The Holiday Grump by Enni Amanda

A Romance Novel published by Lumi Publishing (11/21/25)

Summary: Christmas brings together two broken hearts

“Maybe home wasn’t a place you decorated. Perhaps it was this feeling. Being known. Being expected.” (Kindle 43%).

Runaway bride Noelle has been hiding out for the last year. Grumpy bookseller Fredrik doesn’t think he’ll ever find love again. One meet-cute later, and Noelle happens to be running the pop-up shop next to Fredrik’s bookstore. They agree on friendship because Noelle will be gone after the holiday season, and Fredrik is, well, a grump after all. But when the snow falls and the walls come down, even the grumpiest hearts can melt.

Keywords:

Slow-Burn, Contemporary, Hideaway Harbor, Christmas, Broken Heart, Opposites Attract, Runaway Bride, Grumpy/Sunshine

My Review:

Noelle is the epitome of sunshine, while Fredrik is her opposite. I loved the way Noelle is a free-spirited, talk-her-mind, unpretentious person. There is a great deal of characterization and life in Noelle. “She simply spoke without thinking, the words bursting out of her like an uncontrollable sneeze.” (Kindle 14%).

Fredrik is thought of as a grump, but he’s so much more. He is depressed. He is thoughtful. He is always thinking about others. He is also set in his ways. He can’t help but notice and want to protect and help Noelle. She is somehow both independent and helpless.

They both have baggage, and I loved every scene with them together because their push-pull banter is witty and on point while their chemistry simmers from the get-go. Their meet-cute and developing relationship is delightfully awkward, and while both are keeping secrets, they must learn to trust each other if they’re going to make a go of things. “We led very different lives that somehow fit together perfectly.” (Kindle 78%).

I loved reading further into the world of Hideaway Harbor, and this book was a perfectly crafted and entertaining Holiday read about found family, healing, and second chances.

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

This novel was published by Lumi Publishing on 11/21/2025 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.75

Links for more information

Goodreads