| Title | : | Resting Scrooge Face |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 80 |
| Publication | : | First published November 29, 2022 |
After a bad breakup, Nola wants nothing to do with Christmas, especially in her quaint hometown of Bright Harbor, Maine. Infuriatingly charming and cheery, Nola’s surroundings only worsen her sour mood.
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?
Resting Scrooge Face Reviews
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Resting Scrooge Face by Meghan Quinn
Narrated by Carly Robins, Aaron Shedlock
Let me just say that Nola and Caleb are the root of all their own misery. It's like, years ago, they are trucking along, happy as a couple. Then they implode due to lack of communication and they become their very own joint misery snow machine and they have no one to blame but themselves. Well done, you two. At least the mess merits you a short story.
Present day Nola has been dumped by her latest boyfriend and has moved back to her hometown where she can live in her parents home and restore it. Caleb now runs the family hardware store and it sounds like he's been Scrooging it year round, every year, since his breakup with Nola. Christmas is the worst for him since the relationship implosion happened on Christmas Eve, all those years ago. In fact, that's the very reason that Nola can't stand Christmas time, also. All that icky happiness and jolliness, and HO HO HO crud. And the decorations, adults and kids laughing, the songs (will you shut up, Bing Crosby!). It's enough to make both of them want to stomp Christmas cookies into the ground!
Nola is miserable enough but she's also having to be on the watch for Caleb. She does not want to see her biggest failure/regret in life. Then the friendly mailman delivers Nola a letter sent by an anonymous fellow Scrooge and she is so glad for the distraction. So she writes back to her fellow Scrooge and Caleb is surprised to get a reply to a letter he'd thrown in the trash. Back and forth, the two Scrooges write, not knowing the identity of their new Scrooge friend. Sparks fly as they laugh and share and realize they just may like each other and even Christmas, now that they are feeling a bit happier and less alone. But, they both can't stop thinking about the one that got away.
This is a cute short story, with a wonderful and funny mailman and granny. Very nice for some Christmas cheer and the audiobook narration works very well for me with the dual narration. Have some eggnog and a sit (or work off the eggnog while listening on the treadmill). Lessons can be learned so that you don't Scrooge up your own Christmas.
Published November 29th 2022 by Amazon Original Stories
This is a Kindle Unlimited audiobook selection. -
Resting Scrooge Face by Meghan Quinn
Narrated by Carly Robins and Aaron Shedlock
Listening length: 1 hour 42 minutes 🎧
This Christmas novella is SO MUCH MORE than an adorable cover and title!
It opens with a “letter” written to Christmas by someone who isn’t feeling in the Christmas Spirit after he discovers that the “one who got away” has moved back to Bright Harbor, Maine to help her parents renovate her childhood home.
Also, not interested in hot chocolate and mistletoe this year-“the one who got away”!
Nola Bisley thought that her fiancé Chris would be proposing this Christmas Eve, after her “hopeless romantic” Grandma Louise shared with her that she had had a premonition that Nola would become FOREVER bonded with someone on that date.
What’s worse? With nowhere else to go, she must return to the very Christmasy town where Caleb Butler, the FIRST guy to break her heart, still lives.
But when Arden, the local postman rescues the crumpled “letter to Christmas” signed by “Resting Scrooge Face” and delivers it to Nola-she feels like she has found the one kindred spirit who can relate to what she is feeling.
She pens a response, signing off as “Ho Ho No!” and gives it to Arden to hand deliver to “Resting Scrooge Face”.
The funny, flirty epistolary exchange that the two continue, just may help them find some Christmas magic after all…and maybe something even a little bit sweeter than the Peppermint Fudge sold in Port Snow.
Guaranteed to bring a smile to your face even if YOU might be feeling a bit glum this holiday season, as I am…
Having just lost a very dear GR friend, unexpectedly (Pat from Australia), who would have never dreamed of reading a Christmas book or a Romance, I know I needed a story like this!!
She would have been the FIRST to comment anyway, saying with a chuckling emoji 😂 “you know it’s not for me-but great review!”
I will always MISS the way she would dive into a series mid stream, her no nonsense reviews on the gritty thrillers she favored, her friendship and her unwavering support of my own reviews!
This story came along at just the right time!
An Amazon original story-AVAILABLE NOW! -
Someone has an ice-cold heart, because someone broke it. 💔
A short, sweet romance without the steam, thank-you.
Gave me some vibes of You've Got Mail, the rom-com starring Meg Ryan , which is a favorite. I could even imagine Meg starring as Nola!
The narration is good, but one minor character's voice did sound kinda like a munchkin! Also has some LOL moments.
Give it a listen if you like short and sweet rom-coms with some Christmas cheer.
The audio is only 1 hour and 42 minutes. 🙌🎧Narrated by: Carly Robins, Aaron Shedlock
Ebook is on KU -
Meghan Quinn writes an adorable festive rom-com with oodles of charm, set in a snowy and picturesque location in Maine. Nola Bisley has returned to her home, Bright Harbor, with a frozen heart after the break up of her relationship with Chris, she is certainly in no mood to appreciate the festive period bursting with Christmas cheer. Caleb Butler, working at his hardware store, is feeling lonely and frustrated, forseeing little but misery in his future, his hostility to the Christmas season is expressed in writing where he refers to himself as Resting Scrooge Face. As a younger man, Caleb had broken Nola's heart when she had left for New York, but he is a haunted man, filled with regrets over ghosts of the past.
Facilitated by Arden, the mailman, the pair end up inadvertently developing a relationship over their shared attitude to Christmas, mistletoe, after all, is the devil's weed, they feel seen, as they become pen pals, but not knowing who they are writing to, with Nola signing herself off as Ho Ho No. Before they know it, the Chrismas spirit begins to infect the couple, as they become besotted, looking forward with great anticipation to their letters. Will they be able to rekindle a love from the embers of a long ago past? This is a delightfully fun, feel good, witty and comic short story, of regrets, pride, angst, and love, a rom-com set in a idyllic seasonal location that will appeal to so many readers this time of the year. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC. -
What fun “Resting Scrooge Face” was!!
First, how can you not love the title!! And the story is hilarious. Curmudgeon Caleb owns the local hardware store in a fictional town in Maine, Bright Harbor, a town known for Christmas. He hates Christmas in every way. He decides to put his hatred to pen, and writes his feelings about the inanity of Christmas, and signs it “Resting Scrooge Face”. He balls it up and throws it away.
Nola has just returned to town after a breakup with her boyfriend. She describes Bright Harbor of a town with a population of 800 busybodies. Caleb broke up with Nola years ago when he refused to go with her to New York. She’s not in a Christmas spirit; she’s still fuming over her recent romantic breakup.
While out in town with her Grandma, the local postman gives Nola a mysterious letter that has no return address. Of course, it’s Caleb’s balled up letter. She finds it charming, and writes back, signing it “Ho Ho NO” where she expresses her distain for the holiday.
The mailman continues to deliver the letters. Neither Caleb nor Nola know they are writing to each other. Their letters are hysterical.
I’m not a romance fan, yet this is a charming story. I listened to the audio, narrated by Carly Robins and Aaron Shedlock. I listened with my earbuds while doing housework; my husband was concerned about my sanity because I chuckled and guffawed for most of the 1 hour and 42 minutes of the story.
Fun Christmas short story! -
I know many enjoyed this one but I have to be honest.
A good and fun premise for a short story but I was pretty bored reading this one. Didn't really create any Christmas "magic" for me.
Available free through Prime Reading. -
If you are looking for short stories to brighten up your Christmas reading then this would be a good choice.
Resting Scrooge Face (not a title you could forget in a hurry!) tells the story of Nola and Caleb whose love story seemed to be over when she went off to university and then stayed to enjoy life in the city. Caleb made his life in their small town. Now Nola is back and newly single. Both are embarrassed to meet again, but an exchange of letters overseen by Arden, the mailman, sets them up on a collision course.
The humour is good especially the letters, the characters are delightful and the story, although short, is sweet. This is a lighthearted Christmas tale which should lift anyone's holiday spirit.
Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for the opportunity to read and review this book. -
Resting Scrooge Face by Meghan Quinn is a 2022 publication. (Amazon Original Stories)
Normally, I don’t do well with short stories, but the title of this book grabbed my attention, and I just couldn’t resist.
As it turns out, this quickie was very well done. The characters have some good back and forth dialogue, there’s a hint of holiday magic and a cute romance all rolled into a compact package. It was well worth the time spent reading it, and it might even cure your own ‘Resting Scrooge Face’.
Overall, because this one is under a hundred pages, it would be terrific ‘lunch break’ distraction and quick holiday spirit booster!
*Available in the KU program with audio -
"Resting Scrooge Face" by Meghan Quinn is a Holiday and Second-Chance Romance Fiction Story!
Nola is "the one who got away" and Caleb is "the one who broke her heart". Neither is "feeling it" this Christmas. They're more focused on avoiding each other than anything else.
Until...
Caleb writes a letter expressing his distaste for everything Christmas and it gets delivered by the local mailman into Nola's hands. She doesn't know who it's from other than someone who calls himself "Resting Scrooge Face". She responds, in kind, and calls herself "Ho Ho No"!
Then...
A friendly, somewhat flirty, letter exchange continues and distracts Caleb and Nola out of their "Bah-Humbug" funk. Will they take things a step further...
The audiobook is short and sweet and the narrators, Carly Robins, and Aaron Shedlock, are the duet for this story. I have to admit, though, I prefer less of the soprano narration and more of the baritone, if you get my drift.
A small-town, home-town Christmas short listen with all the pull and tug of a second-change romance, and the fun and festivities of the Holiday season. I recommend this story as a quick Christmas-y "pick-me-up"! 3.5 stars -
LOVED LOVED 🥰 LOVED this book by Meghan Quinn this is a love story between two people known as Resting Scrooge face & Ho Ho No they communicate through letters delivered by Arden a 72 year old postman.
Nola Bisley returns toBright Harbour after a breakup with her boyfriend Chris they wanted different things in life she wanted children he didn’t. She lives with her grandma Louise who is always hoping that a smile gets back on Nola’s face, she receives a letter from someone called Resting Scrooge face she decides to write back, from then on things heat up between the two, they are not into Christmas at all so both are suited to each other.
What happens from here on is lost love’s & regrets will Nola find true love at last? Will she find joy in Christmas again?
I loved this short story by Meghan Quinn it was beautifully written loved the Christmas feel 4 beautiful ⭐️ stars -
Two people who have lost their Christmas spirit cross paths....
Resting Scrooge Face writes a letter to express all the reasons why Christmas has lost its sparkle for him and it just so happens to land in the hands of Ho Ho No who has also lost her Christmas cheer. A back and forth of correspondence begins until both of them can't wait for their green and gold envelopes to arrive. Agreeing to be strictly *friend zone* friends it seems as if Santa may have other plans. Will their be kisses under the mistletoe?
This book gave me all the warm fuzzies. Super cute, super sweet, and all around adorable. This short story doesn't take much more than an hour to read and I'm willing to bet you'll be smiling the entire time just like I did. 4 twinkling stars! 🌟 -
Do you love the movie "You've Got Mail?" Sympathetic to folks who have a hard time getting into the spirit of Christmas? Want a quick seasonal read? This novella by Meghan Quinn will tick all those boxes and you might even find yourself going from "Ho, Ho, No" to "Ho, Ho, Ho." Caleb and Nola broke up years ago and went their separate ways. Not that both are back in their hometown of Bar Harbor, Maine, there might be an elf or two who can nudge them back together. It will start with a letter written by "Resting Scrooge Face" that is rescued from the waste basket and passed onto a specific someone. I especially enjoyed watching their outlooks on life transform as they connected via the informal post. Thank you to GR friends Barbara, Cara, Holly B, Jayme and Marilyn W for your glowing reviews. I just had to read this one for myself. 🎅🎄💌
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![Rosh [busy month; will catch up soon!]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1649419869i/91622714._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
In a Nutshell: Having low expectations helped. Being a Christmas Scrooge helped even more. 😛 Liked this story enough.
Story Synopsis:Caleb used to like Christmas, but this year, all things Christmassy are annoying him. Could this have something to do with the return of Nola, “the one that got away”, back to their little town of Bright Harbor, Maine?
Nola has just broken up with her boyfriend and tired of the city, she has come back to her hometown. She isn’t sure what she is hoping for, but she knows one thing: she simply doesn’t want to run into Caleb.
When Nola gets a mysterious letter from a ‘Resting Scrooge Face’, she feels an unexpected connect and responds to it. Thus begins a new friendship over a common hatred for the holiday season. Where will this secret relationship go? Read and find out. (If you haven’t guessed it already.)
The story comes to us in the alternating first person perspectives of Caleb and Nola.
What works:
🎄 This is an entertaining second-chance enemies-to-lovers romance. All things you expect from the trope are present in this story and handled decently.
🎄 Not steamy.
🎄 Lots of fun moments. You'll either laugh with the characters or laugh at them
🎄 Loved the little letters written by both the Christmas-hating characters. The drama in the story is quite ordinary compared to the connection between the characters in the letters.
🎄 There are only four characters in the entire story. I appreciate the author’s attempt to keep things simple.
🎄 The remaining two characters, Nola’s grandma and the local mailman, have comparatively limited roles, but they sure leave their mark. Both of them are adorable.
🎄 I loved the title. It is a play on ‘Resting Bitch Face’, of which I have been a lifelong sufferer. (I could simply be thinking about the lunch menu but my face looks like I am planning someone’s murder! 😂)
As a short story, the character development is quite minimal and the plot, quite hurried. This might have worked better as a novella. Nevertheless, it does what it set out to do and provides light entertainment.
This was obviously no literary classic but it offered me some smiles. This is my first read of a Meghan Quinn work, and while I am not a regular reader of romance, I might just keep her future works on my radar.
Recommended if you know what to expect from a second chance romance as this doesn’t steer far away from the formula. The notes are the novelty.
3.75 stars.
The story is free for Amazon Prime subscribers.
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•| ⊱✿⊰ |• 2,4 Stars •| ⊱✿⊰ |•
One word: Boring... -
This was the ultimate, cute, read-in-one-sitting, holiday rom-com! I loved every single thing about this book.
Nola and Caleb, along with Grandma Louise and Arden, stole my heart from the prologue and never let go. Not even after the final page turn.
The letters were cute and funny with just the right amount of tenderness and sentiment, the rest of the dialogue was witty and funny.
The only downside to this entire story... was that it was a short story! I knew that going into it, yes, but I loved it SO MUCH that I didn't want it to end.
If you're looking for a cute, light read that will put a smile on your face and make you feel better about life in general, this is the one to go with! Five not so scrooge-y stars!
*received my copy via Netgalley for review* -
The heart wants what it wants, and sometimes it just takes a little Christmas magic to make it whole again.
It's beginning to look a lot like love ❤️ Don't miss the chance to feel all the feels with Meghan Quinn's newest romantic romp set in Bright Harbor, Maine.
I loved this novel so much. It's a cute, romantic story about two people who have been hurt in the past but find love again. 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, it's clear that there's something special between them. I loved reading about their journey to find love again and how they overcame their own personal demons. This novel was funny, charming, and just downright adorable. I highly recommend it!
This is the perfect novel to get yourself in the Christmas spirit. Happiness really is just a few love letters away - magic is alive and well!
I received an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories. -
I wanted a fun and sweet novella to read in between larger fantasy books, and this second-chance romance totally delivered. Caleb Butler and Nola Bisley have a past, and they are back in the same small town in Maine for Christmas. They both dislike Christmas so Bright Harbor’s cheery environment just makes them feel grumpier about this time of year. While trying to avoid each other and all the Christmas cheer, they end up in an anonymous letter exchange and start to feel less alone.
The letters were so good! They made me giggle and smile so much. The meddling but sweet mailman and the nosey but loving grandmother were delightful too. Caleb and Nola are very likable characters, and their romance was sweet. While I do wish this novella was a bit longer, Meghan Quinn’s writing is easy and entertaining to read.
Picked this up thanks to
Huda and
Cara. 💕 -
2.5 ⭐️ such a cute holiday novella but i did forget all of it the minute i finished. so there’s that.
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Maybe I’m lonely. Maybe it’s the holidays, or maybe it’s the way that letter spoke to me, but Resting Scrooge Face caught my attention, and for some reason, I want to write back.
This was adorable! Sweet and funny, lighthearted but heartfelt, with relatable characters, delightful plot and several instances that made me crack up. I loved it, it was all I hoped I would get.
It's also great how short this story is. Perfect for the busy season when it's hard to get whole afternoons just for yourself. You can easily fit this novella into any schedule.
My biggest complaint was that certain parts didn't feel plausible at all. But I’m only talking about two things, and since everything else was good, it was easy to forgive the weaker parts and fully enjoy the rest of the read.
If you want to see my much more in depth review, you can check it out on my book blog
NovelOnMyMind.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of Resting Scrooge Face by Meghan Quinn in exchange for an honest review. -
Another super cute holiday romance that was short, just perfect for the holidays.
This one centers around a small town (one of my favorite settings) and two former lovers who had a bad breakup. Nola and Caleb are afraid to run into each other and try to hide their still simmering feelings when their paths do cross.
The local mailman delivers a note to Nola and soon she's writing back, pouring out her heart about her true feelings. Can the mysterious pen pal heal her broken heart? -
3 stars
A cute and quick Christmas read. I enjoyed this one.
Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 3 stars
Narrators: Carly Robins & Aaron Shedlock
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Holiday Romance
Length: 1h 42m -
This was cute but short. Blink and you will miss it. I don’t know why anyone tries to write a story in under 100 pages. This was barely anything but it was free on KU.
But honestly if you’ve read That Swoony Feeling, it’s the condensed version of that exact book except set at Christmas.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5... -
A cute little holiday novella with the pen pal trope!! It was absolutely adorable. 💛
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Short, sweet & merry!! I loved this and the fact that we get to see a bit of Nola from Untying the Knot!!
I absolutely loved the letter writing in this book. Think two grinchy pen pals who are not loving the holiday vibes around them communicate about their mutual dislike through old school letter writing!!
Archer & grandma Louise >>>> let’s be honest they’re the real main characters. I love them with my whole heart.
Tropes:
Second chance romance
Small town
Holiday romance
Enemies to lovers -
This is such a cute Christmas novella 🤍🎄.
It’s a second chance romance in a small town setting. With a sprinkle of lovers to enemies to lovers and secret pen pals story line, it’s a really sweet and quick read.
For those who are wondering: it’s smut-free.
For anyone who knows me: yes, I was hoping for smut.
If you’re looking for something short and wholesome, definitely give it a go 🥰. -
Twas boring and unoriginal. I mean let’s not reference HP?? I just don’t get that this is literally brand new and we’re still being tired??? No excuse. The best part was that it was short. The narrators were good though! The budget went to the cover and the narrators lmao.
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3.5 stars Cute second chance Penpal romance
If you’ve read Untying the Knot, then you’ve met Nola (Ryot’s sister). I loved her sage advice in that book, so I was excited to read her story.
I just wish it was longer 😩.
Nola’s back in town for the holidays. She’s been living in New York and was recently in a relationship. But now she’s single. She’s remodeling her parents’ house and needs supplies. Unfortunately, the only hardware store in town is owned by none other than her ex, Caleb, the one who broke her heart all those years before.
Caleb finds out Nola’s back in town and can’t help but reminisce of what they used to be, which only makes him grumpier than normal.
To the point that he writes a Scrooge-inspired letter cursing the holiday spirit.
And then he gets a response from a “Ho Ho Ho No” person 👀.
And then a cute Penpal relationship forms.
Possible spoilers:
I really enjoyed this. I wish it was longer 🤷🏻♀️. I appreciate that neither Caleb nor Nola were celibate and pining away (but it seems that Caleb might’ve done A LOOOOT more pining 💁🏻♀️. As he should 💅 lol ).
We get one kiss 🔥 and some tension. Womp womp lol.
I loooved seeing them open up and exchange stories. Even in their anonymous letter writing, they were grumpy and hilarious lol. I was listening to the audiobook, laughing and giggling 🤣🤣🤣. I need more books with anonymous letter writing please!!!!
Overall, I enjoyed it ❤️
⚠️safety squad⚠️
-no cheating/sharing/owd/omd
-they’ve been separated for years. Neither have been celibate. The h just got out of a relationship and we see one phone call in the book
-NO SMEX SCENES 😐
-HEA is implied (and we see her happy in Untying the Knot) -
this is such an easy read if you’re trying to reach ur reading goal i looved this
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The premise is cute but This wasn't a romcom. Nothing too Christmasy as well.
Con:
I don't get how this second chance lovers of high school sweethearts didn't know the things they shared with other over the years they've spent together. I mean, c'mon, it makes the person question their first love. -
Fun
this was a unique Christmas story. Through sarcasm and anti-Christmas communication, a couple gets together, and falls in love, and lives happily ever after.
I thought it was fun to use sarcasm as a vehicle in a Christmas story
