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St. Helena Vineyard #1
Kissing Under the Mistletoe
Regan Martin stopped believing in Christmas miracles six years ago when she lost everything—her house, her job, and her impeccable reputation in the wine industry—after she fell in love with a man she had no idea was married. Then Regan gets a chance for a fresh start in the Napa Valley. With her dream job, dream home, and her daughter enrolled in a wonderful new school, she starts wondering if holiday wishes really do come true.
But she soon tumbles back down to earth when she learns that her new boss is none other than Gabe DeLuca, the scorned wife’s brother. Gabe wants nothing more than home-wrecking Regan Martin out of his life, his sister’s world, and his family’s business. Mostly, he wants the lush beauty out of his head. Yet his attempts to run her out of town have him thinking twice, especially when he sees that Regan may hold the key to tracking down his sister’s stolen start-up capital. Even worse for Gabe, Regan might just be his Christmas wish and hold the key to his heart.
But she soon tumbles back down to earth when she learns that her new boss is none other than Gabe DeLuca, the scorned wife’s brother. Gabe wants nothing more than home-wrecking Regan Martin out of his life, his sister’s world, and his family’s business. Mostly, he wants the lush beauty out of his head. Yet his attempts to run her out of town have him thinking twice, especially when he sees that Regan may hold the key to tracking down his sister’s stolen start-up capital. Even worse for Gabe, Regan might just be his Christmas wish and hold the key to his heart.
310 pages, Paperback
First published October 16, 2012
335 people are currently reading
1979 people want to read
About the author
Marina Adair
40 books1,958 followersMarina Adair is a New York Times author whose fun, flirty contemporary romances have sold over a million copies. She has hit #1 overall in Amazon Kindle Paid and her St. Helena Vineyard series was optioned and made into the original Hallmark Channel Vineyard movies: Autumn in the Vineyard, Summer in the Vineyard, and Valentines in the Vineyard. Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She holds a MFA from San Jose University and currently lives in Northern California with her husband, daughter, and two neurotic cats. Please visit her online at MarinaAdair.com and sign up for her newsletter at www.MarinaAdair.com/newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews
December 3, 2016
4 1/2 "Randolph" Stars!
I loved this story! Best Christmas story for me this year. Gage and Regan are combustible! Holly is so sweet and an adorable child. The DeLuca family is quite interesting; I will definitely continue this series. Happy reading!
I loved this story! Best Christmas story for me this year. Gage and Regan are combustible! Holly is so sweet and an adorable child. The DeLuca family is quite interesting; I will definitely continue this series. Happy reading!
December 11, 2012
Many uninteresting misunderstandings, adding troubles upon troubles for poor Regan. Supposed to be humorous.
Some readers will enjoy this type of humor in a slapstick sort of way, but it did not work for me. I was impatient, wanting it to be over.
Regan is a single mom who has been unable to find work in her field (wine marketing) for six years - because Gabe repeatedly sabotages her career. He is wealthy and influential in the wine industry. Regan’s goal in life is providing the best she can for her daughter Holly. Regan does stupid things and makes stupid choices which snowball into problems.
The story opens with stupidity. Regan sees Gabe in a grocery story. She’s so upset that she walks out of the store without paying for her purchase. Then she damages Gabe’s car by running her grocery cart into it and throws several small statues from the nearby Christmas display at his car causing a broken window, dents, and scratches. He watches her do this. Then she puts one of the statues (Randolph a reindeer) in her trunk and drives away. The subject of who will pay for the damages to his car and the statues never comes up in the book. The town is upset at the theft of Randolph, with the sheriff planning to arrest the thief.
Randolph in her car trunk causes repeated problems for Regan. Notices are posted asking for help to find Randolph. So why does Regan tear down a bunch of notices to throw them away? And then she is seen doing that. She tries a few times to return Randolph but people are there. Why didn’t she go in the middle of the night? Or leave him somewhere with an anonymous note or a phone call to the authorities. No, she creates embarrassing situations for herself.
Another poor choice:
Isabelle wants to hurt and humiliate Regan every chance she gets. Regan knows this. Regan is a single mom working as a hotel maid. So why does Regan let Isabelle sign her up to volunteer for the children’s Christmas play? She later discovers that Isabelle signed her up as chairwomen of the most expensive and time consuming job. Instead of getting out of it claiming there was a misunderstanding, Regan takes it on. Has she no brain? Has she no backbone?
One part I liked:
One dimensional Isabelle. For those who have volunteered for charitable organizations, you will find parts of Isabelle in the most unpleasant people you’ve known and had to work with.
As to the romance:
Regan and Gabe desire each other and begin a relationship, but during the book a series of things happen causing misunderstandings and problems for them. These problems did not entertain me - maybe because they were one person assuming something inaccurate about the other - causing angst and worry. For example, she doesn’t tell him a minor thing from her past. When he later discovers it he is angry and disses her in public - won’t take her phone call. It’s a problem because only part of the story was told to him, not the whole thing. When he later learns the whole story, it’s no problem after all. Yes these types of misunderstandings are commonly used in romances. Sometimes they work. But for me they did not work here.
The narrator Renee Raudman was ok.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 8 hrs and 52 mins. Swearing language: strong but rarely used. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 2. Setting: current day St. Helena (Napa Valley) California. Book copyright: 2012. Genre: contemporary romance.
Some readers will enjoy this type of humor in a slapstick sort of way, but it did not work for me. I was impatient, wanting it to be over.
Regan is a single mom who has been unable to find work in her field (wine marketing) for six years - because Gabe repeatedly sabotages her career. He is wealthy and influential in the wine industry. Regan’s goal in life is providing the best she can for her daughter Holly. Regan does stupid things and makes stupid choices which snowball into problems.
The story opens with stupidity. Regan sees Gabe in a grocery story. She’s so upset that she walks out of the store without paying for her purchase. Then she damages Gabe’s car by running her grocery cart into it and throws several small statues from the nearby Christmas display at his car causing a broken window, dents, and scratches. He watches her do this. Then she puts one of the statues (Randolph a reindeer) in her trunk and drives away. The subject of who will pay for the damages to his car and the statues never comes up in the book. The town is upset at the theft of Randolph, with the sheriff planning to arrest the thief.
Randolph in her car trunk causes repeated problems for Regan. Notices are posted asking for help to find Randolph. So why does Regan tear down a bunch of notices to throw them away? And then she is seen doing that. She tries a few times to return Randolph but people are there. Why didn’t she go in the middle of the night? Or leave him somewhere with an anonymous note or a phone call to the authorities. No, she creates embarrassing situations for herself.
Another poor choice:
Isabelle wants to hurt and humiliate Regan every chance she gets. Regan knows this. Regan is a single mom working as a hotel maid. So why does Regan let Isabelle sign her up to volunteer for the children’s Christmas play? She later discovers that Isabelle signed her up as chairwomen of the most expensive and time consuming job. Instead of getting out of it claiming there was a misunderstanding, Regan takes it on. Has she no brain? Has she no backbone?
One part I liked:
One dimensional Isabelle. For those who have volunteered for charitable organizations, you will find parts of Isabelle in the most unpleasant people you’ve known and had to work with.
As to the romance:
Regan and Gabe desire each other and begin a relationship, but during the book a series of things happen causing misunderstandings and problems for them. These problems did not entertain me - maybe because they were one person assuming something inaccurate about the other - causing angst and worry. For example, she doesn’t tell him a minor thing from her past. When he later discovers it he is angry and disses her in public - won’t take her phone call. It’s a problem because only part of the story was told to him, not the whole thing. When he later learns the whole story, it’s no problem after all. Yes these types of misunderstandings are commonly used in romances. Sometimes they work. But for me they did not work here.
The narrator Renee Raudman was ok.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 8 hrs and 52 mins. Swearing language: strong but rarely used. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 2. Setting: current day St. Helena (Napa Valley) California. Book copyright: 2012. Genre: contemporary romance.
December 9, 2014
Buddy read with Aly & Maru
When Regan fell in love with Richard she had no idea that it would cost her everything, she didn't even know he was already married until she was five months pregnant with his child. When Richard vanished Regan was left broken hearted and alone to raise their daughter. At least his wife Abby had her family to support her and when Abby's brothers were unable to find the cheating husband they were happy to take out their anger on his mistress. For the last 6 years the DeLuca men have made Regan's life miserable costing her countless jobs and ruining her reputation in the wine industry. But this Christmas things are finally looking up for Regan and she has been offered her dream job and the chance to start over in a new town where she can build a life for herself and her daughter Holly. What she doesn't realise is that her new boss will be Gabe, the oldest of the DeLuca clan and the man behind everything that has happened to her. Gabe wants nothing more than to protect his sister Abby and that means getting Regan away from their home town fast. He isn't going to let anything get in the way of that goal - especially not an unwanted attraction to his family's enemy.
Every so often a book comes along that sucks me in from the very first page and makes it impossible for me to do anything else until I've finished reading it and Kissing Under the Mistletoe was one of those books. I picked it up planning on reading just one chapter before making myself some dinner but several hours later I was still reading. In fact I only managed to put the book down very briefly to grab a quick snack before I jumped back in to devour the rest of the story. I have now added Marina Adair to my list of must read authors and I can't tell you how pleased I was to discover that this is the first book in a new series.
I found it easy to connect with Regan from the moment I met her, she was young and innocent and completely betrayed by the man she loved and I had nothing but sympathy for her. I was so angry at the way the DeLuca clan had made life so difficult for her - especially considering she'd had no idea that Richard was married. She was as much his victim as Abby was and had spent a further six years being victimised for something that she had no control over. To say I was livid at Gabe and his family is an understatement and to be honest I didn't think he had a chance in hell at redeeming himself in my eyes. You have to admire Regan because although she has been through hell she has never given up, she never took the easy option of giving up her career and walking away from the wine industry and she never, ever let her daughter suffer because of what had happened. Holly was her world and Regan would do anything to protect her and make her happy. There were times that Regan's story brought tears to my eyes but more than anything I admired her strength and wanted to see her find happiness.
I've already mentioned how much I hated Gabe in the beginning so I was incredibly surprised that Marina Adair managed to make me fall for him. As you get to know him you see that he ended up responsible for his four younger siblings from a young age after their parents died and all he has ever done is try to protect them. He was convinced that Regan knew that Richard was married but went ahead and had an affair with him anyway and he had no idea that she had a young child to care for. None of that makes what he did to her acceptable but it did make it easier to understand. The fact that we get to see things from his perspective was what helped me fall for him though - you get to see first hand how guilty he feels when he realises that Regan was another innocent victim and when he sees first hand how hard life has been for her since then. I enjoyed watching Gabe discover his conscience and try to make up for what had happened but I enjoyed seeing Regan tell him where to go even more. The banter between them was one of the highlights of the book for me, the chemistry between them was off the charts hot but while their eyes were stripping each other naked their words were cutting them to the core. I knew from their heated looks that they'd be good together but boy were the sexy times worth the wait!
Other highlights included Holly who was utterly adorable - I dare anyone not to fall in love with her - and Gabe's grandmother ChiChi and her friends who Regan had nicknamed the Mrs. Clauses. There were a lot of laugh out loud moments at their antics and they really helped lighten the tone of the story. Kissing Under the Mistletoe is definitely my favourite Christmas read of the year, funny, cute, romantic and hot, it was the perfect book to get me in the mood for the holidays and I know it is a book I'll be re-reading in the future. Fans of small town romance series like Jill Shalvis's Lucky Harbor books will love this one - it has the same feel good factor and great cast of characters who I am looking forward to spending more time with.
When Regan fell in love with Richard she had no idea that it would cost her everything, she didn't even know he was already married until she was five months pregnant with his child. When Richard vanished Regan was left broken hearted and alone to raise their daughter. At least his wife Abby had her family to support her and when Abby's brothers were unable to find the cheating husband they were happy to take out their anger on his mistress. For the last 6 years the DeLuca men have made Regan's life miserable costing her countless jobs and ruining her reputation in the wine industry. But this Christmas things are finally looking up for Regan and she has been offered her dream job and the chance to start over in a new town where she can build a life for herself and her daughter Holly. What she doesn't realise is that her new boss will be Gabe, the oldest of the DeLuca clan and the man behind everything that has happened to her. Gabe wants nothing more than to protect his sister Abby and that means getting Regan away from their home town fast. He isn't going to let anything get in the way of that goal - especially not an unwanted attraction to his family's enemy.
Every so often a book comes along that sucks me in from the very first page and makes it impossible for me to do anything else until I've finished reading it and Kissing Under the Mistletoe was one of those books. I picked it up planning on reading just one chapter before making myself some dinner but several hours later I was still reading. In fact I only managed to put the book down very briefly to grab a quick snack before I jumped back in to devour the rest of the story. I have now added Marina Adair to my list of must read authors and I can't tell you how pleased I was to discover that this is the first book in a new series.
I found it easy to connect with Regan from the moment I met her, she was young and innocent and completely betrayed by the man she loved and I had nothing but sympathy for her. I was so angry at the way the DeLuca clan had made life so difficult for her - especially considering she'd had no idea that Richard was married. She was as much his victim as Abby was and had spent a further six years being victimised for something that she had no control over. To say I was livid at Gabe and his family is an understatement and to be honest I didn't think he had a chance in hell at redeeming himself in my eyes. You have to admire Regan because although she has been through hell she has never given up, she never took the easy option of giving up her career and walking away from the wine industry and she never, ever let her daughter suffer because of what had happened. Holly was her world and Regan would do anything to protect her and make her happy. There were times that Regan's story brought tears to my eyes but more than anything I admired her strength and wanted to see her find happiness.
I've already mentioned how much I hated Gabe in the beginning so I was incredibly surprised that Marina Adair managed to make me fall for him. As you get to know him you see that he ended up responsible for his four younger siblings from a young age after their parents died and all he has ever done is try to protect them. He was convinced that Regan knew that Richard was married but went ahead and had an affair with him anyway and he had no idea that she had a young child to care for. None of that makes what he did to her acceptable but it did make it easier to understand. The fact that we get to see things from his perspective was what helped me fall for him though - you get to see first hand how guilty he feels when he realises that Regan was another innocent victim and when he sees first hand how hard life has been for her since then. I enjoyed watching Gabe discover his conscience and try to make up for what had happened but I enjoyed seeing Regan tell him where to go even more. The banter between them was one of the highlights of the book for me, the chemistry between them was off the charts hot but while their eyes were stripping each other naked their words were cutting them to the core. I knew from their heated looks that they'd be good together but boy were the sexy times worth the wait!
Other highlights included Holly who was utterly adorable - I dare anyone not to fall in love with her - and Gabe's grandmother ChiChi and her friends who Regan had nicknamed the Mrs. Clauses. There were a lot of laugh out loud moments at their antics and they really helped lighten the tone of the story. Kissing Under the Mistletoe is definitely my favourite Christmas read of the year, funny, cute, romantic and hot, it was the perfect book to get me in the mood for the holidays and I know it is a book I'll be re-reading in the future. Fans of small town romance series like Jill Shalvis's Lucky Harbor books will love this one - it has the same feel good factor and great cast of characters who I am looking forward to spending more time with.
December 10, 2018
3.5-not-quite-4 stars
This was a completely adorable, perfect for this time of year read. There was just the right amount of conflict to keep the story going. Lots of cute moments.
This was a completely adorable, perfect for this time of year read. There was just the right amount of conflict to keep the story going. Lots of cute moments.
October 15, 2012
his book had me scratching my head.
Regan Martin had the bad misfortune at the age of 19 to fall in love with a smooth talking man who was already married. She did not know this and was as much a victim of his perfidy as his wife. Except the wife has a large and loving family who will do anything to protect her. Since the cheating husband has taken a powder and disappeared to parts unknown, all the considerable ire of the vengeance seeking clan falls on the head of the hapless Regan.
The book picks up six years later. Regan, who happens to work in the same industry as the DeLuca family (the family of the wronged wife) has found herself blackballed and unable to find a job. Every time she gets an interview, the oldest DeLuca brother Gabe somehow manages to get to the prospective employer and poor Regan finds herself without prospects again.
However Regan finally gets a break. She gets a job at a small start-up winery in Napa valley and it includes a place to live. This couldn't have come at a better time because Regan is down to the fumes of her savings account and it is Christmas season. She has a young daughter (she was pregnant with married-cheater's child when he took off) who she wants to make this the best Christmas ever. Except, Gabe DeLuca has caught up with her again.
The reason this book has me scratching my head was because I was not sure what tone this author intended to take. On the one hand it sometimes plays out like a sexy comedy. Regan and Gabe spar and twinkle and flirt throughout. They sometimes seem like they are simply playing a fun game of sexy one-upmanship. There are also wacky hijinks involving a reindeer and three busybody old ladies.
Yet at other times, Regan is in the pits of despair. She has been prevented from holding a meaningful job for 6 years through the whims of one vengeful family. Through dialogue and exposition we learn that she and her daughter have lived in a succession of not-very-nice apartments, she has very little money left and is feeling incredibly demoralized. Having been unceremoniously tossed out this job (and home) which she thought was finally going to give her a measure of security, she ends up working as a hotel maid briefly. This is untenable to her because as the daughter of a Mexican illegal immigrant, Regan had been determined not to have the same menial jobs her mother had when she was growing up. And yet, here she was..a maid.
So yeah, there was a bit of cognitive dissonance there. At times the story was engaging and even funny. However, I simply could not resolve how Regan could be feeling any attraction to Gabe considering he had pretty much messed up her livelihood for six years.
To the author's credit, she doesn't make Gabe a total asshat. Once he realizes that his unrelenting campaign has impacted the life of a child (he did not know she had a daughter) he begins to question his actions and tries to make amends. The story does get better once he realizes this, but I had already been so soured on what I felt was such willfully unfair persecution that I couldn't really enjoy the romance between these two.
Another headscratcher is Regan herself. She was 19 when she had the affair and found out she was pregnant with her daughter, still a sophomore in college. And yet she is supposedly some whiz at Marketing at the ripe old age of 24. The job she gets is actually VP of Marketing. I was not convinced that she could have landed such a job considering that she had been denied job opportunities since the affair was discovered. I also kept getting knocked out of the story a bit whenever Regan mentioned her Mexican immigrant mother and her absentee French father because I would idly wonder where the heck the name 'Regan Martin' came from?
Not a bad book by any means. It was a quick read and I did not feel like I was slogging through it nor did I want to chuck it against the wall. But definitely not a winner for me.
This review was based on a copy of an ARC received via the Amazon Vine program
Regan Martin had the bad misfortune at the age of 19 to fall in love with a smooth talking man who was already married. She did not know this and was as much a victim of his perfidy as his wife. Except the wife has a large and loving family who will do anything to protect her. Since the cheating husband has taken a powder and disappeared to parts unknown, all the considerable ire of the vengeance seeking clan falls on the head of the hapless Regan.
The book picks up six years later. Regan, who happens to work in the same industry as the DeLuca family (the family of the wronged wife) has found herself blackballed and unable to find a job. Every time she gets an interview, the oldest DeLuca brother Gabe somehow manages to get to the prospective employer and poor Regan finds herself without prospects again.
However Regan finally gets a break. She gets a job at a small start-up winery in Napa valley and it includes a place to live. This couldn't have come at a better time because Regan is down to the fumes of her savings account and it is Christmas season. She has a young daughter (she was pregnant with married-cheater's child when he took off) who she wants to make this the best Christmas ever. Except, Gabe DeLuca has caught up with her again.
The reason this book has me scratching my head was because I was not sure what tone this author intended to take. On the one hand it sometimes plays out like a sexy comedy. Regan and Gabe spar and twinkle and flirt throughout. They sometimes seem like they are simply playing a fun game of sexy one-upmanship. There are also wacky hijinks involving a reindeer and three busybody old ladies.
Yet at other times, Regan is in the pits of despair. She has been prevented from holding a meaningful job for 6 years through the whims of one vengeful family. Through dialogue and exposition we learn that she and her daughter have lived in a succession of not-very-nice apartments, she has very little money left and is feeling incredibly demoralized. Having been unceremoniously tossed out this job (and home) which she thought was finally going to give her a measure of security, she ends up working as a hotel maid briefly. This is untenable to her because as the daughter of a Mexican illegal immigrant, Regan had been determined not to have the same menial jobs her mother had when she was growing up. And yet, here she was..a maid.
So yeah, there was a bit of cognitive dissonance there. At times the story was engaging and even funny. However, I simply could not resolve how Regan could be feeling any attraction to Gabe considering he had pretty much messed up her livelihood for six years.
To the author's credit, she doesn't make Gabe a total asshat. Once he realizes that his unrelenting campaign has impacted the life of a child (he did not know she had a daughter) he begins to question his actions and tries to make amends. The story does get better once he realizes this, but I had already been so soured on what I felt was such willfully unfair persecution that I couldn't really enjoy the romance between these two.
Another headscratcher is Regan herself. She was 19 when she had the affair and found out she was pregnant with her daughter, still a sophomore in college. And yet she is supposedly some whiz at Marketing at the ripe old age of 24. The job she gets is actually VP of Marketing. I was not convinced that she could have landed such a job considering that she had been denied job opportunities since the affair was discovered. I also kept getting knocked out of the story a bit whenever Regan mentioned her Mexican immigrant mother and her absentee French father because I would idly wonder where the heck the name 'Regan Martin' came from?
Not a bad book by any means. It was a quick read and I did not feel like I was slogging through it nor did I want to chuck it against the wall. But definitely not a winner for me.
This review was based on a copy of an ARC received via the Amazon Vine program
December 11, 2012
Just AWFUL. More supposedly-professional people acting like preteens. The book opens with a woman shoplifting, vandalizing a car and assaulting someone. That's supposed to be a COMICAL scene. Then we get lots of talk about dicks and hard nipples and...it's just juvenile and turns any feeling of romance into sheer lowbrow lust. There are certain words that kill romance for me in fiction. "dick" is the worst offender.
This really is a Frankenstein novella. It's marketed as a holiday romance but then it talks like erotica. And the adversity faced by the heroine is far too melodramatically bad for light category romance. Add to that the fact that implausibility piles upon implausibility--a 24yo VP of Marketing who hasn't held down a job in the field at all? A Franco-Mexican daughter of illegal immigrants named 'Regan'? It feels like a bad first book from someone who doesn't know how to tell a plausible story in the least.
This really is a Frankenstein novella. It's marketed as a holiday romance but then it talks like erotica. And the adversity faced by the heroine is far too melodramatically bad for light category romance. Add to that the fact that implausibility piles upon implausibility--a 24yo VP of Marketing who hasn't held down a job in the field at all? A Franco-Mexican daughter of illegal immigrants named 'Regan'? It feels like a bad first book from someone who doesn't know how to tell a plausible story in the least.
dnf
December 1, 2016DNF and returned to Audible. So much of the beginning of this story just did not add up and was just silly.
April 24, 2018
3.5/5.0
There are parts of this story I absolutely loved and parts that drove me nuts. First the parts I love:
Ms. Adair’s writing. It pulls the reader into the story and uncovers all the emotions layer by layer until one can actually feel Regan’s humiliation and despair and Gabe’s frustration and anger. It is rich and emotional. One can’t help but feel for Regan and her struggles. And, her daughter Holly is absolutely adorable.
The parts that drove me nuts:
I HATED how horribly Gabe treated Regan. Good grief! Sabatoging all her jobs for six years until she is borderline destitute? He, nor any of his family ever took the time to hear her side of the story - rather they all - Gabe included - do the most despicable things with only half the information. He never truly trusted her and the final blow was the most infuriating of all. It made the quick, “I’m sorry”, kiss-and-make-up-the-end, enough to make me want to throw the book at the wall! He didn’t deserve her. The story desperately needed at least a chapter where he has to prove he is actually worthy of her love.
There are parts of this story I absolutely loved and parts that drove me nuts. First the parts I love:
Ms. Adair’s writing. It pulls the reader into the story and uncovers all the emotions layer by layer until one can actually feel Regan’s humiliation and despair and Gabe’s frustration and anger. It is rich and emotional. One can’t help but feel for Regan and her struggles. And, her daughter Holly is absolutely adorable.
The parts that drove me nuts:
I HATED how horribly Gabe treated Regan. Good grief! Sabatoging all her jobs for six years until she is borderline destitute? He, nor any of his family ever took the time to hear her side of the story - rather they all - Gabe included - do the most despicable things with only half the information. He never truly trusted her and the final blow was the most infuriating of all. It made the quick, “I’m sorry”, kiss-and-make-up-the-end, enough to make me want to throw the book at the wall! He didn’t deserve her. The story desperately needed at least a chapter where he has to prove he is actually worthy of her love.
July 1, 2016
2.5ish. I'll round up.
A secret baby with a twist since the H is not the father, but the the brother-in-law of the father.
The heroine was 19 when the H's 30-year-old brother-in-law seduced her and made her believe he loved her. She didn't live in the same town as the wife, so she didn't know he was married. She made a stupid, naive mistake and ended up pregnant and alone when the guy skips town. She was horrified to learn the man was married. She wasn't a heartless homewrecker, but the H basically ruined her life for 6 years over her mistake.
Much of this is a rant I posted on a forum. Sorry I wasn't more original, but I'm lazy today.
This was an odd one. I've never read anything by the author before and she is pretty good. The book flowed and she can be witty. Then again, the tone was bizarre. It attempted to be a fluffy romcom, but the issues were much too weighty for a fluffy romcom. I'd have bought it if the H's actions had been toned down. The initially firing 6 years before - sure. Being a sarcastic jerk to her when she moved back to town - sure. Having her blackballed and ruining her life for 6 years - really?
IMHO if the author wanted to go with the fluffy romcom Christmas special, she should have dialed way back on the h's suffering and the darn pitifullness of a little girl just wanting a home and a cat - that just broke my heart. If she wanted to keep the suffering, then there needed to be some real suffering for the H aside from him "feeling like a jerk". The h should have packed up and left town and he should have had to follow her and crawl. Not setup a 'I stole Randolph' thing that just made me think of the old Kirk Douglas Spartacus movie.
Also, I don't see why the heroine was immediately panting over the man who just had her fired and tossed out of her home. I know that's how these stories go, but jeez!
A secret baby with a twist since the H is not the father, but the the brother-in-law of the father.
The heroine was 19 when the H's 30-year-old brother-in-law seduced her and made her believe he loved her. She didn't live in the same town as the wife, so she didn't know he was married. She made a stupid, naive mistake and ended up pregnant and alone when the guy skips town. She was horrified to learn the man was married. She wasn't a heartless homewrecker, but the H basically ruined her life for 6 years over her mistake.
Much of this is a rant I posted on a forum. Sorry I wasn't more original, but I'm lazy today.
This was an odd one. I've never read anything by the author before and she is pretty good. The book flowed and she can be witty. Then again, the tone was bizarre. It attempted to be a fluffy romcom, but the issues were much too weighty for a fluffy romcom. I'd have bought it if the H's actions had been toned down. The initially firing 6 years before - sure. Being a sarcastic jerk to her when she moved back to town - sure. Having her blackballed and ruining her life for 6 years - really?
IMHO if the author wanted to go with the fluffy romcom Christmas special, she should have dialed way back on the h's suffering and the darn pitifullness of a little girl just wanting a home and a cat - that just broke my heart. If she wanted to keep the suffering, then there needed to be some real suffering for the H aside from him "feeling like a jerk". The h should have packed up and left town and he should have had to follow her and crawl. Not setup a 'I stole Randolph' thing that just made me think of the old Kirk Douglas Spartacus movie.
Also, I don't see why the heroine was immediately panting over the man who just had her fired and tossed out of her home. I know that's how these stories go, but jeez!
December 23, 2018
This is another one of those romances set in a small town where all of the residents are monstrous, and the book ends with the h finally getting accepted by a group of hypocrites.
This book REALLY bugged me, because basically it boiled down to the h getting slut-shamed, repeatedly, by EVERYONE. The author made her wear sackcloth and ashes even as she was supposedly so feisty. The H was the chief architect of her suffering (after the OM, of course), and his tactics were loathsome.
No character in this book, except for the h, deserved a happy ending, EVER.
Also, the cutesy elements of this book were particularly sickening.
This book REALLY bugged me, because basically it boiled down to the h getting slut-shamed, repeatedly, by EVERYONE. The author made her wear sackcloth and ashes even as she was supposedly so feisty. The H was the chief architect of her suffering (after the OM, of course), and his tactics were loathsome.
No character in this book, except for the h, deserved a happy ending, EVER.
Also, the cutesy elements of this book were particularly sickening.
November 16, 2012
I am not going to lie; I am a sucker for holiday themed romances. They put me in a festive mood and Kissing Under the Mistletoe did just that. This was a fun, smexy, snugly read and I quickly consumed it in a single evening. This is the first in the St. Helena Vineyard series and I cannot wait to go back to Napa Valley.
The tale begins when we meet Regan Martin and her adorable six year old daughter. When she was younger she met and fell in love with her employer, only to discover he was married and lied to her. That mistake cost her everything and gave her the most precious gift. Now she is looking for a fresh start in Napa Valley and had just landed her dream job that comes with the perfect cottage and school to raise her daughter. This is going to be the best Christmas ever; that is until she finds out the boss is none other than Gabe DeLuca the scorned wife’s brother. Convinced Regan is a homewrecker he quickly fires her and orders her to leave town. Gabe’s meddling, fruit cake baking, grandmother has other ideas and the tale that unfolds is delightful.
Regan is a twenty-seven year old French-Mexican woman who up until her ill-fated affair was a successful marketer for the wine industry. The relationship with a married man shamed her and yet she is one tough cookie. She is a wonderful mother and despite many setbacks, she continues to build a life for them. I easily connected with her. Gabe of course is completely swoon-worthy! As the ever protective head of the family. he feels the need to protect his sister. The attraction he feels for Regan downright annoys him! The romance that unfolded was sweet, hot and oh so fun. Watching these two fight their insane physical attraction to each other was hilarious. The attraction was hot, heavy, and fast, while the romance developed slowly and with a few bumps. A meddling family, evil townspeople and a missing reindeer made this tale a hoot.
Adair delivered a well paced, entertaining romance with characters I enjoyed. I love when an author captures my attention in the first few pages and has me laughing aloud. While the plot isn't new she added her own little twists to it making it feel fresh. The banter between Regan and Gabe was priceless. I adored the meddling Christmas grandmas and despised those who stood in the way of my much needed HEA.
I want to thank the author for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer
The tale begins when we meet Regan Martin and her adorable six year old daughter. When she was younger she met and fell in love with her employer, only to discover he was married and lied to her. That mistake cost her everything and gave her the most precious gift. Now she is looking for a fresh start in Napa Valley and had just landed her dream job that comes with the perfect cottage and school to raise her daughter. This is going to be the best Christmas ever; that is until she finds out the boss is none other than Gabe DeLuca the scorned wife’s brother. Convinced Regan is a homewrecker he quickly fires her and orders her to leave town. Gabe’s meddling, fruit cake baking, grandmother has other ideas and the tale that unfolds is delightful.
Regan is a twenty-seven year old French-Mexican woman who up until her ill-fated affair was a successful marketer for the wine industry. The relationship with a married man shamed her and yet she is one tough cookie. She is a wonderful mother and despite many setbacks, she continues to build a life for them. I easily connected with her. Gabe of course is completely swoon-worthy! As the ever protective head of the family. he feels the need to protect his sister. The attraction he feels for Regan downright annoys him! The romance that unfolded was sweet, hot and oh so fun. Watching these two fight their insane physical attraction to each other was hilarious. The attraction was hot, heavy, and fast, while the romance developed slowly and with a few bumps. A meddling family, evil townspeople and a missing reindeer made this tale a hoot.
Adair delivered a well paced, entertaining romance with characters I enjoyed. I love when an author captures my attention in the first few pages and has me laughing aloud. While the plot isn't new she added her own little twists to it making it feel fresh. The banter between Regan and Gabe was priceless. I adored the meddling Christmas grandmas and despised those who stood in the way of my much needed HEA.
I want to thank the author for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer
December 8, 2012
Review also posted at Under The Covers Book Blog
“Kissing Under the Mistletoe is an amazing start to St. Helena Vineyard series.” ~Under the Covers
Ms. Adair nailed it! She kept me engaged with every page of the book and falling in love with the characters immediately. Reading this book definitely put me in the right mood for the holidays, though I would have no problem reading it in the middle of summer.
Reagan Martin is a jaded single mom trying to survive from a mistake she had made 6 years ago. She had fallen in love with a married man and she has been paying for that mistake ever since. Career destroyed and financially troubled, she is trying to raise her daughter the best way she can, however, Gabe DeLuca will stop at nothing until she leaves town.
Regan is lovable, funny and one badass heroine. She does not kick ass in the literal term but she kicked ass in terms of survival. This woman endured hardships and survived not letting anything bring her down. She saw the best in her situation and did not let her daughter feel any of the grunts. Having a single mom my self along with many friends and family who are single parents, connecting to her was effortless. Her story actually had me in tears. Gabe on the other hand, I had no tears for him in the beginning. Of course right from start, I knew he was going to be a hot hero but that’s besides the point. His only goal was to drive Regan out of town. Though he was only trying to protect his sister, I thought that was a jerk move on his part. I’m just glad he was able to redeem himself because I don’t think I can forgive myself lusting after a jerk hero.
I love Gabe and Regan’s together. They are indeed a hot couple. Their banters and innuendos were hilarious. The sexual tension between them was off the charts and boy, their sexual encounters were even hotter. God forbid I become single again, but if I do, I want me a Gabe! The rest of the characters also captured my attention. Holly was just the sweetheart and the Mrs. Clauses were very entertaining. Randolph was one I cannot forget and I cheered for him to make home safe.
This small town contemporary romance is fast-paced, romantic and sexy. It had me tears and made me laugh-out-loud like a crazy woman. If you have not picked up this book, I strongly recommend you do. Ms. Adair absolutely did not disappoint and made an instant fan out of me.
* ARC provided by Author
“Kissing Under the Mistletoe is an amazing start to St. Helena Vineyard series.” ~Under the Covers
Ms. Adair nailed it! She kept me engaged with every page of the book and falling in love with the characters immediately. Reading this book definitely put me in the right mood for the holidays, though I would have no problem reading it in the middle of summer.
Reagan Martin is a jaded single mom trying to survive from a mistake she had made 6 years ago. She had fallen in love with a married man and she has been paying for that mistake ever since. Career destroyed and financially troubled, she is trying to raise her daughter the best way she can, however, Gabe DeLuca will stop at nothing until she leaves town.
Regan is lovable, funny and one badass heroine. She does not kick ass in the literal term but she kicked ass in terms of survival. This woman endured hardships and survived not letting anything bring her down. She saw the best in her situation and did not let her daughter feel any of the grunts. Having a single mom my self along with many friends and family who are single parents, connecting to her was effortless. Her story actually had me in tears. Gabe on the other hand, I had no tears for him in the beginning. Of course right from start, I knew he was going to be a hot hero but that’s besides the point. His only goal was to drive Regan out of town. Though he was only trying to protect his sister, I thought that was a jerk move on his part. I’m just glad he was able to redeem himself because I don’t think I can forgive myself lusting after a jerk hero.
I love Gabe and Regan’s together. They are indeed a hot couple. Their banters and innuendos were hilarious. The sexual tension between them was off the charts and boy, their sexual encounters were even hotter. God forbid I become single again, but if I do, I want me a Gabe! The rest of the characters also captured my attention. Holly was just the sweetheart and the Mrs. Clauses were very entertaining. Randolph was one I cannot forget and I cheered for him to make home safe.
This small town contemporary romance is fast-paced, romantic and sexy. It had me tears and made me laugh-out-loud like a crazy woman. If you have not picked up this book, I strongly recommend you do. Ms. Adair absolutely did not disappoint and made an instant fan out of me.
* ARC provided by Author
December 22, 2012
Buddy read with Maru, Sarah and Layla, possibly Madu as well :))
Great book! Can't wait for the next one.
Highlights:
-Regan, she was so strong and lovable and amazing, the hero doesn't deserve her
-Holly, sweet kid, very smart and was a pleasure to learn about
-ChiChi and her friends were the best matchmakers ever
-Gabe had potential, but didn't come through, not for me at least
-the setting of the story was idyllic, I enjoy small town stories very much
-the plot was good and left room for other stories
All in all it was a very good Christmas book that I enjoyed immensely.
Rating: 4.5*
Great book! Can't wait for the next one.
Highlights:
-Regan, she was so strong and lovable and amazing, the hero doesn't deserve her
-Holly, sweet kid, very smart and was a pleasure to learn about
-ChiChi and her friends were the best matchmakers ever
-Gabe had potential, but didn't come through, not for me at least
-the setting of the story was idyllic, I enjoy small town stories very much
-the plot was good and left room for other stories
All in all it was a very good Christmas book that I enjoyed immensely.
Rating: 4.5*
December 15, 2018
3.75
At nineteen, Regan Martin felt in love with an older man (he was thirty) who lied to her (not telling her he was married) and who left her when she told him she was pregnant.
As the oldest of the DeLuca's siblings, Gabe became the protector at 23 when their parents died and filled in the family's wine empire. When he learned his sister's husband had a mistress who work in the same field as them, he did everything he could to keep the other woman away from his sister and he cost her many jobs, no matter where she went.
Regan came in St-Helena, hoping for a new start with her five-year old daughter,not knowing it's the DeLuca's hometown but Gabe DeLuca happened again and he's still hell-bent on making her life miserable. The infuriating man sabotaged her plans again but this time, Regan won't back off and if it's war he wants, then he's gonna get it. It is fortunate that three old ladies take her under their wings (one of them is Gabe's grandmother).
And if Gabe can't chase Regan out of town, he'll just have to seduce her. That's if he doesn't let lust consume him first and if he doesn't fall for her.
"She stood there, open and vulnerable, her finger tracing the top edge of the side mirror, and nodded. They both knew he was talking about so much more than their rivalry. Just like they both knew that whatever was happening between them, if allowed to grow, would only wind up hurting someone-most likely Regan."
I remembered that Gabe wasn't nice to Regan but there's no polite way to say it, he was more a jerk than I remembered. Even if he ignored that Regan wasn't aware that Richard was married, and even if he did it to protect his sister, he still acted like a stubborn ass and the fact he was lusting after her at the same time and she was lusting after him right from the start didn't totally agree with me. However, it didn't ruined the book for me but it's obvious the heroine was much more forgiving than I would have been towards his behavior. But the romance worked for me anyway because well, I don't know, probably because of the author's writing style and the secondary characters like Gabe's grandmother and Holly, the adorable kitten's lover little girl and the town's mascot idea. And no doubt that Regan is an other reason why. A fighter, despite all the obstacles and she would do anything for her daughter's well-being.
The cool thing about rereading the series is that I know the best is yet to come ;p
At nineteen, Regan Martin felt in love with an older man (he was thirty) who lied to her (not telling her he was married) and who left her when she told him she was pregnant.
As the oldest of the DeLuca's siblings, Gabe became the protector at 23 when their parents died and filled in the family's wine empire. When he learned his sister's husband had a mistress who work in the same field as them, he did everything he could to keep the other woman away from his sister and he cost her many jobs, no matter where she went.
Regan came in St-Helena, hoping for a new start with her five-year old daughter,not knowing it's the DeLuca's hometown but Gabe DeLuca happened again and he's still hell-bent on making her life miserable. The infuriating man sabotaged her plans again but this time, Regan won't back off and if it's war he wants, then he's gonna get it. It is fortunate that three old ladies take her under their wings (one of them is Gabe's grandmother).
And if Gabe can't chase Regan out of town, he'll just have to seduce her. That's if he doesn't let lust consume him first and if he doesn't fall for her.
"She stood there, open and vulnerable, her finger tracing the top edge of the side mirror, and nodded. They both knew he was talking about so much more than their rivalry. Just like they both knew that whatever was happening between them, if allowed to grow, would only wind up hurting someone-most likely Regan."
I remembered that Gabe wasn't nice to Regan but there's no polite way to say it, he was more a jerk than I remembered. Even if he ignored that Regan wasn't aware that Richard was married, and even if he did it to protect his sister, he still acted like a stubborn ass and the fact he was lusting after her at the same time and she was lusting after him right from the start didn't totally agree with me. However, it didn't ruined the book for me but it's obvious the heroine was much more forgiving than I would have been towards his behavior. But the romance worked for me anyway because well, I don't know, probably because of the author's writing style and the secondary characters like Gabe's grandmother and Holly, the adorable kitten's lover little girl and the town's mascot idea. And no doubt that Regan is an other reason why. A fighter, despite all the obstacles and she would do anything for her daughter's well-being.
The cool thing about rereading the series is that I know the best is yet to come ;p
December 28, 2023
I was grinning like a lunatic by the end of this book. Really, I had a huuuge happy grin on my face. I couldn't help it, it was just too sweet. Sure, Gabe was a supreme asshole, but he was only looking out for his family and Regan gave as good as she got and I loved it. I loved their chemistry. I loved how it was described, so everything they were feeling I was feeling, too. But in my opinion Gabe didn't grovel enough for all the things he put Regan through. I guess he's paying it now in book 2, which is also awesome btw.
ETA: (28.12.2023) I guess this does not reread well. For all that Gabe put Regan through, he really did not do enough to warrant such an easy forgiveness. I mean he was sabotaging her career for six years, she wasn't able to get a job and provide for her daughter, and he gets close to them both just to gang up on Regan in front of his entire family, it's really too cruel. The worst part is, he isn't cruel by default, he was really sweet when he wanted to be, but I guess the his protective instincts run a little too strong, and Regan ends up at the wrong end throughout the book. And it makes me really sad, she really does deserve a break.
ETA: (28.12.2023) I guess this does not reread well. For all that Gabe put Regan through, he really did not do enough to warrant such an easy forgiveness. I mean he was sabotaging her career for six years, she wasn't able to get a job and provide for her daughter, and he gets close to them both just to gang up on Regan in front of his entire family, it's really too cruel. The worst part is, he isn't cruel by default, he was really sweet when he wanted to be, but I guess the his protective instincts run a little too strong, and Regan ends up at the wrong end throughout the book. And it makes me really sad, she really does deserve a break.
September 26, 2012
I was so excited when I got an advanced copy of Kissing Under The Mistletoe. Adair delivered a spell-binding story about love, betrayal and finding your forever home.
The characters of this story are engaging and I found myself routing for them from page one. Reagan is funny, sassy and a strong female lead. Whether she's fighting for her daughter's happiness, her home or her sanity, she finds ways to throw curve balls at the brusk Gabe DeLuca (or more appropriately, a ceramic reindeer) and remain right where she belongs: St. Helena.
Between the "Yoga Pants Posse," melding old biddies and a dark past, Reagan finds herself in the middle of Christmas chaos at the vineyard. The romantic scenes are hot and not rushed or misplaced. The conflict, characters—EVERYTHING about this book is phenomenally done!
This is a MUST READ and a story I will never forget. Brilliant job Ms. Adair and I look forward to the next in the series!
The characters of this story are engaging and I found myself routing for them from page one. Reagan is funny, sassy and a strong female lead. Whether she's fighting for her daughter's happiness, her home or her sanity, she finds ways to throw curve balls at the brusk Gabe DeLuca (or more appropriately, a ceramic reindeer) and remain right where she belongs: St. Helena.
Between the "Yoga Pants Posse," melding old biddies and a dark past, Reagan finds herself in the middle of Christmas chaos at the vineyard. The romantic scenes are hot and not rushed or misplaced. The conflict, characters—EVERYTHING about this book is phenomenally done!
This is a MUST READ and a story I will never forget. Brilliant job Ms. Adair and I look forward to the next in the series!
October 26, 2012
3.5 Stars
Six years earlier at the age of 19, Regan was (unknowingly) in a relationship with a married man. When the relationship was discovered she found herself pregnant and alone. Gabe DeLuca, the brother of the wronged woman has been a constant spanner in her works. He has used his industry contacts to make sure every job she applies for is no longer available.
Finally she manages to score her dream job working for a small women run winery in the Napa Valley, until she discovers the winery is owned by the DeLucas.
Kissing Under the Mistletoe is a cute and harmless holiday romance which might make you shed a few tears. For the most part I liked it. The one thing that I really didn't like is the cruelty of the DeLuca men. It was over the top and bordering on criminal. I understand that many women like their alpha males, but these guys really need a good kicking.
Six years earlier at the age of 19, Regan was (unknowingly) in a relationship with a married man. When the relationship was discovered she found herself pregnant and alone. Gabe DeLuca, the brother of the wronged woman has been a constant spanner in her works. He has used his industry contacts to make sure every job she applies for is no longer available.
Finally she manages to score her dream job working for a small women run winery in the Napa Valley, until she discovers the winery is owned by the DeLucas.
Kissing Under the Mistletoe is a cute and harmless holiday romance which might make you shed a few tears. For the most part I liked it. The one thing that I really didn't like is the cruelty of the DeLuca men. It was over the top and bordering on criminal. I understand that many women like their alpha males, but these guys really need a good kicking.
October 9, 2018
The hero was a jerk. All the way until the “oh, I love her.” And she just fell into his arms. Yuck.
January 10, 2020
Regan knew her dream job, that came with a dream home, was too good to be true. She was 19 and pregnant when she learned that her boyfriend was married. To Gabe's sister. And as a single mother with the baby daddy on the run and Gabe always using his influence to sabotage her, she never settled.
Napa Valley seemed to be the perfect fresh start but Gabe DeLuca still loathes her and goes out of his way to get the home-wrecker out of his sisters life and his family's business. While, all Regan wants is to give her daughter a good life. And her little girl never was happier, she loves the small town, her new school and her new BFFs. So she will do everything in her power to stay.
Even if it means to step into her mother's footsteps as a maid, which she worked hard to escape and move into a sucky apartment, where she has to camp on the floor. But the only ones in the small town who are willing to give her a chance are the Mrs. Clauses.
This was a story full of cheesy phrases and clichés but after some time I was totally absorbed by the story, the troubles for poor Regan and her poor choices, that snowballed into major problems.
I loved the insight on both of their thoughts and feelings and how quickly it was clear that Gabe couln't not be attracted to Regan because she's not only the enemy but also beyond hot. Even though the descriptions of "her determined expression being the hottest thing ever" had me eye-rolling.
I also liked how the story evolved. How he realized what he did to her and how their obvious mutual attraction turned into something in a strange but good way. Plus the glimpses into the whole thing, how Richard not only broke Abby's heart but also affected all their lifes with clearing the company's account. How life has been for the DeLucas and especially Gabe after their parents died, all the sacrifices he had to make and the responsibility he had to take. And his not thinking about consequences for her was not his best move but suprisingly well transported.
The surprise of Holly knowing Abby was wrapped to easily as it offered potential for some real drama. I also don't understand how they never met during all of this.
Same as the end, which was cute but kind of not enough after all the angst created from misunderstandings and assuming things. Plus the "she's not the women he'd want" and "he feels for a woman he can't".
I'm not a huge fan of single-parent-romances, most of the time, as I can't really relate to it. But I love a cute child involved and little Holly was the cutest, loveliest polite little girl.
I'd totally read more of this series because the little faults are all things I can live with and the characters grew to me. I would love to see more of uber-polite Holly, one dimensional Isabelle and most of all Gigi, her mean fruit cake and her granny friends, who are authentic, fun and give serious Golden-Girls-Vibes.
The whole Randolph drama was somewhere between totally stupid and kind of fun and cute, all in all it fits the story and the adorable small town, that offers the perfect christmas-romance-setting. And the towns mean girl only added to it. I really loved that character. What bugged me was how she started to fight and wanted to humiliate Regan and she just kind of let her.
I don't know if this made me emotional because I read it around christmas but I got all the feelings, I understood Gabe and his protectiveness, him realizing he didn't want to sacrifice anymore and how Abby became the darling little sister all of them needed to protect.
And it made the story but the DeLucas are no Alphas but simply cruel and totally over the top.
I also felt for Regan, the trusting 19-year old who stupidly fell for someone who told her he wanted to take care of her.
And I hated Gabe at the huge conspiracy in the end. How he showed up, supportive of little Holly was great but then this purposeful dismissal in front of the whole town was beyond awful.
And the christmassy feelings I got from this make it 3,5 Star read.
Napa Valley seemed to be the perfect fresh start but Gabe DeLuca still loathes her and goes out of his way to get the home-wrecker out of his sisters life and his family's business. While, all Regan wants is to give her daughter a good life. And her little girl never was happier, she loves the small town, her new school and her new BFFs. So she will do everything in her power to stay.
Even if it means to step into her mother's footsteps as a maid, which she worked hard to escape and move into a sucky apartment, where she has to camp on the floor. But the only ones in the small town who are willing to give her a chance are the Mrs. Clauses.
This was a story full of cheesy phrases and clichés but after some time I was totally absorbed by the story, the troubles for poor Regan and her poor choices, that snowballed into major problems.
I loved the insight on both of their thoughts and feelings and how quickly it was clear that Gabe couln't not be attracted to Regan because she's not only the enemy but also beyond hot. Even though the descriptions of "her determined expression being the hottest thing ever" had me eye-rolling.
I also liked how the story evolved. How he realized what he did to her and how their obvious mutual attraction turned into something in a strange but good way. Plus the glimpses into the whole thing, how Richard not only broke Abby's heart but also affected all their lifes with clearing the company's account. How life has been for the DeLucas and especially Gabe after their parents died, all the sacrifices he had to make and the responsibility he had to take. And his not thinking about consequences for her was not his best move but suprisingly well transported.
The surprise of Holly knowing Abby was wrapped to easily as it offered potential for some real drama. I also don't understand how they never met during all of this.
Same as the end, which was cute but kind of not enough after all the angst created from misunderstandings and assuming things. Plus the "she's not the women he'd want" and "he feels for a woman he can't".
I'm not a huge fan of single-parent-romances, most of the time, as I can't really relate to it. But I love a cute child involved and little Holly was the cutest, loveliest polite little girl.
I'd totally read more of this series because the little faults are all things I can live with and the characters grew to me. I would love to see more of uber-polite Holly, one dimensional Isabelle and most of all Gigi, her mean fruit cake and her granny friends, who are authentic, fun and give serious Golden-Girls-Vibes.
The whole Randolph drama was somewhere between totally stupid and kind of fun and cute, all in all it fits the story and the adorable small town, that offers the perfect christmas-romance-setting. And the towns mean girl only added to it. I really loved that character. What bugged me was how she started to fight and wanted to humiliate Regan and she just kind of let her.
I don't know if this made me emotional because I read it around christmas but I got all the feelings, I understood Gabe and his protectiveness, him realizing he didn't want to sacrifice anymore and how Abby became the darling little sister all of them needed to protect.
And it made the story but the DeLucas are no Alphas but simply cruel and totally over the top.
I also felt for Regan, the trusting 19-year old who stupidly fell for someone who told her he wanted to take care of her.
And I hated Gabe at the huge conspiracy in the end. How he showed up, supportive of little Holly was great but then this purposeful dismissal in front of the whole town was beyond awful.
And the christmassy feelings I got from this make it 3,5 Star read.
December 16, 2012
Highly Emotional, Delightful & Fun
Being the holidays, I wanted to read something romantic centered around the season. In Kissing Under the Mistletoe, I got that and so much more. With a story that is not only delightful and fun, but also highly emotional, I practically used up a box of tissues while getting to know Regan and Gabe in a story set in romantic wine country!
What can I say about Regan Martin? From the start, I found her to be awesome! She's a single mom to almost 6-year old Holly. They recently moved to St. Helena for a fresh start, a dream job for her, and an excellent school for her daughter. Most of all, she wants to give Holly the most perfect Christmas ever! Did I mention that Regan seems to be a little cursed with unfortunate events, too? Ahh, yes! This story had so many laugh-out-loud moments that all the stuff that happens to Regan had me both laughing and crying at the same time! Really, it was like a one step forward, two steps back kind of thing for her. I felt every emotion and sympathized with Regan every step of the way. In fact, I found a lot of the mishaps and sequence of events to be witty and humorous and written so seamlessly!
When you first meet Gabe DeLuca, you will think he is a big, relentless jerk. He is a thorn at Regan's side, because, unintentional or not, he makes life miserable for her. Oh, he has his reasons, but you will quickly find out that Gabe and the DeLuca family jumped to conclusions too quickly when it comes to Regan. His heart and mind begin to change as he and Regan spend more time together. The chemistry between them is pretty intense.
“See, Vixen,” he whispered, watching the pulse at the base of her neck skyrocket. “When you refer to stuff, I can only imagine you're talking about how whenever we're together we can't seem to keep our hands off each other. And when we do touch it's so damn combustive it's hard to breathe.” --Gabe
Marina Adair, I found your writing to be so clever and refreshing! When I say clever, I'm specifically thinking of all the “Randolph” business...so hilarious! I'm so glad I took a chance on this story! There is no doubt that I will be waiting for and wanting what comes next from you.
Full of small hometown traditions, family, friendships, mischief and Christmas miracles, Kissing Under the Mistletoe is a romantic comedy that can be enjoyed anytime of the year.
Being the holidays, I wanted to read something romantic centered around the season. In Kissing Under the Mistletoe, I got that and so much more. With a story that is not only delightful and fun, but also highly emotional, I practically used up a box of tissues while getting to know Regan and Gabe in a story set in romantic wine country!
What can I say about Regan Martin? From the start, I found her to be awesome! She's a single mom to almost 6-year old Holly. They recently moved to St. Helena for a fresh start, a dream job for her, and an excellent school for her daughter. Most of all, she wants to give Holly the most perfect Christmas ever! Did I mention that Regan seems to be a little cursed with unfortunate events, too? Ahh, yes! This story had so many laugh-out-loud moments that all the stuff that happens to Regan had me both laughing and crying at the same time! Really, it was like a one step forward, two steps back kind of thing for her. I felt every emotion and sympathized with Regan every step of the way. In fact, I found a lot of the mishaps and sequence of events to be witty and humorous and written so seamlessly!
When you first meet Gabe DeLuca, you will think he is a big, relentless jerk. He is a thorn at Regan's side, because, unintentional or not, he makes life miserable for her. Oh, he has his reasons, but you will quickly find out that Gabe and the DeLuca family jumped to conclusions too quickly when it comes to Regan. His heart and mind begin to change as he and Regan spend more time together. The chemistry between them is pretty intense.
“See, Vixen,” he whispered, watching the pulse at the base of her neck skyrocket. “When you refer to stuff, I can only imagine you're talking about how whenever we're together we can't seem to keep our hands off each other. And when we do touch it's so damn combustive it's hard to breathe.” --Gabe
Marina Adair, I found your writing to be so clever and refreshing! When I say clever, I'm specifically thinking of all the “Randolph” business...so hilarious! I'm so glad I took a chance on this story! There is no doubt that I will be waiting for and wanting what comes next from you.
Full of small hometown traditions, family, friendships, mischief and Christmas miracles, Kissing Under the Mistletoe is a romantic comedy that can be enjoyed anytime of the year.
October 8, 2012
When Regan Martin was 19 she made a huge mistake. She fell in love with a smooth talking older man, Richard, who promised her the moon and got her pregnant. Turns out her man was married and she found out when Richard’s brother-in-law, Gabe DeLuca, caught them in the middle of a romantic dinner. Since that time Gabe has made it his personal mission to protect his sister Abigail from having to ever run into or deal with Regan. Regan has lost jobs and her reputation due to the powerful DeLuca name and is now trying to start over, again, with her 5 year old daughter. Unfortunately she has chosen to start over in DeLuca territory.
Gabe plans on using the close proximity of his sister’s arch nemesis to uncover the whereabouts of the missing Richard, but what he ends up uncovering instead is how very wrong he has been this whole time. Regan is just as much a victim as his sister, if not more so, and he can’t help but fall under Regan’s spell.
I loved this book. It delivered everything the cover blurb promised and then some. Every character in this book is incredibly colorful and lends so much to the story. From the humorously zany grandmother and her pals, to the town snob who inspires thoughts of murder, you just can’t help but feel you’ve known everyone forever.
Regan is so misunderstood but she holds her head high and does what she has to do to raise her daughter, Holly, and be the best mom she can be. Her hardships are heartbreaking and I felt every emotional blow she was dealt. Her daughter is charming and I loved how her and her mom had a “dirty jar” filled with change for offenses such as lying, swearing, cheating or being rude.
I wouldn’t change a thing about this story, it was absolutely the kind of tale I had in mind for a romantic holiday story. It kept me up reading and it will be staying on my bookshelf, forever. I will be waiting anxiously for the next book in the series, Summer in the Vineyard, and buying it when it comes out in April 2013. I am adding this author to my list of favorites!
Cherise Everhard, October 2012
Gabe plans on using the close proximity of his sister’s arch nemesis to uncover the whereabouts of the missing Richard, but what he ends up uncovering instead is how very wrong he has been this whole time. Regan is just as much a victim as his sister, if not more so, and he can’t help but fall under Regan’s spell.
I loved this book. It delivered everything the cover blurb promised and then some. Every character in this book is incredibly colorful and lends so much to the story. From the humorously zany grandmother and her pals, to the town snob who inspires thoughts of murder, you just can’t help but feel you’ve known everyone forever.
Regan is so misunderstood but she holds her head high and does what she has to do to raise her daughter, Holly, and be the best mom she can be. Her hardships are heartbreaking and I felt every emotional blow she was dealt. Her daughter is charming and I loved how her and her mom had a “dirty jar” filled with change for offenses such as lying, swearing, cheating or being rude.
I wouldn’t change a thing about this story, it was absolutely the kind of tale I had in mind for a romantic holiday story. It kept me up reading and it will be staying on my bookshelf, forever. I will be waiting anxiously for the next book in the series, Summer in the Vineyard, and buying it when it comes out in April 2013. I am adding this author to my list of favorites!
Cherise Everhard, October 2012
November 12, 2012
Regan stopped believing in Christmas miracles six years ago when she fell in love with a man she didn't know was married. Not only did she lose everything, but the family of her former lover has made it their life's work to make sure she never gets a leg up. Ready for a fresh start and second chance, Regan moves her and her daughter to Napa Valley, only to discover her new boss is Gabe--the scorned wife's brother. Gabe's plans to run Regan out of town have him thinking twice when he discovers the truth, and her beautiful daughter. Regan may also be the key to tracking down his sister's stolen start-up capital. Along the way they may find themselves believing holiday miracles do exist, and may find that love is the most precious of gifts.
This is seemingly the first book in the St. Helena Vineyard series, with Summer at the Vineyard coming in April 2013.
In honesty, until the second chapter, I found Gabe to be mean and vindictive, despite his beliefs. I encourage the reader to keep going if they find themselves thinking the same thing, or you'll miss out on a great read. And the way Gabe and Regan reconnect when they first lay eyes on each other? Hilarious! Not without its humorous and quirky moments, it was the emotional punch of this story that got to me. On both sides of the coin. I found myself laughing and crying through the whole book. The small town feel of the setting and secondary characters were a wonderful edition, and you will fall in love with Regan's daughter, Holly. Full of conflict, heart, and bitter antagonists, this is a delightful holiday tale not to be missed.
This is seemingly the first book in the St. Helena Vineyard series, with Summer at the Vineyard coming in April 2013.
In honesty, until the second chapter, I found Gabe to be mean and vindictive, despite his beliefs. I encourage the reader to keep going if they find themselves thinking the same thing, or you'll miss out on a great read. And the way Gabe and Regan reconnect when they first lay eyes on each other? Hilarious! Not without its humorous and quirky moments, it was the emotional punch of this story that got to me. On both sides of the coin. I found myself laughing and crying through the whole book. The small town feel of the setting and secondary characters were a wonderful edition, and you will fall in love with Regan's daughter, Holly. Full of conflict, heart, and bitter antagonists, this is a delightful holiday tale not to be missed.
April 14, 2022
Six years ago, nineteen year-old Regan was on the verge of getting engaged to the man of year dreams when Gabe, his brother-in-law, appeared and promised Regan he would do everything to keep her away from his sister. Now Regan has been offered a new job at a local female-owned winery in Napa Valley and a chance to offer her 6-year old daughter a new beginning. But it turns out the winery belongs to Gabe's sister and Gabe will destroy this new life as well and use her to find his absconded brother-in-law. Except relationships are not that simple and soon Gabe has to question all his assumptions about Regan and what family really means.
December 30, 2015
Regan and Gabe forgave each other wayyyyy too fast
June 7, 2024
2.25 ⭐️
I had high hopes - the overall plot line and idea for the story seemed pretty unique and very interesting (and it was set in Napa!), but the writing was really poor and the whole book struggled. The MMC was kind of a POS sometimes and the ending was the most cringy, cheesy, bad-hallmark thing I’d ever read.
Also, the brothers were so awful with no redemption at the end that I don’t really want to try any of the other books in the series.
(Rounded up the rating because we need more Napa Valley romances!)
I had high hopes - the overall plot line and idea for the story seemed pretty unique and very interesting (and it was set in Napa!), but the writing was really poor and the whole book struggled. The MMC was kind of a POS sometimes and the ending was the most cringy, cheesy, bad-hallmark thing I’d ever read.
Also, the brothers were so awful with no redemption at the end that I don’t really want to try any of the other books in the series.
(Rounded up the rating because we need more Napa Valley romances!)
December 18, 2018
Charming and sexy Christmas story!
This book a charming and sexy Christmas story! The chemistry between the two main characters sizzles, inspite of their initial not-so-cozy feelings toward each other! Guaranteed to warm you up in a cold wintry morning!
This book a charming and sexy Christmas story! The chemistry between the two main characters sizzles, inspite of their initial not-so-cozy feelings toward each other! Guaranteed to warm you up in a cold wintry morning!
December 13, 2018
Cute Christmas story!
April 27, 2024
-1 stars
This is a cautionary tale for all the girls. If a man 10 years older tries to actively screw up your life, he IS NOT the one. You should head in the opposite direction and run.
This is a cautionary tale for all the girls. If a man 10 years older tries to actively screw up your life, he IS NOT the one. You should head in the opposite direction and run.
February 27, 2019
Funny, heartwarming and sexy. Loved it!!
October 8, 2012
Review and author interview posted on Kindles & Wine
Kissing Under the Mistletoe is about two strong individuals making the transition from a very rocky start to a happily ever after in one short Christmas season.
Regan Martin and Gabriel (Gabe) DeLuca have a history, and it’s not a good one. They met six years ago when Gabe found Regan in bed with his friend who is also his sister’s husband. As the older and protective brother, he is livid and does everything in his power to keep Regan out of sight of the DeLuca family and as far away from the wine business as possible. Gabe was single-handedly responsible for her losing eleven jobs in six years, so you can imagine his shock when she shows up in his hometown working for his grandmother’s winery. You may also be able to imagine his intense frustration when he finds himself completely turned on by her!
Kissing Under the Mistletoe is set in St. Helena wine country and the holiday season is heating up when all kinds of sparks fly between Regan and Gabe. I love the chemistry that builds between them when their brains say they should be enemies, but their bodies feel quite the opposite! Everything spirals out of control for the two of them and all of the family, friends, and townsfolk that surround them. Holly (Regan’s 5-year-old daughter), ChiChi (Gabe’s grandmother), the town mascot (not Rudolph but Randolf), and a lot of other fun personalities all seem to have a stake in this love/hate relationship and I enjoyed what these characters brought to the story.
So why was I having trouble getting turned on to this book? Not quite enough backstory for the key characters and elements of the plot. For example, I needed more detail of how this intense hatred started—why Gabe’s sister was so fragile she couldn’t handle the situation herself. There were times I had to reread a section to try to figure out what I was being told or to make sure I understood the direction the book was going. There were no gaping holes but enough small ones for me that I kept wishing I knew a bit more about how the key characters got to where they were.
The author gives us glimpses of what may be to come with the characters in future books of the St. Helena Vineyard series. But for the sake of this book, there were times I needed some of the detail now and kept wishing Kissing Under the Mistletoe would have been a bit longer.
Bottom Line
Kissing Under the Mistletoe has a good story line and many heartwarming characters that make this holiday story very sweet. Even with the critiques above, I enjoyed the book and plan to read the rest of the series. If you are looking for a holiday read, you should try Kissing Under the Mistletoe. If you are looking for a book with very strong family values, you would like this book. If you are into books that get you rooting for the underdog, you will love this book.
Rating: B- / C+ (3½ stars)
Review copy courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review
Kissing Under the Mistletoe is about two strong individuals making the transition from a very rocky start to a happily ever after in one short Christmas season.
Regan Martin and Gabriel (Gabe) DeLuca have a history, and it’s not a good one. They met six years ago when Gabe found Regan in bed with his friend who is also his sister’s husband. As the older and protective brother, he is livid and does everything in his power to keep Regan out of sight of the DeLuca family and as far away from the wine business as possible. Gabe was single-handedly responsible for her losing eleven jobs in six years, so you can imagine his shock when she shows up in his hometown working for his grandmother’s winery. You may also be able to imagine his intense frustration when he finds himself completely turned on by her!
Kissing Under the Mistletoe is set in St. Helena wine country and the holiday season is heating up when all kinds of sparks fly between Regan and Gabe. I love the chemistry that builds between them when their brains say they should be enemies, but their bodies feel quite the opposite! Everything spirals out of control for the two of them and all of the family, friends, and townsfolk that surround them. Holly (Regan’s 5-year-old daughter), ChiChi (Gabe’s grandmother), the town mascot (not Rudolph but Randolf), and a lot of other fun personalities all seem to have a stake in this love/hate relationship and I enjoyed what these characters brought to the story.
So why was I having trouble getting turned on to this book? Not quite enough backstory for the key characters and elements of the plot. For example, I needed more detail of how this intense hatred started—why Gabe’s sister was so fragile she couldn’t handle the situation herself. There were times I had to reread a section to try to figure out what I was being told or to make sure I understood the direction the book was going. There were no gaping holes but enough small ones for me that I kept wishing I knew a bit more about how the key characters got to where they were.
The author gives us glimpses of what may be to come with the characters in future books of the St. Helena Vineyard series. But for the sake of this book, there were times I needed some of the detail now and kept wishing Kissing Under the Mistletoe would have been a bit longer.
Bottom Line
Kissing Under the Mistletoe has a good story line and many heartwarming characters that make this holiday story very sweet. Even with the critiques above, I enjoyed the book and plan to read the rest of the series. If you are looking for a holiday read, you should try Kissing Under the Mistletoe. If you are looking for a book with very strong family values, you would like this book. If you are into books that get you rooting for the underdog, you will love this book.
Rating: B- / C+ (3½ stars)
Review copy courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review
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