This was a really cute collection of stories! If you love a Christmassy romcom and enjoy a bit of spice, this will definitely be the perfect read.

Cruel Winter with You
I loveee Ali Hazelwood and this is just the perfect little taste of her fun writing style. He falls first and harder is just classic and always hits.

Merry Ever After
I’m not a Tessa Bailey fan and didn’t make it past the second chapter.. The concept just felt so on the nose and outlandish, not for me at the very least :)

All by my Elf
This was such a cute story. Haven’t read much by Olivia Dade before but definitely a bit of fun and the situation was slightly crazy but in a way that felt realistic.

Merriment and Mayhem
Never read a firefighter romance before but might be time for one after this story… So cute, so fun, very enjoyable. It was quite established for a short story as well which I enjoyed.

Only Santas in the Building
Handsome neighbour who helps carry stuff and hand makes ornaments?? Where can I sign up please! Loved reading this and made me wanna kick my feet lol

Under the Mistletoe was such a cute collection of short holiday romance reads.

Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood
Rating: ⭐️⭐⭐⭐️⭐️
Ali Hazelwood continues to write the type of romance that I crave.
Cruel Winter with You is just over 70 pages long and still felt like a complete story.
The shared history between Marc and Jamie and flashback scenes in which we get to watch them fall in love really sold their connection.
I loved it.

Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey
Rating: ⭐️⭐⭐
A typical Tessa Bailey read; fast, spicy, holiday fun.

All by My Elf by Olivia Dade
Rating: ⭐️⭐⭐
A sweet co-workers to more holiday novella.

Merriment and Mayhem by Alexandria Bellefleur
Rating: ⭐️⭐⭐⭐
I love firemen and I loved this story.

Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My second favorite in the collection. Alexis Daria is a new-to-me author, and I cannot wait to read more of their work.
I loved Evie and Theo’s story.
It left me wanting more.

4.5 stars overall for all five stories! This was a great little collection and I hope Amazon continues to produce them!

Cruel Winter: 5/5, love Ali Hazelwood’s writing style. The flashbacks made sense and it helped the story flow. Couldn’t get enough of how much Marc was truly obsessed with Jamie. I usually dislike when we don’t get dual POV, but there is something special about a single FMC POV when the man is absolutely obsessed. Ali does it so well.

Tessa Bailey: 3/5. For me, Tessa either knocks it out of the park or she strikes out. Not usually an in-between. This one was ok. It felt like a Fanfiction Oneshot, but not in a good way? It was missing the Christmas magic for me? Other than her telling us the dates, I just wasn’t feeling it. The spice was off the charts delicious, I just couldn’t connect to the characters like I usually can with her.

All by my Elf: 5/5! I have been wanting to read Olivia Dade and just haven’t had the chance. Instantly adding her to my TBR, I can’t wait to read more Olivia Dade books. I appreciated the mid-30s MCs. As someone who has lived in Newport News, VA as well, I appreciated the old look back on my stomping rounds and knew everything she talked about. This novella was fantastic.

Merriment and Mayhem: 5/5 delicious firefighter/chaos demon romance. This author is also new to me and I'm adding her books to my TBR. I felt like the ending wrapped up a little too neatly/quickly but from beginning to end it was an amazing read. I read it so fast I was shocked when I got to the end.

Only Santa’s in the Building: 5/5 This was so cozy and swoony! I loved every second of reading this. Perfect ending to these five novellas, with the best epilogue!

I loved each of the five stories, Amazon chose 5 fantastic authors. Each of them knocked it out of the park and I have found THREE new to me authors that I can't wait to dive into once more. Thank you so much for the opportunity!

Cruel Winter With You - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories and Ali Hazelwood for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoy this - wish it was full length so we could have gotten more of a complete story, because they had history I felt like we were missing something.

Marc was intense (in the best way) and one of those annoying young boys who have so much confidence. Jamie is afraid to disappoint anyone and lose them so she pushed Marc away to save her from future heartbreak.

A snowstorm forces them to be alone together which makes them realize they’re on the same page.


Merry Ever After- ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories and Tessa Bailey for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not my favorite so far. It felt very caveman and damsel. Luke was described as a giant and seemed to mostly grunt. I pictured a literal giant so that was pretty distracting. Evie was trying to be strong and independent but caved rather quickly and then welcomed Luke’s desire to claim her as his woman.

Read if you enjoy:
Open door
Grunting giant leading men
Single mom
Casual turns forever after one time
“My woman”
Giant man knows how to hold baby


All By My Elf - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Thank you NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories and Olivia Dade for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It was alright but nothing I’ll remember and need to read again.

The misinterpretation of Williams interest and Nina’s self doubt was alright as a conflict but kind of annoying since it was pretty obvious it was a misunderstanding.

The start was bizarre but luckily the snowstorm saved it.

Merriment and Mayhem - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Thank you NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories and Alexandria Bellefleur for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Now this was a book I would have enjoyed reading a full novel of! Loved the rom-com aspect of it and Everleigh’s persistent bad luck leading her to Griffin time after time.

Only Santa’s In the Building- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Thank you NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories and Alexis Daria for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Evie and Theo were a complete delight. The story was cute and Theo is my dream (thoughtful, helpful, smoking hot, loves to clean and easily swayed by baked goods).

I read this so fast I’m sad it’s over - but it didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything from it being a short story.

I loved all of these short but spicy novellas. Each other brought their own spin to it and each one was executed beautifully. My favorite one by far was Ali Hazelwood's! I could of read a full length novel on that one.

Overall rating 3,5 ⭐️

“Under the Mistletoe” is a collection of 5 holiday stories.

1. Cruel Winter with You - Ali Hazelwood- This is a childhood friends (best friend’s brother) to lovers story. Jamie is 2 years older than Marc and she did not feel that they would be good together. He had a list of things that he wanted to achieve to be good enough for her. Their story was emotional but they just needed to have a conversation earlier. I hate misunderstanding and miscommunication in books. I also wanted more of them together.

2. Merry Ever After - Tessa Bailey- this was a sweet and spicy shorter Christmas story. I liked that there is a dual POV and the naration is on 1st person. We have a single mom and a grumpy farmer that falls for her fast. They have a lot of chemistry and I did not mind the instalove.

3. All by my Elf - Olivia Dade - two underpaid adjunct professors that take a month long side gig. When they get stuck in traffic overnight they finally admit they wanted each other for months. There is some miscommunication because she thought he was dating her best friend. This was short and cute with a dash of spice.

4. Merry Ment and Mayhem - Alexandria Bellefleur - I did not read anything from this author before but this was good. Everleigh’s neighbors call 911 after a baking disaster and that’s how she meets firefighter Griffin. I would like to read more about them. Their story was cute but the ending was so abrupt.

5. Only Santas in the Building- Alexis Daria - Evie and Theo are neighbors. She had a crush on him but she did not know that he fell first. This is a sweet story and I like Theo a lot. Just like the others, it was too short, but we had a least an epilogue.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Cruel Winter with You ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ali, girl, are you currently writing something new? Because I need it. Now.

He’s the one that got away. She’s the one that broke his heart. How someone can pack so much plot, character, angst, need, want, humour into 50 odd pages is beyond me. It’s magic.

I need more and I need it now.

And a special shout out to Marc. The man that you are 🫶🏼

Merry Ever After ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ll read anything Tessa Bailey writes forever and always. This was cute, quick and heartwarming which is all you could want from a short Christmas story.

But I need to know - how LARGE was this man?? How was he so large that he couldn’t find any clothes to fit him pls I need to know k thanks because all I’m picturing is a literal giant with hands the size of like dinner plates.

All by My Elf ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was my first taste of Olivia Dade and it was okay. Possibly because it was so short I wasn’t able to connect a whole lot with the characters.

If you’re looking for a quick, cutesy, quirky Christmas story with many a penis joke this will certainly hit the spot.

Merriment and Mayhem ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Okaaaaaayyy this was good, like really, really good. Was this full of crack because I read it in about 20 minutes.

This was my first time reading anything from Alexandria Bellefleur and I am so impressed. I was so into the characters from the first page and in about 50 pages she made me feel more than I’ve felt reading 300 page complete books.

Griffin omfggggggg, I need more of him pls.

Only Santas in the building ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
4.5 - This was my first time reading anything by Alexis Daria and I reallyyyyy enjoyed it.

I found both Evie and Theo super cute and weirdly relatable even though I really have nothing in common with either of them. I was Instantly drawn into the story and really loved everything about it - including their neighbours.

Again, Theo, the man that you are 🫶🏼

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this eARC to review.

‘Under the Mistletoe’ is a collection of fun, charming, romantic (and sexy) short stories perfect for Christmas. Some authors are well-known and loved, while others are a new but welcome introduction to me.

The bundle contains five short stories featuring spunky heroines who find sweet love with big-boned men. Ali Hazelwood delivers my favorite story—a tender, sexy tale about childhood friends caught in a snowstorm with long-pent-up feelings. Tessa Bailey introduces us to a single mother and a ‘filthy’ farmer. Olivia Dade’s narrative centers on sweet, nerdy colleagues getting close in a fallich vehicle, while Alexandria Bellefleur’s flirty firefighter and accident-prone out-of-towner heat things up. Finally, we meet two neighbors getting cozy for Christmas in Alexis Daria’s story.

I definitely recommend Under the Mistletoe if you’re looking for a collection of sweet and spicy short stories to keep you warm, even when it’s cold outside. Happy holidays!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for granting me this ARC.

I loved three out of the five stories, and still appreciated the merits of the other two, even if the characters weren’t my favorite and felt a little flat. I think this compilation is a great little holiday vibe read, especially for the Hallmark movie types that want to add a little more spice to their holiday tropes. A super quick read too, so easy to throw one story in here and there if you want to break it up around bigger books.

Thank you to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

These are not your mother’s Hallmark Christmas romances, so if you’re looking for saccharine sweet and wholesome holiday cheer, move along! This collection of Christmas-themed short stories is SPICY. Each story is very different from the others, and I enjoyed them all! I was already familiar with Ali Hazelwood and Tessa Bailey, but the other three authors were new to me, and their short stories left me wanting to read more of their work. Each story is less than 100 pages, so they’re perfect for a busy holiday season!

Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood

Ali paints such a vivid picture with her words, that by the time the story is over all you want is more. I loved the pace of this novella. It truly amazed me how I was able to get such a clear picture of each of the characters (one from literal birth) and their relationship in such a short story. I also feel like the ending was perfection. I got the happily ever after without her having to serve it on a platter for me. I am now also looking into buying a copper pot to cook my ham in. I am not a huge fan of the miscommunication trope, but it was done so well in this story that Ali may have just changed my mind about it. This story was perfection all wrapped in a pretty bow. Spice 2/5

Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey

A farm boy…excuse me, MAN has never looked so good. This was my first book by Tessa Bailey and suffice it to say, I will be coming back for more. She managed to write two characters that were quite different from each other, while at the same time being absolutely perfect for one another. There is a mention of Christmas Eve, but I feel like this novella could be thoroughly enjoyed any time of year. I usually love a FMC a little more than the MMC, but she wrote her MMC so well that I am left with lasting heart eyes for him. He was everything that the FMC needed and more. This was the perfect easy, feel good, spicy novella to read while waiting in my car to pick up my own little one. Spice 3/5

All By My Elf by Olivia Dade

Even if academia isn’t your thing, you will definitely enjoy this romcom of a novella. The visuals painted by this author made me laugh out loud all alone in my car. I could just see the inappropriate truck rolling down the road and I have never laughed so hard at a game of I’ve Never. This story allowed me to leave reality behind for an hour and my mind to rest. I would never want to be caught in standstill traffic during a snowstorm, but if I had to…this would be the way I would want to spend it. Spice 2/5

Merriment and Mayhem by Alexandria Bellefleur

The worst part of this novella is that I want more! I loved the meet-cutes in this story so much. It’s something I would never want to happen in real life, but that I love to daydream about. I enjoyed learning more about our FMC and would love to learn more about her relationship with her grandmother. This book did such a great job at establishing a new relationship without it feeling rushed. I need a whole book around their new relationship and all the things they do to celebrate the holiday. I need more of this fantastic couple. Spice 2/5

Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria

I loved everything about this novella! It left me will all the Christmas joy. I wanted to be in their building so I could go to the party and help orchestrate the great mistletoe caper. There were so many fun moments. I loved the reference to Friends, but my favorite was the mystery of the ornaments on red string. I definitely got all swoony over those. This story was perfectly well rounded. The characters felt right together and I love that even in such a short story I felt like I got to really know the FMC and was so happy as she began to work through her grief. This was a great short story to read at night in front of a beautifully lit Christmas tree…ornaments or not. Spice 2/5

This was such a fun collection of holiday novellas! The perfect way to start the season with low commitment fun.

Cruel winter with you
Ali hazelwood
5 stars, this was the perfect angsty style of writing and longing that I absolutely love from Ali. The characters are everything and as always, I wanted more!

Merry ever after
Tessa Bailey
2.5 stars, I love Tessa Bailey but this one was so rushed. I haven't liked her novellas yet and feel like she really shines in her full length novels where she can fully flesh out the characters.

All by my elf
Olivia Dade
2.5 stars, this one also took a while to get going and when it was finally going somewhere it was over. The set up took up most of the story which was unfortunate.

Merriment and Mayhem
Alexandra bellefleur
4 stars, I've read her previous books and adored them! This one was no different. Lots of fun and cute moments that really give you the holiday spirit. I wish this could have been a full book I was having so much fun.

Only Santa's in the building
Alexis Daria
3.5 stars, this was my first book by Alexis and I really enjoyed the fun and spice! A steamy holiday book with lots of Santa's, what more could you want?

These five short stories were a delight to read and I am excited to experience again in audio!

Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood is my favorite of the Under the Mistletoe Collection. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I learned about the characters and how attached I got to them in so few words!

I adored the childhood friends to lovers trope and it was done really well in this story.

I got all the wintery, cozy vibes I could hope for from a seasonal read.

I loved this! A fun Christmas read with tropes to suite everyone’s taste! I always love Ali Hazelwood’s stories but this was a great chance to discover some new authors, and I plan on checking out full length novels from all the authors included. Overall, all the stories were really well written with great characters, I can’t pick a favourite!

A collection that reminds me that novelists do their best work with novels. Which is not to say this isn't entertaining–it is–but it all feels like we just met the characters and they're jumping into bed together and declaring Big Feelings, which is why the stories where the character meet before the stories start work better for me.

Or maybe it's my demisexual queerness. Were ALL these men six-three or taller with huge dicks? Do het people not talk first before verging from the vanilla? Or is that I want my romances to reflect my emotional reality so I'll never see what I want in these compressed narratives?

Anyway, I liked Olivia Dade's story best. I'm not going to order the rest, because I find that a little tacky, but each had something interesting and distinct.

This was such a fun ARC to read! I've been having a hard time letting go of summer but these cozy stories have me ready to jump into the holidays.

I loved getting to read a mix of stories from authors I know and love and authors that were brand new to me! Now I need to go devour all of their other books.

If you're looking for a cozy story with delightful banter, some steamy romance, and lots of holiday fun, here are FIVE great ones!

Firstly, thank you to Netgalley, Amazon Original Stories, Ali Hazelwood, Tessa Bailey, Olivia Dade, Alexandria Bellefleur, and Alexis Daria for providing me with an ARC of the Under the Mistletoe collection in exchange for honest reviews.

Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood:
Cruel Winter with You is a very cute friends to lovers, holiday romance novella. I really enjoyed this contribution by Ali Hazelwood to the Under the Mistletoe collection. I would've loved for this to have been a full novel but thought the build up of tension and explanation of the past was really well done, considering the amount of pages Hazelwood had to work with.

Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey:
Merry Ever After was adorable! And, in true Tessa Bailey fashion, very steamy! I would've loved for this book to not have been set in Texas as I couldn't train my brain to do Christmas in warm weather - but that's just me!

All by My Elf by Olivia Dade:
All by My Elf was an enjoyable addition to the Under the Mistletoe collection. However, a few details were a bit difficult to work out and I'm not quite sure why you would assume your friend has a new boyfriend without asking her about it?

Merriment and Mayhem by Alexandria Bellefleur:
I really enjoyed Merriment and Mayhem! Griffin was so sweet, and I liked him and Everleigh as a couple (I'm not sure about the names, though.) I did think the ending didn't feel finished, an epilogue was needed with this one.

Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria:
Only Santas in the Building was very fun, if a little predictable. I enjoyed reading it, nonetheless.

As a whole, I would recommend this book and give it 4 stars. I liked all of the stories, but some I loved.

Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood - 5 star
A sweet friends to lovers Christmas story.The chemistry between the main characters was hot and that’s perfect for a cold snowstorm forced proximity! I loved this one!

Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey - 3 star
I thought this single-mom, awkward farmer short story was fun.

All By My Elf by Olivia Dade - 3 star
There were a few parts of this one that had me laughing out loud, after getting through the miscommunication aspect - which left me just liking this one, not loving it.

Merriment and Mayhem by Alexandria Bellefleur - 5 star
What happens when a hot fireman MMC and clumsy FMC get together? Lots of holiday fun!!!

Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria - 5 star
This was probably my favorite of the short stories… so very sweet and loved the neighbors being involved in trying to get them together.

For Valentines Day, Amazon Original Stories had a collection of short stories by some of my favorite romance authors, so I was excited to see they came out with one for Christmas.

This had a little something for every romance reader and a collection of stories is such a great palate cleanser for in between other books or to devour all at once, like I did. All the stories were swoony and spicy (all open door).

As much as I loved the Valentines collection, I enjoyed this one more. It was very hard to choose favorites on this one and I think it's a great holiday read.

Thank you to Olivia Dade, Amazon Original Stories, and NetGalley. I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Thank you to netgalley and Amazon original stories for letting me get my hands on these awesome short novellas! I loved!