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Merry & Brett
Can a spunky Elf convert a real Grinch?
Brett Jacobs hates Christmas. Just the sight of Santa Claus brings up painful memories. However, he loves his mom and will do anything for her, including getting a second job at the Arboretum’s holiday lights show to earn enough money to fix her car.
Meredith Larson loves, loves, loves Christmas and is thrilled it’s November again—Winter Lights is almost here! She’s still working out what to do with the rest of her life after earning her MBA, struggling to reconcile her dreams with her desire to make her family happy.
When she hires a new guy to work during the holidays, Meredith’s determined to transform his “bah humbug” attitude about Christmas. Maybe infusing a little Christmas spirit into Brett’s life will also help her figure out her future.
This is a grumpy/sunshine contemporary holiday romance book with trivia nights, ugly Christmas sweaters, and swoony kisses. It can be read as a standalone novel.
Brett Jacobs hates Christmas. Just the sight of Santa Claus brings up painful memories. However, he loves his mom and will do anything for her, including getting a second job at the Arboretum’s holiday lights show to earn enough money to fix her car.
Meredith Larson loves, loves, loves Christmas and is thrilled it’s November again—Winter Lights is almost here! She’s still working out what to do with the rest of her life after earning her MBA, struggling to reconcile her dreams with her desire to make her family happy.
When she hires a new guy to work during the holidays, Meredith’s determined to transform his “bah humbug” attitude about Christmas. Maybe infusing a little Christmas spirit into Brett’s life will also help her figure out her future.
This is a grumpy/sunshine contemporary holiday romance book with trivia nights, ugly Christmas sweaters, and swoony kisses. It can be read as a standalone novel.
247 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 14, 2023
27 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 12, 2023
After loving the first two books in the City Love series, I was excited to get an ARC of the Christmas edition. How fun to see Rachel again, and get more of Brett’s story.
Also I loved seeing the grumpy/sunshine trope play out, especially in the holiday setting. This sweet romance dealt with some serious topics, without being too heavy.
Also I loved seeing the grumpy/sunshine trope play out, especially in the holiday setting. This sweet romance dealt with some serious topics, without being too heavy.
November 5, 2023
Merry & Brett is the third book in the City Love series. It can be enjoyed just fine as a standalone if you have not read the previous books.
This was such a cute holiday read! I'm always a fan of grumpy/sunshine stories so when you mix that with the holidays--- him as a bit of a grinch and her with all the holiday spirit... oh, it just makes it all that much better! And while Brett certainly fit the grinch description well, as we get to know him better, we see that he has valid reasons for not loving the holidays... and that he truly is a bit of a softie as well. Both Merry and Brett had circumstances in the past that have shaped their current decisions. I loved seeing their growth throughout the story, especially Brett. There was a really great message of forgiveness that I think it perfect for the holiday season. I loved all the Christmas cheer and the slow burn of their relationship worked so well for this story. There was also a mention of Santa Claus, Indiana in passing and while it was such a small thing that most people would probably not even take note of, being from that area and having worked at the theme park there as a teenager, this made me smile and enjoy the story all that much more! If you are looking for a fun holiday romance, this is definitely one to check out!
Merry & Brett is a closed-door romance with kisses only and no language.
** I received an ARC for consideration. All opinions are my own.
This was such a cute holiday read! I'm always a fan of grumpy/sunshine stories so when you mix that with the holidays--- him as a bit of a grinch and her with all the holiday spirit... oh, it just makes it all that much better! And while Brett certainly fit the grinch description well, as we get to know him better, we see that he has valid reasons for not loving the holidays... and that he truly is a bit of a softie as well. Both Merry and Brett had circumstances in the past that have shaped their current decisions. I loved seeing their growth throughout the story, especially Brett. There was a really great message of forgiveness that I think it perfect for the holiday season. I loved all the Christmas cheer and the slow burn of their relationship worked so well for this story. There was also a mention of Santa Claus, Indiana in passing and while it was such a small thing that most people would probably not even take note of, being from that area and having worked at the theme park there as a teenager, this made me smile and enjoy the story all that much more! If you are looking for a fun holiday romance, this is definitely one to check out!
Merry & Brett is a closed-door romance with kisses only and no language.
** I received an ARC for consideration. All opinions are my own.
December 27, 2025
I’ve read other books by Megan and saw this book on Amazon and thought I’d read it.
Meredith is overly enthusiastic about Christmas and looks forward to it every year. She’s the interim director for a winter celebration for children and families including a Santa Claus. Brett hates Christmas because of what he witnessed one Christmas Eve which forever changed his feelings about it and the Santa Claus persona as well
The two of them like each other but the employer/ employee barrier keeps them from pursuing the possibility. Then things happen at work and he is let go due to circumstantial evidence but is hired back when the real culprit is apprehended but it will be playing Santa Claus! Still the employer/ employee conflict lingers keeping feelings hidden away. When she tells him of a job offer out of state he pulls away but later regrets it especially when she turns that job down.
It’s a problem of attraction but work place restrictions along with insecurities and feelings of not being enough for each other which most everyone can relate to.
I enjoyed this story set at Christmas time showing why people are like they are and shows the courage one has to finally break away from the unrealistic expectations she has of what she thinks her family wants her to do.
I enjoyed this book and happily recommend it as one I think others will enjoy as well. It makes you consider that the reasons people are and what they do can be deep seated and you need to take time to get to know the person instead of judging others based on what you perceive. Sometimes apologizing needs to be creative to get the others attention and Brett does that to let Meredith know how sorry he is for what he did!
Meredith is overly enthusiastic about Christmas and looks forward to it every year. She’s the interim director for a winter celebration for children and families including a Santa Claus. Brett hates Christmas because of what he witnessed one Christmas Eve which forever changed his feelings about it and the Santa Claus persona as well
The two of them like each other but the employer/ employee barrier keeps them from pursuing the possibility. Then things happen at work and he is let go due to circumstantial evidence but is hired back when the real culprit is apprehended but it will be playing Santa Claus! Still the employer/ employee conflict lingers keeping feelings hidden away. When she tells him of a job offer out of state he pulls away but later regrets it especially when she turns that job down.
It’s a problem of attraction but work place restrictions along with insecurities and feelings of not being enough for each other which most everyone can relate to.
I enjoyed this story set at Christmas time showing why people are like they are and shows the courage one has to finally break away from the unrealistic expectations she has of what she thinks her family wants her to do.
I enjoyed this book and happily recommend it as one I think others will enjoy as well. It makes you consider that the reasons people are and what they do can be deep seated and you need to take time to get to know the person instead of judging others based on what you perceive. Sometimes apologizing needs to be creative to get the others attention and Brett does that to let Meredith know how sorry he is for what he did!
December 17, 2023
While searching for a full-time job in hospitality management, recent MBA graduate Meredith Logan accepts a temporary position with the Asheville Arboretum. The annual Winter Lights event is quickly approaching, and thanks to the recent retirement of the Arboretum's events coordinator, Meredith has been tasked with organizing this year's event. As a Christmas lover and longtime seasonal employee of Winter Lights, she couldn't be more excited. Meanwhile, local bookstore employee Brett Jacobs is looking for a way to make extra money to help his mom with some unexpected expenses. Working at Winter Lights isn't exactly ideal because of his antipathy for all things Christmas, but he decides to submit an application anyway because it works well with his bookstore schedule. Despite his less than enthusiastic attitude, Brett manages to impress Meredith at the interview and he lands the job. As she tries to help her new employee find his Christmas spirit, Meredith and Brett gradually become friends with the possibility for more...until Meredith's job search and Brett's old fears start to get in the way.
I loved this adorable holiday story, which featured endearing, relatable protagonists and a wonderful slow burn romance. Grumpy Brett and sunshine Meredith were each dealing with more than their fair share of family baggage and I couldn't help empathizing with their struggles. I really appreciated how hard they both worked to overcome their pasts, and the story's overall message about not letting the past dictate the future was a good one.
I highly recommend "Merry & Brett" for all fans of sweet/closed-door contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I hope Meredith's sister Paige gets a story of her own in the future!
*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.
I loved this adorable holiday story, which featured endearing, relatable protagonists and a wonderful slow burn romance. Grumpy Brett and sunshine Meredith were each dealing with more than their fair share of family baggage and I couldn't help empathizing with their struggles. I really appreciated how hard they both worked to overcome their pasts, and the story's overall message about not letting the past dictate the future was a good one.
I highly recommend "Merry & Brett" for all fans of sweet/closed-door contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I hope Meredith's sister Paige gets a story of her own in the future!
*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.
October 30, 2023
I absolutely loved this immersive Christmas story! Megan Byrd has done a Stirling job creating the characters and developing a realistic relatable narrative. The contrasting views of the two main characters are pure genius , there’s Merry who is full of the joys of Christmas, then there’s Brett who is very much the Grinch who stole Christmas and just as grumpy. The plot is divine and Megan Byrd has structured the story so well, it flows beautifully , interactions are sublimely cute and romantic . She’s living her dream job albeit temporarily as project designer and Brett Jacobs is a seasonal worker for project Christmas i:e Arboretum Christmas Lights Show , he’s working the second job to help pay to fix his mother’s car. He is reluctant though to wear a Christmas jumper … Meredith/ Merry Larson has completed her MBA successfully but is struggling what to do with her life. Her family want her to go be successful. All she wants and dreams of is the Arboretum and the Winter Lights magic. She’s the boss , which is stopping him telling her his true feelings and when his nemesis sabotages things and lays the blame on Brett …. Brilliant, it’s just wowing, a cute romance that’s a veritable page-turner and a thoroughly entertaining , compelling experience.
I read a free copy of this book and my review is voluntary and in my own words
I read a free copy of this book and my review is voluntary and in my own words
November 19, 2023
This was a cute Christmas read!
I enjoyed getting to know Meredith (Merry) and Brett, and see their relationship develop.
They both had quite a lot of trauma to deal with and at times that dampened my reading experience a bit, but it worked with the story well.
The secondary characters were fun and engaging and really helped propel the story forward.
I really did need to push myself at first, as the writing style in this book is very descriptive. There is not that much dialogue and scenes are set with a wonderful attention to detail, but at the same time this detail gave so much information that was fully irrelevant (I know the hair colour of one of the shopkeepers, but they do not have a name nor did they appear a second time), that it was a bit hard to get through.
If this style works for you, would recommend.
Looking forward to reading the other books in this series!
3.75 stars rounded up.
I received an ARC of this book from the author (thanks!) and these are my own opinions.
I enjoyed getting to know Meredith (Merry) and Brett, and see their relationship develop.
They both had quite a lot of trauma to deal with and at times that dampened my reading experience a bit, but it worked with the story well.
The secondary characters were fun and engaging and really helped propel the story forward.
I really did need to push myself at first, as the writing style in this book is very descriptive. There is not that much dialogue and scenes are set with a wonderful attention to detail, but at the same time this detail gave so much information that was fully irrelevant (I know the hair colour of one of the shopkeepers, but they do not have a name nor did they appear a second time), that it was a bit hard to get through.
If this style works for you, would recommend.
Looking forward to reading the other books in this series!
3.75 stars rounded up.
I received an ARC of this book from the author (thanks!) and these are my own opinions.
December 12, 2023
I really enjoyed this holiday romance. It was a sweet story with great characters, romantic intensity, and lots of holiday touches. The trivia night element was so cute. (And, apropos of nothing, I love “nibling”, “‘a neutral term for neice or nephew.’”) Brett had bad associations with Christmas related to his past, but despite his holiday grumpiness, he took an extra job working at Winter Lights in order to earn extra money to help his mother. Meredith, a Christmas-lover and the temporary coordinator of the event, and Brett didn’t hit it off immediately, but as they spent time together their feelings grew. But they faced plenty of question marks about their future, and Brett’s hang ups from his past reared their ugly head. “I know I’ve been totally unfair to Meredith, projecting past hurts onto her.” “I know I pushed her away out of fear, but maybe I’d rather be scared than sad.” This is a cute story. The ending is lovely. This book is part of a series but it reads well as a standalone too. This is a sweet and clean romance with no harsh language.
November 4, 2023
Title: Merry and Brett
Author: Megan Byrd
Genre: closed door romance
*Thank you Megan Byrd for this ARC read*
Summary:
Meredith is Christmas obsessed and is excited to be in charge of the arboretum’s Christmas event in her hometown of Asheville. Brett is anti-Christmas, but wants to help his mom with a car issue, so he takes a job at the Arboretum. Mer E (Meredith) and Brett become friends and are even attracted to each other despite their differences, but with Brett’s past and Meredith’s future, will they be able to be more than friends?
4⭐️ - I enjoyed this book. It was a short read and was a light read, but it also touched on some heavier topics. I liked that there was a tension, but also an easiness between the characters. The ending was super sweet and wrapped up nicely.
TW: cheating, loss from drunk driver, divorce
#review #bookworm #booklover #booknerd #arcread #bookstagram #bookstagrammer
#booktok #booktoker
Author: Megan Byrd
Genre: closed door romance
*Thank you Megan Byrd for this ARC read*
Summary:
Meredith is Christmas obsessed and is excited to be in charge of the arboretum’s Christmas event in her hometown of Asheville. Brett is anti-Christmas, but wants to help his mom with a car issue, so he takes a job at the Arboretum. Mer E (Meredith) and Brett become friends and are even attracted to each other despite their differences, but with Brett’s past and Meredith’s future, will they be able to be more than friends?
4⭐️ - I enjoyed this book. It was a short read and was a light read, but it also touched on some heavier topics. I liked that there was a tension, but also an easiness between the characters. The ending was super sweet and wrapped up nicely.
TW: cheating, loss from drunk driver, divorce
#review #bookworm #booklover #booknerd #arcread #bookstagram #bookstagrammer
#booktok #booktoker
November 6, 2023
Brett hates Christmas with a passion. It holds nothing but bad memories for him, he loves his mother so much and does everything he can for her. She is all he has after his father deserted them both for another woman at Christmas. Merry or Meredith loves everything there is about Christmas. All she's ever done is tried to make her parents proud, this year she is put in charge of the Christmas festival that she has been apart of for years dressed as an elf. Needing extras for the differing attractions she ends up employing Brett, even after e admits how he feels about the season. That's when these two are thrown together, although Brett just won't admit his feelings as she's his boss. This is the perfect Christmas story, Megan has such a way of writhing that draws you into the story. The characters are brilliantly just right to make this a very believable story. I was lucky enough to receive this as an ARC copy and this is my own honest opinion and review of the book
November 14, 2023
Merry loves Christmas, she's managing the Christmas event and is looking for staff. Brett hates Christmas, it reminds him of a terrible time in his past, but, he needs money to help his mother repair her car, so he decides to take a temporary job there, on the understanding that he doesn't have to play Father Christmas.
There's a spark between them but Brett is conscious that she is his boss and decides to wait until after Christmas to say something, then he sees his old nemesis with her, in what he thinks is a romantic way.
A good read about misunderstandings and overcoming past issues
There's a spark between them but Brett is conscious that she is his boss and decides to wait until after Christmas to say something, then he sees his old nemesis with her, in what he thinks is a romantic way.
A good read about misunderstandings and overcoming past issues
November 21, 2023
Merry & Brett is the third book in the City Love series, but can also be read individually.
Merry loves Christmas and is responsible for the Christmas celebration this year. Brett is a grumpy Grinch who starts working for Merry. Both have to admit that there is a spark between them that they want to ignore until after Christmas due to their working relationship.
It's a sweet behind-closed-doors romance with some misunderstandings and coming to terms with past issues.
Merry loves Christmas and is responsible for the Christmas celebration this year. Brett is a grumpy Grinch who starts working for Merry. Both have to admit that there is a spark between them that they want to ignore until after Christmas due to their working relationship.
It's a sweet behind-closed-doors romance with some misunderstandings and coming to terms with past issues.
October 27, 2023
I had a chance to read this as an arc book. And I’m so glad I did!! This was soo cute. It is a clean book free from language and sex. I really loved the message to let go of our hurts and forgive and move forward. Cute quick read! Loved it had a happy ending! Definitely will continue to look for books from this author!
November 14, 2023
Merry & Brett is a cute, quick read. I enjoyed the repartee between the Christmas loving Merry and the grumpy grinchy Brett. This sweet, clean story had the expected, but appreciated happy ever after ending. As always, I was quite entertained by Megan Byrd's writing.
I received an advance reader copy for free, but all opinions are my own.
I received an advance reader copy for free, but all opinions are my own.
November 16, 2023
Brett sure had some things to deal with and work on! Merideth is fun but had a few things herself to deal with. Very realistic to life and I loved how the kept going! Excellent ending to this great story! Thanks to the author for providing my review copy!
December 15, 2024
A cozy HEA Christmas story
This book was amazing. It was cozy and warm. I fell in love with Merry and Brett. I loved how the book was realistic and discussed various topics such as forgiveness and coping with grief.
I definitely will read more from Megan Byrd.
This book was amazing. It was cozy and warm. I fell in love with Merry and Brett. I loved how the book was realistic and discussed various topics such as forgiveness and coping with grief.
I definitely will read more from Megan Byrd.
December 18, 2023
Cute book with a hallmark feel. Both main characters have others at the front of their minds, which is such a sweet reminder this time of year.
October 21, 2024
Rated G
November 23, 2024
Too long and too much internal dialogue.
January 15, 2025
This moved a little too slowly for me and was terribly predictable. I was able to read a few other books while I was “reading” this one.
December 19, 2023
What do you do when you love Christmas, but your new coworker is a Grinch?
Well, in this new book by Megan Byrd, we find out!
Brett doesn't love Christmas, but he loves his mom. He takes on a seasonal job at the Arboretum's Winter Lights show to earn more money to help his mom pay for getting her car fixed.
Meredith loves Christmas more than any other time of year. She keeps working at the Arboretum, even though she knows they're looking for a new administrator. She is giving it her all, while also thinking ahead to finding a new job to put her MBA to good use.
Meredith and Brett may not see each other clearly at first, but as they continue working together, they see each other in snapshots that help them know each other more. And of course, they develop feelings for each other along the way.
I like Grumpy Brett, and I like Cheerful Merry. I like how all the miscommunications and misunderstandings are resolved in realistic and honest ways. And I love Megan Byrd's books!
Don't let the "#3" in the series fool you--you can read any of these books as a standalone novel. However, since they're all really good, I highly recommend you read them all at some point!
Five stars for this clean, fun, not-a-formula Christmas romance.
Well, in this new book by Megan Byrd, we find out!
Brett doesn't love Christmas, but he loves his mom. He takes on a seasonal job at the Arboretum's Winter Lights show to earn more money to help his mom pay for getting her car fixed.
Meredith loves Christmas more than any other time of year. She keeps working at the Arboretum, even though she knows they're looking for a new administrator. She is giving it her all, while also thinking ahead to finding a new job to put her MBA to good use.
Meredith and Brett may not see each other clearly at first, but as they continue working together, they see each other in snapshots that help them know each other more. And of course, they develop feelings for each other along the way.
I like Grumpy Brett, and I like Cheerful Merry. I like how all the miscommunications and misunderstandings are resolved in realistic and honest ways. And I love Megan Byrd's books!
Don't let the "#3" in the series fool you--you can read any of these books as a standalone novel. However, since they're all really good, I highly recommend you read them all at some point!
Five stars for this clean, fun, not-a-formula Christmas romance.
December 20, 2023
This book was an awesome cute holiday read! I love books set around Christmas and this one is a hit. Merry is this hardworking, selfless amazing person who absolutely LOVES Christmas. Brett is a grumpy gus that doesn’t want anything to do with Christmas but he’s still a sweet selfless person underneath all that grump. The way Megan wrote this dual POV is seamless. It’s a relatable story about love, past hurts and present everyday problems. I couldn’t put it down and didn’t want to. I definitely think you should add this to your TBR lists!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2023
I really enjoyed this holiday romance. It was a sweet story with great characters, romantic intensity, and lots of holiday touches. The trivia night element was so cute. (And, apropos of nothing, I love “nibling”, “‘a neutral term for neice or nephew.’”) Brett had bad associations with Christmas related to his past, but despite his holiday grumpiness, he took an extra job working at Winter Lights in order to earn extra money to help his mother. Meredith, a Christmas-lover and the temporary coordinator of the event, and Brett didn’t hit it off immediately, but as they spent time together their feelings grew. But they faced plenty of question marks about their future, and Brett’s hang ups from his past reared their ugly head. “I know I’ve been totally unfair to Meredith, projecting past hurts onto her.” “I know I pushed her away out of fear, but maybe I’d rather be scared than sad.” This is a cute story. The ending is lovely. This book is part of a series but it reads well as a standalone too. This is a sweet and clean romance with no harsh language.
November 14, 2023
So super cute. I loved this whole Winter Lights setting. Then their first date, even if it wasn’t a date, at Biltmore was great. I felt like I was walking through the home with them.
Meredith was so fun. I love her Christmas enthusiasm and her love of earrings. I used to be like that with earrings, but being a nanny and fun earrings is not the best idea. Not the kind of earrings I like at least. Also, uber jealous of her job. Yes it can be stressful, but also sounds like just so much fun.
With Brett, it was great to see more of him. Rachel introducing us to him was a good set up to getting to know him. He is that guy that is quite, and seems standoffish, but deep down is one of the nicest and most caring people you will ever meet.
The story and the two were so wonderful. The trivia thing was adorable. As soon as the questions about the sheep was asked I put it together and couldn’t read fast enough. Loves this so much.
Meredith was so fun. I love her Christmas enthusiasm and her love of earrings. I used to be like that with earrings, but being a nanny and fun earrings is not the best idea. Not the kind of earrings I like at least. Also, uber jealous of her job. Yes it can be stressful, but also sounds like just so much fun.
With Brett, it was great to see more of him. Rachel introducing us to him was a good set up to getting to know him. He is that guy that is quite, and seems standoffish, but deep down is one of the nicest and most caring people you will ever meet.
The story and the two were so wonderful. The trivia thing was adorable. As soon as the questions about the sheep was asked I put it together and couldn’t read fast enough. Loves this so much.
January 8, 2025
This is the first book I've read by Megan Byrd. What happens when a Grinch gets hired by someone who loves Christmas? It doesn't help when his arch nemesis is also hired, as the Santa. Brett and Meredith are attracted to each other but are hesitant because she's his boss. When Santa Connor notices, he can't help but cause trouble. Will they be able to get past their families expectations and Connor's interference? Can they find their own HEA together?
I received an ARC via Bookfunnel. Review voluntarily given.
I received an ARC via Bookfunnel. Review voluntarily given.
December 19, 2023
I loved this sweet Christmas story. Meredith is a wonderful character as is Brett. Both were written very well. I especially liked they were family oriented. The plot line was cute and the story moved along quickly. Enjoy this cozyChristmas story.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
December 12, 2025
I loved this sweet Christmas story. Meredith is a wonderful character as is Brett. Both were written very well. I especially liked they were family oriented. The plot line was cute and the story moved along quickly. Enjoy this cozyChristmas story.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
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