This was a cute second chance romance. Even though it was a novella, I think it did a great job of telling a full story.
I liked how Emma was the grumpy but generous person. Arthur was obviously struggling with his fake happy persona, and seeing his conflicting emotions and finally noticing how superficial his life was, was very satisfying.

There were some things about the continuity/editing of the story that stuck out, but didn't really impact the story.
First, there was an incident where Emma stays home and avoided Arthur and the cafe for a day, but then later it's mentioned how they saw her "yesterday" - when she was supposed to have been absent.
Second was when they were intimate the first time, and they emphasize the use of a condom, but then she finished him with her hands (no mention of removing the condom), and he spurted all over his fur...which would not have been possible with a condom on.

Despite those small things, I enjoyed this one more than the first, and felt like things moved at a nice pace overall and this was a fun addition to the series.

4/5 🌟

First u want to thank NetGalley, Harlequin Publishing, and Isabelle Taylor for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book before it releases.

This was a very short, easy read with a touch of romance. Emma, who is the FMC in this story, is the grumpy to this grumpy x sunshine trope. She’s been repressing all her emotions except for anger since a bad breakup when she was a teenager. Arthur, the MMC, is a chimera who comes to Claw Haven to film a new movie and ends up running into his high school love, Emma. These two go on emotional journey of finding themselves and discovering how to work through their emotions.

I think this book has potential to be a 5 star but unfortunately the story was too short. I believe if there could have been more expansion on the backstory and rekindling of romance then this book would have been perfect. I can’t wait to see more from Claw Haven in the future.

I love this universe! A super cute holiday special. A cozy happy book.. This is a must read! Thank you Net galley for this ARC!

I really enjoy the Claw Haven series!
Christmas with a Chimera might only be the second installment, but the characters of Claw Haven are already dear to me.
In this second-chance romance, chimera Arthur returns to his hometown to shoot a Christmas movie.
Needless to say, he might not be over his high school sweetheart, Emma, who just so happens to work at the café that is the main location of the film.
Though only a novella, this story brought all the feelings: it’s cozy, Christmassy, and has the right balance between humour and thoughtful moments.
I’m already looking forward to the next installment in the series.

The second book in the Claw Haven series, this cozy monster romance follows Emma, a human, and Arthur, a Chimera, who were once high school sweethearts. Everything chnages when Arthur decides to leave to chase his dream of becoming an actor. Years later, he returns to Claw Haven to film a movie—right in the café Emma now owns. Furious at his unexpected intrusion, Emma can’t deny the sparks that reignite between them. Perfect for the season, this is a light and charming holiday read.

"Half my size and you can still undo me."

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️

Brought home for the holidays for an upcoming movie, actor Arthur Pineclaw only has to survive small-town life for two weeks. What's unexpected is the amount of times he's run into Emma Curt - who runs the café he's filming in, and is the ex-love-of-his-life as well. His surety that he's left Claw Haven behind starts to waver, as they begin to spend time together - old memories coming to the surface, reminders of what they had. Will Arthur will Emma over again, or has he already blown his chance for good?

It was so great to step in Claw Haven again! The cameos were great and I loved that the town has been fleshed out more, I loved that it was thriving. Getting to see Luna married and her influence was so much fun. And I loved the second chance romance in this - you can so feel that there was so much left unsaid, and regret on both sides. The way they still think about each other twelve years later, that there hasn't been anyone else like them - gosh that had my heart!

I enjoyed the self-reflection - Emma apologizing to poor Hazel was such a mark on her character growth, as well as getting better at identifying her feelings. I do love a prickly FMC, so I did love that she was so unapologetically herself as well! And that Arthur loved her for her grumpiness, and has all this time. I would have loved some more growth from Arthur, he does make grand gestures but there were moments leading up to it where was so selfish and self-centered - it was hard to root for him, I was Team Emma all the way (though I was hoping they would find a way to make amends)!

This was a super sweet novella, and definitely had me in the mood for the holidays!

Tropes & Tags:
🎄 second chance romance
💖 monster romance
🎄 small town romance
💖 actor mmc x cafe fmc
🎄 reverse grumpy x sunshine
💖 christmas setting

[I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review, thank you so much NetGalley, Isabelle Taylor, and Harlequin Romance! 📖]

Christmas with a Chimera was a sweet, holiday rom-com with a charming Chimera MMC and a fiery human FMC reconnecting over Christmas in their small hometown. I loved this book for a cute romantic second chance romance and I will continue the series!

Isabelle Taylor's shorter novel with the same setting as Accidentally Wedded to a Werewolf (Claw Haven, Alaska) brings the same cozy cheer but I wouldn't recommend trying to read this first or as a standalone. (I read it first, so this is advice coming from one who knows.)

It's a second chance romance between chimera movie star Arthur and his human high-school sweetheart Emma, whom he dumped to pursue dreams of wealth, fame and warmth. There's a pretty high level of spice, which normally I enjoy. In this case, though, I would have preferred more time (either in lieu of or ideally in addition to the spice) spent making the case for why Arthur and Emma should try for a full, adult relationship instead of a fun reunion fling. A lot of great stuff here that deserved a longer novel.

If fractions were an option, this would be 3.5 out of 5. Would recommend only to those who've read the first book and/or love second chance.

This was definitely a different kind of holiday romance. I liked the idea of a chimera movie star returning to his small hometown and running into the ex he left behind, especially with all the second-chance and festive vibes. The setup was fun, and the mix of fantasy and Christmas rom-com felt original and a little quirky. That said, it didn’t completely grab me. The story was light and entertaining, but I never felt fully invested in the characters or their emotions. It was cute, sometimes funny, and overall a pleasant read, but not one that really hooked me.
If you’re looking for something unusual for the holiday season, with a touch of supernatural charm, it’s worth picking up—but for me, it was more “nice” than unforgettable.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publishing house for this book.

This was such a funny, sweet, amazing holiday romcom. Emma and Arthur are the perfect match, because they really see each other and call each other out on their bs. I'm not usually a fan of second chance romance, but these 2 were still so in love and the angst went from laugh out loud funny to sweet melancholy in a very satisfying way. I do wish we got a little epilogue to see more of their happily ever after, but it was a great short read. It even made me tear up it was so cute!

Christmas with a Chimera is a cozy, magical holiday read with just the right mix of tension and tenderness. Arthur Pineclaw’s return to Claw Haven brings all the drama you’d expect when you drop a Hollywood star back into the orbit of the woman he broke up with on Christmas Eve may years ago. Emma’s sharp edges, combined with Arthur’s determination to win her over, made their dynamic both frustrating and fun to follow.

I liked how the novella balanced the whimsy of a monster-filled small town with the very human messiness of regret, forgiveness, and second chances. The romance did feel a little quick in places, probably a byproduct of novella length, but it was still satisfying to see Emma and Arthur navigate their past and decide if the spark between them was worth rekindling.

A warm, slightly spicy holiday story that fits perfectly into the Claw Haven world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this advance copy.

🎄 Bookish Thoughts
Christmas with a Chimera is a short and sweet monster romance! A cozy, second chance holiday novella with all the warm feels.

I loved Claw Haven and how cozy the town felt. Arthur, the famous actor, coming back home and filming in his high school sweetheart’s café made for a fun and awkward setup 🤣
Emma was my fave with her fighting spirit, and honestly, I didn’t blame her one bit for still being mad at Arthur after all these years. Getting dumped on Christmas Eve?! Rude. And lowkey Arthur really was a bit much and I loved Emma roasting him and I did laugh when she “accidentally” threw the ice coffee on him 🤣😌
Solid 3.5 stars.

💚 What to Expect
• Chimera MMC
• Cafe Owner FMC
• Second chance romance
• Small town setting
• Exes to lovers
• Grumpy x sunshine
_____

📅 Pub Date: October 7, 2025
Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

*Note: This book was independently published in November 2024. This is a review of the Harlequin ebook version.

Welcome back to Claw Haven! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, I strongly recommend it. I’ll wait. OK, so while these can be read as standalone books, the first book in this series, “Accidentally Wedded to a Werewolf”, published as an ebook and audiobook on October 7, 2025, really sets the tone of the town and the people that live there. It’s also a really fun book to read.

That’s not the point of this review. The point, is to tell you that this book is also a fun, slightly heartbreaking, definitely heartwarming, grumpy (her) x sunshine (him), small town, forced proximity, second chance romance book.

Whew! That was a lot and I probably forgot something important. Oh yeah! Spice. Definitely the spice. You could even say this book is sweet and spicy. (That is my attempt at a cafe pun, feel free not to laugh). 😆

The synopsis does a great job at telling you what the book is about without giving any spoilers, so I am just going to say I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series.

I would like to thank Harlequin and NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and my review is voluntarily given. As always, I wish you happy reading!

I received a free ARC copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This author is an instant read for me! The first book she wrote that I had the great pleasure or getting to ARC review also was Accidentally Wedded to a Werewolf. That was a top rated read for me. I absolutely adored the cozy world she created in Claw Haven! So I had very high expectations for this one. And let me tell you, this book blew all of my expectations out of the water! I ADORED the connection between the main characters. The tension was just delicious and maddening in the best way. And when they finally came together? Just pure magic. I never cease to be stunned by how well the author develops the bond between the couples in her books. And I just cannot wait to devour the next one!!

Loved reading the fabulous and fantastic paranormal story. When Emma finds out her ex-boyfriend, Arthur, is back in town, she wants nothing to do with him, but Arthur wants to spend time with Emma. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and another must read riveting Claw Haven romance story by the awesome author, Isabelle Taylor.

I absolutely loved diving back into Claw Haven with this novella. Not only do we meet new characters, Emma and Arthur, we get glimpses of Luna (and a little of Oliver) from her first novel 'Accidentally Wedded to a Werewolf' which I adored so much! Emma and Arthur are the MCs in this novella and I adored them. They dated back in high school and broke up when Arthur went to pursue his dream in LA. After being back in Claw Haven for a movie gig, they reunite after many, many years..... I saw A LOT of me in Emma and I rooted for her so hard!!! And you fall in love with Arthur enough to root for him too!!! There was yearning, longing, push and pull between the two, but it never got to the point where it was too much and got tired of them. And the growth that happens, individually and together.... *chefs kiss*

I love these two so much! I need to meet more residents in Claw Haven!!! <333

Christmas with a Chimera is basically a cozy Hallmark movies. but with monsters (and a little extra spice). This cozy Claw Haven novella blends holiday warmth with whimsical fantasy, delivering a second chance romance between Emma, a small-town café owner, and Arthur, a famous chimera actor who once broke her heart. Their banter, tension, and eventual reconnection felt both charming and heartfelt, while the festive yet magical Claw Haven setting made the perfect backdrop.

Though short, the story balances humor, heart, and heat beautifully. Emma’s grump versus Arthur’s sunshine dynamic had me smiling, and I loved how Taylor’s characters always feel real—flawed, messy, and deeply human (or monster). A delightful, one-sitting holiday romance that left me cozy and content.

Another adorable Claw Haven book. I had no idea I was even into monster romance stories until the first book. 😂 But I’m a sucker for this series. I think it will be my new go-to comfort read.

I love that this book gave a look into a different character from the town (Emma) that was introduced in the first book. I am just in love with the cozy small town of Claw Haven and wish it was a real place I could go to myself. This is really a light, fun read that goes fast.

Like Accidentally Wedded To The Werewolf, this one started a little slow, but quickly picked up and kept me in Claw Haven until I was done. (To tell the truth, I was late to work finishing this one!)

Emma is a cafe owner in a small predominantly monster town who has rightly earned a reputation as a town group. Our MMC is Arthur, a chimera and many times over leading man in romcoms that read like Hallmark movies to me. Much to Emma’s dismay, his current role lands him back in their home town and his set? Her cafe. Sparks fly immediately and don’t stop.

My favorite thing about this book and maybe also finding your person (I found mine) is the way you can be so unapologetically yourself. This one person out of the entire world just gets you and in that space you can be completely and wholly yourself. These characters who always wear thick masks out in the world rediscover their home isn’t in LA or in Claw Haven but with each other.

For the folks who like this info:
Human FMC/Chimera MMC
Open door
Second chance
Small town romance
Enemies to lovers-ish

Like AWTAW, I really liked this book too. I like the characters that Isabelle writes. They feel *real* and flawed and at times unlikable and very likable other times- so yeah real. The shifts in emotions and ways the characters respond feel true to the circumstances and not like the author forcing something to further a narrative. (Yes there’s some smut but it’s not smut for smuts sake.)

I like Isabelle’s writing style and the way she crafts her characters. I’m excited to read the next Claw Haven book!

This was a cute novella- I didn’t vibe with it as much as the first book in the series but it was an easy quick Christmas read.
The MMC was a bit eye rolly to me, but Christmas novellas are kinda my thing so I was happy to read it nonetheless.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC!!