One Liner: Cute!

 Raffe Harrington is happy running his travel business and being single. However, his family wants nothing more than to pair him up. To avoid their matchmaking plans, Raffe lies to be dating a certain Tilly Thorpe from a rival company, confident that he could fake breakup with his non-existent girlfriend after Christmas. 

Tilly Thorpe has done her best to not rock the boat even if means agreeing to a job that’s not a part of her admin tasks. How can she spy on a rival company and gather information? This brings her to Raffe’s home where his family welcomes her with open arms. Tilly is confused and torn. Can she get a taste of being a part of a loving family even for a short while? But what about her job and how it would affect Raffe? 

This Christmas miracle might be exactly what Raffe and Tilly need! 

The story comes in Raffe and Tilly’s third-person POVs. 

My Thoughts:  

This is the standalone eleventh book in the series. It’s my first time reading the author, so I have no idea about the previous books. However, the common element seems to be Glenbriar (a cute place in Scotland), so I could enjoy this book for what it is. 

The dual POV of the main characters is helpful, especially since it is in the third person. There’s no confusion in the voice. 

Since the entire story takes place in December, it is insta-love. However, the family presence and the Christmas vibes make it easier to understand the development of romance. 

The main characters are well-etched, especially Tilly. Her backstory is heavier and might feel repetitive but it reinforces her thoughts, doubts, actions, and decisions. Her growth does feel organic in the given context and page count. 

The romance is pretty cute with a bit of spice. Since this is very much a Hallmark-y book, most characters are easy to like (except for a selected few whom we will anyway dislike). 

The book also deals with the theme of abandonment issues. I could empathize with the character and was glad when the right answers were provided. The role of a therapist is so difficult! Not being firm enough wouldn’t help the person but being too straightforward could lead to more issues. 

There’s a bit of faith and talk of Christmas miracle as well. I didn’t quite expect that but it shouldn’t be an issue. We could do with a miracle this Christmas (I’m asking for it in advance). 

To summarize, Mix-Up under the Mistletoe is a cute, cozy, and festive romance. It shows how a loving family and supportive people can bring out the best in us. And oh… I wouldn’t mind a huge slice of that cake! 

Thank you, Rachel’s Random Resources, Leannan Press, and the author, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.