I adored this book - it was different from my usual reads, but it touches a lot on the different types of grief. Grace and Henry are navigating their lives after losing their spouses and stumble into their own type of friendship.

I loved watching Grace and Henry's different journeys through their grief and of course, I fell in love with Ian, Bella, and Harry Styles (wink). The dry humor and quirky bits were so fun. I would be lying if I said I got through the book from with a dry eye. My heart wrenched and was slowly put back together again by the wholesome moments that came throughout. I really enjoyed this book!

** Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine | Dell for the Advanced Copy for my honest review **

Thank you so much to Random House Publishing for the ARC!

Going into this book I wasn’t sure what to expect, the cover alone drew me in. The book overall was really enjoyable. You really find yourself rooting for the growth and wellbeing of Grace (and the kids) and Henry. The grief and growth these characters go through are relayed so well that it really puts you in the experience of their loss and growth by the end.

I will admit, as not a big holiday movie buff, the movie title bits confused me a bit in the beginning but as the novel went on, they made more sense.

I would definitely recommend this book to my friends to read and I look forward to reading more Matthew Norman books.

[ARC from NetGalley // Opinions all mine]

Sure, it’s April now and the last thing I want to think about is winter or the holidays but I was still stoked to dive into Matthew Norman’s new novel. The main characters, Grace and Henry, are two individuals whose mothers clumsily try to pair them up while each is immersed in grieving the loss of their spouse. They form a friendship, shaped in part with the theme of holiday movies.

I love the way Matthew Norman writes. I love the dialogue. His characters. I can envision it - like it’s a holiday movie of its own, playing out with each turn of the page.

In Matthew Norman's winning novel, Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon, set in Baltimore, Grace and Henry are strangers who have both lost their spouses within the past year, Grace's husband to cancer and Henry's wife in the crash of a private plane. Their mothers are acquaintances, so they devise an excuse for the two to meet, which doesn't fool either but does kindle a budding friendship as they struggle to recover from the tragic event that has changed their life.

Grace is quirky, brash, and irreverent, a bar owner who is raising two young children. Henry is a a quiet artist working for an ad agency, who is now wondering if his and his wife's decision not to have children was such a good idea. He forges a bond with Grace's sixth-grader son, a precocious artist, and even takes it on himself to catch and humanely rid Grace's house of the intruding population of mice. He and Grace connect over their favorite holiday movies, which they watch together or separately. Appropriately, many chapters of the book bear the title of a holiday movie, from The Family Stone and Die Hard to to Edward Scissorhands and Love, Actually.

The romance comes late in the book, and is deeper and more nuanced than a Hallmark holiday movie, although it does take place between Thanksgiving and the end of the holiday season. I found it to be a heartfelt, touching story, peppered with humor and featuring an engrossing character study of both of the protagonists and some of their likeable family members and friends, as Grace and Henry navigate through parallel journeys to a happier time. I flew through the book and would recommend it to interested readers at any time of the year.

My sincere thanks to Ballantine/Dell and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Ballentine Books for the advanced readers copy of Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon: A Novel, available through NetGalley. The following review expresses my own opinion, which I was not paid to provide:

Wow. This book was far better than I expected, having no previous knowledge or experience with Matthew Norman's writing. I have already pre-ordered a copy for my personal collection, because it is too sweet not not have a copy of and re-read again, come autumn!! I will be adding Matthew Norman's writing to my reading rotation. I give this book 5 stars, and I don't give them out willy-nilly.

The basic premise: Two widowed people are forced into proximity by their parents, who are convinced that they will be a great support to one another. While they both are adamant that they aren't ready for a relationship, they settle into comfort and reliability with one another as friends.

I love how Matthew Norman weaves this story together, accurately portraying what it is like to be a person who has loved and lost, who is actively grieving, and in the process of discovering life beyond what was before, all while honoring and reflecting on one's past. Sometimes through the process of grieving and remembering, we learn that there are indeed more ways to love and to be known.

10/10 would recommend. No reservations. The pacing was great. I loved how the chapters were named after "holiday movies" which contributed to the vibe of the chapter's content, as well as providing kind of what feels like a watch-list to accompany the story and set the scene.

Extra credit: There were no cringe-worthy or icky statements said by ANY of the characters.

* I will say, if you're looking for anything "spicy" in the romance department, this is not it (which is fine by me, because that is not what I was looking for in this book)!

Even though the opening chapter starts with a funeral, I'd say there was very little need for any trigger warnings in advance. Everything is written with tact, an a dash of good humor, highlighting ironies of life. Thank you, Matthew Norman!

I will be publishing my review imminently on Goodreads. See link below.

This book uses dual point of view to follow two characters, Grace and Henry, who bond over their shared grief of losing their spouse in the past year. Grace and Henry start their friendship watching Christmas movies together over the holidays.

Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon isn’t just a romance, it’s a beautiful reflection on grief, friendship and the forming of a family (Grace has two kids). It’s a wonderful holiday book and I really liked how the various movies were woven throughout the plot. Sections of the book are split by each movie, but in a way that makes the story flow well.

My one gripe with the book is that there were sections of the chapters from Grace’s point of view that made it so clear that the author is a man. It felt like someone was trying too hard to portray the hardships of being a woman. A few sentences made me laugh out loud. It was just some sections though, overall I did enjoy it. 4.5 out of 5 stars!

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

loved this book about loss of a spouse and how grace and henry got set up by their moms and end up slowly falling for each other. loved that they watched different holiday movies and that henry became a good addition to the family.

This is such a sweet story about navigating life after life altering loss. I thought the portrayal of grief in both adults and kids was really well done. Plus, despite death being a major part of the story, it is surprisingly funny and uplifting.

I absolutely loved this book! Christmas movies are my favorite! It’s never too early for a holiday romance book!

Grace and Henry have both lost their spouses. A year has passed and neither are ready to date. They do end up forming a friendship. The time they spend together watching the Christmas movies, allows them to see a life beyond the sadness. This book was so heartwarming. I couldn’t stop smiling.

This was a nice quick read! It was well written. It has me looking forward to the holidays!

Thank you NetGalley, Matthew and Ballantine for the eARC!

Publication : October 14 2025
Rating: ✨✨✨ ✨

#GraceHenrysHolidayMovieMarathon #NetGalley

Man, this hit me in the feels more than I was anticipating. Heartfelt, emotional, nostalgic… this book was all the things. I am someone who will read a Christmas book or watch a holiday movie any time of year so I happily jumped on this arc and it definitely did not disappoint! Two people brought together kind of forcibly (yay parents) while trying to grieve the losses of their respective partners find solace in each other and holiday films in a beautiful way 🩷 I adored how the chapters were titled based off of movies and the entire premise of this. Definitely recommending this to all of my romance reading, holiday loving book friends!

Grace ha perdido a su esposo recientemente y está criando sola a sus dos hijos. En un intento por darles un poco de alegría tras la tragedia, decide adoptar un perro y comenzar una nueva tradición navideña. Por su parte, Henry también está de duelo tras la inesperada muerte de su esposa en un accidente aéreo. Cuando sus madres los emparejan bajo el pretexto de arreglar un router, ambos descubren que tienen más en común de lo que esperaban.

Lo que empieza como una reunión incómoda se transforma en una amistad inesperada, construida entre malvaviscos tostados, cerveza IPA, películas navideñas y un perro llamado Harry Styles. La novela sigue sus vidas durante la temporada festiva, mientras navegan el duelo, el humor incómodo, y la posibilidad de abrir el corazón nuevamente.



Todo iba bien hasta que aparecieron Meredith y Lauren. Se me hizo injusto para Grace, primero porque tenía que ver a Henry salir con Meredith, justo cuando se supone que los dos empiezan a desarrollar sentimientos y le sumamos que no paso a más por Meredith y no porque Henry se diera cuenta que era un error. Luego Grace se entera de que su amado esposo le era infiel, y el autor intenta restarle importancia porque Tim amaba tanto a Grace como a Lauren.

Todo iba bien hasta que aparecieron Meredith y Lauren. Me pareció injusto para Grace.

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

5 stars. I loved this book and can't wait to buy it.
I don't know why (from the description) I thought it would be just another romance novel, but it was so much more real. It's poignant and sweet and so sad. I'm obsessed.

i got into this author through the recommendation of one miss emily henry (can you blame me) and i’ve yet to be disappointed! i throughly enjoyed this and it is not purely a holiday read- this contained universal themes we all love to see in a romcom and i can’t wait to read more from him!!

Oh how I loved this book!! I absolutely adored the characters, the cozy Christmas vibes, the love!! I loved the chapter titles. I loved the way the best Christmas movies were intertwined with the story. I could not have loved this book more. 100000/10 recommend!!

Grace’s husband died of cancer. Henry’s wife died in a plane crash about the same time. Their mothers scheme to bring the two together. Grace and Henry quickly discover they feel less alone when they’re together and use their holiday movie marathon to explore what their lives look like moving forward. Together. Sweet story that gave me all the feels. Can’t wait to read this one again.

I absolutely loved this book. I can't wait until I can read the next book by Matthew Norman. Five out of five stars from me and would be more if I could.

Yes! I did just read a holiday book in April and I don’t regret it! I really loved this book. The story really pulled at my heartstrings! The grief is palpable!

I quickly fell in love with Grace and Henry! Plus all of the sweet side characters really added to the story! Especially Harry Styles, Grace’s cute dog and her adorable kids, Ian and Bella!

I loved the use of holiday movies to tell the story! Each chapter was titled after a different holiday movie. The movies helped add a bit of fun and humor to an otherwise grief filled story.

If you enjoy holiday romances, you must read this book! You won’t be disappointed! It’s so good! I personally love a holiday story that takes me on an emotional rollercoaster!

⭐️ 5/5 | 🌶️ 1/5
First person POV, dual narrative: Grace & Henry
Linear timeline (brief flashbacks and reflective moments)
MF closed door romance
Setting: Baltimore, Maryland

This book is cozy, clever, emotional, and the perfect blend of holiday charm and real-life heartache.

Grace and Henry are both widowed, navigating life after loss, and their unexpected connection feels natural, awkward, tender, and deeply human. The romance isn’t spicy, but it’s rich with emotional intimacy and vulnerability. There are a few swoony, tender moments and some closed-door heat, but nothing graphic; it’s all about connection, chemistry, and those quiet little things that make a relationship feel real.

Even though it’s a cozy holiday story it’s also about how grief doesn’t mean life stops, and how it’s okay to let joy and love back in, even when it’s scary. It’s equal parts funny, touching, and heartwarming.

I enjoyed the pop culture theme and movie references, and the chapters being organized by movie title was fun! The holiday movie marathon acted as a central point that brings the characters together. The book weaves together past and present, with flashbacks and reflective moments that reveal Grace and Henry’s personal histories and the grief they’ve both experience.

Thank you Ballantine Books, Random House Publishing Group, and Dell Publishing for an electronic ARC of this book which was provided to me via NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Book to be published on October 14, 2025.

I really enjoyed this one. I love that Grace and Henry bond over their shared grief by watching holiday movies. I loved the characters and the humor and the writing. This is going to be a great one for the holidays.

Crazy that we’re reading holiday books when it’s not even summer yet, but I finished a winner. Grace & Henry’s Holidah Movie Marathon was amazing!