The Christmas Crush

Lake Mistletoe #1

by Penelope Gerhardt

It's her best friend's wedding, so Lexie is headed back to Lake Mistletoe, and she can't wait. Her life isn't turning out the way she thought it would, and she could use the distraction, but Lexie doesn't expect it to come in the form of drop-dead-gorgeous, Sean. She never paid much attention to her next-door neighbor when they were kids, but Sean is all grown up now and if Lexie isn't careful, she may never want to leave.

Welcome to Lake Mistletoe, home of the Mayhem Ice Hockey Club. Things are normally pretty quiet around here, especially at Christmas time, but there's romance in the air this festive season and even though it's snowing outside, things are starting to heat up. So grab this It Was Right In Front Of You All Along! romance from the Lake Mistletoe series now.

Genres: Christmas, Holiday, Romance, Small Town Romance

138 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 23, 2023

Reviews

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was marketed as a spicy hallmark novella, and let me tell you Sean and his cock are out in full force. 😮‍💨

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christmas Crush by Penelope Gerhardt the first book of the Lake Mistletoe Seroes and such a steamy and heartwarming holiday novella. 🔥❤️
Oh my... I didn't see it coming!

When I saw this beautiful cover I just wanted to know more about it.
Now that I finished it I'm absolutely happy.

Lexie is back at home for her best friend's wedding. What she didn't expect was HIM.
Sean Talley definitely grew up that she didn't even recognised him.
Being childhood neighbors turns out to be the perfect situation for them both now... the sparks definitely fly around in Lake Mistletoe!

WOOOW! And how much sparks flew around in this book! ✨️
I liked the whole mood this love story put me in. A sexy Christmas story in a smalltown. Like a Hallmark movie - but just add some more spice to it! Ha! 😅
I swooned a lot about Sean. Oh my! The shy guy turns into a hot and successful guy, but still can be shy... but also really sexy. 😘 Awwww! And Lexie? Liked her too!
So this novella was definitely too short. LOL!
Like all the enjoyable reads!

Aaand I'm curious about the other couples in this series! 🥰

Thanks a lot to Penelope Gerhardt for this ARC via NetGalley.
This is my honest review in my own words.

[Jill Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short sweet and spicy read. Lexie doesn’t recognise Sean at first but as soon as they get reacquainted the Sparks’s fly. Loved Sean as he was so understanding and caring.
I received a copy from Booksirens and leave my review voluntarily.

[Neia Quaintance · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short Novella but spicy. It's so good. I absolutely love Sean he is so sweet and understanding with a genuine heart. I can't wait to read the other 2 Novellas to this series.

[Mónica Barreiro · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reviews PT/ENG
Rating: 2 ⭐️

🅿🅾🆁🆃🆄🅶🆄🅴🆂
Quando resolvi ler esta obra pensava tratar-se de um romântico conto de Natal. Não podia estar mais enganada... de Natal apenas o nome do livro, Christmas Chrush, e o nome da cidade, Lake Mistletoe, onde se desenrola o trama.
A autora apresentou algumas ideias interessantes que resolveu não explorar transformando toda a história num sonho de adolescente tornado realidade após alguns anos. Afirmo até que, na minha opinião, este poderia ser um livro para adolescentes não fosse a excessiva dose de pensamentos e atos sexuais bastante descritivos. Grande parte do livro descreve a quantidade de vezes que Sean, o protagonista masculino, agindo como um adolescente, tem uma erecção pela protagonista feminina, Lexie.
Foi decepcionante e se houve alguma menção à época Natalícia não dei conta.

🅴🅽🅶🅻🅸🆂🅷
When I decided to read this book, I thought it was a romantic Christmas tale. I couldn't be more mistaken... only the name of the book, Christmas Chrush, and the name of the city, Lake Mistletoe, where the plot unfolds can be related to that time.
The author presented some interesting ideas that she decided not to explore turning the whole story into a teenage dream come true after a few years. I even dare to say that, in my opinion, this could be a book for teenagers if it weren't for the excessive amount of quite descriptive sexual thoughts and acts. Much of the book describes how many times Sean, the male character, acting like a teenager, has an erection for the female character, Lexie.
It was disappointing and if there was any mention of the Christmas season I did not notice.

[Melyssa Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartwarming romance set in a charming small town during the Christmas season. When Lexie returns for her best friend's wedding, she never expects to reconnect with her attractive next-door neighbor, Sean. 🏑🥵❄️

As they navigate their feelings, the story unfolds with captivating chemistry and a touch of holiday magic. ✨️

This book is a reminder of the power of love and appreciating what's right in front of you. ☺️

Perfect for fans of cozy, feel-good romances set in quaint settings.

[Miranda Klohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was up on my KU and I thought I would give it a try! I hadn’t read anything by this author. Oh my gosh,I loved it so much!! It is set in a town called “Lake Mistletoe.” Lexie comes back to town for a Christmas wedding. She then reconnects with Sean,the literal boy next door. It’s such a fun read with the perfect amount of spice. I loved all of the other characters in the book as well and I can’t wait to read more Lake Mistletoe books. I really loved it! This one was a quick read less than 200 pages as well! Definitely give it a try and you will be falling in love with the quaint town of Lake Mistletoe as well!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 5/5 stars

[Mandy S Lorenz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was more of an erotic read then I was hoping it would be. The MMC at times seemed like two different characters.

This was quick read and I enjoyed it. I'll probably give the rest of the series a chance next holiday season.

[K.J. Sweeney · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one didn't really hit the mark for me. It wasn't horrible, but it felt rushed and I didn't really connect with the characters. Lexie is returning home with a broken heart and she sees next-door neighbour Sean in a whole new light.
There was too much instant love for me, it just didn't ring true or make much sense. I didn't really feel the connection between them and to be honest, Sean came off like a creepy stalker type. It also annoyed me that her parents seemed more interested in if she was getting married than if she was happy.
Maybe I was just in the wrong mood or the wrong audience for this one, it did seem a bit childish and undeveloped.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

[Laura Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this holiday spicy romance. Such a good story and I loved Lexie and Sean’s story. It was good. I loved the backdrop of Christmas and the spicy scenes where chefs kiss!!

[Christina (christinareadsbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stars- ⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (rounding to 4)
Spice-🌶🌶½

When I started this book, I loved it! I thought it was so sweet and I liked the pace it was going.

Then the first spicy scene happened and it totally turned me off by the words the author used to describe it. It may be fine for some, but for me... it was a big nope

My wet, glistening h0le is throbbing for him (it was referred to as her "h0le" so many times.

His stiff tongue follows the curves of my folds, and he divides his attention between tonguing my h0le and my cl!t.

slippery quim

Everytime a spicy scene happened it would pull me out of the story. It was also very unrealistic. She was in town for 2 days and was in love with this guy who she didn't remember at first, and never paid attention to him in high-school. How??? And don't get me started about the opening night of his restaurant.

I wanted to love this book and I did until about 40%. I think it was a case of "Its me, not you".

If you want a really sweet, low angst, unrealistic novella, set around Christmas in a small town, then you should definitely give this a try.

*I received this ARC from Book Sirens. This is my honest opinion.*

[Anabella Shay Xo(RomanceBookWormXoXo) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lexie and Sean are so cute together! I really loved them and I wanted them to be together. Lexie returns from the big city to her small home town for the holidays. Living next door to her parents is the man who went to school to with her. That was the house he grew up in, when she first sees him she doesn't recognize him and introduces herself to him. Her dad is shocked, because Sean is someone that Lexie should remember having grown up next door to him. Lexie has a boyfriend, Jack who's still back in the city and she finds herself thinking about Sean though.

[Shannon Bavister · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Oh my goodness! I did not expect to fall in love with this book so much. But who doesn’t love a Christmas story, especially one that comes full of such spice. Lexie and Sean definitely make it on to Santa’s naughty list this year.

If you are interested in extremely graphic smutty books this is definitely for you! But also there is sincerity and sweetness which just brings the whole story together.

I loved both Sean and Lexie as characters; both were so personable and you just wanted what was best for both characters; inevitably it had to be each other!!

Tropes include; he falls first (& very hard), love triangle, and second chance at first love.

Be prepared as this book has explicit sexual content!!

Fantastic novella! And would be happy to read more from this author. I could have read another 100 pages of this!

[Angela Speir · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author and I think I’m hooked!

I enjoyed the pace of this book - even though it was short and steamy it didn’t feel rushed or too over the top. For it being a novella length book the characters were actually well rounded and although we meet the players for subsequent books it didn’t seem like too much. And - even better it has hockey, sort of.

Also, the bonus epilogue was a nice surprise and I can’t wait for the next book.

[Andrea Mehalco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lake Mistletoe offers the perfect blend of Christmas cheer, cherished friendships, family bonds, and an unexpected connection with the quirky neighbor next door. As Lexie returns home for her best friend's wedding, she carries a hidden secret close to her heart. The first night back, she encounters Sean, her geeky childhood neighbor, now transformed into a captivating and handsome man.

Lexie and Sean's connection deepens, and she gradually allows him into her world. The question arises: will Lexie's secret serve as a barrier, pushing Sean away, or will it become a magnetic force, drawing him closer? Don't miss out on this brief but delightful read to uncover the delightful surprises that unfold.

[Tabatha Slagle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be prepared for short and spicy as you enter Lake Mistletoe, Lexie's hometown. She's back for her best friend's wedding but gets so much more. You get a dual perspective between Lexie and her childhood next-door neighbor, Sean. I can't wait to see what other secrets Lake Mistletoe holds.

[MN Book Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas can be a magical time to make wishes come true.

Lexie is home for her friend's wedding and doesn’t recognize the boy next door when he comes to help her dad bring her luggage in. Sean has had a crush on Lexie for as long as he can remember and finds her just as beautiful now as she was then.

When he finds out that she broke up with her long-term boyfriend, all bets are off and Sean makes his move. But just as he does this, he learns her ex is coming back to win her back.

Sean and Lexie get their happy ending in this standalone book in a series.

This novella is short and sweet and it could almost take place at any time. But I can see how a town by that name would need to take place at Christmas time. I do wonder why Lexie was ashamed to tell people she broke up with her ex as he seemed like a tel jerk.

I received an advance review copy for free from Book Sirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lexie
It was over…we’d spend years together beginning in high school, even the years after had it all been a lie? We’d been together for five years; I’d supported his dream to open his own business, put my dreams on hold. I caught him cheating on me. I’d go to our friend’s wedding and then figure out what to do with the rest of my life. Until I went to purchase a new dress and realized all my money was gone. He had drained every penny from our account.
At first, she was a bit numb, thinking back on the wasted years, believing she and Jack had a future together. Why didn’t I care more about losing Jack? I just knew it was over between Jack and me. I wouldn’t be returning to that dingy little apartment or the jerk that I thought I loved. Back home, how was I going to tell my parents; I was broke, that Jack was a cheater, and emptied our bank account. How could face my old friends, those who had believed Jack and I had a happy successful relationship.
I didn’t think I could feel more foolish. But life just keeps throwing punches at me it seems. When the guy next door came over to offer my dad a hand to carry in my bags into the house, I introduced myself to this gorgeous guy. Sean had lived next door to me since we were in high school, and I hadn’t even recognized him. He had certainly changed. Where were the glasses, long hair, extremely ugly jacket and lanky build.

Sean
Where was Jack? Lexie had come home without him. Could he hope that they weren’t together anymore? I’d had always loved Lexie, but she couldn’t see past Jack’s good looks and lies.
I’d waited a long time to show her the love I’ve always had for her, that I would do whatever it took to make her happy. To make her forget about Jack. Dinner at her parent’s house, showing her what I had managed to accomplish with the newest restaurant I was opening in our town and bringing her to hockey practice with the team. When she opened up to me and shared my bed, I’d finally found my chance to prove I was the guy she should be with.

Lexie seemed lost, looking back at her time with Jack and all the signs she missed that should have told her Jack was there for himself. He was just using Lexie as a meal ticket. Sean had moved on in the years after high school, he owned several very profitable restaurants. He played on the local hockey team with the physic to prove it. His attitude towards Lexie was friendly, caring and attentive. Something Lexie realized Jack had never truly been. And the sex was mind blowing.

This is a second chance tale of a young man who never gave up on the girl he loved. It would just take a little persuasion to prove to her that she chose the wrong guy. Once Sean showed Lexie what it was like to be with a guy who cared about bringing her pleasure both in and out of bed, she was determined to make up for lost time.

I loved both Sean and Lexie. His patience, the way he cared about her. He knew what he wanted and only needed a little encouragement to go after it. It had taken Lexie years to realize that she had been so gullible that she had allowed herself to be used. Thankfully it didn’t take her nearly as long to realize that there was somebody who really loved her, and he had been right under her nose all along. A delicious tale that was a quick read packed with a lot of heart this spicy romance, has humor, redemption, and the belief that love will find a way.

I received an advanced reader copy for my honest review.

[Mama Needs to Read Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Uhhh....

This was one of the most difficult books I've reviewed this year, and the year's almost over! LOL.

Why? Because tone-wise, it was ALL OVER THE PLACE. It felt like two different people wrote this story, one writing it as an x-rated erotica, the other as a sweet small town romance, and they bumped into each other and their work got all jumbled up.

So the rest of this will be in two parts too: What I liked and what I didn't like. 😉

What I liked: 🥳
Lexie is home for the holidays in her small town. Immediately she encounters her former next door neighbhor Sean Talley, who used to be the town's quiet stringbean, hopelessly in love with Lexie, but is now super buff and rich and...still hopelessly in love with Lexie. She'd always been with high school beau Jack, but Jack appears to be out of the picture now, so Sean has the opportunity to show Lexie how much he loves her. He's protective. He's affectionate. He wants to take care of her and celebrate the artist that she is. They have fantastic chemistry. I loved that he appreciated her curves, as well. His devotion to her is swoon-worthy. The ending is over-the-top and a bit unrealistic, but, if you're willing to suspend belief, very fun!

What I didn't like: 🤷🏻
The "love" scenes are downright x-rated. Too rich for my blood. And Sean's INTENSE need for Lexie didn't feel worshipful but rather dominant and bordering on disrespectful. Their love is so deeply felt in some lines, and yet the actual "love" scenes, which are actually referred to in the book as "making love," which surprised me because I've read sweeter scenes in other books where they referred to it as "f*cking," but in THIS book, it was DEFINITELY f*cking. We didn't talk about protection either, which is a pet peeve of mine. Another pet peeve? Copious amounts of the phrase "good girl." YUCK. There was also a pretty intense "touch her and die" scene, which wasn't my favorite, but had me eager to see what was going to happen.

Bottom Line: This author pretty much gave us exactly what she said she would...a novella that didn't make you skip to the "good parts." It was a pretty well-paced ride. Engaging for sure. But I would have loved to see our cinnamon roll hero be a cinnamon roll more than half the time.

[Tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honest ARC review.

Penelope has a lot of potential to write some really good books and I hope that the next book in the series reflect some growth.

This novella started out so good, boy next door who’s always loved the neighbor grows up and becomes hot and wins her over, great story idea.

My personal ick with this were that they both loved each other after 48 hours. When those conversations were had I lost interest in the book because it because too unrealistic.

Other than that the story was great and I felt as though it flowed really well.

Spice was there but the terms used were really cringey. It felt more like a high school boy describing a scene.

Overall this series could have great potential and I really hope the author looks at her reviews because a lot of comments people made were similar to the reading experience I had.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short, sweet and spicy Christmas novella. It was cute.
Lexie and Sean have kind of known each other since high school. They’ve been next door neighbors and Sean has always had a crush on Lexie. It’s a crush that with time hasn’t diminished but gotten stronger. Lexie never really paid attention to Sean since she had boyfriend all through high school. Lexie and her boyfriend moved away after high school and they have been living together in the city for about 5 years.
Lexie comes back home for a friend’s wedding where she reconnects with Sean.
It was a bit insta love since they didn’t really know each other back when they were in high school, but it’s always nice when the nerdy guy gets the popular girl in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me the digital copy to this book for my honest review.

[Lynn_G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stung by her cheating, thieving ex, city-dweller Lexie is back in her quaint hometown for a friend’s wedding when she crashes into Sean, the nerd next door to her childhood home who’s turned into a stone cold hottie.

Sean has secretly been in love with Lexie for as long as he can recall. Now that she’s split up with Jack, who she’d been with since high school, Sean sets his sights on winning her over.

This was a very steamy, quick read that was very sweet at the same time. It’s part of the Mistletoe Falls series, and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the future.

I received an advance reader copy from the author and booksirens, and I’m pleased to share my honest review.

[SassypantsReading · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was hot and steamy, and a cute read. I was super turned off by how Sean kept calling Lexie “my girl” though. Especially when it was like every other thought in his head. Once or twice would’ve been good, but it seemed super creepy to me that it was constant. Overall, this was a fun read, and I like that it was short and sweet. I’ll definitely try more books by this author.

I received an advance review copy of The Christmas Crush for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this book.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌶️🌶️🌶️ The book was a page-turner, full of spice and a sweet story of a girl finding love and support after years of struggle with a disrespectful partner. Her childhood neighbor, who had been in love with her since school, becomes her emotional rock. The chemistry between the characters is palpable throughout the book, making it an engaging read. Although some minor details were not to my liking, I cannot reveal them without giving away spoilers. Overall, it was a great book that I would recommend.

[JudyAnnLovesBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to read this holiday romance based on the blurb. It was also my first Penelope Gerhardt romance read. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗠𝗔𝗦 𝗖𝗥𝗨𝗦𝗛 features Lexie, a young woman who returns home after her live in boyfriend steals from her and cheats on her. Sean is the geeky boy who lives next door to her parents. I was game till here. I can’t say I was impressed by either main character and wasn’t really feeling the story. I’m sure this is the perfect read for someone else, for me, it was just okay but not my favourite.

[Destiny · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Christmas Crush" was a fast-paced, short and steamy read.

While I loved the cover of this book and premise of the story, I just don't think the writing style in this book was for me. I had a hard time forming a connection to the characters and wasn't a fan of some of the phrasing used during the intimate scenes.

I do think it's worth checking out and hope that it reaches its intended audience.

Thank you Penelope Gerhardt and Net Galley for providing me with a copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own

[Evy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first book by Penelope. The story was very fast paced, their relationship goes from zero to one hundred in a blink of an eye. Lexie comes home heartbroken ( and apparently it’s still not clear to Jack that their relationship is over) but immediately falls head over heels for Sean. Sean has been in love with her his entire life and he was very intense towards her. It didn’t feel right at times, too fast, too soon…

It was a fun read in between.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lexie and Sean have known each other forever. He was the shy awkward teen and she was the popular girl dating popular guy Jack. Years later Lexie is back in town and the sparks fly between the two now that jerky Jack is out of the picture.

This was a quick read as a novella and is part of a series. I was originally drawn to it because of the hockey player component of the romance.

It's a sweet story but it's steamy. If you like plenty of descriptive scenes mixed with your sweet romances plus a dash of humor mixed in, you will enjoy this book.

[Nancy Yohe · Rating 5 out of 5]

New beginnings.

I don’t usually read contemporary romance, I prefer historical fiction romance. However I really enjoyed this book. Sean was a quiet nerd in high school and was in love with Lexie the girl next door. Unfortunately she never noticed him. Lexie dreamed of being an artist and she was in love with Jack who only seemed to love himself. A breakup brings Lexie home for Christmas and Sean is no longer the invisible neighbor. This could be a new beginning for them both.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, entertaining read. Lexi and Sean are interesting, relatable, fun, intriguing characters. I enjoyed their romance how they got to their HEA. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyments – especially each of the main characters’ best friends. I love the small town atmosphere and vibes. The story is easy to read and get into.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.