This is quite a good story, set in the English Countryside. Laurel is an artist, a native of Middledip. She has been living away for many years, but following a divorce, and feeling that her sister and niece need her, she temporarily moves back to Middldip.
Once back she has to confront a painful incident that occurred long ago, and alsoGrady, her long ago boyfriend and his brother, the perpetrator of the incident that has caused Laurel so much pain over the years.
The sparks still fly between Laurel and Grady, but can Laurel reconcile her feelings about what happened enough to make a future with Grady? This is a gentle interesting novel with a Christmas theme running through it. Thanks to Avon books UK and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel.

After a divorce, Laurel returns to the village of Middlemip and becomes re-acquainted with her old flame, Grady Cassidy and his brother, Mac.

I felt completely invested in Laurel's story and was willing her to let go of the past and let herself have the happy ever after ending she deserved.

Sue Moorcroft never dissapoints. Filled with both funny and heartwarming moments, the author takes us on an an emotional rolleercoaster while sensiively tackling issues like agorophobia, Infertility and sexual assualt.

Thanks indeed to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The cover indicates a light, festive read, but what we have here is much darker. TW: sexual assault, bullying, agoraphobia, infertility. I think it would have worked better if just one of these issues were focused on and the rest were dropped. It's a bit much and some of it is needlessly melodramatic.

There are some lovely, cosy things in here. I enjoyed the scenes where Christmas festivities were the main focus. I think the issues of agoraphobia and infertility were handled with great sensitivity.

I think my main issue was the sexual assault misdirect. The details of the assault are held back from the reader for quite a while, forcing us to draw our own conclusions. Once the details are revealed, they are different from what the reader expects, which I think actually belittles what has happened, which is serious enough. The male who had a part in the assault is treated with much less grace than the female who had a much bigger role, which also strikes me as problematic. There is a lot of female-on-female hatred in this book.

In terms of the writing itself, it's mostly pretty good. Moorcroft can write a tasteful, but steamy sex scene although the pacing here feels a bit slow. My only other complaint is that some of the dialogue is a bit stilted and too formal.

Regardless of my 2 star review here, I would definitely pick up another Moorcroft in the future. I adored Christmas Wishes last year and I'm sure she has other books that I would love.

Another fabulous trip to small town Middledip. This was a fun and romantic read in a picturesque little town. It does cover the topics of bullying and trauma and is done very well. The town itself with send you into the heart of christmas with all the fairs and crafting and snowy atmosphere. I enjoyed this winter romance very much. Gave me all the Hallmark feels.

this author never fails to deliver this is a geat christmas book the story is so easy to get into and so enjoyable with a happy ending would recommend a good read for anyone

Sue Moorcroft and her books are a frequent visitor to my blog – you will find several reviews of her books from recent years here as well as a few guest posts- all can easily be found from the index. A Christmas book is always a delight and I have to thank Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources for the tour invite and the publisher for the copy to review.

In Under The Mistletoe, we return to the idyllically described village of Middledip, the centre of several previous stories. Although some characters make a welcome return appearance, it is absolutely not a requirement to have read any previous books as each one can be read as a standalone.

Troubled but successful artist Laurel Hill has returned to Middledip to support her struggling older sister Rea and young teenage niece Daisy. Laurel had left the village suddenly as soon as she could nearly twenty years before. The past associations with the village were not altogether happy ones and it really isn’t somewhere she had any desire to return to but family loyalty and circumstances have sent her there.

Laurel’s return to the village isn’t problem free. The first thing she has to do is confront the ghosts of her past – the Cassidy brothers. One she used to love and the other she hated; she has certainly not forgiven nor forgotten.

As ever with a Moorcroft book, nothing is straightforward and here a happy outcome certainly wasn’t guaranteed. Because Laurel’s feelings of hostility ran so deep, I didn’t even know if there would be a HEA for her, the chasm between the reality of what she wanted and the reality of the situation seemed far too wide to ever be bridged. Watching her struggling to get some kind of perspective on her feelings about the past whilst dealing with outside interference on her present situation, I did feel for her.

This is a wonderful uplifting read with endless Christmas spirit and charm. Crafty villagers who with their various talents and Laurel’s artistic help turn Middledip into a festive feast of arts and crafts for the month of December with festive wreaths, intricately decorated gourds and stunning artwork. Balanced against the feel-good factor however is a story that includes mental health issues, varying degrees of bullying and assault as well as marital problems. Such matters are however sympathetically woven into the story with sensitivity.

With many excellent supporting characters as well as the highly engaging main ones, it is rather difficult to single out any particular ones for credit however fourteen year old Daisy was a delight and in some aspects surprised Laurel with her maturity. There was one character that made me grind my teeth whenever she appeared. I will say no more!

Under the Mistletoe was a wonderfully enjoyable read. With passionate romance, the lightness of humour, and a depth of storyline to stop the book being too sweet, this is one festive book I definitely recommend.

I love that Sue Moorcroft keeps returning to Middledip. It seems like such a magical little place.

Laurel left Middledip years ago, after a traumatising encounter one Christmas. Now, one divorce later, she's back to spend the holidays with her older sister Rea and her niece Daisy, and help them cope with Rea's agoraphobia. But within no time, Laurel is running into people from her past, people she wish she could forget. Will Laurel's Christmas be a peaceful one, or will the ghosts from her past keep pushing her to a breaking point?

Don't be mistaken, this isn't a fluffy Christmas romance. This story deals with a lot of heartbreaking issues, from bullying to assault and mental illness. But it's a hopeful story, which makes it perfect as a more emotional Christmas read. There are thankfully also plenty of light-hearted moments. And, as with other stories set in Middledip, the cast of characters is rounded out by some very colourful local villagers.

My one issue with this story is that the situation with Laurel kept dragging on. Understandably, as she had a lot of emotions to work through. But then suddenly, in the final two chapters, without seemingly anything being all that different, Laurel has a complete change of heart so that all the plot lines come together in a neat little bow. The resolution to the main conflict just felt too rushed after dragging it out for so long.

But all in all, this was a very enjoyable read and I am once again left feeling incredibly sad that Middledip isn't a real place.

Laurel is returning to her home village of Middledip. She’s recently divorced, and her sister is struggling with her own problems so she wants to be there for her and her niece. Anticipating a quiet life, with her art studio in the back garden, things couldn’t be further from the truth…. Years ago she left the village because of a traumatic event and now, with some of the culprits still around, she has to face up to it all over again. But what she also didn’t anticipate, was a reconnection with her old boyfriend Grady. She settles in to life with her family, but can she overcome the things that are still haunting her? Will her and Grady be able to pick up where they left off? Or are the ghosts of the past going to get in the way of Laurel living her happy ever after?

This is a wonderful, festive romance that will warm your heart. There are some wonderful characters in this, as well as some exasperating ones too! Laurel was lovely and really wants to be there for her family, but with her own issues and with the ghosts of her past haunting her, she struggles. Grady was definitely one of my favourites and I feel like he has the patience of a saint! I understand what Laurel was going through but at times I wanted to give her a little kick to let her see what she was doing! Daisy is a wonderful young character, and brings a breath of fresh air to the story. There are so many characters who have their own individual struggles and it’s heartwarming to see them each overcome them – some are bigger battles than other. I was super proud of the way some of them dealt with their problems. I also couldn’t believe the audacity of a couple of them!

The setting is fabulous. A proper snowy and cosy festive village. I love that there is so much Christmas in this – the build up, craft fairs, decorations and twinkly lights. It’s most certainly put me in a full on Christmassy mood (I was even singing Christmas songs at one point!). The descriptions really bring the village to life and I could literally hear and feel the crisp snow crunching under each step the characters took.

The storyline covers a number of issues – particularly bullying, trauma and agoraphobia. Sue has most definitely done her research and it comes across in the narrative. The way the respective characters deal with their issues is truly heartwarming and will definitely get you thinking.

Although personally I’m not very crafty (my sister stole all the creative genes!), I really enjoyed all the art and craft aspects to this story. I learned quite a bit and enjoyed being with the characters are they made their wares and put brush to canvas.

So if you’re looking for a wonderful, heartwarming festive romance, where you genuinely won’t have a clue if they’ll actually end up together, set in a festive and cosy village with a fab storyline, then this is for you. Highly recommended by me.

Perhaps based on the cover, I was expecting a simpler purely romantic Christmas story, but this story had more depth dealing with some really difficult topics.

There was quite some family drama and relationship drama going on making me want to keep reading to find out how it would all end, especially for Laurel and Grady. Alongside the romance the various tough topics like bullying and agoraphobia were dealt with. Sue dealt with these topics beautifully, so she must have either done a lot of research or have experience with them first or second hand.

What to expect:

✅ sisters sticking together, Rea was there for Laurel when they were young and now Laurel is there for Rea when she is going through a tough period and there to help Rea’s daughter Daisy

✅ brotherly love between Mac & Grady

✅ family above all else

✅ cute village setting in Middledip with some special characters living there and where everyone knows everyone, which can be both good and bad

✅ difficult topics: bullying, sexual asault, infertility, agoraphobia, guilt and forgiveness

✅ arts and crafts… you can easily picture some of the gorgeous artwork!

✅ Christmas… Christmas art fair, Christmas decorations and Christmas celebrations

Oh wow I absolutely adored this book. Sues books always have me hooked but I especially look forward to her Christmas offerings. This one certainly didn’t disappoint. A beautiful Christmas romance story with endearing characters and just the right amount of plot twists and turns to make for a hugely enjoyable read. Absolutely wonderful.

A romantic and uplifting Xmas story. Romance and xmas go together like Santa Claus! Another great read by Sue. Ive read a few of this authors books and so it was lovely to go back to middledip and reminisce over old characters but enjoy reading about new ones. This is a perfect read in the run up to xmas and beyond!

A sweet Christmas read. I really did enjoy it and it was a quick read. I just don't think it will make my Christmas rereads list.

I was really looking forward to this after my previous experiences with Sue Moorcroft’s books and I wasn’t disappointed! I’ve got Let it Snow by her sat on my shelf as we speak and I think I’m going to be trying to get that read very very soon!

This book was so much more than just a Christmas romance and actually shone a lot of light on some, sometimes quite difficult, situations such as bullying, sexual assault and agoraphobia. I’d not heard of the term agoraphobia before but had heard of people struggling with leaving the house, I think this has become a lot more prevalent with recent times, especially during lockdown and a lot of people feeling more anxious about leaving the safety of their home.

Despite all of the seriousness of this book there were also plenty of moments of light and happiness, especially through Daisy, who is just such a bundle of positivity and energy despite everything that she has to contend with. I loved the artistic nature of the book and how much we learnt about Art December in Middledip and even some technical crafting and painting tips from the characters. The Craft Stuff meetings sounded like the perfect activity and I’d love to have something like this near me, somewhere everyone can do their own crafts but also learn from others.

There was definitely a Christmas undertone throughout the whole book, from the chilly (freezing) winter walks, to the Christmas coffees (with a cranberry shot… yes please!) to all the numerous Christmas crafts. The book just flowed so nicely and I found myself getting lost in the pages, just wanting to carry on reading and not realising the time, I really did enter the book world through this!

I can’t finish this review without talking about Grady and Laurel, and Rae of course… They were all such lovely and genuine characters that you really felt for them all, wanting to give each of them a big hug at some point or another. I would quite happily be a resident in Middledip and I’m sure that all of these would become close friends, Daisy acts so mature for her young age and I often found myself having to remember that she was only 14.

Such a lovely, festive and emotional read that will have you hooked and not wanting this book to finish. I’m so chuffed that I got the opportunity to read this but gutted that it’s finished now, like I said above though, I’ve got Let it Snow to read next so it’s not all bad!

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Great book from Sue.

When Laurel returns to Middledip following her recent divorce she’s looking for a new start and wants to keep herself to herself. Her sister Rea is suffering from agoraphobia, so Laurel barely has chance to worry about her own problems. She then bumps into an old flame Grady and memories of why she left the village in the first place begging to resurface. Can she put the past behind her, help her sister overcome her fears and move on with her life in Middledip or will she decide she needs to leave the village.

Under the Mistletoe tells the story of the second chance romance between Laurel and Grady. They had been on the verge of a relationship when teenagers but something happened which meant Laurel chose to leave the village of Middledip. She has only returned as her sister has problems she needs supported through. Laurel had never planned to return to Middledip and when she sees Grady again, all kinds of emotions come to the surface. Traumatic events from the past come back to the fore in ways Laurel didn't expect. Family relationships can be complicated as we all know and that certainly is the case here. Although this is the story of a rekindling a relationship, darker issues are explored such as agoraphobia, bullying and infertility. Sue Moorcroft weaves them into the narrative in a very natural way which makes her characters feel fully rounded real people.

As always, the characters are really well drawn. They're not perfect by any means. Laurel's refusal to even consider an apology did annoy me a little at times but then, I haven't experienced what she did. You get really involved in the characters' lives and their actions seem utterly believable. There are some nasty characters in the book too but they're not unbelievable pantomime villains. Again, the author shows that everyone is a mix of good and bad and that even the characters who seem unlikeable at first can have reasons for their actions.

Through a festive project, we get a really interesting insight into what life as an artist is like. I loved the idea of the community coming together at Christmas time to create art all over the village. In our streets last year, we did Advent windows and a different window was revealed each day.

Under the Mistletoe has a strong message about the powerful healing effect forgiveness can have for both sides. It's a convincing story of two people working through their difficulties and I liked the way that everything wasn't resolved in a simple fashion. It was clear that going forward there would still be some tricky times but that with the help and support of family and friends, progress could be made. Above all, this is an emotional and engaging love story and just the kind of feel-good book to curl up with over the festive period.

his is a gorgeous Christmas book and I have devoured each and every page. I love Sue Moorcroft’s style. As a best selling author, it is definitely a commercial and accessible style, but at times I also feel her personal voice comes across as well as at times, feeling more literary in style.

The characters in this book are beautifully drawn and well-developed, especially Rae, Grady and Laurel. They are all likeable and sympathetic characters but each one comes with, and during the course of the book has to face up to, some of their complications and limitations.

There was far more emotion and drama in this book than I was originally expecting but this definitely made for a gripping read which I quickly became invested in. The romance develops organically and slowly, but I was hooked on it as I was fully lost in the story and the characters.

A heart-warming and wonderful book, perfect for fans of Milly Johnson, Heidi Swain and Jessica Redland.

My take: 3.5 out of 5. If I'm going to keep comparing Christmas books to Movies, what I would say about this one is its definitely not a Hallmark Channel movie, its a Hallmark Movies and Mysteries movie. IYKYK, but for those of you that need some further clarification and not spend the insane amounts of hours I do watching made for TV movies an reading books, This movie is not just a cute romance. There are tears, there is drama and there is Family drama with a capital F. There are a lot of issues of trauma and how that affects us which I found interesting and a twist from your traditional Christmas romance. There is romance, that's not lacking but its a bit more nuanced and the obstacles are more of the personal demons, than physical ones. A really nice book to read for the holidays and a quick read at that.

With thanks to netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review which I freely give.

Unfortunately I had to give up on this as for me it was too upsetting. My Mother suffered agoraphobia and other medical issues. Christmas 2013 was not a very good one, which I try to forget. Sadly she passed away Feb 2014 then 5 weeks later my husband passed away.

It is nothing to do with the writing and I am sure other people will love it.

I really enjoyed this book. Unlike many festive reads this is a story with some heavier subjects but which Moorcroft has covered with great sensitivity. Issues like sexual assault, infertility, bullying are all addressed and Sue covers these with great empathy and understanding.

It's fair to say that Christmas can be a time to bring families and friends together and also a time that can be harder around family and friends for whatever reason.

Christmas is also a time for forgiveness ..

Lauren wasn't keen on returning to Middledip, but she does so to look after her family. Her sister and niece need her.
She doesn't intend on staying long , until she bumps in to her old flame , Grady.
But with that comes complications ..
She needs to address what happened all those years ago and maybe learn to forgive.. but can she?

The deeper storylines are counterbalanced with the Christmas setting. The village sounds idyllic and it's a lovely community coming together for the festive season.
An emotional and heart warming read.
🎄

Under The Mistletoe - Sue Moorcroft

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐩, 𝐬𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞. 𝐀𝐝𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞, 𝐬𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐧𝐨𝐰-𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞.
𝐘𝐞𝐭, 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐩 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐑𝐞𝐚, 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐥 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠.
𝐇𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞, 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐲 – 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐨, 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐲’𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞-𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐌𝐚𝐜…
𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭? 𝐎𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦?

I have loved reading this Christmassy cosy book, yes I know it’s November and I actually read it in October but I was really ready for some snow, and a bit of a festive love story.

I felt totally at home in Middledip and I just loved immersing myself in this story.
It is just like a warm hug in book form, the characters are gorgeous
and there is such a real sense of community.
I really felt for Laurel coming back to the village and having to face some demons after her assault by Mac and his friends as teenagers. There are some difficult subjects tackled, such as infertility and agoraphobia, it is done with empathy and sensitivity, but just be aware that this could be triggering for some people.
I enjoyed the interplay between all the characters, there are some wonderful themes explored. Its not just a fluffy cosy read but really digs into relationships and friendships too. The descriptions of the artwork were amazing and I could really picture the canvases in my minds eye. I would really love to have a village Christmas fair like this one on my doorstep! It’s made me want to get creative and start making my own Christmas Wreaths, go stomping about in the snow and have a snuggly romantic Christmas - but perhaps leaving out any crazy ex’s!

I loved this book, cosy and full of festive cheer and will get you into the Christmas Spirit for sure.
I just wish we could have some snow this Christmas too!

✩✩✩✩✩ - all twinkling for Christmas