Frosty Proximity is a short novella, so its important to know that going into it. I wish that it was longer because there was so much potential that was unrealized due to the speedy nature of the story. It is billed as grumpy/sunshine but honestly i dont think he was grumpy, just they didnt know each other that well and he was shy. It is very much insta-love and a crazy willingness to change your life for someone you just met. I did like the story because i loved his family, i want to see a full book about them, about his niece and exploring that relationship and growth. It was good but it left me wanting more.

This was a very quick workplace romance read with some spice. I loved the forced proximity too!

It’s a novella set during the holidays which makes for a cozy quick read. It was really interesting to read about Hanukah and have a book set around that holiday instead of just Christmas .

I enjoyed the romance and their relationship - although it felt a little rushed that can be the nature of novellas and was still very enjoyable. I would recommend if you’re looking for a quick holiday romance read.

3.5 stars. Enjoyed the story although I felt the romance was pretty rushed (I understand it was a novela) and that's not always my favourite type of romance to read about. Amazing Christmas/Hannukah vibes throughout the story.

Not only did this holiday romance have Christmas fun, then was also Hannukuh representation! So much was jam-packed into this story- snow storms, workplace romance, cinnamon role, millionaires, and lgbt-q rep. I recommend picking up this light read with some fun twists.

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: yes
spice: several open-door spicy scenes
TWs: homophobia/transphobia
standalone: yes
final thoughts: a cute and quick read with great characters, steamy scenes, and just enough tension for intrigue. I love the dynamic of the bubbly, talkative FMC with the shy, introverted MMC who don’t know how to interact with each other until they’re forced to after pining from afar – so cute!!
An adorable holiday read ☃️

read this book if you love

🏝️ forced proximity
😡 grumpy/sunshine
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 found family
🎄 holiday themes
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 great side characters
💵 billionaire
🍪cinnamon roll MMC
🌈 LGBT+ representation
💼 workplace romance (employer/employee)

4/5⭐️

Super cute holiday romcom novella! Christmas, Hanukkah, snow storms, one bed trope, family, love, and so much more… what’s not the love??

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an open and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

So I don't think forced proximity is for me....

This was a quick and easy read to get me into the holiday spirit, but I think it was maybe too quick. I know it's a novella, but the relationship just happened so fast, and it didn't feel like there was much build up, leading to a lack of chemistry. Also, for a Grumpy x Sunshine book, he didn't really feel grumpy, just maybe a bit shy and awkward. Finally, I know reviewers are praising the book for its positive trans rep with the male MCs niece, and whilst I'm sure the author's motivations were good, it did sometimes feel like her character was included solely to make the female MC look good in his eyes, to the point that her positive relationship with his niece felt like the only reason he fell in love with her.

This is a sweet and spicy holiday story. Kara is talented personal stylist whose clients fly her all over the world. She’s in Switzerland just before Christmas when a storm hits and cancels her flight back to the US. She agrees to go with her client, Peter, for the holidays. His family celebrates Hanukkah and there are meaningful celebrations. Kara hasn’t spent much time with Peter before, and now the sparks start flying.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

Another Christmas story in the books for me and I loved it!! This story is so cute and deserves so much love! It has some of my favorite tropes; grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity and includes some spice! The characters are so sweet and relatable! Give more Christmas romcoms like this!

I am TRASH for *there was only one bed* and FROSTY PROXIMITY deeee-livvv-ered. These leads had great chemistry and I loved Peter and Kara both so much.

I am always on the hunt for non-Christmas holiday romances so I was excited that Peter is Jewish and the majority of this book takes place at his home. I soooo wish there had been even more Chanukah in this book. I was longing for it! GIVE ME MORE!

My bigger issue was that these two fell in love over the span of three most uneventful days. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I would have prefered a lets-see-where-this-goes ending because I just didn't believe entire lives were being redirected based on this one weekend.

Having said that, FROSTY PROXIMITY was a quick read with so much great representation, some great only-one-bed steamy scenes, and the start of a great romance.

A cute holiday story!! When Kara gets stuck in Zurich right before Christmas, her client, Peter, invites him to stay with his family as they celebrate Hanukkah. The longer the two spend together, the more they begin to fall for one another. As their time together comes to an end, they both must decide how much they want to see each other again. I loved the chemistry between the two characters. I also loved how each one supports the other in ways no one else has.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this opportunity!

This was perfectt! I loove novellas. They are so easy to read and you get to hear a full story within few pages which is stunning. Also this was grumpy x sunshine so double the fun!
The perfect holiday rom-com! A must read for sure!

Frosty Proximity is a cozy, yet spicy winter romance! The family dynamics and inclusivity in this book is perfect! Liz Alden builds an entire story that gives you 100% buy in to the characters and romance, and this is done in less than 200 pages! This is the perfect winter read for everyone.

Overall, I adored so many things about this book, but most notably I loved how believable the growth seen in the characters and how they navigated their issues. I also loved that there was a trans teenager and how their transition was handled so respectfully. The romance was so sweet with just the right amount of spice.

The only reason that you may not want to read this book is if you don't like shorter romances. There were so many great subjects covered. I am going to be recommending this book to all my romance lovers far and wide. Can't wait to check out more by this author!

Not for me. Too heavy for a holiday novella. And correcting a woman in her 90s with memory issues is the bigger problem, not transphobia. Peter was boring and Kara was immature. Thanks to NetGalley for a digital copy

I thought this was just going to be a light fluffy holiday romance. It was that and a little more. Including things like a transgender family member and holidays across religions really added depth to this novella.
It was fun to read while also making you think.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book and it has put me in the festive spirit!
I loved watching Kara and Peter’s characters develop and their relationship grow.

I picked Frosty Proximity because I forced proximity is one of my favorite tropes and it sounded like a cute holiday read. However, I was pleasantly surprised how much feeling and depth Liz Alden fit into an novella. While romance novellas often focus only on the two characters falling in love, this one had great side characters and family drama. I adored how the heroine bonded with the hero's niece. I also liked that while this story takes place over a short period of time, it feels more like a start of a relationship then forcing it to be a full relationship in just a little over 100 pages. I also enjoyed a holiday romance that was about Hanukah instead of Christmas primarily. It is nice to see other holidays get more representation. The depiction of Switzerland also seemed accurate, and I appreciated that the author knew that the characters would speak a different version of German. All in all it's a great holiday read when you are in the mood for something short with great side characters!

3.75/5 ⭐️

Thank you, @netgalley, for a copy of this novella in exchange for an honest review.

PUB Date was October 24, 2023

I thought the synopsis was really cute, and once I was into the thick of this story, I noted a lot of elements. These are two main characters with an already established rapport as he is her client as a stylist. He already has a crush, and she is attracted to him and then they are stuck together due to a huge snowstorm, preventing her from flying back home. We learn that her family is so much different from her family and is welcomed with open arms and fits in so well with his close-knit family.

Things I liked:
The attraction ramp up
The spice (yummy!)
His family and their banter
The acceptance of others

Things I disliked:
I don't normally enjoy insta-love
Her family
The length of the book
Some parts are rushed (which I do get, this being a novella, just not a huge fan)

Tropes/features:
Forced proximity
Only one bed
Hannekuah rep
LGBTQ+ rep
He falls first

The novella was adorable, and the winter atmosphere was incredible, but for me, it lacked something.

The timeline was a bit rushed, especially since they'd had so few interactions before officially meeting.
I can like insta-love, but to completely upend their life on what feels like a whim was a bit ridiculous.

What I really loved about the book was the inclusion of Sylvie, Peter's transgender niece.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Frosty Proximity was my first holiday book of the season and it started off my Christmas spirit perfectly (despite it being October!) It’s a quick, cozy read, with some lovely spice and fun characters. I love a grumpy-sunshine combo and Kara and Peter were perfect!

WHAT I LOVED MOST:
Peter’s family was the absolute cutest. Kara felt a little out of place at first and they welcomed her and made her feel right at home.

The Jewish representation was so enjoyable. I learned and googled a lot of things that caught my interest.

Sylvie and Kara’s moments were so special. The trans story tugged at my heart and I’m so glad a character like Sylvie was brought into this reading world.

One bed. Real hot. That’s all I have to say about that.

FAVORITE QUOTE:
“Wenus. Maybe the back of the knee has an equally unsexy name too. Wenus. Wenus. My mother’s wenus. There. Erection problem solved.”

I would love to dive further into these characters. I love a novella, but Peter and Kara in a full story would have been so great.

Thank you to Netgalley and Liz Alden for the e-ARC. I appreciated the opportunity to read this book and give an honest review.