Under the Mistletoe

Lucky Harbor #6.5

by Jill Shalvis

Mia Hutchinson, Tara and Ford's daughter from THE SWEETEST THING , has asked her college boyfriend , Nick, to travel to Lucky Harbor for her aunt Maddie's Christmas Eve wedding.

Despondent when Nick refuses her invitation, Mia returns home alone and faces her high school sweetheart Carlos Rodriguez for the first time since refusing his marriage proposal. Only to find that he is happily dating someone else.

With love and holiday spirit everywhere, Mia wonders who will kiss her this Christmas under the mistletoe.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Christmas, Novella, Holiday, Chick Lit

75 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 4, 2012

About the author

New York Times and USA Today, and Amazon Top 100 bestselling author Jill Shalvis writes laugh-out-loud, swoon-filled contemporary romance and romantic comedies brimming with madcap adventures, shenanigans, and sexy times (just don’t tell her mom). She’s sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, and when she’s not writing, you can usually find her indulging in coffee, chocolate, or plotting her next happily ever after. She lives in a small mountain town near Lake Tahoe full of quirky characters (any resemblance to the ones in her books is mostly coincidental).

Look for Jill's bestselling, award-winning novels wherever books are sold. Visit http://www.jillshalvis.com for a complete book list and fun blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Connect with Jill:
https://www.tiktok.com/@jillshalvis
http://instagram.com/jillshalvis
http://facebook.com/JillShalvis

Reviews

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romantic, sexy, sweet… Under the Mistletoe is a Christmas novella from the Lucky Harbor series and, like everything Jill Shalvis writes, is a very charming story. And, it's the perfect way to kick off my holiday reading!

Just one more kiss….

There's no place like home for the holidays. And the Lucky Harbor Bed & Breakfast is bursting with festive lights and good cheer. But for Mia, Christmas is turning out to be anything other than merry and bright. Her recent break-up with her boyfriend Nick has made her return bittersweet. But then a surprise arrives, when Nick follows her to town bearing gifts-and asking for forgiveness.

Nick grew up without a family of his own so he's overwhelmed by the love that Mia receives from all her relatives, gathered together to celebrate the season. Under their watchful eyes, Nick finds earning back her trust the hardest thing he's ever had to do. If he succeeds, he will receive the greatest gift of all, Mia's love for a lifetime.

I truly enjoyed this book, but I wish it had been longer. It takes place five years in the future and Mia – Tara and Ford’s daughter from The Sweetest Thing – has been away at college, growing up and falling in love. It would have been nice to have a deeper glimpse into this part of her life, but all-in-all, it’s a great story. It’s a happy for now tale with the promise of a beautiful happily ever after down the road, and because Mia and Nick are young and just starting their lives and careers, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

This novella took no more than an hour to read, so if you're looking for a Jill Shalvis fix, or needing something quick to read for a Christmas themed challenge, then this is a great book to choose!

My thanks to netgalley.com and Forever, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, for giving me a copy of this story for review. It was such a pleasure!

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off, this is a novella...a really short novella, which is disappointing since the story felt totally rushed, and just when I felt like I was starting to like the hero, the story ended (color me shocked when this already short novella ended abruptly at 55% - the remaining 45% consisted of previews for other books in the series. I really hate when publishers do that. Grrr).

My second problem was that I was extremely disappointed to realize that Mia's HEA didn't involve her Lucky Harbor boyfriend, Carlos. I thought the two of them made such a sweet couple, and when i saw this was about Mia, I just assumed that this was their story. But no...she has moved away and fallen for another man, and Carlos has another girlfriend. *sniffle* So...I guess because of that, and due once again to the shortness of the story, I wasn't really happy with who she ended up with. Nick may have grown on me over the course of a full length novel, but he didn't make that great of an impression on me in this super quick holiday story.

On the bright side, it was great to see Jax & Maddie. Chloe & Sawyer and Tara & Ford (Mia's parents) once again. I do love the residents of Lucky Harbor and while I have enjoyed the last couple of books in the series quite a bit, it was wonderful to see the original 3 couples once again.

So, this may have fallen a bit flat for me, but I am still a huge fan of the series and beyond excited that there are more adventures in Lucky Harbor on the horizon.

More book reviews can be found on my blog: http://ravingbookaddict.blogspot.com/

[fleurette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was my first story from Jill Shalvis, but it turns out that I've read one of her books - Animal Magnetism.

I'm not a big fan of short stories, but this one is okay. Although I admit it is even shorter than I thought. Probably, if I had read other books in this series before and knew the characters, this experience would be even more enjoyable for me. But I still appreciate well-constructed characters and a good story.

Due to the simplicity of the plot, this story is rather directed to fans of this series. Reading it without knowing the other characters is fine, but not as great as could be otherwise.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Minor spoilers for anyone who hasn't read the first three books of the Lucky Harbor series - which I HIGHLY recommend!

Take an hour out of your day, make some coffee, curl up on the couch with a blanket, and get ready to enjoy an adorable, funny, heartwarming short story that will make your toes curl it's so sweet.

Remember when we found out Tara and Ford have a daughter together named Mia? This is her story.

In Under the Mistletoe, we get to see a glimpse into five years to see where Mia is. She is now living in New York getting her degree and has been dating Nick for six months. She's in love with him and has high hopes he feels the same. But when she asks Nick to go with her to Lucky Harbor for Aunt Chloe and soon-to-be Uncle Sawyer's wedding, things don’t go as planned. Mia is left to go to Lucky Harbor by herself with a broken heart. Nick soon realizes he's made a mistake. Fearing he might lose Mia forever, he follows her to Lucky Harbor with the hope he can win her back.

"You're it for me. You're everything." He paused and let his gaze touch her every feature. "You're the best choice I ever made. You're my only choice."

When this story ended, I really wanted MORE of Nick and Mia's story. I'm greedy like that when it comes to the Lucky Harbor series. And if you’ve read the first three books of the Lucky Harbor series, you get to revisit with some old friends: Tara, Ford, Maddie, Jax, Chloe, Sawyer, and even Lucinda had a brief part.

I love how Ms. Shalvis always weaves humor, family, and romance into a story. Even in a short story like this one, she manages to add those elements. She has become one of my most favorite contemporary romance authors.

This is such a fabulously charming story you don’t want to miss out reading during the holidays!

Rating: B

-- A Romantic Book Affairs Review

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[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Posted on Under the Covers

Mia is all grown up now and is lady in her own right. In New York, she has made a life for herself. She’s got a BA in Psychology, decent digs, and a sexy, sexy boyfriend named Nick. For six months, Nick and Mia have been in a worldwind of love, but with the holidays coming up and Aunt Chloe’s wedding just around the corner, Mia is asking Nick to make that next step with her. She’s going to ask him to come to Lucky Harbor with her to be her date at the wedding.

The bomb drops when Nick says no and Mia can do nothing but pick up the pieces of her heart from the floor and pack up her things for her plane ride to Lucky Harbor. There she finds old loves and a whole lot of hurt, but it seems that love isn’t giving up too easily this time around.

In a story filled with laugher and love, Jill Shalvis delivers yet another heartwarming love story that will lift your spirits and keep you wanting more. UNDER THE MISTLETOE is a very short, but well done novella. Shalvis manages to create such depth in her characters in such a short amount of time. Furthermore, she is also able to create distinct, likeable personalities as she introduces new characters into a world where readers are completely enamored with the people already. I think the events of this book, such as the wedding could have easily made this novella into a full-length book because a lot happens and the characters to develop really well at a fast pace. It’s a true testament to Shalvis’s writing where she can give characters a solid story whether it be in novella format or a full-length.

Familiar faces are brought back into this novella and I just about died when one particular character came back. Carlos deserves his own book! What he does for Mia is this book is sweet and let’s face it – it was sexy! And I think once readers read this novella, they will be right there with me when I say that he should get his own book (or at least a novella).

UNDER THE MISTLETOE is the perfect holiday read to warm you up and make you laugh. You can expect no less from Jill Shalvis. She always delivers and Mia’s story is no different.

*ARC provided by Netgalley

[Karla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall I was very disappointed in this story, a first for me with a Jill Shalvis book. I didn't buy into the pairing of Mia and Nick at all! The only thing I enjoyed was seeing the characters from the first 3 books in the series. I felt like we got short-changed with this one.

[Michelle [Helen Geek] · Rating 2 out of 5]

12/08/2012 Full Review posted on: http://www.2geekgirlsreviewbooks.com

Overall Rating = 2.5 Stars
Book Cover / Book Blurb = 3 / 4 = 3.5 Stars
Writer’s Voice = 3 Stars
Character Development = 2 Stars
Story Appreciation = 3 Stars
Worth the Chili = 3 Stars ($1.99 on Amazon & B&N)

This is my first Holiday book/novella of the season. I love this author. She is on my favorite author list. I know I can count on her for some great characters and some light romance. This didn't disappoint in that category. My big complaint probably isn't a fair one ... it was just too darned short for my liking. I normally stay away from a short story unless strongly encourage, or in this case, by an author I love. So, I get what I asked for - I just wanted more of it. A woman's lament ;) Read all my comments on the blog.

I would like to thank the author and publisher for providing this ARC. ARC of Under The Mistletoe provided by Hachette Book Group, GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING in exchange for an honest review.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
12/05/2012

2.5 Star

Full review coming soon. Just too DARNED short!

[Jac (For Love and Books) · Rating 2 out of 5]

**WARNING** If you have not read the first 2 Lucky Harbor books? There is a HUGE spoiler in this review, so stop reading NOW**

Have you heard? I love Lucky Harbor! You hadn’t? Ok, well here it is: I’m a Jill Shalvis Fan-Girl and I LOVE Lucky Harbor!!!

This short little novella is the story of Mia, Tara and Ford’s daughter! We’ve fast forwarded 5 years, Mia is living in NYC and wants her boyfriend -Nick- to come back to Lucky Harbor with her for Chloe and Sawyer’s wedding. *YES, they waited FIVE YEARS to get married* But Nick really drops the ball, he lets Mia go without him to Lucky Harbor – and thus she has decided that he didn’t pick her.

So Mia goes home alone, and then Nick follows to try and win her back. This story is short, and unfortunately I never felt attached to the characters. It felt forced, too quick and really lacked character development. (And I found myself really wishing it would have been the story of Mia and Carlos instead – simply because we already knew him and so as rushed as this story was it would have been easier to enjoy.

It nearly kills me to write a not-so-wonderful review of a Lucky Harbor read, but I have to be honest here. Save your time, and your money. This novella is hardly worth it for fans of the series. (And while we got to attend Chloe’s wedding? We didn’t get any details, so don’t buy it expecting that either!) I guess I’ll go back to waiting anxiously for the next full installment of Lucky Harbor!

[Visionary Druid · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really hate hate writing this review. I "really" wanted to like this enovella. Even though I got disappointed on "who" the hero was, I gave it my all to get past that and like the story.

Storyline was cute and moderately enjoyable. Just my disappointment on the hero colored my feelings and the reading of the book. Honestly as I read deeper and realized Mia's hero would not be Carlos I truthfully wanted to delete the book off my kindle and find another book.

But I forced myself to finish the enovella. I even tried to like Nick since he has more in common for Mia but failed. Just became so detached to his character and the story line.

Guess Shalvis really built up the belief that once Carlos and Mia grew up, became more mature, that the promise that they'd reunite like her parents remained with me. I liked the pairing from The Sweetest Thing and often wondered about the two often. It was noble of Carlos to let her go to live her life.

So no matter how she would have wrote this without Carlos just would not have settled right with me. Others may be alright or love the story. It just seemed so jarringly wrong with me. Blame it on me being a Virgo, and once we "believe" something should be, we stick to it.

Felt the same way about a Lisa Kleypas book. Built up hype of a possible pairing, so when the book came out, to find out the hero I had hoped for the heroine was another. Disappointment. So I can see myself re-reading the other Lucky Harbor books but this one.

Though it was AWESOME to see Chloe, Sawyer, Maddie, Jax, Tara and them all. To know that Maddie and Jax had two children. That did spark something...

[Crista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Under the Mistletoe is a great example of a book that had HUGE potential but was cut way too short.

We met Mia in The Sweetest Thing (my favorite book in the Lucky Harbor series). She was the disillusioned long lost daughter of Ford and Tara. I loved Mia's character in The Sweetest Thing, so I was delighted to learn that this holiday novella would feature her as the heroine.

Quite simply, this book missed the mark. I finished it somewhat unimpressed and more tragically...unmoved. The potential was certainly there. Mia's character is still extremely likeable, but I was a little more hesitant with Nick's character.

Both Nick and Ma were given up for adoption when they were babies, but that's where the commonality ends. Mia was adopted and loved by parents whereas Nick was bounced around from home to home. Nick required a whole lot more than 8 small chapters to fully develop, and because of the short length.... his character never developed for me. The relationship between he and Mia seemed immature, premature, and not entirely believable. Perhaps if they had been given their own full length novel, I may have come to love them.

I can still recommend this book for die hard Lucky Harbor fans and I whole-heartedly recommend the first three books of the series for new comers.


A big thanks to Grand Central Publishing via Netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review!

[Booklover, Indianapolis · Rating 2 out of 5]

(May) I should have known better. I didn't like Mia when she was introduced in the second book of this series. Now, I'm not adopted and don't know anyone who is adopted. But she was such a brat - she was 17 herself and yet came in with an attitude of "well, of course you took the easy way out by just getting rid of me, giving me up and never looking back." I don't think many, if any parent, chooses adoption lightly. And I'd think that in this day and age, at 17 you'd be mature enough to at least understand that, even if you still have mixed feelings over the whole thing. And she was so horrible to Tara, but so nice to Ford, and never really seemed to give them credit for the fact that they too were only 17 when Tara was pregnant, no money, no idea of their future, doing what was hard but still best for both themselves and their baby. Fiction always makes adoption sound so horrible - the adopted kids never feel like they belong, never feel like they are good enough, and never feel complete until they find their birth family, even if they had a wonderful life with their adoptive family. I hope in real life it's not so dismal.

So now 5 years later, and Mia is 22, dating a nice guy for the past 6 months. SIX months, not six years. They've never said ILY, never discussed a future. But she surprises him with a plane tix back to see her birth family (who she is of course very close to, to the point where her birth parents are referred to as Mom and Dad - which really bothers me, as she has wonderful parents who raised her from birth) for a family wedding. He does not want to go (he's an orphan, product of the Foster Care system, and was spooked at the idea of meeting her whole family and the unspoken commitment that would mean). So she takes off in a snit, w/o talking to him or telling him how she feels or why she's upset. He of course immediately hops a plane after her. Her birth mom says "well, he let you go so he's gotta earn your heart back." Really? She ran off and didn't even try to have a conversation about it or understand where he was coming from. Just got pissed and hurt and ran away and of course her family takes her side. But, he is there, proves himself to her, and they end up HFN (with a strong HEA indicated in their not too distant future).

Ech, that's an awful long ranty review for a tiny short story w/not much substance, but for some reason this hit all of my annoyance buttons. And one last thing - he has a ring for her. He has never said ILY, not sure what exactly he wants, but somehow he manages to have purchased a ring for her before all of this went down. Makes no sense. And Carlos, her first love - he showed up 4 months ago to propose - but now he's got a new girlfriend who is his true love? Pretty quick moving! Last rant - she says her bday is the next month. It's a Xmas book, so that means her bday is in January. Yet he gives her a ring w/sapphires "her birthstone." Um, nope - January is Garnet, September is Sapphire!

[Kelly22 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.50 Stars - Contemporary Romance Novella / Chick-lit

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shey's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

5 Stars

After months of anticipation, at least I have been, we finally get to visit Lucky Harbor, Jill Shalvis did not disappoint with this magical Christmas short story, Under The Mistletoe.

We first meet Mia in The Sweetest Thing now five years later Mia 22 is a beautiful young lady living in New York working on her graduate degree. She has been dating Nick for six months. Nick an attorney, just passing his bar exam his goal is to help kids that have made bad decisions around the country, could he be any sexier ladies!!!

Brought together by their mutual childhood backgrounds, both being abandon, however Mia being adopted and now being apart of not one family but two families, whereas Nick was shuffled from home to home until he was 18, doesn’t do families, doesn’t know how to handle the idea.

When she asks him to join her for Christmas in Lucky Harbor, well Nick freaks out. Walking away, Mia heads home heartbroken.

Although this is a short read you learn a lot about Mia and her insecurities, about herself, her feeling about her biological parents, Tara and Ford, even Carlos. Oh, yes Carlos is even there!! Of course,
her doubts about Nick come into question.

Coming to Lucky Harbor, Nick didn’t know what to expect but knowing he needed to correct his mistake, such a smart man, he finally sees the family that Mia is part of. The very protective uncle’s, Jax and Sawyer, yes thank you Jill!! Of course meeting Tara and Ford, yes Ford still gives the, I will kick you’re a$$ look, he’s a father after all, and still so very yummy!! Can’t forget Lucille, our wonderful noisy neighbor I don’t think a book would be the same without her.

Even with all the craziness going on Nick realizes it’s not so bad. This is something he wants to be a part of with Mia. It wasn’t so easy for Mia, it took a little time, but sometimes it’s not about how much but just knowing when the time is right.

This was an amazing short story, with two amazing people. I might be biased because I am a fan girl of the Lucky Harbor series and Jill Shalvis. I don’t really care, I re-read this book 3 times, it was just that good, really. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Review copy provided for an honest review.

[Alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Deal: Mia thinks that her relationship with Nick - a promising young attorney - is basically perfect, so she's shocked when a few days before Christmas she invites him to her aunt's wedding in Lucky Harbor and he says a categorical no.

Both Nick and Mia were given way as babies but Mia was adopted and grew up surrounded by love, and eventually developed a close relationship with her birth parents (Sawyer and Tara from The Sweetest Thing). Nick wasn't so luck and he still has a hard time committing to any kind of relationship.

Which leads to them getting into this big fight. A fight he regrets almost immediately and prompts him to follow Mia to Lucky Harbor to try to set things right.

My Thoughts: Let me start by saying that I'm a person who enjoys novellas, okay? I think that when they are well done are wonderful little morsels of awesome.

Sadly, I don't think Under the Mistletoe was very successful. I kind of already had a sense of who Mia was supposed to be because of the previous book, but for someone who claims to be okay with the whole adoption thing, she still bases all her self-worth around 'being picked'. And Nick was said to be this very mature guy, but he didn't act like it. They are both supposed to be in the early-to-mid 20's but act like 15 year-olds often enough. Plus, the Mia from the Sweetest Thing seemed a lot more mature than this one, five years later.

It sure was nice to see the couples of the original trilogy again, but I didn't care for the main story. More than in love Mia and Nick seemed to be in lust and the way things were resolved were just... too convenient to ring true. And Carlos? (Mia's former boyfriend-love-of-her-life? yeah, his place int he story made me go Oh, really?)

I know I love Lucky Harbor and that's probably why I'm being hard on this story. Is it horribly written? nope, but it ain't all that great either.

[Cara · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love this series. This was a case of a story without a point. There wasn't enough substance to even make a short epilogue much less a novella. I really love Jill Shalvis, and some of my favorite books have been hers. But this should not have been a novella that you should need to pay for. I was excited to read this and to have another taste of Lucky Harbor,but this was unfortunately very disappointing. Bummer.

[Sheng · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nick wasn't the guy that I thought Mia would end up with. I mean even though Carlos found love doesn't mean that he has forgotten his first love. But I'm happy that Carlos found someone who'd love him more then Mia could ever have.

[Jaime Arkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so incredibly excited that I got approved for this I dropped everything! I love the Lucky Harbor series and this novella is no exception!

Jill Shalvis hooked me from the beginning with this short story that gives us a glimpse into Mia's life. Remember Mia from Tara and Ford's story? She's their daughter and she has become a big part of their lives since then.

In Under the Mistletoe we meet Nick, her 'someone' she's been dating for the past six months. Her holiday plans don't go exactly as she's planned though. She's heading back to Lucky Harbor (from NYC) for a wedding and is hoping that Nick will join her.

I'm not going to tell you much more, but Shalvis, as usual, brings the sweet and swoon and it makes me appreciate this series even more. I can't wait for the next full length book for sure after this little tease back into Lucky Harbor. Plus there's a sneak of Book 7 in the series at the end.

Definitely check this out for a quick sweet holiday read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the chance to read this advanced copy.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: B+

Mia is a month away from turning 23, she’s going to school in New York and as a present to her boyfriend of 6 months, Nick, she has a plane ticket for him to go with her to Lucky Harbor for her Aunt Chloe’s wedding. She feels strongly for Nick, calling it love wouldn’t be too far off the mark, but she’s not positive about how deep Nick’s feelings are for her. His past as a foster kid has shaped him into the man he is today and she doesn’t know if he’ll want to go with her to the wedding, if it’s pushing him too far too fast and into a situation he doesn’t want to be a part of. She asks him after they return to her place following a romantic dinner and his gut reaction crushes her – he says no. Just once, Mia wanted someone to choose her, to pick her for a change instead of it always being the other way around. She’s devastated and heads to Lucky Harbor alone for the wedding and to see her family.

Nick hates that his first reaction was to say no and when he shows up the next day at Mia’s house, she’s already gone. It’s a wakeup call for him as he can’t imagine not having her in his life and misses her already. He goes against his initial instinct to avoid family, something he has zero experience with growing up in various foster homes for his entire childhood and flies to Lucky Harbor to face the family music and try to convince Mia that she’s the one for him.

When we last caught up with Mia as a teen, she was in love with Carlos. This relationship is addressed in this story and I’m glad it’s mentioned, talked about and resolved since it was such a huge part of her seventeen year old life. Nick and Carlos have it out (men fighting over a woman, always enjoyable!) and Nick faces off with Mia’s Aunts, Uncles and her parents as he tries to make his feelings clear to Mia and get her to believe in him again.

I really enjoyed this short story and it is that, very short, but it packs a nice emotional punch in a short amount of time. I think it works because Nick and Mia’s relationship is established before we even begin so it’s completely believable how this small piece of their relationship plays out. It’s got a hot sexy scene on a house boat, always fun, and I found myself warming up to Nick quickly. Yes, he makes a dumb mistake in refusing to go with Mia at the start, but he proves his love for her and he starts to feel like a member of a family, for the first time ever.

There are a few moments with the whole family that added to the fun. Maddie, Jax, Chloe, Sawyer, Tara and Ford all show up and add their personalities into the story and I love seeing them all on page again. Just a few moments with everyone reminded me of how much I love all the different relationships and I was happy to get an update on everyone.

This was a completely enjoyable read. I loved Mia and Nick together and their relationship is memorable and sweet. I also loved catching up with all my past favorite people and I’ll never pass up the chance to go back to Lucky Harbor.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick

Let me just say I love the Lucky Harbor series by Jill Shalvis. Yes, I've actually only read the most recent released ones but I love the series none the less. With Under the Mistletoe I was introduced to a bunch of new characters (which are actually old characters) and I loved them. It definitely made me want to read the first set of books all that much more. What I appreciate though, is that even though I haven't read the first books I didn't feel overwhelmed or lost. I was still able to get a great feel for the characters.

All Mia wanted was to spend Christmas surrounded by the people she loves most, her family and her boyfriend Nick. Now she's nursing a broken heart back home in Lucky Harbor. Nick admits he handled things wrongly with Mia and now that she's gone he will do everything in his power to get her back. Even if it means having to venture to Lucky Harbor and beg her forgiveness in front of her entire family.

Even with a little bit of words, Miz Shalvis was able to weave a story with a beginning, middle and end. I just LOVED Nick and Mia together and thought that their relationship was so sweet. If you are a fan of the Lucky Harbor series or someone looking for a quick Christmas read, Under the Mistletoe is definitely worth picking up.

**ARC provided by NetGalley**

[Liza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet and sexy read.

I was lucky enough to be approved by the publisher to get an early copy from NetGalley. I’m a huge fan of Jill Shalvis and couldn’t wait to get Mia’s story. Under the Mistletoe takes place 5 years after we first met Mia.

I loved Mia when we met her in Tara and Ford’s book and was so excited to see her all grown up. Mia is heading back to Lucky Harbor for Christmas for her Aunt Chloe and Sawyer’s wedding. She has it all planned to take her boyfriend with her for the trip, but Nick pushes her away, so Mia heads home alone with a bit of a broken heart.

Nick quickly realizes his mistake and follows Mia across the country to prove to her how much he loves her. I loved the chemistry between Nick and Mia so much. Fans of Jill Shalvis will get both a sweet and sexy story with Under the Mistletoe. The official ebook release date is December 4, 2012 and can be purchased from your favorite online retailer.

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listed as 6.5 in the Lucky Harbor series. As far as novellas go this one is definitely one of the best for me. Mia is coming home to Lucky Harbor to attend Chloe and Sawyer's wedding. She invites her boyfriend of 6 months, Nick, to go with her. He refuses. Heartbroken, Mia leaves. Nick follows.

We met Mia in The Sweetest Thing and I loved her then. It's so neat that we get her story now. Nick was a likable character too. It didn't take him long to realize that Mia meant something to him and he didn't want to let her go. If I had not read the previous books I'd probably not get as much enjoyment out of this but I did and I loved it.

[Lyndy Ann ♫ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novella about Mia's relationship with Nick, they have some stuff to work out, a nice sweet romance. We get Chloe and Sawyer's wedding and a quick catch up with Maddie and Jax and Tara and Ford.

[Gwen (The Gwendolyn Reading Method) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute boy must grovel to get girl back short story. Fun for the holiday season!

[Shirley Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet holiday story about going after what you want, letting go of your past and moving on.

Mia is a student is New York. She is looking forward to surprising her boyfriend Nick with tickets to spend Christmas at Lucky Harbor and attend her aunt's wedding there. She knows it's sudden and that she may be rejected but she loves Nick and would love nothing more than to spend this time with him. Nick is a hard-working young man who is determined to make something of himself. His childhood was rough without a family of his own, so he doesn't know what being family and how to make one work. He enjoys Mia's company and even loves her, but he is clueless when it comes to making a deeper connection.

I enjoyed this story very much. I loved how Mia matured from when I last saw her in book 2. She has grown into a very smart, determined young woman who knows what she wants and goes for it regardless of the consequences. I admired that about her. And although I wanted to shake some sense into Nick, I could not help but understand where he was coming from. He never allowed himself to connect with anyone before Mia and when he was put on the spot his first instinct was to run.

I also liked visiting with the family. They were just as great as always and I was glad that I got a chance to see how they are getting along now. They were always a great set of characters and seeing them protecting Mia while still letting her be independent was good to see too. They all rallied around her, but didn't interfere in her decisions and that just endeared them even more to me.

I appreciated the way Jill Shalvis went about this story. Especially the fact that Mia did not fall at Nick's knees when he came for her. I was glad that she put him in his place and spoke honestly to him and I loved Nick's reaction. He was determined to make it up to her and make her understand just how deep his feelings for her were and how much she meant to him. And when he did it was beautiful and it felt real.

The writing was very good. Exactly what I have come to expect from Jill Shalvis. Although this is just a short story it was full of emotions and tender moments between the main characters, which made their getting together more believable. The romance was exceptional and the feelings brought to the page added to the enjoyment of the story.

All in all, a great holiday read to remind you that it is worth fighting for what and who you love and that letting go of past demons is the only way to move forward in life.

[Vidya-BooksAreMagic · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** ARC was provided by the publisher. ***

Just when I was convincing myself to wait for the next book, this one comes out. Of course, I am excited to read this, but now after finishing this, I have to start convincing myself again that Jill Shalvis will write again..soon.

This is an intermediate novella where the readers get a glimpse of Tara's daughter, Mia's love life. So, Mia is dating a cute boy, Nick, for six months, and when Christmas gets near (and Chloe is finally getting married), Mia wants to invite Nick to meet her family and for Chloe's wedding in Lucky Harbor. Nick, an orphan, is afraid of family relationships and when Mia asks him, denies immediately. Mia, upset about Nick, leaves to Lucky Harbor without saying a word to Nick. But, Nick knew he fell for Mia. So, naturally, what happens next is the major part of this novella. Will Nick get his love back and will Lucky Harbor accept him?

For such a short novella, this one clearly is satisfying as always. Its very cool to meet Tara, Maddie and Chloe again, along with many of the older characters. Although I was very keen to know what is happening to the older characters' life more than Mia, I enjoyed this novella. Maddie has two kids..Chloe has finally accepted to marry Sawyer after 5 years..and so many small moments. Wow, I am just very happy to know them all again.

Jill Shalvis knows how to make the readers crave for more.

Don't miss this short and sweet read!

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Full review and other details can be seen in Books Are Magic.

[Kelly at · Rating 4 out of 5]

FABULOUS Novella by Jill Shalvis!!!


Another great story from Jill. Under the Mistletoe takes us back into the lovely little town of Lucky Harbor for a wedding.

We get to meet Mia & Nick. Who are both a little gun shy when it comes to family and love. Both have had to deal with the loss of family and love in the past. But Mia is ready to move on and is looking for her happily ever after. The question is: Is Nick ready? Or will he turn tail and run?

This was a very quick read and I loved every page. Nick & Mia are so sweet together. Because when you finally find your one true love you are willing to do anything for them. Even if that means facing your fears.

I always love to be back in Jill’s town of Lucky Harbor. If you are fan of Jill’s and love the Lucky Harbor series you will love this novella.



Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The following review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

[Jonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five years have passed and Mia Hutchinson, Ford and Tara's daughter, is working in New York City and involved with Nick, who recently passed the bar and is ready to begin his career. Mia is pretty invested in the relationship and when she surprises him with a plane ticket to join her in Lucky Harbor at Christmas Eve for her Aunt Chloe's wedding, she doesn't get the reaction she was hoping for.

It's a lovely update on the Trager sisters and their families as well as Mia's story. While it is short, there's still the humor and steam that is a staple of this series. In addition to the holiday season and wedding activities, we get to see Mia's family rally around her as Nick tries to atone for his actions in New York and reconcile his feelings for Mia and she for him. Their romance doesn't lack hotness and Nick's pretty sensual and a good guy. It is an enjoyable story and I wish we could have had even more time with this family.

(I received an ARC from NetGalley)

[Lynsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved catching up with the Traeger sisters and my book husband Jax. *swoon*

I liked it a lot but on the whole I wanted more. This is perhaps because I'm greedy for anything Lucky Harbour and I'll always want more. Like I say, I loved hearing about past characters, but it could have done with being a bit longer just to get me more connected to the main couple.

Like other people have commented, it's such a let down when the story ends before 70% and the rest is all advertising.

[Jae · Rating 2 out of 5]

An itty bitty short story about Mia (Tara and Ford’s daughter).

Merged review:

This was just a meaningless read. No story, no character build up and no drama. Even for a novella this is totally pointless.

[KatLynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars