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)

Thank you nergalley and Meghan Quinn for this arc!

This was my first holiday read of the year and it was SO cute! I loved all the letters, I wish we got an extended epilogue though because I love Caleb !

I will say grandma Louise and Arden were the real stars, I need a novella of just them on their date, planning. They were so great and I just can imagine them so clearly!

This was a quick read, but perfect to get you in the holiday spirit!

High school sweet hearts, second chance romance, both grumpy, small town!

3.75/5 ⭐️
0/5 🌶️

This was a cute short Christmas story! I expected a hint of spice from this book but there was none to be found! 😅 It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing but I feel like it’s worth mentioning. I understand that this book is classified as a short story but the ending felt way too fast. I would have loved to see more of Caleb and Nola.

"The heart wants what it wants, and sometimes it just takes a little Christmas magic to make it whole again."

It's beginning to look a lot like love ❤️ Don't miss the chance to feel all the feels with Meghan Quinn's newest romantic romp set in Bright Harbor, Maine.

I loved this novel so much. It's a cute, romantic story about two people who have been hurt in the past but find love again. Caleb, the boy who broke her heart years ago, is all grown up and still living in town. While doing her best to avoid him, Nola bumps into the local mailman, who gives her a mysterious letter. And when she finds that the writer is a fellow Scrooge, she can’t help but feel her spirit lifting.

Nola writes back to her new pen pal—who, unbeknownst to Nola, is none other than Caleb. When Caleb gets a response hand delivered by the mailman, he’s intrigued by the mystery sender. A friendly correspondence develops—and quickly turns flirtatious.

Although Nola and Caleb claim they can’t stand each other, it's clear that there's something special between them. I loved reading about their journey to find love again and how they overcame their own personal demons. This novel was funny, charming, and just downright adorable. I highly recommend it!

This is the perfect novel to get yourself in the Christmas spirit. Happiness really is just a few love letters away - magic is alive and well!

I received an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories.

Nola doesn't want to be back in her Christmas-obsessed home town. Caleb never wanted to leave it, yet finds himself increasingly grumpy around the festive season. And neither of them wants to see the other, not after their breakup years ago.

This is such a sweet, festive novella, full of Meghan Quinn's trademark humour and well-developed characters. There are also links into some of the author's other books for readers to spot. The epistolary/unknown identity theme is absolutely my jam, and it plays out here perfectly. In short, a fab short seasonal read.

Sugary sweet + cozy holiday read.

Nola is a small town girl, turned big city girl, back in her hometown of Bright Harbor, Maine. Although she is doing her best to avoid a public run in with him, she knows that bumping into her first love, and first heartbreak, Caleb, is inevitable.

When the local mailman finds a discarded letter in Caleb's hardware store he decides to slip the letter to Nola, sit back, and watch the magic happen.

Nola & Caleb anonymously exchange letters and what was once a back and forth gripe fest for all things Christmas related has slowly turned into something more joyful.

Super cute short story, perfect for anyone who loves Christmas and Hallmark movies.
Thank you to Amazon & NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 4 stars.

Fun short story!

Its Christmas, Nola is back in her home town to nurse a broken heart and fix up her parents' house. Her ex, Caleb, still runs his family's hardware store in town. Neither of them is interested in rekindling a relationship!

Arden, a kind old gentleman, decides to have a little fun and delivers a letter to Nola from "Resting Scrooge Face" (Caleb) and a correspondence is born. Nola, writing as "Ho-ho-no" empathizes with RSF as they commiserate about their mutual dislike of being single during the holidays. Their exchanges are comical, and all the more real because they don't know who they are talking with.

I enjoyed this book, quick, easy, cute read. Second-chance holiday romance with a twist.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

This was far far far too short! It was really enjoyable and festive, but very surface level. It could have easily be twice or three times longer to develop emotional depth while still being a holiday romantic comedy novella. The humor was fun and the epistolary elements driving the romance were super cute. The evolution of both MCs feeling like scrooges to finding out they really just missed each other made me smile. The best part was the little old matchmaker “elves”!! I was hoping for a little more chemistry on page but I believed in their second chance HEA.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the advance reader copy. All thoughts are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC for a review.

This short story was incredibly cute, incredibly Christmasy, and was so lovely and sweet. We meet Nola and Caleb, residents of Bright Harbor, a neighboring city of Port Snow (many of Meghan's novels are set here as well). Nola is the sister of Ryot (Untying the Knot), and Banner (His book is yet to be published). She's mentioned throughout Untying the Knot and this can be read as a direct sequel to that book. She and Caleb are both mentioned in it.

Nola, has returned to Bright Harbor after her boyfriend kicked her out of their apartment in NYC because she wanted a family and he didn't. She decides to go home to live with her grandmother in her hometown. There she runs into her first love, Caleb, who is more like an enemy now, because he also left her many years ago.

This story was so swoon worthy because of the letter writing element, the amazing Christmas details spread throughout, and how much the chemistry between Nola and Caleb comes through even though they've been separated for many years.

This was a quick and very fun read and I highly recommend it.

this was such a sweet holiday second chance read. it was super short and kind of cheesy but I loved it. I loved the letter aspect of it all, I loved the banter, the bonding, I even loved the side characters so much.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley.

I love a feel good Christmas romance and a Meghan Quinn’s Resting Scrooge Face was a perfect holiday feel good read. I really enjoyed the writing, and it was a quick read that packed a big punch. If you want a book to give you warm and fuzzy feels, pick this up!

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Resting Scrooge Face was a super cute second chance Novella!
Nola and Caleb were high school sweethearts.
Nola had dreams of the big city
Caleb knew his life was his fathers hardware store

With Nola back in their small wintery town, heartbroken by the city boy she thought was going to propose on Christmas Eve.

Grandma and Arden are super cute side characters. I adore the nosy older crew - the schemes , antics and laughter they bring to these stories.

I really enjoyed this novella!

[Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.]

3 ⭐️

This short story is perfect to read in one sitting. It's short, sweet and Christmassy.

This was so sweet! A short story so there’s obviously not a lot of time for character development, but I thought it was written in a way that was believable. I only wish it was longer.

Such a sweet little holiday novella. I’m a sucker for a cute Christmas themed rom-com. I loved the letter aspect, it was so fun. The only thing I didn’t like was that I found the fact that they didn’t figure out who the other person was considering they dated before. But overall, it was adorable and I would recommend to anyone looking for a short and sweet holiday romance.

This was a short and sweet Christmas Romance Novella. I had a great time reading this and I honestly would love to read more about this couple!

Tropes:
- Second Chance Romance
- Small Town Romance

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Resting Scrooge Face releases November 29, 2022

This was such a charming short story, perfect for the festive holiday season!
I loved all of the characters from Caleb and Nola, to their pen pal names "Resting Scrooge Face" and "Ho Ho No", and especially Arden and Grandma Louise.
Lighthearted, cute, and feel-good time, this will resonate with readers that both love and hate the holiday season.

- dual pov
- small town
- letters
- second chances
- holiday themed

I wouldn't normally pick up a romance read, but I love the holidays, and since this one was short I thought I'd give it a shot. I am very glad I did! This is a very cute (albeit predictable), short story of two people in a small town reconnecting through secret letters, where neither one has any idea of who the other is! If you don't like cheesy, predictable plot points, you may not like this, but I still really enjoyed it. It left me wanting to know even more of the characters, such as their lives before this and their lives after this. I will defintiely be reading more of Meghan Quinn's books. Thank you Net Galley and Amazon!