Book Title: Holiday Ever After
Author: Hannah Grace
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group UK | Piatkus
Publishing Date: September 2025
Hannah Grace has already won a devoted readership with her ice hockey romances (Icebreaker, Wildfire, and Daydream). With Holiday Ever After, she takes a festive turn, delivering the kind of small-town Christmas romance people crave in the “–ber” months. And she delivers it with her signature strengths: sparkling banter, engaging dual POVs, and a keen sense of pacing.
Like her previous books, the opening chapters take a little legwork. Grace spends time setting up the context, giving us clarity from the start so there are no plot loopholes later. This does mean the story is a touch slow on the uptake, but the payoff is swift: by Chapter 4, Jack and Clara have met, their banter is already flying, and the forward momentum never lets up again.
The story unfolds as a meet-cute → enemies → friends → lovers arc, and it’s handled with real charm. The teasing banter between Jack and Clara never disappears; it simply evolves as their relationship deepens. Teasing becomes their love language, and it’s delightful to watch that thread hold steady from the beginning through to the end.
Grace also writes humour that feels effortless. It’s not just the witty back-and-forth; even her descriptions and inner monologues carry these sly little punches. Clara musing that her plan “looks like the work of an over-enthusiastic child” or Jack comparing his sighting of Clara to “a ghost not seen since Ebenezer Scrooge got his shit together” are perfect examples. And then there are gems like: “The ability of sticky notes to not do the one thing they’re supposed to do needs to be studied.” These jokes slide in unexpectedly, keeping the reading experience breezy, cosy, and genuinely funny.
The small-town atmosphere is another highlight. Fans of Gilmore Girls will feel right at home here — Jack Kelly carries shades of Luke Danes, the quintessential grumpy-yet-loveable local, while the wider town ensemble keeps things lively. Supporting characters aren’t just filler; they’re amusing, well-drawn, and add real texture to the story. In fact, I could easily see myself wanting to read many more of their stories, too — I wouldn’t mind a few more books in this universe.
Another strength lies in Grace’s control of her plot. The pivots aren’t always about the romance — often, they’re in the larger story beats — but they land at just the right moments to keep things engaging. The result is a narrative that feels assured, smooth, and perfectly paced for a holiday read.
Of course, it’s worth noting that Hannah Grace has drawn critique in the past for some of her wilder scenes (yes, I’m looking at you, cab scene from Icebreaker). Personally, I’m glad she doesn’t let such feedback faze her. Those moments always feel true to the characters and story she’s building, and her playful, witty banter makes them land.
Holiday Ever After is a 4.5-star read for me. Hannah Grace has delivered a festive romance that has everything you could want: the nostalgia of Christmas and the joy of the season, a small town facing big changes, the “big bad corporation” as the villain, toys at the heart of the plot, and a cast of lovable secondary characters. It’s funny, cosy, heartfelt, and grounded — never just playing tropes for the sake of it, but making them shine.
Hannah Grace has delivered a festive read with sharp plotting, sly humour, and a town full of characters you’ll want entire books about — a Christmas romance that knows exactly what it’s doing.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC via NetGalley. All views are my own.