Happy December 1!!! Kicking off 31 days of #jinglebooks with The Mistletoe Motive by @chloe_liese. I picked up this sweet Christmas novella and could not put it down. If you love the movie You've Got Mail, then this one is an absolute must read. Gabriella and Jonathan are both dynamic and well written characters. I loved the tension between them and the very obvious affection Jonathan has been harboring for Gabriella. The misunderstood Grinch might be one of my absolutely favorite tropes. Thank you @netgalley and @valentine_pr_ for the advance copy.

This novella has it all and is the perfect way to kick off your holiday reading.
❄️ wintry, holiday vibes    
❤️ autism, demisexual, and T1diabetes rep    
🔥 enemies-to-lovers    
📚 bookstore workplace rivals 

He loathes the holidays. She loves them. She’s full of festive cheer. He’s brimming with Bah, Humbugs. Besides unreasonably seasonable names, the only thing Jonathan Frost and Gabriella Di Natale have in common is a healthy dose of mutual contempt. Well, that and the same place of employment at the city’s most beloved independent bookstore, Bailey’s Bookshop. But when the store’s owners confess its dire financial state, Jonathan and Gabby discover another unfortunate commonality: the imminent threat of unemployment.

With the Baileys’ requests to minimize expenses, win new customers, and make record sales dancing in their heads, Jonathan and Gabby conclude—barring a financial Christmas miracle—one of them will soon be cut from the payroll. Neither are willing to step down from their position, so they strike a bargain: whoever has more sales in December gets to stay on in the new year; the loser will resign. With a lifetime's worth of festive tricks up her sleeve, Gabby should easily outsell her nemesis, except the unreadable Mr. Frost’s every move seems purely designed to throw her off her game.

Maybe he’s got a motive she just can’t figure out—or maybe Jonathan Frost isn’t as chilly as she once thought. Maybe Jonathan and Gabby already know—and love—each other in ways they never thought possible.

4.75⭐️

This book showed me how lonely I am, and I don’t appreciate it

𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓬𝓴 𝓼𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂
Gaby and Jonathan have been co-managers of small indie bookstore for year, a year they haven’t spent hating each other. While Gaby never thought that would change, she suddenly start to see him in a new light, but can’t decide if that a good or bad thing.

𝓶𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼
WHY DIDNT SOMEONE TELL ME THIS WAS A NOVELLA. This book, considering the length, had no right being so good. I was so invested from page 1 because the author did such an amazing job at setting up this dilemma where Gaby hated Jonathan, but his hatred for was less obvious. We only had her POV which meant every little look, gasp, or silence from Jonathan was analyzed three times over, which lead to all the emotions.

I somehow screamed, teared up and laughed multiple times reading this. This is a grumpy/sunshine, office enemies to lovers, secret identity, Christmas novella, has autistic, demisexual and diabetes rep, goooddd spicy novella and I cannot recommend enough!!

It’s here! Happy Release Day to The Mistletoe Motive by Chloe Liese! Thanks so much to valentine_pr and kobobooks for my gifted copy.

“I’m a neurodivergent girl in a neurotypical world, and my brain doesn’t read people the way Jonathan Tactical Mastermind Frost’s does.”

I just loved this book! It was like a warm cup of hot cocoa on a snowy winter’s night and the adorable steamy holiday romance that I didn’t know I needed this season.

Gabriella and Jonathan hate each other. They are both managers at the beloved independent bookstore, Bailey’s Bookshop and they couldn’t be more different. Gabriella loves the store exactly the way it is, but the owners hired Jonathan to overhaul their finances and try to find a way to keep the failing bookstore open. Realizing they have to work together to try to save the store and their jobs, they grow closer and discover that maybe they don’t hate each other after all.

I love Gabby and Jonathan’s grumpy/sunshine dynamic. Gabby is a ray of sunshine, singing holiday songs and decking out the bookstore for Christmas, while Jonathan hates the holidays and prefers to sit in the office crunching numbers. We get clues throughout that maybe Jonathan has liked Gabby all along, but because we only see things from Gabby’s POV it’s hard to tell. I love the “pining from afar” trope so much! Gabby doesn’t realize that Jonathan has been paying attention and even though he doesn’t know that she has autism, he knows just how she takes her hot cocoa and that loud noises bother her, etc. Once that piece of the story falls into place it is enough to melt even the Grinchiest of hearts.

Liese handles the representation of autism, type 1 diabetes and demisexuality with care and her characters are completely relatable. I mentioned in a previous post that my son is on the autism spectrum and I’ve been enjoying reading stories with neurodiverse characters because of it. I can’t wait to explore Liese’s backlog and read more of her amazing work.

This is an #ownvoices story for its portrayal of autism by an autistic author.

The Mistletoe Motive is available today on Kobo and coming soon to the Libby app.

Yes!!!!!! Chloe Liese has done it again! The hating games plus you've got mail equals perfection! That's what this novella is, perfection!!
Jonathan and Gabriella work together in a bookstore and to keep it financially afloat, they challenge each other to see who can bring in the most sales.
The banter between these two characters was off the charts! I loved how passionate they were about themselves and their beliefs, their work ethic and of course, their hatred towards each other!

I would have loved it if this book was a full-length book because I would have loved to have seen more of you've got mail side! That being said, the bits we did get were amazing and we saw the connection established.

Overall I highly recommend this book and a massive thank you to the author and valentine_pr for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

#TheMistletoeMotive:

“I don’t think it’s silly or odd or strange or juvenile to hold on with both hands to the best parts of who we are when we’re young and not let life take that from you. I think it’s brave and badass and infuriatingly impossible not to admire you for it.”

One of the coolest things (in my opinion) is that Chloe has a playlist that goes along with her books. Chapter 1 started it off with a bang by playing,”Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” By THE Ella Fitzgerald. I knew I was going to love it. Different mediums always get me, and I think this is such a clever and immersive way for the reader to really be in the book.

This book y’all. Gabby is one of my favorite main characters this year, maybe ever? She loves the holidays, she works in a bookstore, she’s whip smart with her wit, I mean, this is my kind of human.

We have all of my favorite holiday tropes! We get forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine, enemies/lovers. We have a literal Cindy Lou Who/Grinch vibe, and it was so perfect. I felt it was a very organic relationship, and it was swoon worthy. This is an #ownvoices book as Chloe Liese is an autistic author, and our MC is autistic. I felt this was discussed so well as we got to understand how Gabby felt and why she felt this way. It really made me love her more because I felt her vulnerability in expressing her feelings.

You don’t get much steam until the end, but it’s worth the wait. 🥵 Oversll, this has been my favorite holiday read this season and is 100% Mellie Claus approved. @booksandplanrs told me about Chloe Liese, and I bought the 1st Bergman Brothers book, but never read it. After this novella, I can safely say that her books will never sit on my bookshelf without being read. I am a major major fan.

Thank you so much @valentin for the @koboog copy. The Mistletoe Motive is out today!

Oh my heart is so freaking happy 😭✨

The serene magic, the love, the sheer breathless quality this book has made me so so so sensitive to the emotions in this beautiful tale.

A novella that deserves all the love and hugs, I absolutely adored this book very much. The hating game vibe is quite strong but as the story progresses along I can start to see just how well the author has woven the tale into such a heartwarming story.

Oh my heart, I am pretty sure it's going to be a reread soon !! I absolutely adored the leads. From such fabulous characters who are characterized around disabilities and different spectrums I didn't expect the book to be so detailed and intricately carved out.

I actually learnt quite a lot of stuff from this book and for that I'm definitely thankful. The leads Mr Frost and Gabby stole my tender heart and they will always have a special place in there.

The prickly souls but still when they came through with all that face to face talking and the dirty but sweet sweet sexual tension, it just all fit so well in the story.

I'm pretty sure, I'll be checking out more book by this author. I loved this !!!
The writing and the book references are so on point that a tear just rolled outta my eye at the very last chapter 🙂💕

So I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a sweeeeet, lovely, sweetly steamy, fabulously cute and definitely sarcastically fun romance book

This is a perfect quick slow burn holiday romance that will make you smile. There is an enemies to lovers as well as a you’ve got Mail element to this book. Jonathan and Gabriella both work at independent bookstore. Gabby loves the holidays while Jonathan is not that into them. They tend to mix like oil and water. When they find out the bookstore is in financial trouble they have a contest to see who will keep their job if the owners need to let somebody go. Gabby is also dealing with an ex as well as an online friendship. This story has such amazing characters and the progress of the relationship is delightful to see. The dialogue is witty and funny and I feel like this is a heartfelt sobering romance that is perfect for the holiday season.

*ARC was kindly provided in exchange for an honest review*
4/5⭐️
2/5🌶
Tropes: enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, workplace romance, pen pal, slow burn

First off, this book cover is adorable! Super cute Christmas novella that will give you all the feels! At the start of the book, we meet our main characters, Jonathan Frost and Gabriella Di Natale; right off the bat, I felt the romantic tension between the both of them. Mr. Frost and Gabby work alongside each other at ‘Bailey’s Bookshop’ and after budget cuts, both are vying for the position of permanent employee.
Mr. Frost was a total grump who was oh so swoon-worthy! Gabby was such a relatable character, I adored her. At the beginning, the story wasn’t holding my attention as much as I thought it would but as I kept reading, I not only absolutely loved the MCs, but also Gabby’s roommates—Eli was hilarious! The banter in here is so good. I adore Ms. Liese’s writing style, and I loved the representation she included! Gabby is demisexual and autistic and Jonathan has diabetes. I 100% felt the Christmas spirit in this novella; I’m not sure if it’s because Christmas is fast approaching or if it was Gabby’s holiday spirit or the festive cookies and peppermint hot cocoa—but I felt it! The pen pal aspect took me by surprise and sometimes doesn’t fit a story if it isn’t done well, but it was done well here! I very much appreciated all the romance book talk in here and I know fellow book lovers will, too. All in all, this cute festive novella was great and I definitely recommend to anyone who is in the holiday spirit to give it a read!

"Being autistic and demisexual means not just the exposure of myself, like it is for anyone when they meet people and try to forge a connection, but weighing when and how to trust someone with the truth of who I am...

a truth that’s not always been met with understanding or acceptance or kindness."

I loved this SO MUCH AHH!! It took me about 20% to get fully invested, so I'm lowering the rating slightly to a 4.5, but once I was hooked I read the rest all in one go. What a charming little novella! Why isn't it a full book! Why!

This was my first Chloe Liese book and will certainly not be my last. WHEW! The tension, the chemistry, the steam was all written so beautifully. The integration of Gabby's autism and demisexuality was so natural, topped with her deep love of romance novels and Jane Austen.

Our lead has type 1 diabetes, something I don't think I've ever read before?? And it's so common! There's literally a list of 20 celebrities with diabetes at the top of Google search results.

But what I loved even more was the online friendship/budding romance! The workplace banter! This had the perfect amount of charm and Christmas and the first fall of snow and mint M&Ms and hands grazing and hockey and green eyes and peppermint hot cocoa. I could easily read another 200 pages about these characters and the bookstore.

Highly recommend if you love The Hating Game and You've Got Mail. Thank you to Valentine PR and Kobo Books for the early copy. All opinions are my own.

Well, Chloe has done it again—not that any of us are surprised in the slightest. This novella will have you swooning in holiday bliss, and wanting to drink ALL the peppermint hot chocolates.

Gabriella Di Natale is holiday cheer in human form. Her co-bookstore-manager, Jonathan Frost, is a true grinch though. The bookstore they manage is in financial trouble and the two enter into a book-selling contest, with the winner getting to keep their job when the new year rolls around.

Unfortunately for Gabriella, a naughty dream about Jonathan has her seeing him in a whole new light. One that is very, very distracting.

Is she going to be able to win the contest and keep the job and bookstore she loves so much?

It has enemies-to-lovers, workplace romance, grump vs sunshine, forced proximity and is an own voices portrayal of autism. You literally could not ask for anything more. Plus, in true Chloe Liese style, it's the perfect blend of sweet and naughty. I give it ALL the stars and you should most definitely put this on your wish list for Santa.

Chloe Liese can do no wrong! I absolutely loved everything about this book. I love how she always explores how different health issues or neuro diversity can impact romance & how a couple can connect. I loved the twist about Mr. Reddit. This was just such such pile of ooey gooey holiday goodness!

I really enjoyed this book! Chloe does an amazing job at writing diverse characters. They are so real & authentic and really make her books stand out from others. With this story readers get a sampling of what it’s like to live with autism or type 1 diabetes and hopefully you come away with more appreciation.

This story will get you in the holiday mood, especially if you listen to the suggested playlist with each chapter. I loved the angst, banter and slow peeling away of layers between Gabi and Jonathan. They definitely had sparks. And while Gabi gave me a lot of anxiety for how she acted towards him she eventually redeemed herself towards the end.

This was my first story by this author and I will tell you it won’t be my last! I have been in such a mood for holiday reads lately. This one did not disappoint me. I will say I knew where this book was going to go from the beginning. I sort of expected that with this being a novella. That aspect didn’t bother me at all. I loved these characters so much. If you love a grumpy male lead Jonathan Frost will not let you down! Gabby I loved her too! The banter between these two will have you cracking up! There was no unnecessary drawn out drama. This was a bit of a slow burn as well, but once you get to the spice the heat is definitely cranked up!! I absolutely recommend this novella!

Received a arc for a honest review.

This is an adorable grumpy/sunshine Christmas romance! The banter between the two main characters was fabulous, and made me want to keep reading. I loved all of the Christmas goodness in this story. Gabby loves Christmas and goes all out, meanwhile Jonathan is a little bit of a scrooge, but lets her do what she wants.
I loved the scene when we see both Gabby and Jonathan open up to each other and understand each other a little bit better! Fabulously done!

4 stars

I received this book for free in return for an honest review.

I had high hopes going into this book! It definitely seemed to be up my alley! As I read it though, I couldn't escape the feeling that I was rereading The Hating Game + To Sir With Love. Once I made those connections I just couldn't bond with the book anymore. So unfortunately this one wasn't for me.

This is an adorable bookshop/workplace romance with a grumpy hero and sunshine heroine. There's autism/demisexual/type 1 diabetes rep. Excellent banter and great chemistry. I really enjoyed this!

Wow...just wow. Grumpy/sunshine, enemies to friends to lovers, bookstore setting, holiday magic -- what's not to love? The perfect novella to kick off your holiday reading. This will be featured prominently in our holiday reads podcast episode and I truly can't wait to read more from Chloe Liese.

Many thanks for the opportunity to read and review!

After absolutely falling in love with Chloe Liese's Bergman Brothers series in the last year, I was delighted to hear that this Christmas book was coming and just as delighted to receive an e-ARC from Valentine PR and the author via Netgalley. Thank you!!
I always read a bunch of Christmas romances around this time of the year and I think of all I've read, this is one of my definite favourites. I *so* loved everything about this book: the characters, the pace of the plot, a few interesting twists, the SETTING (in a bookstore at Christmastime!), and of course, the love story. Chloe Liese writes neurodiverse characters so wonderfully and authentically (as a result of being an Own Voices author, but still, her characters feel so approachable). It has been a little bit since I connected with characters the way I did Jonathan Frost and Gabriella Di Natale - the way these characters' traits and insecurities and thoughts just jumped off the page made me want to head to the bookstore and sit and talk to both of them about Jane Austen while sipping candy cane hot chocolate with Gaby. The friends and side characters were fun too and Chloe Liese always makes those side characters funny in some way, which is so enjoyable for the reader.
If you are looking for a shorter (under 200 pages) book to devour this Christmas season, I can't recommend this one enough.

Also - have you seen a more amazing cover lately?! It's so perfect!!!!

The Mistletoe Motive is a new story from Chloe Liese, the author of The Bergman Brothers series. The book is an excellent holiday romcom, which will most definitley make you swoon, with all its beautiful red and green glory.
Everyone wants to protect the place that made them, and it’s not different for Gabby. Her beloved workplace is in danger, with big, hotshot bookstores coming to get the little, independent ones, she faces some kind of holiday gloom – which is quite unusual for her, as she LOVES Christmas with capital letters. So, she must protect what’s closest to her heart, and who knows, with the right kind of wager, maybe the certain heart will also gain something else…

The novella (which in length is not quite one) follows Gabriella Di Natale, a woman on the spectrum, who works as a co-manager in a tiny, independent bookstore. The one and only inconvenience is her frosty co-manager pal, Johathan, whose life mission seems to be to have the upper hand over her. While she is a marshmallow personified, he is a pessimist and realist, who tends to follow his brain, not his heart. Their ying and yang was necessary in order to keep the bookshop afloat – so cue the competetiveness and hatred towards each other for an entire year.

But when December rolls around and the bookkeeping registers a dire situation, they have to form a team to save their workplace. With the pettiness still hanging heavily around them, the only real solution to cut costs seems to be one: a competition.
Gabby and Jonathan will have to face each other by selling books, but also, luckily for us, the sheer amount of work will make them realize they never really were enemies.

I adored the story unfolding page after page. The way Jonathan was so protective of Gabby even before the romantic aspect of their relationship has started was swoon-worthy, I’m telling you. It was pretty obvious he started to develop not so hostile feelings for her long before she realised. I liked having this one-sided relationship bloom into something really cute and smutty from the female perspective.

I also preferred having Gabby tell the story, as I found with her neurodivergent personality and demisexuality, these things could be very confusing, so the solution of the ‘suspense’ in the romantic relationship was more cathartic. The romance was pretty much a slow burning one, with endearing, eye-opening scenes between the characters. You will want to clutch your e-reader tight with a happy smile on your face for certain moments. I think Chloe really nailed the yearning and the tender way they fell for each other, while simultaneously using witty banter and sexy scenes.

Oh, and to the fans of romcoms: let me tell you a secret! If you love the epistolary trope in romance, such as You’ve Got Mail, this one especially should be right up your alley.

The Mistletoe Motive has exuberant joy for the holidays, filled with witty banter; a grumpy, brooding hero, a statistical likelihood of a lifetime for falling in love and simply, just all the feels.

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲 & 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿
The Mistletoe Motive by Chloe Liese

𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮
ARC

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘀
* Set in a bookstore
* Grumpy/sunshine trope
* Pining MMC
* Autistic & Demisexual FMC
* Diabetic MMC
* Super cute and perfect for the holidays ❤️

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀
Overall: 5/5
Shock: N/A
Angst: 4/5
Tears: N/A
Spice: 3/5

𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀
Jonathan and Gabby loathe each other. Gabby is the Christmas spirit and Jonathan is the Scrooge. Gabby is all about the people’s enjoyment and Jonathan is all about the numbers. Imagine these two personalities running a bookstore together. If you loved The Hating Game by Sally Throne, you are going to love this!

No one can convince me that the secretly pining male main character trope is not one of the best. I could read that every damn time and never get tired of it. I just had a huge, cheesy smile on my face the entire time I read this book. The enemies (maybe?) to lovers was so well done. Add in a mix of some holiday cheer and I am in.

I have read one of Chloe’s books before and now I am going to need to binge the rest of her published work. I get instantly invested in the story and characters. This book is the PERFECT addition to December TBRs. You will not be disappointed!

Thank you Valentine PR and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Mistletoe Motive by Chloe Liese is available 12/1!

~ Ｋ