Title: The Holiday Hate-Off
Genre: Romance
Rating: 5/5
It’s unofficially officially that time of year: time to read all the holiday romance books you can find. I had the pleasure of reading an ARC of Angela Casella’s, “The Holiday Hate-Off,” which is book one in an interconnected series, Hideaway Harbor. Casella is a new author for me, and she did not disappoint. The book was whimsy, Christmasy and humorous! I LOVED this book.
Holiday Cheer Meets Holiday Grump
Meet Lucy, the main character in “The Holiday Hate-Off.” Lucy is new to Hideaway Harbor and is soaking up the holiday magic that the town has to offer after her mom’s passing. She’s on a mission to lose her v-card, which is, of course, when we meet our hero of the story, Enzo. If you’re into Hallmark movies like myself, you know Enzo as the serious businessman from New York that doesn’t do Christmas until a woman full of holiday spirit steps into his life. Enter Lucy.
The two’s relationship is not love at first sight. In fact, Lucy and Enzo despise each other. Anyone up for a good enemies to lovers trope? But how quickly that turns around when Enzo finds out Lucy’s mission for the holiday season and becomes jealous and protective of her. There’s something about a man that’s grumpy and protective that makes me swoon. I adored Lucy and Enzo’s turbulent relationship. What started as a competition between the coffee shop Lucy worked at and Enzo’s family’s Italian restaurant, blossomed into a true love story. Full of spice, might I add! They were two opposites that worked, and I felt their relationship was authentic and didn’t feel too rushed.
I enjoyed seeing them compete with one another and then enjoy the holiday season together once they realized they meant more to one another. Each character grew throughout the book — the side characters also had a hand in helping with the characters’ growth. Also, there was no third-act breakup. That is a huge win in my book.
Lucy was also such a sweet character. Her backstory of being her mom’s caretaker until she passed away showed the kind of person she is. Enzo was also a male character worthy of book swooning.
The town full of merriment
Everybody in Hideaway Harbor was meant to be a character in a Hallmark Christmas movie. We had Eileen, Lucy’s matchmaking boss; there was Charlie, her edgy, protective best friend; then there was Nico, Gio and Nonna Francesca that rounded out Enzo’s loud Italian family. Each character brought something to the table. Honestly, there are some side characters in books that I cannot stand, but Casella crafted each character so well that I liked them all. They all had such different personalities that worked well to balance Lucy and Enzo.
Let’s not forget how festive the town was. It was fun to read about all the holiday festivities taking place in their little town. It made me long to visit a seaside town during Christmas season. Casella did so well in imagining the town and all its characters to create a fun, sweet, spicy story perfect for the Christmas season ahead.
Here’s what to expect from “The Holiday Hate-Off”
🎄 A Grumpy hero and a fun-loving heroine
🎄 A cast of jolly side characters
🎄 No third-act breakup
🎄 Found family
🎄 Enemies to lovers
🎄 Hallmark Christmas movie vibes with some added spice
🎄 City man meets small town girl
“The Holiday Hate-Off” is officially ready to purchase for the holiday season! Seriously, if you are a sucker for small-town romances chalk-full of holiday fun, you need to read this book. It will have you smiling while you read.
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