What do you think?
Rate this book
Potions and Passions #1.5
Mishaps & Mistletoe
The magic of Christmas may have been mishandled.
All Lady Mabel Fairweather wants for Christmas is to experience one night of dancing and freedom from her horrible nickname. Her family assures her that a simple magic potion will do the trick. But when something goes awry, Mabel finds herself with a mob of amorous men descending upon her.
Andrew Holbrooke has loved his friend Mabel for years. Now that he has the means to marry, he’s come home intending to seek her hand. What Drew didn’t expect was to find other men eager to do the same. When strange magic puts Mabel in danger, however, he vows to protect her, even if she wants someone else.
Hiding from the mayhem, Drew and Mabel rekindle their friendship, uncover old memories, and discover new passions. With snow falling and mistletoe hung, these two friends might just find a magic of their own and unwrap a love for the ages.
Mishaps & Mistletoe is a 10,000k story set in the Potions and Passion world. It first appeared as part of the charity anthology Kissing and Other Scandalous Pastimes.
All Lady Mabel Fairweather wants for Christmas is to experience one night of dancing and freedom from her horrible nickname. Her family assures her that a simple magic potion will do the trick. But when something goes awry, Mabel finds herself with a mob of amorous men descending upon her.
Andrew Holbrooke has loved his friend Mabel for years. Now that he has the means to marry, he’s come home intending to seek her hand. What Drew didn’t expect was to find other men eager to do the same. When strange magic puts Mabel in danger, however, he vows to protect her, even if she wants someone else.
Hiding from the mayhem, Drew and Mabel rekindle their friendship, uncover old memories, and discover new passions. With snow falling and mistletoe hung, these two friends might just find a magic of their own and unwrap a love for the ages.
Mishaps & Mistletoe is a 10,000k story set in the Potions and Passion world. It first appeared as part of the charity anthology Kissing and Other Scandalous Pastimes.
58 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 30, 2019
2 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Stein
28 books170 followersAward-winning author Catherine Stein believes that everyone deserves love and that Happily Ever After has the power to help, to heal, and to comfort. She writes sassy, sexy romance set during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Her books are full of action, adventure, magic, and fantastic technologies.
Catherine lives in Michigan with her husband and three rambunctious kids. She loves steampunk and Oxford commas, and can often be found dressed in Renaissance Festival clothing, drinking copious amounts of tea.
Catherine lives in Michigan with her husband and three rambunctious kids. She loves steampunk and Oxford commas, and can often be found dressed in Renaissance Festival clothing, drinking copious amounts of tea.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 23, 2020
This story takes place in steampunk Victorian England, where potions can be used to enhance your mood, give you energy, make you more alluring...the sky is the limit if you have the money to pay. Mabel is over dancing with only her siblings husbands. For once she wants to forget her horrible nickname and truly enjoy a ball. When a too many loving friends and family try to help her, she is carried away by a herd of stampeding men. She escapes right into the arms of Drew, an 'Egyptologist' and long time friend.
I'd like to note that I adore that Stein's chapters have names and aren't just numbers. I love when authors do that.
This story was amazing. Stein's characters fly off the page with spunk and personality. This story was fun, funny, fast paced, sexy, it was PERFECT. I loved it. I adored how Drew professes his love.
This one was steamy as well, which I appreciate ;) . Lovely Christmas story!
I'd like to note that I adore that Stein's chapters have names and aren't just numbers. I love when authors do that.
This story was amazing. Stein's characters fly off the page with spunk and personality. This story was fun, funny, fast paced, sexy, it was PERFECT. I loved it. I adored how Drew professes his love.
This one was steamy as well, which I appreciate ;) . Lovely Christmas story!
December 7, 2021
A delightful tale of a potion gone wrong but oh how delicious it turned out:) If you enjoy lighthearted novellas, you'll enjoy this one.
Mabel and Drew have been friends since childhood and when he returns home at Christmas he's determined to let Mabel know how much he loves her and wants to marry her. Unfortunately, she has taken an allure potion while attending a Christmas ball and thinks that Drew's attention is only due to that potion. Now it's up to him to make her believe otherwise!!
Well written and a fun read.
Mabel and Drew have been friends since childhood and when he returns home at Christmas he's determined to let Mabel know how much he loves her and wants to marry her. Unfortunately, she has taken an allure potion while attending a Christmas ball and thinks that Drew's attention is only due to that potion. Now it's up to him to make her believe otherwise!!
Well written and a fun read.
December 22, 2020
Love potion gone wrong? Check. Requited love and lots of confusion? Check. Misguided familial "help"? Check. Passion? Yep! HEA? OF COURSE!
May 1, 2023
4.5 Stars for MISHAPS AND MISTLETOES, A PASSIONS & POTIONS novella by Catherine Stein, a very quick reading Sweet and Steamy, Friends to More Steampunk Romance.
My rating guide: 1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= Yes, I mostly enjoyed it; 4= I LIKED IT! a lot; 5= I LOVED IT! It was great!
December, 1883 - 1884. England.
Mabel Fairweather at 25yrs is the youngest and only unwed daughter of an influential duke, with no husband prospects in sight. Her grandmother arranges a Christmas ball on her benefit and an allure potion to help her sparkle. After 17yrs, Professor and Egyptologist Andrew Holbrooke finally has the financial ability to propose to his longtime childhood friend and in recent years his much cherished correspondent during his travels. Yet when he arrives in England to propose, Belle’s home has run amuck with wealthy members of the ton asking for her hand and worse!
MISHAPS AND MISTLETOES is a lighthearted, quick reading (an hour or less) Friends to More trope novella in Stein’s Steampunk series PASSIONS AND POTIONS. It can be read as a standalone title or as part of the series. It is a perfect read before bed, during a commute, or to decompress after work. I have been loving the PASSIONS AND POTIONS series. MISHAPS AND MISTLETOES is a sweet and steamy little addition, rather like a dollop of cream on a favored dessert. I would truly enjoy reading an entire novel with Drew and Belle digging up tombs and discovering mischief in Egypt. :D I read MISHAPS AND MISTLETOES IN April; it can be read year round without any problem. I love the attractive covers on Stein’s books. ❤️
*READER CAUTIONS -
VIOLENCE - None.
PROFANITY - Yes. Strong language is used occasionally .
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - Yes. Discovering their joint love, the 2 main characters share brief but detailed on-scene intimacy near the end.
* *Due to the aforementioned, young readers and those who would be offended should consider looking elsewhere.
My rating guide: 1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= Yes, I mostly enjoyed it; 4= I LIKED IT! a lot; 5= I LOVED IT! It was great!
December, 1883 - 1884. England.
Mabel Fairweather at 25yrs is the youngest and only unwed daughter of an influential duke, with no husband prospects in sight. Her grandmother arranges a Christmas ball on her benefit and an allure potion to help her sparkle. After 17yrs, Professor and Egyptologist Andrew Holbrooke finally has the financial ability to propose to his longtime childhood friend and in recent years his much cherished correspondent during his travels. Yet when he arrives in England to propose, Belle’s home has run amuck with wealthy members of the ton asking for her hand and worse!
MISHAPS AND MISTLETOES is a lighthearted, quick reading (an hour or less) Friends to More trope novella in Stein’s Steampunk series PASSIONS AND POTIONS. It can be read as a standalone title or as part of the series. It is a perfect read before bed, during a commute, or to decompress after work. I have been loving the PASSIONS AND POTIONS series. MISHAPS AND MISTLETOES is a sweet and steamy little addition, rather like a dollop of cream on a favored dessert. I would truly enjoy reading an entire novel with Drew and Belle digging up tombs and discovering mischief in Egypt. :D I read MISHAPS AND MISTLETOES IN April; it can be read year round without any problem. I love the attractive covers on Stein’s books. ❤️
*READER CAUTIONS -
VIOLENCE - None.
PROFANITY - Yes. Strong language is used occasionally .
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - Yes. Discovering their joint love, the 2 main characters share brief but detailed on-scene intimacy near the end.
* *Due to the aforementioned, young readers and those who would be offended should consider looking elsewhere.
December 23, 2022
This is a super cute 10,000 word novella that pulls off the "is he really into ME or is it just the potion?" conceit perfectly. Although there is a Christmastime ball and some mistletoe, it ranks pretty low on the Candy Cane scale. That said if you're currently drowning in Christmas cheer, it's a perfect escape! 3.5 fun stars.
Andrew is back in town after making his fortune (or at least, a good living), and his first stop is to see Lady Mabel. He's been pining for literal years, and he's dumbfounded that she has remained unattached for so long.
As far as Mabel is concerned, she's had disastrous season after disastrous season. She's finally decided to let loose a little, and what better way to do that than by taking a potion to make herself just /that much/ more attractive to the opposite sex? Unfortunately her mother and sisters have the same idea. Mabel's suddenly causing a stampede in the ballroom, and even her old friend Drew is caught up in the madness. ...Or is he?
11-Word Summaries:
Laine: Thank goodness he had the ring, or how would she know?
Meg: Can Mabel believe that Andrew’s been pining after her for years?
Andrew is back in town after making his fortune (or at least, a good living), and his first stop is to see Lady Mabel. He's been pining for literal years, and he's dumbfounded that she has remained unattached for so long.
As far as Mabel is concerned, she's had disastrous season after disastrous season. She's finally decided to let loose a little, and what better way to do that than by taking a potion to make herself just /that much/ more attractive to the opposite sex? Unfortunately her mother and sisters have the same idea. Mabel's suddenly causing a stampede in the ballroom, and even her old friend Drew is caught up in the madness. ...Or is he?
11-Word Summaries:
Laine: Thank goodness he had the ring, or how would she know?
Meg: Can Mabel believe that Andrew’s been pining after her for years?
December 28, 2020
I had a wonderful time reading this book. Stein does such a great job of creating a well rounded story with such a small number of pages. With Mabel and Drew, we go through fantastic ups and downs filled with friendship, longing, support, heartache, attraction, passion, and love before finally getting an HEA. I found Stein's way dancing around forced proximity and decades-long pining friends to lovers very clever and fun. Lastly, I enjoyed the connections to the other books in this series. It's always engaging to look for those little (and not so little nods). This book is perfect to sneak in during an hour or two of downtime during the holidays (or any other time for that matter).
February 4, 2024
Mabel Fairweather, nicknamed "Maybe Mabel," would like a dance at the Christmas ball. Several well-meaning folks got allure potions and spiked her drink which caused quite a scene and sent her scrambling away before she could be overwhelmed. Andrew Holbrooke, professor of Egyptology and corespondent with Mabel arrived at the hight of the crush and thought that Mabel had a fiance already which quite spoiled what he wanted to do. But with some nice scene shifting and steeple chases Mabel and Drew ended up where they should be - in each other's arms. A quick Christmas romance with an nicely implied backstory.
January 7, 2023
Lovely Christmas novella about two old friends and a potion mishap. This is my intro to the series and I will definitely be reading more!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews