For many, the holidays are a time of profound grief. This one is for you.
As someone who doesn’t read blurbs, I was not expecting the absolute beauty of this book. Grace and Henry are both widowers whose families are pushing them to get back out there and start living again, but neither of them are quite ready. Because when are you, ever?
Grief is a heavy blanket that surrounds this book. It is always there, in the low moments, and the high ones too. Grace had time to say goodbye to her husband, Tim. He died of cancer. But Henry did not. His wife left for a business trip and never came back home. We never know what lies ahead of us, and when our loved ones die, it is not just their lives that are cut short, but the lives we envisioned living with them for the rest of ours that dies, too.
It’s heavy stuff.
However. This book handles all of it with so much tact and realistic gravity with a dash of humor that feels so authentic. Grace is hilarious. She’s a live-wire who isn’t afraid to speak her mind, and she has two young kids she has to get through this, too. Henry is more contemplative. His loss is more recent, and more raw because of the manner of her death and the days leading up to it. But through their odd and inevitable friendship, they both learn to heal and that there is still a life for them worth living for.
Ugh, this was a killer. I absolutely loved Matthew Norman’s writing here. The characters were beautiful and the world he crafts here is just immaculate. I can’t wait to dive into his backlist, because someone who can navigate the theme of grief so well is someone who knows how to craft the hell out of a story.
There is romance, too. But it is subtle and sometimes surprising. It is more about friendship and connection and honoring meaningful relationships. Henry’s friendship with Grace’s son Ian, for example, was one of my favorite parts of the book.
Wow, is all I can say. This book is a treasure.
Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Details
Title:: Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon
Author:: Matthew Norman
Genre:: Holiday Contemporary Fiction Romance
Publisher:: Random House Publishing Group
Length:: 337 pages
Audio Length:: 8h 43m
Audiobook Narrator:: Alex Finke & Jay Myers
Published:: October 14th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
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