Eden Berman can’t believe her new landlord is so difficult with all his new rules. However, it’s almost Thanksgiving with Hanukkah right around the corner. This is no time to look for a new apartment or be angry. She's just going to have to deal with him.

Dr. Gideon Bowen is a “no nonsense” type of guy. He’s always serious. The total opposite of Eden. It doesn’t stop her from trying to break through his tough demeanor. All Eden wants is a friend. That’s the one thing Gideon does not want.

This is the story of two tortured souls. Each one is dealing with a tragic past. The author doesn’t let us in on all the details immediately. She gives us bits and pieces throughout the story. It gives the reader a chance to get to know the characters and feel what they are experiencing.

In the beginning, I thought Eden was too silly and unrealistic, but she grew right before my eyes. Even Gideon shows signs of not being so tough. I really cared about these two as they dealt with all kinds of emotions and demons from their past.

This is the first book of a series. I read through it quickly. I didn’t want to put it down. I had to know what was going to happen to these two. It’s the perfect time of year to read it. It’s filled with romance, drama and a little humor, too. A heartwarming story with Hanukkah in the backdrop.

There’s already a second book in this series. I’ll be checking it out.






FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I started reading this book and almost immediately could tell that the writing style and I were not going to be a match, but I've been struggling to figure out how to explain it. There's something about the way the main female character narrates her thoughts that made me immediately dislike her and I'm usually all for an unlikeable main character, but not like this.

I absolutely think many people could enjoy this one, but I am not one of those people.

3.5 Stars.

This book is, more than a second chance romantic story, about healing wounds from the past. Eden is a 36-year-old woman who had to face a tragic event at the age of fifteen that not only changed her life, but her entire family still suffers from that. Despite this, she decides to open her heart one more time. As she seeks to attract her “perfect” man, her new landlord drives her crazy with his demands (ridiculous in Eden’s opinion) for a healthy coexistence as neighbors. Gideon, the landlord in question, is the new doctor in Holliday who wants to keep his distance from everyone —his patients included. However, he suddenly finds himself becoming more involved with Holliday’s people… and with Eden. Can they overcome obstacles and find happiness?

The story has a decent writing, although it fails by having certain emptiness in key moments. However, the greatest strength of the book is the creation of the characters. With well-defined personalities and styles, both the main and secondary characters have a particular message and shine on their own, apart from the fact that we see some that will be part of this series, which is always an asset.

A story that begins a series which has great potential to be great, this book is easy to read.

READ FULL REVIEW IN HARLEQUIN JUNKIE:
https://harlequinjunkie.com/review-moonlight-menorahs-and-mistletoe-by-wendy-warren/

Good enemies to lovers story as two apparent opposites find out they have more in common than they thought. This is the first book in the aptly named <i>Holliday, Oregon</i> series, where the town goes all-out for holidays. In this story, Hanukkah traditions form the background of Eden and Gideon's romance.

Thirty-six-year-old divorced Eden is finally ready to consider marriage again. Scarred from an accident when she was a teenager, she hides her insecurities under a determinedly cheerful attitude. She lays it on especially thick when dealing with her new landlord, whose grumpiness challenges her.

Gideon recently moved to Holliday and took over a retiring doctor's practice. He's not the warm-hearted, house-call-making, barbecue-giving doctor his predecessor was, so he has the reputation of being cold and aloof. That's fine with him since emotions and medicine don't mix. If only he could stay that way around Eden.

I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Eden and Gideon. They start as antagonists, with Gideon irritated by her excessive cheerfulness and Eden bugged by his refusal to loosen up. When he comes to her rescue after a medical incident, she begins to suspect there's more to him than meets the eye. Instead of continuing her provocations, she offers him friendship instead. I liked seeing her pull him into her world at the same time as she learned more about him. As they move from enemies to friends and then to more, both begin to develop stronger feelings for each other. I loved how Gideon's attention helped Eden past her insecurities about her scars. He didn't ignore them, but he didn't make a big deal of them either.

Gideon had a more challenging time with it. He still hurt so much from what happened with his wife that he swore he wouldn't let his emotions get involved in his life ever again. There were times when his true nature surfaced, such as when he treated Charlotte or his conversation with the teenager, Jude. When he gave in to his attraction to Eden, the feelings she stirred up scared him, and he tried to pull away. I ached for Eden because she'd fallen so hard for him, and it hurt to have him end things. I liked how her friends and family rallied around her. I had to laugh when Gideon finally realized what an idiot he'd been and had to bare his heart in front of all of them. His big moment was sweet and emotional, and I could feel his love for her as I read it. I hope to see more of them in future books and see how their lives progress.

I enjoyed meeting Eden's friends. Barney and Charlotte were adorable in their love for each other and Barney's sweet care of Charlotte. I laughed at Charlotte's comments about Eden's cooking abilities. Eden's best friend Nikki was a trip. I'm not sure if I want her current engagement to prosper or not, as I don't care for the way he makes her feel about herself. I'll have to wait and see what happens. I loved Eden's brother Ryan and his fiancé, Ollie. I like Ryan's support of Eden and the loving and teasing comments they exchange. The pair that really intrigue me are Jeremy and Sophie, the constantly arguing members of the two feuding families. The story of the jewels sounds interesting, and I can see it running through several books in the series.

I liked seeing Hanukkah as a theme in the book. There aren't that many, and I appreciate getting a look at other traditions. I laughed out loud at the description of Eden trying to make <i>challah,</i> especially her comment about the dough as a weapon.

Fun-loving Eden yearns for love. The last place she expects to find it is with her straight-laced landlord Gideon. Yet as she gets to know him better, she discovers that underneath his stern façade, he's as wounded as she is. Can they trust each other enough to find their way to lasting love?

This grumpy-sunshine, hurt-comfort romance features an endearing couple and fun side characters. It's an uplifting story just in time for the holiday season.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

A Sweet Hanukkah rom com which quite frankly I think that we need more of them. In both book and movie form. I loved the story so much I finished it in one day. But now I want more.

This is Holiday Romance, and this is the first book in the Holiday, Oregon series. This is a slow burn hate to love romance, and I was so living for every minute of this book. There was parts of this book that I felt was moving to slow, but those parts did not bother me to much. I loved the characters in this book. I loved that this was a Holiday romance but not Christmas. This was a cute wintery holiday book with a sweet story. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harlequin Special Edition) or author (Wendy Warren) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

It’s grumpy meets sunshine in Moonlight, Menorahs and Mistletoe. Wendy Warren makes the enemies-to-lovers trope feel fresh and fun in this charming romance.

At thirty-six, Eden Berman is ready to find true love. She knows just the man, too, and he’s the opposite of her grumpy new landlord, Dr. Gideon Bowen. Eden has visible and invisible scars but she masks it with a sunny attitude and a determined spirit. She’s set her sights on handsome and outgoing teacher Brandon, but it’s her way-too-serious, isolated neighbor who keeps pulling her focus. Eden has a tendency to build castles in the air, but she’s a delightful heroine nonetheless. She has hidden vulnerabilities and a kind heart, both of which make her interesting. Gideon is more of a mystery for much of the book. He seems cold to others but he’s really not. He broke my heart and I enjoyed watching him come to life while not losing his quiet nature. He and Eden fit like lock and key, which made it easy for me to fall into their romance. They go from enemies to friends to more in a steady fashion and though I felt the ending was rushed, I still enjoyed their story overall.

A dash of Hanukkah spirit adds festivity and a cast of interesting, endearing supporting characters add heart. Moonlight, Menorahs and Mistletoe is a great book to curl up with when you need to find some light in the dark.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin but this one just isn't working for me. I can't get a grip on either of the main characters and don't particularly care for either one of them. DNF @ 35%