Not Home Alone

by Kayley Loring

She just walked into her dream Christmas rental… and found her worst enemy already unpacked.

Eternal optimist Merrily Tucker is excited to spend Christmas in the most beautiful house in town; a twinkly, tinsel-lined rental that’s just hers for the holidays. But inside is one big problem… the man who once turned her down in front of the whole of Holly Grove, irritatingly handsome, certified Grinch Grant Moody. He says he’s the owner. And he’s planning to spend Christmas here too.

The town might think he’s a playboy, but Grant Moody is determined to spend his Christmas nights alone. Zero decorations, a ban on baked goods, and definitely no holiday spirit. A mix-up with the rental company isn’t going to get in his way. Even if the woman at his door is the irresistibly gorgeous one-who-got-away Merrily Tucker…

Merrily and Grant are both too stubborn to leave.

Battling for control over what music plays on the speakers and heaving Christmas trees in and out of the house, they find themselves all tangled in tinsel. But Merrily's "when I think about you, I touch my elf" t-shirt has Grant's candy cane tingling in a way that begs the question...

Secretly, do they actually want to be home alone together this Christmas…?

An enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity Christmas romance perfect for fans of Meghan Quinn, Lucy Score and Ali Hazelwood. Holiday cheer in female form + the six-foot grump she loves to hate = the perfect festive read.


Forced proximity
Enemies-to-lovers
Fake dating

What readers are saying about Not Home Alone :

“I cannot stress enough that this took me less than 24 hours to read. I was absolutely glued to it… This had everything I apparently need in a Christmas fake dating, grumpy sunshine, a Christmas-loving girl, a rich grinch, banter, and side characters I genuinely adored… hilarious. I loved it… The first time they got together OH MY GOD. YES. YES. YES. YES… Ridiculously easy to fly through.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

“All the holiday feels!… Filled my heart with all of the Christmas cheer! I couldn’t get enough of Merrily and Grant… had me snort-laughing and blushing at the same time… The spicy, undeniable chemistry between Merrily and Grant was hot right from the start… Downright swoony… I LOVED this book… Will make merry in your heart.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

“I absolutely LOVED this book… I haven’t read a book this good in a while & I think it will be a repeat read come Christmas time! 10/10!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

“I loved this. So much fun… I smiled SO much reading this book. And I highlighted every word… *swoon*… Had me laughing. I loved it… I would absolutely read it again, and now I want to continue the series despite having never read Kayley Loring before this… Easily up there with my top 5 favorite Christmas romances I’ve ever read.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

“Everything I want in a cozy Christmas romance… Funny, warm and full of heart and I loved the Home Alone references… Keeps the laughs coming.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

“Such a fun Christmas romance! I loved the grumpy/sunshine dynamic between Merrily and Grant, and their banter was easily my favorite part… All the cozy small-town Christmas vibes I wanted, with plenty of spice mixed in. Such a cute, quick, festive read that would be perfect to pick up during the holiday season!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

“This was everything… Made me smile [and] laugh out loud chuckle… Their banter, chemistry and back and forth was gold… Had that ability to force huge smile upon my face… Just what i needed on this weekend… Loved it.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Enemies To Lovers, Audiobook, Small Town Romance, Holiday Romance

308 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2026

About the author

Amazon Top 25 and USA Today bestselling author Kayley Loring spent many years as a screenwriter (under a different name) in Los Angeles before moving to the Pacific Northwest to live out her childhood dream of being a Disney heroine who talks and sings to woodland creatures. When not trying to keep animals alive, she’s writing steamy romantic comedy novels, obviously. She’s breathing cleaner air, writing dirtier words, and staring at her computer screen until her eyeballs dry out instead of prancing around Southern California in miniskirts and going to the hair salon. Still waiting for the woodland creatures to clean her house, though.

Read or listen to Kayley’s books when you want humor, heat, and heart. You’ll enjoy top-notch banter, strong heroines, lovable characters you’d want to know in real life and you’ll swoon over perfectly imperfect book boyfriends. All Kayley Loring books are steamy open door romance. Be sure to check out her next-level audiobooks!

Learn more at www.kayleyloring.com
Come join Kayley in her Facebook reader group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kayle...
Follow Kayley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayleyloring/
Listen to Kayley talk to the wildly talented narrators who narrate her audiobooks on the Multiple Eargasms with Kayley Loring podcast!

Reviews

[jas ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy received from Netgalley

This felt like a parody of a holiday romcom instead of the real thing. Kinda like watching an astonishingly poor version of Not Another Teen Movie when I could have been watching She’s All That. In fact, this whole book felt like one big joke. So why am I not laughing?

Honestly, it’s my fault. I picked up a book about a girl named Merrily and a dude named Moody and thought maybe I’d be pleasantly surprised. Trust your instincts, folks.

I genuinely hated being inside of Grant’s head. My roommate (who had the pleasure of hearing me read aloud many a difficult-to-get-through moment) were counting how many pages this book could go without mentioning or in some way alluding to Grant’s giant penis. The answer is not many. Not many at all. We get it, Grant. You have a huge dick and you are better at sex than anyone else in the entire universe is or ever has been. Please release us from this torture.

Merrily’s chapters unfortunately were not much better. The characters, their inner voices, and the dialogue were all incredibly shallow and superficial. Everything was very surface level. I was constantly told there is a great love between Merrily and Grant. I can’t say I felt much—if any—of that emotion. Maybe because most of their interactions revolved around how much they wanted to jump each other’s bones.

I don’t mean to be so hard on this book. I wish I had better things to say. Unfortunately, I don’t, so I’m going to end this here.

But not before adding, just as a side note, what do you mean your daughter can’t be there for Christmas with you in the house she grew up in because you remarried and your wife’s new family is staying with you instead. Genuinely, what do you fucking mean? Father of the year award goes to Merrily Tucker’s dad, everybody.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

thank you to the publisher for the arc♡

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

Oh god. Merrily Tucker and Grant Moody. I’m afraid (and not in a good way).

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was precious! I absolutely loved all the banter between Merrily and Grant! He was a total Scrooge, and she was the picture of holiday cheer. Them sharing the same rental house was so fun! All the bickering and pranks were so cute!

I really liked the actual plot, too. It felt like a lot was on the line without there being an easy solution. I enjoyed how their relationship progressed and how they responded to each other along the way.

All the Christmas innuendos were so fun! The whole book had such a fun Christmas vibe. It’s definitely a perfect holiday read!

This audiobook is narrated by Max Meyers and Victoria Connolly, and they did an amazing job! I loved the changes in tone and pitch with the different emotions. Their inflections really conveyed the scenes perfectly. I especially enjoyed Victoria Connolly’s performance! Her character was very lively and bubbly, and she really delivered that energy in an entertaining way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Merrily rents the town’s Home Alone house for Christmas, walks in, and finds Grant Moody coming downstairs mostly naked because apparently nobody at the rental company thought “the owner will also be living there” was worth putting in the confirmation email. And unfortunately, this is not some random hot stranger situation. This is Grant. The man who humiliated her in front of the entire town ten years ago. The man everyone in Holly Grove still hates on her behalf. The man whose first contribution to her holiday vacation is basically, why are you in my house? I would have immediately called customer service and started using phrases like “emotional damages.” Merrily decides she is staying.

And Merrily is not casually festive. Her NAME is Merrily. Her dad owns The Christmas Barn. She has spent years wanting to stay in this exact house because it reminds her of Home Alone. She wants lights. She wants music. She wants cookies. She wants enough decorations that the electric meter starts making concerning noises. Grant wants bare walls and silence. So naturally, these two adults spend part of their shared vacation hauling a Christmas tree in and out of the house depending on who is currently winning the argument. Nobody is behaving normally.

The old history between them is somehow even more dramatic because Merrily did not just have a crush on Grant. She liked him, something happened during the infamous Notcracker production, he publicly rejected her, and Holly Grove apparently decided this was a municipal offense. Ten years later, people still talk about Grant like he poisoned the town well. So the whole time I’m reading, I’m waiting to find out what this man DID because the reaction is giving war criminal and the eventual answer is much more, wow, teenagers really can ruin their entire social ecosystem in one evening.

Their current strategy for dealing with all that unresolved garbage is to irritate each other until one of them accidentally admits they still care. Merrily brings in more Christmas. Grant pushes back. They give each other increasingly stupid nicknames. She wears a Christmas tree costume. He tries to put his arm around her while she is literally shaped like a tree. Then fake dating gets involved because of course it does. Grant needs to get somebody off his back and improve his standing in town, Merrily gets leverage involving her dad’s business, and suddenly these two people who already cannot stand within three feet of each other without getting weird are supposed to convince everyone they are together.

And the thing is, they are SO attracted to each other that the fake dating part barely needs rehearsal. Merrily keeps insisting Grant is unbearable while noticing every square inch of him. Grant keeps acting like she is driving him insane while tracking her movements like she personally controls the weather. Their public dynamic is “I hate you,” and their private dynamic is “why are your clothes still on?” There were definitely moments where I believed the lust way before I believed the love, because these two are excellent at wanting each other and much less skilled at having one normal conversation.

Grant eventually worked on me, though. His whole Grinch act is mostly a man who has decided being misunderstood is easier than being vulnerable. He lets people think he is selfish. He lets the town hate him. He quietly does things to protect people and then acts irritated when anyone notices. Sir, if you are committed to being the villain, you have GOT to stop helping everyone. Merrily starts noticing those little things, which is where he finally became more interesting to me than “hot man who hates Christmas.”

And Merrily is absolutely too much, but that is also kind of why I liked her. She is loud about what makes her happy. She will decorate the hell out of a room. She will wear the ridiculous shirt. She will commit to the bit until everyone around her gives up. Sometimes I wanted to gently take the tinsel out of her hands and tell her to sit down, but there is something weirdly lovely about a woman who refuses to act embarrassed about joy. Grant has spent years hiding everything soft about himself, while Merrily has spent years putting hers in lights.

I still wanted more groveling. I am sorry, but if a woman has been carrying humiliation for TEN YEARS and an entire town has been carrying it with her, I need more than a handsome apology and a meaningful look. Also, both of them have moments where they act young enough that I wanted to check their IDs. But then the Notcracker stuff comes circling back around, they finally start actually saying what they mean, and I realized I had become weirdly invested in whether this aggressively decorated house was going to fix their lives.

Somewhere between the tree custody battle, fake dating, horny bickering, and Holly Grove refusing to let go of one ten-year-old theater incident, Not Home Alone became a 3.5-star read for me. I had fun. I rolled my eyes. I wanted Grant to apologize harder. I wanted Merrily to calm down and also never calm down. And by the end, I had accepted that these two are probably perfect for each other because no one else should have to deal with either of them at Christmas.

Merry Mayhem Prize: For Turning One Rental Error Into a Two-Week Christmas Standoff Between a Woman Who Thinks Tinsel Is a Personality Trait and a Man Who Apparently Believes Emotional Repression Counts as Holiday Décor

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC, and for teaching me that if a rental listing looks suspiciously like the Home Alone house, absolutely verify whether the hot emotionally unavailable owner will also be living there before you arrive with seventeen boxes of Christmas decorations and unresolved teenage rage.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could work for someone who enjoys low stakes, small town romances. And if this sounds right up your alley, the audiobook is fantastic. Kayley Loring always finds such dynamic performers for her audios.

When the two MCs have their first scene together, I could feel their chemistry and I laughed at their antics. Unfortunately, the chemistry and charm didn’t last long. I never understood what they saw in each other outside of lust. At the 60% mark of this book, the FMC admits she and the MMC don’t know each other well. The 60% mark! Why didn’t the author use that time to have them learn more about each other so I could believe in the romance? This wasn’t helped by the explanation we are given for their high school relationship and break-up. Sounds like they barely spent much time together in high school and the reason they separated was so lame. I couldn’t believe the townspeople were still bringing it up a decade later.

This still might have ended up 3 stars if it wasn’t for the climactic scene. It was never-ending and incredibly boring and took all momentum out of the book. We spend multiple chapters, nearly 40 minutes in the audiobook, recounting a town play.

I might still pick up the second book because it has one of my favorite set-ups and I enjoyed the peek we saw of the couple in this book. I also know Loring is capable of great banter, strong chemistry, and lovable side characters. This book just missed the mark for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

That was a struggle, to be quite honest.

I’m going to keep this one short because this just wasn’t for me. I was thankful to receive the complimentary audio ALC from Bookouture Audio via NetGalley, especially since I’ve always enjoyed their offerings. I typically read their thrillers, but I’m in my Holiday Romance era this month, so this one looked perfect. Until it wasn’t.

From the first chapter, I knew I was in for a rough time. The language was cheesy, and unfortunately, so was the eventual spice. I didn’t like the FMC, who I found pretty insufferable, and I never bought into the “love” story. Honestly, it felt more like lust than love. The plot itself also just didn’t make much sense to me.

So why did I give it 3⭐️?

The audiobook.

Narrators Max Meyers and Victoria Connolly did a fabulous job. I actually wish this had been duet narration because the writing is well suited for it, but I was still glad to have dual narration at least. Their pacing, inflections, and chemistry were great, and they did what they could with the material they were given. Unfortunately, they just didn’t have a whole lot to work with.

If you like your Holiday romances extra cheesy, very Hallmark-esque, and aren’t particularly concerned with whether the mechanics of the plot are believable, this may be right up your alley. For me, though, the audiobook did most of the heavy lifting.

[Lindy Dierks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book so much! I could NOT get enough! I was hooked from the first hilarious stair scene with the Grant in his underwear. The banter and humor were absolutely amazing. I had all the Christmas feels in this story. It was absolutely perfect. Spice. Conflict. Amazing characters. Banter. Sizzling sexual tension. Small town. Humor. The not home alone house. The play. All of it. Plus the narrators were perfect. Max Meyers and Victoria Connolly rocked this audiobook. They were perfect for Merrily and Grant. I already know this is going to be my favorite holiday book this season. Nothing will measure up. I’m a huge Kayley Loring fan. This book is one of her best and most fun. I received this audiobook from Bookouture and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story started out way too cheesy. While it did improve and Merrily and Grant's relationship went from annoying to ok, I didn't love this story. It simply wasn't for me.

[The Romantic Rush Blog · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Not Home Alone was such a fun, ridiculously festive little holiday romance! Kayley Loring knows how to bring the chaos, the comedy, and the Christmas cheer, and Merrily Tucker and Grant Moody are proof that sometimes the best way to work through ten years of unresolved feelings is to throw two people into one house and let the Christmas shenanigans commence. A sunshine heroine who treats Christmas like a full-time personality trait, a grumpy hero who would rather celebrate literally any other holiday, and a shared vacation rental that quickly becomes a battleground of decorations, pranks, and questionable decisions?! Oh, what FUN.

Merrily and Grant have history. Unfortunately, it's the kind that involves a very public rejection, a whole town with VERY long memories, and a grudge that apparently has the staying power of Christmas decorations in a grandmother's attic. So imagine Merrily's surprise when she arrives at the Home Alone-inspired house she's been dreaming of renting for Christmas, only to discover that Grant Moody, the man who humiliated her a decade ago, is also staying there. And he's coming downstairs practically naked. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO HER. A rental mix-up, one very unhappy Grinch, and a heroine who refuses to surrender her holiday dream later, and these two are stuck sharing a house. Naturally, things go about as smoothly as you'd expect.

Merrily is Christmas cheer in human form. This woman doesn't just enjoy the holidays, she COMMITTED to the assignment. Decorations appear out of nowhere, the festive outfits are plentiful, and apparently no surface in that house is safe from a little seasonal sparkle. Grant, meanwhile, would happily spend December in a dark room with absolutely no music, no tinsel, and preferably no people. Watching these two clash was comedy gold. The bickering, the ridiculous pranks, the nicknames, the Christmas-themed innuendos...I was snickering through so much of this book. And the tree-related antics?! These two are grown adults behaving like they're in a holiday-themed prank war on national television. I loved it.

The fake dating adds another layer of hilarity, especially when you consider that these two can barely get through a conversation without antagonizing each other, yet somehow have to convince everyone around them that they're a couple. The chemistry is definitely there, even when their communication skills are somewhere on vacation without them. Their attraction is obvious, their banter keeps things lively, and the tension between them makes every interaction entertaining. Merrily gets under Grant's skin like it's her personal mission, while he seems determined to prove that he absolutely does not care about her. Sir, your behavior suggests otherwise.

What I especially enjoyed was watching the layers of their shared history come into focus. I didn't need every detail spelled out immediately to enjoy their present-day antics, and honestly, watching them irritate the living daylights out of each other was entertaining enough on its own at first. But as more of their past came to light, it became easier to understand the hurt and misunderstandings that had followed them into adulthood. The infamous Notcracker incident has apparently become a permanent part of Holly Grove's collective memory, because this town does NOT forget. Ten years later, people are still holding on to what happened, and the whole situation is a reminder of just how much one painful moment can shape the way we see ourselves and other people.

I was meh on Grant at first, but he grew on me as the story progressed. Grant also grew on me as the story progressed. Beneath all that grouchy, anti-Christmas nonsense is a man with a much softer heart than he wants anyone to know about. He has a habit of doing the right thing while pretending he'd rather be doing literally anything else, and those glimpses of the person underneath the Grinch routine were some of my favorite parts of his character. Merrily begins to see past his prickly exterior, and there's something satisfying about watching a woman who wears her heart so openly draw out the tenderness in a man who has spent years keeping his own tucked away.

And Merrily? She's a LOT. In the best way. She's exuberant, unapologetically enthusiastic, and absolutely willing to turn an ordinary living room into the North Pole if given five minutes and a box of ornaments. I appreciated that she never seemed embarrassed by the things that made her happy. Her joy is loud, visible, and entirely her own. She's the perfect foil for Grant's grumpiness, and together they create the kind of opposites-attract dynamic that makes holiday rom-coms so much fun. And as someone who LOVES Christmas as much as she does, I felt her spirit so hard.

I did want a little MORE from their emotional resolution, though. After a decade of hurt, public humiliation, and a town that apparently appointed itself the official keeper of Merrily's heartbreak, I needed Grant to dig a little deeper and do more to make things right. I also had a few moments where their behavior felt more high school than grown-up romance, and some of the plot mechanics require you to simply embrace the holiday-movie logic and keep moving. I think that's part of the deal with this particular flavor of Christmas rom-com. You come for the ridiculousness, the festive chaos, and the grumpy man who inevitably discovers that maybe the girl covered in Christmas cheer isn't the problem after all.

The audiobook, narrated by Max Meyers and Victoria Connolly, was so good. Both narrators did a lovely job bringing the characters and their larger-than-life personalities to life. I especially enjoyed the way they used changes in pitch, inflection, and tone to capture the humor and emotional shifts throughout the story. Victoria Connolly was SO good. She really leaned into Merrily's bubbly, high-energy personality and made her enthusiasm entertaining rather than one note. I also thought the pacing and expressive delivery worked well with the banter and comedic moments. I would have LOVED a full duet performance for this one, especially with how dialogue-heavy and chemistry-driven the story is, but the dual narration was still enjoyable. The performances brought plenty of personality to the listening experience.

If you're looking for a cozy, cheesy, Hallmark-style Christmas romance with a grumpy hero, a sunshine heroine, fake dating, and enough holiday antics to decorate an entire neighborhood, this one could be just the festive escape you're after. Just come prepared to embrace the chaos and let a few plot details slide. Sometimes all you need is a little Christmas magic, a whole lot of tinsel, and a man who needs to get over himself.

What to expect in Not Home Alone
🎄 Grumpy Hero x Sunshine Heroine
🎄 Second Chance Romance
🎄 Fake Dating
🎄 Forced Proximity
🎄 Small Town Christmas Romance
🎄 Enemies to Lovers
🎄 Childhood Crush / Shared History
🎄 Christmas Shenanigans and Pranks
🎄 Witty Banter and Holiday Innuendos
🎄 Home Alone-Inspired Setting
🎄 Festive Chaos and Cozy Holiday Vibes
🎄 Spicy Romance
🎄 A Grinch Who Needs a Little Christmas Cheer

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book felt like listening to someone who snorts Christmas like a drug. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a story quite this aggressively festive.

And weirdly, despite Christmas being EVERYWHERE, I never really got that warm, cozy Christmas feeling I was expecting. Instead, it felt like the very commercial, over-the-top version of an American Christmas movie: decorations on decorations, peppermint everything, candy canes everywhere, and every Christmas dial turned up to eleven.

There were sweet and genuinely kind moments between the characters, but I missed the quieter, more human side of Christmas that actually makes the season feel special to me.

The writing probably contributed to that. It took me a while to settle into because it could be incredibly cartoonish and occasionally made me stop dead.

At one point, the MMC literally thinks: “I rub the back of my neck, so she can get a better look at my biceps and anterior deltoid.”

His anterior deltoid. 😭

There were several moments like that where the narration sounded less like an actual person and more like an extremely enthusiastic character in a Christmas sitcom. “Low-key thrilled” and similar phrasing kept pulling me out of the story, especially in the beginning.

BUT, and this is a fairly substantial but, I still enjoyed reading it.

The characters were fun, their dynamic worked for me, and the pacing was ridiculously easy to fly through. I read about 70% in a single sitting, which says quite a lot considering I wasn't completely sold on the writing style.

The spice was good too. I just wanted more before it. More longing, more tension, more of that delicious stage where two people desperately want each other but haven't quite gotten there yet. Their relationship moved faster than I personally prefer, so the payoff didn't hit as hard as it could have.

And then...

The HEA went completely off the rails. 😂 It was so over-the-top that I eventually stopped reading the final pages because apparently even I have a Christmas-cheese limit.

Overall, this was fun, fast and absolutely committed to its particular brand of festive insanity. I liked the characters and had a genuinely good time with parts of it, but the cartoonish writing, rushed romance and Christmas™ turned up to 400% kept me from really falling in love with it.

If you want subtle festive coziness, this probably isn't it.

If you want to be waterboarded with Christmas spirit while two hot people get horny, however: Merry Christmas. 🎄😂

[Maja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some people might say the end of September is too early for Christmas book, but really, I do not care! I did have too much fun reading this romantic comedy. Also our characters were so cute and their chemistry really worked! Even when I can not deny that their names made me giggle - Merrily Tucker Grant Moody. In mean, really? Anyway, this is a sweet Christmas movie caught between the pages of a book. 5 /5 stars!

[Brandee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Bookouture Audio, NetGalley, and the author for an ALC to read and review before publication.

Not Home Alone by Kayley Loring is a cute, Christmas inspired Romance. I enjoyed the narration, especially the performance by Max Meyers.

If you are a fan of Christmas and Home Alone, then Not Home Alone should definitely be on your Holiday TBR.

[AJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

This is a light-hearted, intentionally ridiculous Christmas romance with a cheerful, Christmas-obsessed heroine and a broody, antisocial hero - enemies who find themselves staying in the same house in their small hometown over the Christmas holidays. Her name is Merrily, his last name is Moody, which pretty much sets the tone for the pun-filled journey ahead.

Merrily has rented her dream home in her hometown over the holidays, looking forward to some alone time. Instead, she discovers that the man who humiliated her in front of the whole town ten years ago (and who she’s hated ever since) has already moved in. Neither of them is happy about the situation, but Grant sees an opportunity to redeem himself in the eyes of the town by fake dating the local sweetheart, which will help his own business interests. In return, he’ll make sure Merrily’s father’s Christmas store (yes, really) is protected from an upcoming development by his family’s corporation. It’s awkward, but they agree to terms. Now, let the fun begin.

Things are moving in the right direction. Even though they’re moving in the same direction as an annoying, superhot nutjob who’s obsessed with the worst holiday of the year. But it’s only for two weeks. I’ll make it work.

It’s a fun set-up, and I liked these characters. I loved their snarky banter, and their Christmas-themed prank war had me laughing out loud. They’re definitely fun together, and I enjoyed seeing their relationship shift and change as they found their way to each other.

“Fuck, babe. We’re so fucking cute, it’s disgusting.”

The romance moves very quickly, though, and while there are some swoony moments, I didn’t really feel a lot of the emotion between them. Considering they hadn’t spoken to each other in over ten years before spending a few days together, the depth of their feelings felt quite sudden. There are some genuinely sweet moments, but most of the emotional progression comes from their individual POVs rather than their actual interactions.

I fell so hard for Merrily Tucker when she was a young woman, and I’m falling even harder for the woman she’s become. It’s like that entire decade’s worth of feelings I tried to contain are being released all at once and it doesn’t even scare me.

I will also say that this is not a true second-chance romance. They never had a first romance beyond a high-school crush and one night of kissing, so the fact that they both held such strong feelings for a decade felt a little unrealistic.

Similarly, the ‘big thing’ that caused their falling out was really anticlimactic. Not only has Merrily hated Grant for ten years over it, but he’s also a pariah in their town because of it. It’s honestly nothing, and it was annoying that it’s been made into such a huge deal.

I usually really enjoy Kayley Loring’s humour, and there’s a lot to enjoy here, but this one was a bit over the top for me. It’s cheesy, there are a lot of puns (and, for some reason, every store in town seems to be in on it). There’s very little break from the ridiculousness, and what felt light and funny at the beginning lost its charm towards the end. The last few chapters were particularly difficult for me. The town play was cringey and over the top, and I found myself struggling to get through it.

Overall, this is a fun, light-hearted Christmas romance with some entertaining characters and plenty of amusing moments. I just found that the humour and Christmas chaos became a little too much for me by the end.

3 stars.

[Kay Daniels (Kay Daniels Romance) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Kayley's books and this is another one that will become a holiday favorite. Not Home Alone was delightful, funny, and had just the right amount of over the top kind of hilarity that made me laugh and snicker throughout the entire book. It was also the kind of holiday book that I could instantly see as a movie where the Grinchy, hot love interest has to fake date the over-the-top Christmas affectiano to win the small town empaty while they rekindle a romance that they both never wanted to revist. Ahhh...i can see it now along with all the Christmas decorations, Christmas magic, and lots of holiday cheer.🥰 i mean who doesn’t love someone like Merrily who is sunshine 24/7 and can so easily get under Grants grinchy skin 😂 I'd watch the heck out of this instant holiday favorite.

Merrily Tucker and Grant Moody have a past. One that grew clearer and clearer as the story went along, but honestly I didn't need to know their entire backstory from page one to enjoy the hilarity of the constant highjinks and Christmas pranks that Grant and Merrily kept playing on one another. It was funny just to enjoy the two of them in each other's orbit. 😂

Grant is a total Grinch and Merrily is a Christmas elf incarnate. Of course the two of them in the same space was going to be comedy gold. I was snickering hard at the continuous hilarity of all the Christmas references, the never ending decorations that Merrily seemed to pull out of thin air like a cartoon character 😂, the over the top pranks, and the never ending Christmas spirit. Literally everything was so funny, and best of all, the ending wrapped up with lots of heart. Yes, the grinch found the meaning of Christmas, or however that story goes 😉, but more importantly Not Home Alone is a top notch Kayley book full of Christmas charm and wit. It was just what I needed to make me smile.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture Publishing for the advance review copy and all opinions are my own.

[Randi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not Home Alone was such a fun Christmas romcom. It's completely over the top with its Christmas references, from Home Alone and The Grinch to the seemingly endless number of Cindys in town, but I had so much fun with it. The town itself was incredibly cozy, with its festive shops, Christmas music and people who seem to take Christmas very seriously. This book genuinely put me in a Christmas mood.

I especially liked how The Nutcracker was incorporated into the story. It wasn't just another Christmas reference, but something that tied into Merrily and Grant's relationship and their history together. Grant has always presented himself as a moody playboy, while quietly doing things for other people without wanting anyone to know about it. Merrily gradually starts noticing those small things even when she's determined not to like him, and I really enjoyed watching them slowly change the way she saw him.

Their shared history also made the romance work well for me. This wasn't two strangers meeting and immediately falling for each other. Merrily and Grant had known each other as teenagers, and it was clear that neither of them had completely forgotten what happened between them ten years earlier.

I appreciated that the conflict toward the end didn't turn into a huge third-act breakup. There are misunderstandings and genuine complications about what their future would look like, but they actually talk about them rather than dragging the conflict out unnecessarily.
Some of the side characters and situations were ridiculous, but honestly, that was part of the charm. This book knew exactly what kind of Christmas romcom it wanted to be, leaned completely into it, and I happily went along for the ride.

4 stars. 🎄

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re a fan of Hallmark Christmas movies, fake dating, enemies-to-lovers, and a healthy dose of Home Alone references, this book is probably for you.
This was such a cute Christmas read. The story follows the FMC, who is obsessed with Christmas and returns to her hometown, renting a house that everyone calls the “Home Alone house.” She expects it to be empty and peaceful; however, the MMC is already there, and things get even more complicated from there!
Our main characters fell out years ago over a play, and the whole town basically took her side. I really loved how much the FMC cared about her hometown. You could tell that if their falling-out hadn’t happened, she probably would have come home much sooner. Watching her reconnect with the town and fall in love with it all over again was one of my favourite parts of the story.
And I love a good fake dating romance, especially when the characters are passive-aggressive toward each other, and these two definitely deliver! Their chemistry and the tension between them made the fake-dating aspect so much fun.
I also really enjoyed watching the FMC work through some of her people-pleasing tendencies and learn that she doesn’t always have to make everyone else happy. T
The Home Alone references were such a fun addition and really helped give the book that nostalgic Christmasy feeling.
The only thing I didn’t love was some of the dialogue from the play. It wasn’t really my favourite part of the book, although I understood why it was included and how it tied into the story.
Overall, this was a super cute, festive romance that felt like curling up with a Hallmark movie with a little Home Alone thrown in. If that sounds like your kind of Christmas read, definitely give this one a try!

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Not Home Alone” is over-the-top, ridiculous holiday rom-com fun, and I loved every second of it.

I feel like this book should be getting SO MUCH MORE LOVE! Is it a thought-provoking, life-altering novel setting out to change the world? Nope. What it IS is pure feel-good holiday vibes, romantic charm, and absolute silliness in the best possible way.

Everything is delightfully over-the-top, from the banter and wardrobe to the “Home Alone” house and, of course, “The Notcracker.” 😂 Merrily and Moody find their way back to each other after years of hatred, only to land themselves in a fake-dating situation. And naturally, things get complicated.

My favorite scene was when they decided to fake date and had to figure out the story of how they supposedly found their way back to each other. COMEDY GOLD. And “The Notcracker”?! OMG. So ridiculous. So much fun.

Max Meyers and Victoria Connolly absolutely elevated the comedy. Their performances leaned into the absurdity, banter, and personalities perfectly, and I loved that even the spicy scenes had humor woven into them.

This book was simply FUN, and I'm so glad I gave it a listen. If you want a holiday romance that embraces the ridiculous and delivers all the festive feel-good vibes, add this one to your list!

📖 Not Home Alone
✍️ Kayley Loring
🎙️ Max Meyers & Victoria Connolly
🎁 NetGalley & Bookouture Audio
📅 10/06/26
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Only.ever.books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review:
🎄Not Home Alone🎄

By Kayley Loring

🎄 Holiday Novel
🎄 Second Chance
🎄 Forced Proximity

⭐ 5/5

Merrily, christmas lover, everybody’s darling
Grant, he pretends to be someone he not really is

Grant, Merrily and their own christmas wonder

This is definitely a read that deserves more than five stars. The story of Merrily and Grant is entertaining, full of hilarious banter and brings you all the Christmas spirits.
After a terrible incident ten years ago, where Grant broke Merrily's heart, both avoided the small town they grew up in as best as they could.
Now a wrong going booking has them living together for their vacations. Sarcasm, banters and pranks lead to fake dating and pretending.
And a reconnection and getting to know each other again on a new level in a mature life.
Grant and Merrily realise that there is more to the other one then they first thought.
And when they finally give in to their attraction, real feelings get in the mix. Figuring things out and having to deal with decisions for their future have Grant keeping a secret that could hurt Merrily again.
And the upcoming theatre production for the town shows Merrily where her future lies.
Will they find a way to have a future together or is their Christmas wish just that - a wish.
Beautiful, romantic and swooning.

[The Lit · Rating 4 out of 5]

🚨 SPOILER ALERT: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
​I am giving Not Home Alone by Kayley Loring a solid 4-star review! ⭐⭐⭐⭐
​A delightful second-chance romance packed with top-tier forced proximity, a grumpy-sunshine dynamic, and banter that absolutely banters! 🏡✨
​ARC Disclosure: A big thank you to NetGalley, author Kayley Loring, and publisher Bookouture for providing an advance digital review copy (eARC) of this book! All thoughts, fanatical reactions, and honest reflections shared in this review are entirely my own.
​The Review
​I liked this book a lot! The banter was bantering, and the tropes of second chance and forced proximity were so well done. Add in the grumpy vs. sunshine dynamic and I'm sold!
​It did become a tad slow in the middle, but it was still a very enjoyable read. I loved the fact that Grant had never stopped loving her—and Merrily too, though she didn't acknowledge it to herself quite as he did!
​The Good
​The bantering dialogue was on point, top-tier second-chance and forced proximity tropes, and Grant's unwavering, silent devotion!
​The Not So Good
​The pacing felt a tad slow during the middle chapters, but the heartwarming resolution made up for it!

[Efrat Cohen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of the audiobook.

It was exactly what I needed when I needed it.
I missed reading a romance book with the original experience of reading one, if that makes sense. The dynamic between the MCs gave me the feeling I felt when I started reading romance. A good, honest enemies to lovers, tension, and me wondering what will happen between them next.

Merrily is on a Christmas vacation in her hometown, and for that she rented her favorite house in town only to furiously discover the one person she detests, Grant Moody, living there for the holidays as well. Ten years ago they had a special night together, but the next day when they starred in the Nutcracker together, Moody hanged her out to dry when he did not kiss her at the play. Hurt and humiliated, Merrily despised Grant ever since. Now she had to spend time with him, alone in a house while all her old feelings resurface.

The beginning was a little too slow for me and grant was not my cup of tea at the beginning, but he grew in me and I ended up loving his character. He and Merrily had great banter! This is such a fun book and I hope there will be another about Grant's friend Wyatt and his secretary Joy (Merrily's friend).

[Taylor Mae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Merrily had been planning her vacation at one of the most beautiful houses in town, which is normally decorated as if it were straight out of a Christmas movie. She booked it months in advance, only to find out that Grant, the owner and a real-life Grinch, is already staying there and took down all the decorations.

Grant has been looking forward to spending his Christmas season alone: no Christmas music, decorations, or holiday spirit. He definitely didn't want to spend the holidays with Ms. Christmas herself.

They both reluctantly agree to share the house, and the history between them makes for fun banter and tension.

I enjoyed the narrators; they really captured the characters' essence. I do wish they had performed the chapters together, each doing their own part instead of recording their own individual chapters. Regardless, I really enjoyed listening to this cute Christmas story.

[Gemma Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastically festive, sugary sweet read that I adored. This tells the story of Merrily and Grant, from the same high school where many years ago he humiliated her on stage when starring in the annual town production of the Nutcracker.

Both end up back in their home town for the holidays. Merrily has booked the 'Home Alone' house, somewhere she's always dreamed of staying and as a girl who absolutely loves Christmas, she cannot wait to decorate it to high heaven and get into the spirit with her family.

Enter Grant, aka Mr. Grinch who hates Christmas and has also decided to stay in the Home Alone house over the holidays to be completely alone, he does, after all, own the house.

This is a fab enemies to lovers tale with loads of festive cheer thrown in. A cute story that I really enjoyed.

[Sara Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went into this book thinking it would be a rom-com that would make me laugh and swoon as the characters fell in love…not quite. What I got instead was a childish FMC who has an unhealthy relationship with Christmas, a MMC who is selfish and all over the place with this feelings. The parents in this novel don’t know how to parent to the point where the kids aren’t staying with them for Christmas (how do you not have room for your own kids?!).

I didn’t see the Merrily and Grant as two people in love. They were in lust. When they were together all the wanted to do was embarrass or piss the other person off. In private, they wanted to kiss each other’s faces off. To me that isn’t love. Sexy times in Chapter 15 actually had me making a face like I smelled something bad and skipping it over.

Enemies to lovers? Nah. Enemies to enemies.

*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.

[Emily Johnston (Booked.Up.With.Emily) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not Home Alone was a really fun read to get you into the holiday spirit!

Forced proximity
Enemies-to-lovers
Fake dating
Second chance romance

Merrily and Grant once thought there could be more, until one of them put a stop to it. Now they are back in the “Home Alone” house stuck together and they couldn’t be more opposite. Merrily loves everything festive and Grant stays far far away.

Their banter back and forth was my favorite thing about this book!

Max Meyers and Victoria Connolly were great narrators for this audiobook.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced audio copy.

[Amity Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun, Christmas vibe rom com! Enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and all the humor!! I have now read 2 books by Kayley and she hasn’t let me down!

This has lovable characters & the home alone aspect was just perfect! Merrily & Grant had banter, tension, chemistry and had me cackling so much! A perfect little Christmas read for your TBR!!

Thank you NetGalley & bookouture for this early copy!!

[Tree Dickens · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

This was the cheesiest Christmas romcom I have ever read. A classic enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating story with an extra sprinkle of Home Alone references. With an FMC named Merrily and an MMC with the last name Moody, I think you can tell a lot about the kind of book this is. Endless puns and bad jokes from Christmas-loving Merrily and grumpy grumbling from Christmas-hating Moody.

This is a second-chance romance as the two had fallen in love a decade before as teenagers before miscommunication tore them apart. Once they unexpectedly reunite, they find themselves with no choice but to share a house for the holidays. There's nothing like forced proximity to encourage people to work things out.

Having received the audiobook ARC, I have got to compliment the dual voice actors for a brilliant job. They made the story tolerable at times when it was too cringy. Unfortunately, there were a few too many scenes that made me cringe for my liking. Also, far too many bad sex scenes with little build-up and MC's that just seemed constantly horny. I ended up skipping every single one. I would have preferred closed-door with this writing style. Let's just say they would both benefit from having *other* hobbies...

Regardless, if you love a Hallmark Christmas movie with a ridiculously cheesy and nonsensical plot, then this is the one for you. A cosy Christmas read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this audiobook eARC.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book. Kayley Loring is a master of writing the funny, heartfelt and steamy rom coms. It's hard to have all three of those things done so brilliantly. Add to that the enemies to lovers trope, and amazing banter and you have a Christmas classic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boooktoure Audio for the ALc. The narrators were wonderful to listen to and made the banter zing.
I highly recommend Not Home Alone. This is the Christmast rom-com to get!

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this holiday romcom!! It had all my favourite tropes:
Fake dating - check ✔️
Grumpy-sunshine - check ✔️
Enemies to lovers - check ✔️
Top-tier banter & loveable side characters - check ✔️ and check ✔️

I could not stop grinning, giggling, swooning while listening to this one. I finished it in one sitting, then honestly considered playing it again right after!

The narrators really brought these characters to life and embodied their essence. Merrily was bright, cheerful, and full of energy, while Grant was a sullen (but loveable) grinch.

This book hit just right for me, it was so fun, just an absolute delight! Perfect for the holidays and definitely one I'll be reading again!

[Lauren · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Not Home Alone was ridiculous, festive, occasionally way too much, and genuinely funny enough that it got multiple actual laughs out of me and honestly, that counts for a lot.

This is the kind of Christmas romance that throws almost everything into the sleigh at once: forced proximity, fake dating, old high-school history, a tiny town that remembers everybody’s business, prank wars, sexual tension, an aggressively Christmas-obsessed heroine, a man named Moody who supposedly hates Christmas, and a dream rental that looks enough like the Home Alone house to make any millennial immediately understand the assignment.

Did every single one of those things land perfectly? No. Did I have fun? Absolutely.

The setup was probably my favorite part. Merrily rents this beautiful house because it resembles the Home Alone house, which I loved because it gives you the nostalgia without pretending she has somehow rented the literal McCallister house. It is recognizable enough to make the whole thing feel nostalgic and slightly ridiculous in exactly the right way.

But I also think the book left some fun sitting on the table. There are Home Alone references, but considering the title, the house, and how central that nostalgia is to the entire premise, I wanted the story to commit harder to the bit.

The Notcracker becomes part of Merrily and Grant’s actual emotional history. The Home Alone connection mostly stays atmosphere.

I wanted a few more clever callbacks, visual jokes, little movie-inspired moments, or ways the house itself could have become part of the comedy. Not enough to turn the book into fan fiction. Just enough to make the concept feel fully used rather than aesthetically borrowed.

Because the Christmas atmosphere itself? That part absolutely delivered. Merrily is essentially a walking holiday display. The decorations. The traditions. The Christmas store. The house. The absurd town energy. The fake dating. The pranks. It all feels like someone took a Christmas rom-com, added more lights than any reasonable electrical system could support, and decided subtlety was for January.

And there were moments when it was really funny.

Not “this character keeps telling me she is funny.”
Not “I smiled politely.”
Actual laugh-out-loud moments.

That may sound like a small thing, but comedy is hard. A book genuinely surprising me into laughing earns points. The banter between Merrily and Grant was easily one of the strongest parts. They know how to irritate each other. They know how to push. They are immature in ways that occasionally become hilarious instead of annoying and the prank energy works because both of them are willing participants.

Which actually brings me to one of the things that did not work as well for me: I never completely bought the grumpy/sunshine label. Merrily is certainly Christmas sunshine. That is unquestionable. But she did not always feel particularly sunny as a person.

She can be reactive, stubborn, judgmental, and incredibly committed to the version of Grant she has carried around since high school. None of that makes her a bad heroine. It just means “sunshine” felt more like an aesthetic than a complete personality type.

And Grant? Grant is simply not grumpy enough. He has the reputation. He has the Christmas resistance. His last name is literally Moody. But this man is entirely too willing to banter, prank, flirt, and participate in the nonsense happening around him for me to buy him as a true romance-novel grump.

They worked much better for me as: Christmas maximalist × Christmas skeptic. That feels much closer to who they actually are. I think that actually points toward my biggest issue with the book overall. Everything stayed a little surface-level.

Merrily has carried the humiliation of what happened between her and Grant in high school for roughly a decade. I want to be really clear here: I have absolutely no problem believing a woman in her thirties could still be affected by something humiliating that happened when she was a teenager. Public embarrassment can stay with you. Shame can stay with you. Especially when you come from a small town where everybody remembers the story.

What I struggled with was not that Merrily was still hurt. It was that sometimes she seemed to understand that hurt with almost the same emotional framework she had when she was younger. There is a difference between: That still hurts me and I am still interpreting everything about you through the meaning I assigned that moment when I was seventeen.

The first is human.
The second needs more interiority.

I wanted the adult version of Merrily to ask more complicated questions. What did I actually know then? What do I know now? What part of my anger belongs to what Grant genuinely did? What part belongs to the story I built around it? And most importantly: Is the worst thing someone ever did to me enough information to explain the entire person they became?

Because that is where the Grant material gets interesting. The town has a story about him. Merrily has a story about him. Grant has spent years existing inside the reputation created by those stories.

And as Merrily gets closer to him, she starts noticing things that do not fit.

Quiet kindness. Things he does without needing attention. The difference between the person everyone assumes he is and the man actually standing in front of her. I liked that. A lot.

Because the answer is not that Merrily imagined what happened.

Grant hurt her. The past does not have to become false just because the present becomes more complicated. Sometimes we learn enough about someone to realize that one true thing about them was never the whole truth. That idea could have been one of the strongest parts of the book. I just wanted the story to dig further into it.

Grant has a similar problem. I liked him. I liked discovering that his public reputation did not tell the whole story. I liked the softer pieces of him. But occasionally his depth leaned more on romance shorthand than actual excavation. Misunderstood man. Secretly caring. Has always wanted her. Quiet devotion underneath the reputation. Those things work.

They just do not automatically create a deeply dimensional character.

The same applies to the ten-year longing. I believed Grant and Merrily had unfinished emotional business. I believed there was attraction. I believed there were feelings that had never completely disappeared. I was less convinced that the book always showed enough of those ten years to make the intensity of the present relationship feel inevitable.

Sometimes it felt like the story was telling me: These two have always been it for each other. When what I wanted was a little more evidence that nobody else ever quite occupied the same emotional space. That is the difference between chemistry and inevitability for me. The chemistry was definitely there. The inevitability was less convincing.

I also thought the middle became slightly repetitive.

Banter. Christmas battle. Prank. Attraction. Repeat. It was entertaining enough that I never stopped enjoying myself, but I could feel the structure looping.

And yet, I want to give the book credit for something important: it understands what kind of book it is. This is not trying to become an emotionally devastating character study. It wants to be a ridiculous Christmas romance and it is very good at that.

The fake dating is fun.
The forced proximity works.
The town is absurd.
The house is delightful.
The pranks made me laugh.
Grant and Merrily have genuine chemistry.

The Christmas atmosphere is basically glowing in the dark and sometimes a holiday romance does not need to rearrange your internal organs. Sometimes it needs to make you laugh while two idiots fight over Christmas decorations in a house that looks suspiciously familiar.

On that level? Mission accomplished.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐¾ 3.75/5

Vibe: Christmas chaos • Fake dating • Forced proximity • Small-town nonsense • Prank wars • Holiday nostalgia

Emotional Impact: Light. Fun. More entertaining than emotionally lingering.

Romance: Chemistry absolutely worked. Emotional inevitability needed more development.

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Merrily: 3.75/5
I loved her Christmas obsession more than I loved all of her emotional reasoning. Her old hurt was believable. I just wanted the adult woman carrying it to have more perspective on what it meant.

Grant: 4/5
More interesting than his reputation suggests, and I liked the quiet ways the book complicated Merrily’s assumptions about him.

Grumpy / Sunshine: 3.25/5
Honestly, I would call this Christmas maximalist × Christmas skeptic before I called it true grumpy/sunshine.

Banter: 4.5/5

Humor: 4.5/5
It actually made me laugh out loud multiple times, which automatically gets extra credit from me.

Christmas Atmosphere: 5/5
This book understood the assignment.

Home Alone Concept: 4/5 for the idea, 3.5/5 for execution
Loved the house. Loved the nostalgia. Wanted the book to play with the movie connection more.

Character Depth: 3.25/5
The biggest thing keeping this below four stars. Both characters worked perfectly well as rom-com leads, but I rarely felt like the book pushed far enough beneath their archetypes.

Connection Factor: Perfect for readers who want fake dating, forced proximity, Christmas maximalism, ridiculous small-town energy, pranks, banter, sexual tension, nostalgia, and a holiday romance that is much more interested in being fun than emotionally devastating.

Aftertaste: Like leaving an aggressively decorated Christmas party where you laughed harder than expected, ate too many cookies, and had an excellent time, even if you probably will not still be analyzing the conversation in February.

Final verdict: Not Home Alone is much better at being a Christmas rom-com than it is at being a character study and I think that is okay.

I wanted more emotional depth from Merrily. I wanted Grant’s reputation-versus-reality arc pushed further. I wanted the ten-year longing to feel more demonstrated than asserted. I wanted the grumpy/sunshine contrast to actually feel grumpier and sunnier and I absolutely wanted the book to do more with that Home Alone house.

But I also laughed. A lot.

The banter worked.
The pranks worked.
The forced proximity worked.
The fake dating worked.
The Christmas atmosphere worked.

And sometimes the fairest way to rate a book is not to ask whether it became something profound. It is to ask whether it successfully became what it was trying to be.

This wanted to be funny, festive, sexy, nostalgic, ridiculous Christmas chaos. It absolutely was. I had no problem believing Merrily could still be hurt by something that happened in high school. I just wanted the thirty-something version of her to understand that hurt with more complexity than the teenage version of her did and maybe that is the difference between a four-star romance and a 3.75 for me.

I had a genuinely good time. I just wanted a little more underneath the Christmas lights.

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick Summary: A fa-la-la-la-ahh romance

My Review: Not Home Alone by Kayley Loring is a "spicy, forced proximity, enemies to lovers romance." It is scheduled for release on 10/6/26.

About the Book: "...Merrily Tucker is excited to spend Christmas in the most beautiful house in town...

But inside is one big problem… the man who once turned her down in front of the whole of Holly Grove...

He says he’s the owner. And he’s planning to spend Christmas here too.

Secretly, do they actually want to be home alone together this Christmas…?"


In My Own Words: Ho ho holiday hijinks, spicy antics galore, plus a whole lot of Xmas cheer mark the occasion in this fake dating, enemies-to-lovers, kiss and make up romance between a pseudo Grinch and Little Miss Sunshine (Christmas version)

About the Characters: The romantic leads featured in the cute & cozy romance are Merrily Tucker and Grant Moody.

Merrily -> "Eternal optimist," Christmas enthusiast, nice & naughty good girl, all about that family life in spite of hurts and heartbreak, still has feelings for the boy-man who broke her heart in a most unforgettable way

Grant -> "irritatingly handsome," "certified Grinch," [perceived] "playboy," misunderstood, golden heart hidden behind hurt and familial disconnect, quiet loyalty, sweet on his peppermint princess aka "the irresistibly gorgeous one-who-got-away"

About the Conflict: Although this story falls in the category of lighthearted, fluffy, and utterly delightful, it was not without a bit of conflict and drama. The conflict arc included loss, poor communication, parental disconnect/disregard, embarrassment of the on blast variety, social and professional expectations, job dissatisfaction, and relationship subterfuge. The author presented the conflict in such a way that the story does not get bogged down or too weighty.

About My Reading/Listening Experience: I was incredibly fortunate to read/listen to this book via an immersive experience. All I have to say to that is I LOVED IT 100%! This hilariously sweet story had me reeling in the best way. In terms of the digital reading experience, it was easy and entertaining. I found myself going back and re-reading my favorite sections with a candy-cane-wishes-granted smile on my face. Regarding the listening experience, I adored how Max Meyers and Victoria Connolly portrayed the characters. I felt the tension and embraced the adorable banter and chemistry interplay. I loved how the distinct personalities came across, especially Merrily, Grant, the woman in black neighbor with the secret past, and Merrily's teenage stepsister.

My Favorites (coded, so as to avoid spoilers):

❄️ - Not So Home Alone
🎄 - Oh Christmas Tree
⏳ - Christmas Past, Christmas Present
🥨 - Singing for my Supper?
🍬 - Peppermint Memories
✨ - Dancing with You
💂‍♂️ - Don't Mess with My Man!
🔔 - Bublé Fixes
💝 - Happy Xmas for Two


What I Want More of:

🧣 - I want to know the deal with the besties - Joy and the lawyer guy. They gave off enough of a vibe that I was captivated by them and their DL life.

☕ - I want the neighbor lady with the flair for creative words to get her own story. She was a queen! I bet she has stories. (I could totally see myself sharing cocoa and conversation with her.)

🍭 - I want more holiday magic and romance in the place that is Holly Grove. It was a charming place. I can easily see more love stories coming in a place like that.

My Final Say: Not Home Alone was a just-right read; it perfectly suited my pre-holiday mood. I had a really good time reading and listening to the novel. It is a hands down favorite. I know I will be going back to visit Holly Grove and this frosty, fiery couple. Their story is most certainly a keeper.

Other: Readers who enjoy the following tropes will like this book. Whether it is experienced as a digital read or an audiobook, it promises to provide loads of fun time entertainment.

TROPES:

Forced proximity

Enemies-to-lovers

Fake dating

Spice levels 🌶️ 🌶️


Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Level: ❤️🤍❤️
Format: 📱🎧
Narration: +
Cover: +
Title: +

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publishers (Bookouture | Bookouture Audio), and to NetGalley. Thank you so very much for granting access to a digital ARC and an ALC of this title. It was an absolute pleasure to review. I am grateful for the opportunity.

[LunafloritaReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adored this Christmas romance! 🎄❤️ Christmas is my favorite holiday, so I’m always a sucker for those Hallmark-style holiday romance vibes—and Not Home Alone delivered exactly what I was looking for!

Merrily Tucker is the golden retriever of this book. She LOVES Christmas and everything that comes with it. In her hometown of Holly Grove, she has a favorite house that she calls the “Home Alone” house, which was honestly such a fun touch because Home Alone is such an iconic Christmas movie!

Grant Moody, on the other hand, is the grumpy black cat. He wants absolutely nothing to do with Christmas and would much rather spend the holidays alone. He owns the “Home Alone” house in Holly Grove and plans to stay there for two weeks over Christmas.

Cue the forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers romance—but make it Christmas-themed! 🎄

Merrily rents the Home Alone house for the exact two weeks that Grant plans to stay there, so the two are forced to reunite in Merrily’s favorite place after ten years of not seeing each other.

And why haven’t they spoken in ten years? Because when they were both in the Not-Cracker play in front of the entire town, Grant rejected Merrily’s kiss onstage. Merrily spends the next ten years basically hating Grant, while Grant spends those same ten years regretting what he did.

SPOILERS BELOW!


Grant’s family basically owns all of Holly Grove, but his father is now retiring, and Grant is facing the decision of becoming CEO. His father threatens to sell the business to someone who would completely take the businesses away from the locals—including The Christmas Barn, the store Merrily’s father owns.

Grant knows he needs to become CEO to save the town and its people. But he also needs the people of Holly Grove to start liking him again instead of seeing him as the town playboy. And he needs Quinn off his back.

So what does he do? He asks Merrily to fake date him.

And what does Merrily get in return? The chance to save her dad’s business.

As they spend more time together, Merrily starts realizing there is SO much more to Grant than he lets people see.

I absolutely loved Grant’s character. He was so well written and had a surprising amount of depth for a Christmas romance, which I really appreciated. His mother passed away, he has a difficult relationship with his family, and he has this reputation for being someone who doesn’t take anything seriously when it comes to the family businesses. But behind the scenes, he’s actually doing everything he can to keep the family businesses from falling apart.

He’s so much more than he lets people see, and underneath all of his grumpy behavior, he genuinely wants to do what’s right.

And the way he cares for Merrily absolutely melted me. 🥹

Even though this has the enemies-to-lovers, second-chance, and fake-dating tropes, Grant constantly does things simply because he wants Merrily to be happy. I mean, the man literally bought her childhood favorite house so no one else could buy it, hoping that one day he could share it with her—and this was BEFORE they were even speaking again! 😭❤️

Merrily was also struggling in a job where she wanted to advance but was stuck doing whatever her boss wanted. I really enjoyed watching Grant help her realize that she needed to let go of the job and pursue something she actually loved.

Merrily is truly the Christmas queen, and I loved all of her Christmas cheer, especially the Carol and Elf Grams she sent to Grant. She brought so much warmth and Christmas spirit to the story, and I loved how she brought out the best in Grant.

Overall, this was such a fun and heartwarming holiday romance! 🎄❤️ I loved the Christmas setting, the forced proximity, the second-chance romance, and especially Grant and Merrily’s relationship. The narrators were also fantastic and really brought these characters to life.

If you’re looking for a cute, cozy Christmas romance with a grumpy hero, a Christmas-obsessed heroine, fake dating, second chances, and ALL the holiday vibes, definitely add Not Home Alone to your TBR! 🎄📚

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, and Kayley Loring for an audio ARC of this book!