He’s the world’s most alpha Marine and the last man I should be letting jingle my bells this holiday season. So why does Clint O’Dell keep running through my thoughts wearing nothing but a Santa hat? And why do I stupidly agree that we should be Christmas friends with benefits?Someone must have spiked my eggnog. I don’t do Marines. Or Santas. I learned my lesson about both the hard way. But when …
I learned my lesson about both the hard way.
But when Clint steps in to rescue me—from a murderous goose, a rogue reindeer, and the ghost of Christmas Right Now causing trouble in my bakery—I can’t help but wonder if we’re meant to be more than friends.
If maybe Clint is the holiday miracle I’ve been praying for…or if all the magic will disappear with the season.
Humbugged is a laugh out loud holiday romp featuring a Marine with a heart of gold and a baker in need of a hero. Complete with the world’s most awkward Christmas caroling, a photoshoot with furry friends, and more naughty baked goods than is good or decent.
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OMG!!! This author duo always knocks it out of the park!…insert meme here! lol If you’re looking for laugh-out-loud funny with a whole lot of sexy..look no further! Grant and Valente kill it every time they come together to create magic! Humbugged picks up in Happy Cat! And you guessed it, it’s EVERYTHING you want this Christmas! Clint O’Dell and Noelle have been destined since he first saved her from those cupcake eating raccoons! I’ve been waiting for their story and it’s so wonderful! In true Grant/Valente fashion, the animals are loose and wreaking havoc in Happy Cat! A goose with a hit list, a Reindeer with a crush and a raccoon who’s changed his ways! The Best Time, is the only way to describe reading this book! It’s a Happy Feel-Good, make you laugh with secrete smiles, all while leaving you feeling warm inside, kinda read! Noelle has walls up high and guards her heart as much as she can, her Christmas aren’t exactly on good terms…But Clint O’Dell does Christmas, or is it Christmas is Clint O’Dell? Get ready for the cheer and sexiness of Humbugged! And with all our favorite Happy Catians! The old folks are still just as bad and the O’Dell siblings still make us swoon with their happy wives! This book is a Standalone, But for the full effect of Happy and Hillarious, I highly recommend you start with Hosed, book one of Happy Cat standalone series! I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
So much fun–with a Christmas twist!
Noelle and Clint’s story was as laugh-out-loud funny as it was swoonily romantic…and that’s all before you get to the second epilogue, told from a goose named Nutquacker’s POV (seriously. You can’t make this stuff up! The reason he gives for why he kept chasing after Noelle was OMG brilliant.) I was honestly unsure if I should read this one after the kids went to bed–would my laughing wake them up? The danger was real.
I did get quite a few one-eyed glares from the cats trying to sleep on my bed, so there’s that. But I digress…
Humbugged gives us the story of the youngest and last single O’Dell brother, Clint, an active duty Marine. He’s back in town for the first real time in six years, and his attention is immediately grabbed by one of its newest residents, Noelle Alwyn, the owner of Second Chance Cupcakes. She’s been burned before, though, and before that spent her early years at the whims of the US government as the daughter of a Marine, so to say she’s hesitant to get involved with him is an understatement.
So of course they decide a “secret friends with benefits” plan is the way to go–and we can all guess how that will turn out, yes?
Except this is a Happy Cat, Georgia book–so yes, we know *ultimately* how this will end up, but the journey there? No one can possibly predict that (see note above about the second epilogue…), you just have to give it a read. You won’t be sorry!
Humbugged is the 4th book in the series, and though it could work as a standalone, readers of the series will definitely appreciate seeing all of the series characters back again and learning where their HEAs are taking them. Do yourself a favor and read the series! 🙂
Rating: 4 stars / A-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Probably my favorite of the series!!
Happy Holidays come to Happy Cat! The story of the youngest O’Dell brother is here and he’s the perfect Marine/hometown hero/meme-worthy heartthrob for everyone! Clint is home in Happy Cat on a recruiting assignment when he continues to run into the town’s newest arrival, Noelle, saving her from the repeated assaults of Nutquacker, the town’s crazed goose in holiday garb, and Don Juan the mysterious reindeer that has found its way to Georgia. Their attraction is immediate and steamy beyond words but growing up with a Marine father, Noelle knows the life of a military family member isn’t easy. Noelle gives in to her attraction to Clint and they agree to a Friends with Benefits relationship to get them to Christmas, until Clint’s feelings for her take over and he extends their deal out to Valentine’s Day. With the ongoing mystery of who’s sabotaging Noelle’s bakery, the ghost and their sneaking around Noelle’s growing closer to the other O’Dell wives and her feelings for Clint have grown to love. With the threat of orders sending him overseas and away from Happy Cat and her, can he make the commitment to her despite his love for the Corp? Can Noelle get over her past and move forward with Clint? Find out and love and laugh with the O’Dells and the rest of Happy Cat!!!
Humbugged by Pippa Grant and Lili Valente takes us back to Happy Cat and gives us Clint and Noelle’s story. Though this is a part of a series, it can be read as a standalone, however, you get so much by reading them in order. I laughed and swooned and then laughed some more. Such a sweet, fun and delightful read!
Noelle moved to Happy Cat to have a fresh start. She has a plan and that plan does not include the sexy, younger and very charming Marine. She knows what is means to be a part of a military family. Clint loves his job. It is his calling. That and his family is what matter most to him. Then Noelle enters his life and he can’t stop thinking about her. But as he continuously saves her from the local animals, including a goose with a mission, a reindeer and more, they begin to spend time together and can’t deny what they feel. But do they have a future together?
Humbubbed by Pippa Grant and Lili Valente was such a fun read. As with all the books in the series, the characters are a hoot and their journey will have you laughing out loud.
Read and reviewed for Reviews From the Heart.
Happy reading!
Finally, we get Clint O’Dell’s story!!! We’ve seen him through text message with his brothers in the other books but he’s back and he will steal your heart!!! Clint has been away for his job with the military, but he is home and loves his family so fiercely. Noelle has been through a bit of a rough time with life, but she’s in Happy Cat, wanting to stick to herself, she didn’t plan to open up herself, but she makes new friends and clearly attracted to Clint. I loved reading these two completely fall for each other. I love the banter, the residents of Happy Cat, George Cooney’s family, Gah, I love that trash raccoon, I love Nutquacker, the llama fam, all of them. This series just puts a smile on your face.
Humbugged is the fourth and believe the last book in the Happy Cat series by Lili Valente and Pippa Grant. You can read each book in the series as standalone but I do recommend reading the series since it’s hilarious and sexy. If you read Hitched then you will remember Noelle, the cursed new baker in town and Clint, the youngest O’Dell brother. I am so happy that they got a story, I just knew there was a little something-something there.
Noelle is the newest member of the Happy Cat community and it’s hasn’t been the easiest of transition with her new bakery being haunted and all. She did however enjoy the small town and the people in it. And even the crazy animals running the streets. It’s only been a few months but she is feeling great about her move and now it was time for her to move forward in another way. It was time to get into the Christmas spirit. It’s been lost and now it was time to find it. Gingerbread men. Reindeer. Christmas cookies. Caroling. The only distraction? Clint O’Dell in a Santa Hat. And in her daydreams it’s the only thing he is wearing.
Clint felt a spark the minute he saw her. His Cupcake. He wanted to taste her sweetness and to get to know the woman who could break his heart. He couldn’t stay away from her and who could? He was on borrowed time since he was going to be re-assigned at some point. A Marine always is. This was the only time to get what he wanted so he agreed to a friends with benefits fling through the holidays. Why not? It should be easy to walk away, right?
So wrong.
I loved this story! Clint and Noelle are so much fun!! Their banter is flirty, sexy, and witty. They make each other laugh, smile, and get hot and bothered. I laughed throughout the whole book. Except for of course the moment where they could melt ice with the heat they are putting out. And the family! The O’Dell men and their better halves are hilarious. And I can’t forget the animals…they are the best! But really, it’s a fun holiday story filled with love.
Quotes:
“Oh, I’m sure Clint doesn’t need backup. I could go visit the kittens.”
“They’re asleep too,” Hope says.
Have I mentioned I love my sisters-in-law? “And I absolutely need backup,” I say. “Get over here, Private Cupcake. You’re on snack duty. Grab those carrots, soldier.”
“I’m going to grab your carrot in a minute,” she grumbles on her way past me.
“My carrot and I would be honored. Anytime.”
“You can’t dominate me, Cupcake, but I’d really love to watch you try.”
“Last one to the shower is goose food.”
“Speak for yourself, Cupcake. That goose will never eat me.”
She winks. “But if you’re good, I might.”
Humbugged just became my favorite book in the Happy Cat series! It is such a funny, sexy, heartwarming story set in the crazy town of Happy Cat.
Clint O’Dell is the baby of the family, the town superhero, as well as a super swoony Marine. He is back in his hometown for a recruiting assignment, at least for a little while. Noelle Alwyn (aka Cupcake) is new to town and determined to start over with her new bakery and have a happy Christmas this year. Unfortunately things aren’t going as planned.
Clint steps in to help Cupcake and the two can’t deny the chemistry between them, even though they try. Throw in a bit of mystery, the wacky town animals, the amazing residents of Happy Cat, and you have a wonderful, heartwarming Christmas story. I loved Clint and Noelle so much, and you will too!!
Noelle Alwyn is a logical woman who was raised by a no-nonsense, protocol-following Marine. Her mom walked out on her and her dad after she begged him to quit the Marines and he refused. Knowing what happened to her parents, Noelle is wary of getting into a relationship with a Marine—that is until she met Clint O’Dell, to whom she was attracted to the moment they met. One thing leads to another and they agree to become holiday bang buddies. Before they knew it, they’d fallen in love with each other and want their relationship to go beyond the expiration date they set; but then Clint receives orders to go South Korea for a special assignment! Will Noelle uproot her life once again to be with Clint, or will Clint leave the job that means so much to him?
This was such a cute, fun read! The writing flowed smoothly and I just LOVED the characters—the humans and the animals! There’s a lot of laugh-out-loud moments that makes it an enjoyable read from start to finish. There’s also a little mystery to make things even more interesting; there are steamy sexy times, too!
Humbugged is a contemporary holiday romantic written in dual first-person POV. It’s a standalone that ends with a HEA. No cliffhanger, no cheating.
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review.
I love all of Pippa Grant’s books, but this one hands down is my favorite. Happy Cat’s Home town hero comes home, and falls for the bad luck baker. Clint O’Dell is a Marine that is all Alpha male, and somewhat of an animal whisperer, which comes in handy, when he meets his Cupcake. Noelle is a woman that has had so much luck in life, and one night when she is a little tipsy she ends up buying a little building in Happy Cat. Noelle opens up her bakery and that’s when all hell breaks lose she can’t seem to catch a break her creations start to fall apart, or being chased down by animals. But Noelle has decided she is going to stay positive. Then Clint steps up and is trying to be her protector and more, but Noelle has her reservations, one he is younger and two he is in the Marines. She’s had that once in her life and she doesn’t think she can go through it again. Clint knows that he wants Noelle and is willing to take her any way he can get her, even when she offers the Christmas Buddy’s with benefits. These two have so much chemistry, they will keep you on the edge of your seat, you won’t be able to put this book down.
Humbugged (Happy Cat #4) by Pippa Grant and Lili Valente. Clint is the youngest O’Dell brother. We have heard how fabulous he is since the first book. He even has his own memes on the town’s Insta- Chat. Home recruiting for the Marines he gets to still be a Marine plus spend the holidays with his family. Noelle had picked Happy Cat to make a fresh start. She wanted to change her luck but it seems someone doesn’t want her there. Her bakery and baked goods is being sabotaged. Clint seems to be there for her. There definitely is an attraction between the two of them however Noelle isn’t interested in a relationship especially with a Marine. She does decide to be friends with benefits with Clint. What started out one way turned into something more for them. This was a great way to end this series. Like the other books, this story was a laugh riot. I laughed from the beginning to the end. I am so sorry to see this series come to an end. I know I will be reading more from these two authors. They are a real comedic duo. 5 laughable stars for me.
I loved this book! This was my first novel by both Pippa Grant and Lili Valente and I could not get enough. This novel is book four in the Happy Cat series but it is a standalone novel. I knew nothing of the other three books until after I finished this one. If you are in need of a light-hearted, steamy and fun holiday romance, please check out Humbugged!
Noel has given up photography and opened a bakery, her other passion, in the small but quirky town of Happy Cat, GA. She’s determined to move on from the heartbreak she left in Atlanta and to make this Christmas her best one ever! The harder she tries the more things seem to go wrong and Clint always seems to be right there to rescue her!
Clint is a marine that is back at home to recruit future Marines of America. He has made it his mission since childhood to help those who needed it and to be the best person he can be for his family and his country. Now he is happy to be home for the holidays and spend some time getting to know the ever-alluring Noel better.
This story had me on the edge of my seat. The will-they-won’t-they dynamic is wonderful in this book. There is also another little mystery in the book that had me wondering, what is going on?!?. I had to keep reading to find out what would happen to these great characters in their adorable little town. I am in the Christmas spirit after reading Humbugged and you will be too!
I’m always excited to head back to Happy Cat, where the guys are alpha hotties, the gals are quirky do-it-my-own-damn-selfers, and the hodgepodge of animals are sure to steal the show. This fun Christmas story is no different. Clint finally gets his story, and Noelle is his perfect match! I love that these books have a little mystery to solve, adding another layer for the reader to enjoy. Although this can certainly be read as a standalone, you’re missing out on a ton of the fun if you don’t start at the beginning. These books are quick reads with minimal angst, making the whole series a great way to spend some downtime during the holidays. If you are a fan of rom-coms, you’ll enjoy this book and this series. If you are a fan of rom-coms featuring animals that are just as funny as the people, then you’ll adore it.
Clint and Noelle’s story makes up Happy Cat book # 4 but can read as a standalone. Clint is a marine and he IS all that. (The Clint O’Dell memes are priceless.) Noelle is recovering from some bad luck and is trying to start over with her business, Second Chance Cupcakes, in Happy Cat. There are shenanigans, animal chaos, and typical Happy Cat craziness throughout the story.
Clint has the biggest heart and the happiest outlook ever. It is his choice to be happy and we can all learn from it. Noelle is trying so hard, but a series of events to sabotage her bakery are making it difficult. I love how protective Clint is of Noelle. I love the heat they create when Noelle decides to give him a chance. I really appreciated that Noelle understood the life of being family to active duty personnel. I also really liked that these authors understand the military and do not make the silly mistakes you often see in military romance. An example of this is Clint’s reaction to new orders. He understood his commitment and there was no unrealistic whining about what he must do. (Ooh-Rah) I also really appreciate that Noelle makes educated choices when choosing Clint, knowing what that means to her personally.
I liked this book a lot. Part of that is all about Clint and part of that is the zany comedy included. This book made me smile and it is an excellent addition to anyone’s holiday reading this season. Don’t miss this one.
What a wonderful and heart warming book to read during the holiday season. First, it really made me want to bake like a billion treats to devour while reading this book. Second, what not to love about a hot marine and a cute baker who owns a bake shop that MIGHT be haunted? Last, as per usual in Happy Cat….tons of animal antics! 100% recommend this book if you are looking for a fun read and a laugh this holiday season. I was given an ARC edition of this book, but all opinions are 100% my own.
Super cute, funny, and sweet. Clint is this super-hot marine that is always helping others and putting them first. He makes everyone laugh and is all around sweetheart, but no one ever asks what he wants out of life. He has a huge crush on the new baker in town that mostly keeps to herself, Noelle. Noelle has been through a bad breakup that has changed her life and sent her running to this new town and opening a bakery but things have been crazy since she moved there and Clint the hot marine doesn’t help her new motto that she needs to find herself and make herself happy with no distractions. Clint being the big helper that he is sees that Noelle needs help and he makes it his mission to help her so that he may get closer to her. They can’t deny their attraction and soon Noelle sees that she has thrown her motto out the door and is falling for Clint. Throw in some crazy critters like stealing raccoons, an angry goose, and a magical reindeer and hilarity ensues. This is the perfect holiday read to have you laughing and swooning,
Happy Cat is my happy place!
Just in time for the holidays is the story of larger than life Clint, the baby of the O’Dell family, and Noelle, the cute and klutzy baker. I loved reading how these two navigated through various amusing Christmas traditions and non-traditions, the baking fiascoes, and the interactions with several feisty senior citizens. In true Pippa and Lili fashion we get animal antics, several spicy moments, and a bit of intrigue. Beloved characters return from the first three books and of course we get to find out what that silly raccoon, George, has been up to as well as the antics of his growing family. Such an enjoyable series that I hope continues!
Every time this duo writes a novel, I am salivating like a child for cupcakes. And those too make an appearance here, along with flirty marines, adorably inappropriate seniors, bold animals, a haunting, and a quaint town in full Christmas spirit.
It’s more fun than you can manage.
I couldn’t stop smiling from the heroic meet-cute to the rambunctious animal action in the most surreal epilogue ever.
The story is a mix of cozy mystery, hilarious comedy and sweet, sweet romance. The down-in-luck woman trying her second chance in life and elusive happiness and the young Marine who solves all crisis with a joyful disposition, make for a sizzling-hot couple. The seemingly impossible match happens in the midst of caroling, snack-stealing pets, baking disasters and ardent passion that flows in between laughing-out-loud dialogues. I loved the town antics with its quirky inhabitants and the couples from other books. The texting is phenomenal and the little mystery is a great connector between the plot scenes.
I adored the family warmth coloured with so much humour, brotherly banter and friendly support. Happy Cat is one town I would love to be a part of, and in this novel it oozes Christmas charm in all kinds of seasonal events. The animals feature in really funny moments, especially the second epilogue where one of the mysteries is unearthed to my utter rolling-on-the-floor amusement. The main mystery is also solved in another surprising and fun turn of events.
Clint and Noelle are a sweet couple. He is so honest and lovable and strong, and she is adrift and finds a real home with real friends for the first time. It’s truly adorable and tender. If this is the end to this town’s stories, it’s a rollercoaster and perfect one, though I sincerely hope we can go back to the O’dell family and their shenanigans.
Bakery (and animal) disasters seem to plague unlucky baker, Noelle but Clint O’Dell is there to save her each and everytime. Noelle doesn’t want anything to do with the larger-than-life marine, she grew up with a marine dad and wants to put down roots in Happy Cat. But Clint is a dream–gorgeous, charming and super protective. Watching these two find their HEA was fun and steamy.
As always, Happy Cat is my happy place. From the very first page until the bonus epilogue (omg! The bonus epilogue!!!) I read with a huge smile. The residents are quirky and fun, the animals provide half the entertainment and the love story makes your heart swell with joy. Of all the O”Dell brothers Clint is my favorite!!!! I hope we get to head back to Happy Cat very, very soon!
I totally loved this story. It was fun, silly, sexy and all around wonderfully awesome to read. If you’re looking for a feel good, make you smile holiday themed book this is the one to grab. Pippa and Lili never disappoint when they team up to write. Another great read.
I didn’t know how much I needed Happy Cat in my life right now til I read this book! Then I remembered why I so want to move to this fictional land that Pippa and Lili have created. It so warm and lovey filling you with ALL the feels you would expect from a sweet marine and a Christmas baker, but they are SO MUCH more! I’d pack up and move TODAY just for the animal hijinx alone! Wonder if Hope needs an assistant, lol. Anyway this is the story of the youngest O’Dell brother Clint and the hot older new baker Noelle. Totally my jam with the small age gap and the culinary peeks, even if I wasn’t already in love with Happy Cat, which I totally was. This was a great wrap up for the group as well as a fitting story for these two who learned about taking risks. You can read this as a stand alone, but come on, why would you when Happy Cat is so awesome?!? Brighten up your weekend with this amazing book and explore the unique glimpse into small town life in Happy Cat Land, you’ll enjoy your visit!