The First (Love For) Noel: A Paranormal Holiday Romance

by Raen Tetra

It’s been ten years since Noel Tannenbaum set foot in her hometown. Ten years since she drove down the quaint Main Street, ten years since she saw the Christmas tree on the town green, and ten years since she thought about her high school crush, Felix Alabaster.

In those ten years she’s made a name for herself as the founder of Pop!Love, one of the most popular dating apps on the market. She’s the master of creating the perfect algorithm to find love, but has never found it for herself. A slip on the ice on her first day back in town brings her face-to-face with Felix, the handsome minotaur former jock who Noel believed never noticed her.

What happens when the place she spent so long trying to escape suddenly starts to feel more and more like home again? What happens when Noel is presented with a chance to use her money and success to save a crucial part of the town’s—and her—history?

The First (Love For) Noel is a standalone light-hearted holiday romantic comedy that explores what it means to leave home, and what it means when you meet someone who makes you want to stay.

Genres: Christmas, Fantasy Romance

174 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 5, 2025

About the author

Raen Tetra is the pen name for a writer with a far less exciting real name who has the far less exciting day job of working in the tech industry.

She has a terrible tendency to listen to a song and create an entire scene around it. Her notes app is a mess of dialogue, her characters kissing, and grocery lists.

She lives in New Hampshire with her evil rat dog, and when she isn’t camping out writing in her local coffee shop she loves being in the woods and belting showtunes in the car. 


You can visit her website at www.raentetra.com, follow her @raentetra_author on Instagram, Threads, and TikTok or email her (only if you’re nice) at raentetra@gmail.com.

Reviews

[Poppy || Monster Lover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felix and Noel were so adorably awkward with each other. Their re-meet cute was embarrassing for her, but a good chance to relearn what kind of person he was. She was a bit socially isolated and lonely, but loved the people in her life with her whole heart. He was sweet natured and felt trapped under the shadow of his high school self. This had all the hallmark vibes and a cute HEA

Spice: 3/5

Triggers: mild bullying (past), loneliness

[booksvanereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG I AM IN LOVE WITH A FELIX OMG OMG
BRB GOING TO GO BUY HORNS FOR MY HUBS

[Polina Kurotskina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ate this shit up

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings

Minor bullying recounted

[Quilted.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this novella five stars obviously because this author never misses for me. As a paranormal and monster romance girlie anything she writes is going to be an instant hit and this one was such a cozy little holiday treat. And honestly You had me at minotaur MULTImillionaire lol. The First (Love For) Noel follows Noel Tannenbaum who hasn’t been home in ten years not since she left behind Main Street, the town Christmas tree, and her old high school crush, Felix Alabaster. In that decade she’s become the powerhouse founder of Pop!Love one of the biggest dating apps out there. She can build the perfect algorithm for everybody else but hasn’t managed to find love for herself. When she slips on the ice her first day back in town (peak rom com energy) she literally crashes into Felix who just so happens to be a handsome minotaur and former jock she thought never even noticed her. Suddenly the town she tried so hard to escape starts feeling like home again and Noel is faced with choosing what really matters: success, escape, or the unexpected love standing right in front of her. There’s even a lovely emotional thread about her helping protect a piece of the town’s history. This novella is lighthearted, festive, magical, and exactly the kind of paranormal holiday romance we need more of. Holiday monster romance?? YES PLEASE. I devoured it in one sitting and grinned the whole time.If you haven’t read her books yet please pick them up!! She always delivers the best lovable little monsters.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the cutest Christmas novella!! I don’t usually read paranormal romances but I’m branching out since Bride and Mate.

I love Noel our fmc, who was the shy girl in high school, she thought she was invisible to everyone. Comes back to her hometown during Christmas for the first time in a DECADE! She ran outta there so quickly she left tire marks when she left for college.

Noel has done well for herself over the years, she doesn’t see the point of visiting her hometown. But her family stays in town for the holidays, which mean so does Noel. After arriving back she suddenly slips on and is rescued by her high school crush. Felix (a Minotaur) rescues her and they reconnect against Noel’s best attempts to stay away.

What I loved most about this story was the mmc Felix, he was so kind and thoughtful. Noel is so apprehensive bc she doesn’t know if he’s still the same kid she crushed on for 4 years. He was lowkey hot and knew how to treat a lady. I’m gonna think about him regularly lol. Noel and Felix had banter, chemistry and spice. Wholesome with a little side hot sauce 😏

This was so hallmark coded with the small town at Christmas and everyone knowing each other’s business! But I ate up every second and couldn’t put this down.

Cute & spicy vibes, with great characters and a story. Now I’m off to read more Raen Tetra books so I don’t get fomo. The Frog man is next on the line up!

[Ruby Dalegendaryreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The jock falling for the nerd because of her brains? What sort of teen romcom nonsense is this?"

Noel's got a huge crush on the popular minotaur, Felix, in high school. After a few years, she came back to celebrate holidays and bumped into Felix. They started talking and found out they had a crush on each other back then, and now they are trying to see if there's genuine connection.

"The love I crave feels fictional." This is me in one line.

I love me some minotaur and there's nothing more perfect than a monster holiday romance.

Omg, the hallmark vibes on this book? Spectacular. Amazing. Would love to see this to be a film.

I didn't connect with any of the characters but I did love the vibes, the settings, the communication between them and how they both acted on want they wanted.

Just a fun cozy holiday romance.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oops, I totally forgot that my Goodreads account existed, but I had to hop on write a review because I absolutely loved this holiday novella! I devoured this story in one sitting because it perfectly captured the feeling you would expect to get from a cheesy but still extremely heartwarming Hallmark movie. It leans into so many holiday movie tropes, but they feel fun and refreshing in this monster-filled setting and with these characters. Plus, it brought me right back to all the winters I spent in small New England towns. If you’re looking for a cute and cozy holiday novella, I highly recommend!

[Lady Grimm · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO CUTE OMG STOP IT, JUST KIDDING, NEVER STOP!

Ugh- I will preface this with the fact that I am a SUCKER for cheesy Hallmark movies. This story hits the spot, dude. I LOVED it. Felix is adorable, Noel is a smart and capable woman who DOES NOT GIVE UP EVERYTHING FOR THE GUY BUT STILL GETS THE HEA!!!
The spice was spicing and the story was adorable. Honestly I've enjoyed everything I've read from Raen so far, and look forward to reading more!

[Mari Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet mashup of a monster romance and a hallmark movie, done so well. The FMC is a big city girl returned to her small home town for the holidays. The MMC is her high school crush, town Hugh school football crush, oh and he’s a Minotaur. She’s a goober of a nerd who doesn’t realize she’s a hottie. He’s a cinnamon roll who pines. Love this.

[spidermse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this. It's the perfect cozy holiday romance. The characters are so relatable and the romance is adorable. Not to mention the mutual pining, size difference, and meet cute. If this isn't already on your tbr it definitely should be!

[CKD! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holiday Love

I'm not sure how I came across this book but it was a perfect monster Christmas story. Noel comes back to her home town only to have a re-meet cute with her high school crush, who happens to be a minotaur. A fun look at how random moments really do shape our lives.

[rhi (tequilabookclub_) · Rating 4 out of 5]

MINOTAUR HALLMARK ROMANCE AHHHHHHH

[kate (austenattachment) · Rating 5 out of 5]

infinity stars. absolutely no notes. sign me all the way up for this forever and always i will be dreaming of felix for the rest of my life????? good golly, holly, and mistletoe

[Skyler Sunkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The town square Christmas tree wasn’t the only thing glowing by the end of this. Such a sweet and wholesome story. The perfect quick read to get you into that sexy seasonal mood.

[kristen | kristenlikestoread · Rating 5 out of 5]

A soft minotaur and bad ass lady who both spend too much time working find each other again after 10 years spent apart. Ugh I love these two nerds 🥹

[Valerie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so sweet! It was the prefect holiday read.