This book was SO GOOD! My first book of Liese's that wasn't in the Bergman series and I was a little hesitant. There's no way ALL of her books could be that good, right? wrong. I loved this story so so much and can't wait to read it every year!

If you're in the mood for a christmassy enemies-to-lovers novella set in a bookstore, you're in luck!

It's You've Got Mail meets The Hating Game meets Pride and Prejudice 😍

Gabriella works at Bailey's Books, which she co-manages with Jonathan. They are as different as they come, and obviously drive each other mad. When the owners of the book store say they are in a dire financial situation, Gabriella and Jonathan embark on a competition to see who can sell the most books, the winner gets to stay on as manager in the new year. At the same time, Gabriella finally plans to meet the man she has been talking to online for a year, but her plans get all tangled up, when Jonathan starts to show off his softer side.

Okay, so Chloe Liese writes the best romance books, and I was so happy to receive an ARC for this latest holiday romance! It's everything I've come to associate with Liese's writing: there's banter, there steam, there's communication and it's just *chef's kiss*.

A few things I loved in particular
- the nod to The Hand Flex™️ of the 2005 Pride and Prejudice literally made me squeal
- the hockey game and the drive home 🤤
- "Because I want to"
- how considerate Jonathan is and Gabriella just doesn't realise why
- no miscommunication trope here (thank you!) instead we have the accidentally-telling-your-crush-how-you-really-feel, which is much better, in my opinion! Jonathan's slip at the end was the best!

This is the perfect reading for the holidays! It's only on Kobo at the moment, but they have a free app so it's easy to download and get reading!

As a huge Chloe Liese fan, I was so excited to hear about her newest book, The Mistletoe Motive. Chloe is amazing at writing neurodivergent characters and bringing the spice, and this book did not disappoint!

Gabby DiNatale has been working her dream job at Bailey's Bookshop for years. When the store struggles financially, Jonathan Frost is brought in to help co-manage the store and steer it into balance. Gabby and Jonathan do not hit it off and spend the next year as adversaries - so much so that they even drove a co-worker, the only other one they had, to quit. But after a night at a hockey game with a friend, Gabby begins to see Jonathan in a new light. What if he wasn't Jack Frost all along?

Perfect for fans of "The Hating Game" (like me!), this enemies-to-lovers workplace romance brought a lot of cheer!

This story is an enemies to lovers, workplace romance, grumpy/sunshine, slow burn, with an #OwnVoices neuro-diverse heroine and a hero with a chronic illness. Gabby and Jonathan are co-workers tasked with keeping the beloved “Mom and Pop” owned bookstore afloat while competing with a larger bookstore chain. Gabby and Jonathan can’t stand each other (their banter reminded me a lot of The Hating Game 🗣but better) and are opposites in every way. I loved the banter between them! Seriously, Chloe can write a damn good enemies to lovers packed in a short novella 👏🏼the bookstore setting was everything I needed and love, and the steam! Chloe delivers every single time 🙌🏼 I’m not a huge Christmas fan and don’t make a huge point to read Christmas romances but when Chloe comes out with a novella, you read it.

“Jonathan stares up at me, still breathing roughly. I’m still breathing like that too, like there’s not enough air, like the only air I want is each jagged breath stolen between kisses that unravel and tangle us together. What an absolute disaster.”⁣
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Sigh. And swoon. And sigh again. ⁣
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This Christmas novella by Chloe Liese is such stuff as dreams are made on! I loved every second of this sunshine/grump, enemies to lovers, workplace romance with all its “You’ve Got Mail” and “Pride and Prejudice” vibes. ⁣
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Once again Chloe Liese uses her brilliant writing to prove that EVERYONE deserves a love story, including neurodivergent demisexuals and those with Type 1 Diabetes. I love the very specific underrepresented characters Chloe features in her romances. ⁣
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Gabby and Jonathan are delicious characters who over the course of the book learn to trust each other and be brave in the vulnerable act of opening themselves up to one another. ⁣
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This book is charming, funny, romantic, HOT, and full of Christmas joy. A perfect read for this time of year.

Not usually a holiday-themed book person, but always a Chloe Liese book person, so of course The Mistletoe Motive was amazing!

Gabriella is the purest sunshine ever, and if she was a real person, she would be the kind of person you love to be close to because she can make the worst day better with just a few words. Jonathan is definitely a grump, and a holiday grump at that, but you still grow to love him.

This is a novella but honestly, it doesn’t feel like one. Maybe because it’s a great slow burn, or because their banter is exquisite, but it never felt short or rushed.

Gabriella and Jonathan were so lovable, together and separately. I think everyone will love this book, even if you don't love holiday books! Chloe Liese is one of my absolute favorite authors, and it gets stronger with every book she writes.

ARC kindly provided by valentine pr

Ah, this novella written by Chloe Liese has my heart in SO MANY WAYS! A slow burn holiday romance that has all the chemistry, slowly festering away, then boom! Steamy scenes that will satisfy all the romance lovers out there. 🔥

Gabriella Di Natale and Jonathan Frost are co-workers at Bailey’s Bookshop, enemies who bring all the snarky banter to life on a daily basis. However, now they need to work together to save the bookshop from financial problems after a big chain bookstore opens up locally.
An Own Voices story, with its portrayal of autism by an autistic author, Gabriella’s thoughts and feelings living with autism and her daily life is written wonderfully with sensitivity and care. I adore her love of life, her cheer and the way she cherishes the bookshop. The discussions Gabby has with herself via the angel and devil on her shoulders totally add to her character and show her inner thoughts so well!
Jonathan is grumpy and snarky and he made my heart sing with his sneaky ways of showing he cares for Gabriella. These two made me smile so much when they discuss Pride and Prejudice and all things Jane Austen. Such a bookish lovers delight that I recommend to readers who enjoy:

💚enemies to lovers
❤️Holiday vibes
💚a little peek of a favourite sport
❤️bookish discussions
💚You’ve Got Mail
❤️Own Voices story with autism rep, demisexual rep and type 1 diabetes rep
💚single POV

The Mistletoe Motive is one of my favourite reads of the year, Chloe Liese has won me over yet again.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

An #OwnVoices slow-burn, enemies to lovers romance set during the holidays with autistic & demisexual rep? SIGN ME UP.

The Mistletoe Motive is my first Chloe Liese book, and it's safe to say I'm in love with the writing. With a hint of You've Gone Mail, this is the perfect holiday read.

The story follows Gabrielle and Johnathon, who can't stand each other. They're co-workers at an indie bookstore, and they're jobs are on the line. While Gabby is frustrated with Johnathon at work, she has Mr. Reddit to keep her mind off of it. After chatting online for a while, she wants to ask him to meet up. Then unexpectedly, she starts to see the sweeter side to Johnathan, and everything gets tangled.

The story was addicting, and I loved the characters, the setting, the witty writing, and the romance. Overall, a great read and I highly recommend it.

He gives me a disbelieving side-glance. “I told Siri to play a music station, Gabriella, not get on her knees.”

You've Got Mail is one of my favorite rom coms and I adore Liese's writing, so I feel like... maybe this book was meant for me? I don't know, but it was certainly holiday goodness that hit all of the right notes! I can see myself reading this again next year, and perhaps in the years that follow. This feels very much like Liese's Bergman Brothers series, with an original, authentic, slow burn romance and some great enemies to lovers vibes. Our mysterious hero is a bit of a grump, and our heroine is full of festive cheer. Together, their opposites attract romance was compelling and easy to devour in one sitting. Longer than the typical novella but not quite a full-length romance, this flies by and remains sassy and spirited the whole time. I laughed, I swooned, and had an all-around good time while reading.

The story follows Gabriella, a woman who loves her job co-managing the local bookstore. Living with Autism, Gabriella has struggled to find the right place for her - and this is it. The only problem? Her frustrating, sexy, and infuriating co-manager, Jonathan. Since he started working at the bookstore one year ago, Jonathan has been nothing but trouble. His grumpy attitude and disapproving glares have made working with him a struggle. So when the bookstore's owners reveal that they're struggling financially, Gabriella is all too happy to battle it out with Jonathan for the manager position. As the two feud during the day, Gabriella spends her nights chatting with her online friend, a man she has never met but feels a close bond to. But as the holidays approach and Gabriella sees a different side of Jonathan, she becomes torn between the two men in her life.

This is definitely reminiscent of You've Got Mail, but it feels fresh and distinct as well. Liese has such a unique voice in the crowded romance genre, and I love what she brings to the table. Each of these characters is complex, and - despite only getting Gabriella's perspective - I felt like I got to know Jonathan well. As the enemies to lovers vibes transition into something softer and sweeter, I loved how they complemented each other perfectly. Jonathan's grump pairs well with Gabriella's sunshine, and their dynamic kept this feeling low angst and incredibly festive. It's like a little dose of holiday cheer, and exactly what I look for in a seasonal romance.

“Besides my two best friends, the only person I spend this much time with is Jonathan Icicle-Up-His-Butt Frost, and I think it’s warping my brain — day in and day out, eight eternal hours around him”
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Can you believe I’ve never seen You’ve Got Mail? Don’t worry I have added it to this year’s Holiday Season Must Do list!

Grab your “fancy peppermint hot chocolate milk” and get ready for some festive fun! Chloe’s newest holiday novella will get you in the mood for the holiday season with her creative writing, witty banter, neurodiverse/chronic illness rep, and a grumptastic stern brunch daddy hero.

Workplace arch nemeses Gabriella Di Natale and Jonathan Frost have been co-managing an indie bookstore for the past year. With Christmas coming up, the bookstore’s future is uncertain and their jobs are on the line! A battle for the bookstore anyone?? Isn’t it the perfect setup for a holiday romance?

You will not be disappointed. Even as a novella, the story was well rounded and gave me all the holiday feels. I could picture it as a movie with Chloe’s descriptions and as I currently listen to the audiobook it makes me feel cozy and warm all over again! I highly recommend adding this to your holiday reading list!
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** Thank you @chloeliese and @valentine_pr for my review copy **

♫ Let's hear those sleigh bells jingling for this lovely novella on a sleigh ride together with Chloe Liese ♫

Can you tell I love Christmas? Because I really do and I didn't know I needed to be in my Christmas romance moment until I picked this book up. Living my best life.

Anyways, as you all know, I adore this author. I love her stories and I love what she does for this genre and I just love Chloe Liese as an author. So I was of course stoked when she announced a Christmas novella. I mean my favourite holiday AND a short book, love to see it. And oh Santa, was this book a marvellous time!!!

Whilst it's not my new favourite romance couple, I do think it was an excellently done novella. It didn't feel like it was short at all, which is the best way to structure a short story. Chloe Liese adds her magical touch and it was just a snowy whirlwind of cuteness.

I loved the premise of this book. We've got enemies to lovers, secret penpals, enemies to lovers, workplace romance and a bookstore setting. What more could you wish for? Our main character, Gabriella, is autistic and demisexual, both of which are own-voices representations of these experiences and I absolutely loved that about this book. I also just really enjoyed Gabriella as a character and I think Chloe brought a particular level of comfort to this character that IO haven't seen in her characters before (if I'm wording that correctly idk if you get what I mean). The character is autistic but the story is not about her coming to terms with it, she already lives her experience, which I particularly loved.

The romance was really wonderful and I didn't actually know that this had You've Got Mail vibes until I started it, and I adore that movie. I also love Chloe Liese's writing style, it's descriptive and witty at the same time, and I aspire to bring that to my own writing <3<3<3

This book was honestly such a warm hug and I highly recommend if you're looking for a Christmasy romance to read and fly through. It's equal parts fluffy and romantic whilst also presenting characters that we can relate to in an inclusive manner. If you haven't read from this author yet, I urge you to change that fast. Hope I *motivated* you to read this one and that you find it under the *mistletoe* (ha I know I'm funny).

Gabriella Di Natale and Jonathan Frost, co-managers of Bailey's Bookshop, haven't gotten along at all in the year they've worked together. That's not entirely surprising considering how different they are in their approach to bookselling, not to mention the fact that Gabby loves Christmas while Jonathan is a total Grinch. When they learn that the bookstore is in financial trouble and one of them may lose their job come January - if the store reopens at all - Gabby proposes a contest to determine which of them gets to stay: whoever sells the most books by Christmas Eve wins. At the same time she's been feuding with Jonathan at work, Gabby has been chatting online with "Mr. Reddit," a man who loves books as much as she does and coincidentally lives in the same city. She wants to suggest that they meet up offline, but is afraid that Mr. Reddit won't accept her for her differences, which aren't readily apparent when she's behind a computer screen. With her job on the line, it's the wrong time for her to focus on connecting with someone new, and there's an added complication when Jonathan unexpectedly reveals his sweet side. Could her perfect match have been right in front of her all along?

I loved the way Gabby and Jonathan's relationship evolved and she gradually began to see him for who he really was. They were opposites in a lot of ways, but their strengths were complementary, which made them a perfect fit as both romantic partners and co-managers. I also loved the sparks that flew between them from the very beginning; this was definitely a slow burn, but the eventual payoff was totally worth all the build up.

I highly recommend "The Mistletoe Motive" for all fans of contemporary/holiday romance and romantic comedy. It was the first book I've ever read by Chloe Liese, but it won't be the last.

*Review copy provided by the author via Valentine PR. All opinions expressed are my own.

Chloe Liese does it again. If you’re looking for an extended novella including holiday feelings, that’s slow burn & steamy, look no further than THE MISTLETOE MOTIVE!

You’ll want to be sure to have a hot cocoa nearby when reading this! Gabriella might have thought Johnathan Frost was nothing more than a grinch at the beginning, but man oh man did he warm my heart with everything he did for her! The M&M scene?! So stinking cute.

Be sure to add THE MISTLETOE MOTIVE to your holiday tbr!

I loved this book, this is such a short sweet and fun read for Christmas! Chloe Liese captivated my favorite trope which is enemies-to-lovers, OMG this book had me in stitches! It was hilarious.

The story revolves around Jonathan Frost and Gabriella Di Natale, two rivals competing for the same job position. They spend their days antagonizing each other and verbally sparring. I laughed my ass off listening to their back and forth, passive aggressive banter. Right from the start, they had me completely hooked.

As the story progresses, the attraction between the two becomes more undeniable. I mean, I always knew that it was there, but waiting for it to evolve in the story was killer. These two definitely had a love-hate relationship and I knew that they would be explosive when they finally got on the same page. The last two chapters though!

I have to say that I was not disappointed, at all. The author definitely keeps you waiting, but it is so worth it. I loved seeing the softer, more vulnerable side of these characters as their relationship grew increasingly intimate.

If you're in the mood for a light-hearted, romantic comedy, and into “The Hating Game” I highly
recommend this book. It is cute, sweet and laugh-out-loud funny. This was a great change of pace for me and a good read this Holiday!

What’s not to love?! Grumpy and sunshine. Book store. A little competition. Sports. Quirky friends. I really enjoyed and loved how Jonathan remembered the little things Gabriella loved. It was very sweet. Great book!!

An enemies-to-lovers, slow burn, steamy winter-themed holiday romance that just came out on December 1? Say no more. 🤩

Bailey's Bookshop is an indie bookshop where the holiday decorations are handmade, the floors gleam bright, and wood bookshelves fill the store. It's the kind of bookstore I wish I could go to in person - but getting to read about it in Chloe Liese's The Mistletoe Motive was almost as good ;)

Gabrielle Di Natale and Jonathan Frost are co-workers at Bailey's. Gabby's been working there forever and she didn't like when Jonathan came on staff about a year ago, ruining her displays and the coziness of her beloved bookshop and just generally irritating her nonstop. Plus, he hates Christmas and is a grump in general, while she's a sunshine personality who drinks peppermint hot chocolate and delights in making paper snowflakes for the shop. When the two of them learn that Bailey's is going through a financial crisis spurred on by the big box store around the corner, they fear Bailey's will have the budget to keep only one of them on staff.

So they devise a plan: whoever sells the most books over the next month gets to stay. The other employee will leave. Gabby thinks she's got this in the bag: she's charming, she knows their customer base, and Bailey's is her home. She'll do anything to save it. But so, it turns out, will Jonathan.

I really loved this book for the workplace romance, the own-voices demisexuality rep (so good) and own-voices autism representation, as well as diabetes representation. Oh, and there's a budding online relationship a la You've Got Mail. The Mistletoe Motive is the perfect read for this winter season and I so appreciate how carefully Chloe crafts her characters with love and attention like they deserve.

The book is available on Kobo. If you don't have a Kobo eReader, you can download the free Kobo reading app onto your phone, tablet/iPad, or computer, just like the Kindle App.

Thank you to @chloe_liese, @valentine_pr_ and @netgalley for the early copy of this book!

This is a terrific romance with just the right mix of holiday spirit and sexy Scrooge. This is a such a fun enemies to more romance! And I love how even though they were “enemies” it was clear he was secretly interested in her. I am on board with any story set in a bookstore, but an ode to Pride and Prejudice with a twist of You’ve Got Mail? I’m hooked.

I loved the epistolary part of the book where Gabriella is chatting online with(and falling for) a fellow book lover. And you can guess who that turns out to be. And I appreciate that the situation not exploited, and no one uses their knowledge to their benefit.

Poor Jonathan is a bit misunderstood and it’s his gruff exterior to blame. He always seems to be doing nice things for Gabriella that are totally misunderstood.

I really liked that it had a bit of a more somber Christmas vibe because they are trying to keep their store open. I loved how they finally learned to let each other in at the end. It was surprisingly emotional for me.

Loved this holiday romance!

I received an advance copy of this book from Valentine PR and these are my honest opinions.

The Mistletoe Motive has definitely earned the top spot on my favorite holiday romances list. This is the cutest, festive romance that made me have all the feels. Chloe's characters just leap off the page in all of her books and this one is no exception. I just loved seeing the two main characters fall for each other with the bookstore setting in the background. A must read for any holiday romance fans.

his is such a fun holiday romance. I have adored all of Chloe's books and was so excited she wrote a holiday novella! This is my favorite romance trope - workplace enemies to lovers and feels very It's a Wonderful Life and You've Got Mail esque. The story mostly takes place in an indie bookstore setting where Bailey's Bookshop is threatened by the corporate chain, Potter's Pages. Recommend if you enjoy a grumpy/sunshine romance - Gabriella loves all things Christmas and the holidays and Jonathan is a holiday curmudgeon. There is diverse representation including characters with autism, on the demisexual spectrum, and with chronic illness. Thank you to @chloe_liese for challenging me to think differently and broadening my inclusivity!

Chloe Liese has done it again, I absolutely loved this book!! I devoured it in just one day because I could not put it down. This was the perfect Novella to get me into the holiday spirit!

This is an enemies to lovers romance, grumpy hero and sunshine heroine, and it’s set in a book store during the holidays. What else more could we ask for!? This book had me smiling the whole time I was reading it. I loved both Gabriella and Jonathon. I thought they were great characters, and the chemistry between them was amazing. If you’re looking for the perfect holiday read this winter, look no further. I highly recommend checking this one out!

Thank you Netgalley, Valentine PR, and Chloe Liese for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.