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Author: Anise StarreFormat reviewed: EbookSource: NetgalleyPublisher: Simon & SchusterPublication Date: 23rd October 2025Rating: 4 Stars
A Christmas romance featuring a personal chef who is snowed-in with her least favourite client – a sexy but miserable technopreneur.
The only thing personal chef Noelle Jones loves more than cooking is Christmas. She has a roster of extremely wealthy clients, including the elusive and stoic Alexander Hoxton.
When he asks her to cook a last-minute business meal he’s having, offering triple her pay for the short notice, Noelle jumps at the chance. It’s easy money, one of her favourite dishes and she'll still have plenty of time to get to her family’s annual Christmas reunion.
But, when a sudden blizzard leaves Noelle snowed-in with Alexander, she quickly realises he wants absolutely nothing to do with anything festive. Stuck with a veritable grinch, she’s sure this Christmas is about to become one of her worst . . .
Well this was my first book I've read from Anise Starre and based on this it certainly won't be my last.
I thoroughly enjoyed this modern day Grinchy, forced proximity romance, with added excelled foodie descriptions.
Noelle is as her name suggests, a massive fan of Christmas, and is determined to cook for Hoxton's Christmas party, and then head off to her family for the festive period. However by the time its time to leave, her car won't start and its snowing heavily.
Despite having worked as Hoxton's chef for a few years now, it's not an easy working relationship, so the thought of asking for favours from him doesn't sit well with Noelle. Add in the fact that Hoxton is not a fan of Christmas at all, and also tends to value solitude gives you all the ingredients for a rather spicy holiday romance.
Oh I failed to mention that there is clear chemistry on both sides even if they try to ignore it! So only the inevitable could possibly happen.
It is a running joke throughout that Hoxton is Grinch like and he does have his reasons for it, and thus I loved his development over the course of the book, and seeing how he grows as a person was wonderful to see.
I loved how there is a definite message of Christmas is whatever you make it, and that it doesn't matter if you go all out mega Christmassy, or just small and understated, that it's a time to spend with people close to you.
This is a book that left me a warm fuzzy feeling and a heart that has grown a few more sizes itself!
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
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