The Christmas Catch

Holiday Harbor #1

by Hannah Gray

He’s the salty fisherman whose family owns miles of coastline…she’s the business-savvy realtor looking for oceanfront property to develop.

Genres: Christmas, Enemies To Lovers, Holiday, Forced Proximity, Romance, Holiday Romance, Small Town Romance

218 pages, Paperback

Published November 3, 2025

About the author

Hannah Gray spends her days in vacationland, living in a small, quaint town on the coast of Maine. She is an avid reader of contemporary romance and is always in competition with herself to read more books every year.

During the day, she loves on her three perfect-to-her daughters and tries to be the best mom she can be. But once she tucks them in at night--okay, scratch that. Once they fall asleep next to her in her bed--because their bedrooms apparently have monsters in them--she dives into her own fantasy world, staying awake well into the late-night hours, typing away stories about her characters. As much as she loves being a wife and mom--and she certainly does love it--reading and writing are her outlet, giving her a place to travel far away while still physically being with her family.

She married her better half in 2013, and he's been putting up with her craziness every day since. As her anchor, he's her one constant in this insane, forever-changing world.

Facbook Page: https://www.facebook.com/hannahgrayau...
Twitter: @AuthorHannahGr1
IG: @authorhannah_gray

Reviews

[Sim-fully Ever After · Rating 4 out of 5]

4🌟, 3.5 🌶️

He's her lobster, and trust me, this catch is worth keeping.

This small-town coastal romance between a fiery real estate developer and a grumpy lobster fisherman was pure perfection. The tension, the banter, the chemistry — everything hit just right. That one-time moment between them was absolutely unforgettable. And the way their walls slowly came down made the story feel raw, tender, and so real.

I fell just as hard for the Adams family as I did for the love story. Each sibling added warmth and personality, and the quiet strength at the heart of their family made every scene feel grounded and full of love. The Maine setting was cozy and alive, filled with sea air, family traditions, and the perfect sprinkle of holiday magic.

This book had it all - spice, humor, and a love story that wrapped me up like a Christmas hug. Easily a top-tier festive read, and now here's hoping every Adams sibling gets their own story next.

~~~~

Thank you, Hannah Gray & The Smuthood, for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨

[Kayla | Kayla Reads Smut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miss Hannah Banana!!!! You know, I didn't know I needed a Christmas book from you til you hand delivered it to my kindle and now that I gobbled the crap out of it and didn't leave a single crumb, I need you to give me each Adam sibling a book, please and thank you!

Ok but in all seriousness, this was the book I didn't know I needed but have now fear, Hannah knew we all needed this story and it did NOT disappoint. The Christmas Catch is a small town coastal Christmas book between a grumpy lobster fisherman and an even grumpier bah humbug real estate developer looking to buy said fisherman's land. So as you can imagine, this is a tension filled hate to love situation and it is oh so delicious.

I loved every single thing about this book. I loved the plot. I loved the grinch guarded characters. The banter was top tier in true Hannah Gray fashion. And the spice was SPICING! The whole "just one time" scenario was so hot. The kitchen scene 👀 had me on my knees gagged. And that was just the start of it all. Hannah truly outdid herself with the scenes in this little cheeky Christmas novella. And if you are a book girly who loves when she takes control and calls him a "good boy" then you are in luck because our boy Ridge is in fact a REALLY good boy this year.

Ugh, Hannah, if you couldn't tell, I loved this one. I didn't want it to end. And please for the love of god tell me we are getting Ridge's brothers story because I need them all to get books!

You should most definitely read this book if you like:
- Small Coastal Town
- Grumpy x Grumpy
- Lobster Fisherman
- "Just One Time"
- Enemies to Lovers
- Forced Proximity
- Holiday Novella

* I would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Hannah Gray for allowing me the absolute pleasure to read The Christmas Catch as an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts, opinions and review.

[Kursed Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stella Stewart has been tasked by her employer, Ironbound Developments, to travel to Holiday Harbor, Maine just before Christmas, to entice the Adams’ family into selling the property that’s been in their family for generations.

Ridge Adams is a grumpy lobster fisherman who’s only soft spot is his family. Despite Stella‘s intentions, he can’t help thinking about the fiery redhead, whose eyes hold a lifetime of pain.

The Christmas Catch is the perfect holiday romance that will remind you of a Hallmark movie, if Hallmark did spice!

And I’d like to just point out, Hannah, I wouldn’t be mad if this was the first book in the series for all the Adams’ boys!!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥1/2
Darkness: 🤍
Heat: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 🤬🥺🥵😭😍
Ending: 💗 {HEA}

POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Present}

🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): New Adult

✨ Tropes: Enemies-to-Lovers, Forced Proximity, Holiday, One Bed
 
💫 Microtropes: Alphahole, Caveman Carry, Jealous/Possessive/Obsessive, One Night Stand, Pet Name, Sassy FMC, Tragic Past

💋 Kinks: Dirty Talk, Domination, Finger Licking Good, Panty Gag, Rimming, Spanking, Spit

🚩 Red Flags: n/a

🤰🏻 Pregnancy: n/a

📍 Setting: Small Town

⚠️ Warning: The angst in this slow-burn will edge you to the point of combustion! Then leave your panties damp and cheeks flushed.

⛔️ Safety Squad: n/a

📣 Type: The Christmas Catch is a standalone.

🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.

[magui · Rating 1 out of 5]

sabes cuántas veces leí la palabra "pene" y "escupir" hoy, marge? QUINCE (!!!!)

[all.the.smut.things · Rating 5 out of 5]

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

Well, Who would have thought a Christmas romance about a Maine lobster Fisherman would have be blushing as read as a well… lobster. But here we are!

Welcome to your small town era Hannah Gray, I’m going to need more of it! This one was so good, had so much tension and banter and was overall the spicy little Christmas book I absolutely needed in my life

Also a grumpy MMC and an even grumpier FMC, and they hate each other…. Yes please . Gimme Gimme Gimme.

✨ Holiday Romance
✨ Enemies to Lovers
✨ City Girl x Small Town Boy
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ Grumpy x Grumpy

I love Ridge and Stella so much. These two are explosive, and that tension between them. It was tensioning. This novella was the perfect mix of Christmasy and spicy and I was here for it.

Ans let’s talk about the spice, because it was so good. My kryptonite is a rough and tough man being called a “good boy” I eat it up every-time. And then the nicknames too.

I loved every second of this! I cannot wait to get the rest of the brothers… I will beg!

[Paige (wingsandsmut) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this quick and spicy holiday book! Loved the tension between Stella & Ridge from the start! Their banter is so good and when they finally give in, their chemistry is off the charts. And this is SPICY and so delicious that I was eating this whole book up basically in one sitting!

What to expect:
🦞Small town
🦞Holiday romance
🦞Enemies to lovers
🦞Forced proximity
🦞’Good boy’

Thank you to Hannah Gray for letting me read/review an ARC!

[Jo Bennesch · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5⭐️
3.5/5🌶

📚 El argumento es básico: chica de ciudad que quiere comprar los terrenos familiares, chico de pueblo que no piensa vender, química inmediata y un dislike to lovers de manual. Como Mariah, los protas "todo lo que quieren para navidad" es al otro.

🎄La historia transcurre en un pueblito pesquero, con vibras del pueblo de "se lo que hicieron el verano pasado", sin terror, obviamente, pero en Maine. Hay mucha nieve, mucho bosque, mucho mar.

📚 La escritura es tirando a mediocre, que les puedo decir?, hay bastante dirty talk, (demasiado) y se pone intenso con el tema del spicy. Pero fue entretenido.

🎄En resumen, no te va a cambiar la vida, pero sirve para pasar el rato. HEA y todos felices.

[Amilia Poling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so cute and such a fun holiday romance!! These two were so fun to watch come together! I enjoyed getting to see how Stella had built her life and fought for what she needed for herself! Her drive and determination to do what she felt was needed, while also pushing to do the right thing! I also loved getting to see her open herself up to the possibility of love and support! And Ridge was just the perfect amount of grumpy and swoony! I loved how he was so determined to do right by his family, and push for his own happiness! Getting to watch these come together was so fun, and I really enjoyed their dynamic throughout the book! And the whole Adams family was really fun to see interacting, and I can't wait to get more of their stories! Overall this was a super cute holiday story, and I loved getting to read it! 4.5 stars; 3.5 chili peppers

Tropes:
- Grumpy x Grumpy
- Snowed In
- Small Town
- City Girl x Fisherman
- Enemies to Lovers
- "Just one time"

[Courtney | romancereadswithcourt · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ 2.5 🌶️

Hannah Gray x Christmas?!? Such a good pairing 🥹🙂‍↕️
Full RTC!

[Jamie Engel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was super excited for this one and I love a lot of Hannah's books. I was eager to see something else from her besides hockey since it has been a bit since she has wrote something other than that. However, this one fell flat for me.

The premise was good, hate to love, forced proximity, city girl coming to a small fishing town...all the makings of a hallmark after dark christmas time story, however, the dialogue between the two MCs took me out of the story. These characters were older 20s but they spoke like they were in college, very crude and immature. And I can handle some of that to an extent but the more spice that happened the more cringey snd immature it got. I found myself skimming a lot of the spice bc it was repetitive and just got too cringe for me
And this is a total me thing but I kind of hate when pop culture is thrown into books. IMO it dates the book and IDK it just takes me out of the story.
Overall the premise was great, execution was lacking.

Overall: 3
Spice: 3.5

Tropes:
hate to love
forced proximity
small town
grumpy x grumpy

[Payton Sowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY HANNAH! Hands down a phenomenal book - I loved truly every single thing about this book. This gave me the perfect little push into feeling Christmas this year, and I loved it.

Stella and Ridge are explosive together. Whether they’re bickering, having a serious conversation, playing around, laughing, or just doing dirty things - they are so explosive. Yet their love for one another is so incredible that I cannot even put into words how much I loved their story. Stella having a tough exterior and Ridge just being a hardass… the perfect combination together.

I really loved getting to see the Adams family and their dynamic. The brothers all being so different yet the same when it came to morals and family. I absolutely loved Katherine and I think she was also the mom that we all strive to be or want to have. I love seeing how much of their life revolved around lobster fishing in Maine.

I feel like I waited forever to get a Maine fisherman story, and holy hell did Hannah deliver. She wrote probably one of my favorite holiday stories to date. I loved getting to feel like we were also getting a little piece of Hannah in our story and how the terminology used was so specific to that lifestyle. It made me want to pack up my family and go to Maine at Christmas!

Hannah did one hell of a job with this story, and I think this was one of her spiciest books written to date! I truly loved every second of being in Holiday Harbor with Stella and Ridge. Thank you for trusting me to ARC read The Christmas Catch, Hannah! 🤍

[Katie Thayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ARC Review✨
The Christmas Catch
By Hannah Gray

Who would have thought that this sleepy little town in Maine would have such delicious eye candy? And that’s exactly what the dude at the banana rack was. Delicious eye candy. And did I fight back a growl when he grabbed the bananas? Yes. Yes, I did. He probably has a big banana.

“Hate-f***i g can be real fun, you know, and we sure have a lot of hate to f*** out, don’t we?”

“I promise you, Fireball, I don’t mind, inconvenience me anytime you want. You’re keeping my life interesting.”

Don’t let the cute cover fool you, this Christmas story is spicy and sexy! Stella is sent to Maine before Christmas for work. Ridge is the grumpy fisherman whose family land Stella is trying to buy. There is so much tension and animosity between these two, until both Stella and Ridge’s walls come down a bit and let the connection take over. It’s hot and there’s lots of hate f***ing until these two get out of their own ways and just enjoy what is blossoming. Who knew lobster fishing could be so sexy?!


Tropes:
Small Coastal Town
Holiday Romance
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Just One Time

Spice Starts at: 38%🔥

Spice: 3/4🌶️
Stars: 4.5/5⭐️

Available on Kindle Unlimited Nov 6

[Chelsea Mansell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Christmas Catch by Hannah Gray eARC Review 🦞

Well if this book isn’t a holiday treat I don’t know what is! Hannah brought the heat with this spicy, holiday romance and I ate it up.

Enemies to lovers PERFECTION. When Stella is sent to Maine to try and persuade a family to sell their land to a project developer, the grumpy, lobster fishermen is not going to make things easy on her. Ridge and Stella are at odds from the very beginning, and you can literally feel the tension between them. The banter is SO GOOD and when they give into their feelings and decide on “just one time” we all know how that usually goes. 🤭

This is such a fun, spicy and cute holiday romance. I definitely recommend adding this one to your TBR this holiday season!

What to expect:
Small coastal town
Christmas book
Enemies to lovers
Lobster fisherman MMC 🦞
Forced proximity
Just one time

Thank you so much Hannah for the opportunity to read this as an ARC for my honest opinion and review!

[Megan Coggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god yes.
A lobster fisherman 🦞
Thank you Hannah Gray.

This was the perfect holiday novella.
I love a blue collar man.
Ridge was perfect.
I love Christmas.
Maine, yes please.

Stella, the fiery redhead from New York who has come to try and buy this man’s family’s land.
Cue the enemies to lovers trope.
But ends up stealing something else.
After the “just one time”

This was just really my jam.

Arc review ✨

[Sarina Vega · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You got under my skin from day one, but now… you’re in my f*cking soul too.”

Hannah Gray flipped my Christmas spirit switch on with her spicy Christmas book. It’s exactly what I needed. Spicy novella season is in full effect.

The Christmas Catch is set in a small coastal town in Maine. Stella, a firecracker real estate developer from New York City, comes to make an offer on the Adams family land. She ends up having to deal with Ridge, the grumpiest fisherman of the Adams clan. Of course, he didn’t take kindly to her offer. Needless to say, that’s when the hate began. Or so they thought. I loved everything about this story. Starting with their meet-cute to all the banter and intense chemistry. Hannah certainly turned up the heat. The spice is spicing. It was all perfect. In true Hannah Gray fashion, this story also had its emotionally raw moments. Ridge and Stella have tall walls that were beautiful to watch as they teared them down together. Kick-start your Christmas read with this one. You will love the cozy setting, the Adams family, and their holiday traditions will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.

Tropes: holiday romance, enemies-to-lovers, city girl x small-town boy, forced proximity, black cat.

Thank you so much, Hannah, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Haily Volk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hannah!! GIRL! This book was exactly what I needed to get me into the holiday spirit. The Christmas Catch was such a fun and SPICY read. I love Ridge & Stella.

Stella is sent to Maine to try and buy the land that Ridge’s family owns and Ridge is not going down without a fight. OMG, the banter between these two is everything. Ridge is the grumpy lobster fisherman and he isn’t having it with Stella. He wants her to leave and never come back because they will refuse to sell. Stella starts to see the family's farm and why it's so special to them. Throw in some Christmas feels with the Christmas tree farm, hot cocoa, and a night watching the Grinch by a fire. This BOOK was perfect.

Plus, I did love how Hannah put her lived experiences and how it is like to live in a coastal Maine town in her writing for this book, made me feel like I was there and loved every second of it.

Thank you so much Hannah Gray and Team for this eARC!

What to Expect:
💚Small Coastal Town
🦞Lobster Fisherman MMC
💚Holiday Romance
🦞Hate to Love
💚”Just One Time”
🦞Forced Proximity

[Kellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Hannah Gray for my copy of The Christmas Catch. 🤍 I received this book for review, all opinions are my own and given freely.

My first Christmas read of the year and it did not disappoint!! In fact, I’d love this to be series. I feel like I need a book for each Adam sibling! I loved the small coastal town setting and have Maine on my radar for traveling. I loved the side characters, even the nut at the tree farm lol. This book literally had me laughing out loud in some parts and fanning myself in others. Hannah delivered the spice in this one!

I loved Ridge and how fiercely protective he was about his family and their land. I loved Stella and my heart went out to her with her hard upbringing. I truly loved seeing her get to enjoy Christmas for the first time with Ridge’s family. I’m a sucker for the “just this once” trope, once again Hannah delivered it flawlessly and left me wanting more and more.

The Christmas Catch releases today!

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly loved Stella and Ridge with my whole heart. This story was the perfect Holiday romance. The banter was incredible, the emotion was top tier, and the spice was hot.

Ridge Adams - you dirty mouthed man. I LOVE you. I was not prepared for some of the FILTH out of this mans mouth but he did not disappoint. Him and Stella together were HAWT. And i loved their chemistry from the minute they met.

Stella is my favorite type of FMC. Stubborn as all get out, independent, and doesn’t fall or trust easily. I love the hard exterior females, I relate in so many ways to them even when people deem them “unlikeable”. Couldn’t be me. Sorry.

Another Hannah book I’m absolutely in love with, go figure. And shoutout for giving us the Knox cameo we all needed.

🩵Holiday Romance
🦞Lobster Fisherman MMC
🩵Hate to Love
🦞”Just One Time”
🩵Forced Proximity

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 60k words, Hannah made me laugh, get teary eyed (I didn’t think she was gonna get with me with one, but the end definitely hit me in my feels), and made it impossible to school my face in public while reading the spicy parts (TCC packs a surprisingly spicy punch, and I loved every minute).

When Stella comes to Maine in attempt to buy land from Ridge’s family for her development firm, the grumpy lobster fisherman is having none of it. The banter between to two is perfect, and watching them go from not-quite-enemies-but-definitely-not-friends to lovers was such a fun ride. Throw in some Christmas cheer complete with a Christmas tree farm, hot cocoa, and a Grinch viewing, and you have a fabulous holiday read. Plus, you can really tell Hannah was writing from lived experience, highlighting what it’s like to live in a coastal Maine town wonderfully.

This is also my formal request for all the Adams brothers to get holiday magic of their own written! Loved this one and hoping we return to Holiday Harbor next year.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐-> ♾️🌟
🌶️🌶️🌶.5


🦞 Grumpy X Grumpy
❄️ Forced Proximity
🦞 He Falls First 
❄️ Small Town
🦞 Found Family 
❄️ Small Town
🦞 Enemies To Lovers
❄️ Holiday Novella
🦞"Just One Time"
❄️ Good Boy


✨️ 📚 ARC 📖  REVIEW ✨️

It never fails that every time Hannah blesses us with a new novel, I fall head over heels for it! I knew this was going to be good just based on the blurb and cover! But what I didn't plan on was falling HARD for Ridge's family and Holiday Harbor! If ever there was a town and family I want to join THIS WOULD BE IT! I fell so hard for this family and the love that they had for each other and the land they loved! I loved seeing the love for each other they shared and for what they do! I find it so refreshing to know that there are people out there that TRULY enjoy their jobs and where they live!

I absolutely loved Stella and Ridge! Grumpy x Grumpy is always a winner in my book! These two had the best tension and banter! Stella wanted to prove herself, and Ridge wanted to protect what he cherished! I loved the passion they both had, and refused o back down from. Ridge being the handsome man he was, couldn't help but see who Stella was even when she didn't truly let anyone see. He was a GONER! 

Stella has a touch background and wanted to overcome all the things that she had been through. She wanted to prove that she was capable of digging her way out of the place she was left in as a child. She truly knew what it was like to come out of the mud as the saying goes. She didn't want to prove to anyone but herself that she wasn't the person her parents were. My heart felt for her in so many ways!

I cannot wax poetic enough about Ridge! He was Mr. Grumpy Pants but for good reason! He refused to give up what meant so much to him and his family! But what he didn't realize was this fierce unmovable woman was the one that he has been waiting on for so long! Stella was the perfect match forhim because she gave back what he put forward. She challenged him in ways he hadn't been before. I can't forget the nicnames these two had for each other! She was Fireball and he was Outlaw! I loved hearing these exchanged back and forth.

The tension, the chemistry, the banter! Even if it was grumpy banter, it was sooo good! I could have read 300 more pages of them and I would have been left wanting more!

🔥 Let's Talk About Sex Baby 🔥
                     🌶🌶🌶.5

🔥 He 💦 On Her
🥵 Dirty Talk
🔥 Domination
🥵 Finger Lickin' Good
🔥 Panty Gag
🥵 Rimming
🔥Spanking
🥵 Spit Play
🔥 Degradation

Thank you 🫶🏻 to ✨️ Hannah Gray ✨️ for the complimentary 📚 ARC 📚. ✨️ All opinions are my own, honest, and voluntary✨️.

[Jess • bestiebookshelf_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christmas Catch - it gave me a spicy “Deadliest Catch” vibes which was my favourite show growing up so take that as you will.

Ridge is a small town lobster fisherman who is happy with his small town life but would love someone to share it with. Enter city girl Stella who’s in town to secure Ridge’s family land for her money-hungry boss.

Tension is thiiiiick between Ridge and Stella from their first interaction. He is grumpy, she is feisty. They’re both a little bit mean to each other but it turned them both on. This book was verrrrry spicy, Hannah really jam packed it in there. Ridge had such a filthy mouth for a small town bloke.

Despite the “Insta-lust but I hate you” vibes between Ridge and Stella, they were a good match. Ridge gave Stella what she had always craved - family and connection. They bought out the soft sides of each other which was so nice.

Such a good holiday read if you’re after a filthy talking lobster fisherman, a cute dog and a feisty gal who just needs a good cuddle!

Thank you for the arc, Hannah!

[Natasha Niezgoda · Rating 2 out of 5]

SO FUCKING FORCED. UGH.

NO.

NO.

NO.

This is a skim read at best!

[Lisbeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

No es el típico romance navideño, es una lectura divertida, rápida y picante.

[Vic (novelsandnoodles) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a grumpy lobster fisherman and the woman who’s trying to get him to sell his land collide what happens?? Well they have the most undeniable tension and chemistry and go from despising each other to a whole heap of hotness pretty quickly, let me tell you! Stella has landed in Maine to try and get the Adam’s family to sell their land to her company- she’s been sent with the hopes of wooing them with her charm and looks.. She meets Ridge in the grocery store without knowing who he is and finds him incredibly attractive. But when she realises he’s part of the family she’s trying to sway to sell their land,things get complex. Ridge finds her really attractive too but also hates that she’s there to try and persuade his family to sell their life and legacy. He can also see she’s a complicated woman, with her sweet and salty temperament. And as they spend time together he realises that she gets under his skin but he can’t stop thinking about her, which leads to the most incredible spicy moments between these two! They go from spending the night together to hating each other again despite a rush of feelings floating between them. Stella can’t fathom how she could possibly have fallen for someone so quickly and it takes a grand gesture for them to realise they need to take a leap of faith and go all in. Stella realises she could have something she’s never had before- a family and a home and Ridge has never cared so deeply for anyone before her. He’s ready to throw caution to the wind and is all in- Stella needs time to get her head straight and she finally realises she can’t live without him, and ultimately throws caution to the wind and decides she has to take a chance with him.
This was a really cute and spicy holiday read, lots of emotions from Stella and her past but this will also have you wishing for a hot lobster fisherman I with a dirty mouth of your own!

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Morgan (bookedwithmorgan) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
3.5🌶️

I absolutely loved this spicy Christmas story Hannah put out! Ridge Adams and Stella Stewart were to die for. I was obsessed with the banter between these two. I’m a straight sucker for enemies to lovers and Hannah has always done it the best in my eyes!

Tropes
Small Costal Town
Holiday
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity

[Stephanie Chapin · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review of The Christmas Catch Book 1 in the Holiday Harbor Series by Hannah Gray I really loved this book I loved the hate to love vibes and the enemies to lovers trope was spot on. I give this book 5 stars. It was really enjoyable and not your typical holiday romance which I liked. It was funny and spicy and I loved all the tension and back and forth between Stella and Ridge. I love the nicknames in this book. I love that Ridge calls Stella fireball I haven’t seen that one in a story before and it’s my favorite so far and she calls him Outlaw. This is Stella and Ridge's story. This is a spicy, slow burn, small coastal town, lobster fisherman mmc, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, holiday romance. Ridge is 28 and is a lobster fisherman, his family owns miles and miles of coastline in the small town of Holiday Harbor, Maine. Stella is 28 and is from NY she works for a land developer and her boss makes her go to Maine two weeks before Christmas to try and get Ridge to sell his land to them. Ridge and Stella clash with each other from the beginning. Ridge's family won’t ever sell but Stella doesn’t want to lose her job. Stella and Ridge hate each other but call a truce and spend one fun day and night together but then go back to fighting the next day. Knowing the family wont sell Stella books a flight on Christmas Eve to go back to NY but a storm cancels her flight keeping her stuck in Maine. With no where else to go and not knowing anyone else she ends up spending Christmas with Ridge and his family and staying with him after at his house. Stella hates Christmas she had a really rough childhood and doesn’t have any family to spend it with. This is her first real Christmas with others and even though it was a little awkward she really enjoyed it. I love the dynamic between Stella and Ridge they hate each other but want each other at the same time I love when they finally stop fighting it and give in to each other. I love that Ridge is able to make her Christmas better. I love them together and love their HEA

 

[Christie Hardin · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC
5 Stars
Spice: 2/5

The Fireball and the Outlaw. Welcome to Grumpsville!

Stella Stewart - age 28
Real Estate Developer / Designer
Works for Ironbound Developments
Her boss is a douche
She had a heartbreaking childhood
She really, really hates Christmas
She’s sent to Holiday Harbor Maine to try to convince a family to sell their land that has been in the family for generations

Ridge Adams - Age 28
Captain of his lobster boat (Eastern Outlaw) / lobster fisherman
Holiday Harbor Maine is home
Family is everything to him as is the land his family owns
He and his three brothers live within close proximity of their parents
All 4 boys are lobster fishermen
He’s known as the grumpy one
If the fireball that rolled into town thinks she’s getting his family’s land, she’s wrong and he’ll prove it to her

These two are explosive on the page, in more ways than one. Both of them are strong willed and hard headed. One minute they’re raging at the other and the next, they’re doing the horizontal tango. It’s hard fought but love wins in the end.

I loved Stella and Ridge’s journey to happily ever after.

I’m excited to read more of this series.

Thank you to Hannah Gray and The Smuthood for the opportunity to read and review an advanced reader copy.

[Christina Sturgill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5/5 🌟
Spice: 3/5 🌶️
Characters: Stella and Ridge

This was such a fun read! Stella is sent to Maine to try and buy the land that is owned by Ridge's family. They are absolutely not interested in selling and have made it clear to her company several times. They do the same (but in a respectable way) when she arrives there trying to push them into it. Of course, this takes place over the Christmas holiday, so we have some forced proximity and an extended stay due to the weather along with some fun holiday activities our couple has to go through along the way. It gave me everything I wanted and more. The vibes were perfect and made me want to take my own trip to a port town and excited for the holiday. I loved Stella and Ridge as well as his entire family. Stella was feisty but had a bit of a tragic backstory that understandably made her that way. Ridge was a bit grumpy but only wanted to do right by his family and town while also struggling to control his attraction and feelings around her. I loved them both so much.
It was like watching a Hallmark movie with some absolutely incredible steam.

[Erin Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stella x Ridge 🦞

🦞 Enemies to lovers
🎄 Forced proximity 
🦞 Small town 
🎄"Just one time" 
🦞 Grumpy x grumpier

A quick enemies to lovers story with small coastal town Christmas vibes!

We’ve got Stella, a New York City realtor sent to buy out a coastal property, and Ridge, a lobster fisherman in Holiday Harbor, Maine, who has zero interest in selling.

The setup had so much potential (and I 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 a small town holiday romance), but I didn’t totally connect with this one. The banter was fun at times, but it leaned a little more mean than playful, which made it harder to feel that spark between them. I totally get why they’re enemies, but sometimes it just felt a little too harsh to root for the romance.

There were sweet moments I really enjoyed; I just wish there had been more of those to build a deeper emotional connection. I didn’t feel super attached to the side characters either, though I have a feeling we’ll see more of Ridge’s brothers in future books.

Definitely spicy once they decided to stop fighting it… and there was a 𝘭𝘰𝘵 of it. It just started to feel a little repetitive and overbearing, like trying too hard, after a while. The nod to The Summer I Turned Pretty made me chuckle though. And I loved the little gift of some artwork was included in the ARC for us early readers.

Overall, this one wasn’t quite a hit for me, but I think readers who love a truly grumpy x grumpy holiday romance with tons of steam will have fun with it.

Thank you to the author Hannah Gray and The Smuthood for the opportunity to read this ARC.

3⭐️ 4🌶️

[Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay I actually really liked this!!!!

We have Stella, a real estate developer who’s trying to buy a huge piece of land on the coast of Maine from a family of lobster fishermen. And then we have Ridge, our grumpy lobster fisherman who refuses to sell his land. And let me just say, the hate to love vibes for these two are super cute. The reluctance is real because both of them wanted to hate the other SO bad but it just wasn’t happening (lol duh). Super cute Christmassy setting, and my favorite part was the Charlie Brown Christmas tree decorating adventure, so freaking cute. I loved their back and forth and both of them are super sassy which had me giggling at times! 🤭
Also we love a mom who protects her kids but also sees the way he looks at her and just knows 👀👀

The spice was delish. I will say, some of the dirtier things that came out of Ridge’s mouth kinda came out of left field, like he wasn’t a degradation kind of guy and then we got a few “little slut” moments which just didn’t really feel like his vibe. But who am I to judge 🤣 still hot af.

Overall I really liked this one, and might make this an annual book in the Christmas rotation 😍🍾