The Night Before Grumpmas by Kendall Hale

Narrated by Grace Grant and Stephen Dexter

Contemporary Christmas Romance. Stood alone fine, but is part of the Happily Ever Mishaps Series.

See all of the 2024 New Christmas Releases here.

Noelle Holiday lives up to her name in The Night Before Grumpmas by Kendall Hale. She adores all holidays, not just Christmas, and her cheerful spirit is as infectious as it is unstoppable. Looking to start fresh, Noelle moves into her grandma’s rent-controlled apartment in New York City while Grandma heads to Arizona. The only catch? Subletting is against the rules, so Noelle has to keep things quiet. But “quiet” isn’t exactly in Noelle’s vocabulary—especially when it comes to holidays and dealing with her grumpy new neighbor, Jacob McCallister.

Noelle settles in during the fall and immediately sets to decorating for Halloween, complete with acoustic music and scented candles. Jacob, the human version of “Bah, humbug,” pounds on her wall to complain. But instead of backing down, Noelle becomes even more determined to win over her holiday-hating neighbor.

“And then there’s her—the human embodiment of every cheerful holiday special I’ve ever avoided. Noelle Joy Holiday. You can’t make this stuff up. I should’ve known something was off when I saw her moving in. Too much smiling. Way too much energy for someone carrying boxes up three flights of stairs. And that cinnamon—fuck, that cinnamon—it’s like the air freshener equivalent of a punch in the face.”

Despite his grouchy exterior, Noelle continues to kill Jacob with kindness, even leaving him home-cooked meals, which he stubbornly devours while trying to dislike her. Their banter is playful, exaggerated, and so much fun. She’s overly cheerful, and he’s comically grumpy, but their dynamic works beautifully in this lighthearted holiday story. When they finally give in to their feelings, the chemistry is undeniable.

“He raises an eyebrow. ‘I don’t do fun.’
I gape at him. ‘I would’ve never guessed such a thing.’
Jacob sighs, clearly exasperated, and I can’t help but enjoy the banter a little too much. There’s something about how serious he is that makes riling him up even more fun.”

Likes:

Silly, fun banter.
He is SO grouchy he made me smile.
She was so cheerful and determined you couldn’t help but love her.
How long he kept on resisting her nice overtures.
There were some really funny moments.
He was just a softie inside all the grumpiness.

Dislikes:

He seemed to change his mind about her a little too fast, but there is a slight chance I fell asleep and missed him actually falling for her.

The Narration:

Grace Grant and Stephen Dexter were absolutely perfect for these characters. Stephen nailed Jacob’s grumpiness and hidden soft side, while Grace brought all the snark, cheer, and determination of Noelle to life. They made the story even more enjoyable with their performances.

The Down & Dirty:

The Night Before Grumpmas by Kendall Hale was such a fun grumpy/sunshine, enemies-to-lovers, neighbors-to-lovers holiday romance. Jacob McCallister may win my grumpiest hero award for this holiday season, but he sure turned that grumpiness around from the love of a good woman. If you’re looking for a cozy, feel-good holiday read with plenty of laughs and heart, this one hits all the right notes.