Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I LOVE Molly the maid and was so excited to get approved for this book. It went to the top of my list!!
Molly is at it again with her quirkiness around the holidays. Her and her boyfriend Juan are enjoying their holiday traditions and new ones as well. Molly is seeing clues for something going awry- is what she believes going to happen?! Definitely recommend!!

While I impatiently wait :-) for the next Molly the Maid, “The Maid’s Secret” (coming in April 2025), Nita Prose has gifted us with a Christmas novella, “The Mistletoe Mystery,” and best yet, Molly’s too-good-to-be-true boyfriend, Juan Manuel, who was out of the country visiting relatives in the last book, is center stage. Gossipy, mean Cheryl is back, too, and, honestly, Molly, I wish you would hear Gran’s voice straight out (in a totally non-Gran voice) demand “totally ignore Cheryl and everything she says and implies.”

It’s their fifth Christmas together, and Juan has been such an unbelievably joyous celebrant of the season, that he adds to Molly’s treasured memories of her late Gran, giving Molly new holiday memories every year to embrace. Although, since you know her from the previous two novels, Molly is a worry-wart and it doesn’t take much to topple her from good thoughts to self-doubt again. She’s been successful at ignoring people who mock her for her OCD tendencies, but she still gets suspicious easily (which is why she’s a great detective). This time she worries that Juan might have a secret (the readers, however, will be quicker to sense a good secret, not a bad one). Once again, you fall in love with quirky Molly and wait for her to keep discovering the good in everyone.

This is a quick and joyous read — a great Christmas gift for Molly fans. 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO Molly does have a nightmare about arachnid eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Molly and Juan do take every chance they get to kiss under the mistletoe. (By the way, mistletoe is actually a plant parasite, despite its jolly good Christmas reputation).

Thank you to Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

This was such a sweet Christmas novella in the Molly the Maid series! I just love the relationship between Juan Manuel and Molly!

I also enjoyed that in this book it really shows how Molly has become part of the Regency Grand hotel family.

Looking forward to the next book!

Story/Plot: B
Characters: B
Pacing: B-
Best Aspect: Very different and unusual characters.
Worst Aspect: Kind of super weird in the not great way.
Recommend: Maybe.

There is truly nothing I love more than a holiday read. Will definitely be rereading this one closer to Christmas! They have such a sweet relationship and I can't wait for the next one.

I enjoy Nita Prose's series about Molly Gray. The novella format just doesn't give enough time for plot development.

Molly the Maid is back in this fun novella. Molly and her boyfriend, Juan Manuel are getting ready for Christmas and the annual Christmas party at the Regency Grand. As the party gets closer, Juan Manuel starts to act suspicious, and Molly starts to fear the worst. With her future with Juan Manuel uncertain, Molly starts to think about past Christmas days and the events that led her to this Christmas with Juan.

Although there was really not a mystery to solve in this novella, I loved learning more about Molly and her past Christmas's with her grandmother. The events of this novella seem to set up the plot for the next book in the Molly the Maid series that comes out in April 2025 and after reading this novella, I am excited to see what is next for Molly.

The Mistletoe Mystery comes out on October 1st.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to review The Mistletoe Mystery. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Oh Molly the maid! What a book! 🎄🌹 This one filled my heart with so much holiday cheer! I might have to read this every Christmas as a new holiday tradition. The scenes describing the hotel were so captivating, I love a 5-star hotel lobby during the holiday season! I also loved the different type of mystery tucked into this little novella. Not everything is as it seems, Molly!

Molly is incredibly relatable in so many ways. She begins to have doubts about her beloved, Juan Manuel, due to some misunderstandings. I loved delving deeper into their relationship in this book! Gran continues to influence Molly’s everyday life, with a love that is imprinted on her soul for a lifetime. I adore the little moments she has lost in memory of Gran throughout the story. I was happy to see Juan Manuel’s determination to carry on Gran’s traditions, especially since Christmas was her favorite holiday! I’ll never tire of Molly the Maid’s little sayings that help her get through the day. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC!

Pub date 10/1/24

This was so so adorable. If you are a fan of the previous maid books, you are in for a lovely holiday treat. I missed Juan Manuel in the last book! It was so nice to see little snapshots of their relationship. If you’re looking for a mystery, there isn’t much of one in this novella- but all the same I think most readers of the previous books will enjoy slipping back into Molly’s world.

I absolutely love Molly. This was a perfect story. I feel more attached to her character than any character I’ve ever read about in any book. She’s perfect. Such a fun and adorable novella.

Another Molly the Maid tale? Yes, please! Molly and Juan Manuel’s Christmas story was a quick read that left me smiling. Honestly, I am disappointed this sweet romance tale did not make it past the novella size. I would have enjoyed an expanded version.

*I received an arc of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

The Mistletoe Mystery By Nita Prose

So many mysterious happenings in Molly and Juan Manuel’s lives. Despite the joyful buildup to Christmas, Molly is having some doubts, as old insecurities rear up. Their “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree, card catalog Advent calendar, and improvised sleigh ride help add a festive note, and the joy of improvising and up cycling. Remembered advice from grandma brings some good answers, along with the sadness of missing her. There’s sweetness and love, friendship and family here, a Christmas bonbon, or perhaps a cookie from Juan Carlos’ kitchen. <3

A sweet, quirky novella that can be read as a standalone (book 3). I do recommend reading the series, Molly will capture your heart.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Mistletoe Mystery novella tells the story of Molly as she becomes suspicious of Juan Manuel’s sudden disappearances.

OMG!!! Molly and Juan Manuel are literally the cutest couple ever! I love their chemistry! They’re the perfect example of “Opposites Attract.” I absolutely adored the devotion, relentless efforts, and unconditional love that Juan Manuel shows for Molly. Ughhh, Juan Manuel is just so charming and impeccable! Extra points for his amazing cooking and baking skills—and the fact that he can handle household chores without complaints. Molly is so lucky to have him! It’s like all the grief and bullying Molly suffered were worth it because, in the end, her reward was Juan Manuel, her gold medal.

I honestly didn’t expect Nita Prose to shift so quickly from Thriller/Mystery to Romance/Mystery, but it was definitely a delightful short read.

Overall, I recommend this to anyone who enjoys delightful, adorable, and quick reads. But of course, if you don’t want to miss Molly and Juan Manuel’s unique encounter, you must read the first and second installments of the series.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for giving me the opportunity to read Molly Gray and Juan Manuel's beautiful love story.

✨𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄:
📌 THE UNEXPECTED ROMANCE
📌 OPPOSITES ATTRACT
📌 THE PERFECT PARTNER
📌 A QUICK AND DELIGHTFUL READ
📌 NO SPICE

🖥️ GOODREADS REVIEW: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6752617946

💻 BLOG REVIEW: https://kimthebookdragon.wordpress.com/2024/08/13/arc-review-the-mistletoe-mystery-by-nita-prose/

This book felt like a cash grab. It did not have to be written but it was. There wasn’t really any mystery it was just Molly being overly Molly. Three books in, there really isn’t a need to keep repeating things we should know by now. I’ve never rolled my eyes so much while reading a book.

Molly the Maid is always delightful. So to get a Christmas novella brought me much joy. We get to see more into Molly's relationship with her boyfriend Juan. We also see a little bit more about Molly which I love. And of course there is a mystery!

As always, Molly the Maid brings her delightful and quirky charm to this holiday themed novella. It was a bit predictable and not nearly on par with the two previous installments, but a quick, one-sitting read to get into the holiday spirit.

Oh, Molly the Maid. Once you get to know her, she’s quite endearing. This Christmas Novella really captured the growth of Molly and Juan Miguel’s relationship. Molly’s mannerisms are still the same, but the beauty is that she is starting to understand herself better with that inspirational optimism. Though the story is predictable, Molly questions her reality that brings her an element of surprise.

I really enjoyed The Maid. The second installment was disappointing and this work was even more so. I knew the ending to the book a few pages in. I powered through and finished only because it was so short. Prose needs to end this series. It’s becoming very forced and no longer enjoyable.

I absolutely loved this book, as I have with other works by Prose. This Maid Novella focuses on the blossoming love story between Molly Gray and her boyfriend Juan Manuel.

Prose has crafted Molly's character brilliantly, capturing her voice so vividly that it resonates throughout the novella. The book allowed me to visualize many aspects of Molly’s life and personality, highlighting the charming simplicity of her character. This endearing portrayal makes "The Mistletoe Mystery" a delightful read, especially for those who have followed Molly's journey in Prose's previous works.