Resting Grinch Face

The Frost Brothers #5

by Alina Jacobs

I might not be able to ruin his life, but I will ruin his Christmas.
Yeah, I’m totally a grinch. But I come by it honestly.
Because of Oliver Frost, I flamed out of college in the most humiliating way possible.
Now I’m back in my small town—just in time to suffer through a display of small-town Christmas cheer so festive it will make you puke your eggnog. But who cares about being home for the holidays when you live with your family like a loser and have to share one bathroom with seven other people?

I plan to spend my Christmas purgatory being tsked at by elderly residents and passive aggressively prodded by my mom’s friends about what I plan to do with my life.
I don’t know, Deborah, work in the Christmas market and get screamed at by tourists because I didn’t put enough sprinkles on their little brats’ coffees? Seriously, who gives five-year-olds that much caffeine anyway?!

See? Like I said. A grinch.
I hate Christmas.
I set a nativity scene on fire.
Got in a fistfight with an elf—I lost, by the way.
And threw a vat of Snowman Surprise all over Oliver. Don’t ask. Small-town Christmas insanity.
Sleigh what? Oliver is here???
The man who humiliated me and ruined my life?

Ho ho ho, fuck no.

He doesn’t deserve a quaint small-town Christmas or a fancy Christmas tree from my family’s farm.
He should be haunted like Ebenezer Scrooge by the Ghost of Christmas Past. Or at least the Ghost of Hookups Past.

Momma’s gonna have herself a very merry Christmas revenge.
Swapping the salt and sugar so his Christmas cookies are ruined? Be still, my shriveled little heart.
Spying on him so I can gather recon to ruin his holidate? Damn, I forgot how ripped his chest was.
Sneaking down his chimney to steal all the presents under his tree? Amateur hour.
Until I get caught...

Guess I’m spending Christmas in jail.
But when he sees I’m not wearing a bra under my ugly Christmas sweater, Oliver smiles like Santa has come early.
Crap! I knew I should have worn my good underwear!

Hold on to your stockings because the eggnog is spicy and mostly booze. This is a fuck-second-chances, Santa-stalker, holiday-revenge romantic comedy. Featuring Christmas-hating heroines with poor decision-making skills, ripped guys who will leave a very large package under your tree, and adorable corgis dressed up as reindeer, this standalone book has a happily ever after, guaranteed!

Genres: Christmas, Holiday, Romance, Rom Com, Fiction, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary

469 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 17, 2022

About the author

If you like steamy romantic comedies with a creative streak, then I'm your girl!

Architect by day, writer by night, I love matcha green tea, chocolate, and books! So many books…

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Reviews

[Krystina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Again, I don't know why I listen to y'all with these books.

This book never ended. It was over 450 pages. It could have been 200-250 and it would have been a lot more enjoyable. I probably still would have given it one star, but not an ANGRY one star.

There were plots that were completely inconsequential and unimportant to the plot. There were so many I don't even feel like going into it.

Issues that were important to the plot were literally solved in like 3 pages. We don't have money? Oh, okay, I'll just go to this big investing company and show them this app that I made and they'll immediately offer me money. More money than I could ever imagine that solves all of our problems in 6 seconds and then immediately be whisked away to graduate from Harvard deus ex machina style.

Both of the main characters are awful-- actually most people are awful. But you have a girl that had sex with someone one time when they were drunk and completely ruined her life because of it. I understand being heartbroken, but girl, you had a full-ride scholarship to HARVARD. And then you become so obsessed with him that just SEEING him makes her want to destroy his life. Oh sorry. Not his life, just his Christmas. Because this is a Christmas novel and she's a grinch. But his penis is magic so that gets thrown out the window.

And then you have our male main character who only starts getting with her because he wants to steal her land but first he steals her dog. Literally proposes to her after 3 weeks so he can steal her land and displace her entire dysfunctional family for capitalism. And when she finds out she (smartly) breaks up with him and then immediately gets back because he's THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO HER. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttt? Please get some therapy. Immediately. Also why do you need shit on teen parents so much? Like, yeah, it can be hard and sometimes they aren't the best parents but you have the entire family being teen moms and they're all terrible. My best friend was a teen mom and she was the best mother for her child I have ever seen. Perpetuated those terrible stereotypes there...

I just... don't get it. Do y'all just like it because of the mediocre smut?

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

I…don’t know why I keep doing this to myself.

This was bad. So bad. The worst thing I’ve ever read.

I couldn’t not finish it because I couldn’t believe how bad it was and kept getting.

It made no sense. Noelle was a stalking peeping Tom who broke into what’s his face’s home on several occasions, her 11 year old niece accuses of him of impregnating her and he’s just like…ok here’s a ring!!!

So bad. So bad. So bad.

[Kandice · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was so bad, I don’t understand how it has a 4 star rating! It lasted FOREVER and amazingly managed to get continuously worse.

[Mulan Book Princess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I giggled my way through this book. Noelle blames Oliver for what happened to her at school, so is determined to make his life miserable. To be honest, I think Noelle is a little unhinged at times, but it does make for a fun read!.

I received a free advanced reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my fair and honest review.

[Smart Girl Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

Literally the dumbest book I’ve ever read. I only finished because I thought “This can’t be real. It’s got to get better, right?” It didn’t.

[Jennifer Starkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. The book was so much fun!

[Jillian Gisoni · Rating 1 out of 5]

Within the first chapter of this book I found myself saying “wow this is terrible, but it probably won’t get any worse.” Every single chapter proved me wrong.

There were a lot of difficult topics in this book, and every single one of them was handled poorly.
A whole family plagued by teen pregnancy ✅
Dirt poor girl gets a full ride to Harvard ✅
Throws her life away senior year because a boy she talked to ONE time and hooked up with said he loved her and then ignored her ✅

Not a single character in this book was enjoyable to read about. Oliver was an asshole, Noelle acted like a child, her entire family was unbelievably toxic and verbally abusive. Let’s not forget that her 11 year old niece accused Oliver of getting her pregnant and he immediately forgave her? The fact that the author thought that was an ok plot point should’ve been my stopping point.

Please do not waste your time on this. Everything about it was awful. This was not cute, it was not funny, and it definitely was not romantic.

Also, can these authors please do their research about investments. It drives me nuts when they immediately want to make the main character hot, so they go “oooh he has a hedge fund.” At least learn how the industry works.. I’m begging you.

[Kay Burrows · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️.5

I think this was the most cringy of all the female characters in this series. A woman scorned and she certainly wasn’t going to forget it.
While I appreciated the new story line and the references to the bake-off instead of another new fmc who was part of the bake-off, I found Noelle was outright crazy at times and no in a good way. I liked that this time it was Noelle’s family that was crazy instead of the Frost parents usual meddling and same antics as in every other book. But I think the story lost me at Doce’s pregnancy. To me that pushed the line a little too far. Oliver was a refreshing break from his brothers who all seemed to have the same inner monologues and goals and instead seemed like a simple and easy going guy. So while I enjoyed that this book was different it was just a little too crazy and cringy for my liking.

The narration was really well done and is what made this 3 stars for me unfortunately.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF’d at 63%….I tried, I really tried. The MMC was a clueless pretentious douchebag more suited to the role of gross ex boyfriend that the main girl moves on from, and the FMC was a massively insecure and highly delusional woman who somehow managed to be become more and more unhinged as the “plot” went on?

I was suffering through it, not finding a single character to like or root for. But then her 11yr old niece turns up “pregnant” and I put that in quotation marks since they merely found a positive pregnancy test in the house full of other people and she had yet to see an actual doctor. But anyways the 11yr old randomly decides to point to the MMC (a man in his mid to late 20s) as the baby daddy and the FMC (like the logical woman she is 😒) goes bat shit crazy on him not even letting him talk…are we supposed to ignore the fact that the FMC has been all but stalking this guy from day one and yet she’s instantly going to believe the words of her niece who is let’s face it a child of trauma…like when the fuck could he have even pulled that off you delusional nutcase!

Long story short, I hate this book with every fibre of my being and no possible HEA ending could make me continue to torture myself for a further 30 something percent.

[Tatyana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just the Frost brothers and their stories. This one had me laughing so much. Noelle and her obsession of getting back at Oliver and Oliver just trying to start his business not even knowing that he did something is just funny to me. I love Noelle's family too especially her granny. Such a fun holiday read.

[Kelly Guess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious, sweet and spicy! I can’t wait to read more from this author!

[Kimberly N · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was thoroughly entertained by this book.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I’ve finally figured out what it is that keeps drawing me back to this author’s work like an addict needing a fix. This is the text version of daytime television: part soap opera, a little bit Jerry Springer, a little bit Dr. Phil, and a giant helping of drama and angst. Since reality television is my guilty pleasure, that turns this author’s worlds into something close to my Kryptonite. There’s a lot of book here, and all of it is completely over the top. For my preference, there’s probably more book here than the story really needed, but it’s all just so much insane fun. I loved Noelle’s drive to make herself and her family financially successful. She takes some questionable steps along the way, but she never gives up. And Oliver seems so different from the rest of his family that we’ve met. He’s carrying most of the same emotional scars, but he wears them differently. There’s a sweetness and approachability to Oliver that I don’t remember seeing in the rest of the Frost siblings. I had so much fun watching these two trip, stumble, fall, and get back up again and keep going to get their Happy Ever After. I already can’t wait until the next time we get to journey back to Harrogate for more shenanigans.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout.

[Misti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost didn't read this book because of a few reviews, so glad I did. I was laughing out loud and totally embarrassed for Noelle at the same time.

[Giofab21 · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the heroine marinating from bad choices and the presence of the man who humiliated her in the past occupying her present it's no wonder she's a bit unhinged. Add that she's stuck around him and her family for the holidays and common sense flies away (not like it ever had a stable home).
Fueled by revenge, Oliver has his work cut out in dealing with our misguided grinch but soon an unexpected chemistry has them both trying to fight between being nice or naughty for Christmas.
Congrats to an author who doesn't have me cringing at the idea of reading about Christmas over a month before it actually arrives. I'm not quite the grinch Noelle is but it takes a special amount of Alina's secret spice to have me warm up to the idea. Another sexy and funny read in this her world 0f the sexy and misunderstood.
I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kristy Metcalf · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible, boring plot with unlikable characters, then smut for awhile. Terrible, boring plot with unlikable characters, then smut for awhile. Rinse and repeat for 500 pages. These characters are ridiculous and need slapped.

[Tori_book_nook · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm giving this book a 2.5 - 3 🌟

I'm gonna start off with what I liked about this book, I liked the fact that in the first half of the book, I got to laugh with the comments and jokes Noelle and her family would make. I loved that they brought in glimpses of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," and the ending was very sweet.

The things I didn't like was the fact that Noelle gave up Harvard over "something " that Oliver Frost did after a one-night stand they had, she became obsessed with him and getting back at him for ruining Christmas for her the year prior. The moment the story was going into the direction of what happened and why he "couldn't remember her," it was cut off, and the story moved forward. There was a ton of drama and neglectful parenting that just bothered me. (I'm not one to complain about books but the neglected children bothered me) as the story continued, the plot of the story just disappeared and just kept talking about them having s*x. I'm sorry. I like my fair share of smut, but it just felt like Alina used it just to keep the story going beyond where honestly it should've stopped.

Everyone's opinion is different so don't come at me if you liked/love the story I'm happy for you and I don't discourage anyone from reading and getting their own opinions on it this is just mine. Unfortunately, I don't think Alina's writing style and storytelling is my cup of tea.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day 😊

P.s. Oliver Frost is a super sweet guy him and Gran were definitely my favorite characters ❤️

[Plus Size Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow.......

Alina has a talent for weaving serious topics within a lighthearted storyline mixed in with a perfect balance of comedy and spice. In her earlier books she seemed to follow a formula that involved down on her luck girl, miscommunication, and a grand gesture.

Being a fan who has read everything in her catalog I can say that the growth has come a long way and I am so glad that I have been able to support and follow her.

This story is NOT like any I have ever read before.

Noelle is the daughter of teen parents. Not late age teen but middle school teen. Alina did a deep dive in the generational struggle of poverty, emotional development, lack of education, and the struggle to break the cycle. I was absolutely intrigued and impressed.

Without giving too much away, the introduction of Dove was phenomenal. I love this girl and want to put her in my pocket and keep her safe. I feel like many older siblings are going to read her storyline feel an abundance of empathy and relatability.

With that said, OMFG Belle and Greg were hardcore with the adversity thrown in involving Dove. I was so proud of them and Crawford.... Yeah, all the OG's are in this story and I'm super excited. I NEED Greg & Belle's book real bad.

I feel like Alina gave us a ton of Easter eggs for possible future spin offs. The world that she has built is ever growing and I am fully prepared to goggle every morsal she provides us for the next 30 years.

I liked Oliver. It was super cool to see Tristan in action. Up until now this generation were simply referred to the little brothers at Harvard. To see them as adults making big boy moves is very exciting.

Real talk, for a minute I really felt like our girl Noelle may have a valid mental health issue and possibly imagined things.

I could probably do a Ted Talk on this book. I highly recommend, I believe out of all the Frost Brothers it is probably the strongest to be read as a stand alone, but I encourage all readers to read everything by this woman.

It checks all the romcom boxes. Very very spicy, there is an plethora of spice, but it's a slow burn as it it doesn't pop off until halfway through the book, but once it does, it's back to back to back and I was there for it!

[Emily Utsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Small town Xmas, 2nd chance, revenge, snarky banter, family issues, slapstick comedy with hot spice.

I listened to the audiobook of this, and loved it! I think that hearing the voices gives you so much more as a reader. You really can feel the emotions. You connect much quicker to the characters as well. These narrators were top notch.

I love this type of book. No angst, comedy, hot men with hot spice thrown in. Nice and light. Is it for everyone? No. But it is my cup of hot chocolate. I don't want to be sad or anxious with the books I read.

This is not the first book in the series, but it can be read as a complete stand-alone. However I think you will get more out of it if you have read the other books as you have met some of the characters before. But don’t let that deter you. This can be a stand-alone. But it will make you want to read all the other books!

[Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

blahhhhh

Started off like some Hallmark holiday movie but then turned into a trashy porn with repeats of the word tits. Was looking for a cute holiday book and this is what I got. Almost DNF’d it multiple times but pushed through. Just terrible.

[Grace · Rating 1 out of 5]

The people leaving 5 star reviews are delusional. This book is one of worst I've ever read. No likable characters. Terrible plot points. Constant use of the term tits. I have resting grinch face after reading this book.

[Raven · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just wasted my time on this horrible story. I didn't like any of the characters. The plot (saying that loosely) was so dumb. I think I lost brain cells reading that.

Do your self a favor and do not read!

[Proserpine · Rating 4 out of 5]

gasping smirking fuming grinning giggling laughing screaming throwing up

Well... damn. This one actually pulled me back in. I started with cautious expectations after being stumbled by the last one which is being elated by before it, but this turned out to be a solid improvement, easily ranking second best so far. The outline feels different from the previous four, which was a pleasant surprise. The meddling annoying parents, the crazy ex sabotage, and even the bake‑off competition were nowhere to be found. Sure, it still has the cheesy jokes, unhinged antics, and corny banter, but that’s exactly what keeps it fresh once more. And yes, Noelle and Oliver have officially become my second favorite pairing in the series (after Morticia and Jonathan surely).

Resting Grinch Face is pure holiday chaos wrapped in hate‑to‑love antics. Noelle Wynter, booted from Harvard after a disastrous entanglement with Oliver Frost, returns home determined to ruin his life. Oliver, clueless about his supposed crime, just wants to open his factory, until Noelle keeps wrecking Oliver’s days because he forgot their college connection.

The set up leans into reverse grumpy/sunshine, with Noelle’s unhinged energy completely off the charts. Her revenge obsession fuels pranks, drama, and plenty of over‑the‑top antics. Oliver, meanwhile, feels sweeter and more approachable than his Frost brothers. Their dynamic is messy, tense, and sometimes exhausting, but always entertaining.

The book thrives on small‑town mayhem like eccentric locals, meddling family, and Christmas‑obsessed neighbors who amplify the absurdity. The humor is sharp, though the miscommunication and constant drama get a bit repetitive. I thought we’d avoid another breakup drama, but the secret they kept made things feel off, especially since Oliver stayed kind even after Noelle vandalized his home. When the breakup finally hit, it nearly threw me off. Still, the found‑family vibe, Noelle’s chaotic family mess, the Frost siblings’ goofiness, and the final grand gesture helped balance it. 😂

In short, this one veer away from the usual Frost outline, yet still delivers a chaotic holiday rom‑com that’s equal parts hilarious and stressful. At 500 pages it’s hefty sure, but never dull (for me); the drama keeps things moving, and while the romance stumbles, it lands on a satisfying note. Think soap‑opera chaos meets rom‑com antics: unpredictable, messy, and fun. Noelle’s drive to support her family adds heart, Oliver’s quiet sweetness steadies the storm, and though the payoff feels a bit rushed, the journey is wild, funny, and entertaining. A festive grudge‑to‑love story that thrives on small‑town madness and Christmas sabotage, perfect if you’re craving holiday chaos with a twist. 🍪🎄

Colossal props to Gideon Frost and Leah Mallach for making this audiobook such a standout. Even without a duet format, their voices meshed beautifully and kept me hooked from start to finish. Gideon captured Oliver’s quiet sweetness and steady charm, while Leah gave Noelle the perfect mix of chaotic energy and sharp wit. The balance between them felt effortless, their delivery natural, and the characters came alive in a way that made the story even more engaging. I’d love to hear them paired again—ideally in a full duet setup—because their chemistry behind the mic is undeniable. Their narration easily became one of the highlights of the entire listen.

Through it all, binge‑reading the Frost brothers series turned out to be a mix of highs and lows. The first two entries were messy, book three hit just right, book four felt flat despite my 3‑star rating, and book five pulled things back up—even if the ride stayed bumpy (still enjoyable tho). What carried me through was the blend of festive atmosphere, unhinged antics, and banter that equal parts laugh‑out‑loud and eye‑roll inducing. I found myself laughing and snorting through more often than not. Each couple adds their own flavor to the rom‑com formula, and while the books run long, the payoff is still fun. If you’re in the mood for holiday romance packed with sparkle, drama, and small‑town mayhem, this series delivers the kind of chaotic cheer worth diving into! 🎄💥🏃🏻‍♀️

Belle Frost is the iron‑fist sister who held the Frost siblings together, raising five brothers through a stormy past shaped by narcissistic shitty ass parents. I adore her, and her scorching banter with Greg Svensson—sparking from book one and only intensifying by book five—has me feral with anticipation. What makes it even juicier is how every Frost brother seems tied to a Svensson sibling, either as a bestie or second‑in‑command, which only deepens the sense of interconnected frenzies.

That is exactly what’s pulling me toward the spin‑offs. The Svensson Brothers Series, the Manhattan Svenssons, even the Seattle Svenssons bcs each one feels like another rabbit hole waiting to swallow me whole. Do I hesitate because it's a lot to binge-read? Absolutely. But the lure of more banter, more family drama, and more scorching pairings is impossible to resist. The Frosts have opened the door to Svensson madness, and wherever I tumble next, it’s bound to be messy, dramatic, and ridiculously entertaining. So yeah, let’s see where I land next! 👀💥🏃🏻‍♀️🧨

[Judy Engell · Rating 2 out of 5]

don’t bother

Couldn’t finish it. I can’t imagine a more dysfunctional group of people. It sounds like a high school kid wrote it

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book five of the Frost Brothers series and the main characters are Oliver Frost and Noelle Wynter, who both met at Harvard. He ruined her life and when both return to the small town of Harrogate, he doesn’t even remember her. She is left sharing a room with her cousin and her gran, back in her family home, while he is building up his company and is already a billionaire. She is having to help out on the Christmas market and isn’t exactly in the Christmas mood! Noelle’s family own a small Christmas tree farm, the Joly Elf Christmas Trees, but she is helping out her cousin Elsa on the Naughty Claus coffee stand, when she first catches sight of Oliver again and he doesn’t even seem to recognise her. She decides to get her revenge and follows him with a vat of a concoction called Snowman Surprise, right in front of his sister Belle and his brothers Owen, Jack, Matt and Jonathan. Her boss catches up to her and orders her back to the stand, but it was worth it to see his posh suit ruined by the sticky drink mix and the look of shock on his face when she refused to do anything to help or pay for the damage. Noelle is back home, never having actually finished her degree in business and computer science, due to Oliver and is now trying to finish it off online, while helping her parents to turn a profit this Christmas hopefully. Her mother got pregnant when she was only fourteen and her father sixteen, so they never had much of a chance at anything else other than raising their kids. The family tree farm didn’t produce income the rest of the year and her father was too soft to put his prices up to what they should be. Her mother has been baking cookies and stuff to sell at the market, to help make some extra money.
Noelle wants her dad to give her more responsibility for the finances of the tree farm, so she can improve their profits, but he would rather stick at his usual prices. Thankfully, Noelle and Elsa come up with a few naughty ideas of their own to raise the prices and make a lot more profit for them. Their competition is Fran’s Christmas trees, but what Elsa and Noelle have come up with, along with their gran’s alcoholic drinks, they will clean up! Oliver and Noelle keep running into each other in the Christmas market of the small town, where Oliver hopes to build the micro processing plant for his business Mithril Tech. He needs to butter up the towns folk before his proposal goes up in front of the town’s planning committee and needs to avoid any scandals. Out of the three sites, he and his business partner and best friend Tristan, have looked at, the best one is an old Christmas tree farm that is failing. Let me guess already, that will be the Wynter family business and once Noelle finds out about it, she will be starting a war, not just out for revenge for what happened at Harvard! He forgot her then for someone from a better family as she thought, and it looks like he is doing it all over again! Why she can’t get that night and him out of her head, ever since, is beyond her, especially when he shows no sign of knowing who she is at all?
There is lots of rude scenarios going on in the storyline, with Noelle doing various Christmas themed job roles to help out her family and try to pay some of the bills, even though her father still won’t let her see the tree farms finances, as she has repeatedly asked him for her new business apps she has set up for him and her mother. Her sister Azalea annoys her no end and looks to be working on baby daddy number four with a married man and ignoring her oldest, Dove who is eleven! Her brother Jimmy is just as bad and lazes about in his underwear playing video games. She plots with her cousin Elsa on how to best ruin Oliver’s Christmas for the problems he caused her at Harvard, but she takes matters a bit too far at points. Somehow, the two of them get romantically involved, with his business partners wanting him to get engaged to Noelle, so the tree farm could be rezoned for his factory, without a massive problem getting it through planning, if it was sold instead. His sister Belle, still has to work with her ex-Greg, but that turns out well for Noelle in the end, when she seeks funding for her apps, so she can save her family’s farm and home. Nothing works out quite how they might have expected, even though there are sparks flying between the two of them at every step. Christmas might just be ruined for both of them, if she carries on, and when the truth all comes out from both sides! Laugh out loud moments are spread throughout the story and her family are a real source of varied material. I loved reading every minute of the book and couldn’t wait to see what they all got up to next, especially with her gran and her mother loving their drink a bit too much and the chaos of living all together in such a small space. Lots of love in the story as well, even if not living in the best of situations, they never lost out on love, although Azalea might disagree! I can’t wait to see what might come next and look forward to reading more by this author. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Tamara Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands ::clapclap::

Alina Jacobs, it's been a long three previous books getting through your continual rehash of the backing show romcom story line, but you did it. You broke free from that very exhausting chaos to a new level of fun chaos in Resting Grinch Face. YAY!!!

The parallels between this story and Grinch Who Stole Christmas was cute with the MFC being our Grinch. There was mention of the baking championship in the background, but thank the goddess this was not another retelling of Alina's exhausting story of the main characters engaged in sabotage to get to their HEA.

Oliver is the youngest of the Frost brothers and is, however (and once again), the billionaire (such a tiring back story). Noelle comes from a poor family that has struggled since its inception. Alina did a good job addressing issues of teen pregnancy, but I acknowledge that the chaos was ... chaotic. It had me setting the book down multiple times to take a break from it all. Perhaps that's because I came from a very chaotic childhood and related all too well. Additionally, the flaws of Noelle, the MFC, were exposed when her niece came out with her little lie. I could understand the frustration she exuded based on her background of a dysfunctional family. However, I would have liked to see a stronger "realization" on Noelle's part to recognize the potential abuse in which she was about to engage. For me, character flaws of the characters are expected but I want to see stronger reactions to their awakenings that what Alina offered in this story.

3 out of 5 chili peppers for spiciness. Some of the sex scenes seemed to be plopped into the story for the sake of having a sex scene. Those scenes need to make better sense in the story. Additionally, I would have liked the sexual tension to be built more strongly into the story and with an "adult" dimension rather than what seemed to be a teenagers brain (regarding actions and language used).

#WorthTheRead

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

In Resting Grinch Face, Alina Jacobs delivers a holiday rom-com where the Christmas cheer is strictly optional and petty revenge is highly encouraged. Noelle Wynter (yes, really), recently booted from Harvard thanks to a certain Oliver Frost, returns home with a single mission: ruin his life. Oliver, blissfully unaware of his crime, has rolled into town to open a factory, presumably with zero expectation of getting doused in a peppermint mocha by his new sworn enemy. But Noelle? She has plans, and none of them involve holiday goodwill.

Noelle is unhinged in the best way—chaotic, grudge-holding, and aggressively against the season of joy. Meanwhile, Oliver is the classic clueless billionaire (Frost brother tradition at this point), totally baffled as to why Noelle keeps sabotaging his existence. Their dynamic is fueled by tension, escalating pranks, and the kind of unresolved history that leads to exactly what you think it does. Somewhere between sabotaging a Christmas tree farm and plotting corporate destruction, Noelle finds herself in a much messier situation: developing actual feelings.

The supporting cast is the usual small-town chaos brigade—messy family drama, eccentric locals, and at least one person who takes Christmas way too seriously. The humor leans hard into revenge rom-com territory, and while it works, the romance itself occasionally gets lost in the holiday shenanigans. Noelle’s relentless vendetta walks the line between hilarious and slightly exhausting, and the miscommunication trope is working overtime in this one.

At the end of the day, Resting Grinch Face is a four-star holiday rom-com—funny, chaotic, and loaded with Christmas sabotage. The enemies-to-lovers tension is entertaining, the festive madness is in full force, and the final payoff (while rushed) is satisfying enough. But if another "Frost Brother Gets Humbled by Holiday Cheer" story isn't high on the wish list, this one might feel like a holiday re-run with extra glitter.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably more like 3 stars but I'm giving it 4 because it checked all the boxes of what I was looking for when I picked it out.

-I had a digital credit that I needed to use
-I wanted a holiday book
-I wanted a romance / chick lit book
-I wanted funny, not sappy / touching
-I wanted a full book (not like a 100 pager)
-It had the best reviews of everything I saw

There's a lot to like. It moves fast, has some great characters (Gran, obvs), and I personally liked that the main character is like 25lbs up in weight and this does not factor in negatively with regards to his attraction to her. It's also nice to have a strong female character who still has her flaws and things she's dealing with also a lot of DGAF attitude.

The downsides? There are too many characters and I had a hard time keeping track of all of them, which I think is probably because this book is technically #5 in a series. There's pretty much constant shrieking by every single person in her family, so if you don't think families that are a hot mess are endearing, you won't like this. The plot points around her business stuff are pretty silly / unrealistic. Her sister is so horrendous, the scenes with her were pretty uncomfortable / ruined the vibe I was trying to get by reading the book. I also found it could've done a nicer job addressing the "money & things aren't what make Christmas special, it's having people you love & who love you" sentiment... There was a lot worthwhile to highlight about that, but at the end of the day there was still ridiculous wealth being used & flaunted, which puts the book more into "fantasy" territory than I wanted it.

[Laure · Rating 5 out of 5]

Noelle moved back to her hometown after flunking out of Harvard. Much to her disgust she spots the man responsible for her downfall walking through the nauseatingly, over the top, decorated for Christmas town square. Did I mention that she absolutely despises Christmas and in a town like hers it makes this time of year pure torture. To make matters worse she finds out that Oliver Frost has moved into her town. She decides to ruin his Christmas, maybe his life and begins her plot for revenge. Oliver is flabbergasted and more than a little puzzling when the pretty young woman douses him with a popular, in this town at least, drink known as Snowman Surprise. The worst part is that she isn’t even the least bit apologetic, and she seems to be delighted by the disaster. He doesn’t even know her, but he might have liked to if she wasn’t completely crazy.
I absolutely love all of the quirky, hysterically funny and delightfully portrayed residents of the town of Harrogate. They are all well written, compelling and maybe just a little bit crazy. I laughed so much I cried, and my sides ached. This is a fun and funny happily ever after second chance rom com with some dizzying twists in the plot. Vengeance, vandalism, poor decisions and plenty of steam make this a must-read Christmas romance. I loved it.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Marty Sandvik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Noelle is upset that Oliver doesn't remember sleeping with her at Harvard when she was a virgin and when he relocates to Harrogate she plans to make his life difficult especially after he takes ownership of her dog when her family abandons it. Oliver doesn't need someone fiery and christmas hating with a grudge against him in his life but he wants Noelle badly. He also wants her family's land to build his factory on and when the two of them start to fall for each other for real there are many complications. Noelle is from a completely different background than Oliver, he doesn't remember being with her before, and he needs her family's land not to mention things take a turn for the worst when Noelle's niece claims Oliver got her pregnant. Luckily it was a lie and everything is worked out and Oliver forgives the family but can a relationship with this much drama have a happily ever after?
I didn't like this book at first and almost DNF it. Noelle didn't take responsibility for her own life at all and put all the blame on Oliver when it was with her and even sometimes her family. I also took issue with the 11 year old claiming Oliver got her pregnant. But I did finish it because I liked Oliver and like all the frost brothers wanted him to get his happy ending. If this hadn't been the 5th book in the series I don't know if I would have given it 3 stars.