The Holiday Hate-Off by Angela Casella

A Romance Novel published (11/04/25)

Summary: Christmas feud turns into enemies into lovers

“But I wanted to find a man who wanted me, and none of them did. I was too stubborn to pretend to be someone else for their benefit.” (Kindle 3%).

Christmas in the cozy town of Hideaway Harbor turns into a festive feud when Lucy, a transplanted coffee shop barista, clashes with Enzo, the grumpy guy next door who’s back home to save his family’s Italian market. What starts as snarky banter and sabotaged holiday events quickly turns into sizzling chemistry. 

Keywords:

Contemporary, Hideaway Harbor, Christmas, Opposites Attract, Enemies to Lovers, Fake Dating, Grumpy/Sunshine

My Review:

She’s looking for Mr. Perfectly Okay. Someone to practice dating (and intimacy) with so she’s ready for Mr. Right. He doesn’t need to be brilliant, super hot, or even funny.

The Holiday Hate-Off is everything I want in a cozy Christmas romcom. It’s funny, flirty, festive, and surprisingly layered. Lucy and Enzo have that perfect grumpy/sunshine, enemies-to-lovers energy that makes you root for them even when they’re driving each other (and everyone else) crazy. The prank wars and banter were highly entertaining to read. When they both have to have the last word, the insults will cut lower and lower. They are both equal parts stubborn and uncompromisingly themselves. This makes for incredibly funny dialogue (ie, banter that never stops) that is highly entertaining.

When Lucy admits she’s “the lonely woman who wants a home so badly she fools herself into thinking she’s found one,” it felt like a gut punch. I am so invested in Lucy that I empathize with her emotional longing for family. The author captures Lucy and her insecurities so well that it feels like I know Lucy as a real person.

The writing itself is raw, witty, and deeply introspective. I felt like I was inside Lucy’s and Enzo’s heads, hearing every messy, contradictory emotion. There’s one line about their “frenemies-with-benefits agreement” that sums up the whole story: two people pretending they can keep things casual while their hearts have other plans. It’s sharp, funny, and full of heart.

I love Hideaway Harbor, and this is technically the first book set in that world. Hideaway has all the small-town charm, meddling families, and holiday chaos that make for a great Holiday escapism read.

I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

This novel was published on 11/04/2025 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 5.00

Links for more information

Goodreads