Grace and Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon had some of the best banter that I have read! The comedy in this is dark at times, but genuine and enjoyable. Henry and Grace have both lost their spouses and are going through their first holiday season alone. Their mother's try to set them up and they decide to be friends, since they are the only ones who understand what the other is going through.

The first 60% of this book was probably some of the best banter and definitely one of the best holiday rom coms that I have read. There were things that came up in the end that I felt were left unresolved and would have liked to be settled differently before the end.

Overall though, Grace and Henry were a blast to get to know even in the midst of their "Great and Terrible Sadness" as Grace puts it. I love them and the way that Henry is so genuine and seamlessly ends up a part of their family is heartwarming and swoon worthy!

Recommend if you are looking for a holiday rom com with banter that is on fire!

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine|Dell Publishing for the ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was super cute. Grace & Henry's family tries to set them up, but in turn they instead decide to go through watching holiday movies.
It turns into a really great friendship. This book will definitely make you laugh. I loved all the different opinions about the movies.

A cute holiday read.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

I first heard about Matthew Norman in May of 2016 when his book "We’re All Damaged" was featured as a "Kindle First." I loved that book so much that I went back and read “Domestic Violets.” Since then, I anxiously anticipate a new Matthew Norman book. When I found out about this one, I was so excited! I am so glad I got a chance to read this one early.

One thing I love about Matthew Norman is, even if the subject matter takes a serious turn, he is still able to find the humor in the situation. That’s one of the things I look forward to the most about a Matthew Norman book. There may be situations that get me “right in the feels,” but then there are also going to be scenes where I am literally crying with laughter. This book is no different!

I loved this book from beginning to end, and I really liked the ending. I would love to read a bonus epilogue one day, or see them pop up in another book. Mild spoiler, but I really liked the nod to “Charm City Rocks.”

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

This Christmas book gives ALL THE FEELS!!!! Grace and Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon is about Grace and Henry. They have both lost their spouses and are having a hard time dealing with the loss. Their parents set them up to meet with hopes that they will date, but what comes out of this meeting is a fun, humorous friendship that they both didn't realize that they needed. They end up watching Christmas movies together and opening up to each other about their past. Henry is a huge help to Grace and her two kids. A bond forms between Grace and Henry, a friendship like no other. But can they both also learn to love again? I laughed and I cried with this book. I really loved it! Well done Matthew Norman, and thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. I will be recommending this book to my Christmas book lovers!

This was such a sweet, emotional kind of Christmas read about grief and loss and trying to find yourself after a death.

I loved how the characters started out as individual messes turned friends to more. They connected over similar losses, became friends and helped each other navigate their first holiday season alone. It did feel a little slow at parts and I wanted to give the characters a little nudge but I still adored them. This book made me giggle and cry, sometimes at the same time.

This author was new to me, but I was intrigued by the synopsis, so I will share the first part: "The new year barely began when Grace White and Henry Adler both lost their spouses. Now, nearly a year later, the first holiday season since their "Great and Terrible Sadnesses" approaches. Although their mothers scheme to matchmake the two surviving spouses, it’s clear that neither is ready to date again. Yet no one understands what they're going through better than each other, and a delicate friendship is born"

Right? Got ya interested doesn't it?! Good. Now go read it! You can thank me later!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for this Arc in exchange for a review!

Dell eARC
Matthew Norman is one of the only men who write romance that I read, and he knocked this one out of the park. First off, I love his Baltimore settings. He does so well with setting the scene and all the descriptions transport me to Maryland. I really liked the aspects of grief in this one. It's so uncommon to get a romance where both characters lost a spouse, and I liked how they helped each other slowly heal. Norman also does a slow burn well. This is strangers to friends to lovers, and I liked the slow build here because of the depth of the relationship he created, this time through Christmas movies. While this book seems like it'd be sad - and it is in moments - it expertly balanced an array of emotions that kept me wanting to come back for more. Both Grace and Henry were complex and I loved being in their POVs equally. It was absolutely lovely and has given me a perfect list of holiday movies for when the time comes.

This was my second book by Matthew Norman and I can't wait to read the rest of his! I loved this- it had great banter and I enjoyed the holiday movie angle. But it wasn't all fun- I felt like the characters seemed like real people and I could empathize with their struggles. A perfect read for the holiday season.

Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon is a gentle, tender story about love, grief, and finding comfort in the little things—like a well-timed Christmas movie and someone who understands your pain without having to say much.

Grace and Henry are both navigating the aftermath of devastating loss, and their connection is refreshingly slow, built on shared silence, awkward movie nights, and small, meaningful moments.

If you’re in the mood for a cozy, emotional read that doesn’t shy away from sadness but still leaves you with a sense of hope, this one’s worth a spot on your winter TBR.

Expected Publication Date: 10/14/2025

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the early access. All thoughts in this review are my own!


Posted on Goodreads on 06/27/2025
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7685172115

Thank you to the publisher and thank you to NetGalley for the chance to review this e-ARC. Full review will be available soon

I was hoping to read something Christmassy and this fit the bill perfectly. I loved this so much. The writing was excellent and the love story between Grace and Henry was *chef's kiss*. The only thing that bothered me was that it seemed to happen really fast and I'm not a huge fan of instalove. Otherwise, great storytelling.

Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon is the kind of cozy, heartfelt read that sneaks up on you. What starts as a charming holiday premise quickly unfolds into something deeper—grief, nostalgia, love, and the quiet magic of tradition. Matthew Norman balances humor and emotion so well, giving us characters that feel familiar but still layered enough to keep you invested. It’s not overly sweet or predictable, which made it all the more satisfying.

The holiday movie references are fun (and spot-on), but at its core, this is a story about connection—both lost and found. If you’re in the mood for a story that’s funny, a little sad, a lot tender, and wrapped up in holiday warmth without being overly saccharine, this one’s a great pick.

THIS BOOK. It's such a beautiful look at grief and joy and love and family. I thought it was going to be a cute story about two people falling in love at Christmas while they watch movies - and it is - but it is so much more than that. While it follows several conventions and tropes, it flips them. I love how it shows the complicated nature of life and love and that it is rare that anyone is actually the bad guy.

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon surprised me in the best way! I expected a lighthearted holiday romance, but what I found was a sweet, emotional story about grief, healing, and unexpected connection. Grace and Henry, both navigating life after loss, are brought together by a shared love of classic Christmas movies and those films become more than background noise. They become the the very thing tying their journeys together!

Matthew Norman handles the topic of grief with incredible nuance. The pacing is gentle, allowing readers to settle into each character’s mind. While the chemistry between Grace and Henry is there, this story is more about emotional intimacy than romantic fireworks and I found that refreshing! Their friendship felt genuine, complicated, and very human.

The only reason I’m holding back one star is that I wished for a bit more momentum in the middle, but the payoff at the end more than made up for it. I finished the last chapter with a full heart (and maybe a tear or two).

This is a perfect pick for readers looking for something honest and hopeful this holiday season.

Thank you to Dell for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

This one starts with heartbreak, but will put you back together piece by piece with the added fun of all your favorite Christmas movies. You'll be on an emotional rollercoaster with characters you can't help but love as they navigate very realistic grief journeys after each losing a spouse. As they say, laughter is the best medicine, and you'll find plenty of humor in this book too, it's a perfect balance, and is not to be missed.

Thank you to NetGalley, Matthew Norman, and Penguin Random House for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I went into this read semi-blind because the cover and title...hello!? yes please. It was not the rom-com I was expecting, but so much more. This is less of a romance and more of a holiday contemporary fiction about two young widows who find each other over the holiday season and develop a friendship that helps them tackle different parts of their nonlinear, sometimes confusing grief. Matthew Norman does an excellent job portraying the complexity and realities of marriage. I loved how Norman used the Christmas movies to as a literary device to move the plot along and develop the character's relationship. I also appreciated how he gave the characters the wherewithal to recognize a potential trauma bond and the space to figure it out without it becoming unhealthy. I was hooked on both of their independent stories, and I loved Henry so much! The end had me in tears in public. This was the perfect holiday story - sad, real, witty, and heartwarming all in one. I will definitely be diving into Matthew Norman's backlist!

Thank you Dell, Penguin Random House, & Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Any book with this argument in it im probably gonna like (big Christmas discussion during every holiday over here) this book is about Grace and Henry who are both dealing with the loss of their spouses in the previous year- their moms conspire to get them together and while not ready for that they start holiday movie watching together (sometimes over thr phone sometimes together) and it just works grace has two kids and they get added to the mix - this is a great book about a gradual friendship and finding happiness again- definitely worth a read anything time of the year!

Thank you net galley for the arc in exchange for an honest review !

A charming feel-good story about finding love again. Grace and Henry meet (with the help of their mothers) and decide to become friends. They both recently lost their spouses and are not ready to date again (and maybe never will be?!). With the winter holidays coming up soon, Grace and Henry decide it would be nice to watch some classic movies together. This brings them closer together but what if they’re not ready to fall in love? This is a comforting read - imagine a Hallmark movie but set in Baltimore.

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

This was definitely one of the most creative and well throughout books I have read in some time. This novel focuses on two main characters whom have both recently lost their spouses. They come together in a semi hilarious way, and are instantly in the realization that they have quite a bit in common. Seeking out friendship and longing to get through the holidays after losing their loved ones they join together to have a movie marathon. This is such a fun and happy book despite the losses the characters have faced. This goes into the themes of live after loss, building what you want in a friendship, and also encompasses making the best of a bad situation.

I will definitely be checking out this author’s other books as it was soo good!

I loved Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon. Based on the cute cover and title, I did not expect the book to be about two widows. Having that in common, Grace & Henry become unlikely friends. Along with their family and friends, we witness them individually, through duel point of view, and in their relationship move through grief.

In addition to a unique plot, I'm a big fan of holiday movies and really enjoyed seeing which ones they watched and remembering familiar lines and scenes. If you like holiday novels & movies, this book is a must read. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!