A Night with Ms. Grinch

by Lauren Lacey

A Night with Ms. Grinch is a steamy, small-town Black romance Christmas novella full of flirtatious banter, cozy holiday vibes, and irresistible chemistry. When interior designer Kandi Cane, Beverly Mills’ self-proclaimed Grinch, gets snowed in with sexy coffee shop owner Cole Winters, sparks fly faster than falling snow. With caffeine, temptation, and one unforgettable night, this opposites-attract romance blends heat, humor, and a heartfelt into the perfect holiday love story. Readers who enjoy cute, sweet, and with dashes of spice Hallmark-with-a-twist vibes will fall hard for A Night with Ms. Grinch.

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Holiday Romance, African American, Novella, African American Romance

93 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 25, 2025

About the author

I'm a romance author originally from Savannah, Georgia, now living in Atlanta with my husband and children. With a B.A. in English from Armstrong Atlanta State University and an M.A. from Southern New Hampshire University, I transitioned from writing poetry to crafting love stories that mirror my Southern heritage as a woman, wife, and mother. My stories delve into themes of love and commitment, often against a backdrop of personal and societal challenges.

Aside from writing, I am deeply committed to my family. I enjoy coaching my kids’ soccer teams, traveling, and watching movies at home on a Friday night. I credit my close-knit family and supportive readers for inspiring me to continue writing stories that resonate on a personal level. As an indie author, my narratives offer a sincere exploration of human emotions, underscoring the importance of love, resilience, and the beauty found in overcoming adversity.

Book series list:

Love in Beverly Mills

Black Summer Island


Feel free to message me or get to know me better through social media. I do respond! :)

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Reviews

[Shawnaci Schroeder · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
This was a spicy fun time! Can’t believe she was able to put a full story with spice, fun, and deeper conversions into such a short book! I swear Lauren Lacey can do no wrong! This might be my spiciest Christmas read of the year. So fun!

[Gina Loves 2 Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable and steamy Christmas novella!
It never occurred to me that the use of string lights are incredibly versatile, and can go far beyond just decorating a tree! 🥵
I guess you have to be creative when you're snowed in on Christmas Eve. ☃️

[Annette Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Night with Ms. Grinch was a quick and cute holiday read. Kandi lost her love for Christmas after her dad passed away turning her into a self proclaimed Grinch. But, Cole was more than ready to volunteer as tribute to help her find it. And, baby, did he help her find it. He helped her find it in his coffee shop, He helped her find it in his living room, and he definitely helped her find it in his bedroom. 😏 This was my first book by Lauren Lacy and I look forward to reading more from her.

[AlexTRBG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, spicy, and full of holiday spirit 🙂‍↕️💕

[Taees_Cozy_Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure perfection.

This honestly has been the best Christmas book I’ve read in a long time. There was trauma but the way it was handled was perfect and baby this is a man of there ever was one. The way he catered to her white taking his time and showing her he can take care of her heart!!!!!! Lawd have mercy. I need me a Cole!!!! I love it I love it I love it !!!!!

[Andrea ☾ [is inconsistently consistant] · Rating 3 out of 5]

This man keeps calling her by her full f*cking legal name, even when his feeling her organs from the inside... like, no, you gotta stop. Specially since she's told you it's not her favourite and it's kind of triggering. Like, huh? She also does it a lot. It's annoying tbh.

Both names are a bit too on the nose, but it is what it is.

Edit: I think I had just come back from my office christmas party and I legit do not remember writing this. But tipsy me was right, the name thing was so bad lol.

[Bethany Noel · Rating 4 out of 5]

omg loved! 4.5 stars!! how did she write such a cute romantic Christmas story in less than 100 pages?! I don’t know but she did it 🤭 I loved the trope with the FMC kandi cane being the grinch and the MMC being in love with Christmas! And ooo the way he courted her, loved it!! This was so good I loved it.

[Danielle Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute enough!

[Sha Sha]

DNF @57%
I think I’m going to soft DNF the repetitive mentioning of their whole names are starting to irk me.

[MiMi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great festive read

Kandi Cane is our Ms. Grinch in this steamy Christmas novella. She hates everything about this holiday from the music to the little decorations; even drink specials. She hasn’t always been this way though, it’s just that in the last couple years, Christmas just has had her in a very foul mood.

Cole Winters is our MMC. Our jolly, tall, golden-brown skinned, gorgeous sculpture of a man that owns the new coffee shop in town absolutely adores Christmas and its wonderful ways it brings the spirit of joyfulness. He wants the same for Kandi but also secretly wishing she gives him a gift he’s been dying to unwrap.

Listen….They couldn’t be more opposite, but the attraction is definitely there.

Trapped in a coffeehouse with the man of her dreams because of a snow storm & needing to end her 2 year dry spell, Kandi’s coldness (in more ways than one) begins heating up.

Anything that came out of Cole Winters mouth had me smirking, giggling and rolling my eyes. His character was written perfectly. Kandi’s character was lowkey annoying. I get it, she’s Ms. Grinch but gosh everything that came out of her mouth in the beginning of the book was also an eye roll, but more so out of annoyance.

The title speaks for itself. The night Cole had with Ms. Grinch was a night to remember. A great festive read!

[*Ebony I* · Rating 4 out of 5]

From Grinch to Celebrator

Well sheesh, don't let the wholesome cover fool you. While this was a super sweet Christmas story it gave just as much spice. Kandi Kane, a self exclaimed Grinch has given up on Christmas because it had left her heart broken. Cole Winters her unofficial boyfriend is a Christmas connoisseur  and now that they are snowed in, he uses this an opportunity to remind her of the importance of Christmas magic. I loved how the story unfolded and the dominance Cole showed was sexy. This was a NTMA and I look forward to reading more from her. 

[Catherine Mukora · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking for a sweet Christmas romance and this delivered deliciously👌🏽🤗
Bless black female authors tremendously. May their pillows always be cool and may they always know the softness they portray in their literature!🤗
Also, Cole Winters, you will always be famous!!🫶🏽

[Renada Boddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grumpy Sunshine

This book gave me all the Christmas feels.
Kandi hated Christmas and Cole loved Christmas. They couldn’t be more opposite but Cole is persistent and doesn’t let up on his advances towards Kandi. Sometimes it takes the prefect person to melt the Grinch’s heart.

[Toy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so much fun, and the cover is sooooo gorgeous! I read in a few hours, and re-read the Christmas lights scene! iykyk

[Raylin Weathersby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adding Kandi Kane to the list of people who can’t call me sis bc I will steal her man. Cole Winters was something else.

I got E-ARC for my honest review. I’m going to be honest… this book is BBC certified (BROKE BOOK COLLECTOR) lol ! I love every second of it. I enjoyed reading the backstory between Kandi and Cole. Yes this book they are hunching but the chemistry between these two can be seen from the first chapter!
Over all this is such a cute Christmas novella. I definitely recommend it!!

[Sheronda H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short and spicy Christmas novella.

[January · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Night With Ms. Grinch by Lauren Lacey (2025)
93-page Kindle Ebook story pages 4-92

Genre: African-American Romance, Holiday > Christmas; Short Story

Featuring: *Trigger Warning* - Explicit Language, Sexual Content, Discussions Involving Parental Loss; Author's Links, Titled Chapters, Times, Dual POVs, Coffee Shop Owner, Drought Trope, Grumpy/Sunshine Trope, Hates Christmas Trope, Overcoming Grief

Rating as a movie: XXX

Songs for the soundtrack: "O Come All Ye Faithful" by Luther Vandross, "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey, "Let It Snow" by Boyz II Men featuring Brian McKnight, "Silent Night" by The Temptations, "Jingle Bells" by The Temptations, "sobeautiful" by Musiq Soulchild, "Do It to Me" by Usher, "Signs of Love Makin'" by Tyrese Gibson, "Giving You All My Love" by Carl Thomas, "Baby It's Cold Outside" by CeeLo Green featuring Christina Aguilera, "This Christmas" by Chris Brown

Books and Authors mentioned: This Christmas by Preston A. Whitmore II, Almost Christmas by David E. Talbert, How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️¾☕️🎄

My thoughts: This was cute. I didn't like the second half as much so I couldn't go a full 4 stars.

Recommend to others: Yeah, this is a quick spicy read.

Memorable Quotes: Every chair is wrapped, every corner has a Black nutcracker, and there’s red and green Christmas glitter everywhere. Garlands are printed all over the menu, and to top it all off, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is blaring so loud I can feel my uterus filing a noise complaint. I swear this place is one candy cane away from a full mental breakdown... mine. Ugh. And you know what I hate even more than any of this Christmas chaos? My name. My 365-days-a-year, holly-jolly, sleigh-bell-shaming name. Kandi. My name is Kandi Cane. Yep, that’s my real name. And yes, my parents loved Christmas that much. We took family photo shoots in either plaid or matching pajamas every year, then sent the photos to family and friends, knowing they’d hate them. And you wonder why I hate every Christmas song ever played? It’s because my dad used to take us to the same light shows synced to holiday playlists every year. And don’t get me started on my Mom. She had an actual inflatable Nativity scene of Black Jesus in our yard. Christmas was the highlight of our lives…was. Holidays used to feel warm like coffee and cinnamon candles on a cold day, but not anymore. For me, it’s just a sad memory now, and there isn’t enough cheer to make me forget the pain of Christmas Day two years ago.

“Six months and no sex is punishment, not patience!” Naomi cackles. “Y’all have been texting and talking to one another non-stop! You give each other googly eyes every morning and spend your afternoons together in that coffee shop. Ya’ll are practically married.”

That is, until Cole Winters came strolling into town, opening the first black-owned coffee shop we’ve ever had. From the moment I saw him, I remembered what butterflies felt like.
And it’s annoying!

He’s the definition of dangerously fine. He has a quiet confidence and a smile that moves in slow motion. His eyes are the color of roasted chestnuts, and his voice is smooth and deep like melted chocolate poured over sex. He’s tall and sculpted in that he-could-carry-you-through-a-snowstorm-and-not-break-a-sweat kind of way. His skin reminds me of graham crackers—warm, golden-brown, and with a hint of spice that makes me wonder if he tastes as good as he looks.

[wreckedbywords · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute Holiday Read

This was a wonderfully lifelike holiday romance with just the right amount of spice. Even though the story technically unfolds over twenty-four hours in Beverly Mills with Kandi and Cole, it feels much longer thanks to the end-of-book glimpse into their past six months. Both characters are working through their own losses (one who loves the holidays and one who dreads them) so the winter storm forcing them into close proximity was the perfect setup for their real feelings to break through. I was thrilled that Kandi ended up under a man instead of under a deadline this holiday season. And let’s just say…I’ll never look at Christmas lights the same way again.

[T Divine’s Reading Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Grinch vs Mr Holly Jolly

Hands down I loved this Christmas shirt but like always I want more after it ends! I honestly wouldn’t mind getting another shirt novella about Kandi & Cole and how their relationship continues to blossom and develop!

The plot and the banter mixed with the spice did it for me! It was everything but even more so I could resonate with Kandi and her loss! This really hit home which is why it took me a little while to finish it but the fact that my literary world collided with my reality is what spoke to me. I lost my dad in 2015 and through the year’s holidays and birthdays just aren’t the same.

Lauren Lacey shows you in a novella soaked with admiration, Christmas cheer, romance and loss that you can always find your joy again?

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this!! I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t go back to sleep so I decided to read this and ended up reading it in one sitting.

Thanksgiving and Christmas can be such a melancholy time for people and this definitely shedded light on that!

I loved how the MMC Cole slowly worked the tension out of Kandi Cane—in more ways than one. 😉 He didn’t pressure her, but loved her. The setting and scenes were so imaginable and the spice was giving!

I would recommend for something cute and sweet to read!!

[Siarra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the cutest🥹 I’ve never really read a Christmas romance book before but I think I’m going to read more of them this holiday season. I was not expecting all the steamy moments lol and i will never forget what they did with those Christmas lights🤣 but this was the sweetest book and i loved both of the characters together, they truly brought out the best in each other.

[Eros Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a corny cute novella with a Hallmark movie vibe.

-lots of holiday cheer
-anti Christmas FMC
-heavy on the holidays MMC
-sweet spice
-grief x healing
-letting love in
-funny banter
-realistic romantic connection

If you are looking for something fun to read for the holidays, this is it.

[CiCi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so dang Christmasy and cute.
First read by this author I was also pleasantly surprised by the spice 🤭

Writing was almost a little too buttery leaning towards to side of corny to me BUTTTT it’s a holiday book so it really is what it is

3.75

[becs 🌻🌸🌷 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was beautiful and so mature.

Cole Winters is such a perfect man omg and the play on both his name and Kandi Cane haha. Loved it. This was probably one of the best Christmas novellas I’ve read this year if I’m being honest. So raw, sweet and nasty lol

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a great story. I love a grumpy/sunshine and forced proximity story. This was spicy, but also sweet and heartfelt at the same time. I loved watching Kandi let her guard down in real time and lean into what she built with Cole. And his steadfast and patient nature helped to usher in her healing.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really cute. Definitely gave spicy hallmark Christmas movie lol.

[Ineshia ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

[Key Haggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute

Cute & shirt grinch good read. Kandi Cane like Cole but did a great job at playing hard to get till they were snowed in together. Then it went down

[Vonetta Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute play on the Grinch. This was a cute play on the Grinch. Kandi Kane used to like Christmas but events in her more recent past caused her to be a grinch when it came to the holiday. Cole Winters was the total opposite and was a Christmas enthusiast to the max. The two of them became fast friends with her frequent visits to his coffee shop and when a brief winter storm trapped them together for a day there, he not only was able to get her back in the Christmas spirit but he was also able to express his feelings towards her.

These two characters meshed well with each other and I liked Cole's quiet confidence like he knew they were going to be together regardless of what she had to say. I enjoyed the storyline, the Christmas vibes and it had a good amount of spice as well.

[Ke’ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Extremely repetitive writing. Warm this and warm that. I’m sure warm was written over 300 times!