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Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon
Win a free print copy of this book!
1 day and 00:27:24
25 copies available
U.S. only
A sentimental advertising creative and a blunt, no-nonsense bar owner find a second chance at love while binge-watching iconic holiday movies in this poignant and heartwarming romance, from the author of Charm City Rocks and All Together Now.
“Norman weaves nostalgic references to modern holiday classics . . . throughout this comforting romance.”—The Washington Post (Noteworthy Books of the Month)
The new year had barely begun when Grace White and Henry Adler both lost their spouses. Now, nearly a year later, the first holiday season since their "Great and Terrible Sadnesses" approaches. Although their mothers scheme to matchmake the two surviving spouses, it’s clear that neither is ready to date again. Yet no one understands what they are going through better than each other, and a delicate friendship is born.
When Henry sees an ad for a Christmas movie marathon—once an annual tradition for him and his wife—Grace offers to watch some films with him, despite her aversion to a few of his picks. Her two young kids, Ian and Bella, also join in whenever possible—bedtimes permitting, of course.
With each movie, Grace and Henry’s shared grief eases as they start to see a life beyond the sadness. But as they draw closer, other romantic possibilities leave them uncertain about their future together. Is their bond merely the result of loneliness and shared circumstances, or have they found something that’s worth taking a shot at . . . again?
“Norman weaves nostalgic references to modern holiday classics . . . throughout this comforting romance.”—The Washington Post (Noteworthy Books of the Month)
The new year had barely begun when Grace White and Henry Adler both lost their spouses. Now, nearly a year later, the first holiday season since their "Great and Terrible Sadnesses" approaches. Although their mothers scheme to matchmake the two surviving spouses, it’s clear that neither is ready to date again. Yet no one understands what they are going through better than each other, and a delicate friendship is born.
When Henry sees an ad for a Christmas movie marathon—once an annual tradition for him and his wife—Grace offers to watch some films with him, despite her aversion to a few of his picks. Her two young kids, Ian and Bella, also join in whenever possible—bedtimes permitting, of course.
With each movie, Grace and Henry’s shared grief eases as they start to see a life beyond the sadness. But as they draw closer, other romantic possibilities leave them uncertain about their future together. Is their bond merely the result of loneliness and shared circumstances, or have they found something that’s worth taking a shot at . . . again?
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 14, 2025
2461 people are currently reading
42819 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Norman
25 books975 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Matthew Norman is an advertising copywriter. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Baltimore. His first novel, Domestic Violets, was nominated in the Best Humor Category at the 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards.
Matthew Norman is an advertising copywriter. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Baltimore. His first novel, Domestic Violets, was nominated in the Best Humor Category at the 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,473 reviews
December 18, 2025
I LOVED THIS BOOK!! so much so that i almost wish it wasn't a holiday rom-com so that i could yap about it and recommend it all year long!
Grace & Henry are both navigating the holidays after they have each lost their spouses and they end up finding solace in each other while also watching holiday movies together. the banter was SO good, i adored the FMC and her wittiness, they way the kids were written was perfection, i just laughed my way through this entire book and it left me feeling holly jolly and giddy! perfect to grab for this week leading up to Christmas!
Grace & Henry are both navigating the holidays after they have each lost their spouses and they end up finding solace in each other while also watching holiday movies together. the banter was SO good, i adored the FMC and her wittiness, they way the kids were written was perfection, i just laughed my way through this entire book and it left me feeling holly jolly and giddy! perfect to grab for this week leading up to Christmas!
December 24, 2025
probably one of the best christmas romance books!!
December 2, 2025
5⭐️
This book gave me all the feels. I loved it so much and found myself sneaking in pages whenever I could. Despite its cute cover and title, this isn’t just a lighthearted read—there’s real substance here.
Grace and Henry have spent nearly a year grieving the loss of their spouses, and as the first holiday season approaches, their well-meaning (and meddling) mothers decide to intervene.
So much about this story worked for me: how seamlessly the holiday movie references were woven in, the hilarious and realistic dialogue, the unexpected charm of the mice, the tender portrayal of grief for both the adults and Grace’s kids, and the way Grace and Henry’s friendship grows in such an organic, heartfelt way. Yes, there were definitely sad moments, but the humor balances everything so perfectly that the story never feels overly heavy.
This was the perfect book to kick off my December holiday reading, made even better by getting to buddy-read it with my sweet friend, Kelsey. Be sure to check out her review to see if she loved it too. This was my first Matthew Norman book, but definitely won’t be my last. Highly recommend!
Available now. Many thanks to Ballantine via NetGalley for my digital ARC.
This book gave me all the feels. I loved it so much and found myself sneaking in pages whenever I could. Despite its cute cover and title, this isn’t just a lighthearted read—there’s real substance here.
Grace and Henry have spent nearly a year grieving the loss of their spouses, and as the first holiday season approaches, their well-meaning (and meddling) mothers decide to intervene.
So much about this story worked for me: how seamlessly the holiday movie references were woven in, the hilarious and realistic dialogue, the unexpected charm of the mice, the tender portrayal of grief for both the adults and Grace’s kids, and the way Grace and Henry’s friendship grows in such an organic, heartfelt way. Yes, there were definitely sad moments, but the humor balances everything so perfectly that the story never feels overly heavy.
This was the perfect book to kick off my December holiday reading, made even better by getting to buddy-read it with my sweet friend, Kelsey. Be sure to check out her review to see if she loved it too. This was my first Matthew Norman book, but definitely won’t be my last. Highly recommend!
Available now. Many thanks to Ballantine via NetGalley for my digital ARC.
October 29, 2025
Never let it be said that a man can’t write high quality women’s fiction or write a woman’s perspective authentically, because Matthew Norman aced both!
Spunky bar owner Grace White is raising her 11-year-old son Ian and her 7-year-old daughter Bella after losing her husband Tim to cancer. First stop after the funeral? The humane shelter to get a puppy - something that Tim suggested to Grace before his death to help soften the sting for their kids. Let me just say that Harry Styles (the dog) may give the real one a run for his money on cuteness!
A few streets away in this Baltimore suburb, introverted ad creator Henry Adler is also nursing a broken heart after losing his wife Brynn in a plane crash while she was away on business earlier in the year. Childless by choice, he’s now spending significant time at his parents’ house while avoiding the memories in his own. Leave it to a mom to know when her “baby” bird needs a nudge out of the nest. Soon she’s volunteering Henry to help the daughter of her book club friend with a bogus wi-fi issue.
Grace … meet Henry. Henry … meet Grace.
So starts a fun, occasionally awkward friendship between two people trying to navigate their grief and figure out what their futures will look like without the love of their lives. One tradition that remains from both their marriages is holiday movie binges. Outspoken Grace isn’t shy about expressing her opinions on some of them, but Henry enjoys experiencing the movies through her different lens … when the mice aren’t interrupting. (It’s a whole thing, and kind of adorable).
The book presents a number of potential roadblocks to Grace and Henry’s potential new beginning, so expect your obligatory conflict scene, but we all know how these narratives work. What I appreciate is that this story is much more about the grief journey for both MCs than it is about the romance. It’s as fun to watch Henry bond with Grace’s kids as it is to see where things go with them.
What I most love, though, is all the holiday movie references, and there are a lot of them. In fact, the tool for moving the story along and referenced in the chapter titles are the various movies that Grace and Henry binge over the holiday season, including some classic favorites like A Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life, Elf, Love Actually, The Holiday, Home Alone and yes … even the most debated “is it or isn’t it a holiday movie” of all time, Die Hard. (It’s a holiday movie … Yippie-ki-yay, … you know the rest 😉)
This was an immersion read with my Kindle and the audio narrated by Alex Finke and Jay Myers who both do an admirable job. If you want a little early holiday fun to replace the Halloween spookies, I highly recommend this!
★★★★
Thanks to my library/Libby for the Kindle and audio copies. This is out now.
Spunky bar owner Grace White is raising her 11-year-old son Ian and her 7-year-old daughter Bella after losing her husband Tim to cancer. First stop after the funeral? The humane shelter to get a puppy - something that Tim suggested to Grace before his death to help soften the sting for their kids. Let me just say that Harry Styles (the dog) may give the real one a run for his money on cuteness!
A few streets away in this Baltimore suburb, introverted ad creator Henry Adler is also nursing a broken heart after losing his wife Brynn in a plane crash while she was away on business earlier in the year. Childless by choice, he’s now spending significant time at his parents’ house while avoiding the memories in his own. Leave it to a mom to know when her “baby” bird needs a nudge out of the nest. Soon she’s volunteering Henry to help the daughter of her book club friend with a bogus wi-fi issue.
Grace … meet Henry. Henry … meet Grace.
So starts a fun, occasionally awkward friendship between two people trying to navigate their grief and figure out what their futures will look like without the love of their lives. One tradition that remains from both their marriages is holiday movie binges. Outspoken Grace isn’t shy about expressing her opinions on some of them, but Henry enjoys experiencing the movies through her different lens … when the mice aren’t interrupting. (It’s a whole thing, and kind of adorable).
The book presents a number of potential roadblocks to Grace and Henry’s potential new beginning, so expect your obligatory conflict scene, but we all know how these narratives work. What I appreciate is that this story is much more about the grief journey for both MCs than it is about the romance. It’s as fun to watch Henry bond with Grace’s kids as it is to see where things go with them.
What I most love, though, is all the holiday movie references, and there are a lot of them. In fact, the tool for moving the story along and referenced in the chapter titles are the various movies that Grace and Henry binge over the holiday season, including some classic favorites like A Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life, Elf, Love Actually, The Holiday, Home Alone and yes … even the most debated “is it or isn’t it a holiday movie” of all time, Die Hard. (It’s a holiday movie … Yippie-ki-yay, … you know the rest 😉)
This was an immersion read with my Kindle and the audio narrated by Alex Finke and Jay Myers who both do an admirable job. If you want a little early holiday fun to replace the Halloween spookies, I highly recommend this!
★★★★
Thanks to my library/Libby for the Kindle and audio copies. This is out now.
December 1, 2025
NAUGHTY OR NICE LIST 2025 🎅🤶🏻
FOR READERS WHO LIKE THEIR SEASONAL READS NICE!
Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon-Matthew Norman
Wonderfully narrated by Alex Finke and Jay Myers
8 hours 43 minutes at 1x, 5 hours 49 minutes at 1.5x
Just like those HOLIDAY MOVIES that we watch annually, this may be the HOLIDAY BOOK that I listen to each year! ADORABLE and HEARTWARMING! ❤️🎄
Grace White lost her husband Tim to Cancer, and this will be the first holiday season that she and her two young children, Ian and Bella will spend without him.
Henry Adler has also lost his spouse earlier in the year as well-to a Corporate plane crash, and with no children he has been staying with his parents-unable to face his empty home.
Enter two meddling mothers, who devise a “Meet Cute” even though neither is ready to date.
Grace and Henry figure out the ruse immediately, but also realize that nobody else that they know can quite understand what they are going through so they decide to be “friends”. And, one thing that friends do over the holidays is WATCH holiday movies!
They get together at Grace’s house, joined by her two children and a rescue pup named Harry Styles, dole out the Popcorn Fish 🍿(a delicacy new to me of buttery popcorn mixed with cheesy Goldfish crackers) and allow the magic of the holiday movies and friendship begin to heal them.
Each chapter is the name of the movie watched and will have a reference to the movie though the story offers so much more than that!
Grace is FUNNY (I want to be her BFF) and Henry is SWEET and as the story unfolds it is a second chance romance and a love letter to Baltimore and the Baltimore Ravens!
DIE HARD is one of the movies-but IS IT a Christmas movie? Discuss! ☺️
A buddy read with DeAnn! Be sure to watch for her review!
If you are looking for a HOLIDAY READ that delivers the feels-this is it!
AVAILABLE NOW!
FOR READERS WHO LIKE THEIR SEASONAL READS NICE!
Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon-Matthew Norman
Wonderfully narrated by Alex Finke and Jay Myers
8 hours 43 minutes at 1x, 5 hours 49 minutes at 1.5x
Just like those HOLIDAY MOVIES that we watch annually, this may be the HOLIDAY BOOK that I listen to each year! ADORABLE and HEARTWARMING! ❤️🎄
Grace White lost her husband Tim to Cancer, and this will be the first holiday season that she and her two young children, Ian and Bella will spend without him.
Henry Adler has also lost his spouse earlier in the year as well-to a Corporate plane crash, and with no children he has been staying with his parents-unable to face his empty home.
Enter two meddling mothers, who devise a “Meet Cute” even though neither is ready to date.
Grace and Henry figure out the ruse immediately, but also realize that nobody else that they know can quite understand what they are going through so they decide to be “friends”. And, one thing that friends do over the holidays is WATCH holiday movies!
They get together at Grace’s house, joined by her two children and a rescue pup named Harry Styles, dole out the Popcorn Fish 🍿(a delicacy new to me of buttery popcorn mixed with cheesy Goldfish crackers) and allow the magic of the holiday movies and friendship begin to heal them.
Each chapter is the name of the movie watched and will have a reference to the movie though the story offers so much more than that!
Grace is FUNNY (I want to be her BFF) and Henry is SWEET and as the story unfolds it is a second chance romance and a love letter to Baltimore and the Baltimore Ravens!
DIE HARD is one of the movies-but IS IT a Christmas movie? Discuss! ☺️
A buddy read with DeAnn! Be sure to watch for her review!
If you are looking for a HOLIDAY READ that delivers the feels-this is it!
AVAILABLE NOW!
December 22, 2025
Thank you so much to author Matthew Norman, NetGalley, and Random House Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I received this ARC a bit later, so the good news for you is that this book is already out and ready to be devoured! Publication date was October 24, 2025 ♥️
SIX STARS. I REPEAT. SIX STARS. ✨😭🥹🖤
I would like to formally apologize for ever saying a man can’t write an emotional, meaningful, heartbreaking romance because Matthew Norman absolutely knocked this out of the park.
Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon exceeded my expectations by about a million percent 😭 it is definitely one of my top reads this year.
I can’t share direct quotes since I read an unpublished ARC and don’t want to misquote anything, but trust me when I say… this book is heartbreaking, healing, emotional, and hilarious.
Where do I even begin????
The book opens with Grace attending her late husband’s funeral, followed by a series of events that include grief, humor, and the adoption of Harry Styles 🐾🐶. Grace is so funny. Her dark humor had me laughing out loud, and is something many of us who have gone through difficult things can relate to. Grace is vulnerable, raw, and resilient in a way that feels so relatable. My heart broke with her over and over again.
Her love for her kids, Ian and Bella, radiates off the page. I loved learning about her life with Tim like how they met, how they bought the bar, the life they built together. And when she finally opens his laptop? My heart shattered. LAUREN YOU ARE THE ABSOLUTE WORST.
This book is about loving someone who is suddenly, tragically gone, and figuring out how to keep living afterward. It explores grief, loss, guilt, and the terrifying idea of loving again after unimaginable heartbreak. I truly cannot put into words how much I loved this story.
And then there’s Henry. Oh my god. Henry. 😭🥹
Henry is an incredible MMC. He’s awkward, kind, gentle, and learning how to survive after losing his wife, Brynn. His grief felt just as heavy and real, and when we learn the details surrounding Brynn’s accident, I wanted to reach through the pages and hug him. He deserves the absolute world.
This book is dual POV (which I always love), and it gives such a beautiful, balanced look at how two people experience grief differently, and how they slowly, carefully begin to love again.
This book hit me so hard because my husband is my best friend in the entire world. It reminded me to love deeply, to cherish the small moments, and to not take the quiet, ordinary days for granted.
The humor in this book is absolute perfection. It never takes over the grief but instead helps by keeping the heaviness and sadness bearable. The side characters are wonderful, but the heart of this story is Grace and Henry with their individual journeys and the way they find each other when they need it most.
I now have the worst book hangover EVER and genuinely don’t even want to pick up another book. All I want to do is reread this one a million times and live in it a little longer.
You need to read this book. And there is no better time than now to pick up this deeply emotional, healing, holiday read ♥️
Brb, going to go cry and watch The Family Stone. 🎄💔😭
_____________________________________________
I am so excited for this ARC! 🎄🍿🎬 I’ve heard such good things! 🥰🥰
Thank you so much to author Matthew Norman, NetGalley, and publisher Random House Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2025
I absolutely loved this book!!!! Audio was chefs kiss.
December 10, 2025
4 solid stars for "Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon" - a delightful holiday season rom-com. Both Henry & Grace have recently lost their spouses and are struggling with over-whelming grief when their Mom's introduce them. Grace also has 2 kiddos & a new doggo named Harry Styles (hairy??) LOL. Henry asks Grace & Co. to watch his late wife's Xmas movie marathon with him at their place and - mice🐭, kids👧🏼👦🏻, dog🐶 and ... more happens💖. Very nice & clean, AND I knew almost all of the holiday movies & was able to IMDB reviews & trailers for the two I didn't. My only quibble was that it felt a tad long in the middle & I thought the work complications were unnecessary, but the group climax was awesome!! Highly recommend this heart-warmer!
December 18, 2025
Cute and funny with a lot of holiday movie references.
It’s almost Christmas and I’m sick so that’s all Ihave. It’s delightful
It’s almost Christmas and I’m sick so that’s all Ihave. It’s delightful
November 12, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This has now become one of my favourite Christmas Stories. I loved the characters Grace and Henry, their interactions with each other and how they dealt with their separate tragedies. Being a big movie buff I also loved all the incredible movies mentioned along the journey of this fun story.
This has now become one of my favourite Christmas Stories. I loved the characters Grace and Henry, their interactions with each other and how they dealt with their separate tragedies. Being a big movie buff I also loved all the incredible movies mentioned along the journey of this fun story.
December 10, 2025
4/5
Omg this book is so good! It truly felt so real. The holiday season isn’t always full of joy for everyone and if you’re someone that struggles a bit during this season due to grief or life hardships you’ll really enjoy this one. I wish that the romance had jump to the lovers part a bit faster but I do love how the friends was built up over time. Definitely one of my top Christmas reads of this year!
Omg this book is so good! It truly felt so real. The holiday season isn’t always full of joy for everyone and if you’re someone that struggles a bit during this season due to grief or life hardships you’ll really enjoy this one. I wish that the romance had jump to the lovers part a bit faster but I do love how the friends was built up over time. Definitely one of my top Christmas reads of this year!
October 15, 2025
I discovered this one while trolling book reviews from GR friend, Liz. Liz said it made her laugh – a lot, and I love stories that make me laugh. It’s also that time a year that I find myself craving sappy holiday stories, whether they be books or tv movies.
The book summary introduces the primary storyline of Henry and Grace getting “mommed” (their moms setting them up to meet). There was absolutely no romantic interest in each other whatsoever, being that they both claimed to be sexually dead, they did like that they had the whole dead spouse thing in common and decided it would be nice to have someone to watch holiday movies with since that was something they did with their spouses. I liked how each chapter was titled after a holiday movie, and the first one was one of my fave holiday movies that hubby and I watch every year – Die Hard!
Most of the story follows the burgeoning friendship between Henry and Grace along with Grace’s kids, Ian and Belle, and Harry Styles, the family dog. However, there are a couple of other storylines, one being Henry, a graphic designer, mentoring Ian, an aspiring artist, and working with him in preparing for a holiday contest at school. There is also a storyline of Grace and the kids not dealing with the numerous mice that they have discovered in their house. They refuse to kill them because, well, the kids know all about death and don’t want to deal with even more death. So, Henry discovers a way to humanly trap them. It’s what to do with them that becomes a rather entertaining storyline.
There are also the storylines of Grace and Henry discovering they’re not totally dead inside and they experiment the rediscovery of their “desire” with all the wrong people. The end seemed to come pretty quick after that and I loved the finale too and its whole Love Actually type of entertainment, another holiday movie that hubby and I love to watch every year.
The character development of Grace and Henry and the kids was well done. The pacing was steady to fast and the storylines were very entertaining. The writing was also well done with just the right amount of humor, sentimentality, angst and joy. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.5 that I will be rounding up to a 5star review. I want to thank NetGalley and Ballantine for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #Ballantine # Grace&HenrysHolidayMovieMarathon
The book summary introduces the primary storyline of Henry and Grace getting “mommed” (their moms setting them up to meet). There was absolutely no romantic interest in each other whatsoever, being that they both claimed to be sexually dead, they did like that they had the whole dead spouse thing in common and decided it would be nice to have someone to watch holiday movies with since that was something they did with their spouses. I liked how each chapter was titled after a holiday movie, and the first one was one of my fave holiday movies that hubby and I watch every year – Die Hard!
Most of the story follows the burgeoning friendship between Henry and Grace along with Grace’s kids, Ian and Belle, and Harry Styles, the family dog. However, there are a couple of other storylines, one being Henry, a graphic designer, mentoring Ian, an aspiring artist, and working with him in preparing for a holiday contest at school. There is also a storyline of Grace and the kids not dealing with the numerous mice that they have discovered in their house. They refuse to kill them because, well, the kids know all about death and don’t want to deal with even more death. So, Henry discovers a way to humanly trap them. It’s what to do with them that becomes a rather entertaining storyline.
There are also the storylines of Grace and Henry discovering they’re not totally dead inside and they experiment the rediscovery of their “desire” with all the wrong people. The end seemed to come pretty quick after that and I loved the finale too and its whole Love Actually type of entertainment, another holiday movie that hubby and I love to watch every year.
The character development of Grace and Henry and the kids was well done. The pacing was steady to fast and the storylines were very entertaining. The writing was also well done with just the right amount of humor, sentimentality, angst and joy. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.5 that I will be rounding up to a 5star review. I want to thank NetGalley and Ballantine for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #Ballantine # Grace&HenrysHolidayMovieMarathon
December 23, 2025
Adorable!
Grace recently lost her husband to cancer. Henry recently lost his wife in a plane crash.
Their mothers attend a book club together and decide that Grace and Henry should meet and become friends over their shared loss.
As first meets go it's awkward yet not awful. That's when they discover their shared love of holiday movies and decide to meet once a week to watch them together. Along with Grace's two children, Ian and Bella, and a rescue dog named Harry Styles, what starts as an awkward friendship blooms into something so much more for all involved.
Touching, heartfelt, funny, and at times sad enough to bring a tear to my eye. Oh, how I loved these characters. I felt all the emotions. This is a book that embraces you in it's pages and doesn't let go. Exactly what I needed this holiday season. Christmas cheer and love to all is a recipe I'll never tire of. 🎄 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for my complimentary copy.
Grace recently lost her husband to cancer. Henry recently lost his wife in a plane crash.
Their mothers attend a book club together and decide that Grace and Henry should meet and become friends over their shared loss.
As first meets go it's awkward yet not awful. That's when they discover their shared love of holiday movies and decide to meet once a week to watch them together. Along with Grace's two children, Ian and Bella, and a rescue dog named Harry Styles, what starts as an awkward friendship blooms into something so much more for all involved.
Touching, heartfelt, funny, and at times sad enough to bring a tear to my eye. Oh, how I loved these characters. I felt all the emotions. This is a book that embraces you in it's pages and doesn't let go. Exactly what I needed this holiday season. Christmas cheer and love to all is a recipe I'll never tire of. 🎄 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for my complimentary copy.
December 17, 2025
RTC🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄!!!!!
Read
December 29, 2025hot take/unpopular opinion but i got maybe 40% in before i DNF… too emo of a Christmas read for me and i never wanted to pick it back up 🤷🏼♀️
December 2, 2025
▹TL;DR Review: Honestly? Everything I love about healing and the holidays is inside this book. It’s emotional but funny. This was an example of how it’s ok to not be ok, but it’s also ok to let yourself heal and laugh again.
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
▹Format: 📱 eReader
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine | Dell for this eARC in exchange for my review. This book is OUT NOW! And a magical thank you to Nancy for suggesting this as our first buddy read. It was the perfect way to read this book.
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– About: Both Grace and Henry are finding out first hand how difficult it is to enter their first holiday season without their spouses. But their well-meaning families are tired of watching them lose their spark, so their moms set up a meet cute. The result? Two depressed widows who reluctantly agree to emotionally support each other through the holidays by way of watching holiday movies. What happens next is a lot of healing, learning to laugh again, and being ok with sometimes not being ok.
– FMC: Grace. Lost her husband to cancer. Now raising their two kids under the age of 12. Owns an Edgar Allen Poe themed bar. Downright funny, despite being so lost without her husband. I want to be friends with her.
– MMC: Henry. Lost his wife in an unthinkable accident. Struggling with finding his way out of his grief. Gentle, kind, artsy. A very good man.
– Location: Baltimore, Maryland
– POV: Dual first-person
– Spice: No-to-low spice (nothing sexually explicit or really even suggestive aside from making out or saying “we had sex” without details)
– Tropes: single mom, widows who are healing, holiday season, strangers to friends
– Content warning: grief, plane accident (off page, mentioned), hidden/secret involvement
– Representation: nothing noteworthy
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↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: River by Joni Mitchell
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★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ This is more Love Actually than Elf in its tone (more emotional vs. whimsical, but it’s funny enough to keep the tone in-line with the joy—and pain—of the holiday season)
➼ Books that have a lot of heart, healing from grief, and a mix of funny and sweet characters, like: Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone, Totally and Completely Fine by Elissa Sussman, and You Are Here by David Nicholls
➼ Holiday stories where the “holiday” part isn’t the main theme, but is woven into the complexities of grief during the “most wonderful time of the year”
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven———✧————————Plot Driven
Fast Burn——————————✧—Slow Burn
Sweet—✧——————————Spicy
Light/Fluffy———————✧————Heavy/Emotional
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
This book was an absolute delight. It’s the kind of holiday read I can already see myself revisiting year after year—warm, layered, unexpectedly deep, and full of characters who feel like real people. The grief in this story is portrayed with such tenderness and honesty that it stood out as one of my favorite depictions in a long time, and the healing arc is just as rewarding.
Grace and Henry (and honestly, every side character) are wonderfully crafted. I want to be friends with Grace, and I absolutely want to meet a Henry and fall in love with him. His sweet relationship with his brother and with Grace’s kids melted me, and Grace’s dynamic with her family was a sweet addition to the humor in this book. Henry’s gentle, humane way of handling conflict completely won me over—he’s literally too soft-hearted to hurt a mouse. And Grace gave me major Lorelai Gilmore energy: quick-witted, charming, and effortlessly funny without ever feeling forced.
I also usually am judgmental when a character names their dog after a celebrity, but the running joke in this book is that the dog's name is Harry Styles...and it proves to give some comedic relief. :)
I did stumble over one plot twist near the end, but I can understand why the author went that direction. It was my only tiny hiccup—and not nearly enough to knock off a star. Overall, this was heartwarming, cozy, and full of emotional richness. A perfect holiday read.
__________________
Pre-read: this is a buddy read with dear, sweet Nancy!!! So excited for us to get our holiday cheer on—and what better way than with a book about two people watching movies!!
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
▹Format: 📱 eReader
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine | Dell for this eARC in exchange for my review. This book is OUT NOW! And a magical thank you to Nancy for suggesting this as our first buddy read. It was the perfect way to read this book.
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○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– About: Both Grace and Henry are finding out first hand how difficult it is to enter their first holiday season without their spouses. But their well-meaning families are tired of watching them lose their spark, so their moms set up a meet cute. The result? Two depressed widows who reluctantly agree to emotionally support each other through the holidays by way of watching holiday movies. What happens next is a lot of healing, learning to laugh again, and being ok with sometimes not being ok.
– FMC: Grace. Lost her husband to cancer. Now raising their two kids under the age of 12. Owns an Edgar Allen Poe themed bar. Downright funny, despite being so lost without her husband. I want to be friends with her.
– MMC: Henry. Lost his wife in an unthinkable accident. Struggling with finding his way out of his grief. Gentle, kind, artsy. A very good man.
– Location: Baltimore, Maryland
– POV: Dual first-person
– Spice: No-to-low spice (nothing sexually explicit or really even suggestive aside from making out or saying “we had sex” without details)
– Tropes: single mom, widows who are healing, holiday season, strangers to friends
– Content warning: grief, plane accident (off page, mentioned), hidden/secret involvement
– Representation: nothing noteworthy
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↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: River by Joni Mitchell
╰┈➤ ❝It’s coming on Christmas, they’re cutting down trees; They’re putting up reindeer and singing songs of joy and peace; Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on❞
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★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ This is more Love Actually than Elf in its tone (more emotional vs. whimsical, but it’s funny enough to keep the tone in-line with the joy—and pain—of the holiday season)
➼ Books that have a lot of heart, healing from grief, and a mix of funny and sweet characters, like: Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone, Totally and Completely Fine by Elissa Sussman, and You Are Here by David Nicholls
➼ Holiday stories where the “holiday” part isn’t the main theme, but is woven into the complexities of grief during the “most wonderful time of the year”
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven———✧————————Plot Driven
Fast Burn——————————✧—Slow Burn
Sweet—✧——————————Spicy
Light/Fluffy———————✧————Heavy/Emotional
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
This book was an absolute delight. It’s the kind of holiday read I can already see myself revisiting year after year—warm, layered, unexpectedly deep, and full of characters who feel like real people. The grief in this story is portrayed with such tenderness and honesty that it stood out as one of my favorite depictions in a long time, and the healing arc is just as rewarding.
Grace and Henry (and honestly, every side character) are wonderfully crafted. I want to be friends with Grace, and I absolutely want to meet a Henry and fall in love with him. His sweet relationship with his brother and with Grace’s kids melted me, and Grace’s dynamic with her family was a sweet addition to the humor in this book. Henry’s gentle, humane way of handling conflict completely won me over—he’s literally too soft-hearted to hurt a mouse. And Grace gave me major Lorelai Gilmore energy: quick-witted, charming, and effortlessly funny without ever feeling forced.
I also usually am judgmental when a character names their dog after a celebrity, but the running joke in this book is that the dog's name is Harry Styles...and it proves to give some comedic relief. :)
I did stumble over one plot twist near the end, but I can understand why the author went that direction. It was my only tiny hiccup—and not nearly enough to knock off a star. Overall, this was heartwarming, cozy, and full of emotional richness. A perfect holiday read.
__________________
Pre-read: this is a buddy read with dear, sweet Nancy!!! So excited for us to get our holiday cheer on—and what better way than with a book about two people watching movies!!
October 13, 2025
5 stars. So much goodness inside its pages - what a beautiful, heartfelt, second-chance romance for the ages. This isn’t your standard bubble gum holiday romance of family and friendship, but also delves into loss and grief with widowers Grace + Henry sharing the same connection to both. As the two settle-in to watch a holiday movie marathon together you’ll see how their sadness slowly dissipates into something unexpected.. something more.. a building of friendship, hope and joy.. and perhaps love, but is not without its tense moments. I really liked the references to holiday movies and will be reading this on repeat every Christmas season. If you read only one holiday romance this year this is a must. Spectacular! Pub. 10/14/25
Thanks to Ballantine (Dell) via NetGalley for the advanced reading copy. All opinions are my own.
Thanks to Ballantine (Dell) via NetGalley for the advanced reading copy. All opinions are my own.
April 10, 2025
Grace and Henry’s Holiday movie marathon was such an amazing book! In my opinion, this author wrote the perfect Holiday book! This is the best Holiday book that I have ever read. It is unique, engaging, had a clear thesis and was easy to read. It comes with emotions, some of my all time favorite holiday movies and two characters with great chemistry! This book is like a big warm hug! It starts off sad and heartbreaking, as the two characters that binge watch these holiday movies, both had previously lost their spouses. This book has a lot of grief in it, along with a lot of laughter and hopefulness! As Grace and Henry watch these holiday movies, a strong friendship and connection begins blossoming. As the story continues to develop, we see how this friendship starts to strengthen! I highly recommend this book to anyone that is looking for a great book to read anytime of the year! I give this book a high 5 out 5 stars rating!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Matthew Norman and Ballantine | Dell publishing for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book is expected to be released on October 14, 2025!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Matthew Norman and Ballantine | Dell publishing for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book is expected to be released on October 14, 2025!
December 10, 2025
4.25 stars, rounded down for Goodreads
My Quick Takes:
- 4.25/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
- Genre 📚 Christmas Romance
- Language 🤐 frequent strong
- Spice ❤️🔥 kisses only
- Content 🤔 death of spouses, grief, lewd comments, innuendo, secular worldview
What a heart wrencher.
A mix of both heavy and light, this book wrestles with the grief of navigating life after a spouse’s death. Both characters, one a widow and one a widower, are on their own grief journeys when they meet during the holidays.
The different holiday movies consistently throughout the plot helped alleviate a lot of the deep grief. Dry wit from the female main character helped a lot too. I teared up continually as grief would rear its ugly head again for the characters, and again. And again, as grief does.
The plot and storyline felt so real and raw (except maybe for the mice 🙃) It’s very different than any other Christmas romance book I’ve read. It’s a very very slow burn, making it even more realistic. I listened to this on audio, it’s dual point of view with two separate narrators and I loved both of them, they did a fantastic job.
My Quick Takes:
- 4.25/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
- Genre 📚 Christmas Romance
- Language 🤐 frequent strong
- Spice ❤️🔥 kisses only
- Content 🤔 death of spouses, grief, lewd comments, innuendo, secular worldview
What a heart wrencher.
A mix of both heavy and light, this book wrestles with the grief of navigating life after a spouse’s death. Both characters, one a widow and one a widower, are on their own grief journeys when they meet during the holidays.
The different holiday movies consistently throughout the plot helped alleviate a lot of the deep grief. Dry wit from the female main character helped a lot too. I teared up continually as grief would rear its ugly head again for the characters, and again. And again, as grief does.
The plot and storyline felt so real and raw (except maybe for the mice 🙃) It’s very different than any other Christmas romance book I’ve read. It’s a very very slow burn, making it even more realistic. I listened to this on audio, it’s dual point of view with two separate narrators and I loved both of them, they did a fantastic job.
October 19, 2025
This was a perfect holiday book and so fun to escape into. Grace and Henry are both widowers and not exactly looking to move on. But when they happen to meet, they realize that a friendship with each other could really help them heal some of the grief they are feeling. I loved how the author created such a heartfelt and cozy read while handling tough topics so thoughtfully. There's some humor and wit, and I loved seeing them bond. Such an enjoyable holiday book! I'll definitely be reading more of this author's books in the future. I loved it.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
November 2, 2025
Matthew Norman I love you. Without fail you make me laugh, cry, grin like a fool, and then cry again. And I love that your books are a love letter to Baltimore.
This book is absolute perfection. Vulnerable, witty, true, and heartbreaking all at once. What a privilege it was to be a part of Grace and Henry’s lives for just a little bit.
Five shiny stars.
This book is absolute perfection. Vulnerable, witty, true, and heartbreaking all at once. What a privilege it was to be a part of Grace and Henry’s lives for just a little bit.
Five shiny stars.
December 1, 2025
(4.5 stars)
Thank you to Dell and PRH Audio for the chance to read and listen to a review copy of Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman. All opinions are my own.
***
I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Matthew Norman, so it was an automatic YES for me to want to read (and listen to) his latest, Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon. And Mr. Norman delivered again.
Grace is a young mother who has lost her husband and Henry, also young, has lost his wife, both within the year, but under very different circumstances. Grace is surviving as best she can, while taking care of her two young kids. Henry, childless, is spiraling, eating most of his meals at his parents’ house, etc. Their mothers are in a book club together and they engineer a meeting of the two, hoping they might be able to help each other through their grief. I thought the way Norman wrote about the grieving process was wonderful. Everyone grieves in their own way and in their own time. Grace and Henry find kindred spirits in each other, helping to get through the trying holiday season while still grieving their devastating losses. I was rooting for them, for sure. And I adored Grace’s two children - they created a lot of lighter moments and a lot of smiles. Plus Grace’s dog, named Harry Styles!
This is a dual POV story, with different chapters for Grace and for Henry. The audiobook features two narrators, Alex Finke and Jay Myers, who both did a fantastic job.
The story starts at Thanksgiving and goes through the Christmas season. As you may imagine, due to the title, they find they both love holiday movies but their memories make watching them very hard. I’m not a huge holiday movie buff, so I haven’t actually watched some of the referenced movies, but that didn’t stop me from loving this story. Among the movies referenced are: Die Hard, The Family Stone, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Love, Actually, and even Edward Scissorhands.
Don’t miss this one!
Thank you to Dell and PRH Audio for the chance to read and listen to a review copy of Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman. All opinions are my own.
***
I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Matthew Norman, so it was an automatic YES for me to want to read (and listen to) his latest, Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon. And Mr. Norman delivered again.
Grace is a young mother who has lost her husband and Henry, also young, has lost his wife, both within the year, but under very different circumstances. Grace is surviving as best she can, while taking care of her two young kids. Henry, childless, is spiraling, eating most of his meals at his parents’ house, etc. Their mothers are in a book club together and they engineer a meeting of the two, hoping they might be able to help each other through their grief. I thought the way Norman wrote about the grieving process was wonderful. Everyone grieves in their own way and in their own time. Grace and Henry find kindred spirits in each other, helping to get through the trying holiday season while still grieving their devastating losses. I was rooting for them, for sure. And I adored Grace’s two children - they created a lot of lighter moments and a lot of smiles. Plus Grace’s dog, named Harry Styles!
This is a dual POV story, with different chapters for Grace and for Henry. The audiobook features two narrators, Alex Finke and Jay Myers, who both did a fantastic job.
The story starts at Thanksgiving and goes through the Christmas season. As you may imagine, due to the title, they find they both love holiday movies but their memories make watching them very hard. I’m not a huge holiday movie buff, so I haven’t actually watched some of the referenced movies, but that didn’t stop me from loving this story. Among the movies referenced are: Die Hard, The Family Stone, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Love, Actually, and even Edward Scissorhands.
Don’t miss this one!
November 4, 2025
What an absolute delight. I loved it. So funny and sweet.
What I loved-
Baltimore setting
Great side characters
Two kids written really well
Reference to holiday movies
Very funny snarky dialogue
Moving on after loss very respectful
A few surprises
Trigger warnings-
Death of a spouse (off page)
Grace and Henry are both widowed
If you like a deeper romcom, definitely read this during the holiday season!
What I loved-
Baltimore setting
Great side characters
Two kids written really well
Reference to holiday movies
Very funny snarky dialogue
Moving on after loss very respectful
A few surprises
Trigger warnings-
Death of a spouse (off page)
Grace and Henry are both widowed
If you like a deeper romcom, definitely read this during the holiday season!
December 15, 2025
4.5⭐️
This will probably be my favorite holiday read of the year. So close to a 5 star! The concept and the plot was new and refreshing — sometimes these holiday romances can feel very repetitive. And it was so much more than a holiday romcom. I felt like the themes of grief were handled so beautifully, the banter and comedic relief were top tier, and it was just overall a really sweet read.
The audiobook dual narration was so well done. I can’t recommend it enough.
This will probably be my favorite holiday read of the year. So close to a 5 star! The concept and the plot was new and refreshing — sometimes these holiday romances can feel very repetitive. And it was so much more than a holiday romcom. I felt like the themes of grief were handled so beautifully, the banter and comedic relief were top tier, and it was just overall a really sweet read.
The audiobook dual narration was so well done. I can’t recommend it enough.
December 29, 2025
Without question, my favorite holiday book I've read. So emotional, yet funny, and so very human. I cried.
December 14, 2025
9.5/10: 4.75⭐️’s rounded up to 5⭐️’s.
I wasn’t ready for that to end.
I am not sure how many times my heart cracked while reading this, darn near breaking all the way. Holy sugarplums.
More thoughts to come. At some point. My thinker is currently running at low capacity.
Rating and brief thoughts immediately after finishing posted: 12/12/25 8:35am
————————————
For a full summary of the book, read the blurb for the book!!🙂
Grace and Henry have both lost their spouses. Both are grieving, understandably so. Both of their mothers want to see them happy, also understandable. Meddling mothers wanting their adult children to be happy brings Grace and Henry together in this sweet, charming, funny, heartwarming, but also heart-cracking to almost heartbreaking book. Each time my heart was almost to the breaking point, it was somehow healed in the knick of time. But boy oh boy did it get close. I was running through the full gamut of emotions over and over.
So many phenomenal characters. I was genuinely sad when the book was over because I wanted to enjoy more time with the characters. I wasn’t quite ready to be done with any of them. They are the type of characters that every day boring things would be fun for me to read about. Ian and Bella, Grace’s kids, are wonderful. Grace’s sister and Henry’s brother are fantastic. The list of likeable and great characters goes on and on.
I am still rather emotional thinking about this book, so this isn’t much of a review. But holy buckets of broccoli, Matthew Norman can write a book that makes you feel all the feelings right along with the characters. It was almost too many feelings for this reader!! I don’t know that my emotions are used to so much happy and sad/hurting at nearly the same time. Is there a word for that? Hapsad? Hapting? Sadppy? The other combo that came to mind sounds too much like something else, so I won’t even type it 🤣🤣.
So glad I decided to go ahead with this book even knowing my emotions would get a work out. There was one minor thing I didn’t particularly care for, but that’s a me thing and I am not going to give any spoilers out. I didn’t want to feel the emotion that that created for me. I already had enough emotions flying around!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book to read. All thoughts are my own.
Additional thoughts posted: 12/14/25
I wasn’t ready for that to end.
I am not sure how many times my heart cracked while reading this, darn near breaking all the way. Holy sugarplums.
More thoughts to come. At some point. My thinker is currently running at low capacity.
Rating and brief thoughts immediately after finishing posted: 12/12/25 8:35am
————————————
For a full summary of the book, read the blurb for the book!!🙂
Grace and Henry have both lost their spouses. Both are grieving, understandably so. Both of their mothers want to see them happy, also understandable. Meddling mothers wanting their adult children to be happy brings Grace and Henry together in this sweet, charming, funny, heartwarming, but also heart-cracking to almost heartbreaking book. Each time my heart was almost to the breaking point, it was somehow healed in the knick of time. But boy oh boy did it get close. I was running through the full gamut of emotions over and over.
So many phenomenal characters. I was genuinely sad when the book was over because I wanted to enjoy more time with the characters. I wasn’t quite ready to be done with any of them. They are the type of characters that every day boring things would be fun for me to read about. Ian and Bella, Grace’s kids, are wonderful. Grace’s sister and Henry’s brother are fantastic. The list of likeable and great characters goes on and on.
I am still rather emotional thinking about this book, so this isn’t much of a review. But holy buckets of broccoli, Matthew Norman can write a book that makes you feel all the feelings right along with the characters. It was almost too many feelings for this reader!! I don’t know that my emotions are used to so much happy and sad/hurting at nearly the same time. Is there a word for that? Hapsad? Hapting? Sadppy? The other combo that came to mind sounds too much like something else, so I won’t even type it 🤣🤣.
So glad I decided to go ahead with this book even knowing my emotions would get a work out. There was one minor thing I didn’t particularly care for, but that’s a me thing and I am not going to give any spoilers out. I didn’t want to feel the emotion that that created for me. I already had enough emotions flying around!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book to read. All thoughts are my own.
Additional thoughts posted: 12/14/25
November 22, 2025
This story was an absolute delight and I am so glad I read it. Full of wit, heart, and charm, the characters leapt off the page and stole my heart. The setting was like a love letter to Baltimore. Harry Styles the dog had me wondering why on earth I didn’t name my dog after a British boy band pop star. I laughed out loud more than once, and if I were a crier, I probably would’ve shed a tear or two. If you only want to read one Christmas book this year, this is it. Be forewarned, you may shirk your responsibilities here and there to find time to squeeze in a few pages. I know I did.
Note: This book does deal with some heavy topics, the main one being grief/death of a spouse.
Note: This book does deal with some heavy topics, the main one being grief/death of a spouse.
October 14, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, Matthew Norman, and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my unbiased review.
This book follows two people, Grace and Henry, who’ve both lost their partners during the holidays. Their meddling moms set them up, and while it starts off with a few awkward laughs about shared grief, it slowly becomes something deeper than either expected.
I wasn’t sure if I was ready for this book. Nearly a year ago, I lost my mom. And though it’s not the same as losing a spouse, Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon hit close in a way I wasn’t expecting.
What I loved most is how honestly this story treats grief. There’s no magic cure, no tidy bow. Grace is strong and sarcastic and emotionally stuck. Henry is quieter, a little more reserved and hopeful. They’re a surprisingly perfect match in their imperfections. Watching them try to navigate their feelings while also still mourning their spouses felt so authentic it hurt. At times, I didn’t even want them to end up together because I wasn’t sure they were ready. But then I realized: no one ever really is.
The writing is beautiful and smart, with moments that made me laugh out loud and others that had me sobbing into my hoodie.
This book is technically a holiday novel, but it doesn’t drown in Christmas cheer. It’s more Die Hard than Hallmark: set during the season, but not about the season. And while it does include a delightful dog named Harry Styles, it’s not just fluff. The plot surprised me with emotional twists that left me gasping and whisper-yelling at my Kindle.
Additionally, I appreciate that Norman gave space to something we don’t talk enough about: what grief looks like after the first year. When everyone else has moved on and expects you to do the same, but you can’t. Or won’t. Or don’t know how. That resonated with me, and I think it helped me face some emotions I hadn’t even realized I was still holding onto.
Even when I wasn’t sure where the story was going, I didn’t care. I just needed to know if these two broken, beautiful people could find comfort, if not a future, in each other. By the end, I was crying. I’m a crier, okay?
This was one of the most unexpectedly cozy and comforting reads I’ve had in a while. This is a standout amongst the books I’ve read this year and reverses a chance on your tbr.
This book follows two people, Grace and Henry, who’ve both lost their partners during the holidays. Their meddling moms set them up, and while it starts off with a few awkward laughs about shared grief, it slowly becomes something deeper than either expected.
I wasn’t sure if I was ready for this book. Nearly a year ago, I lost my mom. And though it’s not the same as losing a spouse, Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon hit close in a way I wasn’t expecting.
What I loved most is how honestly this story treats grief. There’s no magic cure, no tidy bow. Grace is strong and sarcastic and emotionally stuck. Henry is quieter, a little more reserved and hopeful. They’re a surprisingly perfect match in their imperfections. Watching them try to navigate their feelings while also still mourning their spouses felt so authentic it hurt. At times, I didn’t even want them to end up together because I wasn’t sure they were ready. But then I realized: no one ever really is.
The writing is beautiful and smart, with moments that made me laugh out loud and others that had me sobbing into my hoodie.
This book is technically a holiday novel, but it doesn’t drown in Christmas cheer. It’s more Die Hard than Hallmark: set during the season, but not about the season. And while it does include a delightful dog named Harry Styles, it’s not just fluff. The plot surprised me with emotional twists that left me gasping and whisper-yelling at my Kindle.
Additionally, I appreciate that Norman gave space to something we don’t talk enough about: what grief looks like after the first year. When everyone else has moved on and expects you to do the same, but you can’t. Or won’t. Or don’t know how. That resonated with me, and I think it helped me face some emotions I hadn’t even realized I was still holding onto.
Even when I wasn’t sure where the story was going, I didn’t care. I just needed to know if these two broken, beautiful people could find comfort, if not a future, in each other. By the end, I was crying. I’m a crier, okay?
This was one of the most unexpectedly cozy and comforting reads I’ve had in a while. This is a standout amongst the books I’ve read this year and reverses a chance on your tbr.
October 24, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ rounded up
Grace may not hate Lauren, but I do!! Enough for the both of us! Good on Tim for not acting on it but the over 4k emails is just wrong and very misleading on his part. Maybe you can love more than 1 person but that’s unfair to EVERYONE. Including himself. But I guess it was his way of having his cake and eating it too just without physically cheating on Grace. 😡😡
Grace may not hate Lauren, but I do!! Enough for the both of us! Good on Tim for not acting on it but the over 4k emails is just wrong and very misleading on his part. Maybe you can love more than 1 person but that’s unfair to EVERYONE. Including himself. But I guess it was his way of having his cake and eating it too just without physically cheating on Grace. 😡😡
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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