
Member Reviews

I'm a fan of Pepper Basham--especially her Edgewood family trilogy of characters--so I read Mistletoe Season just for The Mistletoe Prince.
Even in novella length, Basham's storytelling shines. The unlikely pairing of hero and heroine, both in need of making changes to their public persona, made for a fun storyline. And the snippets from Luke and Ellie made me want to read Loyally, Luke (and the rest of the series!) all over again.

Mistletoe Season is a delightful collection of holiday stories that perfectly captures the spirit of the season. Each tale brings its own unique charm, making it a cozy read for those looking to embrace the magic of Christmas.
In Sheila Roberts' story, we meet a character who learns the true meaning of family and connection during the holidays. Her warm writing style draws you in, and the heartfelt moments make you reflect on the importance of cherishing those around us.
Kathleen Fuller offers a charming narrative about second chances and the magic of rekindled love. The sweet romance unfolds against a backdrop of winter festivities, leaving you with a smile and a sense of hope for new beginnings.
Pepper Basham rounds out the collection with a whimsical tale that emphasizes the joy of embracing one’s true self. Her engaging characters and lighthearted humor add a delightful twist, reminding us that the holidays are a time for authenticity and joy.
While each story has its strengths, some moments felt a bit predictable, which is why I’m giving Mistletoe Season a 4 star rating. However, if you’re looking for a cozy escape filled with holiday cheer and heartwarming moments, this collection is definitely worth picking up. Perfect for curling up with a cup of cocoa, it’s a lovely way to get into the holiday spirit!

Mistletoe Season is a book of three cute, clean Christmas novellas from three best-selling authors. All three were light-hearted, Hallmark-ish, wholesome and sweet romances.
Pepper Basham’s, The Mistletoe Prince, was especially charming as it is a continuation of her Skymar series (Authentically Izzy, Positively Penelope, & Loyally Luke). For those who are familiar, this Christmas plot is about Princess Ellie’s brother from Skymar. He’s been a bad boy prince and is sent to North Carolina with Luke and Ellie to get his act together. REALLY enjoyed it - especially the faith content.
4 stars
The other two stories, “Return to Mistletoe” and “Say No to Mistletoe” were both cute as well - clean contemporary fiction. Both have a second chance romance trope. Both were quick, carefree reads.
3 stars for these two.
More in-depth book reviews can be found on my YouTube channel. 💙☕📚
I was blessed to have received an early complimentary ebook AND audiobook and opinions are my own!

Mistletoe Season by Sheila Roberts; Kathleen Fuller; Pepper Basham had 3 of the cutest Christmas novellas.
I really enjoyed these authors and their writing.
Such charming stories filled with the sweetest characters.
Thank You NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Mistletoe Season, future 3 shorts stories. While the first one was just okay, I didn't care for the last 2.
3 stars.

I generally forget about holiday books until it is too late to start reading them. I was so glad to get a copy of Mistletoe Season to start thinking about Christmas a little early. I didn’t realize that this was actually three novellas. Again - not a book I would normally pick up. That being said, I loved the first two novellas in this book. They were just the right length and were enjoyable stories. I didn’t like the third story Say No to Mistletoe quite as well. I skimmed the last several chapters as it wasn’t my style of read. Overall this was an enjoyable holiday book and I am happy to recommend it to anyone looking to get into the Christmas spirit. I receive a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

These novellas are perfect to read during the busy holidays when you need a quick dose of holiday cheer!
The book features three novellas:
Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller
Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham
Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts
The first and third stories were pretty Hallmark-esque, and left me wanting a bit more depth to them.
The second story, Mistletoe Prince, was just delightful. I have enjoyed Pepper Basham's Skymar series, and this novella was a great companion to that series. I loved getting to see some of my favorite characters again, and Charlotte and Arran are just adorable as they bring out the best in each other.
Thank you to NetGalley, the authors, and Thomas Nelson Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

I’m a Pepper Basham fan, so I was anxious to read her novella, especially since it centered around the Edgewood family. Each story was unique. I hadn’t read anything by Kathleen Fuller or Sheila Roberts before, so it was a good opportunity to check out new authors. For me the weakest story was Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller. I didn’t feel warm or fuzzy about the hero, and I thought there was a whole lot of telling rather than showing. This is a novella drawback, but the other stories in the collection were more enjoyable. My favorite was The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham. It had all the feels for me and continued the story of the Edgewoods and Skymar royals. Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts was funny and kept my interest. The romance in all three happens fast, but that’s the nature of the novella. If you’re looking for quick, sweet stories for the Christmas season, you’ll enjoy this collection.

I enjoyed reading the three inspirational Christmas romance novellas that each include a fun mistletoe story element.
Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller
I read the novella collection in order, starting with Emmy and Kieran’s sweet second chances romance story. Years ago, Kieran needed a last minute fill in date for his high school prom and invited Emmy, his younger sister’s best friend. Emmy had a big crush on Kieran in high school and now he’s back in Mistletoe for the first time in twenty plus years. Emmy owns an antique store and she finds Kieran’s Irish charm hard to resist. His life is in Ireland and she’s a single parent with responsibilities in the US. I enjoyed their fun and heartwarming Christmas romance story.
The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham
Pepper’s story featuring Charlotte and Prince Arran from Skymar is the reason I wanted to read the novella collection. I loved Pepper’s royalty romances series set in Skymar. Luke and Ellie, from Loyally Luke, are side characters and it was so fun to vist with them in North Carolina. The meet cute between Charlotte and Arran is ridiculous and memorable for all the wrong reasons. Arran’s trying to overcome his reputation as a royal rogue and make better life choices. He isn’t looking for romance and Charlotte has her reasons for not believing a real life prince would be interested in wooing her. Their friends-to-more royalty romance is sweet and includes a light faith element in the story.
Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts
Hailey is a romance author who lives in NYC and she’s returning home to Cascade, Washington, for Christmas. She has bookish events lined up in town, including a book signing and a visit to her old high school. She isn’t happy being single and has a fear of mistletoe after multiple disasters in the past. Her high school crush, Carwyn, was her first mistletoe kiss disaster, and he’s now the high school principal who happens to be single. I like second chance teenage crush romances and enjoyed Hailey and Carwyn’s cute Christmas romance story.
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love anthologies because they are a great way to read new authors. Two of these authors are new to me. Every story in this anthology has great characters and sweet romance.
Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller is a second chance sweet romance. I loved Kieran and Emmy. I loved that they were a little more mature in age.
The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham is so fun. While this is a stand alone story, it is also belongs in a series that Ms. Basham has written that I love! I love Arran and Charlotte (Charlie). I love that their love for each other strengthens the other. The first meeting is interesting and sets up the story beautifully. Redemption and love are throughout this story.
Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts so good. "I am smart, I am strong, I can conquer any situation, and I can resist mistletoe." Hailey's luck with mistletoe is extremely bad. This story is so good. Carwyn and Hailey are great characters.
I love this anthology and I would highly recommend it.

If you are in the mood for a few short, sweet, and yes, predictable, clean Christmas romance stories, Mistletoe Season is the perfect escape from reality with its trio of novellas. My absolute favorite was Pepper Basham’s A Mistletoe Prince and getting this book is worth it for that story alone! (Especially if you’re read the Skymar series she has written, as this is a fun dive back into that world.)
Thanks NetGalley and HarperCollins Christian Publishing for the ARC ebook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is such a cute collection of Christmas novellas. Honestly I wanted to read it solely because of Pepper Basham. Hearing her story would include Luke Edgewood who I adore was an added bonus. I loved seeing people I’ve met through her Skymar series. In The Mistletoe Prince, Arran, Prince of Skymar, comes to the small town of Ransom, North Caroline to help get his life back on track. There he meets and works alongside Luke’s cousin Charlotte helping her with the Mistletoe Wish charity fundraiser. The story is full of sweetness, swoon, and special moments. And of course some great Luke moments. Love seeing him happily married. I adored Arran and Charlotte.
This book was a great way to read two new to me authors. And I’m sure I’ll be reading some of their full length novels in the future. Their novellas were sweet and humorous. Perfect for curling up by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa and Christmas music. The Mistletoe Season has set me in the Christmas mood.
Thanks to NetGalley for my copy to review. No postive review was required. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved the three clean contemporary romances presented in this Christmas anthology by two of my favorite authors, Pepper Basham and Kathleen Fuller, and one new-to-me great new find author, Sheila Roberts. Each novelette is a complete story but is just the right length for reading during a busy holiday season when there isn’t as much downtime to relax. Each one is full of heartwarming content that will put you in the Christmas spirit.
Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller has a best friend’s big brother trope and features a small town woman and a rugged hero with a delicious Irish accent.
A Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham gives us an opposites-attract story featuring a heartbroken prince gone wild who has left his country of Skymar for NC in hopes of regaining his footing and mending his reputation by working with his brother-in-law doing artisan carpentry, construction, and masonry. One of his co-workers, Charlotte aka Charlie, is like no one he has ever met before and he is fascinated. Oooo-oooo this is a good one—straight out of a believable fairy tale.
Say No To Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts is about a young woman who was a wallflower in high school but now has blossomed into a successful, published romance author who lives in NYC. After a number of years she finally is coming home to Washington state for a family visit and meets up with her crush, the boy next door who is now the high school principal. She also deals with her mean girl nemesis who is dating her brother. It’s a triumphant story of growing up and moving forward.
Highly recommend! I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher vis NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I enjoyed reading Mistletoe Season by Sheila Roberts, Kathleen Fuller and Pepper Basham. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

I find that novellas are perfect holiday reads because they give you a bite-sized story during a time when leisure reading often falls by the wayside. This Mistletoe-themed collection was sweet and happy and nice.
I will say that Pepper Basham’s story definitely carried the collection, and was the initial reason I picked up the book. I loved revisiting beloved characters from her Skymar series (this time back in the Blue Ridge) and that was the only story that felt too short for the format for me. The other two stories fell flat for me, but I didn’t mind so much because I had Pepper’s.
Thank you to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for the complimentary e-ARC to review. All opinions are my own and I was not required to publish a positive review.

I really wanted to like these and I'm so sad that I didn't. I love what these authors set out to do, I just didn't find the execution to be well done and this ultimately fell flat for my taste. I read the first story, Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller, and then about 2 chapters of the second one, The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham, I decided to DNF.
Story 1 - Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller
Return to Mistletoe had the potential to be a heartwarming second-chance romance, but unfortunately, it fell a bit short for me. I love reading novellas, and I understand that with a limited page count, certain details or developments may be glossed over. However, even with that understanding, this novella struggled to find its footing.
The premise was definitely sweet—there’s something inherently charming about a second-chance love story, and I think it was a good choice to give the characters some shared history. I didn’t dislike either of the protagonists, and I definitely found myself rooting for them to get together. However, despite their backstory, the relationship still felt rushed. The author could have incorporated more from their past without eating up too much space in the novella. That would have added depth, making their current feelings more believable and their chemistry more palpable.
Another issue was the passage of time in the story. The events supposedly unfold over multiple weeks, but the way it was written made it feel like mere days. A more condensed timeline—like everything happening over a long weekend—would have felt more natural and allowed for deeper, more immersive character development. Instead of telling us that they had feelings, we could have seen those emotions evolve in a more organic way.
The writing itself also had its rough spots. There was a moment when a character’s mom picks up the phone and says something like, “How are things in Kansas City?” to a friend. It felt forced, like dialogue you’d hear in a sitcom to clue the audience in on where a character is, rather than something you’d expect in real life. These clunky moments pulled me out of the story and made it hard to get fully invested in the characters or their journey.
Ultimately, Return to Mistletoe had a cute premise, but the execution left me wanting more. It didn’t quite capture my interest or deliver the emotional payoff I’d hoped for.
Story 2 - The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham
I almost stopped after the first book but decided to give the second story a chance. Initially, I wasn’t excited about a contemporary royal romance, which should’ve been my first clue to stop, but I pushed on. Within the first two chapters, the FMC repeatedly said or thought things like 'I dreamed of being a princess once, but those dreams are over' or 'Trust me, I’m over my infatuation with princes.' While I’m too lazy to go check my Kindle, I’d guess some variation of that line was used 5-6 times in just two chapters. She’s also supposed to be a tomboy, which is great, but with those elements combined, the story felt predictable and cliché. I knew it wasn’t for me, so I decided not to continue.
Overall thoughts:
Generally, I don’t rate DNFs, but 1) NetGalley requires a rating and 2) I feel like I identified some objective issues with the writing, beyond my personal preferences. That’s why I went with a 2-star rating. I understand novellas aren’t typically as complex, but I’ve read many that were more developed than these. If you can’t make a novella feel fully formed and satisfying, maybe short stories aren’t the right format. I’m sure plenty of people will enjoy these stories for what they are, but they just weren’t for me.

Return to Mistletoe (Kathleen Fuller) - Emmy loves Mistletoe and has no plans to ever leave. Kieran left as soon as he could. When Kieran returns briefly to celebrate his mother's 70th birthday, sparks fly between them - but can two people with such different plans make things work?
The Mistletoe Prince (Pepper Basham) - Charlotte always wished for a prince as a child, until she realised how unrealistic the idea was. And her first meeting with her cousin's brother-in-law would put her off if she hadn't already abandoned the idea. But as she sees more of the man, her question shifts from whether the disgraced prince is good enough for her to whether she's good enough for the real man...
Say No to Mistletoe (Sheila Roberts) - After several bad experiences, Hailey is convinced that any mistletoe kiss she engages in is doomed. When she returns to her hometown for Christmas and meets her first mistletoe kiss again, the attraction is stronger than ever - but can she look past her fears to see the truth?
The first and third stories felt fairly run-of=the-mill to me: nothing bad, just forgettable - but the second was delightful, and very well worthwhile. So, this is going to be a review of 'The Mistletoe Prince'. Having read previous books in the series (not necessary to enjoy this story, but very worth doing!), I had high expectations - and wasn't disappointed. It's on the shorter side, but none the less well developed or paced. I was grabbed from the first page and thereafter sighed when they made bad decisions, rejoiced when things went well, and felt for them when things were hard. And when it came to the end, I was torn between appreciating their well-deserved happy ending and being sorry to say goodbye. I particularly empathised with their feelings of inadequacy, and appreciated seeing them each work to convince the other of their worth - in Arran's case, a worth not related to his royal position. A real redemption story on Arran's part, and of acceptance on Charlotte's part. All in all, highly recommended.
Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

A collection of three brand new holiday kissing only romance novellas set in small towns. My favorite by far was the second story by Pepper Basham that's set in the Skymar universe and sees a tomboy carpenter falling for a royal prince. Lots of content about learning to love oneself and being worthy of love just as you are. The final story also follows those themes as an introverted NYC romance writer returns home for Christmas and falls for her high school crush. Recommended for fans of authors like Susan Mallory or Debbie Macomber. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading these 3 Christmas Novellas, really gets you in the cosy loving Christmas spirit! Although all the stories are separate and written by different people I really enjoyed the nice link of Mistletoe throughout them all!
Look forward to cosying up and reading these again next Christmas.

Antiques and Irish castles, a rebel prince, and Mistletoe kryptonite sum up the themes of the three sweet holiday romances found in Mistletoe Season. Perfect, quick, curl-up-and-read-with-cocoa stories that will get your holiday season off to a merry start!
*Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.