This was a short but entertaining read. I loved the concept even if it has been done over and over when it comes to a Christmas thriller.

I loved the slow suspense building up, the MCs arrival in the small town where she will be spending Christmas, her fear but also her optimism. After her boyfriend breaks up with her (why? we don't know and don't get any backstory) she decides to spend the holiday in the cabin she rented for the both of them. That is the premise. It is not bad at all.

What disappointed me was the ending though. At the end of the story we have a lot of action, a lot of running around and chasing. But there is no explanation regarding why these people were doing what they were doing. It felt like watching 'The Strangers', just two women and a guy breaking into your house for no reason and trying kill you (again, why? - readers want to know this when reading a story like this). The phone call with the operator,...I wish the author had done something more about that. I've read other Christmas novellas and they always ended with a good twist, something enmeshed within the theme of Christmas. This was just...flat.

That is why I will be giving it three stars. It is not a bad read, it keeps you going. But when you come to end, you ask yourself why did you read it? The ending does not do it justice.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

The perfect novella to cuddle on the couch with your oversized blanket and cup of coffee to binge through a creepy read that will leave you breathless through the last half of the story. A little of everything needed in a holiday thriller with the isolated house, snow storm, and the lonely narrator drunk on wine and carbs to nurse a break up. I am still sitting in shock with the ending and honestly wanting more. The subtle hints of something amis throughout the novella were also perfectly executed and at times I found myself questioning the reliability of the narrator. I am definitely recommending this novella to my book club and look forward to more stories from this author and perhaps a full length novel that really dredges into the plot.

I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did. 5 starts are not enough. I thought it would be a nice little palette cleanser between some fantasy romance, but this STOOD OUT. Why does this little novella give me giddy leg-kicking at the same time as holding-my-breath suspense?! I LOVED the mash-up of genres:

Book cover - gives romance vibes
Writing style - banter and humor feels like a rom-com
General theme - solo holiday vacation
Plot - SUSPENSE, THRILLER, did I mention SUSPENSE
Light sprinkling of body horror

When I say suspense, I mean suspense. I found myself holding my breath, having to remind myself to breathe.

There were little tidbits that I found great joy in, and helped me immerse myself even more into the story because it was SO relatable:
- The walk-around of the AirBnB, washing dishes before using, and changing the direction of the window blinds
- The STANLEY MUG is a side character
- Sucking the candy cane to a point and then poking it with your finger until it is pointy enough

As someone who has gone on solo winter vacations to mountain AirBnBs.... this novella hit differently. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

HUGE thank you NetGalley and Meyer Matthews for a copy of this ARC, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review!

....

I'm going to be recommending this book to..... everyone.

Romee is planning a Christmas get away to a secluded cabin in the mountains. She is taking her boyfriend in the hopes that he will ask her to marry him.
Surprise! He breaks up with her instead.
Romee decides that she will go ahead and go to the cabin seeking solitude to mend her broken heart.
Unfortunately strange goings on begin and increase exponentially.
By the time she decides to leave she is already snowed in and has to rely on her wits to stay alive.

Is she alone? If not, who or what is after her?

Wow I loved reading this! It was easy to read and fast paced, it kept me hooked and guessing throughout. Would definitely read more by this author!

This is how to write a short novel (119 pages) loaded with thrills, violence, trauma, tension and agony, with no unnecessary filler. A lone, broken-hearted woman faces a pulse-pounding ordeal at Christmas when she is in an isolated country house, unable to leave or get outside help due to a storm. Intruders threaten her life. Will she survive?

Well, hello Meyer Matthews! I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced thriller! As a novella, I’ll be Alone for Christmas is a quick read, so it’s entirely binge-able and without a dull moment. Matthews writes with a fluid prose that’s easy to get lost in—especially in such a scenic setting. Plus there’s heartbreak, paranoid suspense, and a pulse-pounding conclusion—definitely recommend adding this one to your holiday reading list!

The premise of I'll Be Alone For Christmas is a strong one. Schoolteacher Romee has been simply and unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend of two years. The Christmas holidays are beginning and Romee has rented an isolated cabin for the week, a cabin where she thought she be celebrating her engagement and delicious privacy. Instead, she’ll be spending it alone with bingewatching, wine and carbs. Alone is the key word here. She’s not alone…

There is just too much going on in I'll Be Alone For Christmas. Meyer Matthews does an excellent job of building tension but there isn’t enough time in this novella for everything that follows. I wish that this had been written as a novel so that the final action could be described with slower, more deliberate style. As a novella, I would have liked to see that tension keep building and end with hints of what is to come. 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Meyer Matthews for this ARC.

THE WHIPLASH I GOT FROM THE SECOND HALF.

Quick read, creepy, so easy to binge.

Thank you NetGalley and the author/publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a beautiful and enjoyable read. I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre. Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, this book was so good. I'll admit I got it for read now based on the cover, but it was actually super thrilling and WOW the last half of the book!!!!

It's a novella, so obviously super short, which is probably why I started and finished it so quick--like an hour and a half? I was only going to read a sample, but then I kept going, and then I got to the middle and it was INTENSE. I couldn't put it down, absolutely not.

I could def see the Home Alone vibes for sure. Despite how dark and suspenseful it is, I'm so ready for Christmas now LOL!