Thank you for the ARC for this book. This is my second Isabelle Taylor book, and while I'm not normally a fan of Christmas themed stories, this one wasn't overly "Christmasy" which I appreciated. Claw Haven has a Christmas feel to it at all times anyway, so it wasn't an in your face Christmas book. It was fun to see the glimpses of characters from the previous books, but I feel like the FMC and MMC fell a little flat for me. I know it's difficult to flesh out the characters in such a short book and I still had a great time reading the story and seeing where the characters land. I look forward to future books set in Claw Haven, I feel like there's more here and love in the future for other characters.

If Hallmark movies had more monsters and a little extra spice, Christmas with a Chimera would be the blueprint. This novella was an absolute delight, and I adored every snowy, chaotic, second chance moment.

Arthur Pineclaw, famous actor/chimera, struts back into Claw Haven looking like Hollywood perfection, but underneath the charming smile is the guy who once broke Emma’s heart... on Christmas Eve, no less. Emma, now the fierce and fiery owner of the local café, is not here for his “I’m back, baby” routine. Cue banter, unresolved tension, and just the right amount of magical holiday atmosphere.

Normally, I’m not a huge second chance romance reader (I tend to stay mad on the FMC’s behalf 😂), but this story won me over completely. Emma’s grump vs. Arthur’s sunshine was just too good, and watching him grovel (with those big chimera puppy eyes) was incredibly satisfying. Plus, the Claw Haven setting is pure cozy fantasy, featuring quirky townsfolk, snow dusted streets, and enough magic to make you want to pack your bags and move there immediately.

This was warm, witty, and whimsical with the perfect balance of heart, heat, and holiday charm. A one sitting kind of read that left me smiling like I just drank the world’s best peppermint mocha. 🎄💖

⭐ 4 stars
💖 Tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine, Second Chance, Small Town Holiday Romance
🔥 Spice: enough to melt the snow off Claw Haven’s rooftops

Claw Haven is officially one of my favorite fictional towns, and I really, really hope Isabelle Taylor keeps letting us visit!

Thank you to NetGalley, Isabelle Taylor, and Harlequin for the eARC of this book.

When movie star Arthur Pineclaw returns to Clawhaven to shoot scenes for his latest romantic comedy, he didn't expect to be doing so in front of Emma, his angry ex-girlfriend. Likewise, Emma didn't expect Arthur to return to the town (and the girl) that was holding him back. Can the amiable facade that Arthur has curated for so many years stand up to Emma's anger?

A cute novella that returns to Clawhaven - the town where monsters can go to experience some peace and quiet. This story builds nicely on the previous novel - the town has changed a lot with Luna's influence. Again, I'm a little conflicted about the two MCs - both are pretty static - and there wasn't a lot of room for character growth. The world building however, continues to be excellent.

Another cute entry into this series. I am not a huge fan of second-chance romance, because it takes a bit more effort on the author's part to convince me that the couple belongs together in spite of their original break up. Unfortunately, I don't know that this was long enough to succeed on that front. By the end, I still had beef with Arthur in particular. The story was still cute, just not my favorite. I think if it had been a different type of romance but with similar characters, I could have enjoyed it a lot more.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Romance for providing this eArc for review!

I enjoyed this holiday novella for the lovely characters and cute banter. It was fun seeing how the town progressed since book one. Fun, quick read.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second book in the Claw Haven series, and I have to admit, the characters are very difficult to like. Probably Arthur even more-so than Emma, and she’s the angry, grumpy one! The first book is all fun, enjoyable fluff, and I was hoping for more of the same. Thanks to Harlequin for the ARC.

This was such a cute, sweet, quick read with a hefty dose of spice and a magical, Christmas-y happy ever after. I liked the main characters and even though this story was short I felt like I got the chance to get to know them enough to make the ending meaningful.

This was cute, nothing substantial but cute.

I just found the text itself to be a little unpolished and despite being a novella it feels pretty long. There are some sections of clunky dialogue that I found a little hard to parse.

Another thing is the world just doesn't feel fully lived in or realized. The names of people, media, and locations all take me out of the story with how not natural they seem.

It also just felt too repetitive in asserting characters' traits and had no natural story beats that felt earned.

4.5⭐️ Arthur Pineclaw finds himself back in his hometown of Claw Haven, Alaska for two weeks to finish his latest movie. He reconnects with his high school sweetheart, Emma, whom he dumped on Christmas Eve to pursue an acting career. This caused Emma to develop anger as her coping mechanism.

This book is fast paced due to it being a novella, but it didn't take anything away from the storyline. You can easily binge this in one sitting so grab your blanket and snuggle in.

This book has the grumpy-sunshine, small town, second chance tropes, with some spice thrown in and I'm looking forward to reading more books in the Claw Haven series about the charming residents of this town.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sooo totally read this in less than 12 hours. Oops.

This was a great follow-up to Accidentally Wedded to a Werewolf. It was great to see post book 1 life and to learn more about the town. I really related to Emma and loved seeing her journey. Just the right amount of spice and such a cute little holiday novella.

Will for sure keep reading the series!

Whimsical, cozy, and just the right touch of magic. It’s the kind of holiday read that makes you want twinkle lights up year-round.

Amazing book loved the characters and plot. I couldn't stop reading I stayed up all night. I loved the book so much thank you for the arc.

This is a Christmas time mythical romance that is sweet and spicy. Emma Is a cafe owner in the small whimsical town of Claw Haven. Arthur is a local Chimera that moved to Hollywood and made it big. While it is a cozy romance it also goes a little deeper to follow the characters as they deal with their feelings. Emma has a tough time dealing with her emotions and uses anger to cover it up. Arthur is the only one that can break through that shell, but he has his own issues of living life surface deep.

Grumpy vs. Sunshine by she is the grump and he is the sunshine!

This is a novella but it reads more like a full novel which I appreciated. It is the second book in the series but can be read as a standalone.

This was such a cute and cozy holiday read with a magical twist. I loved the mix of festive vibes and light fantasy, it made the story feel fresh and whimsical. The romance was sweet without being over the top and the magical creature element added a fun layer that kept me smiling. Some parts felt a little rushed and I wanted more time with certain moments, but overall it was warm, charming, and perfect for a December weekend read. If you like holiday romances with just a sprinkle of magic, this one will hit the spot.

I’m amazed at how sweet and wholesome a book with two separate knotting scenes was! A quick and predictable resolution, sure, but it checked the boxes I was looking for. Even though this was a Christmas romance, it wasn’t super tied to the time of year - I read it in August, and it didn’t feel out of season, but now I want to go to a little Alaskan town and check out cafes and artisan chocolate.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me this ARC!!
I was immediately so happy being back in Claw Haven!! I loved that Arther grew up in Claw Haven and left to be a movie star. And Emma!! I’m so happy we got to learn more about her!
This was such a fun little novella. I loved that they both so clearly had feelings for each other still, but they both had put up their own walls to keep themselves guarded from each other.
I said it before and I’ll say it again! I love the town of Claw Haven and it’s cast of characters!!

Another sweet addition to the Claw Haven universe. While this story is short it is packed full of drama that comes along with a second chance romance. This story didn’t feel like it was missing anything due to length and I thoroughly enjoyed the conflict resolution of past issues throughout the story. The moment of miscommunication really pushed the characters to be honest with themselves and each other. The grand gesture at the end was beautifully executed.

Isabelle Taylor has knocked it out of the park again. It is so satisfying to come along on the ride for some low-stakes drama and a happy ending in a cozy fantasy setting. I love how her GrumpyxSunshine pairings have hidden depths on both sides, and how the dynamic forces the characters to grow in ways they couldn't on their own. Highly recommend!

A cafe owner has her holiday spirit put to the test when her ex, a now famous Hollywood actor, is back in town and filming his Christmas romance movie at her cafe and doesn't seem to understand why she is still angry about their breakup all those years ago and wants her back. Emma and Arthur were high school sweethearts, they were perfect for each other... until the fateful Christmas where he dumped her and told her she was holding him back as he went to pursue his acting dreams in Hollywood. Now years later hes back to film a Christmas romance movie...set in her cafe. Emma is still angry yet can't stop herself from sleeping with him and Arthur doesn't understand why she can't just forgive and forget yet he is determined to win her back... will this be a happy Christmas for both of them? I have only one requirement when you give me a second chance romance: actual growth and redemption. What this book was was NONE OF THAT. Arthur and Emma just did not grow at all and their "second chance" didn't feel earned at all. I couldn't stand it. I love second chance romances and I adore Christmas romances, yet this missed on both fronts for me unfortunately. This had the recipe of being my next fav read as a huge monster romance girlie... and it just missed the mark sadly.

Release Date: October 7, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Harlequin - Romance | Harlequin for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I am sobbing. What an extremely sweet book in the absolute best, toe curling, heart warming, fuzzy feeling way.

I have to say that when I saw the cover I was…unsure and definitely was judging it as I have not read a book with this type of MMC before. Plus he looks exactly like the Beast from Beauty and the Beast and I personally was never into that. However, I just decided to move past that part since I loved the first book and was very excited for the chance to read this one.

Wow am I so glad I did! It was the perfect ‘angst with a happy ending’ trope for me. The pacing was great, the writing once again dropped me right into Clawhaven, and I love this cast of characters. These books make me want to book a flight to Alaska to move there for this cozy town which I can honestly say has never crossed my mind before. It’s a good thing it doesn’t really exist or I would be having a serious decision on my hands and I hate moving.

Back to the review! I thought that Emma and Arthur’s past relationship seemed to be plagued with many of the pitfalls teenage relationships face, particularly when one person wants to leave to chase a dream. I really enjoyed their interactions and how they evolved and loved the side characters as well as drop-ins from Luna (absolutely made me want to read the first book again).

What a delightful holiday novella. I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.

P.S. Hoping the next one will have more Vi in it and grumpy bookstore dragon (not as a couple, ew)! And the flour??? What is going on with Nik and the flour?

P.P.S. As an FYI, this story has some spicy scenes🔥🔥🔥similar in nature to Book 1

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.