Mistletoe in Paradise

3.5 ⭐<br /><br />I enjoyed this. Steamy Christmas romance. Not cheesy, but cute. It is light and fun. The characters are good and I sure like them! <br /><br />Mistletoe in Paradise is my second Jill Shalvis book. The first was also a Christmas short story.... I should start reading her full length novels!

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.<br /><br />I have been a fan of Jill Shalvis ever since I read her Heartbreaker series. Since then, I jump at every opportunity to read her books. Therefore, when the offer to read and review Mistletoe in Paradise appeared in my email, my response was an automatic yes. A point to note, despite this being a part of the Wildstone series, it can stand on its own.<br /><br />Set on a boat, sailing the Caribbean Sea, Mistletoe in Paradise provided me with a sweet, second chance, friends to lover’s romance. In this story the reader met Hannah, her step-father Harry and James. <br /><br />Now Hannah and James have been friends since childhood and as the years went by their feelings for each other developed beyond friendship. However, losing someone close to them both coupled with their thirst for different things in life led to them drifting apart. A few years later, Hannah is a workaholic with no social life and no time for relationships. She lives for her work, and so she was far from amused when her mother’s actions placed her in a position of delivering bad news to Harry, while spending time with him on his boat for the holidays. To make the situation worse, James would also be on the trip, not what she had signed up for.<br /><br />I had a wonderful time with this novella. I laughed, and I teared up watching James and Hannah trying to deny their feelings and realizing that it was an exercise in futility. Time and distance in no way dimmed the spark which existed between them. <br /><br />I admired Hannah for her dedication to her job, but she needed to find some balance. I loved the fact that they communicated with each other and in the process managed to resolve the issues that initially tore them apart. The question is though despite coming to terms with their past, will their relationship survive the current situation given their different lifestyles?<br /><br />Fans of the author will enjoy Mistletoe in Paradise, and for readers who enjoy short and sweet romances, then you need to get yourselves a copy.<br /><br /><a href="https://totallyaddicted2reading.bookblog.io/2020/12/review-mistletoe-in-paradise-by-jill-shalvis.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading</a>

<b>I want a yearly trip to <i>Paradise</i>…</b><br><br>The one thing I can count on when reading a <i>Jill Shalvis</i> romance is that her characters are not bloody idiots. Well, they are not complete idiots. Her characters use their brains to work out problems, communicate (eventually), and don’t let their hormones overrule their common sense. Even if there is a bit of silliness, most of the times it has been in their pasts and they’ve subsequently outgrown acting first and thinking later. In <i>Mistletoe in Paradise</i>, both Hannah and James needed this second time around to get things right. Maturity has made them see things in a different light and their devastating loss, while still painful, isn’t a fresh open wound.<br><br>This story was not at all what I was expecting. When I was introduced to Hannah and James, I thought it was all about the workaholic being forced into close proximity with her ex who also happens to be a lothario. I absolutely loved that I was completely wrong. Hannah works extremely hard but that’s because her dedication to her job can save lives. James seemed like he was a bit of an adventure junkie who put having fun ahead of work. It just so happens that James does have fun <i>while</i> working … and in his spare time (which he has little of), he helps run the family business. These two have known and loved each other for a long time but they don’t really <u>know</u> each other or trust that their feelings are more important than their jobs. <br><br>As short stories go, this one did a good job of leaving me satisfied. The storyline was interesting, the characters were lovable, and there was enough heat to 'see' their connection. I think my only complaint is that I would have loved 5 minutes with Hannah's mother for James (OR SOMEONE) to give her a bit of a gobful. That woman was a piece of work and while Harry (Hannah's step-dad) was a bit dodgy, he had a big heart and at least he admitted to Hannah that he did her wrong.<br><br>It’s a <i>Jill Shalvis</i> so of course, I enjoyed it. Her stories are just so easy to escape into and I’m always left wanting more. If you haven’t tried this author yet, <i>Mistletoe in Paradise</i> might be the perfect introduction to her wonderful stories.<br><br><i>Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.</i><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1548709401i/26982519.jpg" width="300" height="300" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy">

3.5 - <b>"You're stuck with me... More than just for Christmas."</b> Stars!<br><br>We return to the <i>Wildstone</i> series with book 5.5 not actually taking place in <i>Wildstone.</i> Hannah and James's story takes place on a yacht, and after six years and several trailer loads of personal baggage between them, it's time for the pair to face their past decisions, and feelings for each other. <br><br><b>"I missed this... And you... I missed you."</b><br><br>I love a good second-chance reconnection Christmas story, especially when written by one of my favourite authors, but if I am being totally honest <i>Mistletoe in Paradise</i> lacked a lot of the usual seasonal sparkle I have come to associate with Jill's Christmas novellas. <br><br><b>"It's complicated..."</b><br><br>For me, Christmas didn't massively figure in this one, and the heavy issues both characters are dealing with both in the past between them, and their individual reasons to currently being on the boat took away the lightness of story-line I prefer with my seasonal reads. I love a good novella, but this story had enough going on with it that I think it would have worked much better as a full length novel.<br><br><b>"You're allergic to confrontation..."</b><br><br>That-said it wasn't a struggle to read, I liked James and Hannah, I just would have preferred all of their emotional baggage to have been given to different characters to deal with in a full length book.<br><br>ARC generously provided by the author, in exchange for the above honest review.<br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1457954696i/18425325._SX540_.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy">

Mistletoe in Paradise is a fun, second chance romance between childhood sweethearts James and Hannah. These two have basically been in love forever. They wind up on a boat headed toward Puerto Rico together along with Hannah’s stepdad for Christmas and we know I love me a good close proximity romance. In true Christmas romance fashion this is a story about living in the moment; slowing down with work and obligations and being present for yourself and those around you who love you.<br /><br />Hannah and James lost someone they were both very close with and I like that they both chose paths that honor that loss but are both unaware of it. I liked seeing that come out in the story. Jill Shalvis can do no wrong in my book! Thank you so much to her and Avon for the opportunity to read Hannah and James’s book early!

A short novella, nr 5.5. But I have no idea what has gone on before, and I did not feel like I had missed anything for a second. It worked really well as it was.<br /><br />Two former best friends, and more, meet again. Stuck on a boat. Dealing with each other and their lives.<br /><br />James wanted to live and go his own way. His brother died and regretted not doing just that.<br /><br />Hannah works too much, and does not live at all.<br /><br />They talk, become friendly again and more. Oh and deal with her dad on the boat too.<br /><br />Sweet little story about finding each other again, and more meaning in their lives.<br /><br />Nice narrator. Good with both their voices , I do like distict voices.<br /><br />

I don’t know about y’all but I have seriously struggled with my reading the last few months. I can’t focus, I’m easily distracted and I start 7 new books a day and then don’t go back to them. I decided to start this Christmas novella on a whim and it’s seriously one of the first books I’ve read in one sitting in months. So if you’re looking for a book that will get you out of your own head for a couple of hours and whisk you away to somewhere else check this one out. It’s got a second chance romance, forced proximity and a beach during the holidays, plus the authors trademark humor, wit, heart and steam.<br />⁣

It was …… fine. The connection to Wildstone was barely a thread and like all novellas, everything was shallow and rushed to fit it all in.

2,5⭐

Reviewed for <b> <a href="http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2020/11/review-mistletoe-in-paradise-by-jill.html" rel="nofollow noopener">Wit and Sin</a> </b><br /><br /><b> <i> Mistletoe in Paradise</i> </b> is fast-paced, sensual, and heartwarming. Former best friends turned secret ex-lovers? Yes, please! Jill Shalvis puts her own spin on tropes I could gobble up like a holiday treats and adds a beach backdrop, sealing the deal on this being a great escape read.<br /><br />Hannah comes off like a workaholic at first and James an adventure junky who only lives in the moment. These qualities may seem defining but it barely scratches the surface of who each of them are. I loved peeling back the layers of both Hannah and James’s characters, learning their emotional scars, and seeing how the past – particularly a terrible loss – shaped who they are in the present. It’s understandable why things went wrong for them in the past and I liked that they actually talked and worked through what they wanted, explained why they acted and reacted how they did, and built on the love that had never gone away but was just waiting to be nurtured. There are ups and downs in both romantic and familial relationships over the course of this story and I enjoyed watching how things played out. Ms. Shalvis packs a lot into a relatively short space but does it so smoothly that it’s easy to just fall into this story. <b> <i> Mistletoe in Paradise</i> </b> is a fun escapist read, but it also has humor, heart, a bit of spice, and character depth that make it a lovely, well-rounded romance.<br /><br /><br /><i>FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>