Blame It on the Mistletoe by Nicole Michaels

Blame It on the Mistletoe is short, sweet, and has a lovely story. I do wish there had been more Christmas, though. The cover and the title led me to believe this would be festive and merry, but it really could have been set during any time of the year. I wanted Christmas!

Blame It On The Mistletoe is such a cute holiday romance. It is part of Nicole Michaels' Hearts and Crafts series. I had previously read this story when it first came out but for some reason I never provided a review. So, I knew I had to read it again for my Christmas in July 2021 project. And I'm glad I did because the second time was just as good at the first!

Blame It on The Mistletoe is a duel narrative told from the perspectives of the main characters, Brooke and Alex. Brooke grew up knowing Alex as he was her older brother's best friend. In fact, she had a little bit of a crush on him but, she hadn't seen him in years. Suddenly, she finds herself being reacquainted with him when she mistakes him for a burglar of her store...and both of them have grown up.

Both Alex and Brooke have been through quite a bit since the last time they have seen each other. Alex had left the town that he felt hated him and had been in the military and working on a fish boat in Alaska. Brooke went through a recent horrific breakup and is trying to rebuild her life with her craft and jewelry store. The trials and tribulations that each of them have been through impacts how they approach each other. There is an immediately attraction and chemistry but, both of them are cautious about doing too much too fast because they don't want to hurt each other. These characters are people who I felt like could be my friends in real life.

Blame It On The Mistletoe is set in a small town in Missouri which I loved because I'm such a fan of small town settings. Brooke has opened a boutique to sell her jewelry on a side street of the town. This is a town that is filled with little shops and this allows Brooke to meet new people and make new friends. As I had read the second book of this series (Win Me Over), I was excited to be introduced to these characters (Callie and Annie) and see how everything started. Everyone is connected and supportive of each other - good examples of positive female friendships. The town wasn't always good to Alex however and being back in it brings alot of mixed emotions.

Blame It On The Mistletoe is a good girl/bad boy troupe with characters who are growing, learning, and changing. It is set during the holiday season which added a sweetness to it but, did not over whelm it. I think that this is a good introduction to the characters of the Hearts and Crafts series. It can be read alone as well but if you're like me you will fall for these characters and want to see them time and time again.

Thanks for the advanced readers copy. I was not able to get into this one, so I won't be proving a review on social media.

Small town Christmas romance! ! Love the trope that features the older brother's best friend and the little sister next door!! Puts you in the Christmas mood!