I adore The Maid series and Nita Prose and was so excited to see that world continue with The Mistletoe Mystery and allow Molly a fun short story set at the most wonderful time of the year.

Molly the Maid stories are wonderful reads. Molly does not always interpret things like most people and that is what makes the stories interesting. Christmas is coming and this story is full of what Molly and Juan Manuel do to celebrate. From the advent calendar to holiday treats on a little bit of money. Molly does wonder what Juan is up to and is suspicious in this story. What will happen between everyone's favorite couple?

This is a wonderful Christmas novella. Short enough to get you in the Christmas spirit while giving you time for all your other celebrations. For a short Christmas story you can't go wrong with this one.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #NitaProse, and #BallantineBooks for a copy of this book.
#TheMistletoeMystery

A cozy little mystery that’s short enough to fit in during the busy holiday season. Juan Manuel is keeping Gran’s Christmas traditions alive for Molly but she suspects he’s keeping a major secret from her. What could it possibly be?
Molly has earned a special little place in my heart, I adore her and can’t wait to read the next book in the series. But trust me you don’t want to skip this precious story!
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me with the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoy the Molly the Maid series - and this was a Christmas book which made it even more enjoyable for me! I loved all the Christmassy things that Molly and Juan Manuel did together, and I loved Gran repurposing an old library card catalogue and turning it into an advent calendar!

I will say that the “mystery” in this one is pretty light as it seemed obvious what would happen, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story. It is interesting to see how differently Molly thinks from those around her.

At 144 pages, this was a very quick read, but I really enjoyed it and fans of the first two books in the series should enjoy this little novella as well.

This was not the typical murder mystery that our wonderful made. Molly would help figure out. The mystery really involves Molly and the love of her life Juan Miguel. It is Christmas time and the hotel is buzzing. Juan Miguel received the promotion to pastry chef and he is busier and exhausted. With a few things happening that makes Molly doubt the love that Juan claims he has for Molly.

The has come for the holiday staff party and Molly just cannot get the feeling of gloom and doom. Is she losing Juan? Will she be all alone again? Loved this little novella. Always loved these characters and hope we get more adventures with Molly, Juan and their friends.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Publishing along with Nita Prose for the ARC. Totally enjoyed it.

Yay, another maid mystery! And a holiday themed one! Nita Prose has a winner in The Mistletoe Mystery!

Thank you NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Nita Prose for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I love this series and was thrilled to see that a holiday novella would be coming out this year. It lived up to my expectations and was super cute and a feel-good read.

This novella is a very light read and feels different than the first two novels for that reason, but it absolutely worked for me. There’s still a mystery, but you get to see more of Molly’s home life (which is so sweet by the way) and how she experiences Christmas with those around her.

I need another book with Molly ASAP! I highly recommend picking this one up when it releases, as it’s a great short read that fans of the series will enjoy.

This was a cute, feel-good, Hallmark-y Christmas story reminiscent of Gift of the Magi (and for us millennials, it of course conjured images of Mickey and Minnie’s Gift of the Magi).

Molly the Maid, the titular character of the Molly the Maid series, has a new mystery to solve - what’s going on with her amazing boyfriend and why is he acting strange? Is her life about to be turned upside down? Our FMC struggles with understanding social cues and reading the intentions of others, leading her to live by very specific rules that help her navigate life. Can she solve the mystery and save her favorite season?

I haven’t yet read Nita Prose’s book 1 of this series (The Maid) though it is sitting on my shelf. I’ll be sure to pick it up to learn more about Molly and her adventures as a neurospicy heroine.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*Nita Prose's novella, "The Mistletoe Mystery," is the 2.5 installment in the Molly the Maid series, and it transports readers back to the cozy, festive setting of The Regency Grand Hotel during Christmas. While the premise of a holiday-themed mystery involving our beloved Molly is enticing, I found the story to be somewhat underwhelming.

As a fan of Molly the Maid, I had high hopes for this novella, but it didn’t quite deliver the charm and intrigue that I’ve come to expect from the series. It felt more like a filler between the more substantial novels, and I don’t think readers would miss much by skipping this one in anticipation of the upcoming third book, *The Maid's Secret,* which I’m eagerly awaiting.

That said, if you’re looking for a light, festive read that features Molly, this could still be an enjoyable pick for the season.

My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this advance copy.

**Overall Rating: 2.5/5**

This Christmas novella is a light read for anyone who's a fan of The Maid series. Molly is back—this time in the holiday season—with her endearing, heartwarming approach to life at the Regency Grand Hotel, and accompanied by her charming boyfriend, Juan Manuel. However, I did miss the mystery aspect that I would expect from this series.

I love this twist on the beloved Molly! I expected some kind of spooky, mystery dealing with Secret Danta! I don’t want to spill the beans, but I was totally wrong! It’s a great romantic novella. I loved seeing happiness for Molly, and I was so glad to read about her again!

I love Molly the Maid and I know this is a light Christmas novella, but it might be too light. I'm happy that Molly has her sweet boyfriend, but this started slowly for me since so much focused on their domestic life when I was more interested in getting back to her domestic service at the hotel and seeing how those characters were doing.

Spoiler: This mystery is not a murder so the stakes are pretty low and I missed the detective.

I'd say this book is fine but was an unneeded entry to the series.

I love Molly! This was just a sweet and cute novella. I did want to shake Molly a few times but it was understandable. Can’t wait for another MollyMystery!

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an eARC in exchange for this review.

This was less Agatha Christie, more Debbie Macomber. I love the character of Molly but this focuses more on Molly's love life. There were times Molly was acting like a cliche basic bee which drove me crazy. It's incredibly predictable but somehow I still enjoyed the end despite it being no surprise. Not bad if you're a die hard or enjoy cheesy closed for romance but totally skippable.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

It was nice to be back with the characters that I've enjoyed in the previous two books in this series. I liked how the first chapter gets the reader back with a quick refresher, and we learn it's Christmastime with the upcoming hotel staff Christmas party.

As far the "mystery," it wasn't a mystery because the reader will easily pick up on what's going on. Only Molly is in the dark, mostly because of her quirks of not picking up on social cues. This one just didn't seem as endearing as the other two books because of how it treated Molly.

I don't need a novella, I need a full book! I miss our girl Molly and I need her to solve another mystery!

This was a cute novella and I really love this author - she really has a great character that I've grown to care about over the past three books. More Molly please!!!

A lovely little Christmas story, featuring my favorite maid. While it’s easy for the reader to see what Molly doesn’t, the outcome is still heart warming.

Oh, Molly, you've done it again—sniffing out secrets like a bloodhound with a festive bow on its head. But this time, it's not just any mystery; it's a holiday whodunit that could put Santa himself on the suspect list!

Molly Gray is back, and she’s as endearing as ever. But instead of solving crimes with fingerprints and forensic evidence, this time she’s armed with tinsel and the unmistakable scent of gingerbread. Molly, our favorite super-sleuthing maid, is knee-deep in holiday cheer at the Regency Grand Hotel, where Secret Santa gifts are exchanged with all the subtlety of a snowball to the face. But as we all know, when Molly's involved, nothing is ever simple. What starts as a harmless holiday tradition quickly snowballs into a full-blown mystery that could unravel the festive cheer.

And can we talk about Juan Manuel for a second? The man is practically a walking Hallmark movie—dashing, devoted, and determined to give Molly the Christmas of her dreams. But even with all his holiday spirit, Molly can't shake the feeling that something's off.

The story is a heartwarming reminder that not all mysteries come with a dead body—sometimes, they come with mistletoe, awkward gift exchanges, and a whole lot of heart. So, grab a cozy blanket, a cup of something warm, and settle in for a holiday tale that’s equal parts mystery and merriment. Just be sure to keep an eye on your own Secret Santa gift—who knows what secrets might be lurking under the wrapping paper!

Another great one about “Molly Maid”. I have enjoyed all the books about her thoroughly. I was happy to find out there’s going to be another book in this series.
This short story was a good, quick read, and so cute. I recommend “Molly Maid” books to a bunch of people who come to the library.
I like the fact that this whole series is about a neurodivergent woman, who takes a lot of things at face value. But over the years she has gotten better at catching certain nuances. I do love Molly and Juan and am looking forward to the next book!

The Mistletoe Mystery: A Maid Novella by Nita Prose

Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A HUGE thank you to Penguin Random House, Ballantine Books, Netgalley, and Nita Prose for access to this arc in exchange for an honest review!

After reading (and LOVING) Nita Prose’s other books, I was so excited to read this. All Molly the Maid books are extraordinary, and this novella did not disappoint! I thoroughly enjoyed the mix of cozy mystery and romance. Seeing how Molly and Juan keep Gran’s Christmastime traditions while building a life and traditions of their own was super heartwarming.

I only wish that this it was a bit longer! I enjoyed every second of reading this and I would recommend it to both mystery and romance lovers! The way in which Molly navigates grief and other rather difficult emotions while remaining positive and seeing the best in others is wonderful. I genuinely smiled the entire time while reading this. 💚