Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller — This is a sweet story. I enjoyed Kieran and Emmy’s love story. They’ve known each other since they were kids, so there is no insta-love here. In fact, quite the opposite. This is a love story decades in the making. I appreciate that both the hero and heroine of this endearing tale are in their early 40s. As a woman in her early 40s, I appreciate seeing characters I could actually relate to. I love how Emmy is a grounded, stable, big-hearted heroine. She is the perfect person for the ever-wandering, runs-away-when-life-gets-too-tough hero. I like how Emmy and Kiran balance each other out. Together, they make a great team!

The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham — Oh my goodness, is this one of the best stories ever! I absolutely love Basham’s Skymar series, so when I heard that this novella was Charlie’s love story I was all in! There is so much to love about The Mistletoe Prince. I love that readers get a complete story. Sometimes novellas feel uber fast and super rushed. But not when Basham writes them. In The Mistletoe Prince, we get a proper beginning, middle, and end. And so much realistic depth. Both Charlie and Arran carry heavy emotional burdens. They are broken people — people who definitely need to work out some heavy baggage — but they’re also really good people with big, kind, loving, compassionate hearts. Both Charlie and Arran have hearts for service. They genuinely enjoy helping others. It’s what motivates and energizes them. It is through this shared love of service that Charlie and Arran are able to move past presupposed notions about one another into actual, endearing friendship. I really appreciate how they bonded over their similarities. Yeah, he’s a royal prince and she works construction getting her hands dirty every day, but they both have deep hurts that need overcoming and a true love for helping people. There’s a lot there for them to establish a good friendship foundation. I love how they become the sort of friends who aren’t afraid to tell it like it is because it is their candidness that allows them to overcome their pasts and their pain. I genuinely loved journeying with Charlie and Arran as they moved from friendship to more. It was a sweet journey. I chuckled a ton and teared up a couple of times. All in all, The Mistletoe Prince was another home run by Pepper Basham!

Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts — Hailey is a successful romance writer back home for the holidays. She is forced to confront her high school nemesis because her older brother is now dating her. Hailey also has to confront her long-standing crush on her brother’s best friend, Carwyn (not a fan of that name). I’m going to be honest, I struggled with the characters. They all feel incredibly flat to me, except for Hailey. She is pretty fleshed out, but she frustrates me with her selfishness. As far as the love story goes, I would have really liked to get Carwyn’s side of things. I think that would have helped me buy into his and Hailey’s journey to love. As is, it moves SO fast and happens so suddenly that it’s not very believable. This story has the bones of a good contemporary romance, it just needs reworking. Of the three stories in this collection, I struggled to connect with this one.

Overall, I do highly recommend Mistletoe Season. It absolutely got me in the mood for cooler weather, family, and Christmas celebrations.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel in eBook from Thomas Nelson, via NetGalley. I was under no obligation to leave a review of any kind. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A wonderful collection of Christmas stories all mistletoe related. The three books are fun, clean and sweet romances. The entertaining and fun characters really draw you into their stories and keep you engaged.. I love the writing styles of all three authors. There was a faith element to some of them. All such sweet and adorable romances filled with happiness, love and holiday goodness. Wonderful reading that you don’t want to miss out on!

Three wonderful Christmas stories that really are uniquely different and wonderfully written. Plus I have two new authors to follow. Each story has a sweet HEA that just will warm your heart. #MistletoeSeason

This book reads like a collection of Hallmark Christmas movies! Sweet Christmas love stories from a range of characters...from a middle aged single mom to a royal trying to outrun his mistakes!

This is five stars for cozy Christmas feelings and just pure, simple enjoyment!

I really enjoyed these three Christmas novellas, particularly the second.

I'm a huge Pepper Basham fan, so I was excited to read "A Mistletoe Prince". "Loyally, Luke" (part of Ms Basham's Skymar series) introduced me to Prince Arran and Charlotte. Suffice to say, my intrigue about them has been peaked since!

As usual, Ms Basham's writing evokes huge smiles from me as I was sucked into the story. Sadly, I couldn't read this in one sitting (c'mon, life!). 😆

Kathleen Fuller's "Return to Mistletoe" was a sweet romantic read about a single mum and her childhood crush. Filled with the warmth and fun of a small town, this romance about people in their 40s was nice to read (I'm in my 40s too!).

Sheila Roberts's "Say No to Mistletoe" was a fun read! With engaging, witty banter and a fast-paced story (particularly in the beginning), I found it easy to read. It was Hallmarky but with more witticisms. 😂

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was feeling the Mistletoe...

Since this was the first mistletoe book I've read this season, I was down for it.
Three novellas, one by an author I've read for years and two new to to me authors.
Its a recommend!

Okay this is like 3 cozy hallmark movies all wrapped up in one book. The stories don’t overlap. They’re completely separate from each other. Of the three, I think Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts was my favorite. All three stories were great though. The first story, Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller, focuses on Emmy & Kieran. Kieran is back in his hometown for his mother’s birthday when he runs into his sister’s best friend, Emmy who happens to have had quite the crush on Kieran back in the day. The second story is The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham. Prince Arran comes to stay with his sister in North Carolina to try and get his life back on track after his bad behavior & meets Charlotte who could use the help of a prince for the Christmas fundraiser. The third story, Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts, is about Hailey’s bad luck with the men she meets under the mistletoe & she’s determined not to end up under it again with her childhood crush, Carwyn, when she returns home for the holidays. These are quick little reads that you could probably finish in 1-2 hours each.

Thank you to NetGalley & Thomas Nelson for the advance copy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Mistletoe Season, Three Christmas Stories by Kathleen Fuller, Pepper Basham and Sheila Roberts
This is a collection of three novellas all involving mistletoe. They are heartwarming and uplifting stories that are easy to read and bring holiday joy.
The first is Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller. This story is about a single mom, Emmy and her adopted daughter, Carina. They own an antique shop called Mistletoe Antiques in a town named Mistletoe. Emmy and her former boyfriend, opened the store together but shortly after receiving a business loan, he left taking all the money with him. She is left trying to keep the store going. She is surprised when her high school crush, Kieran, returns after living in Ireland for over 20 years. He is also her best friend’s brother. As they renew their friendship they both realize that the developing relationship is more than a friendship. They have some obstacles to overcome, the biggest one being that Kieran returns to Ireland. What will become of their renewed relationship?
A Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham is the second story. Arran is royalty, a prince, with a bad-boy reputation. His family sends him to live with his sister in America and to work for her husband, Luke, who owns a construction company. Another stipulation is that Arran must help with the annual Christmas charity event, the Mistletoe Wish. Luke’s cousin, Charlotte, or Charlie, as they call her, is in charge of the charity and also works for the construction company. They have a rather comical and unfortunate first meeting. Charlie reluctantly decides she needs his help. Arran’s sister, Ellie, enlists Arran’s help in giving Charlie, a self proclaimed tom-boy, a makeover. Will Arran change his bad-boy ways and what will he and Charlie discover about themselves along the way?
The third story in this collection is Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts. In this story, Hailey Fairchild, a romance writer, has had bad experiences with dates and mistletoe kisses. The author gives us an accounting of Hailey’s last three disastrous relationships all beginning with a kiss under the mistletoe. Hailey has vowed she will never kiss under the mistletoe again. When she returns home to spend Christmas with her family, she discovers her brother’s new girlfriend is the mean girl from high school. She is a hairdresser and convinces Hailey to let her color her hair. She purposely colors it bright green, and this is how Hailey looks when she sees her high school crush, Carwyn, for the first time in years. Hailey is convinced that in order for her to have a relationship with Carwyn, she must stay away from any mistletoe kisses. Their relationship seems to be progressing but problems arise when she realizes that their relationship would have to be a long distance one. He lives in her hometown and she lives in New York City, where her publisher is. After several months, Hailey knows she must make a decision. Will Hailey get over her fears? Will their relationship survive?
These three stories are lighthearted, clean romances filled with fun holiday spirit.
This is from the publisher’s website:
“Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts
Mistletoe is Hailey Fairchild’s kryptonite. Every time she’s kissed someone under the mistletoe it’s led to love disaster. Not a good thing for a romance writer! When she was a gawky high school girl, her hunky neighbor, Carwyn Davies, star of the basketball team (and her dreams), kissed her under the mistletoe on a dare. But the kiss wasn’t a dream come true. It was a mortifying moment she’s never forgotten, and now she’s about to go home for the holidays, unengaged and . . . determined to say no to mistletoe. Especially if Carwyn is anywhere around.
Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller
Emmy Banks has always loved Christmas. How could she not when she lives in Mistletoe, Missouri? Kieran O’Neill has spent years abroad, renovating an old Irish castle, but returns to Mistletoe for his mother’s seventieth birthday. He reconnects with Emmy, his sister’s close friend, and spends time with her in her charming antique shop. When the weather turns colder, things start to warm up between Emmy and Kieran. But can Emmy risk her heart when she knows he’ll never stay in Mistletoe, and she will never leave?
The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham
Prince Arran St. Clare has lost his freedom and fairytale life in exchange for a three-month “punishment” in the small town of Ransom, North Carolina. To prove he is ready for the royal life for which he was born, Arran must engage in the Christmas charity fundraiser, The Mistletoe Wish. But when kindness, authenticity, and hard work prove more appreciated in Appalachia than a royal pedigree, Arran must face the mirror and find out who he is beyond the crown. Add a beautiful and intelligent woman who doesn’t recognize her own worth, some mistletoe, and a little Christmas magic and it all might be enough to help the rebel-prince understand what truly matters most.”
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the Thomas Nelson, Harper Collins via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

I'm a fan of Pepper Basham--especially her Edgewood family trilogy of characters--so I read Mistletoe Season just for The Mistletoe Prince.

Even in novella length, Basham's storytelling shines. The unlikely pairing of hero and heroine, both in need of making changes to their public persona, made for a fun storyline. And the snippets from Luke and Ellie made me want to read Loyally, Luke (and the rest of the series!) all over again.

Mistletoe Season is a delightful collection of holiday stories that perfectly captures the spirit of the season. Each tale brings its own unique charm, making it a cozy read for those looking to embrace the magic of Christmas.

In Sheila Roberts' story, we meet a character who learns the true meaning of family and connection during the holidays. Her warm writing style draws you in, and the heartfelt moments make you reflect on the importance of cherishing those around us.

Kathleen Fuller offers a charming narrative about second chances and the magic of rekindled love. The sweet romance unfolds against a backdrop of winter festivities, leaving you with a smile and a sense of hope for new beginnings.

Pepper Basham rounds out the collection with a whimsical tale that emphasizes the joy of embracing one’s true self. Her engaging characters and lighthearted humor add a delightful twist, reminding us that the holidays are a time for authenticity and joy.

While each story has its strengths, some moments felt a bit predictable, which is why I’m giving Mistletoe Season a 4 star rating. However, if you’re looking for a cozy escape filled with holiday cheer and heartwarming moments, this collection is definitely worth picking up. Perfect for curling up with a cup of cocoa, it’s a lovely way to get into the holiday spirit!

Mistletoe Season is a book of three cute, clean Christmas novellas from three best-selling authors. All three were light-hearted, Hallmark-ish, wholesome and sweet romances.

Pepper Basham’s, The Mistletoe Prince, was especially charming as it is a continuation of her Skymar series (Authentically Izzy, Positively Penelope, & Loyally Luke). For those who are familiar, this Christmas plot is about Princess Ellie’s brother from Skymar. He’s been a bad boy prince and is sent to North Carolina with Luke and Ellie to get his act together. REALLY enjoyed it - especially the faith content.
4 stars

The other two stories, “Return to Mistletoe” and “Say No to Mistletoe” were both cute as well - clean contemporary fiction. Both have a second chance romance trope. Both were quick, carefree reads.
3 stars for these two.

More in-depth book reviews can be found on my YouTube channel. 💙☕📚

I was blessed to have received an early complimentary ebook AND audiobook and opinions are my own!

Mistletoe Season by Sheila Roberts; Kathleen Fuller; Pepper Basham had 3 of the cutest Christmas novellas.
I really enjoyed these authors and their writing.
Such charming stories filled with the sweetest characters.

Thank You NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Mistletoe Season, future 3 shorts stories. While the first one was just okay, I didn't care for the last 2.

3 stars.

I generally forget about holiday books until it is too late to start reading them. I was so glad to get a copy of Mistletoe Season to start thinking about Christmas a little early. I didn’t realize that this was actually three novellas. Again - not a book I would normally pick up. That being said, I loved the first two novellas in this book. They were just the right length and were enjoyable stories. I didn’t like the third story Say No to Mistletoe quite as well. I skimmed the last several chapters as it wasn’t my style of read. Overall this was an enjoyable holiday book and I am happy to recommend it to anyone looking to get into the Christmas spirit. I receive a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

These novellas are perfect to read during the busy holidays when you need a quick dose of holiday cheer!

The book features three novellas:
Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller
Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham
Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts

The first and third stories were pretty Hallmark-esque, and left me wanting a bit more depth to them.

The second story, Mistletoe Prince, was just delightful. I have enjoyed Pepper Basham's Skymar series, and this novella was a great companion to that series. I loved getting to see some of my favorite characters again, and Charlotte and Arran are just adorable as they bring out the best in each other.

Thank you to NetGalley, the authors, and Thomas Nelson Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

I’m a Pepper Basham fan, so I was anxious to read her novella, especially since it centered around the Edgewood family. Each story was unique. I hadn’t read anything by Kathleen Fuller or Sheila Roberts before, so it was a good opportunity to check out new authors. For me the weakest story was Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller. I didn’t feel warm or fuzzy about the hero, and I thought there was a whole lot of telling rather than showing. This is a novella drawback, but the other stories in the collection were more enjoyable. My favorite was The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham. It had all the feels for me and continued the story of the Edgewoods and Skymar royals. Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts was funny and kept my interest. The romance in all three happens fast, but that’s the nature of the novella. If you’re looking for quick, sweet stories for the Christmas season, you’ll enjoy this collection.

I enjoyed reading the three inspirational Christmas romance novellas that each include a fun mistletoe story element.

Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller

I read the novella collection in order, starting with Emmy and Kieran’s sweet second chances romance story. Years ago, Kieran needed a last minute fill in date for his high school prom and invited Emmy, his younger sister’s best friend. Emmy had a big crush on Kieran in high school and now he’s back in Mistletoe for the first time in twenty plus years. Emmy owns an antique store and she finds Kieran’s Irish charm hard to resist. His life is in Ireland and she’s a single parent with responsibilities in the US. I enjoyed their fun and heartwarming Christmas romance story.

The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham

Pepper’s story featuring Charlotte and Prince Arran from Skymar is the reason I wanted to read the novella collection. I loved Pepper’s royalty romances series set in Skymar. Luke and Ellie, from Loyally Luke, are side characters and it was so fun to vist with them in North Carolina. The meet cute between Charlotte and Arran is ridiculous and memorable for all the wrong reasons. Arran’s trying to overcome his reputation as a royal rogue and make better life choices. He isn’t looking for romance and Charlotte has her reasons for not believing a real life prince would be interested in wooing her. Their friends-to-more royalty romance is sweet and includes a light faith element in the story.

Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts

Hailey is a romance author who lives in NYC and she’s returning home to Cascade, Washington, for Christmas. She has bookish events lined up in town, including a book signing and a visit to her old high school. She isn’t happy being single and has a fear of mistletoe after multiple disasters in the past. Her high school crush, Carwyn, was her first mistletoe kiss disaster, and he’s now the high school principal who happens to be single. I like second chance teenage crush romances and enjoyed Hailey and Carwyn’s cute Christmas romance story.

Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love anthologies because they are a great way to read new authors. Two of these authors are new to me. Every story in this anthology has great characters and sweet romance.
Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller is a second chance sweet romance. I loved Kieran and Emmy. I loved that they were a little more mature in age.
The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham is so fun. While this is a stand alone story, it is also belongs in a series that Ms. Basham has written that I love! I love Arran and Charlotte (Charlie). I love that their love for each other strengthens the other. The first meeting is interesting and sets up the story beautifully. Redemption and love are throughout this story.
Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts so good. "I am smart, I am strong, I can conquer any situation, and I can resist mistletoe." Hailey's luck with mistletoe is extremely bad. This story is so good. Carwyn and Hailey are great characters.
I love this anthology and I would highly recommend it.

If you are in the mood for a few short, sweet, and yes, predictable, clean Christmas romance stories, Mistletoe Season is the perfect escape from reality with its trio of novellas. My absolute favorite was Pepper Basham’s A Mistletoe Prince and getting this book is worth it for that story alone! (Especially if you’re read the Skymar series she has written, as this is a fun dive back into that world.)

Thanks NetGalley and HarperCollins Christian Publishing for the ARC ebook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is such a cute collection of Christmas novellas. Honestly I wanted to read it solely because of Pepper Basham. Hearing her story would include Luke Edgewood who I adore was an added bonus. I loved seeing people I’ve met through her Skymar series. In The Mistletoe Prince, Arran, Prince of Skymar, comes to the small town of Ransom, North Caroline to help get his life back on track. There he meets and works alongside Luke’s cousin Charlotte helping her with the Mistletoe Wish charity fundraiser. The story is full of sweetness, swoon, and special moments. And of course some great Luke moments. Love seeing him happily married. I adored Arran and Charlotte.

This book was a great way to read two new to me authors. And I’m sure I’ll be reading some of their full length novels in the future. Their novellas were sweet and humorous. Perfect for curling up by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa and Christmas music. The Mistletoe Season has set me in the Christmas mood.

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy to review. No postive review was required. All thoughts and opinions are my own.