortunately, it does live up to its word of being a short story, but I would've loved to have read a full-length novel of a never-ending Christmas atmosphere.

(I also think it's important to note that I was so excited to read this that I read it literally as soon as I could get any free time)