Tag Archives: Meet Me Under the Mistletoe

O Come All Ye Faithful by Amelia Wilde

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview

Title: O Come All ye Faithful
Author: Amelia Wilde
Series: Beast of Bishop’s Landing #3.5
In: Meet Me Under the Mistletoe (Miscellaneous)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Contemporary romance, Dark romance
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Short story
Year: 2021

Thoughts

Starting the Meet Me Under the Mistletoe anthology is the story of Eva and Finn, but there are multiple mentions of Leo and Haley’s engagement and how it instigated a whole lot of change for their families. I love that the following story, O Come All Ye Faithful is all about Leo and Haley’s experiences of the Christmas party. As they’re a more settled couple, there was none of the will they / won’t they feelings. And there was a whole lot of contentment in their relationship. Which I seriously enjoyed.

There was a lot of the BDSM sexuality throughout this story, which I often find is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine. This is a quite intense tale, one that I absolutely adored. Even if it’s definitely the kind of story that I would prefer to read without witnesses and companions, like I said, a perfectly enjoyable guilty pleasure. Particularly as the sexuality of the story lends itself to telling more of Leo and his control impulses. It also creates a darker lens to this romance and Christmas party, one that I found dark and unforgettable.

I love that, although Haley and Leo are an established and settled couple in this story, they are still negotiating the changes in their public personas. Haley is constantly worried about how she is going to fit into Leo’s world. And I love that she figures out a way to play in his waters, helping to make his life a little easier. And honestly, just showing the depths of her love for the man.

<- HallelujahBaby, It’s Cold Outside ->

Image source: Amazon

Hallelujah by Skye Warren

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Hallelujah
Author: Skye Warren
Series: One for the Money #0.5
In: Meet Me Under the Mistletoe (Miscellaneous)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Contemporary romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Short story
Year: 2021

Thoughts

It’s been a bit of time since I last read a story by Skye Warren. And I kind of forgot how there tends to be a dark undertone to her romances. This feeling of so many secrets and horrors underlying the lust and potential romantic connections. It’s probably why she’s not an author I read constantly, but one I still like to have on my shelves. Sometimes you just need a darker story to fill your time and energy.

This short story acts as both a tale of the rich and famous at a Christmas gala, but also a beginning to the One for the Money series. It’s pretty intense and I’m absolutely intrigued by all of the drama and horrors that hide in people’s lives. I felt like the entire time I was reading these three chapters, my heart was in my throat and I was waiting for the next lot of insanity and nonsense to hit.

Finn might be a total alpha who has most likely left bodies in his wake. But it’s obvious that Eva has secrets too. And I doubt that she’s anywhere near as innocent as she comes across. This is unapologetically dark and I can’t wait to read One for the Money.

<- Meet Me Under the MistletoeO Come All Ye Faithful ->

Image source: Amazon

Baby, It’s Cold Outside by Giana Darling

Book Review, , , , , ,
Overview

Title: Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Author: Giana Darling
Series: Anti-Heroes in Love #2.5, Dark Dream Duet #0.25
In: Meet Me Under the Mistletoe (Miscellaneous)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Contemporary romance, Dark romance
Pace: Slow, Medium, Fast
Format: eBook, Short story
Year: 2021

Thoughts

This is a great bridging short story, one in which an established couple is able to get their Christmas wish and start their new beginnings. But, it’s also a story in which another Morelli starts his journey to true love and a happily ever after. Baby, It’s Cold Outside hints at so many different layers to this world that I’m keen to dive into (even if they are going to be far more intense than the stories I normally read).

Baby, It’s Cold Outside is a story which features a Mafia boss and the incredibly tough and independent woman that he marries. I honestly was expecting it to become a bit of a threesome story, but it was just a bridging tale. With lots and lots of lust to keep you warm at night. This short story might only have been three chapters long, but everything in it was filled with intensity, from the couple’s relationship and their burgeoning friendship with Tiernan.

I love that Baby, It’s Cold Outside shows the beginnings of Tiernan Morelli becoming independent of his evil and controlling father. With all of the beginnings of this culminating at the Morelli Christmas Gala, like the other stories in the Meet Me Under the Mistletoe Anthology.

<- O Come All Ye FaithfulThis Christmas ->

Image source: Amazon

Wrapped in Red by Sam Mariano

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Title: Wrapped in Red
Author: Sam Mariano
In: Meet Me Under the Mistletoe (Miscellaneous)
Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Circus, Contemporary romance
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Short story
Year: 2021

Thoughts

I’m not really sure how I felt about this short story. I mean, it was a little bit cute with a happily ever after. But, Lee was a little bit too controlling for my tastes. I love a good Alpha male, but this tripped over into a whole other region for me. A story that I mostly enjoyed, but one that I probably wouldn’t bother reading again if I’m being honest.

Along with Lee being a bit too controlling, I found Georgia and her unrequited love to be a little bit sad. There’s plenty of romances I read with unrequited love, but these people tend to have a will of steel about them. Or at least a reason for understanding the space between them and the focus of their affections. I didn’t really get that feeling with Georgia and Lee. He just treats her like nonsense, and she sticks it out? Not my favourite romance is definitely what I’m saying here.

As much as I didn’t love this short story, I also didn’t hate it. It was fairly easy and enjoyable to read. And honestly, it was the most Christmassy story in the whole of the Meet Me Under the Mistletoe anthology so far. An enjoyable diversion, just not one I would look at repeating.

<- This ChristmasO Holy Night ->

Image source: Amazon

This Christmas by Theodora Taylor

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Title: This Christmas
Author: Theodora Taylor
In: Meet Me Under the Mistletoe (Miscellaneous)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Contemporary romance
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Short story
Year: 2021

Thoughts

I really want more of Josh and Neisha, this is their beginning and honestly, I want more of them. However, the link in the Meet Me Under the Mistletoe anthology wasn’t working, so I’m just going to have to try out some more Theodora Taylor books in the meantime. It’s not exactly disappointing to have another intriguing author on my TBR list. I also love that unlike the preceding short stories in the anthology, This Christmas only has a brief appearance at the Morelli Christmas Gala. One that is just the culmination of the tale, not the integral part. And it doesn’t actually involve a Morelli.

Even though Neisha is honestly borderline stalkerish with her obsession and Christmas cards. I like that she is able to recognise that her behaviour is not exactly healthy. And ultimately tries to pull away and move on positively afterwards. It may not quite work. Particularly as her yearly Christmas cards are what wins Josh’s heart. But it’s always nice when an obsessive character recognises how unhealthy their behaviour actually is. Plus, there’s a whole heap of history between them that Josh doesn’t even recognise. Honestly, just writing this makes me want more of their story!

Even if I struggled to find the next story for Josh and Neisha, I love that there are other couples in this world that I can dive into. There is so much I wanted to unpack in this short story that I’ll probably read again. I can’t imagine what reading a novel by Taylor will be like.

<- Baby, It’s Cold OutsideWrapped in Red ->

Image source: Amazon