Ivy Stringer loves Christmas, lesfic, and, secretly, the fact that she shares a first name with her favorite author, Ivy Winters. With every book she reads, she hopes for her own magical holiday love story.
Kit Gunderson is back in Beaumont for the holidays and feeling more at home than she has in a long time, especially when she meets her adorable niece’s teacher, Ms. Stringer. As they bond over the school’s winter production, their distaste of holiday tacos, and Kit learning to ski, everything seems to be falling into place.
The only problem? Ivy’s poked around and figured out exactly who Kit’s author persona is—except that she’s totally wrong, and has no idea the woman she’s falling for is the favorite author she knows she could never keep her cool around, Ivy Winters.
After all, there’s no better way to meet your favorite author than by accidentally falling in love first.
My first read of the author's work and it didn't disappoint. A short, sweet Christmas romance that made me smile from beginning to end. A lover of all things Christmas (and a huge fan of lesfic writer Ivy Winters), Ivy Stringer (teacher) longs for her own HEA. Kit Gunderson (aka Ivy Winters) is back in her hometown for the holidays and to hopefully make some changes in her life. Ivy and Kit meet at school after Kit is railroaded by her sister into helping with preparations for the Christmas Pageant. Instant attraction, meddling family and friends, miscommunication, sly humor and torrid sex all add up to a well paced romance with Kit's niece Story, among others, playing Cupid....mistletoe is everywhere. Kisses and a HEA. The perfect book to read snuggled up and warm with a mug of cocoa and a slice of fruitcake. Easily recommend and one I can reread anytime of the year.
I rec'd a copy through Booksprout and this is an unbiased and voluntary review.
A charming read with lots of banter and two MC's who are meant to be!
Everything you want in a holiday read, low angst, holiday parties, meddling friends, and two adorable MC's who are flirty and thriving in their work, but just want that spark of romance to tie up their lives. Which they find in each other.
It was lovely getting to know each lady, plus their friends and family! You really root for them to become a couple - and when they do - whoa! iT'S HOT HOT HOT! One of the steamiest strap-on scenes.
My only complaint was a slight black moment of non-communication over a silly misunderstanding, that is otherwise corrected quickly. So, overall a feel-good read, that I enjoyed and kept me smiling!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was an absolutely adorable Christmas romance that was exactly what I was looking for for the festive period! It made me gush so many times and laugh out loud too. Though I did start it after Christmas, and life got in the way, meaning I read it over a fortnight, I did think I lost some of the enjoyment, but that's on me, so I'll hopefully re-read it again at the end of 2022!
Mistletoe And Ivy is a great, cozy holiday romance with lovable characters, an adorable niece, family and meddling friends. It's well written, it's funny and heartwarming. If you are looking for a feel good story for over the holidays to warm up your heart on a cold, wintery night, I recommend this book.
Lovely story that is really sweet - perfect for Valentine's Day. Single Mum is the sister but her daughter key to this story. Loved it. Recommended. Ivy Winters couldn't have done better.
This was the first book I have read by Jacqueline Ramsden and it definitely won’t be my last. 😊
I‘m not the biggest Christmas fan myself but I love Christmas stories which probably is a bit ironic. 🙈 the storyline totally intrigued me then what would want more than a Christmas story where one of the MC‘s (Kit) also is a lesfic author and the other MC (Ivy) has the same name as this exact author.
They actually meet when Kit comes home for Christmas and her sister sends her to help out her daughters teacher who of course is no other than Ivy. I totally loved their first meeting because of their instant chemistry. But circumstances lead them to believe the other is out of reach and then there are other misunderstandings that are quite hilarious.
With the help of Kit‘s family (I totally fell in love with her niece Story 😍) and Ivy‘s friends they finally start to see that the other is exactly (or maybe isn’t… 🤔☺️) the one they always wanted. And sometimes things are different as they seem at first.
I finished this story with a huge smile on my face. It has just everything you want in a Christmas romance. There are adorable main characters I fell in love with. You also get families and friends that should mind their own business (at least when you ask the MC‘s, for us readers they are perfect… 😆). There are several scenes I had to laugh out loud. Then of course cookies and hot chocolate, several mistletoes that can’t be ignored and I promise you won’t ever be cold during this book. And that’s not only because of the hot chocolate but also because of some scenes that will keep you warm or at some point hot. At least that’s how I felt. 🥵
And now I suggest you get a copy of this book as soon as you can.
I received an ARC of this book via booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a cute quick Christmas story. I really liked the premise of a reader meeting a favorite author without knowing who they were. The characters were cute together and I loved Kit’s niece, she was adorable. Would have loved to have a few more scenes of them hanging out together instead of just brief descriptions of what had happened in the week, it felt like a bit of an abrupt transition after they went skiing the one time. If you’re in the mood for a light seasonal read this fits the bill!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The writing style was not quite for me. There were some interesting interactions, but the writing of the niece, Story, was hard for me to get through. Featuring a kid is always hard because I can't relate, and if it feels too off, it can really ruin the interactions. Story was 6 years old and cycled between not knowing certain terms and trying to set her aunt up with her teacher.
It might not be for me, but if you like kids in your book and cozy winter romances you might have better luck.
People didn’t come home for the holidays and fall for someone they felt an instant spark with and everything turned out… well, rosy. That wasn’t life.
3.5 stars. This was adorable! There's something undeniably cute and cosy about reading books about books and writers. Ivy is a school teacher and huge lesfic fan, and ends up unknowingly falling for her favourite author, the aunt of one of her students. There are sweet small town vibes, a good Christmas atmosphere, some great banter. This has a plot that kinda hinges on miscommunication/misunderstanding, but in a cute rather than annoying way. The characters seemed great for one another and I genuinely liked every moment they spent together.
But gosh, my kingdom for this to have been longer. The book ends up doing one of my least favourite things in a romance; having things happen off screen and then referencing them after the fact. They were pretty big things imo, some firsts for their friendship/relationship, and it's the kind of thing that would have been really cute to see in the moment. So just getting a couple sentences or two about it after the fact ("Btw we spent the night together platonically and shared a bed.") was really disappointing. Some of the writing left a bit to be desired, and it got a little repetitive on the whole.
Nevertheless, this still did what I was hoping for: gave me a cute cheerful romance and made me smile. So, kudos.
A short and sweet holiday romance with all the sapphic pining! Add in a 5 year old matchmaker, all the cutesy hallmark-esque Christmas activities, a case of mistaken identity, and some mistletoe and you have one adorable, magical, and heartwarming Christmas love story! I adored Ivy and Kit. They instantly form a bond of friendship and as they spend more time together, it doesn’t take long for them to figure out there’s more between them. But Ivy doesn’t realize that Kit is the person behind the pen name of her favorite author, and Kit thinks Ivy is dating someone else. In typical sapphic fashion, it takes a lot of mutual pining before they are both able to admit their desires. But once they finally do, it is worth the wait! I was rooting for them from the start and think these two are absolutely perfect together! And I of course can’t forget to mention the most adorable side character and matchmaker, Ivy’s niece Story. So stinking cute! This was my first book by Jacqueline Ramsden and I will definitely be reading more!
A jewel from my TBR shelves! A cute holiday love story. Ivy Stringer is a elementary teacher who reads Sapphic romance novels. Kit Gunderson is author Ivy Winters, iVy Stringer's favorite author. Kit's 5 yr old niece Story is in Ivy's class. When Kit's sister Isabelle asks her to pick up Story and help with props for the Christmas program she agrees. Kit and Ivy work together and flirt all night. This is a cute, slow burn love story! 5 stars!
If this book doesn’t give you all the wintery, warm, soft feelings then I don’t know what’s wrong with you. The softness of the characters combined with them both being adorable idiots and their chemistry is just… yes. I loved them together. And their friends and family were just utterly amusing. The moment you start this book, you just feel right at home.
3.5 stars for this sweet, festive novella! Mistletoe and Ivy is a cosy read for a cold night, with all the best things about winter included. Must be read with a mug of hot chocolate. My favourite thing about this was, of course, the representation of confident, queer women. There’s nothing better than joyful lesfics with characters confident in their sexuality and bodies.
I really liked the plot, the thing that originally drew me in, although I wish the identity of Kit was revealed at a slower pace. The fact Ivy already knew she was a lesfic writer unveiled the mystery too quickly for me, and I personally would like to have seen a little bit more tension and suspense surrounding it all, since the mistaken identity trope can be so fun and also a cause of conflict.
The relationship was sweet, with one steamy scene that was executed really well, although it could have done with more build-up. I loved Kit’s family and wanted to be part of it, with Story playing a massively cute role. Kids always get me in a good romance! For me, the conflict of Kit wrongly assuming that Ivy was dating someone else didn’t feel strong enough as the only factor that was stopping them from being together — which again might have been rectified by playing on the mistaken identity more. I also feel like some turning points in their relationship were skipped over, and I would have liked to them.
Another reason I rounded the rating down was just because, for me, the banter between the characters didn’t always spark the way I think the author intended, and there were also lots of scenes that felt a little bit rushed with a lot of dialogue but not much else.
All in all, this was an enjoyable, romantic read with warm, lovable characters and a festive atmosphere. Perfect for this time of year!
Jacqueline Ramsden delivers with this small town holiday romance. Full of sweet moments, hopeless sapphics, friend and family shenanigans, and so much holiday goodness.
Ivy is an avid lesfic reader and a diehard Christmas fan. Kit is a lesfic writer returning home for the holidays. The two women meet and feel an instant attraction. Ivy knows Kit is a lesfic writer but has no idea that she keeps gushing about her favorite author to her favorite author. Cuteness and holiday hijinks ensue as the two women grow closer.
I absolutely love the premise of this story and how well it was developed. Small town holiday romance is always a win but add in the lesfic writer, her fan, and a case of mistaken identity and Ramsden has created a delightful tender story.
This story is incredibly funny. Kit and Ivy are adorably hopeless, The supporting characters are constantly attempting to steal the spotlight, especially the cutie Story. Matchmaking, miscommunication, and mistletoe everywhere!
Both Kit and Ivy are such amazing characters, they have a sweet connection that evolves into a terrific romance. These two are so soft and cute, They are both adorably oblivious to the fact that they are living the type of lesfic romance they are both so fond of.
This book had me laughing and swooning. Ramsden has done a wonderful job with this amazing story and these lovable characters. This is a book you won’t want to miss.
I am having one heck of a Christmas season. There are no presents under the tree yet, but the books I've read have been stellar. Mistletoe & Ivy continues that trend.
The book description pretty much tells you the plot and main characters, so I won't rehash it here. This is what you need to know: This book will make you happy. It's funny, sexy, and is just what you want to read while sitting by a fire, drinking a hot beverage. If you have cockles, they will be warmed.
The characters, both main and supporting, are loving, a bit goofy, and well, flat out adorable. There is witty repartee, a holiday play, mistaken identities, and of course, a HEA. I fell hard for this book. Occasionally, people in this book may fall hard - in love or on their butts. But, I assure you that no characters were seriously or permanently harmed.
If you don't love Jacqueline Ramsden's book, please do not bother to read any of my other reviews -- we clearly have very differing tastes in books. This author's work keeps getting better with each book. I highly recommend Mistletoe & Ivy.
There was so much sweetness in this book. A readers dream. A story about a dedicated and loving reader of sapphic romance, one writer in particular. Her writing can make her whole world. That’s Ivy. A school teacher by day who loves the holidays and looking for her perfect romance like the books she reads. Visiting home and her family for the holidays, is Kit. She is a lesbian romance writer coming home for some inspiration. She is looking for her forever love but it is not easy when you write romance for a living. When these two meet there is intense chemistry. Kit is substituting for her sister in volunteering to help with the school spectacular where her five year old niece is in Ivy’s class. As everyone around notices their little stares and smiles, they are being pushed together especially by Kit’s niece. As the friendship between them builds, their is some miscommunication that is preventing the romance to build. This story has a bit of everything in it that makes it a exciting holiday read.
Tis the season to devour some sapphic holiday romance! I couldn’t put this book down. I loved the adorably clueless sapphics and the sweet holiday backdrop. Ivy is a schoolteacher and avid reader of lesfic. Kit is the aunt of one of Ivy’s students and the two begin to bond while volunteering their time preparing for the school’s winter show. Little does Ivy know that Kit is actually her favorite lesfic author in the entire world. This story would be fun for anyone to read b/c the writing is spot on & there’s so many little moments of humor. I think I especially loved it though b/c like Ivy, much of my spare time is spent with a sapphic romance in my hand. I connected so easily with Ivy’s fantasies but also the talk of Twitter interactions with authors made me laugh b/c I’m so guilty of that. This is a perfect cozy & fun holiday romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I have had an itch this month to read holigay lesfic romances this month, and this book hit the spot perfectly. It has a great premise, and was fun, adorable, and steamy. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships a lot — both main characters and secondary cast. The “big drama” event felt realistic to me about how people might react in that situation, and was cleared up simply and quickly without unnecessary hand-wringing. This book is going on my reread list for when I need to read this type of book again later.
This is a lovely book. Romantic and well written. The child , called Story, steels the show but the main characters and context are great too. I am not sure why Ivy got so hung up when she found her new love was the great writer she'd been admiring. Her embarrassment is hard to follow. However, I read it in a day rather quickly, and then read it again. I'm sure you'll love it. I certainly did.
Ivy, the teacher, has no idea that Kit is really Ivy, the author who she's been crushing on for years. Their growing relationship is so cute and funny. All the secondary characters are trying to get them together, even Kit's adorable niece Story, a student of Ivy's. This is a well written holiday novella that's both funny and heartwarming - just perfect for winter!
I am so glad this book got recommended to me. Anyone who knows me knows sapphic Christmas romance is my genre of choice and to read a book about the same thing just tickled my fancy!! There were a few typos, but nothing that pulled you out of the story. Super sweet and perfect and that epilogue 😍
Also, unsurprising to me was the person who recommended this being such an Ivy!! Stubborn avoidants at their finest lol
I don’t know if it’s just me or the hallmark christmas movie lover in me, but falling in love with someone while visiting your hometown sounds like the most romantic thing ever. A lesbian fiction author and the biggest fan of lesbian fiction fall for each other? Sign me up! I love the how Ivy was convinced that she knew what Kit’s pen name was only to be so absolutely wrong. The smut was also a 10/10 life changing. I will definitely be reading more Jacqueline Ramden books in the future.
An avid reader meets her favorite author - and doesn't know it! They have chemistry... and then the truth is revealed. Sweet story!
I've read several of Jacqueline Ramsden's romances and so far they've all earned five stars from me. This book measures up. There are a few editing errors but the writing is solid, the characters are lovable, and the story is strong. If you like F/F romances, don't miss this one!
I just loved this cozy romance between a Lesfic loving teacher and her unbeknown favourite lesfic author. Well written dialog between the MC’s and some great secondary characters. I particularly liked ‘Story’ the niece. Good plot building, although not a difficult outcome to predict, it was still a good read for the festive season. Would highly recommend.
This is a sweet romance where a super fan of novelist Ivy Winters meets an author Kit, but never realises who Kit writes under (pen name). Both MC’s were instantly likeable as was Story the kid who had more common sense than either of them. Great book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I always love Jacqueline's books but Mistletoe and Ivy was one of my absolute favorite things to lose myself in this Christmas season. I loved reading Ivy and Kit's love story as everyone around them pushed the two hopeless women together and, as a lesfic writer myself, Kit's whole storyline was just too perfect for me.