What a sweet novella! Molly the Maid is a charming if not mildly infuriating character. I love her and Juan Manuel's love. This was the perfect little Christmas love story.

If you're looking for a quick holiday read, look no further! Molly is back in true Molly fashion.

"Mistletoe Mystery" by Nita Prose is a charming holiday read filled with mystery and warmth. Molly Gray is an endearing character who feels both relatable and unique as she navigates the festive season and an intriguing Secret Santa gift exchange at the Regency Grand Hotel. Prose skillfully captures the holiday spirit while weaving in suspense. Molly’s reflections on trust, love, and family traditions add depth and heart to the story, making it more than just a holiday mystery. A delightful, cozy read that reminds us of the magic of the season and the importance of those we hold dear.

Thank you Nita Prose, Random House Publishing - Balentine, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

First off, you should have read The Maid before you read this. Second- this book does not really contain a mystery like the title suggests. It isn’t really necessary for the series but it is cute and another chance to read about quirky Molly the maid and her not so “fishy dishy”. Super predictable but again festive and cute.

Thank you to NetGally, the author, and Random House Publishing Group for letting me read and review this ARC.

Thanks to Net Galley and Ballantine Books for the ARC. The story is just what you’d expect of this series. Quirky, smart and in this case sweet happy ending. It was a literary snack and timed perfectly for the start of the holiday season. Molly is back and as acutely self aware as ever. This is the first of the series I have read versus audio and I find that I enjoy the audio more than the series narrator is perfect to add the nuance and cadence to Mollys voice.

Molly and Juan Manuel are back, for a short bit, at Christmastime. I mean, yes...it was predictable and even a little cheesy, but it's a little novella after all. I tend to not enjoy short stories as much because modern ones tend to be rushed, and you barely meet a couple before they're running off into the snowcapped mountains together. But this offering by Prose shows the more romantic side of this quirky couple without a murder mystery to solve this time. I enjoyed it for just what it was.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC. All opinions are mine.

A novella about Molly, a lovable, neurodiverse maid who is faced with a mystery during the holiday season | A very quick read that perfectly captures the busyness, excitement and angst that can come with the holidays | It took me a while to understand what the "mystery" was, I expected a more traditional murder mystery, which left me a bit disappointed | A good read and lovely start to this year's holiday reading for me

3.5 stars

This review has been posted on Goodreads.

Very cute Christmas story but easy to see what was coming. I like Molly the maid stories. Definitely want to read the next one!

The Mistletoe Mystery was a cute holiday read featuring Molly the Maid. This time, Molly doesn't have any murders to solve, but she is a bit perplexed about what is going on with her fiancé Juan. The Mistletoe Mystery has all the charm of the previous Molly the Maid novels in a compact holiday story.

I would recommend this book to other fans of the Molly the Maid series. It should tide us over until the next installment comes out in April 2025.

I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for the Mistletoe Mystery as I had loved the first two books. However, the sugar content in this novella was more than I could stomach. First of all, there was no mystery. And secondly, the relationship between Molly and Juan was too saccharin and unbelievable. Molly’s quirkiness that was so endearing in the first two books was simply a rehash in this one. There was nothing new. Nothing interesting. I have not given up on Molly though, and I hope there will be future sequels that have more depth of plot to them.

This was a cute Christmas Novella. We will focus more on Molly and Juan. I liked that we got to have more of a romance story and not as much mystery since its a quick read. This book had me drawn in from the beginning until the end and left me smiling. I had a good time with these characters and it will get you into the holiday spirit. I would still recommend reading the first two books before reading this one. I would definitely recommend this book and this series.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

I’m a big fan of The Maid and The Mystery Guest, so I was excited to get to read The Mistletoe Mystery (Molly the Maid 2.5. This festive novella picks up with Molly and Juan’s life together exploring the holiday traditions they share. My only complaint was it was too short and I wanted more of them. It definitely gets you in the holiday spirit.
A big thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for allowing me access to an advanced digital copy.

Thank you netgalley for this arc of the mistletoe mystery in exchange for my honest review, molly the maid is at it again. She is such a quirky and well loved character. The writing is well done and easy to read. Will Molly figure out why her boyfriend Juan Manuel is acting so mysterious this holiday season? A very fun little holiday read.

3🌟

Was this necessary? No. Was it interesting? Eh. Do I still love Molly the maid and will read any book involving her character? Yep yep yep! 😂

This novella was okay. I’ve read quite a few novellas now (in other series) & I found that this one lacked depth. There wasn’t much of a mystery, as it was pretty obvious early on as to what was going to happen. I could’ve used more Christmas cheer/activities too!🎄 Nevertheless, Molly still remains one of my favorite book characters to date!!! 💘 Gran’s gentle advice never gets old. I’m excited for the next novel in this series in 2025.

Thank you so much Ballantine Books for my advanced copy!

How can I find a friend like Molly! Such a cute book to read for the holiday season — especially if you’ve been loving this series! Molly is such a gem and we must protect her at all costs. Glad I was able to read this novella as she finds her happy ending with Juan.

This is such a cute little mystery for the holiday season! I am loving the series and this novella! Definitely read it if you've enjoyed the others in the series

Love Nina Prose and The Maid series! This was the perfect edition to the sequel! This was a short read that I would recommend to all my friends that have read the rest of the series.

This was a sweet little book but not what I was expecting from The Maid series. While I always adore going into Mollys mind, the story was obvious. I don’t feel that i learn more about the characters or their history. Thanks to Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose in exchange for my honest review.

In the words of Mariah Carey… It’s tiiiiiime!!! (said in a very high pitched voice). Christmas is almost here and what better way to get into the holiday spirit than with a delightful holiday novella featuring one of the most charming characters in recent years: the one and only Molly Gray.

In The Mistletoe Mystery Molly will have to navigate the festive season while grappling with her anxieties and self doubt, particularly about her relationship with Juan Manuel. The story offers an interesting mix of a light hearted cozy read while delving into Molly’s psychology and the way her mind works.

The story deals with some themes like trust and doubt in relationships, self-worth and the questioning of your own value in your own eyes as well as those of your significant other, and the challenge that understanding social cues presents for a character like Molly, all while emphasizing the love and joy of the festive season.

I love Molly’s personal growth throughout the series. What could have been a character that remained superficial, focused only on her quirks, is becoming a fully fleshed out person, making her journey fully relatable and engaging for readers.

Even though the plot can be somewhat predictable, it is infused with so much charm and warmth that it makes for the perfect holiday escape. I am and will always be on Molly’s team.

Thanks to Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose. I've enjoyed the Molly the Maid series but this was just okay.

I was hoping for a real mystery and you knew from the first chapter where this was going. I'm glad Molly has Juan and her friends, but this book was Molly being Molly...

Molly the Maid is Amelia Bedlia for adults!

Full of heart, love, and mistaken motives, The Mistletoe Mystery is a mystery to absolutely no one except Molly herself. As the days countdown to Christmas, her boyfriend Juan Manuel's actions become more and more confounding to Molly who is convinced that he must be thinking of breaking up with her. Of course, we get wonderful flashbacks of traditions with her beloved grandmother and cameos from most of the hotel staff that we have come to know over the course of the first two books.

While I did thoroughly enjoy this short novella with all the yuletide feels and think it makes the perfect bite-sized bridge between the second and upcoming third book in the series, I have to say it did leave me slightly disappointed. One of the things that makes Molly...well, Molly, is that even though she takes almost everything literally, it is her powers of deduction that show how bright she truly is. Unfortunately, The Mistletoe Mystery tends to treat her more like a fool than an astute and observant individual and I didn't like the feeling that we were pitying her in her inability to discern the truth. So, for me this one is 3.75 stars rounded up to 4 because it fell just shy of my expectations.

That being said, I can't wait to read the next book and hope that the Molly that we have grown to know and love is back solving crimes like her usual self.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nita Prose, and Ballantine for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.