I requested this from NetGalley after hearing a few people talking about a Christmas Cozy Mystery. I walked into this book having not read any of the previous Molly the Maid books before and felt this novella gave enough information that I wasn't completely clueless. This was indeed a cozy, sweet Christmas mystery and while predictable I did enjoy this quick read. I could practically smell the pine trees at the Regency Grand Hotel Molly and Juan worked at. 3⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC of The Mistletoe Mystery.

She is back at the hotel as the manager of Housekeeping and has a loving boyfriend. But suddenly she starts to question her boyfriend because he is acting suspicious. He is being secretive, hiding things from her, and so much more. But he is suspicious for a good reason or nefarious one?

This was the sweetest little novella! I thought it was so fun and holiday and fun. There is an element of suspense but in a fun way. I really like Nita’s writing and the ways she describes her characters! Perfect for the holiday season!

Thank you to #NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. This publishes 10/1

What to expect in this book:

-Christmas time setting
-Short novella
-Part of The Maid series
-Less mystery, more whimsical

Thoughts

I love the character of Molly the Maid and loved being back in her world for a quick little holiday read. To fully understand this story, it is necessary that you read both books in this series. While this novella itself was not a necessary read, it was a fun way to continue the story of Molly and Juan. Although, despite what the title might suggest, this was much less of a mystery than the other two in the series. Thankfully there is no death at the Regency Grand Hotel, therefore the only "mystery" that this story really involves is Molly's lack of awareness.

Molly has always been close to her Gran and her Gran kept many traditions for her during the holidays, one being the Advent Calendar. As always, Molly follow's Gran's advise and guidance to a T and continues to hold onto the traditions after her Gran has passed. This Christmas there is a Secret Santa Gift exchange, but Molly's boyfriend, Juan Manuel, seems to be keeping more than just his secret Santa a secret this year.

Ultimately while this was cute and a fun and light read, I think you will really only enjoy this if you are a fan of Molly herself. Otherwise, I would skip! Great quick read for the Holiday Season.

I loved this Molly the Maid story! It was a quick read and you can't beat Christmas stories! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

The Mistletoe Mystery - Nita Prose
Genre - Contemporary Novella

I forgot for a minute how much I love Molly Gray. I am grateful to Nita Prose for the little visit with Molly and Juan Manuel in her upcoming novella The Mistletoe Mystery. Molly is looking forward to her fifth Christmas with Juan Manuel. Each year he adds a new tradition to their celebration. But something feels off to Molly. She feels he is keeping something from her and that perhaps she has made the biggest mistake of her life in trusting him with her heart.
All of the details that make Molly come to life are present here. She still recalls the wisdom and advice of her late grandma - most specifically through witty little sayings. She still loves to clean and to restore all things domestic to perfection - here, I loved the way she and Juan wipe their shoes carefully and place them in the closet every single time they enter the apartment. She still struggles with social cues and Juan appears to be sensitive to her struggles. She still has the most pride ever in being the head maid at the Regency Grand and wears her pin with pride. These lovely bits and pieces are interspersed with magical Hallmark Christmas moments (which I love). But they are Molly style. Recycled gifts. A branch for an affordable fresh tree. “Sleigh” rides. Work parties. Cookie baking. The holidays with Molly and Juan Manuel are accessible and delightful. The mystery here is Juan Manuel. He seems himself, but he is not…quite. She fears he is tiring of her.
And here I will stop - no spoilers. Nita Prose’s the maid series as ever reminds me that everyone has a place in this world and that careful love and tending are the key to a beautiful life. I am reminded that hard work matters as does attention to detail. The Mistletoe Mystery is a delightful read…add it to your holiday shelf.

I received this e-book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for the copy!

Molly and Juan Manuel, her boyfriend, as well as the rest of the staff at the Regency Grand Hotel are gearing up for Christmas. Molly loves this time of year as it reminds her of her beloved gran, whom always went to great lengths to make sure they had a great Christmas each year. Since her gran has passed, Juan Manuel has been trying his best to make this Christmas the best one yet. Although that is the case, Juan Manuel has been acting strange and it leads Molly to question several things, while trying to remember what her gran used to say- "It's not always as it seems."

Another chapter in Molly the Maid's life that I didn't know we needed! This was a cute holiday story that still had a mystery, although it might have you guessing the intentions of some of the characters. This was a sweet addition to Molly's life and I can't wait to see what she does in book #3!

3.5 stars - Molly is back! This Christmas novella is so sweet and a fun read. You get to see more of Molly and Juan’s home life which previous books haven’t done much of. I am excited for the third book to come out in April!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Molly the maid is back again investigating weird events taking place around her. This time, her boyfriend Juan is acting suspicious. He’s sneaking around the hotel, disappearing to help neighbors with things the super could do, and Molly just isn’t sure if it’s all been too good to be true with Juan.
Meanwhile, the Grand Regency Hotel is gearing up for its staff Christmas party. Juan has been sneaking around to make this the best Christmas ever for Molly, while also waiting to ask a very important question. It seems he’s enlisted all the side characters to help with his surprise for Molly.
This book, while very adorable, was predictable. It was a nice little glimpse into Molly and Gran’s Christmas traditions though! It was also nice to see all of Molly’s coworkers band together to support her and help Juan surprise her.

I love Molly and her friends, so this was almost guaranteed to be a happy feel-good read for me. And it was. I was hoping for a bit more of a mystery, since "Mystery" is in the title, but it was a fun, feel-good novella. It adds a bit to Molly's story and it was delightful to revisit these characters going into the holidays.

3.5 stars rounded up

Unsolicited observation and opinion: Part of the formula for these books seems to be recounting a story of how Molly was bullied as a child and following it up with a present day feel-good moment. It absolutely works, but I'm hoping the next full-length novel will shake it up a bit. I think it will eventually become so predictable that it will lose its effectiveness at pulling on our heart strings.

*Many thanks for NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books for sharing an digital advanced review copy.

What a cute little edition to The Maid series. I am not usually one for novellas in series but this one served a purpose and a great purpose that was. Loved it! Plus it’s Christmas time, what’s not to love?

Molly the maid is back in a cute Christmas novella! When I saw this one, I knew I had to read it. I have enjoyed The Maid series a lot. This one was a fun and fresh twist to the series. I love Molly’s insights and her quirky sayings and phrases. In this novella Molly has to solve a mystery that hits a little closer to home. With her beloved Gran always close to her heart, Molly uses the things her Gran taught her at home and at work. I enjoyed the seasonal touches too, it was fun to see The Regency Grand all dressed up for Christmas. Also, let’s be honest here people, Juan Manuel is a real keeper!

Quotes:
🎄”PICK YOUR ENEMIES AND BATTLES WISELY.
🛎️ "A SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE REQUIRES FALLING IN LOVE MANY TIMES. BUT THE TRICK IS THAT IT'S ALWAYS WITH THE SAME PERSON."
🎄 "LOVE IS THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL."

Thank you to the author Nita Prose and NetGalley for the electronic advanced copy.

Oh, Molly! She never disappoints!!! In this quick read, Molly is looking forward to Christmas traditions, but will be presented with some new events this year! I just love her! I’m so thankful the author continues her story!

I had read the author's debut novel and really enjoyed it. It had a character who evolved in her social skills and level of self-confidence, all of which helped her in solving the mystery.
This story had less depth and a simple mystery. It felt as if she was just writing it to churn out another book.
Not sure if I'll be in a hurry to read another one of hers.

Molly the Maid is back with a Christmas mystery! The novella focuses on Molly’s relationship with swoon worthy Juan Manuel who has been behaving so strangely as of late. Slacker maid Cheryl puts doubts in Molly’s mind about his loyalty to her. Therein lies the mystery - not the typical murder mystery. What is Juan Manuel up to? Is he a frog or a prince? This novella is like walking into a Hallmark movie snow globe, and will surely put you in the holiday spirit! If you are a fan of Nita Prose’s Molly the Maid series, this is a festive must read! (If you are new to the series, you may want to read book one first.) Certainly, love is the greatest gift of all at Christmas, or any season. Many thanks to Random House Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. 3.5 🌟 stars rounded up

It's the holiday season and Molly Gray is getting ready to celebrate with Juan Manuel and other members of her chosen family. But as the Secret Santa gift exchange at the Regency Grand draws near, Molly starts noticing that Juan Manuel is behaving oddly. He'll disappear for longer than expected and shows up in places she didn't expect him to. Has she misread the intentions and feelings from another man?

This was such a feel good story. Yes, I saw the ending coming long before it was revealed but that didn't hinter my enjoyment of the story and it's call back multiple times to "The Gift of the Magi". I also now want to turn my library card catalog into an advent calendar!!

Thank you to netgalley.com and Random House for providing me with an advance copy of the ebook!

The most enchanting book I’ve read all year, this Christmas treat is just a short visit to Molly’s happily ever after. For someone like her, reading the clues to solve a murder is a piece of cake. Figuring out other people’s emotions, on the other hand, is almost impossible. I figured out what was going on so my only question was how it was all going to play out. Molly is a charming character, she is sweet, resourceful and has worked out how to turn her challenges into strengths. All of her friends and coworkers make an appearance, including the memories of her Grandma with her invaluable lessons. And Juan? He is such a likable guy that, even when it wasn’t clear what he was really up to, I kept trying to justify his actions. If you, like me, think unprompted “a tissue for your issue” every time you reach for a Kleenex, this will be hot cocoa with marshmallows and gingerbread cookies all rolled in a fuzzy warm blanket and with a kitten in your lap. 5 festive stars!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine.

This novella was a perfect fit for this series! I loved how Molly and all the characters joined in the festivities and it wrapped up perfectly for Juan Manuel's perfect question. I loved it

I love this trend of authors writing their characters into a Christmas novella. Who better than Molly the Maid? Nita Prose gives us a sweet Christmas story with The Mistletoe Mystery.

"It's almost time for the Hotel Christmas party. Molly's boyfriend Juan is up to something. Molly sometimes has trouble figuring people out. What is Juan doing with so many different women? What's going on? Is this going to be the worst Christmas ever?"

You guess what's happening pretty quickly but it's still a sweet story. Molly is an easy character to pull for. After the events of the first book, you want her to find as much happiness as she can. A great finish to this one.

Another great addition to the Molly the Maid story.

Cute novella, not surprising at all for the reader but still very enjoyable.

I have really enjoyed the other Molly the Maid books that I've read, and you definitely need to read those in order to understand and enjoy this one.

Molly had some wonderful Christmas traditions with her Gran, and her boyfriend Juan Manuel has embraced them and continued the them with her. But Juan Manuel has been acting strangely and Molly is really unsure about his commitment and love. Is she reading things incorrectly or is she correct to be suspicious?

Like I said, as a reader you know where this is going right away even if Molly does not. I loved this beautifully heartwarming story featuring this fun group of characters. It's just the smile-inducing novel that a person needs to bring up spirits at this time of year.

Thank you Netgalley for an early copy of this novella, in exchange for an honest review!

This is more like a 2.5 star read, but I rounded up. I really do enjoy the "Molly the Maid" series. They are usually filled with humor and sweet moments. This one didn't have the same effect on me. I feel like Molly's character needs more than this short story length to really appreciate her. I also coudl guess the whole story immediately after the first few chapters which is always a little bit of a letdown. Don't get me wrong, this was still a sweet story, but I would've preferred it had just been added to the next book. It seemed a little unnecessary to me.