10 Things I Hate About Mistletoe

Falling in Mistletoe #1

by Codi Hall, C.J. Bloom (Narrator), Lee Samuels (Narrator)

A misunderstanding sparks an enemies-to-lovers romance between an outdoorsman and an aspiring writer in this funny and festive Christmas-themed novel.

So far, no man in Mistletoe, Idaho, has measured up to the literary heroes in Delilah Gill's favorite books. Anthony Russo is no exception. She's not sure why the steamy smooch they once shared suddenly turned frosty, and she's tried to keep her distance ever since. But she's had enough of being serially single, and she decides it's the perfect time to put herself out there.

Anthony isn't interested in playing games and he doesn't like being used—especially not to make his own best friend jealous. Still, a bruised ego doesn't stop him from imagining kissing Delilah again when she shows up to the local watering hole looking like a million bucks, and the other single men in town start to notice her considerable charms.

As December approaches and the Christmas festivities ramp up, both Delilah and Anthony find themselves roped into Mistletoe's seasonal happenings. It won't be long now before proximity turns loathing into interest, and ultimately a romance that could lead to a very happy holiday indeed . . .

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Audiobook, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Holiday Romance

10 pages, Audible Audio

Published October 1, 2024

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I actually dnfed this at ch 27 I just truly do not care

[Kim Novak (The Reading Rx) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not for me. I liked the plus sized FMC and Idaho setting. But these 30-something characters talked and acted like they were in junior high. For a character who has written 12 books, you would think she’d have a better vocabulary. Then again, she wrote 12 books she hadn’t published or even pursued some editing… who does that? Who invests all that time before getting some feedback?

I really didn’t care for the weird sexy talk. I can only handle so many references to 😽😽 and 🕵🏻‍♂️🕵🏻‍♂️. It didn’t feel authentic to me.

And if you’re going to title a book 10 Things You Hate About Mistletoe, I’m expecting the story to address 10 things the character hates. Maybe there were 2 or things mentioned, and they weren’t even central to the story. I kept waiting for the tie in to happen, and it just didn’t.

[Jessica Paige (Exercise_Read_Repeat) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightful and charming small town holiday themed romance. It is not overly Christmasy, making it perfect for an early fall read. The conversations between Delilah and Anthony were real and honest but also full of playful banter, making you want more of them together. And Hall did such a great job making me feel like I was right there alongside them, especially during all of the winter themed festivities. I am SO excited that there are two more books in this series taking place in the Mistletoe world as the close knit friend group now feels like my own friends! The audiobook, narrated by CJ Bloom and Lee Samuels was immersive and made the story fly by!

Read if you like:
-Holiday books
-Small town romances
-Body positivity
-Close-knit friend groups
-Steamy stories

Thank you Podium for the gifted audiobook.

[LAJordan Leigh Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (0-5)
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall: 4.75/5
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (0-5) I bump up for public-ish places/outdoor spaces. But, there’s only a few scenes for friends who rate steam that way. The steam is detailed, intimate, and so hot!

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 My initial response after finishing the book: I highly recommend this book/audiobook for your holiday or winter TBR! It’s not too Christmasy, but it has small town, friends & family at the winter holiday times.
🤩 CJ Bloom is my all-time favorite narrator and she does an amazing job as Delilah, magnifying her personality and all the feels. Lee Samuels is fabulous as bossy and possessive Anthony Russo.
🤩 The book blurb and that need to know feeling about the plot.
🤩 A Fireball encouraged kiss—a year ago.
🤩 The plot is captivating and interesting.
🤩 Holiday bachelor auction and Mistletoe, Idaho winter games.
🤩 I love a small-town bar scene and Anthony’s protectiveness totally won me over.
🤩 Curvy FMC and the MMC loves her curves.
🤩 When Anthony carries Delilah to her door, despite her protesting.
🤩 A very well written love triangle that I actually enjoyed.
🤩 I’m a sucker for a steamy scene at a childhood home. And honest family interactions.
🤩 Great friends.
🤩 Laugh-out-loud moment mixed in—steamy holiday romcom is life!

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 A little therapy might help. I’m just not sure if I totally believe in the HEA when the FMC has to ask, “Are you sure?” at the MMC’s declaration of love. (But by the end, for sure.)
💫 I’m greedy and would have loved a little holiday steamy celebration in the trailer or her new place!!
💫 I’m looking forward to Pike’s HEA in Mistletoe Mischief and Sam’s HEA in The Mistletoe Mix-up.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is this a good book? I don’t know.
Did I like this book? Kind of.
Did I stay up until 2:30a so I could finish it in one sitting? Yes. Yes I did.

Parts of this book were SO. DAMN. CRINGEY. The overuse of bro and bestie made me gag. Pike being a ladies man “despite his average height and red hair” ??? Does this author have something against redheads?? This was not the first time his red hair was mentioned as a negative, and it happened a few more times after that. So fucking weird!! Also, Pike says something about using expensive hand cream and how he loses “manly points” for it. 🙄 The word “snarktastic” had me rolling my eyes so hard I got a migraine. Anthony is supposed to be 31 but sometimes he acts like he’s 25. And I’m assuming Delilah is around 27? But she acts like a fucking teenager sometimes. She’s also incredibly unlikable at times. And way too insecure. She is constantly putting words in Anthony’s mouth, and misconstruing everything he says. It was exhausting!! And then she’s blow up and runs away without even letting him explain. Ridiculous. And the fight between Anthony and Pike was so weird for 30 men to have. I am not a 30 year old man, I don’t know many of them, so can I really say that this isn’t realistic? No, I can’t. But it felt real weird.

Look. I almost DNFed after the first 40ish pages because it was so fucking cringey and the misunderstanding that caused this drama between them was so fucking dumb. If it wasn’t mentioned that it was for a bachelorette/bachelor party I would’ve assumed it happened in high school, MAYBE college.

Also, a warning for anyone who was expecting a cozy ✨Christmas✨ romance, this ain’t it. Sure, they live in a town called Mistletoe, and yes this does take place around Christmas time and there are “Christmas” activities (bachelor auction is not my first thought when I think of Christmas activities), it’s not actually Christmas until the last three pages.

All that being said. I didn’t HATE it. Once I pushed through the almost DNF point, I actually started to enjoy it (for the most part). When Delilah wasn’t being an insecure baby, she wasn’t that bad. At times I actually really liked her. Anthony was fine, when he wasn’t punching people and acting like a possessive turd. I thought they did have good chemistry! And I enjoyed seeing their relationship progress. I genuinely liked them together.

I didn’t realize that there was another Mistletoe series before this. Will I go back and read those? Probs not. But will I read the next in this series? I might!

OH!! And one more thing!!! Delilah trying to cross the line and push boundaries on Anthony’s celibacy is NOT ok. That irritated the piss out of me!!! So gross.

TLDR; this book was fine 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Karsyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the characters in Mistletoe 🥰 I loved the plus size representation too. This was kinda lengthy, and almost slow burn in some areas. But enjoyable for the holiday season!

[Natalie Littlefield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ending sux

[Thais • tata.lifepages • · Rating 5 out of 5]

This heartwarming romance is the first in a brand new series, Falling in Mistletoe! it was an adorably cozy and swoony read!😍

When he’s the best friend of the guy you’ve had a crush on for years… and after one fireball-encouraged kiss, things suddenly turn frosty, what’s a girl to do? In this festive romance, Delilah is tired of being single, while Anthony isn’t interested in being used to make anyone jealous. But as Christmas in Mistletoe, Idaho, heats up, so does their undeniable chemistry. Can an enemies-to-lovers twist turn into the holiday romance of her dreams? I absolutely love that she’s also a bookish gal like me! 🥰

What you can expect:
❄️plus size FMC
❄️hate to love
❄️festive charm
❄️found family
❄️cozy vibes
❄️protective and caring MMC

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was fine, but when I grab a book with Mistletoe in the title I'm expecting a holiday romance. I'm willing to experience a subpar story as long as there is a nice little hokey romance full of Christmas spirit and atmosphere. But when it's just a run-of-the-mill romance? Well, it needs to have something that grabs me. Unfortunately, despite the Christmas-y title of this story, there isn't much Christmas in the story. Instead, this is basically the story of a guy and a girl falling in love despite .... well, I guess despite the fact that Anthony's best friend kinda sorta likes Delilah (for like half a second). It's the dumbest plot ever. I simply didn't care about whatever it was that was preventing these two from becoming a couple. I liked both Anthony and Delilah well enough. I am happy that they found a way to begin their HEA together. But I wasn't super interested in their journey. It was just a generic story about two people who sort of dislike each other for five minutes until they realize that they kiss really well. Suddenly, they see beauty everywhere. Five minutes later, they are in love. That's it. That's the story. And without any Christmas vibes, I wasn't feeling it. Two stars. It was okay.

[Kellie Forney]

Okay audio books for my work commute are the thing right now. I haven’t had time to put up my tree so I’m getting in the holiday spirit by reading holiday romance books! I read Cori’s first holiday series many years ago. (Well 2 of the 3 books). It was nice to revisit the Winters family and the town of Mistletoe. Also Anthony was down SOOOOO BAD! It had me screaming ANNNNNNFRREEKNNNEEEE like in my Bridgerton days. I really wanted the epilogue to be a little further in the future. Maybe the next two books will take us there?

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like Codi Hall was trying to give the Christmas Notch series a run for its money. It had a vibe similar to those books more so than her first series.

I didn't love this one. No matter how hard I tried, I just did not enjoy the FMC. She was so quick to judge other people and the conclusions she jumped to all the time were eyeroll worthy.

I will read the second one only because I bought the first two during the recent audible sale. But I don't know if I'll get the third. We shall see.

[Deb Conover · Rating 5 out of 5]

romantic mistletoe

So Mistletoe is a place. The trope is probably second chance romance. The spice was ok. I liked this story and will read more from this author.

[Karen Bauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Codi Hall. Great banter, amazing 🌶🌶🌶 scenes and great way to tie the story line to book two (I accidentally read them out of order)

[Jennifer (jm_bibliolater) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Keeping with the holiday theme, once Delilah and Anthony got together, the plot melted like Frosty when the sun was out. Totally nonexistent.

[Demi Lowis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like 3.75 but i enjoyed it

[Savannah Katz · Rating 1 out of 5]

i wish i could give it 0

[Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute, sometimes cheesy, sometimes steamy romcom! 3.5 ⭐️

[Tardisgiggler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure how I'd like this book at first, the FMC seemed slightly annoying in an intrusive way, but I'm glad that wasn't the case with Delilah. She was pretty level headed for the most part and wasn't quick to make decisions, and in her cases they were decisions that really needed to be thought about. The comedy was very well done and despite there being some miscommunication in the first quarter of the book, it was somewhat reasonable and after that the communication was much better. The side characters were a bit too much at times though, they became more intrusive than what I thought the FMC would be. I don't like excessive interference from outside characters to where it seems like they're taking over the book. I know other characters had their book so lets leave them mostly in their own books, in my opinion. I did not like how the male friend group phrased "taking Delilah off their hands" like she was such a massive burden, it put me off of them and made them seem like D-bags. Anthony was a great MMC with a unique outlook on things for someone his age, he did, however, seem to have a personality change and kind of became baby Pike. He went from slightly silent and broody to cracking jokes all the time and being goofy. It was cute, don't get me wrong, I loved it but it just seemed to come from nowhere; I'll chalk it up to our girl changing him fundamentally. There was some spice but sometimes it was a bit glossed over and also slow burn in a way since they didn't really get to it fully until the end. This is my second Codi Hall book and I really enjoyed this one as well as Holly's book.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read any of Codi's books before, but I will be doing now. When I first started reading I thought it was going to be just another overly christmassy cliche story, boy was I wrong. This is an excellent story to start a series with. The story is based around Delilah and Anthony who a year ago had a single kiss and then nothing. The problem being Delilah had had a crush on Anthony's best bestfriend for years, he was nobody's tool to make someone else jealous, so he walked away. Delilah was the brunt of the bullies jokes, so she is plus size and ok she isn't the outdoors type. But she was still a person with feelings. Now taking the bull by the horns she was fed up waiting to be seen. She was going to put herself first and find her person, even if it wasn't who she thought it would be. This is a funny, spicy story that once you start you just feel compelled to keep reading. Both main characters have their own flaws, but can either of them accept sometimes needing others isn't always a failing, it means your human. The way the story unfolds you actually feel part of it, and the friend group is so closely knit that it's obvious how they'd do anything for their friends. If you love a good heartwarming funny festive story this has it by the bucket full. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

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

[Tampatha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a holiday rom-com treat that had me laughing, swooning, and reaching for the cocoa!

Codi Hall perfectly mixes holiday chaos with sizzling chemistry—think forced proximity, witty banter, and all the grumpy-meets-sunshine vibes you never knew you needed. I absolutely loved Anthony so much and he is just so swoony!

As a plus-size reader, I related to Delilah and understood her insecurities—but sometimes I felt she just needed to trust that Anthony genuinely found her beautiful and wanted her as she was.

I loved Anthony so much , but I wished he could have moved on from his past hurt and fully commit to taking the next step with Delilah. Given how long they’d known each other, holding back felt unnecessary despite his past hurts.

Once these two got out of their heads and headed into some spicy territory it was definitely worth the wait! Especially the truck scene IYKYK! That Anthony made me blush!

I absolutely love the friendships in these books and the banter between all the characters! They are all just so at ease with one another and up in each other's business - it's so fun!

The narration duo of Lee Samuels and CJ Bloom was fantastic and they did such a great job bringing these two characters to life with their snark, banter and emotion.

Overall I enjoyed this book a lot and I'm looking forward to the next two in the series.

[Rosa Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

10 Things I Hate About Mistletoe had me laughing and squealing from beginning to end.
A misunderstanding between Delilah and Anthony turns a super hot kiss they shared into a cold shoulder. No matter how many little blow ups cause these two to stomp off in anger, they just can't quit coming right back together with enough tension and heat to keep my enemies to lovers obsessed heart happy.
I love Delilah!💕 I easily relate to her in several ways. Her fur baby Leia is the cutest addition to the pets of Mistletoe. Also, out of the Winters crew friend group, Anthony has been my favorite, (Sorry Pike.💁🏾‍♀️) and he did not disappoint.🥰 He's always been the calm, level-headed one in the group, so it only makes sense when it comes to Delilah he's a grizzly. In a good way.😉 I ate the hot and cold between these two up!
It's no secret that I LOVE the Mistletoe series. So ofcourse getting the Falling in Mistletoe series is an early Christmas present to me! Meeting two new ladies in Mistletoe in this one, I am very excited for Pike and Sam's stories.
Please don't sleep on this read or series. I recommend curling up a fur baby, soft blanket, and a nice hot cider or mulled wine and settle in because you're gonna be hooked!

[Sammi King · Rating 3 out of 5]

“She pulled into the parking lot off the side road next to ‘Kiss My Donuts.”

There were so many better quotes. I was driving during most of this book, so I couldn’t save them. 🤦‍♀️

🏂 Genre: Romance
🏂 Steamy rating: Very Hot
🏂 Profanity: Moderate

Deliah lives in Mistletoe, Idaho, where she’s lucky to have a strong support system in her parents and her best friend. But there’s one thing missing- romance. For years, she’s harbored a crush on Pike, but everything changed a year ago when she shares a steamy kiss with his best friend, Anthony.

One night, after dressing to the nines for a rare night out, Deliah finally catches Pike’s attention only for the moment to take a disastrous turn when a stranger pukes on her. To her surprise, it’s Anthony who swoops in to save the day, reigniting the spark she’s tried so hard to ignore.

Set in the mountains of small-town Idaho, this spicy romance is packed with open-door chemistry, emotional misunderstandings, and all the drama that comes with young love and unchecked testosterone. I liked the characters, and the storyline was above 3 stars.

Triggers: Weight, infidelity, strained relationship to father, fist fighting, and mention of death of a parent

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from Podium in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity.

Codi Hall is in my Top 5 for a holiday romance author. I squealed when I opened this ARC and was not disappointed.

The Winters siblings from Codi Hall’s other books- Merry, Holly, and Nick- all make an appearance. We have scenes in Brews n Chews (and the parking lot). Revisiting the characters gave me the warm, fuzzies of Christmas with extended family.

I enjoyed the small town feel where everyone knows everyone, but some of the romance build up didn’t do it for me. A few scenes with Anthony and Delilah felt quick and unnatural. Delilah is a strong character and I enjoyed seeing her navigate complicated relationships and her relationship with Anthony. I especially loved reading her friendship with Holly from Delilah’s perspective in this book.

I am excited for the next two books in this series and will happily enjoy with a peppermint mocha. I’ve already recommended both series to friends as we head into the Christmas season.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, every single Mistletoe book just feels like a warm holiday hug, and 10 Things I Hate About Mistletoe was no different. I will never tire of going back to these characters and town that the author has created again and again, and getting to see it outside of the family? It was even more special. Anthony and Lilah’s story is the definition of the miscommunication trope, but the amazing and wonderful part about that journey is that they grow together and are truly there for each other in ways it seems they can only understand, and I love that. Our new side characters introduced? I loved Bradley and his family, and Lilah’s family made me smile. I know we met Pike before, but I mean, he’s Pike, and we all know how he is, but seeing this side of him a little differently was great, and I loved catching up with our Nick, Merry, and Holly, too. And can I just say: Anthony and his protective side? Yes please! This is just an all-around Christmas read that you definitely want to get your hands on!

[Sandy T · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun romance story with several relatable and likeable main characters. Set in the small town of Mistletoe, most of the characters have known each other their whole lifes, but do they really understand or appreciate each other? Delilah is wanting to find a boyfriend but not at the expense of changing herself. Anthony is looking for more than sexual relationships, a true love, but how will he know what it is or how to recognize it?
I enjoyed their journeys as told in this easy to read romance story. There were lots of emotional relationship scenes with family and friends along with some steamy sex scenes throughout the book. I found the story entertaining and am recommending it to others.

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

[52kaosangel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the Mistletoe Romance series by Codi Hall and loved reading them during the xmas holidays, so I'm so excited that we get another three stories set in this world. This is another fantastic edition to the Mistletoe series!
I loved this story of Anthony and Delilah and I loved how Anthony was willing to do everything in his power to ease Delilah's insecurities and worries.
I loved that Delilah was such a strong FMC and knew she could take care of herself and didn't need a knight in shining armour, she just wanted to be someone's first choice and she got that.
Like the other stories in this series, this one was as funny and heartwarming, with a happily ever after ending plus a perfect tease for the next story and I cannot wait!!.

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

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow, this book was SO bad. I've read several other books set in Mistletoe by Codi Hall and I really enjoyed them so I had high hopes for this one. It was a disappointment from the start. The cast of characters was so hard to follow, I had to make a chart to keep track after being frustrated at the difficulty in tracking who everyone was. Then we get to the main couple. They are both TERRIBLE people. The MMC is a giant caveman who literally beats up another guy after several scenes where he had to be separated from the same guy. His response to every provocation was to punch. Then there was the FMC who threw literal tantrums in several scenes. This was like reading a dark romance for how toxic the relationship was, while the book is supposed to be a fun cozy Christmas romance. I do NOT recommend.

[Reader_for_LifeTLG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laugh out loud fun! - I was hooked on this story after only a couple of chapters and the would-be lovers had barely interacted yet! Snarky comments, unbridled humor, and hijinks from Delilah, Anthony and their posse of friends and family members make this one of the best stories I have read in a while. The chemistry between the MCs is explosive, even when they are holding back from sharing themselves fully, and he won't take no smack talk about his girl. This is a great story and I really couldn't put it down. I can't wait to read more in this series and I am gonna add the original Mistletoe Romances to my TBR.

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

[Kerri Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great addition to the Mistletoe series and NO you don’t have to read the first books to follow this one! (Though I highly recommend them!)

Delilah is an aspiring author trying to get a pub deal and trying to make ends meet. But she’s had a crush on Pike for years and suddenly, a year after she kissed his best friend, Pike takes an interest in her.

Anthony has been thinking of Delilah ever since that kiss but knows she’s had a not-secret crush for Pike, so he’s never made another move again.

Let’s just say that drama happens, car scenes are spicy, and Pike is not the MMC 😏


Cody Hall has my heart when it comes to great Christmas stories! Can’t wait to dive into the next book asap!

[Amanda Rutherford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok These Mistletoe, Idaho Romances by Codi Hall are everything I been looking for this holiday season!! They are the perfect combination of Hallmark romance, laugh out loud comedy, and steamy spice! I can't seem to get enough in flying through the books so fast in audible. Love the narrators! Delilah and Anthony are my favorite Mistletoe couple. Anthony is definitely added to my book boyfriend list! 10 Things I Hate About Mistletoe follows Delilah a aspiring romance author and Anthony, the best friend of the boy she crushed in for years, until last year Delilah and Anthony shared a kiss that changed things for the both of them. This story was really fun and great for the holiday romance girlies like myself.