Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! Christmas on Mistletoe Lane was an absolute GEM!

I was craving some Christmas-y goodness during the back to school blues, and this book hit the spot! Annie Rains has written one super cute novel that is a definite must read for romance lovers! Especially if you love those Hallmark Christmas movies like I do!

Christmas on Mistletoe Lane is a soft, sweet novel that moves at a fast enough pace to leave the reader breathless. It's a PG-13 novel (suggestive sex, no sexy scenes) that is packed full of romance, angst and Christmas delights! There's also some lovely side plots that give it the Christmas magic we all need (ex. Helping out an ill woman so her family can have a Christmas).

The kooky cast of characters were chalked full of hilarity - The Krespos, Paris (a biker Santa), Kaitlyn and Mitch are just some of the wonderful characters I fell in love with. Annie made them all lovable AND realistic. Each character had their own flaws, but they weren't depressing. The fact that I could easily read this book and see it totally happening in real life was awesome! It felt real enough and left me hooked to every page.

Let's get down to business here: Kaitlyn used to live in New York and be a fabulous Interior Designer. When a famous man ruins her career and shatters her, she returns to Mistletoe Lane to her Grandmother's old bed and breakfast. Her Grandmother recently passed away and left the ownership to her and a former marine, Mitch Hargrove. They work together to get the business back up and running, and slowly fall in love... Obviously, her Grandmother had more in mind for her than she realized!

This matchmaker side of the story was actually really cute! Sure, it's a trope that is used often but Annie used it well! There were so many little hints along the way that pushed these two lovebirds together, and I'm so glad this book ended WITHOUT a cliffhanger. The story felt finished, but I'm sure Annie will be able to continue their story in part in the sequels.

I really enjoyed this book. Mitch was a "broken" man who slowly finds his way back to his home town (and into a new job, post-Marines). On the other hand, Kaitlyn was a strong-willed woman who's working on getting stronger. Having these two together, bumping heads a bit, was a fun story! I definitely want to read more by Annie Rains in the future, especially this series! She makes a story full of ups and downs, but still utterly positive!

Five out of five stars!

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. ( )

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

“So.” Mr. Garrison clapped his hands together. “Congratulations, you two. Looks like you'll be business partners.”

Inheriting her grandmother's Bed and Breakfast in Sweetwater Springs, North Carolina is going to give Kaitlyn the opportunity she needs to get a fresh start. She's just been fired from her interior decorator job in New York because of a famous action movie star and she's ready for the change of pace. Unfortunately, she's just learned that she only inherited half.
Mitch has just gotten out of the Marines and waiting to start a security job in Virginia when the lawyer for the recently passed neighbor woman he used to help with odd jobs, tells him he needs to talk to him. After a car accident he feels responsible for, paralyzed a local teen, he's respected the wishes of the family that he not be in town, why he left at eighteen, so when he learns that he's inherited half of the B&B, he wants to sell. Kaityln's meddling grandmother, though, made the stipulation that they must work together for two months or the inn goes to charity. Mitch has somehow let Katilyn talk him into staying for the two months and suddenly being a grumpy loner is losing its appeal.

He was temporary, and she wasn't looking for a relationship.

Christmas on Mistletoe Lane starts off the Sweetwater Springs series and readers get to know a whole cast of characters. I thought there was going to be some sweet tension between Kaitlyn and Mitch as they worked to repair the B&B but Kaitlyn redecorating and Mitch fixing, for the most part, happens off page and not much time is spent on it. I liked the set-up but Kaitlyn and Mitch's romance was more of the “I find you attractive.” “I find you attractive.” and then sleeping together but all those scenes were fade to black. So, instead of cute forced proximity tension, we get fade to black bedroom scenes and two ships passing in the night as Kaitlyn does some cooking, some genial dealing with people staying at the inn and Mitch worrying about his mother's health, wanting to get out of town before he runs into the guy that got paralyzed in the accident, and helping out at the police department.

And she absolutely was not going to kiss him again tonight.

Even though a lot of the story takes place at the B&B, I felt like the ambiance of this old Victorian home wasn't brought out enough. I mean, it was like 70% in when it was suddenly brought up that the house had a ballroom, how did I not know there was a ballroom! This could tie-in to me expecting a lighter, fun story of Kaitlyn and Mitch repairing the inn, instead of the more Kaitlyn dealing with some fear trauma over her sexual harassment and attempted assault by her former Hollywood actor client and what chased her out of NY and Mitch worried about his mother's health and still dealing with guilt over car accident.

“Where are we going?” she asked---not that she cared.
There was a sudden urgency in his movements as he pulled her towards the exit. “To settle this thing between us once and for all.”

Since Mitch grew-up in the town, it's through him that we get introduced to a couple male characters that will certainly star in future books in the series, Kaitlyn's bestfriend Josie from New York will probably show up later, too. The secondary characters were good, they introduced us to the town without feeling like they were clogging up the story. There was a little holiday flavor with some Christmas tree hunting, festival, and mistletoe but I was disappointed with how Christmas Eve and Day didn't really feature as those days came at the end of the book.

“I have traveled the world looking for a place where I could feel whole again. Never in a million years did I think that would be right back where I started.”

Kaitlyn was focused on more in the first half and Mitch got more focus in the second, separately they were pretty well defined characters, it was together and their romance that I felt was lacking. This is probably another personal gripe but putting an adorable puppy on the cover and then not having the puppy come into the picture until the last fifteen pages was pretty disappointing. Mitch breaking things off in a little bit of a fit of temper and then waiting until the last ten pages to make right and, in my opinion, not delivering the apology he needed to, instead simply going with an “I love you.” only, gave kind of a dull ending that even the epilogue couldn't bring up. This first in the series just didn't have the magical, light, sweet, or emotional tone or vibe I personal like in holiday reads, but, I did think the series baiting characters have potential to draw readers back to Sweetwater Springs for future romances. ( )

Please see all of my reviews on my blog at https://www.robinlovesreading.com.

Kaitlyn Russo thought she lost it all. Her fantastic job as an interior designer in New York City has come to an abrupt end, leaving her with very little options. Although saddened by the loss of her grandmother, Kaitlyn is quite pleased to learn that she has inherited her grandparents’ bed-and-breakfast. Things are not ideal on more than one front. On a minor scale, the place needs a lot of work. On a major scale, there is a catch. A huge catch. She is only half-owner with Mitch Hargrove as her new partner.

When Mitch discovers he is now forced to share ownership to the Sweetwater B & B, he is none-to-pleased. When he left his hometown, it was for good. Their are very painful memories there, and he does not feel welcome. The will is very specific. If Kaitlyn and Mitch cannot make a success of the B & B, it will be forfeited to charity. So, the two create an unlikely business pairing.

Christmas on Mistletoe Lane is a delightful matchmaking story from a most unlikely source. It is very well-rounded as both Kaitlyn and Mitch each have to contend with baggage from their past that is most certainly pressing on their futures. The romance between them blooms at such a wonderful pace. Meanwhile, readers are introduced to a bevy of characters that we doubt will get to know more in upcoming stories.

Annie Rains delivers a warm story, peppered with humor, a bit of magic and plenty of substance. If you enjoy sweet love stories that will leave you feeling happy, then this book is certainly for you.

This is first book in the Sweetwater Springsseries, to be followed by Springtime at Hope Cottage, Meet Me At Sweetwater Springs and A Wedding on Lavender Hill, all slated for release in 2019. I am really looking forward to read each and every story.

The print copy of this book includes a bonus story by Hope Ramsay, A Midnight Clear, which I will review separately.

Many thanks to Forever for this ARC. This is my honest opinion. ( )

Christmas on Mistletoe Lane (Sweetwater Springs #1) by Annie Rains  
 
Rains was blessed with an empathetic voice that shines through each character she writes. Christmas on Mistletoe Lane is the latest example of that gift. Kaitlyn and Mitch tackle heartache with an appealing dose of reality and an abundance of heart. That's what makes this journey of false starts and new beginnings relatable. Mistletoe Lane is about rebuilding trust in the people around you and the person we're all meant to become. It's a celebration of the lessons that help a person grow.Copyright of Night Owl Reviews
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