One Step Over the Mistletoe Line

by Carmine Valentine

Second Edition

A cozy cabin, hot chocolate, and two hearts that belong together. They just need to take that step over the mistletoe line.

Just days before Christmas and her boyfriend’s expected proposal, an accidental moment under the mistletoe with her close friend RJ changes everything for Claire.

To avoid one man when she has feelings for another, Claire takes drastic measures to avoid Christmas.

But her escape plan to clear her head goes awry when a snowstorm sends the man on her mind, RJ, to her hideout. RJ is seeking shelter after a failed attempt to pursue a crook in a Santa suit who stole his new dog, Rosco.

As if Christmas Eve in the cold Cascade Mountains couldn’t get any more dangerous with a manhunt underway for the puppy-stealing bad Santa, Claire’s heart is in hazardous territory as she weighs the consequences of telling her friend RJ of her feelings for him and risk destroying their friendship.

Or is it possible that RJ feels the same way?

A short and sweet holiday romance set in the Pacific Northwest.

Christmas romance in the mountains
Family Christmas romance
Christmas story with pets
Friends-to-lovers romance
Holiday romance
2-hour romance read

Genres: Contemporary, Christmas

120 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 19, 2017

About the author

Hello! Thank you for visiting my profile. I'm an Amazon Best Selling romance author. I like to weave in a mystery in my stories. Some might call it a cozy-like mystery heavy on the romance side. Either way, I love reading both romance and mysteries, so I write them! And I throw in an element of danger and high stakes where loved ones are concerned. And always a happy, optimistic ending.

I write The Barefoot by Moonlight Series set in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve recently released a second edition of book 1 in the series, All Fired Up, 2025, with book 2 coming out in 2026. I also have a Christmas romance novella out, One Step Over the Mistletoe Line, second edition released in 2025. It was so much fun to write that I'm already thinking of my next holiday romance to release in 2026!

I’m a believer that love can happen when you least expect it. And I love the idea of a mystery being the catalyst that brings two people together who may never have met or had the nerve to get something started if it were not for the intrigue unfolding. My stories are set in small towns where family, friends and community come together, and secrets are just waiting to be discovered.

I’m a life-long Washingtonian and I live in the greater Seattle area with my son and daughter living close by. Every chance I get I’m exploring this region, finding myself close to the water whether I’m on a ferry, kayaking, paddleboarding, or just on the shoreline hoping to catch a glimpse of a passing whale. And of course, some of my favorite places are the small towns in the Pacific Northwest. There’s a special vibe in a small community. Life slows down, people make eye contact, smiles are shared. And who knows who you might meet and what could happen next...

Reviews

[Gloriamarie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not a story that made any sense to me. I could not figure out if RJ was actually her therapist or not. If he is, then clearly this is sexual harassment.

[Richard Goodrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story. Claire is delightful. RJ is sweet.

Base on the version in Romancing the Holidays: Twelve Christmas Romances

[Janis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was the best of the collection.

[Kylie Monson · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5