The Mistletoe Switch

by Katharine Sadler

In the merriest town on earth, my plot to win back my ex has run into a serious problem.

The plan is simple. All I have to do is stalk my ex-fiancé, ‘accidentally’ bump into him in this Christmas-obsessed town he’s moved to, and – bam! - he’ll regret dumping me and beg me to take him back.

Problem number 1: He’s got a girlfriend. A sweet, adorable woman.

New plan: Find someone to lure my ex’s girlfriend away so I can step in and win him back.

Problem number 2: The gorgeous, grumpy man I’ve just asked to distract the girlfriend is storming over to my ex with a murderous expression.

It’s possible I didn’t do enough research before I enacted this plan.

Now, I’ve got to convince my ex I’ve changed, avoid freezing to death in this snowy town, and not fall in love with the grumpy man who’s agreed to help me.

I’ve failed at everything else I’ve ever tried. What could go wrong this time?

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Fiction, Ebooks, Humor, Contemporary

367 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 7, 2023

About the author

Katharine Sadler lives with her husband in North Carolina. She’s been writing since she was ten and has wanted to be a writer even longer. When she’s not writing or otherwise gainfully occupied, she reads like it’s an addiction, exercises, skis whenever she gets the chance, and adds more books to her Amazon wish list.

Reviews

[Yesmina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this one!
Cherry is trying to win back her ex-fiancé. But he's dating Alice. So she fakes date Alice's brother (MMC) because the brother thinks the ex-fiancé is not good enough for his sister.

The good things about the novel are:
* It's is a real rom-com (the comedy exists yay!)
*Cherry (FMC) says whatever she thinks. (no misunderstandings or hiding things): It's refreshing to have an honest heroine (which can not be said for the MMC).
*It's cozy and has a holiday cheer.

Things that I hated:
*Cherry has the Main Character Complex. I know she's the MC of the novel. But she's portrayed as if she can do no wrong. The world is her oyster and everything revolves around her. So she's not relatable at all and so ego-centric.

*She does not love her ex-fiancé and yet she still pursues him and tries to break his relationship. If that's not the epitome of arrogance I don't know what is.

*The MMC is supposed to a mix of a grump and a playboy. Firstly that did not work.
Secondly he's really boring. You can replace him with any other character and nothing going to be amiss because the FMC carried the whole novel.

*The romcom is quite predictable: it's generic and have every cliché plot points under the sun.

[Allison Comis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cherry is one of the main characters of this book. This started off with her in this small town bar trying to win back her ex. He moved from Las Vegas to Yuletide Colorado. A small Christmas town. He was dating someone else. So when she showed up in the bar she met Xavier and tried to get him to help her with something. This was a great book. It was a sweet romance.

[Christi]

YEAH, NO. The characters are just too much. The main character is simply unrelatable. I'm sure there is a story arc that provides her with growth and sanity, but I really don't care to find out. DNF

[Jenn M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute Read!

I really enjoyed this cute read and loved not only the main characters but all of the supporting characters as well! This book made laugh out loud sooo many times and I loved the chemistry and heat between Cherry and Xavier. This book checked so many of the boxes for me. If you love grumpy/sunshine, fake partner, cute holiday, small town tropes - grab this, I promise you won’t be disappointed!

[Shannon Stoddard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite book. The voice on the audio book seemed computer generated which made it even harder to get into.

[Loretta · Rating 1 out of 5]

Small town that’s focus is Christmas. Cherry shows up to try to win her former fiancée back. This book started ok but then got fairly graphic halfway in. That is not for me. I’m not interested in reading anything else by this author.

[Karen Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cherry wants to win back her ex-fiancé RJ after years of separation. He’s now living in a Christmas obsessed town and is in a relationship with Alice. Cherry tracks him down and In order to split them up, she fake-dates Alice’s brother, Xavier.

While the book features a very honest FMC, and lots of laugh out loud moments I do feel a large portion of the story is a massive contradiction. You have Cherry upping sticks to chase an ex who makes it very clear he hates everything about her. From her clothes to her character. He belittles her and makes her feel worthless, yet she believes he is her life partner and she doesn’t even love him! Like, what? 🤔🤔

RJ (James) has zero redeeming qualities and was just vile. Cherry likes to make everything about her and could be a little annoying at times, and Xavier, as nice as he was, was a tad on the boring side. However, I enjoyed the banter between Cherry & Xavier, and it was nice to see the growth in her character by the end.

[January · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Mistletoe Switch by Katharine Sadler
Yuletide #1
8h 5m narrated by Virtual Voice
SWITCHED TO 360-page Kindle Ebook

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Holiday > Christmas

Featuring: Ex-Girlfriend, Christmas Town, Fictional Small-Town Colorado, Sabotage Trope, Fruit Names, Romance Book Clubbers, Las, Vegas, Nevada; Grumpy MMC, Candymaker, Mayor, Siblings, Hard to Read Title Fonts, Sex - Detailed, Self-Actualization, Insecurities, Fake Dating Trope, Golddigger Con Artist Mom, Denver, Colorado; Toxic Mothers, Author's Letter - with Links to Reader Group, Next Book: The Holiday Heartbreak, Sanctuary Series, and Lost and Found; Preview of The Holiday Heartbreak - Chapter 1

Rating as a movie: NC-17-X for sexual content

Songs for the soundtrack: "Jingle Bells" by Amy Barbera, “Christmas for Children Who No Longer Have a Home” by Claude Debussy, "Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms, "Sleigh Ride" by The Ronettes, "Over the River and Through the Wood" by Lydia Maria Child,

Memorable Quotes: I was the one who decided I was tired of reading romance and wanted to make my happy ever after happen, but Peach is the one who believes most thoroughly that the romance novel knows best.

I groan and tell them the entire story. A year ago, Peach, Blue, and I, along with a few close friends, started a romance book club. It's a fun way to spend time together and the discussions about the books can get really heated and fascinating. Some of my friends are into kinks I never even knew existed. One of the books we read reminded me of RJ and our perfect romance, and I realized I let him go too easily. I want a second chance, no matter what it takes to get it.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️📚💔💍🦌🎄

My thoughts: 📱56:21 Chapter Five Cherry - On the bright side the MC is an honest liar. This story is ridiculous but humorous enough that you can ignore it. I may have to switch to an ebook as the narration is confusing. Everyone sounds like a girl so it's hard to tell who's talking.
📕 Page 41 of 360 Chapter Five Cherry - I'm not starting over so I downloaded the ebook and scrolled to the right chapter, they are hard to read, handwritten font all caps, no thank you. I also realized I spelled the author's name incorrectly, so I fixed that.

Somehow on the audio I missed the sister's name is Alice, not Alex, when I looked up the narrator's name, it explained a lot but it didn't sound like a computer. I'm guessing audio actors will be suing next.

This story was okay. It was a bit all over the place but had some funny moments and miscommunication wasn't an issue, misplaced emotions were. I'm not going to continue the series.

Recommend to others: Maybe, but probably not likely.

Yuletide
1. The Mistletoe Switch (2023)
2. The Holiday Heartbreak (2024)
3. The Jinglebell War (2024)

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mistletoe Switch is a contemporary romance featuring Cherry Beckstone and Xavier Shaw. While Cherry lives in Las Vegas with her cousins Peach and Blue, she is currently in Yuletide, Colorado freezing her buttocks off and trying to locate her ex-fiancé, RJ (aka James). She hasn't seen him in a couple of years; he dumped her after a misunderstanding but she's determined to get him back. She's certain he is the perfect man to be her husband and father to her children.

Xavier is a Yuletide native. He makes gourmet candy and is looking to expand. He's also the town's interim mayor. When he enters Five Drumming Drummers, a local bar, he immediately catches sight of Cherry and is very attracted to her. While he'd like nothing more that to hook up with this out-of-towner, he also happens to be the brother of RJ's current girlfriend, Alice. Xavier doesn't like or trust RJ so when Cherry proposes they team up to break up the happy couple, he is all in. But Cherry is so much more than he expected, and their fake dating plan evolves.

This is a cute seasonal, small town, grumpy/sunshine romance. Initially I struggled with the story a little due to Cherry's lack of self-confidence and self-deprecating nature but I appreciated her character's growth. I enjoyed how she and Xavier balance each other out. They have a fun chemistry. I loved Josephine's character and how she is an example that one can be happy without a partner. She provides a nice contrast to what Cherry thinks she needs.

I was glad to see that the plan is to have a Yuletide series with Peach's story planned for winter 2024. I'm definitely looking forward to that, as well as Blue's story.

[Curvy Girl Book Nerd (Jen S) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mistletoe Switch is an OTT, grumpy-sunshine, fake dating, Christmas themed rom com. Cherry is a smart, sassy, and quirky girl from Las Vegas. Xavier is a grumpy, hunky, candy maker and mayor of Yuletide, CO. When Cherry decides she needs her ex, RJ, back, she stalks him through social media and finds him in Yuletide. She goes to a bar to find him and sees him with a girlfriend, Alice. She then schemes to find someone to help her talk to her "fiancé" and get rid of the girl. Xavier had already seen Cherry and thought she was adorable, but when she asked for help, she didn't expect Xavier to be Alice's brother. He already doesn't like RJ, who now goes by James, and he gets upset thinking James is cheating on his sister.
Then Cherry enlists his help to fake date her to try and make James jealous. But what happens when real feelings become involved? Overall, I loved this story. It was hysterical at times as Cherry tended to get herself in quite a few pickles. I didn't like her fixation on James as he was bad for her self-esteem. I loved that Xavier liked her as herself, quirky girl and all. Their chemistry was hot, and we got some steamy scenes. There is more drama and shenanigans, but we get our happy ending. I also loved Peach and Blue, her two cousins. This was a fun and steamy Christmas read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Noreen Hussain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored Cherry and Xavier.
This is my favourite book of Catharine Sadler's and i love all her books.
Cherry has followed her ex-boyfriend to a town full of christmas cheer to win him back.
There are a few hurdles in the way.
He has a girlfriend who is really sweet.
She comes up with a plan to split them up.
Enter Xavier a very handsome grumpy man.She asks him to help.He does go storming over,but not for the reasons she thinks.
You will fall in love with Cherry and Xavier.
Xavier is attracted to Cherry,but she wants someone else.He doesn't want a long term relationship and does not want to fall in love.Cherry does not want her heart broken again.
The situations Cherry finds herself in are absolutely embarrasing and hilarious,but she carries on regardless.
They get to their very well deserved happily ever after.
Absolutely loved their,family,friends,the romance,laugh out loud moments,the chemistry and the happily ever after.
I could not put this book down.One of my favourite festive romances.
Loved the bonus epilogue too.
Cannot wait for the next book by Catherine Sadler.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[MLW · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instead of Elle Woods going to Harvard, we have Cherry Beckstone going to Yuletide, Colorado...

Sadler's heroine is every bit as fashionable, tenacious, and likeable (though a little less self-assured than Elle), and has the same goal to win back the ex who underestimated her... if she doesn't fall for grumpy baker and mayor pro tem Xavier Shaw in the meantime!

The "gorgeous grump" did not disappoint. I love how Xavier only needed a few encounters with Cherry to recognize she's way too good for the jerk she's chasing. Side characters Peach, Blue, Liam, and Murphy were fun too.

I also liked that Cherry's community college education (coupled with an eye for aesthetics) was sufficient for her to gain career traction.

Spice or no spice, I like both... though I found the sexual tension and lead-up to be maybe better than the sex scenes themselves. The line about Cherry sprinkling condoms "like the safe-sex fairy" was great.

Occasionally, character motives/actions baffled me... Would Alice really disown her well-meaning older brother over a fling she was "just having fun with?"

I enjoyed my first Katharine Sadler read and am looking forward to Peach and Blue's book(s).

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cherry’s Plan . . .

This is a fun story line where everything that can go wrong with Cherry’s thoroughly thought-out (hmmm) plan seems to do so. She finds where her ex RJ (“James”) hangs out through social media and goes into the bar to find him and win him back because she knows he is meant to be with her whether he knows it or not. Soon after, he walks into the bar and meets up with a girl who looks too young to drink! Since he obviously has a new girlfriend now, Cherry decides to get a guy to tempt the girlfriend Alice into leaving James. The perfect guy just walked into the bar, so Cherry decides to use him to lure the female from her ex, unaware he is “the girl’s” brother. She kind of lied to Xavier Shaw and said her fiancé, pointing at James, is with another woman and she needs Xavier to flirt with her so she can talk to her fiancé about getting back together. He can’t figure why she wants a cheater anyway, but when he sees this supposedly “engaged” man with his sister, he is filled with rage and storms right over to them. Already things are not going according to plan. Will Cherry be smart and give up? Or will she move to a different plan now?

[Dawn Litwiller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book from start to finish! Cherry is a wonderfully imperfect woman that deals with self-doubt and impulse control sometimes, and doesn’t have the best experiences with love in her life. She thinks the best way to get married and have a family is to win back her ex that she knows she doesn’t love - no chance of having her heart broken that way. Problem is, he’s got a new life in a new town and a new girlfriend. When she enlists the help of Xavier to help break them up, they end up with a fake dating plan that soon becomes a friends with benefits situation. Cherry can’t afford to catch feelings for Xavier, he has the power to break her heats and he’s so focused on making his business a success, he doesn’t want to let himself fall for Cherry.
There are many hilarious, laugh out loud moments and some amazing characters throughout the story, that I wanted more!
I love how they come to terms with how life doesn’t always work out the way you think you want it to and to embrace the moment and don’t let fear take over.
It’s a holiday story that can be enjoyed any time of the year and I’m looking forward to the next one and hope there are many more to come!

[Charlene Alana Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first read by this author! It was a cute small town seasonal romance, who doesn't love a bit off grumpy/sunshine. I know I do! This book takes you an adventure, with laughter and heartbreak. What a mix! It's packed with so much, I just couldn't put it down. The characters, storyline was very well written. I loved every minute of reading their story.

Cherry foes to find her EX cause she wants him back, but when she gets to see him, things don't go to plan, she finds out he's moved on and got a new girlfriend, but it has been years since they seen each other of course he's moved on. But she's not having it, nope , so she comes up with a new plan bring Xavier the grumpy sexy guy she meet at the bar. But there's another problem , he's the new girlfriends brother. Xavier is mad so he storms over to the couple and cherry is left mortified, but she ain't giving up without a fight. even though there is a instant connection between her and Mr grumpy.

What will happen? Will she fight the new girlfriend and win back her ex? Is she crazy for Coco pops? Or will she fall in love with mr grumpy ? Let the games begin. Grab the book and find out. Highly recommend!

[Coffeenbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

- Small town romance
- Woman on a mission
- Self discovery
- Grumpy/sunshine

Cherry is such a quirky character! I loved that Xavier enjoyed her style whereas RJ (James) only wanted to have her change.

Cherry has tracked down her former boyfriend RJ (now going by James) to the small town of Yuletide. She thinks once he sees her, he'll want her back. But James has moved on... Undeterred, Cherry tries to enlist Xavier's help to break up RJ's new relationship - with Xavier's sister! There is no love lost between Xavier and James, but Xavier is more than a little intrigued by the force of nature that is Cherry. So when she proposes faking a relationship to make James jealous, he takes her up on the offer. Now he needs to convince himself it isn't for real.

Adding to the list of quirky characters are Cherry's cousins Peach and Blue, who are a hoot! Such a cute story and a bit spicy! Just what I needed!

[RedReviews4You Susan-Dara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever I see this author has a new book out I get so excited because I know there will be a sweet romance, the best character development, some swim derby I chuckles.as the couple finds their way to each other, and some laugh out loud moment that lead to a sigh. And this book did come to that high mark. Although i did not bond with Cherry immediately, when she and Xavier are face to face and open up to each other my opinion of her totally changed up. With a keen eye to character development and dialogue, Sadler pulled me and made me fall for this pair! If you have never read this author, take this moment to change that because this fun stand alone story is a great welcome to her humor, style and creativity.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Steli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this book was something...

I'm not gonna lie, the heroine was pathetic in the first part of the book, so bad that I almost DNFed it. But I went on Goodreads, read some reviews, and they convinced me it would get better. AND IT DID!

Mistletoe Switch is a romantic (I guess comedy, even though it didn't feel like it) following a woman desperate to get her ex back. Spoiler alert: It's an Ex with a reason.

The writing style was good, and I mostly enjoyed it. I think the spice was well built up (tho maybe a bit more tension would've been better), and the characters were cute together (when they were not annoying me).

Overall, 4/5. It's not something spectacular, but it's a cute, fun read for the holidays, and if you like character development, I think this might just be the perfect book for you!

[Elise Ballard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Rom-Com. The tropes are grumpy vs. sunshine, small town, and opposites attract.

In the beginning, I was unsure of Cherry. I was debating in my head on what in the world this woman was trying to do. Growing up in a tourist town, I fully understand the struggle between citizens of the town and the tourist getting a claim on everything. I was so happy to see Xavier stand up for the citizens. The end of chapter 12 took me by complete surprise. I love how the book took a turn to a better direction that I originally had thought in the first two chapters. I cannot believe Xavier could be such an butthole to Cherry. After everything they went through together. The ending is so wonderful. I love HEA’s they are the best. I highly recommend this book. If you want a Christmas/Holiday read this one will be for you.

[Jd · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice small town Christmas story.

Cherry starts off as a bit of a gray character. Despite knowing her ex has a girlfriend, she plans to steal him back. But Cherry is quite unapologetically honest about it. She tells the girlfriend to her face. What you discover about her is that she is not the confident person she appears to be, years of being raised by a toxic mother has seen to that. She has a kind of sad and twisted reason for wanting him back.
Xavier is the town grump, on the surface, but he cares deeply his town's people. He is a man with a good heart and sees Cherry for who she really is. He helps build her confidence. It was enjoyable watching her grow and help around the town. Xavier came to some self realizations of his own.
I look forward to the next book in this series.

[Mary Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this can definitely be read as a stand-alone, I love the tie ins with the Vegas Billionaires series. When Cherry was first introduced as a side character in that series, I really did not like her. I thought she was extremely selfish, self-centered, and shallow. But she started to redeem herself in How to Date Billionaire. And she truly is the heroine in The Mistletoe Switch. Cherry started off a little misguided and painfully frustrating, wanting to get her ex back (who she didnt even like!). But she grew throughout the story - personally, emotionally, and career wise. She really came into her own. Xavier, the lovable grump, was the perfect match for Cherry. A great start to the new spin off Yuletide Series. Looking forward to the rest of the books in the series.

[Reader_for_LifeTLG · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read - This was a really fun read for me. Cherry is a misguided mess slowly learning to adult, so determined to win back her ex that she faux dates the other woman's brother to make him jealous. Xavier goes along with her antics, mesmerized by the city girl in the short dress in a CO winter even as he juggles the responsibilities of his shop, being interim mayor and getting his little sister away from the awful RJ.

A cast of loveable characters (except awful RJ), some naughty moments, a reindeer farm, and a mission to stop misbehaving moms from ruining Xmas are just a few of the reasons I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Can't wait to see what's next for the berry girls.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a goal to read a Christmas book by Christmas Day and managed to read this one in one day!!
I was VERY close to rating it 5 stars. I may come back and edit my review- I loved this book so much I joined the authors Facebook group so I can get the bonus chapter (also love to support a good author ofc!)
The spice was great. The story was good. The MMC was refreshing.
The ONLY thing that kept me from giving a 5* is the FMC - Cherry was kind of irritating. I have a thing about ex's coming back after years. Literally a nightmare of mine. The fact the FMC is so delulu she does that and pursues him WHILE hes in a relationship...jail. But she wasn't completely unlikeable. Excited to make the Yuletide series a tradition for myself :)

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant Christmas treat in a book. Cherry goes to Mistletoe to reunite with her ex anyway possible. From a lovely warm home to a cold snowy town she is totally out of her depth. Xavier is the temporary mayor and brother of Cherry's ex's new girlfriend complicated I know but he's anything but happy with James dating his sister. Thinking she can use Xavier to split the couple up back fires, but does throw these two together. This is a brilliant story of finding out sometimes what you think you want isn't what you really want. I received this as an ARC copy and this is my own honest opinion and review of the book. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I have

[casvec · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun and entertaining story that takes you on a wonderful and unexpected adventure. It has been two years since Cherry's ex broke things off with her but know that she has worked on improving herself she knows he will want her again. One small problem he has a girlfriend.

Xavier is not thrilled with the guy his sister is dating, when he starts talking with Cherry, he agrees to help her break up his sister and her ex so Cherry can get him back.

I loved this story - as what could go wrong.... Their story was one that pulled me in from the start.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming and sweetly romantic comedy for a plan at a second chance. Love shows these two that it's not up for planning but setting up a whirlwind of fake relationship, building upon that and executing the plan challenges them to discover the true desire of their hearts. Mistletoe did a great switcheroo landing these characters with an opportunity neither were seeking yet found. Steamy, heartfelt and entertaining, first chance definitely better than the second. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Natasha Bovee · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first reaction to Cherry was that I was not going to like her, but the more I read the more I saw that the way she projected herself was an armor that she slowly began to shed until you could see the caring and hard working person that she is. She has (understandably) put up so many walls around her heart and Xavier was definitely the right person to break them down. For his part Xavier was the perfect grump. He tries so hard to help everyone that he inconveniences himself, but he just can’t say no. They work so well together.

[Melinda Swaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything about this book is perfect!!

Katharine Sadler made my heart explode with this new book. The Mistletoe Switch is a story that will sweep you off your feet and make you fall in love right along with the characters. It's funny, sweet, swoony, and super sexy. The the setting, the characters, the storyline....everything about this book is perfect! A fantastic read for a Saturday afternoon curled up on the couch under a warm and cozy blanket. Perfect for anyone who loves the Christmas season with fantastic romance.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katharine Sadler made my heart explode with this new book. The Mistletoe Switch is a story that will sweep you off your feet and make you fall in love right along with the characters. It's funny, sweet, swoony, and super sexy. The the setting, the characters, the storyline....everything about this book is perfect! A fantastic read for a Saturday afternoon curled up on the couch under a warm and cozy blanket. Perfect for anyone who loves the Christmas season with fantastic romance. Happy reading

[Jaime Cantrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It was so funny, with a bit of heartache. Xavier is a grumpy candymaker, who also happens to be the interim mayor of the town. Grumps always steal my heart. I don’t know what it is about them, but I fall in love with the grumpy man character every time. Cherry is a lovely mess and wants her ex back. Will she get him back or realize that he isn’t the one? You will have to grab a copy of this book and find out for yourself.

As always pay attention to the trigger warnings, what I like you may not.

Happy Reading!