REVIEW: A Very Merry Enemy by Lyra Parish

A Very Merry Enemy by Lyra Parish: Holiday never planned on coming home to Merryville for Christmas and definitely not to face Lucas Jolly, the man who has made a career out of hating her. But when a family emergency and a meddling grandmother land her back in town, she somehow also manages to find herself paired up with Lucas for the town’s famous Christmas cookie contest. Lucas does not need any help in the kitchen, he can bake just fine on his own, thank you very much. But the moment Holiday walks back into his life every grudge, every memory and every almost-kiss he’s tried to forget comes roaring back like sleigh on a runaway mission… throwing him a bit off his game. Soon sparks begin to fly faster than icing sugar on a badly set whisk, as these two sugar coated rivals try to navigate late night baking sessions, a town hell bent on setting them up and old feelings that never quite ended…

A Very Merry Enemy was just the festive enemies-to-lovers romance that my heart was looking for! With charm, chemistry and just the right amount of Christmas chaos Holiday and Lucas had me hooked from start to end as they tried to navigate a town filled with meddlesome matchmakers and their own old feelings.

Holiday was just a darling, she was stubborn in the best way possible. We get to see a woman who refuses to shrink herself, even when walking back into a town layered with old memories and unfinished business. There was something so chaotically loveable about her character, Holiday was flawed, funny and refreshingly honest about what and who she wanted. With Lucas on the other hand we have a grumpy and guarded hero that is absolutely convinced he was justified in holding onto his grudge. He was stubborn and a little dramatic in his resentment but when those rare moments of softness slip through, they hit with the force that can not be ignored. Simply put I loved getting to see Lucas slowly letting go of his grumpy nature as Holiday barrelled her way into his life again.

Holiday and Lucas have that electric combustible kind of chemistry that only comes from a shared past and unresolved feelings simmering just beneath the surface. What makes their relationship work so beautifully is the balance between sharp edges and unexpected tenderness, the way their banter snaps but their emotional moments land with real weight. The forced proximity of the baking contest doesn’t just push them together, it forces them to confront the version of themselves they had been avoiding. And somewhere between the flour fights, late night ovens and messy honesty they rebuild something that feels entirely new.

The supporting characters add so much charm and warmth to this book, from Lucas’s meddling big-hearted family to the delightfully nosy townsfolk who treat Merryville like a year-round stage for matchmaking mischief. If you are anything like me then a small town Christmas romance is just the thing to get you in the festive mood then do yourself a favour and get your hands on A Very Merry Enemy!

Book Info:

Publication: November 6, 2025 | Happily Ever After Ink | Very Merry #3

Lucas Jolly and I have a secret history that left invisible scars. Now I’m back in Merryville, and he’s making it crystal freaking clear I’m about as welcome as fruitcake at a dessert table.

When his meddling Mawmaw signs us up as partners for the town’s Christmas Cookie Contest, there’s five thousand dollars and a family tradition on the line. Six weeks of forced proximity in a kitchen might actually kill me, but I could use the money.

Between heated arguments over cookie dough and even hotter stolen glances, I’m melting faster than snowflakes on fresh out of the oven gingerbread. The town thinks we’re secretly dating, but the truth is Lucas hates me. Even so, I’m one mistletoe moment away from crossing lines we swore we’d never cross again.

Now I’m wishing for a Christmas miracle because falling for Lucas Jolly nearly destroyed me once. Doing it again might be the sweetest mistake I ever make.