Blame It on the Mistletoe

Sweet Plains, TX #2

by Marina Adair

For one lonesome cowboy, an icy cold Christmas back at the ranch brings the coziest kind of trouble . . .

To claim his slice of the family ranch, Texas Ranger Noah is forced back to Tucker’s Crossing. All he expects to find is a tractor load of painful memories—until a holiday storm, a power outage—and perhaps the magic of Christmas—deliver him to rescue an intriguing woman named Faith. But just who’s rescuing whom?

Previously appeared in the anthology Christmas Kisses with My Cowboy

Genres: Romance, Christmas, Fiction, Holiday, Contemporary, Westerns, Holiday Romance

140 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 26, 2021

About the author

Marina Adair is a New York Times author whose fun, flirty contemporary romances have sold over a million copies. She has hit #1 overall in Amazon Kindle Paid and her St. Helena Vineyard series was optioned and made into the original Hallmark Channel Vineyard movies: Autumn in the Vineyard, Summer in the Vineyard, and Valentines in the Vineyard. Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She holds a MFA from San Jose University and currently lives in Northern California with her husband, daughter, and two neurotic cats. Please visit her online at MarinaAdair.com and sign up for her newsletter at www.MarinaAdair.com/newsletter.

TikTok: Tiktok.com/@marinaadair

Instagram: instagram.com/authormarinaadair

Facebook: facebook.com/marinaadairaauthor

BookBub: bookbub.com/authors/marina-adair

Reviews

[Christi · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute, short and sweet

[Rachel-RN · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*
Noah's history with his small town was get the fuck out when he turned 18. Faith's was to stay when she dropped out of college to care for her 3 yr old brother (Pax) when their mom walked out. She's done her best to give Pax the life she wishes she had. She (and Pax) are judged by some in the town based on who their parents were (dad was ex-con and currently in jail for shooting a police officer and mom hopped from guy to guy).
They fall for each other and have their relationship tested when Pax is accused of something he didn't do. This was sweet and clean. Kissing only.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cheesy Christmas romance is not my genre, especially when if leans into too many of the steriotypical rom-com tropes. This also had too many holiday themed innuendos like he liked the way her jingles bell jiggled under her shirt (it may not be that exactly but it was that bad). It also had way too much going on for a novella.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overly cheesy, raunchy puns in all the right AND wrong places in too many places, and all the worst Hallmark holidays movies rolled into this short story.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one novella in “Christmas Kisses with My Cowboy”, which is the book’s title. The three novellas each have a title of their own, which I suspect makes listing and posting reviews a little complicated. I liked this story quite a bit. It concerned lots of family and small town dynamics, which I really enjoy. Especially when most of the characters are people I would like meet.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book very much and really want to read & review this book in print format. This book is full of romance, action, page turning reading you won't want to book down. Look forward to reading the author's others books.
recommend this book and hopefully get to read it again in print format

[Patti Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marina Adair has done it again and has given her readers another incredible romantic comedy! I thoroughly enjoyed Blame It on the Mistletoe the second book her Sweet Plains series. It was an incredible story and I loved reading every moment on every page and could not put it down. She provides her readers with the amazing characters, that I loved, who feel like close friends! Marina Adair continues to show with Blame It on the Mistletoe that she is an incredible storyteller. One of my favorite things that I love about Blame It on the Mistletoe is how Marina Adair incorporates the title of the book into the love story, with a simple statement from Faith at the end of the story. Who doesn't love hot sexy men, strong females, loving families, and friends, who always support one another, they are all such wonderful characters? Her characters in Blame It on the Mistletoe are so believable and charming, they share great chemistry, lots of laughs, and steamy romance. Blame It on the Mistletoe delivers all those things that I love most about Marina Adair’s romantic comedies. I love that Marina Adair writes from the perspective of the two main characters. I enjoy getting to see things from the viewpoints of the main characters. Blame It on the Mistletoe is filled with heartbreaking and heartwarming moments. I love the lighter moments where I find myself smiling and laughing out loud. My favorite moments are the ones that pull at my heartstrings that cause me to sigh, as I read the heartbreaking moments. Blame It on the Mistletoe is filled with all those things that I have come to love in a Marina Adair romantic comedy love story, especially the poignant and bittersweet moments that filled this page turner. Blame It on the Mistletoe is a love story between Noah Tucker, Texas Ranger, and Faith Loren. Faith is the legal guardian to her younger brother, Pax, who is friends with JT. Noah has returned to Sweet Plains to reunite with his brother Cody following the reading of his late father, Silas’s will. Noah had an estranged relationship with his father because of Silas’s toxic and abusive relationship with his sons following the death of his wife. Noah and Faith meet when Faith is decorating a tree in front of the Sheriff’s station, as the Sweet’s Secret Samaritan. Later Noah brings a generator to her house following a power outage while baking cookies. Most of Faith’s life she has been trying to repay the sins of her father, a felon, and her stepfathers, which is the reason she is baking gingerbread cookies. I love the chemistry between Faith and Noah. As Noah and Faith spend more time together, and things begin to change between them. I love all the things that Noah does for Faith, even though Faith believes that Noah will return to Austin soon. I love the heart-to-heart conversation between Noah and Faith, where the shares secrets with Noah that she has not shared with anyone before. Then an unexpected plot twist changes things between them and truly shows Faith’s vulnerable side. Noah realizes that he needs to prove to Faith his love and that he will put her first. I love the amazing chemistry between Faith and Noah, and that it was more than chemistry, it was love. I love the characters and the family dynamic in Blame It on the Mistletoe, the characters feel like family and friends. I loved catching up with Shelby, Cody, and JT. Who doesn’t love family and friends that always have each other’s backs? Blame It on the Mistletoe is filled with all those things that I love in a romantic comedy, incredible characters, amazing story, light, poignant and bittersweet moments, and surprise plot twists. Marina Adair did not disappoint in her delivery of those things. I love how she resolved the surprise plot twist; it was truly a heartwarming moment. I am so looking forward to reading the other books in the series. Blame It on the Mistletoe was an amazing love story and I highly recommend it.

[Elle Kishia · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ★★★★★

A man in uniform... check.
An adorable height difference between hero and heroine... check.
A wholesome small town love affair... check.
A light, feel-good Christmas read to get you into the Christmas spirit... check.

Faith is one of the most selfless and hardworking heroines I have ever read. She would always give more than she would receive, never putting her interests first before anyone else and never stopping until she could do good to other people. Still there is one thing that she refuses to just give away freely... her heart. So when this "ten-feet" giant named Noah who happens to also be handsome, gentle, and patient appears to steal her heart, I cannot help but root for her to finally accept the love she has always deserved.

Revolving around Christmas, reading this book just felt so comforting and warm to me. I really appreciate anything that could make me feel the Christmas spirit no matter what month of the year it is and this one definitely delivered (it being a lighthearted romantic read is an added plus!) So really, it does not have to be the Christmas season for one to enjoy this book. If you love the Christmas holiday or romance novels, or both, like me, I recommend checking this one out.

[Lisa Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet Christmas romance with a touch of comedy written from the perspective of the two main characters. The story pulled me from the start, and it was very hard to put down. This is the story of Faith, a loner by choice, and Noah, in town for a short time to help his brother, and their journey to their happily ever after. Marina Adair brought the town of Sweet Plains to life as well as the whole cast of characters. This has all the elements of a great story: a sexy man, a strong female, strong family ties and supportive friends all tied together in a small town. If you’re looking for a quick holiday read, you won’t regret picking up this book.

I look forward to reading the rest of the Sweet Plains series as well as other offerings from Marina Adair.

I won this book in a giveaway directly from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Bette Stanek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blame it on the Mistletoe is the second book in the Sweet Plains, TX series. I felt more emotionally involved in the first book, Tucker's Crossing, than I did in this story. Noah is the "missing" brother of the Tucker family. He has very good reasons for not returning to his childhood home. Faith thought she had left Sweet, but returned when she was given guardianship of her younger brother, Pax. She had more than enough reasons to stay out of Sweet, but her brother's welfare negated all of her personal reasons.

In the first scene, Sweet's Samaritan, also known as Faith, is caught by Noah, the TX ranger who has come home to help his brother. The meeting is awkward and hilarious. That is the meeting where these two characters begin to heal. Blame it on the Mistletoe is a short, cute, and sweet holiday story that you'll enjoy.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Noah and Faith’s Christmas romance unites a swoon worthy Texas Ranger and a beautiful young woman moonlighting as a secret Samaritan he dubs the sexiest elf on the shelf. Their story is loaded with creative and flirtatious holiday euphemisms that add to the holiday cheer but the psychological scars they carry from the past are no laughing matter. Noah fled town for the military as soon as he turned 18 and Faith returned to raise her abandoned, much younger brother Pax. I liked Noah’s flirtatious charm and his steady pursuit of Faith just as much as I liked Faith’s feisty personality and her dedication to righting the wrongs of the past. It’s an emotionally compelling story with memorable characters that engaged my heart and left me wishing I could spend more time with them.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, I'm a sucker for a good holiday novella, especially one that opens as this one did, with Faith, our heroine, dressed in an elf costume and stealth decorating an open air Xmas tree in front of the sheriff's office. While doing so, she meets Noah, a Texas ranger, in town just for the holidays to help out his brother. Both Noah and Faith are fighting unpleasant memories from the past and an upbringing with difficult parents, but this is still a low angst, sweet holiday story that made me want to read the rest of this series. I won a free copy of this book in a GR giveaway and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I previously have read other titles by this author and was excited to be given this chance to read this short and sweet one.

I had a hard time reading this without hearing a cringeworthy over the top Texas accent. Maybe some will love this style of story but I did not connect with it. I felt the cheesy nicknames were too much and the plot needed some development. Maybe if the book were expanded and had removal of some of the cheesy parts it would be a better story.

I was graciously awarded this book as a Goodreads Giveaway.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Blame it on the Mistletoe as part of the 3 book set, Christmas Kisses with my Cowboy. I enjoyed Noah Tucker and Faith Loren's story that takes place in Sweet Plains, Texas. Noah is a Texas Ranger. His brother has asked him to spend the holidays at Tucker's Crossing. While back home, Noah gets reacquainted with Faith, whose brother, Pax, is a friend of his nephew, JT. Faith is raising her brother because of her dysfunctional family. This story has interesting main and secondary characters and lots of Christmas cheer! It was well written and entertaining.

[Alethia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blame It on the Mistletoe

This book was sweet and wonderful with a bunch of layers to pull back on both Faith and Noah. I feel like I could gush about how much I loved it, but I’ll keep it short. If you’re looking for a cowboy romance book with a Christmas of what feels like miracles with a wonderful main pair and awesome side characters, pick this book up and enjoy.
I was lucky enough to get my copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.

[Amanda Pecotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Marina Adair's writing style. This book gave me so many emotions as I was reading it but the biggest emotion was laughing. It was such a good read. I couldn't put it down. Marina Adair is definitely an author that I will keep reading. I would highly recommend reading this book and all her other works.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic love story

Hard hearted female meets small town cop. Her, too busy raising her brother and working two jobs to worry about herself. Him, too involved in his job to have extra time to give. Both of them are dealing with family pain at Christmastime. Will they let their guard down long enough to help was he other heal?

#GoodreadsGiveaway

[patti meis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mushy, sentimental, corny, just wonderful!

Bought all the goofy dialog, sophomoric double entendres, and sweet tea Marina serves up! Just the perfect read to keep you smiling whenever you think about these characters and this idyllic town. Fairy tales brighten every sour day. Would recommend this heartily!

[Marybelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a nice story with believable, but slightly two dimensional characters. I know it’s meant to be a short story, but I would have liked the climax and resolution to be a little more exciting. Otherwise, it’s a sweet Christmas romance that leaves the reader with a warm feeling at the end. It would make a great story for a snowy evening by the fire.

[Sandra Lockhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blame it on the Mistletoe by Marina Adair was a short story about the second Tucker son< Noah and his return to Sweet Plains, Texas, in time for a two week holiday over Christmas. On the day he arrives, he sees a Secret Santa's Elf decorating the sheriff's Christmas Tree. When Noah talks to Faith, he sees a reason to get to know this little elf.

[Elise Weitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to confess that I usually don't read Christmas related books but, Marina Adair's, Blame it on the Mistletoe, is a heart warming and thoroughly enjoyable holiday story. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this novella.

[ReneeB · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read. It was a quick read, but it had all the Christmas warmth. There was such electricity between the main characters. I couldn’t help pulling for Faith.

Thanks to Goodreads and Marina Adair for the giveaway.

[Mary Lehnertz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect Christmas story for the busy schedule

I loved the characters in the book and could envision gingerbread baking in my own home as I read this book. Short and sweet but a delight to read. Thank you for the advanced reader copy.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Marina Adair for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This was a cute and sweet romance/comedy story. It's part of a series and it certainly made me want to read the rest of the series.

[Angella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Noah deserved a longer book exploring his love journey. This was mostly about Faith with him as an after thought. I loved Cody's story so much that I was looking forward to diving into Noah. Then just as it was turning a corner it ended. Bah!

[Joann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved the story and look forward to reading more from this author-Marina Adair. Thank you Goodreads for this book.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute Christmas story.

[Nancy's Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5.
Kind of a cute, simple read but the set-up took so long, then a conflict, followed by a swift resolution. The conflict and resolution needed part of the character building as well.

[Merle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Running from love can work, but two stubborn people end up running toward each other instead. Mistletoe and holly, ginger bear cookies and hot cocoa are their magic weapons.