When this book starts out, it’s almost like a holiday take on Schitts creek. Our main character, Matthew Prince is a New York socialite, who just bought an island with his parents money.  His punishment is to be shipped off to the country to stay with his grandparents who don’t come from money and won’t take it,  to keep his spending habits under wraps. Matthew Prince very much echoes David from Schitts creek: that rich preppy fish out of water type person. However, I like David!  Matthew Prince is really hard to like for the first half of this book. He has the spoiled rich kid complex, and it’s annoying. He also goes out of their way to point out that it’s his parents’ actions that have made him the way he is and all of his actions have been to get their attention. That may be the case, but it doesn’t mean it’s enjoyable to read. I really do like the love interest Hector in this male/male romance and I do think they make a cute couple. Once again, it feels resoundingly like shits creek. This doesn’t feel new or fresh. And while the title goes with the story, the Muppets Christmas, Carol comes up frequently. This does feel more like a retelling of a Christmas Carol then it does the Grinch. Matthew at one point in time does call himself the grinch but I guess you can see his heart growing or maybe it’s just his eyes are opened but… I just wanted to like this one more than I did. It’s very choppy. I love the town I love the grandparents. I love the side characters. I just really do not like Matthew prince. I do eventually feel for him and I’m happy for him, but he’s just so not for me. 

 

This is a love story, it does work, however, it feels extremely Y a. There is nothing wrong with YA romance. I happen to really like them but this does not feel right. Why a romance? I am glad the author repetitively reminded you that they are both in their early 20s because one’s graduating college and  the other one hasn’t been to school except for they the few months at New York University.  This book is steamy,  it’s not spicy.  I think if the author wants to write steam and spice, they need to read more of it. The action in this book was bland more like a humidifier than an actual steam. I give the author credit for trying, but they need a bit more practice. Overall, this was a fun book and maybe I would like it if Hallmark turned it into a movie but right now it feels more like a Netflix holiday movie then a Hallmark one.