Mistletoe Miracles by Jodi Thomas

Mistletoe Miracles was delightful, and just what I look for in a Christmas romance. I love the three separate storylines throughout because it keeps things interesting and gives me multiple couples to pull for! I've read that this is a common thing for Jodi Thomas to do, and I'm a big fan of that. It did take me some time to get used to alternating back and forth between the stories with each new chapter, but I was good to go after a while. The stories aren't really linked in any way other than through the location they take place in. It's unique! I liked all the individual stories, but my favorite one was the romance between Jamie and Wyatt. I love the fake romance trope, so I ate this one up. I always looked forward to their chapters. All the stories are uplifting and feel-good. There's no steam, just happy swoony romance and that's what I love in a Christmas novel! Highly recommended!

It took a couple of chapters to keep straight what was happening with each couple. These stories offer romance that start with friendship. Overall this was good book for Christmas time.

This is the first book I have read in the Ransom Canyon series, but had absolutely no problems following this story. It takes place in the small town of Crossroads, with a main character that has no desire for a love story or romance for themself. For most of the book, it seems like there are three stories that are not connected at all. This was fine, as each plotline was interesting and enjoyable. Near the end there is a bit of an overlap, but otherwise, these are almost like three novellas that occur simultaneously.

I am not going to regurgitate the synopsis for you, but tell you what I thought about this book. As a Christmas story, it was uplifting and just what I love about Christmas Romances where the magic of love and Christmas enable the characters to find true love. The characters in this book are strong. They are realistic, and have feelings and baggage that readers can identify with. It is hard to let go and trust when you have been burned in the past, but Jodi Thomas does a wonderful job developing the stories to the point where it is the only conclusion. It was wonderful watching these very different characters deal with different and interesting situations that brought them to where they were when this book starts. I found myself rooting for them to find their Happily Ever After, and was sad whenever there was a roadblock in their way. As they came together, it was wonderful to see how this community supported and cared for each other. I will definitely have to read more in this series.

This is the seventh book in the Ransom Canyon series and it was three stories in one.  Three lone men who live in Crossroads, Texas meet their matches in the women they find to love.  Necessity and friendship are powerful forces to reckon with in these three very different tales that all gave me the happily ever afters I was rooting for.  The three major settings are Maverick Ranch owned by the Holloway brothers, Midnight Crossing which is in the middle of nowhere and hard to find but lived on by Jax O'Grady and the Johnson's home on the lake.  The small town feel and the businesses were interwoven into all the plots and made me feel that I was there.

The Franklin sisters were a hoot but took their work seriously to find Griff a rich wife to save his family's ranch.  He gets more than he could ever hope for even if his intended needs to hold the reins, steamrolls over everyone and has to make her own decisions.  Griff and Sunlan will have a marriage of convenience but act the part of loving each other around others or will they?  Watching them get to know each other and how they come to help and depend on each other was heartwarming.  There were unexpected twists and turns to the story but I enjoyed the way the story ended.  I also liked the way his brothers played important roles in the story as did her father which Sunlan didn't even expect!

Jax finds an injured dog after a car accident that seriously injures the driver.  Jax nurses the dog  back to health after taking him home with him and is determined to find out if "Buddy" was injured in the accident or caused the accident.  Watching the hermit, Jax, who has his own issues and healing to do, try to figure out the mystery was uplifting especially when he becomes the accident victims savior by giving her a safe place to stay when she's released from the clinic with injuries that are much more than from the accident.  The story twists and turns as Mallory and Jax forge a friendship along with her dog.  There is a nice ending to the story a year later and was emotionally rewarding.

The Johnsons - Jamie who is a teacher in the small town and Wyatt, a captain in the army, who accidentally ends up there is a cute story that had their unexpected meeting turn into a whole lot more but not with any plans for the future since Wyatt has one more mission to go back for.  He's a gentle giant and she's emotionally withdrawn but loves to talk.  Wyatt enters her life unexpectedly but makes a huge difference in it and gives credence to the story that her husband works for the government.  Watching them get to know each other and become important to each other in such a short time was all positive even without having anything to look forward to as a couple in the future.  Seeing Jamie blossom was a kindness bestowed by Wyatt as almost a way of thanking her for giving him the best leave of his life.  The story takes an unexpected twist at the end that left me wanting more.

The stories were interwoven but were sometimes confusing since different chapters highlighted the different characters.  In the end I got my happily ever afters with nice closure.  I'm hoping we'll be returning to Ransom Canyon over and over again since there's always more stories to tell.

Ms. Thomas is one of my favorite authors of stories set in the west, with cowboys and small towns.  I can't wait to see what she'll be writing next for my reading enjoyment!

Mistletoe Miracles by Jodi Thomas is a witty success. I always enjoy a good Jodi Thomas book and this one certainly is. This tells the story of three different couples intertwined in their location and in their feet. The witty dialogue will keep you chuckling, and the romance will keep you swooning.
#NetGalley

Wow - three intertwined contemporary romances set in the small community of Crossroads, Texas with couples who, for a variety of reasons, don’t believe they have any chance of finding love. This is a well crafted story, with great characters finding heartwarming romance during the festive season. It is a great read and, even though it is the seventh in the series, it works well as a standalone IMHO.

The individual romances are each lovely but the author has skilfully woven the three individual stories together to create a colourful tapestry giving a brilliant image of this community and the people and events occurring there. It is a delightful read that I have no hesitation in recommending to anyone who enjoys stories featuring a close knit community, with plenty of angst and turmoil as the romances develop.

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley. I have chosen to read it and this is my honest review after doing so.

Mistletoe Miracles by Jodi Thomas
Series: Ransom Canyon #7
Subgenre: contemporary romance
Release date: 1 Oct 2018
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises
Format: print and ebook
Length: 368 pages
RRP: $14.40 (print); $6.99 (ebook)
This is yet another delightful romance from Ms Thomas set in Texas. Ms Thomas winds the three stories together that tell of danger and love.
Griffin Holloway has to get married. Or hopefully one of his brothers will marry to save their family ranch. They are land rich but cash poor. Griff takes the step by consulting the Franklin sisters to assist with matching him with someone who is suitable for one of the brothers. The sisters find a match in Sunlan Krown. Sunlan needs to marry, and Griff and Sunlan negotiate a marital contract. She will provide the cash for the ranch and he will provide some of land for her and her horses. The biggest thing that Griff has to negotiate is meeting Sunlan’s father. There is a disaster and Griff proves his worth during the crisis.
Jamie Johnson is fairly new to the town. She is the drama teacher and is sick of being hit on by men—one reason she has moved a few times—but this time she invents a husband, who is conveniently away a lot. One night the sheriff finds an exhausted soldier in the middle of the road. His name is Wyatt Johnson and they assume he is Jamie’s husband, and take him home. Jamie and Wyatt circle each other in the house but Wyatt is willing to make the town believe he is her husband and then he has to leave.
Jaxson O’Grady used to be a fireman. Now he is a loner. He lives alone in a back-country house with his family supplying most of his needs. He is suffering from PTSD after an incident. One night he sees a car accident and as he makes his way to help the victim, the paramedics arrive there first. He does find an injured dog and takes him in. He knows the dog may have been in the car and tries to find his owner. What he finds is a woman in the hospital. A woman who is critically injured and in danger. He makes it his mission to reunite Mallory Mayweather and her dog, Charlie. In the meantime, Mallory starts to mean more to Jaxson.
I really look forward to the next Jodi Thomas book as I do know what to expect and love the different characters. The stories are sweet, and I like the interwoven stories of different characters in the town or area. These characters always have an interesting story to tell and a HEA in their future.
Reviewed by Heather

I absolutely loved this book! It was one of those books that you can't put down and I was sad when the story ended. I love all Jodi Thomas books but this one is one of my favourites. I can't wait for her next book!

Three short stories rolled up in one novel. Each story had a solid plot and could have been expanded on for a trilogy of romance novels. I enjoyed the Johnson's story the most and felt like it and Jaxon's story had more emotional depth than Griffin's. To me, Griffin's story was a bit over the top and I did not connect to it as well as the other two. Each story had a different approach to relationships. Jaxon's was a calm, concerning, slow emotional romance. The Johnson's were happy and enjoyed getting to know each other, allowing their fake marriage to set the course for a budding romance. While Griffin's story had more of a superficial feel of romance. Overall it was a novel I enjoyed.

Enjoyed this book by Jodi Thomas. She has a way of writing that shows the love that she has for Texas. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this story. Can't wait to read more from this special author.

Favorite Quotes:

If they had to carry all their shortcomings in a sack, they’d both be permanently bent over.

You’re the oldest, Griff. You go first. At thirty-four, you’re about to go from ripe to rotten anyway.

“You don’t believe in soul mates?” “Sure. Mom’s found three so far. Every time she leaves a husband, she rolls back her age like rewinding the odometer on a car. I’ve heard husband number three is closer to my age than hers.”

It must have been dark. She’s not the kind of girl you’d ever be able to pick up, so that means she picked you up. What I can’t figure out is why she didn’t put you right back down.

I had so many housekeepers growing up that I started calling them by their number. I think we were on about twenty-three by the time I was in college…They must be working through the alphabet now. The ones my father doesn’t run off, my mother fires when she flies by on her broom now and then.

My Review:

I snickered and giggled-snorted at the comical descriptions and wry humor throughout this narrative, although I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy this book as I was initially appalled by the older brother Griffin’s presented plan of saving the family ranch. He instructed his brothers of the dire condition of their finances with their only foreseeable salvation being to find and marry wealthy women within two months and using said women’s resources to save them. Eww. This proposed plan sounded extremely cold and mercenary, which it most certainly was, and I know this happens to varying degrees all the time across all cultures, but as a feminist, I envisioned applying a high degree of pain to a soft part of his anatomy. Griffin was sincere in his belief of love also, eventually, being an aspect to this plan… stupid man… but that did seem to take the edge of my pique and kept me reading.

There were actually three well-nuanced and engaging storylines occurring at the same time, with each one being quite active, highly entertaining, observantly insightful, cleverly crafted, and involved varying degrees of duplicity. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I adored this large and vast cast of quirky characters and the real-life issues they encountered. I need to work this crafty spinning of tales into my reading calendar with regularity.

Mistletoe Miracles is actually 3 little novellas intertwined into one story. The three stories are not really connected and could have been written separately, but I liked this format. I'm not sure I would really say Christmas is a huge part of book, really it could have taken place at anytime of the year. Still, I did enjoy the book and it held up well as a stand alone.

You do have to suspend some disbelief while reading this one. Each love story takes place over a month or so, so there is a lot of insta-love. Out of the three, I liked Jaxon's story the most. His was really sweet and very healing. The Johnsons was cute as well. The one I liked least was Griffin's story as I felt the least connected to the couple. I would recommend this one. It's a fairly clean romance and pretty quick read.

I’m always up for a Hallmark-y romance. Especially when Texas Cowboys are involved. Good thing I decided to read it. Mistletoe Miracles is a sweet and cozy three for one romance.

The romance between these three couples is one aspect of Mistletoe Miracles that I really cherished. This isn’t the instalove type of romance. It’s the kind of romance the builds over the course of the novel as the characters get to know each other. Of the three couples, I treasured the Johnson’s story the most. I definitely have a soft spot for a military romance, especially in this case, where both Wyatt and Jamie need some care and love in their lives.

With the three different romances, we get three different intersecting plots. Each plot really works with the different characters. Griffin and Sunlan’s story really spoke to me. Both of these characters are strong and independent people. I don’t want to spoil it for you, but these two characters show the most growth through the novel, learning how to share the mutual burdens in a relationship.

"He thought about how they’d started, both wanting to solve their own problems by getting married. Neither giving much thought to the other’s feelings. Somehow, in just over a month’s time, everything had changed."

This is the first book by Ms. Thomas that I’ve read. And honestly, it will not be the last! I was a bit thrown by the beginning of the novel (due to my failure to completely read the description!), but I was pulled into the story very early and remained captivated throughout the story. The small Texas town of Crossroads is like another character in the book. I also adored the matchmaking of the Franklin sisters. There are 6 other books in this series. Hopefully the Franklin sisters are in those books as well!

Get yourself a beverage, a blanket, and a comfy chair, and check out Mistletoe Miracles. Even without chilly weather, it’s a wonderful read.

I didn’t read the summary or the book jacket before diving into this lovely Christmas romance, so I didn’t know that I would get three love stories for the price of one. It was sort of a Love Actually feel, three stories running parallel to each other, dipping and twisting together every once in a while. Thomas did a fantastic job of making me care about each and every character (except for the bad guy) and every storyline.

This is the first romance novel that I have read where the leading ladies don’t appear until chapter 7. (Actually, one appears in chapter 3 but she is unconscious, so it doesn’t count.) I found that a bit unorthodox, but I liked the tone it set. You really get to know the men in this book, and I loved the three Holloway brothers’ banter so much! It makes me wonder if Thomas based them off of close friends or family because their hilarity is so vivid. Actually, all of her characters are so full of life and color. Not a single detail or conversation felt cliche or disingenuous.

 The reluctant and slow (although, is less than a month really slow?) love that develops between the three couples feels believable. Never was there a moment that I scoffed, ‘she wouldn’t do that’ or’ he wouldn’t say that.’ I was lapping up every detail and so sad whenever I had to take a break from reading to do something else.

My only critique is that there are some typo and type setting issues, at least with the e-book. I hope that those little blunders were caught before this lovely book went off to the printing press. Overall, I really really enjoyed this modern day western romance. I highly recommend it to sad hearts that need a smile, but also to anyone who just loves to feel the glow of new love in their soul.

This is book number 8 in the Ransom Canyon series. I've read most of the series and as with this story, they are all enjoyable. There are three different storylines in this book (as in most of her books) and I liked them all. Nice Christmas time book as well. Recommended!

I think when I first came across this book it was a cover pick for me. I've been on a hunt for a book that set during the holiday season and this book was perfect for that. The thing is I should've read more into the description because then I would've known there was 3 different stories going on in this book. When first coming into this book I was put off by that because I have a hard time with separating the story lines and confusing multiple point of views. I was assuming that it would've been the POV of each set of couples. Turns out its only the 3 main guys point of views and because they have totally different story lines I was able to pick up the differences and really appreciate the book. That was my only issue with this book.

Other then that this was a pretty great book. I loved how unique each story came. I loved getting to know the characters and back stories. This was a clean romance book so if that's something that would interests you then you should pick this book up. I do have to say I really appreciate that perk. Overall this was a pretty great book I really enjoyed reading it.

To be honest, I am mostly focused on stories of horror at this time of year because it truly is my most favorite time of year. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to review a book of Christmas romance stories, however. They are my second most favorite thing to read during this part of the year as well!

And I was not disappointed. Jodi Thomas has truly assembled three stories of love and hope. Each story, whether it was about ranchers trying to save the family ranch, a school teacher helping a stranger, or the connection between man and dog, each have a similar thread woven between them: love. These characters are examples of the hope we need in our everyday lives, but that become most apparent during the Christmas/winter months. Each story has a lasting feeling of love that will keep the reader warm throughout the year, not just at Christmas time.

I recommend this read to anyone who might feel a bit blue during the winter months, and could use a reminder of hope. I recommend this read to all readers who would like a some sunshine during the darker days.

3 neighbors, 3 different stories.

I really liked how this worked. You never know what is going to happen, especially in a small town. Three unlikely couples, how will things end up for them? This is centered around the holidays, but not necessarily a Christmas love story. I recommend it!

Jodi Thomas brings readers plenty of love, romance, laughter, and feel-good holiday spirit in this new contemporary romance novel set within her popular Ransom Canyon world. In the book, Thomas guides three separate couples on their journey to love with stories that seamlessly intertwine throughout.

I knew right from the start that I was going to love Griffin Holloway. He's hard-working, self-deprecating, a little rough around the edges, cared for his parents before their deaths, raised his younger brothers, and is full of honor and kindness. He's also clueless when it comes to women which is how he ends up throwing himself on the mercy of the town's eccentric spinster sisters to find him a rich bride. Not that he plans to take her money. He wants to borrow against it and pay her back when the ranch is doing well again. He's not a gold digger, after all. He just needs a little help. Sunlan Krown is everything Griffin isn't. She's rich, refined, highly educated, well-traveled, and comes from Texas ranching royalty. But, like Griffin, she needs a convenient spouse without all the pesky emotions. Griffin checks all her boxes. Sunlan checks all of his. But Griffin hadn't counted on how Sunlan would make him feel and nothing could have prepared Sunlan for Griffin, his brothers, and the feeling of family that she's never known. Watching these two people who thought they could keep their convenient marriage free from emotion, desire, and love gradually move from strangers to friends to much, much more was an absolute delight. This is such a feel-good story but also filled with plenty of laughs. Thomas's humor is on point here, especially in the scenes with Griffin's brothers. I adored them all.

Who can turn their back on a man wounded in body and spirit who goes off to an isolated cabin in the woods to lick his wounds? Or a wounded pup who slowly brings him back to life? Not this reader! Jaxon O'Grady is one of the good guys but a tragedy has him questioning everything about himself and his life choices. Mallory Mayweather is a woman running for her life, desperate to escape the abusive boyfriend who beat her within an inch of her life. Mallory's dog trusts the man who nursed him back to health. Can Mallory trust him as well? If anyone deserves a happy ending it's these two. Thomas uses a gentle hand with Mallory and Jaxon, two characters both struggling to recover from pain and trauma in their lives. I appreciated the fact that she took her time with their relationship as there was individual healing that needed to occur before a happy ending could be possible. And I also appreciated how the ex-boyfriend was dealt with!

Captain Wyatt Johnson yearns for a home and family, two things he's been unable to find during his military career. Crossroads teacher, Jamie Johnson took care of that little detail in her own life by creating a fictitious husband to ward off the advances of creeps like one of the male teachers at her school. On leave and exhausted from his most recent mission, Wyatt falls asleep and wrecks his car near Crossroads. The helpful sheriff who finds him staggering down the road notices his name tag, figures he's Jamie's husband come home to surprise her, and takes him to her house where he tucks him into bed. You can imagine the surprise when Jamie comes home from a school trip to discover her "husband" has come home! Now the whole town is overflowing with happiness for the reunited couple. They're strangers sharing a home but if they come clean the whole town will know Jamie has been lying to them. Maybe there's another solution. After all, Wyatt is only on leave for a few weeks. They could pretend to be husband and wife, couldn't they? Who would know?

"Stranded with a stranger" is another of my favorite tropes and Jamie and Wyatt's story is so much fun. I loved watching the two of them gradually become acquainted, then attracted, then emotionally attached as the dreams they've each secretly hoped for slowly begin to be realized. But their "marriage" has a time limit as Wyatt must return to his dangerous, top-secret life, leaving Jamie behind. Or, will a mistletoe miracle turn a pretend husband into a real one?

I enthusiastically recommend Mistletoe Miracles for a hopeful, heartwarming reading experience, not only at Christmas but any time of the year. And don't worry if you haven't read any of the previous books in Thomas's Ransom Canyon series. The stories in this book stand on their own.

Mistletoe Miracles is a heartwarming story of serendipitous love. Actually, it’s three concurrent, heartwarming tales of serendipitous love, connected only by a road and a ranch. And of course - that road and ranch are in Texas!

I can’t really explain why, but I just love the way author Jodi Thomas tells a story. I’m thinking it’s probably one of those “less is more” things. It’s good. It’s cozy. I was engaged from the very start. If I ever have the opportunity to curl up next to a crackling fire, with a cup of hot chocolate, in a log cabin amidst a winter wonderland - this is the book I would take with me.

Aside from the road and the ranch, the only thing the main characters have in common is that none of them are looking for love. Yet they each find it in the unlikeliest of circumstances. Personally, I think that’s the best kind of love to find!

**What About the Stories?**

I would love to go into more depth with the stories, but I think anything I could say would take away some of the fun, should you choose to delight yourself by reading this book. However, I will say that each story could stand on its own, yet having them together in one book seems to bounce up the “cozy-meter” quite a bit.

For such a small Texas town, it’s probably unlikely that these stories would occur at the same time, but this is fiction, and it totally works. Each story has its own climax, but Jodi Thomas did a brilliant job of having each story keep pace with the others.

**The Characters of Mistletoe Miracles**

There are six main characters - seven if you count Charlie, the dog. Each character has a unique backstory, and the backstories make it clear why new love is not on anyone’s radar. The characters are all guarded in some way, distancing themselves from either everyone, or just from people of the opposite sex.

To me, the character arcs seem like beautiful rainbows - that beauty that comes after a storm. Considering there were six pure arcs, all in the same novel…. It’s just amazing.

**Technically Speaking**

I came across some SPAG issues. For some, I don’t know if they were actually oversights, or just the result of Kindle formatting. But, in my opinion, they never took away from the enjoyment of reading this novel.

One of the things I like about the way Jodi Thomas writes is that she provides only enough description to unlock the creativity doors in the brain. It’s like you’re on the Wheel of Fortune game show. Thomas gives you a few figurative letters, and your mind fills in the rest of the description. Thus, if you don’t like the description, you have only yourself to blame.

Mistletoe Miracles isn’t really a Christmas story, but it kind of is. But that’s a good thing! If you don’t like Christmas stories, you’ll still enjoy this, and if you do like Christmas stories, you’ll likely enjoy this even more.

I can definitely see more stories by Jodi Thomas getting on my To Read list. As for this one, I highly recommend it!

(I received a free copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours in exchange for my honest review.)