This was an adorable little short story. I’ve enjoyed the entire Maid series but this one is super sweet. The plot was obvious but a quick read that is so heart warming makes me smile.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nita Prose, and Random House Publishing, Ballantine Books, for this arc of The Mistletoe Mystery, which is out October 1, 2024!

📝 Quick Summary: Nina is back and it’s Christmas time! This cozy novella follows Nina and Juan , her boyfriend, and their work at Regency Hotel. Cheryl is still Cheryl
, and as head of the Maids, Nina is back to dealing with the maids and their work in the hotel room. While at work one day, Nina noticed Juan talking to another female lady, and Cheryl starts putting ideas in Nina’s mind~ is he as trustworthy and faithful as she believes? Nina’s world starts tilting on its axis as she tries to see what could possibly be going on.

❤️ Initial feels: I’m glad to be back with Nina at the Regency Hotel, and loving this short and sweet plot line.

💁🏼‍♀️Moving character: I enjoyed Nina’s characters in the first two Maid novels, and her unique and spunky personality is back.

📝 Words that inspire: Think the best, not the worst.

The good thing about bad times is that they pass.

📖 Read if you want: a cozy mystery, small drama, warm Christmas time feels

💡 Final sentiments: This novella is super cute and an easy, breezy read that will sprinkle in that holiday sentiment throughout. The mystery was not too difficult to figure out, but with Nina, nothing is ever clear. Even though you may figure it out early on, this was still a super fast and fun read. It was a great visit with some old friends at the Regency Hotel.

⭐️ Overall Rating: 4 stars

This was a good novella for anyone who is already a fan of Molly and The Maid series. It’s not so much a mystery with a murder, but a sweet behind-the-scenes bonus for those who are fans of the series. It’s not something that has to be read to get through the series. It is a nice little extra holiday read for fans of the series. I do recommend reading this. Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for allowing me to read this book early for an honest review.

I knew exactly where the story was heading but that didn’t deter me from reading. I even got a little teary-eyed in the end. The only thing I did wrong is read this book on a 90 degree day. It will be published on October 1, 2024, and is the perfect holiday love story. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Random House, for a free copy in exchange for a review!

I’ve enjoyed getting to know Molly in the first two books in this series. This novella is a great addition to the series. While there is no murder in this one, there is a bit of a mystery. Molly is feeling that her boyfriend, Juan, is hiding something from her and she worries that he doesn’t really love her. The reader can quickly see what the mystery is, but the ride to get there is fun and oh so sweet. Great Christmas story!

What an absolutely delicious novella for the holiday season! I'm a new fan of Nita!! I definitely be reading more books by this author after reading this gift! ☕

Molly is absolutely adorable! Anything to do a romance and hotels at Christmas time count me in! Definitely a novella worth reading 100%! If you're trying to get into the Christmas spirit and you want that romantic nostalgic feel!📖

I haven't done Secret Santa in a long time! I'm getting totally inspired when I read this!🍾

Juan and Molly have my little book reading, romantic heart!! 🍨

Bravo! 🥞

This one was just as great as the first! I could not put it down and I can't wait to read more from Nita!

A sweet addition to the series! Not a mystery per se but more insight to the life of our favorite maid. Hope this did not distract Nina from the next installment!

I absolutely love Molly the Maid, her voice, the way she constantly references her beloved Gran (RIP) and the chemistry and pure adoration she has for her boyfriend Juan Manuel. If you already love Molly, you will love this sweet short story, I read this in less than an hour.

No murders, but plenty of saccharine sweetness and holiday nostalgia. I’m not surprised that they have a Secret Santa at the Regency Grand, and that Molly upcycles turn down chocolates from the rooms. If you already love the Maid series, please invest a little time on this novella, which has no murder but all romance. It put me in the Christmas spirit!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House /Ballantine for the ARC. Novella to be released October 1, 2024.

This book was so cute! I received it as an ARC from Random House Publishing Group. I haven't read any of The Maid series before this one, but I enjoyed it. In case you're wondering, there isn't a murder to solve in this mystery. It's a light hearted, good natured story about Molly finding love with her boyfriend, Juan Manuel. The story centers around their relationship and preparing for the staff Christmas party at the Regency Grand hotel. Throughout the book, Molly quotes a lot of her "gran's" sayings (who is no longer alive) that have an influence on her decisions and thoughts. In the novella, Molly battle's with not jumping to conclusions and understanding that things are not always what it seems, especially when it comes to her boyfriend. Can she be sure and trusting of his intentions or not? The outcome turns out to be a huge surprise for Molly.

The perfect Christmas read, filled with all my favorite characters from The Regency Grand Hotel and lots of holiday cheer. Molly is always a delight, her ability to find joy in the mundane is so refreshing. While I did not find the mystery in this book to be too mysterious at all, I see how it would have been quite the mystery to Molly and I greatly enjoyed her journey to discover the truth.

These words of Juan Manuel really sum it up, Molly Jolly Christmas! Any fan of Molly will love this sweet holiday novella. It’s filled with memories of gran, traditions old and new and lots of sweet moments between Molly and Juan Manuel.

This is the perfect, quick, charming holiday novella for readers who adore Molly, Head Maid! I listened to the audiobook performed by Lauren Ambrose, who to me, IS Molly. Her nuanced performance of Molly's difficulties in interpreting social cues really bring the character to life! In this short read, Molly finds herself doubting Juan Manuel's behavior around the holiday season and the Regency Grand Hotel's secret Santa gift exchange. She dives into her most personal mystery yet as she works to untangle the clues.

Set in an immersive winter/holiday setting of NYC, this low-stakes and endeavoring novella is a great reminder of what is truly important in the holiday season.

Thank you to the publisher for the early copy! This was a cute, cozy Christmas novella but not what I was expecting. Very different from the other books in The Maid series (plot wise/mystery wise) and was kinda disappointing. Molly was her usual funny self and Mr. Preston was adorable as always!

Can we call this a mystery? I argue no, but it was a fun little read nonetheless.

The Mistletoe Mystery brings us back to the world of Molly the Maid, this time with a festive spin. Molly’s character remains just as quirky, with her rigid sense of order and attention to detail, but she also continues to show growth since we last saw her. Prose does a great job balancing the cozy mystery vibes with a lighthearted, holiday atmosphere, making it a fun albeit very predictable read.

If you're looking for a feel-good short “mystery” with some holiday cheer, The Mistletoe Mystery is worth picking up. It's the kind of book you can curl up with on a snowy day over a cup of hot chocolate.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I thought this novella was so much fun! I loved jumping into Molly’s life with Juan Manuel, reading about holiday season at the hotel and being reacquainted with minor characters from the first two books.

This novella has a different type of “mystery” included and I enjoyed that the author changed it up from the first two novels. It was fast, entertaining and had the holiday cheer I was hoping for. Thank you for sharing the digital copy with me!

A cozy Christmas novella!

Molly the Maid is back is this Christmas-themed novella. The Mistletoe Mystery is Book number 3 in the series. I highly recommend reading the first two books if you haven’t done so already … you are sure to fall in love with Molly and the colorful cast of employees at The Regency Grand Hotel.

This novella gives a closer glimpse in to the relationship between Molly and her longtime boyfriend, Juan Manuel, as they prepare for the Christmas season. It’s very cute and fits the bill if you are in need of a Molly-fix!

Read if you like:
✨the Molly the Maid series
✨novellas/quick reads
✨quirky characters

Thank you Net Galley and Ballantine Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Will post my review to Goodreads and Instagram on publication day.

Molly the maid is back in this novella about the joys of christmas! I don't want to give anything away so I'll just say that I dearly loved this series and was so glad she didn't encounter a dead body in this short story! LOL! All the characters we love, the magic of the holidays and a mystery to solve makes this a must read! Thank you Nita Prose for this wonderful addition to the series.

THE MISTLETOE MYSTERY (MAID 2.5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Molly our maid is back! In a cute, quick Christmas Novella, our favorite girl Molly the Maid is anxiously awaiting Christmas! When the love of her life Juan Manuel begins acting a bit strange, she has no clue what is in store for the upcoming holiday. I read this in a hour, and can’t wait for Molly to appear in the next novel in the series in 2025. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This is more of a short story than a novella if we're being honest. There is no murder mystery to solve in this with the "mystery" revolving around the relationship between Molly and her boyfriend. I would put this more in the genre of romance than mystery. That being said, I did not particulary enjoy this title. I found the characters to be cloying and uninteresting. Definitely needed a murder to add some spice to this dull entry in the series. However, fans of the series will likely enjoy reading this to spend time with the established characters.

** “I’m reminded of what she always taught me about gift giving: for the pure of heart, the giving is greater than the getting.” **

Nita Prose continues the story of Molly Gray, the Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, with the sweet holiday novella “The Mistletoe Mystery.”

As Molly and her boyfriend Juan, the hotel’s head of pastry, excitedly prepare for the Christmas season, things slowly start to become confusing to Molly. Juan keeps mysteriously disappearing, she sees him places she shouldn’t and he’s suddenly much more drained of energy than usual. She becomes paranoid, worrying that she’s not good enough for him.

But as the staff prepares for its Secret Santa party, she hopes for the best, with the support of her friend Angela and grandfather Mr. Preston, both who also work at the hotel. Will Molly find a glimmer of hope amongst the paranoia?

Prose does a lovely job of creating a story reminiscent of O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi.” She sets up a story that delightfully weaves between hope and concern, all while returning to her characters that we have both grown to love and loathe.

She also fills “The Mistletoe Mystery,” which is due out Oct. 1, with several great themes, like shine bright in the dark; showing kindness; the danger of jumping to conclusions; feeling unsettled; and, most importantly, the importance and impact of giving.

Five stars out of five.

Ballantine Books provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.