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The Carolina Girls #2
Mistletoe Season
Spend the holidays in Magnolia, North Carolina, where two lonely hearts find exactly what they need for Christmas.
Angi Guilardi needs a man for Christmas—at least, according to her mother. What she really needs is to grow her fledgling catering business. Partnering with Magnolia’s Wildflower Inn holds promise, but when her mother falls ill, Angi’s pulled back to the responsibility of the family restaurant. While she balances work and her eight-year-old son, romance is the last thing on her mind…until Angi runs into Gabriel Carlyle.
Back in town to help his grandmother at her flower shop, Gabriel has no plans to stick around Magnolia, especially after he bumps into one of his childhood bullies. Sure, Angi's all grown up and gorgeous now, and when they find themselves under the mistletoe, their chemistry is undeniable. But it’ll take more than a Christmas miracle for Angi to break through the defenses of Gabriel’s well-guarded heart and find a love built to last.
Includes a Bonus Novella!
The magic of Christmas may be what helps a down-to-earth schoolteacher and a good-time firefighter see each other in a new light just in time for the holidays, in Michelle Major's A Carolina Christmas.
Angi Guilardi needs a man for Christmas—at least, according to her mother. What she really needs is to grow her fledgling catering business. Partnering with Magnolia’s Wildflower Inn holds promise, but when her mother falls ill, Angi’s pulled back to the responsibility of the family restaurant. While she balances work and her eight-year-old son, romance is the last thing on her mind…until Angi runs into Gabriel Carlyle.
Back in town to help his grandmother at her flower shop, Gabriel has no plans to stick around Magnolia, especially after he bumps into one of his childhood bullies. Sure, Angi's all grown up and gorgeous now, and when they find themselves under the mistletoe, their chemistry is undeniable. But it’ll take more than a Christmas miracle for Angi to break through the defenses of Gabriel’s well-guarded heart and find a love built to last.
Includes a Bonus Novella!
The magic of Christmas may be what helps a down-to-earth schoolteacher and a good-time firefighter see each other in a new light just in time for the holidays, in Michelle Major's A Carolina Christmas.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published October 26, 2021
126 people are currently reading
465 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Major
279 books839 followersUSA Today and Top 5 Amazon Bestselling author Michelle Major writes swoon-worthy stories full of heart, heat, and guaranteed happily-ever-afters. When she’s not dreaming up romance, you’ll find her hiking the trails (or avoiding housework) in her home state of Colorado.
Connect with her at www.michellemajor.com or come say hi on Instagram and Facebook.
Connect with her at www.michellemajor.com or come say hi on Instagram and Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
November 23, 2021
Mistletoe Season is a great holiday romance with fake dating, but fair warning: it's also about a woman with way too much on her plate who has trouble saying no and setting healthy boundaries! Which improves significantly by the end of the book, but I did find reading about her life stressful at times.
Anji is a single mom with a job she loves, and a job she has to do after her controlling Italian mother began having health problems. She's the caterer for an inn she runs with friends, but her mom wants her to quit and permanently take over running the Italian restaurant that had been her dad's dream. Meanwhile her son is being bullied and a childhood enemy is now her partner putting together a holiday event in their small town. And then she convinces him to become her fake boyfriend so she can keep working at the inn....
It's a very cute slow burn, small town romance with a grumpy hero and a heroine who must figure out how to take back her life. Overall very good if intense at moments! I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Anji is a single mom with a job she loves, and a job she has to do after her controlling Italian mother began having health problems. She's the caterer for an inn she runs with friends, but her mom wants her to quit and permanently take over running the Italian restaurant that had been her dad's dream. Meanwhile her son is being bullied and a childhood enemy is now her partner putting together a holiday event in their small town. And then she convinces him to become her fake boyfriend so she can keep working at the inn....
It's a very cute slow burn, small town romance with a grumpy hero and a heroine who must figure out how to take back her life. Overall very good if intense at moments! I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
November 6, 2021
I would have given more but both Angi and Gabe annoyed me. Bianca gave me some trouble, too. Characters who waffle so much annoy me.
I do love the town, though, and I see a bright future for it.
I do love the town, though, and I see a bright future for it.
October 26, 2021
Mistletoe Season is an enjoyable holiday romance set it Michelle Major’s Magnolia, North Carolina world. I have to remind myself when I read these books that they are more women’s fiction with romantic elements that straight up romance. That’s not a bad thing per se, just need to remember. This childhood friends to teenage enemies to adults who don’t like one another to fake romance to falling in love story contained two individuals both dealing with stress in their lives and end up realizing that having someone to lean on isn’t a bad thing.
Angi was just getting her life on track and realizing her dreams when her mother had a heart attack and instead of being the exclusive caterer of The Magnolia Inn, she’s back working at the family restaurant, moonlighting behind her mother’s back to take care of the catering jobs she committed to, raising her ten year old son on her own, and taking care of her mother while she recuperates. With her mother pushing her to date, Angi decides to ask Gabe, her enemy but who has been good to her son, to pretend to be her boyfriend. I was a bit overwhelmed with everything Angi was doing especially after she gets roped in to helping organize and plan the town’s Christmas festivities along with Gabe. She impressed me with her optimism and her determination to make the best of things even if they weren’t the best for her. It was easy to see she was a good mom, a good daughter, and a good friend. Speaking of her friends, I was so thankful she had them in her life to give her a sounding board and perspective when she needed it.
Gabe came to Magnolia as soon as he could after his grandmother’s accident and is running her flower shop although he knows he’s not doing the best job of it. While he isn’t Angi’s biggest fan, he enjoys her son visiting the shop everyday and it determined to help him through a tough time. When Angi asks him to be her fake boyfriend to get her mother off her back, he refuses at first but seeing her putting up with the people who along with her treat her so badly he can’t help but step in.
I liked Angi and Gabe together, I just would have liked more time with them as a couple learning about each other, but their chemistry was undeniable. They did help each other through some problems and with Angi’s mother and Gabe’s grandmother which I enjoyed and Drew. It was also sweet the way they both were determined to make sure Angi’s son Drew learned to deal with his bully the right way and gain confidence to be a better person.
A story of redemption, loss, friendship, hope, love, and holiday spirit; Mistletoe Season was an excellent addition to The Carolina Girls series.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
Angi was just getting her life on track and realizing her dreams when her mother had a heart attack and instead of being the exclusive caterer of The Magnolia Inn, she’s back working at the family restaurant, moonlighting behind her mother’s back to take care of the catering jobs she committed to, raising her ten year old son on her own, and taking care of her mother while she recuperates. With her mother pushing her to date, Angi decides to ask Gabe, her enemy but who has been good to her son, to pretend to be her boyfriend. I was a bit overwhelmed with everything Angi was doing especially after she gets roped in to helping organize and plan the town’s Christmas festivities along with Gabe. She impressed me with her optimism and her determination to make the best of things even if they weren’t the best for her. It was easy to see she was a good mom, a good daughter, and a good friend. Speaking of her friends, I was so thankful she had them in her life to give her a sounding board and perspective when she needed it.
Gabe came to Magnolia as soon as he could after his grandmother’s accident and is running her flower shop although he knows he’s not doing the best job of it. While he isn’t Angi’s biggest fan, he enjoys her son visiting the shop everyday and it determined to help him through a tough time. When Angi asks him to be her fake boyfriend to get her mother off her back, he refuses at first but seeing her putting up with the people who along with her treat her so badly he can’t help but step in.
I liked Angi and Gabe together, I just would have liked more time with them as a couple learning about each other, but their chemistry was undeniable. They did help each other through some problems and with Angi’s mother and Gabe’s grandmother which I enjoyed and Drew. It was also sweet the way they both were determined to make sure Angi’s son Drew learned to deal with his bully the right way and gain confidence to be a better person.
A story of redemption, loss, friendship, hope, love, and holiday spirit; Mistletoe Season was an excellent addition to The Carolina Girls series.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
December 22, 2021
Anji Guilardi is worried she will lose her ailing mother. Gabriel Carlyle has lost his grandmother. Kindred spirits perhaps? Anji has had to start working with her mother after her mother fell ill. Not only must Anji take the reigns, but she has an eight-year-old son who needs her time and attention.
Gabriel has an agenda. Fix up his grandmother's flower shop. Sell it and move on. He did not expect the complication of Anji. The two have a history and it was not pleasant. In fact, she was one of his childhood bullies due to a weight issue he had while young. How can Gabriel deal with those feelings of resentment all while finding himself more and more drawn to Anji? She certainly is no bully now. In fact, she is gorgeous and is just about everything he could want. However, he has no long-terms plans to stick around.
Meanwhile, Anji must find time to balance her Inn and her mother's italian restaurant while her mother recuperates. How will she do that and deal with a possible romance with Gabriel?
There is drama in this touching story. It does deal with bullying, and not just when Gabriel was a child. Anji's son is now dealing with bullies, so her life has pretty much come full circle. As this is the second book in the Carolina Girls series, I was able to read Wildflower Season as well. I enjoyed both stories and found them to be heartwarming and memorable.
Many thanks to HQN and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Gabriel has an agenda. Fix up his grandmother's flower shop. Sell it and move on. He did not expect the complication of Anji. The two have a history and it was not pleasant. In fact, she was one of his childhood bullies due to a weight issue he had while young. How can Gabriel deal with those feelings of resentment all while finding himself more and more drawn to Anji? She certainly is no bully now. In fact, she is gorgeous and is just about everything he could want. However, he has no long-terms plans to stick around.
Meanwhile, Anji must find time to balance her Inn and her mother's italian restaurant while her mother recuperates. How will she do that and deal with a possible romance with Gabriel?
There is drama in this touching story. It does deal with bullying, and not just when Gabriel was a child. Anji's son is now dealing with bullies, so her life has pretty much come full circle. As this is the second book in the Carolina Girls series, I was able to read Wildflower Season as well. I enjoyed both stories and found them to be heartwarming and memorable.
Many thanks to HQN and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
October 26, 2021
Stirring, compassionate, and charming!
Mistletoe Season is a heartfelt, magical tale that takes you to Magnolia, North Carolina and into the life of the overwhelmed, single parent Angi Guilardi as she juggles the family restaurant, her mother’s recuperation, a catering career she is truly passionate about, a son who seems to be the target of some nasty bullying, and an unexpected attraction to the man she turned her back on all those years ago, Gabriel Carlyle.
The prose is smooth and sweet. The characters are anxious, hardworking, and tentative. And the plot is a delightful tale of life, loss, love, drama, family, friendship, community, self-discovery, parenthood, strength, acceptance, undeniable chemistry, happiness, and moving on.
Overall, Mistletoe Season is another winsome, uplifting, cosy tale by Major that’s a lovely addition to the Carolina Girls series with its endearing characters, heartening storyline, and festive cheer.
Thank you to Kaye Publicity for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Mistletoe Season is a heartfelt, magical tale that takes you to Magnolia, North Carolina and into the life of the overwhelmed, single parent Angi Guilardi as she juggles the family restaurant, her mother’s recuperation, a catering career she is truly passionate about, a son who seems to be the target of some nasty bullying, and an unexpected attraction to the man she turned her back on all those years ago, Gabriel Carlyle.
The prose is smooth and sweet. The characters are anxious, hardworking, and tentative. And the plot is a delightful tale of life, loss, love, drama, family, friendship, community, self-discovery, parenthood, strength, acceptance, undeniable chemistry, happiness, and moving on.
Overall, Mistletoe Season is another winsome, uplifting, cosy tale by Major that’s a lovely addition to the Carolina Girls series with its endearing characters, heartening storyline, and festive cheer.
Thank you to Kaye Publicity for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 30, 2021
[ I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Mistletoe Season is the second stand alone in The Carolina Girls series by Michelle Major. This sweet holiday romance with its enemies to lovers & the fake relationship trope hit the spot for the Christmas season.
Anji and Gabe were summer best friends when they were young, but Anji betrayed his trust one year to fit in with the popular crowd and they have been enemies ever since. Now adults, they are far from the children they were, but Gabe's childhood wounds are hard for him to forget. Forced to work together to plan the town's holiday festivities they have to make nice, but when Anji needs a boyfriend to get her mother off her back Gabe seems like the perfect solution. While balancing being a single parent, her son's school problems, working at her family restaurant, planning the town festivities, and working on her own catering dreams, she somehow manages to rekindle the friendship with Gabe and so much more. In the end, with Gabe trust in Anji's love or will his fears of never being enough chase him away for good.
"You can't argue with mistletoe," he said with a secret half smile, and then he pressed his lips to her.
I really enjoyed this one. It's filled with a great cast of characters. Anji had a lot going on in her life, just reading about all the things she was bouncing between made me exhausted lol She was a great friend, a supportive daughter, and a loving mother. Her relationship with Gabe was a pleasure to read, and I really feel like she redeemed herself from the way she treated him as a kid. Gabe was a tough nut who tended to go hot and cold quite frequently, because of his upbringing he didn't have the best example of loving and stable. His grandmother was the only one who really showed him love, and he felt like he failed her in the end. Whenever he let his wall down with Anji he was very sweet and charming, and he was really great with her son Andrew. While there is an open door intimate scene, Anji and Gabe's romance is slow burn and low steam but sweet.
he wrapped his arms around her and whispered her name like it was the most beautiful word he'd ever heard.
This could have been the perfect holiday romance, but what's holding me back from giving a higher rating is the ending itself. Gabe should have done a huge declaration of his love for Anji as an apology. However, he simply walks up and says he's sorry and says "I love you", and it just wasn't enough for me. Then there's the fact that she accepts, and then the books just over. Give me an epilogue of them as a happy family the following season or something. It was simply a somewhat unsatisfying ending.
Mistletoe Season, is a great addition to the Caroline Girls series. A fake relationship romance filled with an endearing young boy, holiday dances, Christmas crafts, and mistletoe kisses.
Mistletoe Season is the second stand alone in The Carolina Girls series by Michelle Major. This sweet holiday romance with its enemies to lovers & the fake relationship trope hit the spot for the Christmas season.
Anji and Gabe were summer best friends when they were young, but Anji betrayed his trust one year to fit in with the popular crowd and they have been enemies ever since. Now adults, they are far from the children they were, but Gabe's childhood wounds are hard for him to forget. Forced to work together to plan the town's holiday festivities they have to make nice, but when Anji needs a boyfriend to get her mother off her back Gabe seems like the perfect solution. While balancing being a single parent, her son's school problems, working at her family restaurant, planning the town festivities, and working on her own catering dreams, she somehow manages to rekindle the friendship with Gabe and so much more. In the end, with Gabe trust in Anji's love or will his fears of never being enough chase him away for good.
"You can't argue with mistletoe," he said with a secret half smile, and then he pressed his lips to her.
I really enjoyed this one. It's filled with a great cast of characters. Anji had a lot going on in her life, just reading about all the things she was bouncing between made me exhausted lol She was a great friend, a supportive daughter, and a loving mother. Her relationship with Gabe was a pleasure to read, and I really feel like she redeemed herself from the way she treated him as a kid. Gabe was a tough nut who tended to go hot and cold quite frequently, because of his upbringing he didn't have the best example of loving and stable. His grandmother was the only one who really showed him love, and he felt like he failed her in the end. Whenever he let his wall down with Anji he was very sweet and charming, and he was really great with her son Andrew. While there is an open door intimate scene, Anji and Gabe's romance is slow burn and low steam but sweet.
he wrapped his arms around her and whispered her name like it was the most beautiful word he'd ever heard.
This could have been the perfect holiday romance, but what's holding me back from giving a higher rating is the ending itself. Gabe should have done a huge declaration of his love for Anji as an apology. However, he simply walks up and says he's sorry and says "I love you", and it just wasn't enough for me. Then there's the fact that she accepts, and then the books just over. Give me an epilogue of them as a happy family the following season or something. It was simply a somewhat unsatisfying ending.
Mistletoe Season, is a great addition to the Caroline Girls series. A fake relationship romance filled with an endearing young boy, holiday dances, Christmas crafts, and mistletoe kisses.
October 23, 2021
Book Two in the Carolina Girls series takes us back to Magnolia, NC, with two people who are looking for love and are surprised when they find it with the person that they least expected. They were both bullied in high school and are practically strangers now. Can they let go of their resentment from each other and find love?
Angi works at the restaurant that her parents started years before. She went home when her mother got ill and working in a restaurant is not her goal in life. She wants to start a catering business and move out of her childhood home with her eight year old son, Andrew. Love is the last thing on her mind but when her mother starts making dates for her with boys in town, she knows that she needs a boyfriend so that her mom will leave her alone. No, not a real boyfriend but a friend who will be a fake boyfriend until after the holidays.
Gabriel has been pulled back to Magnolia to help his grandmother in her flower shop. When he runs in to his childhood bully, Angi, he knows that despite her beauty, he won't stay in town any longer than he has to.
When she asks him to be her fake boyfriend until after the holiday, he adamantly refuses but when he kisses her under the mistletoe in the flower shop, they both realize that it may be time to let their resentment toward each other go and start looking toward the future.
This is a fantastic romance to read during the Christmas stresses. It's a book about small town friendships with lots of town Christmas events. The romance between Angi and Gabriel is perfect as they work to forget their past problems and look forward to spending time with each other.
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Angi works at the restaurant that her parents started years before. She went home when her mother got ill and working in a restaurant is not her goal in life. She wants to start a catering business and move out of her childhood home with her eight year old son, Andrew. Love is the last thing on her mind but when her mother starts making dates for her with boys in town, she knows that she needs a boyfriend so that her mom will leave her alone. No, not a real boyfriend but a friend who will be a fake boyfriend until after the holidays.
Gabriel has been pulled back to Magnolia to help his grandmother in her flower shop. When he runs in to his childhood bully, Angi, he knows that despite her beauty, he won't stay in town any longer than he has to.
When she asks him to be her fake boyfriend until after the holiday, he adamantly refuses but when he kisses her under the mistletoe in the flower shop, they both realize that it may be time to let their resentment toward each other go and start looking toward the future.
This is a fantastic romance to read during the Christmas stresses. It's a book about small town friendships with lots of town Christmas events. The romance between Angi and Gabriel is perfect as they work to forget their past problems and look forward to spending time with each other.
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
December 3, 2021
This was a good book.
December 24, 2021
This was an ok seasonal read…more like one of the lesser Hallmark Christmas movie plots. The writing style was uncomplicated and basic, the character development poor-fair at best. This book should not have taken me 13 days to read; I just couldn’t get that invested.
March 26, 2022
Feels unfinished.
I liked this story of Angi and Gabe, but it ended unfinished. What happened with the flower shop? Who ended up inheriting it? The happy ending was left dangling, so I can only give 3stars.
I liked this story of Angi and Gabe, but it ended unfinished. What happened with the flower shop? Who ended up inheriting it? The happy ending was left dangling, so I can only give 3stars.
October 25, 2021
Mistletoe Season is the second book in The Carolina Girls series, but can be read as a standalone. This story features Anji Guilardi, who we met in Wildflower Season. Anji became a partner in Magnolia’s Wildflower Inn, as the chef and meal planner, but when her mother has a heart attack, she is needed back at the family restaurant. Trying to balance both jobs is crazy. At the same time, Gabriel Carlyle, Gabe, someone from her past has returned to Magnolia due to hid grandmother's health. He is going to try and bring her flower shop back to its former glory, until his mother informs him that it is her inheritance and as soon as his grandmother dies, she plans on selling the business. As they spend time together trying to support each other, they also develop feelings toward each other. Neither of them is ready or willing to get into a relationship, but will Christmas magic change that?
I enjoyed this story. Anji and Gabe had a past, as they were both bullied some in highschool. Gabe left to enlist and is not sure what is next for him, he does not plan in staying in Magnolia once his grandma is gone. Anji is crazy busy trying to run the restaurant, deal with her mother and not let her friend down, so has no time for a relationship, but feelings have a way of sneaking up on someone. Anji's mom is hard to like at times. She is that Italian mom who thinks she knows what is best of her daughter and that means finding her a man. She is also stuck in the past and has ideas about what is best for the restaurant and not changing anything about her memories of her husband who started the restaurant. She won't listen to Anji and bullies her to give in and give up. Of course Gabe is the perfect one for her fake romance to get her mom off her back as well as some of the nasty townsfolk from her past. Gabe's grandma is adorable. She loves him to bits and with dementia, she also supports Gabe and Anji in a relationship. All does not go smoothly in their budding relationship or in trying to make decisions in each of their futures, but eventually, they find their Happily Ever After. I really enjoyed this holiday romance and recommend it. The audiobook was narrated by Carly Robins. I have listened to other books she has narrated and am pleased with her performances. Her voices are very distinguishable and it is easy to identify who is speaking. The pacing, inflection and expression are right on. A very enjoyable story to listen to. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of the book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.
I enjoyed this story. Anji and Gabe had a past, as they were both bullied some in highschool. Gabe left to enlist and is not sure what is next for him, he does not plan in staying in Magnolia once his grandma is gone. Anji is crazy busy trying to run the restaurant, deal with her mother and not let her friend down, so has no time for a relationship, but feelings have a way of sneaking up on someone. Anji's mom is hard to like at times. She is that Italian mom who thinks she knows what is best of her daughter and that means finding her a man. She is also stuck in the past and has ideas about what is best for the restaurant and not changing anything about her memories of her husband who started the restaurant. She won't listen to Anji and bullies her to give in and give up. Of course Gabe is the perfect one for her fake romance to get her mom off her back as well as some of the nasty townsfolk from her past. Gabe's grandma is adorable. She loves him to bits and with dementia, she also supports Gabe and Anji in a relationship. All does not go smoothly in their budding relationship or in trying to make decisions in each of their futures, but eventually, they find their Happily Ever After. I really enjoyed this holiday romance and recommend it. The audiobook was narrated by Carly Robins. I have listened to other books she has narrated and am pleased with her performances. Her voices are very distinguishable and it is easy to identify who is speaking. The pacing, inflection and expression are right on. A very enjoyable story to listen to. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of the book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.
December 6, 2021
Mistletoe Season
Michelle Major
Carolina Girls #2
No one does small town poignant romances with imperfect yet heartfelt characters like Michelle Major and Mistletoe Season is a prime example. She also deals with real issues like bullying and living up to expectations sometimes at the expense of your dreams. And then there’s the family drama that she always handles with kid gloves and the pint sized lad who steals the show. And of course there’s the romance and no one reaches a more perfect Happily Ever After than Michelle Major. Any one who loves touching holiday tales featuring small towns and unforgettable characters needs a dose of Mistletoe Season.
Angi Guilardi is at a crossroads, she really wants to focus on her new catering business but her mom wants her to take over her family’s restaurant an institution in her hometown of Magnolia NC. Her mom is also resorting to making dates for her because she also wants her married and settled down. So Angi is resorting to getting a fake boyfriend for the holidays. The trouble is the man she wants is one she bullied when they were young. And now that her own son is the target of bullies she’s even more upset about what she did to fit in.
Gabe Carlyle rushed back to Magnolia to take over his grandma’s flower shop when she fell ill. Seeing that Magnolia is such a small town he’s not surprised to run into one of his childhood tormentors, what did surprise him was that she’s grown into a real beauty and a compassionate mom which is a real switch from when she was a big bully. What really blew his socks off is that he says yes when she asks him to be her fake boyfriend through the holidays.
Michelle Major
Carolina Girls #2
No one does small town poignant romances with imperfect yet heartfelt characters like Michelle Major and Mistletoe Season is a prime example. She also deals with real issues like bullying and living up to expectations sometimes at the expense of your dreams. And then there’s the family drama that she always handles with kid gloves and the pint sized lad who steals the show. And of course there’s the romance and no one reaches a more perfect Happily Ever After than Michelle Major. Any one who loves touching holiday tales featuring small towns and unforgettable characters needs a dose of Mistletoe Season.
Angi Guilardi is at a crossroads, she really wants to focus on her new catering business but her mom wants her to take over her family’s restaurant an institution in her hometown of Magnolia NC. Her mom is also resorting to making dates for her because she also wants her married and settled down. So Angi is resorting to getting a fake boyfriend for the holidays. The trouble is the man she wants is one she bullied when they were young. And now that her own son is the target of bullies she’s even more upset about what she did to fit in.
Gabe Carlyle rushed back to Magnolia to take over his grandma’s flower shop when she fell ill. Seeing that Magnolia is such a small town he’s not surprised to run into one of his childhood tormentors, what did surprise him was that she’s grown into a real beauty and a compassionate mom which is a real switch from when she was a big bully. What really blew his socks off is that he says yes when she asks him to be her fake boyfriend through the holidays.
August 31, 2021
Mistletoe Season is a wintery romance set in a small town. Michelle Major always knows how to captivate her readers and does so with her wonderful characters and setting.
Anji is a single mom who returns to work at her mother's restaurant when her mother falls ill. She is thrown back into this life and deal with the pressure of finding a man. So, when she runs into an old acquaintance from her childhood, Gabe, she feels like a fake relationship could solve her problems.
Gabe is a caring and attractive man who is helping out his grandmother at her flower shop. He doesn't expect to see one of his bullies, Anji. And he is surprised when they both land under the mistletoe and kiss. They share a kiss and it is full of chemistry and sparks.
I really enjoyed the small-town romance. Anji and Gabe don't really know each other as adults and it's interesting to see them avoid the past while trying to move forward from it. I think Anji's son is the catalyst to help them put down their walls and really get to talking. Once feelings become part of the equation, it becomes easier to imagine a life together. But it isn't as simple as it may seem. This relationship is both romantic and heartbreaking.
I give Mistletoe Season 4 stars. I think it's a great read to enjoy during the holidays. If you love a second chance romance and a small-town setting, then I know you will like it.
Anji is a single mom who returns to work at her mother's restaurant when her mother falls ill. She is thrown back into this life and deal with the pressure of finding a man. So, when she runs into an old acquaintance from her childhood, Gabe, she feels like a fake relationship could solve her problems.
Gabe is a caring and attractive man who is helping out his grandmother at her flower shop. He doesn't expect to see one of his bullies, Anji. And he is surprised when they both land under the mistletoe and kiss. They share a kiss and it is full of chemistry and sparks.
I really enjoyed the small-town romance. Anji and Gabe don't really know each other as adults and it's interesting to see them avoid the past while trying to move forward from it. I think Anji's son is the catalyst to help them put down their walls and really get to talking. Once feelings become part of the equation, it becomes easier to imagine a life together. But it isn't as simple as it may seem. This relationship is both romantic and heartbreaking.
I give Mistletoe Season 4 stars. I think it's a great read to enjoy during the holidays. If you love a second chance romance and a small-town setting, then I know you will like it.
October 26, 2021
A magical holiday season spent in Magnolia! MISTLETOE SEASON by Michelle Major is the second book in her Carolina Girls series and spreads a whole lot of holiday cheer to fans of the series. We get to enjoy Angi and Gabe's story as well as seeing old friends from the Magnolia Sisters series pop up at events as well. It's always a pleasure to spend time in Magnolia!
Angi is a really likable character and I felt for her throughout. She is a go-getter single mom who is determined to show her son a good life no matter how many obstacles she might have to cross over to get there. She wants more than anything to share her food creations far and wide, but her overbearing, guilt-tripping mother is bound and determined to keep her locked up in the family restaurant grinding away forever.
Gabriel came across as a bit of a grump in the first book, but he's actually a sweetheart. He's in town holding down the fort at his Gran's floral shop while she's recuperating, and reconnecting with his former friend turned bully isn't exactly his favorite occurrence.
I recommend this book and the entire series to anyone who enjoys a close knit small town where the residents always pitch in to make the town a special place all while a couple finds their forever love.
Angi is a really likable character and I felt for her throughout. She is a go-getter single mom who is determined to show her son a good life no matter how many obstacles she might have to cross over to get there. She wants more than anything to share her food creations far and wide, but her overbearing, guilt-tripping mother is bound and determined to keep her locked up in the family restaurant grinding away forever.
Gabriel came across as a bit of a grump in the first book, but he's actually a sweetheart. He's in town holding down the fort at his Gran's floral shop while she's recuperating, and reconnecting with his former friend turned bully isn't exactly his favorite occurrence.
I recommend this book and the entire series to anyone who enjoys a close knit small town where the residents always pitch in to make the town a special place all while a couple finds their forever love.
October 30, 2021
This author writes some of my favorite stories, especially with her Carolina Girls series and I am a Christmas Story Enthusiast (a well known secret). I fell in love with the location, the town, the people in the town (like I am buying a house there, that is how invested I am) and most of the all the characters that the author writes. She makes the reader feel like they are an actual part of the story and the reader never wants to leave.
This story is mostly focused on Angi and Gabe - two people who used to be friends, but had a falling out (OK, Angi was mean) but are trying to work together to make their families happy. There are ups and downs, twists and turns and lots of loops and curves, but the reader continues to hope that they can make it and get the Happily Ever After that they want and deserve!
The reader will laugh, yell, scream and curse at the characters but they can't help but root for them. The story is a good one and one that needs to move to the very top of your TBR list today! This is a can't miss, must read and a must read now!! Don't hesitate to grab this one and start it ASAP! It is sure to get you in the Christmas Spirit!!
This story is mostly focused on Angi and Gabe - two people who used to be friends, but had a falling out (OK, Angi was mean) but are trying to work together to make their families happy. There are ups and downs, twists and turns and lots of loops and curves, but the reader continues to hope that they can make it and get the Happily Ever After that they want and deserve!
The reader will laugh, yell, scream and curse at the characters but they can't help but root for them. The story is a good one and one that needs to move to the very top of your TBR list today! This is a can't miss, must read and a must read now!! Don't hesitate to grab this one and start it ASAP! It is sure to get you in the Christmas Spirit!!
October 23, 2021
Mistletoe Season is the second book in The Carolina Girls series by Michelle Major. In my opinion this is another outstanding read by this author. For me it was a quick read, as I just kept turning the pages one after another. Poor Anji is torned between her dreams for her future, and the family commitment she feels to continue the family business. Of course her mother is and expert at making her feel guilty. Gabe returns to town to help out his grandmother whom is recovering from a stroke, and what follows is a wonderful story about forgiveness, new beginnings and letting go of the past. I definitely recommend this book to everyone. I received an ARC from Harquelin and the author, and am under no obligation to leave a review all opinions are my own.
October 25, 2021
Thank you to @kayepublicity and @harlequinbooks for a free copy of Mistletoe Season by Michelle Major. This book comes out tomorrow, October 26th.
Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
Genre: Holiday Romance
Steph and I both agree that we are ready to start all of the holiday books! I would say if you enjoy books by authors like Debbie Macomber, then you would like this one!
Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
Genre: Holiday Romance
Steph and I both agree that we are ready to start all of the holiday books! I would say if you enjoy books by authors like Debbie Macomber, then you would like this one!
July 15, 2023
#2 in the Carolina Girls series was even better than #1! It focuses on Angi Guilardi, the single mother who wants to be there for everyone around her: her mom, son, friends, and her ‘fake’ boyfriend. As she burns the candle at both ends, she learns valuable lessons about standing up for herself and letting others help her.
December 17, 2024
I enjoyed this book even though almost all of the characters annoyed me at certain points! The two main characters decide to fake date & deal with family issues & work problems. There’s one plot thread that wasn’t resolved at the end but maybe it was in a future book.
December 31, 2024
3.5 stars
November 10, 2021
This was cute and had so many romance tropes going on (grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers, and fake dating) but they worked well. I liked the characters but they felt very surface level. The book eluded to a big showdown in the past between our two MCs where Angi completely humiliated Gabe (I mean this situation was mentioned multiple times), but what happened is never revealed. There’s a lot of telling rather than showing in this book. For example, Angi and Gabe (who are supposed to be in a fake relationship) never go out on a fake date, they just kiss a couple of times in public and hang out a few times but they somehow fall in love? Don’t get me wrong, the story was very sweet and I enjoyed the reading experience, but I wanted a little more depth especially in the developing feelings between Gabe and Angi. Also, the ending felt very abrupt. I was hoping there was a sequel coming because I felt some of the things at the end were left very open.
I loved the way Gabe helped out so much with Angi’s son. I adored their relationship and how sweet her son was overall. I also really liked Angi’s mother even though she was super overbearing. I thought she was so cute and funny.
This was an adorable holiday romance and I’d read more by this author in the future.
I loved the way Gabe helped out so much with Angi’s son. I adored their relationship and how sweet her son was overall. I also really liked Angi’s mother even though she was super overbearing. I thought she was so cute and funny.
This was an adorable holiday romance and I’d read more by this author in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2022
Seriously?!? I sloughed my way through the repetitive background on the dysfunctional family relationships of both Angi and Gabe to be left hanging with no resolution to drama with Gabe’s mother that drove him out of town before the expected HEA?
November 28, 2021
It’s officially Christmas reading season for me and I couldn’t wait to dive into this one. I loved the cover and it just screamed Christmas magic for me even if I haven’t read anything else by Michelle Major, this one just screamed read me for some reason. I know that Michelle Major is we well known romance author with quite a few series under her belt so I felt confident that I would enjoy this book by a beloved writer!
While this is part of a series, it is not necessary for a new reader to go back and read the other books. I felt right at home in the book and with the characters without having read the first book which is usually typical for most romances. It was very evident that Major is a skilled writer with experience crafting romances and chemistry between her characters. I enjoyed this one so much and actually ordered a couple of her other books to read in the coming months.
If you love holiday romances this book is going to be a great option for you. The cover is stunning and eye catching, and not to mention the story within will warm your heart and make you feel cozy and satisfied. So pick up your eggnog or hot tottie and settle in for some holiday romance with this charming read!
Normally my go to genre for romance is enemies to lovers. I love that troupe and I feel like the chemistry is always rife with tension and heat. While I wouldn’t qualify this book as an enemies to lovers romance, the characters have a history and resentment that I think makes the chemistry and tension satisfying for fans of that romance troupe but the history of a ‘second chance’ romance too if that makes sense. It’s kind of a weird mix of troupes that somehow really works. I thought that Anji and Gabriel’s history made this book exciting and created opportunities for growth from both characters but also added this layer of complexity that kept me reading. I really enjoyed this book for the characters and their history.
While this book is a romance, it isn’t a straight up romance—there are other themes and issues at play in this one. It has romantic elements to be sure but there are also other circumstances driving the characters and their choices beyond just the romance. While I love a good solid romance, I also like how adding other things to the plot builds up the romance and gives readers a reason to keep reading and engaging with the story and characters. I also loved that this one had a nice Christmas feel without being overwhelming. I hate when some Christmas novels ‘try too hard’ to being the Christmas cheer. I have read some where I am just like lord I get it it’s the holidays! And I have read others where I am like wait is this set during Christmas at all? This one struck a nice balance between both and I really appreciated that.
This was a quick easy read for me and I read it in a couple of days. I felt satisfied with the ending and since it was my first novel by Major, I was left wanting to read more by her. I loved the characters and the setting, Gabriel was lovable and sexy. Anji was sweet and while she had her own issues she works to resolve them. I loved the feel goodness of this book and I feel ready for more holiday books now. If you love contempo romance with a splash of holiday cheer this book is for you. I think this will be a hot Christmas read this year! It’s out now so make sure to pick up a copy to read!
See my full review here
While this is part of a series, it is not necessary for a new reader to go back and read the other books. I felt right at home in the book and with the characters without having read the first book which is usually typical for most romances. It was very evident that Major is a skilled writer with experience crafting romances and chemistry between her characters. I enjoyed this one so much and actually ordered a couple of her other books to read in the coming months.
If you love holiday romances this book is going to be a great option for you. The cover is stunning and eye catching, and not to mention the story within will warm your heart and make you feel cozy and satisfied. So pick up your eggnog or hot tottie and settle in for some holiday romance with this charming read!
Normally my go to genre for romance is enemies to lovers. I love that troupe and I feel like the chemistry is always rife with tension and heat. While I wouldn’t qualify this book as an enemies to lovers romance, the characters have a history and resentment that I think makes the chemistry and tension satisfying for fans of that romance troupe but the history of a ‘second chance’ romance too if that makes sense. It’s kind of a weird mix of troupes that somehow really works. I thought that Anji and Gabriel’s history made this book exciting and created opportunities for growth from both characters but also added this layer of complexity that kept me reading. I really enjoyed this book for the characters and their history.
While this book is a romance, it isn’t a straight up romance—there are other themes and issues at play in this one. It has romantic elements to be sure but there are also other circumstances driving the characters and their choices beyond just the romance. While I love a good solid romance, I also like how adding other things to the plot builds up the romance and gives readers a reason to keep reading and engaging with the story and characters. I also loved that this one had a nice Christmas feel without being overwhelming. I hate when some Christmas novels ‘try too hard’ to being the Christmas cheer. I have read some where I am just like lord I get it it’s the holidays! And I have read others where I am like wait is this set during Christmas at all? This one struck a nice balance between both and I really appreciated that.
This was a quick easy read for me and I read it in a couple of days. I felt satisfied with the ending and since it was my first novel by Major, I was left wanting to read more by her. I loved the characters and the setting, Gabriel was lovable and sexy. Anji was sweet and while she had her own issues she works to resolve them. I loved the feel goodness of this book and I feel ready for more holiday books now. If you love contempo romance with a splash of holiday cheer this book is for you. I think this will be a hot Christmas read this year! It’s out now so make sure to pick up a copy to read!
See my full review here
April 27, 2023
Mistletoe Season is one of those book where you spend most of it wanting to shake the parent. I know that sounds weird but that's what happened to me. I really love both Angi and Gabriel. But talk about issues. These two had them by the bushel.
Angi is working at the family restaurant but isn't really happy about it. Her mother isn't well but still won't let her really do anything. Let me explain. Her mother can't work at the restaurant, so Angi has no choice but to do it. She'd rather keep doing the catering for the Inn but can't just walk away from the family business.
Angi would love to change some things up at the restaurant, but her mother won't hear of it. She's only allowed to be creative at the Inn. She does so well that it's one of the only bright spots in her live other than her son. When her mother finds out she pulls the guilt card and really treats her very badly. So badly that I wanted to slap her more than once. Do you love books like that. Ones that make you feel like you could walk on the pages and really slap someone.
Where Angi isn't allowed to do much with her family business Gabreil on the other hand starts to really but the effort into his aunt's place and finds that he's good at it. Sadly, he has no plans to stick around. He doesn't want to be anywhere that he might run into Angi.
There is a ton of baggage in this story. Yes, there a lot of fun parts too but sometimes the sad parts took over the story. I wasn't' really mad about that because they had to be delt with. Gabe had to learn to forgive Angi for how she acted as a kid and see that what see did but ruining their friendship did nothing for her in the long run.
The holiday season can be a time of healing and forgiveness and that's what this story does. Angi was able to show her mother that she has talent and needs to express them. She and Gabe helped her son deal with his life, and Gabe learned about second chances and that sometimes you have to take a chance even if you get hurt doing it.
This is a wonderful story that you'll enjoy reading at any time. I would read the series in order it just helps to make each book so much better.
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October 24, 2021
Mistletoe Season by Michelle Major is the 2nd book in her The Carolina Girls series. I have become a big fan of Michelle Major, having enjoyed her Magnolia Sisters series, and the first book of her Carolina Sisters. Mistletoe Season continued this trend, as it was a wonderful story, with a terrific couple, and great secondary characters.
Anji Guilardi, our heroine, loves working at the Wildflower Inn, but with her mother recovering from an illness, Anji is stuck helping at the family restaurant. She is working overtime, between both places, trying not to leave her new friends (Emma and Mariella) in a difficult position (Anji does all the cooking for the Inn); and also help out at the restaurant, not to mention taking care of her young son, Drew. Anji’s mother makes things difficult for her, putting pressure on her handling the restaurant, even though her heart and new recipes are with the Inn.
Gabe Carlyle, our hero, is back in Magnolia to help out his grandmother run the flower shop. Gabe knows his mother wants to sell the shop and house they live in, but since she is far away, he ignores her, and puts most of his time with his grandmother. Years ago, when the was young, he had a crush on Anji, but things broke up. Now when he meets her at his shop, and despite his coldness toward her, he can still feel the chemistry between them; especially when they are forced to kiss under the mistletoe, and the sparks sizzle.
Between Anji’s mom, she pressures her to find a husband, and her son, Drew, who has become close to Gabriel, a bond begins to form. Anji asks Gabe for help to be her fake boyfriend, to get her mom off her back. Drew had become very close to Gabe, which brings him closer to Anji. Their relationship turns into a full-blown real romance, after they are both asked to run the town Christmas festival, and spend lots of time together. Gabe is also there for Anji, when he sees how much she loves working at the Inn, but is pressured by her mother to stay with the restaurant.
What follows is a wonderful heartwarming story with both Anji and Gabe dealing with their issues (both mothers). Michelle Major also created a wonderful group of secondary characters, as well as giving us a glimpse at the ladies we loved from the previous series. Mistletoe Season was written so very well by Michelle Major, with a great couple, and so many wonderful characters, many of the townsfolks, and the cute animals. I suggest your start this series, and if you have not read The Magnolia Sisters, you should start that one too, then read Wildflower Season, before you move to Mistletoe Season.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
Anji Guilardi, our heroine, loves working at the Wildflower Inn, but with her mother recovering from an illness, Anji is stuck helping at the family restaurant. She is working overtime, between both places, trying not to leave her new friends (Emma and Mariella) in a difficult position (Anji does all the cooking for the Inn); and also help out at the restaurant, not to mention taking care of her young son, Drew. Anji’s mother makes things difficult for her, putting pressure on her handling the restaurant, even though her heart and new recipes are with the Inn.
Gabe Carlyle, our hero, is back in Magnolia to help out his grandmother run the flower shop. Gabe knows his mother wants to sell the shop and house they live in, but since she is far away, he ignores her, and puts most of his time with his grandmother. Years ago, when the was young, he had a crush on Anji, but things broke up. Now when he meets her at his shop, and despite his coldness toward her, he can still feel the chemistry between them; especially when they are forced to kiss under the mistletoe, and the sparks sizzle.
Between Anji’s mom, she pressures her to find a husband, and her son, Drew, who has become close to Gabriel, a bond begins to form. Anji asks Gabe for help to be her fake boyfriend, to get her mom off her back. Drew had become very close to Gabe, which brings him closer to Anji. Their relationship turns into a full-blown real romance, after they are both asked to run the town Christmas festival, and spend lots of time together. Gabe is also there for Anji, when he sees how much she loves working at the Inn, but is pressured by her mother to stay with the restaurant.
What follows is a wonderful heartwarming story with both Anji and Gabe dealing with their issues (both mothers). Michelle Major also created a wonderful group of secondary characters, as well as giving us a glimpse at the ladies we loved from the previous series. Mistletoe Season was written so very well by Michelle Major, with a great couple, and so many wonderful characters, many of the townsfolks, and the cute animals. I suggest your start this series, and if you have not read The Magnolia Sisters, you should start that one too, then read Wildflower Season, before you move to Mistletoe Season.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
September 22, 2021
Angi Guilardi left Magnolia, NC for a career in the big city. That didn't turn out so well. The best part of that time in her life was the gift of her son Andrew even though his father wanted nothing to do with either one of them. For the first few years back in Magnolia Angi was content working at her parents' restaurant Il Rigatone. But that was their dream, not hers. Angi wanted to follow her own dream so she went into business with Emma Cantrell who opened the B&B, The Wildflower Inn. It was decided that Angi would handle the food side and be the exclusive caterer for the B&B. Then Angi's father died and eight months after that her mother had a major heart attack so Angi had to take care of her mother and manage IlRigatone. Her mom wanted Angi to have nothing to do with The Wildflower Inn so Angi had to sneak around to prep for events - but only until the end of the year. That's when Angi had to give up her dream entirely. Adding to all this chaos Angi gets talked into taking over as chairperson of the town's annual Christmas on the Coast event when her friend Carrie became too ill to do it. That's how Angi ended up spending so much time with Gabriel Carlyle who she had bullied when they were young. She sure didn't plan to bully that hot guy now.
Gabriel Carlyle returned to Magnolia after his beloved grandmother, who owns the town flower shop In Boom, falls and ends up in an assisted living facility. Gabe loves his grandmother very much. As a youth he spent summers with her when his abusive mother dropped him off. Gabe would do anything for his grandmother. So now he's running In Bloom. All the business owners are expected to contribute to Christmas on the Coast and Gabe somehow allows the mayor to talk him into c0-chairing the event. He hadn't known that meant working with Angi Guilardi. Yes, she bullied him after she started hanging with the mean girls but before that they were good friends. How will spending so much time with Angi affect them both?
Mistletoe Season by Michelle Major is the second book in her Carolina Girls series and is a heartwarming story filled with wonderful characters, lots of Christmas cheer and a couple who find they can overcome the past now that they have experienced enough of life to realize they both made mistakes. I enjoyed all the caring of friends and family in this story. Ms. Major always entertains her readers with a really good story.
Is it possible for people to overcome past mistakes and be happy again?
I received an ARC and am happy to provide a honest review.
Gabriel Carlyle returned to Magnolia after his beloved grandmother, who owns the town flower shop In Boom, falls and ends up in an assisted living facility. Gabe loves his grandmother very much. As a youth he spent summers with her when his abusive mother dropped him off. Gabe would do anything for his grandmother. So now he's running In Bloom. All the business owners are expected to contribute to Christmas on the Coast and Gabe somehow allows the mayor to talk him into c0-chairing the event. He hadn't known that meant working with Angi Guilardi. Yes, she bullied him after she started hanging with the mean girls but before that they were good friends. How will spending so much time with Angi affect them both?
Mistletoe Season by Michelle Major is the second book in her Carolina Girls series and is a heartwarming story filled with wonderful characters, lots of Christmas cheer and a couple who find they can overcome the past now that they have experienced enough of life to realize they both made mistakes. I enjoyed all the caring of friends and family in this story. Ms. Major always entertains her readers with a really good story.
Is it possible for people to overcome past mistakes and be happy again?
I received an ARC and am happy to provide a honest review.
October 29, 2021
Michelle Major has brought us back to Magnolia, NC with this fun and endearing holiday book. Angi Guilardi is juggling a lot of hats right now, mother, daughter, friend and cochair of the Holiday on the Coast Festival., and going back and forth from her parents' restaurant and her partnership with The Wildwood Inn, where she is doing all the catering, and on top of that her mother has set her up with dates she does not want, so to add to the list she needs a man to step up and be a fake boyfriend. Angie thought she was going to be able to handle it all, but she keeps falling short of her goals. But she just might have a solution to one of her problems and that is her friend from long ago, and to she also hurt when they were kids, Gabe Carlyle.
He is temporarily back in Magnolia to step into to help out his grandmother, who fell and broke her hip and had to be placed in a long-term care. He is taking over her florist shop In Bloom, getting it back on its feet. Angie agrees to help him out if he will be her fake boyfriend through to the end of the year. Angie has a tough road ahead of her to be able to get through Gabe’s defenses and to the heart that she knows is still there to the boy she used to know. It’s going to take all the Miracles of Christmas for them both to pull this off, because of course their hearts don’t know that it’s just a “Fake” relationship.
I loved this book, and Angie and Gabe are wonderful as a couple fake or otherwise. I loved how Gabe was with his grandmother and their relationship. He would do anything for her and Angie with her relationship with her mom and her son, they all tugged at my heartstrings and you felt the spirit of the season throughout this whole book. This book was filled with lots of the towns people we have read in previous books. It’s always fun to revisit with them.
This book has all the things I love in holiday romance, friendship, family and of course love with a HEA.
He is temporarily back in Magnolia to step into to help out his grandmother, who fell and broke her hip and had to be placed in a long-term care. He is taking over her florist shop In Bloom, getting it back on its feet. Angie agrees to help him out if he will be her fake boyfriend through to the end of the year. Angie has a tough road ahead of her to be able to get through Gabe’s defenses and to the heart that she knows is still there to the boy she used to know. It’s going to take all the Miracles of Christmas for them both to pull this off, because of course their hearts don’t know that it’s just a “Fake” relationship.
I loved this book, and Angie and Gabe are wonderful as a couple fake or otherwise. I loved how Gabe was with his grandmother and their relationship. He would do anything for her and Angie with her relationship with her mom and her son, they all tugged at my heartstrings and you felt the spirit of the season throughout this whole book. This book was filled with lots of the towns people we have read in previous books. It’s always fun to revisit with them.
This book has all the things I love in holiday romance, friendship, family and of course love with a HEA.
September 18, 2023
Mistletoe Season book two of the Carolina Girls Series is an enchanting tapestry of family bonds, personal growth, and a second chance at love, all wrapped up in the delightful trappings of the holiday season.
Angie, a devoted single parent, grapples with the weight of parental expectations while simultaneously pursuing her own dreams alongside running the cherished family restaurant. It’s a juggling act that tugged at my heart strings..
Gabe Carlyle, a man of intriguing complexity, his most striking feature is his huge heart. Initially gruff, Gabe’s character undergoes a transformation that will endear him to you in no time. Returning to town to assist his grandmother in maintaining her beloved flower shop, Gabe unexpectedly collides with his past.
Angie and Gabe, now adults with a shared history marred by unpleasant memories and lingering resentments, embark on a compelling journey. Witness their graceful dance as they navigate through past wounds, inching ever closer to the possibility of friendship. Angie finds herself in need of a pretend boyfriend to quell her mother’s relentless matchmaking, while Gabe seeks assistance in reviving his grandmother’s fading flower shop. Throw in an astute eight-year-old with a wit as sharp as a tack, and you’re presented with the ingredients for an extraordinary story that will captivate the most romantic of hearts.
Mistletoe Season is a heartfelt elixir that will kindle warmth within your soul just in time for the holiday season. As a first-time reader of Michelle Major’s works, I’m delighted to declare that it won’t be my last. I’ve already eagerly picked up the initial installment of The Carolina Girls Series.” And, as if that weren’t enough, this enchanting tale is accompanied by a bonus novella at its conclusion, a delightful cherry on top of an already wonderful holiday treat!
Rated 5 Stilettos and a Recommend Read by Deb!
Angie, a devoted single parent, grapples with the weight of parental expectations while simultaneously pursuing her own dreams alongside running the cherished family restaurant. It’s a juggling act that tugged at my heart strings..
Gabe Carlyle, a man of intriguing complexity, his most striking feature is his huge heart. Initially gruff, Gabe’s character undergoes a transformation that will endear him to you in no time. Returning to town to assist his grandmother in maintaining her beloved flower shop, Gabe unexpectedly collides with his past.
Angie and Gabe, now adults with a shared history marred by unpleasant memories and lingering resentments, embark on a compelling journey. Witness their graceful dance as they navigate through past wounds, inching ever closer to the possibility of friendship. Angie finds herself in need of a pretend boyfriend to quell her mother’s relentless matchmaking, while Gabe seeks assistance in reviving his grandmother’s fading flower shop. Throw in an astute eight-year-old with a wit as sharp as a tack, and you’re presented with the ingredients for an extraordinary story that will captivate the most romantic of hearts.
Mistletoe Season is a heartfelt elixir that will kindle warmth within your soul just in time for the holiday season. As a first-time reader of Michelle Major’s works, I’m delighted to declare that it won’t be my last. I’ve already eagerly picked up the initial installment of The Carolina Girls Series.” And, as if that weren’t enough, this enchanting tale is accompanied by a bonus novella at its conclusion, a delightful cherry on top of an already wonderful holiday treat!
Rated 5 Stilettos and a Recommend Read by Deb!
October 30, 2021
Angi Guilardi has her hands full taking care of her Mother who is recovering from a heart attack, her son who is being bullying at school, running the family restaurant and keeping up her commitment to the Wildflower Inn. To say she is stressed would be an understatement. Gabe Carlyle has come back to Magnolia to take care of his Grandmother who has had a stroke and to run her flower business until she gets better. Angi and Gabe have a history, they were best friends the summers he would come to visit his Grandparents, but the last summer he visited, Angi turned against him, trying to "fit in" with the "cool" kids at school. Neither forgot that betrayal for different reasons. They are thrown together working on the Christmas committee so they have to spend time together. To keep her mother off her back and not setting her up on dates she doesn't want to go on, she asks Gabe to be her pretend boyfriend until the first of the year. He says yes, he also takes Andrew, Anji's son under his wing and helps him with the bullying because he has been there. As time goes by the two grow closer, and the pretending becomes real but neither wants to admit it even to themselves. Even with a few bumps in the road things are going smoothly until Gabe's Grandmother passes away, and his Mom shows up. No matter how much Anji tries to reason with him, telling him she loves him, it doesn't work and he turns on her and leaves town. Anji and her Mom have a good Mother/daughter talk and her Mom finally realizes how she has held her daughter back from chasing her dreams and tells her she is setting her free to follow those dreams. The only thing that would make her happier would be for Gabe to come home, and after a couple of weeks, he comes to his senses and does just that. I loved the way that turned out, priceless!
November 23, 2021
All Anji wants is to grow her catering business but her mother has other plans. She wants Anji to work the family restaurant and get a boyfriend and with a child it tow adding a boyfriend to the list really in the cards. Gabriel is working his grandmother's shop while she gets the care she needs and used to be friends with Anji before she became a bully now he still has that distrust in her. Imagine his surprise she asks him to pretend to be her boyfriend to get her mother off her back and she'll help him get his grandmothers flower shop that's been going downhill. Both will benefit from the arrangement but can they keep their hearts out of it.
I enjoyed this book and if you are looking for a book that takes place during christmas time then check this book out. The whole relationship of Anji and Gabriel was pretty interesting. I mean they started as friends and eventually became his bully but while that was years ago Gabriel was dealing with the aftermath and Anji was dealing with the shame. In ways you can get why she turned that way, but it really didn't have to turn out the way and it was interesting seeing how that impacted her adult life. I mean she's in the town she grew up with and her old bully friends are in locals so you get to see how they are as well. Then theres the issue of her son getting bullied himself and going to Gabriel for a bit of help how to handle things. It was a mess but I liked seeing how everything played out. Then theres the family drama of the mother trying to get Anji up and the fake dating things. Theres plenty to enjoy about this book and recommend you lovely readers to check this book out.
I enjoyed this book and if you are looking for a book that takes place during christmas time then check this book out. The whole relationship of Anji and Gabriel was pretty interesting. I mean they started as friends and eventually became his bully but while that was years ago Gabriel was dealing with the aftermath and Anji was dealing with the shame. In ways you can get why she turned that way, but it really didn't have to turn out the way and it was interesting seeing how that impacted her adult life. I mean she's in the town she grew up with and her old bully friends are in locals so you get to see how they are as well. Then theres the issue of her son getting bullied himself and going to Gabriel for a bit of help how to handle things. It was a mess but I liked seeing how everything played out. Then theres the family drama of the mother trying to get Anji up and the fake dating things. Theres plenty to enjoy about this book and recommend you lovely readers to check this book out.
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