Novella Review: Blame it on the Mistletoe

Blame it on the Mistletoe

By: Nicole Michaels

Published By: St. Martin's Press

Publication Date: October 14, 2014

Page Count: 153

Buy it at Amazon or Barnes & Noble

Source: Purchased by Reviewer

Audience: Adult - Holiday Romance

I am one of those people who can spend hours watching the Hallmark channel as the winter holidays descend. I love the movies that feature holiday romances and happy endings. I decided that this holiday season that I would spend some time reading stories set around the holidays to supplement my Hallmark movie fix.

Blame it on the Mistletoe is the story of Brooke Abbott, the owner of a local craft and decor shop, and Alex Coleman, the town's former hottie bad boy. Brooke has had a crush on Alex for as long as she can remember, but when he returns to town she assumes that things will be the same as always. Alex will smile and be polite, but he will only see her as the shy and quiet kid she used to be. To make matters worse, Brooke is still reeling from an abusive relationship and Alex has no intention of staying in his tiny Missouri hometown for long. Holiday magic interferes and the two are brought together over and over again until they are forced to pay attention to their attraction for one another.

I loved spending time in Preston with Brooke and Alex. Their story kept me reading and I kept rooting for a happy ending for these two. It should be noted that there are moments when this one leaves the wholesome Hallmark path to deviate towards some pretty steamy moments. I'm typically of the school that more is less regarding intimate moments, but I found that that didn't hinder my enjoyment of this story.

In addition to the romance, I loved the relationship between Brooke and her older brother, Ryan. Ryan is protective of his little sister and wants to help her heal after her negative experiences with her ex. In true older brother fashion, Ryan does interfere from time to time when he shouldn't, but Brooke learns to stand up for herself where he is concerned. 

This one is sweet and predictable, but there are times when these are the sort of stories I crave. Blame it on the Mistletoe is the perfect wintery romance to get you in the holiday spirit. I highly recommend curling up with this one next to the glow of your Christmas tree with a mug of hot cocoa. 

One Last Gripe: I want more of the town of Preston and its inhabitants. This one ended too soon!

Favorite Thing About This Book: Brooke and Alex's relationship - it is the perfect blend of sugar and spice. Alex is the perfect Book Boyfriend for the holiday season.

First Sentence: Snowflakes whirled around Brooke Abbott's head in blustery waves as she started down the sidewalk and back to her shop from the Stop & Go convenience store.

Favorite Character: I can't decide between Brooke and Alex. I loved them both.

Least Favorite Character: Mr. Orsman

Summary:

Sometimes all it takes is a leap of faith for Christmas to work its own magic in BLAME IT ON THE MISTLETOE

’Tis the season for small-town Missouri boutique owner Brooke Abbott to get crafty. Much as she adores making art for art’s sake—decorating windows, designing ornaments, crafting the perfect present for under the tree—this Christmas she needs the gift of good customers. Lots of them. Sweet Opal Studios will go under if she can’t do some serious business before the New Year…and she has no time to lose. What Brooke needs is an honest-to-goodness miracle. Instead, she finds a burglar lurking in the back room of her shop. And here she thought the holidays couldn’t get any worse!Or maybe things just got a lot better. Turns out the burglar is none other than Alex Coleman—local bad boy slash legendary heartthrob, childhood best friend to Brooke’s older brother, and…future landlord? That is the question. He’s come home for the holidays to see his grandmother, make peace with his distant mother, and settle his grandfather’s estate, an estate that includes the building that houses Sweet Opal. What he never expected was to bump into a grown-up Brooke, whose spirit, charm, and irresistible good looks give him pause. Should he go back to Oregon as planned, or give small-town life a chance? The only thing Alex knows for sure is that before he walks out that door, he’s going to get Brooke beneath the mistletoe, where anything can happen…