Serving Scrooge

The Peppermint Playbook #2

by Katie Nelson

A holiday hostess takes on her toughest assignment yet—a grumpy tennis pro—and she’s determined to make his spirits bright.

Inside the pristine white lines of a tennis court is where Eddie Evans thrives. But when a career-threatening injury sidelines this rising star, his Grand Slam dreams—and his bank account—are in jeopardy. Just when he’s almost out of options, a Christmas miracle arrives in the form of a major sponsorship, with one he has to attend a week-long charity event at a festive, snow-covered resort.

Enter Maya Torres, the resort’s Christmas enthusiast, whose heart beats to the rhythm of sleigh bells and carols. Her holiday cheer is contagious, but it’s about to be tested. Her unexpected assignment? Play personal elf to the Grinch-like Eddie Evans, ensuring he attends every event and, more importantly, has a great time.

Their personalities clash like tinsel and tennis rackets. She’s a whirlwind of festive joy; he’s a Scrooge in athletic wear, constantly disappearing from her watchful eye. As Maya diligently tracks him down, she uncovers the surprising, heartfelt reasons behind Eddie’s aversion to all things merry and bright. Just as a glimmer of holiday spirit begins to thaw Eddie’s icy exterior, his past catches up to him, threatening to derail everything.

Can Maya, with her boundless Christmas cheer, help Eddie embrace the most wonderful time of the year? Or will his past forever dim his holiday spirit, making this a Christmas filled with coal?

Discover if a little holiday magic can mend a broken heart and, perhaps, even spark an unexpected romance in this heart-warming, laugh out loud, no spice romcom novella.

The Peppermint Playbook Series is about six athletes who find love the week before Christmas. If you enjoy closed-door, small-town holiday rom-coms, this series is for you. Make sure to read them all!

Jingle Blades by Tomi Tabb

Serving Scrooge by Katie Nelson

Checking You Twice by Larissa Hommes

Fumble All the Way by Deb Goodman

The Holiday Assist by Taylor Epperson

Deck the Hills by Michelle Angus

Genres: Christmas, Contemporary, Novella, Romance, Sports, Holiday, Sports Romance

121 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 12, 2025

Reviews

[Barbara Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Professional tennis player Eddie Evans needs a break. Not only to rest his injured wrist, but also to build back his bank account and give him a fresh start in his career. So he jumps at the chance for this new sponsorship.

What he doesn’t realize is that it includes a week at an event all centered around Christmas and Christmas cheer. Eddie isn’t truly the Grinch, but he comes close. Enter Maya, who is his host for the week and charged with making sure he participates in his assigned events.

This is a wonderful grumpy/sunshine story and I love that Maya sees through Eddie‘s hardshell to the tender heart inside.

[Laura Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas novella perfection

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute, grumpy/sunshine Christmas novella in the Peppermint Playbook multi-author series. Eddie and Maya’s meet-cute was hilarious. Eddie had quite a few self revelations that normally would take people months (or even years) to work through so it seemed a bit fast, but such is the nature of a novella. The grand gesture seemed out of character for Eddie, but was sweet nonetheless. I enjoyed Maya’s sunshine personality; she wasn’t over the top and annoying in the least.

[Korkoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It Took the Right Person to Heal his Pain -
This is a beautifully written, emotional romance story about how two people who are polar opposites find a way to deal with the festive celebrations, as of them was really into celebrating, whilst the other didn’t celebrate because of a traumatic experience. Luckily, it took opening up to each other whilst they spent time together, which allowed their romantic feelings to grow stronger and give them a chance to explore a future together. This was a heartfelt romance story filled with drama, tension and excitement between two seemingly unlikely people, that will keep you totally hooked for a couple of hours.

I received a free review copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Courtney Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sunshine-loving holiday hostess and a grumpy tennis star—what could possibly go wrong (or very right)? Serving Scrooge is a short and sweet Christmas romcom that had me smiling from the first hilarious meet-cute to the final heartwarming page.

Maya’s Christmas cheer meets its match in Eddie Evans, a down-on-his-luck tennis pro who wants nothing to do with the holidays. But beneath his Scrooge act lies a broken heart in need of healing—and Maya might be just the person to help. Their banter, emotional growth, and tender chemistry made this novella the perfect cozy holiday escape.

I’ve been loving The Peppermint Playbook series, and this addition was pure festive fun with a touch of emotional depth. Perfect for fans of grumpy/sunshine, closed-door romance, and short but swoony holiday reads.

Thank you Katie, for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Teddy G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast
Fun
Christmas/Holiday read
For such a short book a lot of really sweet moments and a beautiful character arc was squeezed in!
Delightfully surprised!

[Abby Huffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute addition to the Peppermint Playbook! Loved Maya & Eddie together! I like how understanding she was of his grief & what a help she was for him.

[Lissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore Eddie & Maya's grumpy, sweet, caring, loving happily ever after!!!

[Kaci Bonar · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when you take a grump to an exclusive Christmas resort, and your onsite host has enough holiday spirit to fill your stocking tenfold… you get this story?!

Maya Torres is all for everything Christmas and it shows when she put on the finishing touches of decorating the lobby of the Mynt Peak Resort!  Having completed the displays, her next task that awaited her was being assigned to work with Eddie Evans!  She has heard he needs extra help with getting into the Christmas spirit, but she wasn’t prepared for Scrooge!

Eddie Evans is a dedicated tennis pro that while he has been nursing a wrist injury, he hasn’t given up on his quest to reach at least one Grand Slam tournament championship!  When his agent tells him to keep competing Eddie needs sponsorship funds, and he can get those by spending a week in Colorado for a charity event!  Plastering a smile on his face for a week isn’t ideal, neither is being forced to attend mandatory events to represent the Mynt Brand.

Over the course of Eddie’s week with Maya, the two learn a lot about each other and themselves!  There were moments of funny, serious, heartbreaking and joy!  This is my first time reading Katie Nelson and this story didn’t disappoint!  If you want to see a Scrooge, find his Christmas spirit and put to rest some of the ghost of his personal Christmas past, look no further!  Job well done!

TW:  grief (past death)

[Randi Sampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute addition to The Peppermint Playbook series! In this story, we meet tennis player Eddie and Maya, and I have to admit that their story packed more of an emotional punch than I was expecting--- but in the best way possible. Eddie hates Christmas just as much as Maya loves it... but he's not a scrooge for no reason! The more we get to know him and see that reason, the more I felt for him and wanted to see him get that happily ever after. He and Maya had such a sweet chemistry between them... and QUITE the hilarious and embarrassing meet cute... and I loved it! It was one of many great laugh out loud moments that helped to balance some of the more difficult ones as well. Their story was short, but sweet... and perfect for the busy holiday season.

Serving Scrooge is a closed-door romance with kisses only and no language. It is part of The Peppermint Playbook series--- a multi-author series each featuring an athlete from various sports finding love the week before Christmas. It can be enjoyed as a standalone.

**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Cindy Burrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this story, it was a little different than what I usually read (in a good way). Eddie and Maya are two characters who are about as different from each other as you can be. Eddie is a professional tennis player and trains daily to be at his best. He has been working every day since he was eight years old to reach his goal of becoming a professional tennis player. Now, he’s ready for a major win. “A ‘major’ refers to one of the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.” His highest rank is Number 17, he’s so close to making the Top Ten! This is his job and he’s serious about making the Top Ten. His regime begins with running two miles on a treadmill, agility training for thirty minutes, and then he gets his “reward” serving drills, but not before proper stretching…he doesn’t want to be sidelined by an injury. (That’s not my idea of a reward, but it is for Eddie.) While Eddie is dedicated to tennis, he’s experiencing some wrist pain, but he ignores it. Could this lead to something major like possible surgery and missing out on some matches? He realizes he’s coming to the end of his career, he’s twenty-six, which isn’t old, but it must be in the world of tennis. Roger is his agent, and good friend is always checking on him to see how things are going. He also has some good news, it seems that “Mynt, the hottest apparel company in the United States, wants to sponsor you.” Is there a catch to this endorsement? It seems the CEO, Mr. Mynt, loves a comeback story. Talk about pressure!
There’s also more, Eddie is required to attend their Christmas charity event in Winterbrook. It will be held at Mynt Peak Resort. Eddie is not happy about this, he hates Christmas. Who is this guy? The Grinch??
Maya just happens to work at Mynt Peak Resort, and she’s in charge of decorating…she even volunteered! Now, Maya has many fond memories of the Resort, her mom worked there, and Christmas was always the best day of the year. She’s been summoned to Mr. Mynt’s office and hopes it’s not bad news. Where will she find another job this close to Christmas? Luckily, it’s not bad news, Mr. Mynt has assigned her to be at Eddie’s beck and call while he’s there. Get him involved with the activities and make sure he’s happy. Mr. Mynt wants this visit to go well.
I just love stories that are about Christmas. I don’t want to ruin this wonderful story with too many spoilers. Will the two of them hit it off or will there be drama? How will Eddie feel when he finds out he’ll be doing activities with the kids? Will he try to dodge the events he doesn’t want to attend? Will Maya be able to do her job and make Mr. Mynt happy and perhaps earn more responsibility at the resort? Will differences between Maya and Will make things uncomfortable and have Mr. Mynt furious about this event? To find out the answers to these and more, get your copy of Serving Scrooge by Katie Nelson today!

[Jenny x Carolena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katie Nelson is serving up a perfect holiday treat with Serving Scrooge! This was the exact kind of heartwarming, funny, and surprisingly deep holiday novella I was craving.

The story introduces Eddie, a professional tennis player who is 100% on the Scrooge spectrum. He's grumpy, recovering from an injury, and hates all things winter and Christmas. His counterpart is Maya, who loves Christmas. She works at the Mynt Peak resort and is tasked with being Eddie's personal host to make sure he embraces the holiday spirit for a critical sponsorship.

I have to say, their meet-cute was HILARIOUS. I was genuinely laughing out loud and thinking, "Um, what just happened?!" It set their dynamic up perfectly.

Eddie is the ultimate grump, but Maya, who loves a good joke, is determined to solve the "mystery" of his grumpiness. This novella is packed with so much heart. What really made this story stand out was its depth. This isn't just a story about a guy who hates decorations; it’s a story about a man carrying a heavy, tragic past. The book handles his pain and grief with so much care. The moments where he and Maya truly connect (like an unplanned spa day where laughter proves to be the best therapy) feel earned and so, so sweet.

This story was so good because it felt real. It’s a powerful and gentle reminder that the holidays aren't joyous for everyone. You never truly know the pain or loss someone might be carrying during this season, and this book was a beautiful call for kindness and understanding.

A wonderful, no-spice holiday romcom that perfectly balances humor and heart! Highly recommend.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book, and this is my honest and unbiased review.

[Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eddie Evans is happiest on the tennis court. An injury has somewhat sidelined him. Things are looking grim until a lucrative sponsorship is offered to him. The only kicker is that he has to attend a week long charity event at Mynt Peak Resort where he will have to mingle with others. (Eddie is not an extrovert and prefers solitude.) It is also at Christmas, which is his least favorite time of the year.

Maya Torres is chief decorator for Mynt Peak Resort. She loves everything about Christmas. She gets an assignment to be Eddie's hostess for the week and make sure he attends all of the events. Sounds easy, but Eddie is not going to be easy to work with. It was like Scrooge vs. Buddy the Elf.

Emotional was not even a good word for what portions of the story were about, especially once you learn Eddie's reasons for disliking Christmas and his general grumpy demeanor. Maya was the perfect person to help him heal. Even though some parts where sad, I can attest that most of this book was either sweet, swoony, and at times, hilarious. Their first meeting with never be forgotten. From Cheez It boxer briefs to ticklish feet, this pair made some memories and certainly made me laugh. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Thank you to the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kaitlin M · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet grumpy x sunshine holiday romance set at a charity event at a holiday resort featuring top athletes.

Serving Scrooge follows Eddie, a professional tennis player, and Maya, an employee and holiday fan of the Mynt Resort.

Eddie is struggling with darkness from his past that is tied to the Christmas season. He avoids people and is only interested in tennis and training. Now in desperate need of money and sponsorship, he is unwillingly participating in the Mynt to Make a Difference charity function that is offering him a sponsorship deal.

Maya is assigned as Eddie’s personal host during this event and is tasked with ensuring he attends the required events and has a good time. Maya has her work cut out for her as he is a grump and a half.

It was nice to see how Maya gets to know Eddie and helps him overcome the challenges and darkness of his past without judging him. This is a sweet story encouraging us to keep living after difficult times, without letting the darkness keep you from living your life.

Thank you to Katie for including me on her ARC team! I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Riella Cristobal · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet holiday story! It is my first from Ms. Nelson and it was adorable. I loved the grumpy-sunshine aspect.
Poor Eddie! I really felt for him. He had a rough go and felt the responsibility to succeed as a tennis player because of his past. He was so focused on excelling and was definitely not interested in the holiday festivities that surrounded him. Maya was so fun! I loved her enthusiasm and determination. She truly found joy in the Christmas celebrations and wanted that for Eddie too.
They were so cute together! Maya was able to help Eddie see some of the possibility in the holiday season. He had to really evaluate if he could move on after his difficult past.
I loved the Christmas-y activities. They both got to experience the joys people have in that time. This book was full of charming scenes, second chances, and sweet romance. It is a contemporary holiday novella with only a few nondescript kisses. It also includes the past death of a loved one.
I received an ARC.

[Barbara Hackel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving this series and appreciating a variety of athletes in a different way. In this story Eddy seems to be a grump, uncooperative, and generally not someone that anybody would choose to spend time with cheerfully. When he is forced to go to a Christmas week long event by a sponsor, I actually thought it would be a disaster! Fortunately, the person assigned to be his personal assistant for the week, Maya, is a remarkable woman and is amazing at her job!

What I especially liked was Maya's constant ability to know how to handle any situation! Whether it's facing something embarrassing, helping corral and teach a group of preschoolers, or knowing Eddie's need to de-stress, she always had a plan!

This was one book that was definitely too short! However no matter how much the author left me wanting more, I loved the ending.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maya Torres is tasked with helping Eddie Evans feel at home and get to certain events that are taking place at the Mynt Peak Resort where he is one of the featured athletes for charity events. That seems pretty easy, but Maya has her work cut out for her as Eddie escapes to his room on several occasions. It was great to see Maya really take the time to listen and understand the things that Eddie had gone through.

Things to enjoy:
dual POV
meet cute
sports romance
grumpy/sunshine
spa treatment

This is part of the Peppermint Playbook series, but can be read as a standalone. It’s a novella, so you’ll be able to read this in a weekend.

This does deal with grieving of a loved who has passed away, but it is done in a respectful manner.

I received a copy of the book. All opinions are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review.

[Natscleanreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked reading this shorter Christmas RomCom novella. Eddie is a Scrooge at Christmas due to past trauma experience during this time of year. Maya absolutely loves everything Christmas. Things I loved: cheese-its boxers, the first time Eddie laughs, the first kiss, the way Maya helps Eddie heal, and the ending! This book is for you if you like a well-written, fun, and quick read.

There are no swears or alcohol and level 1 kisses only. Dual POV.

Maya Torres works at a swanky hotel. She is asked to play hostess for Eddie. She is in charge of making sure he has what he needs and, most importantly, to make sure he attends all the required events. She is the ultimate Christmas cheer leader.

Eddie Evans is a professional tennis player dealing with a recent injury. He attends a weeklong charity event. He is the ultimate Scrooge.

[Maria Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet grumpy/sunshine romance. It is a quick reading novella and therefore a fast moving relationship. But they have a few bumps along the way. Eddie is scrooge because of his sad back story which included losing his younger brother. He has turned his back on just about everyone trying to cancel out the pain he still feels more than a decade after his brother died. Maya brings the sunshine back into his life and she also learns about helping people where they are rather than trying to mold them into something they are not ready for.
I would have enjoyed reading more about what comes next. Does she keep working at that resort? What did her boss think in the end?
It was an enjoyable story.

[Ashley Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did I devour this novella in one sitting? You betcha!! I had one of those days and I’ll tell you what, this book totally turned it around! It was cute, cozy, christmas-y and FULL of kisses only romance! All of the characters instantly pulled me in and I just fell in love with them. I related to Maya so much with her holiday spirit and working so hard to bring joy to those around her. She was the sweetest. And Eddie just stole my heart! I felt like celebrating with Maya every time he cracked a smile. I loved watching his journey of healing; it was so beautiful. This book was a little over 100 pages, but it packed a punch! If you enjoy christmas, sports romcoms with tons of laughs and heart filled romance, you’ll definitely want to give this one a read!

[Lia Lorimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a surprise ARC received from the author but welcomed when I recognised it as part of the multi-author Peppermint Playbook series.
Eddie, an injured pro tennis player who has not won a match recently, is virtually forced to attend the annual “Mynt to make a Difference” sponsorship programme at the elite holiday resort in Winterbrook if he is to have the funds to retain his agent and his coach. Resort employee, Maya, is tasked to be his hostess for the week, ensuring he attends all the necessary functions, a task made difficult when Eddie keeps disappearing from the venues.
An uplifting novella which demonstrates how acceptance and empathy can help victims of past trauma to overcome their suffering and find positive outcomes to live by.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this grumpy/sunshine story where athlete, Eddie, finds true love where he least expected it! Love definitely wasn’t on his radar when he very reluctantly travels to a sponsor’s resort and is teamed up with a resort host, Maya.

Loved Maya’s positive attitude and their first meet is definitely funny!!! The fun and the joy balances the heartaches and regrets…lovely ending!

Received this as an Advanced Reader copy from the author and this is my own opinion given voluntarily. Would definitely like to read more by this author as this story is clean, funny but can tackle serious issues too. Highly recommended!

[Wren Woodland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute book featuring the tennis star Eddie Evans and his Mynt resort host Maya Flores. Eddie has a serious case of survivor’s guilt after his little brother died in an accident as the family was coming home from a tournament. He becomes a grump who has forgotten how to smile and lives for tennis success. Maya is sunshine who refuses to let him get her down-and then there’s a little incident with Cheez-it boxers. This is truly a heartwarming book as Eddie finally realizes that Joey would want him to live and that Maya is the reason for his change of heart. Here’s a shoutout to a bff as Holly saves the day. Clean.

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serving Scrooge is a sweet, opposites attract, romantic comedy. Can Maya, the ultimate Christmas elf, get Eddie, the ultimate Scrooge, to attend the resort events at which he is scheduled to appear in order to secure a sponsor for his tennis career? You will find out in this well written novella. I was rooting for Eddie to shed that guilt and to discover his HEA. Maya helps Eddie overcome his challenges without judging him. As they work together, Eddie even starts to enjoy some of the events. Maya and Eddie have a meet cute, Eddie's grief is acknowledged without depressing the story and Maya's plans save the day more than once. I enjoyed Eddie and Maya's journey and think, you will also.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm loving The Peppermint Playbook series! Each of these books features great characters. I love seeing how they are all put in the same situations, but they definitely navigate them differently. And it's just so much fun!

Eddy is a tennis player. But that's not all. Eddy has had a rough life. He's got a hidden hurt that makes things, especially at Christmas, hard for him to deal with. And that makes people think he's a grump.

I loved the way Maya was able to see the man behind the grumpy facade he hides behind. And the way the two of them met was hilarious.

This novella is so cute! I loved it so much!

[Sheri Bolinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic grumpy/sunshine book. Eddie, our Scrooge in this story, made you just want to wrap your arms around him once you found out why he was so grumpy. I really liked him, even though he was frustrating at times! Maya was awesome! She was Eddie's host for his week long events at the resort. She was kind-hearted and so full of warmth and Christmas cheer. With all the ways she tried to help Eddie, you just fall in love with her. This book brings hope, healing, and a little Mistletoe magic! it was fabulous!!

[Denice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a cute story that had me laughing from the beginning. Eddie is a Professional Tennis player who is trying to recover from an injury and also past hurts. Maya works for the Mynt resort and is assigned to be Eddie’s host for the week. Their meet-cute was hilarious and she followed up with another funny act; you will have to read to find out. This grumpy/sunshine story is so funny, sweet, adorable and swoony and a fantastic read that was well developed and written but ended too soon, they are such a fun couple. A perfect quick read.

[Liberty Munson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pro tennis player continues to blame himself for the death of his younger brother 12 years later and refuses to find joy in the holiday season. To secure a sponsorship, he needs to attend a series of holiday activities as part of a week-long charity event. Maya acts as his host trying to ensure that he attends the events (he disappears from several). But as he gets to know and open up to Maya, he begins to forgive himself enough to live as his brother would have wanted rather than with the heavy mantle of guilt on his shoulders.

A quick, emotional holiday read.

[W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maya & Eddie

I enjoyed this holiday novella about grumpy tennis pro Eddie and Maya, the bubbly, resort host for the Mynt charity event. Maya quickly realizes that Eddie's grumpiness is just a shield hiding his grieving heart. As she accompanies him from one event to another during this week-long charity event, she uses every skill in her repertoire to help Eddie find happiness during the event and the holiday.

I received a free advance copy of this story from the author via BookFunnel and voluntarily chose to share my review.

[Kelli M. Stowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maya and Eddie are serving up a feel-good holiday story!

Maya loves Christmas. Eddie, not so much. Seeing them navigate the holiday events surrounding the Mynt to Make a Difference event was sweet. It was fun to see Maya bringing Eddie out of his shell and to see Eddie figure out how to move forward with his life that he has put on hold for far too long after a trauma.

This grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity holiday romance is full of super cute moments. I especially loved the tennis lessons, spa day, and igloo. The halls are decked and the kisses are oh so swoony!