[ARC Review] Resting Scrooge Face by Meghan Quinn
To make matters worse, Caleb, the boy who broke her heart years ago, is all grown up and still living in town. While doing her best to avoid him, Nola bumps into the local mailman, who gives her a mysterious letter. And when she finds that the writer is a fellow Scrooge, she can’t help but feel her spirit lifting.
Nola writes back to her new pen pal—who, unbeknownst to Nola, is none other than Caleb. When Caleb gets a response hand delivered by the mailman, he’s intrigued by the mystery sender. A friendly correspondence develops—and quickly turns flirtatious.
Although Nola and Caleb claim they can’t stand each other, they can’t deny the simmering attraction that brought them together in the first place.
Can these nameless pen pals write their own love story—or will they be too caught up with the ghosts of their Christmases past to find a future together?
My thoughts: I just adore Meghan Quinn romances, and Resting Scrooge Face was no exception. Quinn gives us so much to love in this short story: the one who got away, small town romance, holiday romance, secret identities, and letter writing spurred on by the 70 year old mailman.
Between two main characters that readers will spend the whole story wanting to see together, plus a fantastic couple of supporting characters in Arden and Grandma Louise, this was a quick but enjoyable way to get into the holiday spirit.
I'm a huge fan of the grumpy/sunshine trope, but I really didn't mind that both Caleb and Nola had the bah humbug attitude throughout most of the story. In this case, grumpy/grumpy worked better than I anticipated. The holidays aren't easy for a lot of people, so I could completely relate to both Nola and Caleb as they dreaded the holiday festivities around them.
As much as I love a happily-ever-after, I think my favorite part of Resting Scrooge Face was the back and forth letter writing between our main characters, and the little side remarks Arden makes the whole time. Arden is the 70 year old best friend we all need in our lives. And Caleb and Nola's letter signatures? I need "Sincerely, Resting Scrooge Face" and "Sincerely, Ho Ho No" on shirts or matching coffee mugs or something.
Resting Scrooge Face is a short, binge-able holiday romance that is perfect for both those filled with holiday cheer and those who are looking for a reason to believe. This story isn't too complex, allowing Quinn the space to emphasize the simple relationship that grows into the best kind of love.
This holiday novella is a must read for all Meghan Quinn fans, and is an excellent introduction to her stories for anyone new to her writing. Short and sweet, Resting Scrooge Face is a must-read holiday romance.
**A huge thank you to Amazon Original Stories for providing a review copy of this title. My review is written voluntarily and all opinions are my own**
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Release date: 11/29/22
Format: eARC
eARC provided via: NetGalley
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