These were all super cute from authors I love! My only issue was the formatting. For some reason the file was completely messed up on my kindle and made it beyond difficult to read.

I loved these series of novellas!

Ali - My favorite of the stories! Best friend’s brother pining for her all these years. Absolutely obsessed!

Tessa - I’ve never read a Tessa cowboy romance but now I need more from her! She always writes a man obsessed and this one is no different. Seeing their relationship grow and watching them learn to trust is so good!

Olivia - My least favorite of the 5. There was just something missing for me. I still enjoyed it but at times it was difficult to follow.

Alexandria - She is a new to me author and I can’t wait to read more from her. I loved the dynamic between the MMC and FMC! Watching her walls come down and realize she doesn’t want to hold back anymore was perfect! I would love for this one to become a full length book.

Alexis - Another new to me author! The title drew me in with this one, I’m assuming it’s a play on the tv show with a similar title. I loved the apartment setting and they’re nosy neighbors trying to get them together. Dealing with the topic of grief can be difficult but I feel like it was handled very well in this story. Love that he made the ornaments for her just so she would have some for her tree.

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @amazonpublishing for an early copy of Under the Mistletoe collection by Ali Hazelwood, Tessa Bailey, Olivia Dade, Alexandria Bellefleur, and Alexis Daria. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5/5
Release date: November 12th, 2024

These are cute short stories but not as good as last year’s Improbable Meet-Cute collection.

Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
I need a full novel for this one, please! 🥺 I enjoyed this short friends-to-lovers romance between Jamie and Marc; they’ve known each other since they were kids, with Marc being Jamie’s best friend Tabitha’s younger brother.

The story jumps from past to present several times, recalling significant events and interactions between Jamie and Marc, evidently highlighting their strong chemistry especially during their teenage years, and how intensely Marc has fallen for Jamie, and has vowed to make himself better to deserve her.

True enough, Marc has become a tech mogul, built a successful company, and is very successful. The two recall their almost falling out a couple months before when Marc has finally decided to pursue Jamie but she declines, mostly because she thinks he deserves someone better than her. They reconcile while trapped in a snowstorm inside Marc’s parents’ house and share some steamy moments.

Honestly, this could have been a whole lot better and interesting if it were a full-length novel. I really enjoyed Jamie and Marc’s sweet moments during their childhood and teenage years, regardless of how much has changed between them, they’re present during the most significant moments in each other’s lives.


Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey ⭐⭐/5

I haven’t read a Tessa Bailey in a while, and I am reminded of why I stopped reading her works. While she does write the smut on this one quite okay, I feel like they’re a bit too much in this short story that the main characters’ emotional connection doesn’t shine through, it’s like they’re just lustful for each other and nothing else. The story is already too short for what it is so I was looking for substance and emotional depth and connection between Luke and Evie, but none of that was in this novel, just a lot of insta-love and emphasis of how big ang huge Luke is.

And goodness, if you tell me this is a Christmas romance, at least make it Christmas-y! A romance set during Christmas time isn’t a Christmas romance unless there’s an extra flair of Christmas about it!

Thankfully, this is the second book in the series and not the first; I would have been thrown off and not read the entire series altogether if this one came first.

Will continue steering clear of Tessa Bailey’s works; I think her writing is just pure smut at this point.

Giving two stars because I did enjoy the narrators’ voices here, especially Luke’s; his super deep voice actually translates to how much the book emphasizes on how “big” and “huge” his character is.


All by My Elf by Olivia Dade ⭐/5

I know one can only do so much when writing a short story, but at least give the readers some context and background at the start of the novel. I was so confused about what was initially happening, like I was starting a novel in the middle; with no context whatsoever. It also didn’t have that hook I look for every time I start reading a book, which was why I had a difficult time finishing this one even though it was short. Parts where the FMC was always repeating herself thinking “he likes my best friend” or “he’s dating my best friend” just got old real fast because she hadn’t even confirmed it with her best friend and the MMC if they were really dating, she just assumed so. Goodness 🤦🏻‍♀️


Merriment and Mayhem by Alexandria Bellefleur ⭐⭐⭐/5

Merriment and Mayhem was a hilarious read! I love the flirting and banter between firefighter Griffin and clumsy and accident-prone Everleigh, though I feel like the ending was rushed and didn’t quite click with their personalities. This was definitely a better story than the series' past two books, though. 😅


Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria ⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Though a very short romance, Daria created a love story that was evenly paced, and very charming at that. This tells the story of Evie and Theo, who live in the same building. Evie develops a crush on Theo from their brief encounters in the building, and sparks are in the air when they spend time at a Christmas party.

I really enjoyed how Christmasy this story felt like, especially with Theo making customized Christmas ornaments for Evie when she mentioned all her Christmas décor was still in storage; he didn’t want her not to feel the joy of the holidays with her busy schedule as a comic book artist. I enjoyed their chemistry but I wish there was more to the story!

This was a fun holiday read with some spice! I really enjoyed all the stories and felt like it was really the perfect short read.

This was a fun collection of Christmas themed romance novellas. My favorite was Ali Hazelwood’s followed by the last two books. It was easy to read most and even the few that weren’t my favorite, weren’t horrible because they were so short.

love these little holiday rom-coms!!! Love how magical the holiday season is and love spicy hallmark HAHA

🎄 Wow these were sweet and sometimes a little bit spicy! 💚🌶️

💚 Cruel Winter With You (Ali Hazelwood)
4 stars! Childhood friends who cross paths during a winter storm 🌶️

💚 Merry Ever After (Tessa Bailey)
5 stars! Single mom + rugged farmer = I want a whole freaking book for this story! 🌶️🌶️🌶️

💚 All By My Elf (Olivia Dade)
4 stars! Colleague romance - close proximity - cute but kind of forgettable 🌶️

💚 Merriment and Mayhem (Alexandria Bellefleur)
5 stars! New-to-town girl has a meet-cute with a firefighter after she burns her batch of gingerbread cookies - I could also read a whole book for this story as well! 🌶️🌶️🌶️

💚 Only Santas in the Building (Alexis Daria)
3.5 stars! They live in the same building - she has a "secret Santa" leaving presents at her door - this one was cute, I liked the FMC dressing as "Mariah Santa" for the building's Christmas party 🌶️

Book 1 - Cruel Winter with You ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Super cute novella. It took me a second to catch up to the timing and flow. Once I figured it out it was great.

Adorable quick Christmas read.

Book 2 - Merry Ever After ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A quick decent read. The romance was fast!! Super spicy for a novella.

Book 3 - All By My Elf ⭐️
DNF

I tried for three days to read this one and just could not get into it. I have never read a book by this author before, but I fully understand novellas are hard.

People clearly have enjoyed this one and it may be for you!

Book 4 - Merriment and Mayheim ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fast paced, cute story. Some added spice at the end.

So impressed how the author made the novella format work! In my opinion these are so challenging.

Book 5 - Only Santa’s in the Building ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the final book of the Under the Mistletoe Collection.

Cute novella with a spicy scene. Short and fast paced.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an early copy of this book 😊. This was a really cute collection of Christmas RomComs that at times kind of read like a Hallmark movie. I enjoyed all the different stories. This was a fun, quick, festive read. Perfect for the holiday season.

I loved this collection of novella featured so many of my favorite authors! All of these novellas put me in the christmas spirit! I have 0 complaints with this book at all!

The under the Mistletoe collection is a collection of five short stories about love taking place during the Christmas season. I really enjoyed reading this series. I had read books by almost all of the authors before and was excited to read their stories. I loved most of the short stories, and liked the others which is why I would give this collection 4.5 stars out of 5. I would definitely recommend this collection to anyone looking to read some holiday romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for access to an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

A very quick series of reads to get into the Christmas groove, I enjoyed them, and read them in one day. Thank you very much, I really enjoyed them

The cutest collection of holiday romances! I can always count on Tessa Bailey for the spice. I was also excited to read Alexandria Bellefleur's as I loved her book Truly, Madly, Deeply. These short stories really put me in the Christmas mood!

Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood
Cruel Winter with You was my favorite novella out of the collection. I thought the pacing was perfect and the plot was well-rounded. I liked how Hazelwood set up the main characters' backstory. Jamie and Marc's history together made their relationship feel more believable. Although the two-year-old story line felt far-fetched, the rest of their backstory was done nicely. Both characters were layered and dynamic. I liked Jamie's vulnerability and Marc's sweetness. The forced proximity was fun and the steamy scenes didn't feel awkward. I enjoyed this one so much that I wanted it to be a full-length novel. This was a strong showing of Hazelwood's work.

Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey
Merry Ever After wasn't my favorite. I found it a little cringey. I struggled with the pacing of Evie and Luke's relationship. It was very fast and very steamy. I felt like Bailey should have taken more time to build up their relationship. They went from lust to love REAL QUICK. Evie and Luke's characters didn't feel developed. Luke felt stereotypical and Evie felt one-dimensional. Overall, this story didn't feel believable to me.

All by My Elf by Olivia Dade
All by My Elf had a unique plot! Once I pieced everything together, I enjoyed the way the story was set-up. The whole getting stranded on the road was a clever way to force proximity. I thought Nina and William were fine. I did think Nina was a little naive...especially with her assumption about her friend. The never have I ever game was fun and the cuddling for warmth scene was cute. The ending did feel a little rushed. This novella wasn't bad!

Merriment and Mayhem by Alexandria Bellefleur
Merriment and Mayhem was fun! I liked how Everleigh and Griffin met. The 911 scenes were funny and cute. I thought Griffin and Everleigh had great chemistry and banter. Their relationship progression felt realistic. Griffin was sweet (the light scene was 😍) and Everleigh's voice was comical. Like Cruel Winter with You, I wanted this one to be a full-length novel. I enjoyed Bellefleur's writing and the setting. This was a cute story.

Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria
Only Santas in the Building was alright. I felt like too much of the story was dedicated to Evie's work. I wanted more of a focus on Theo and Evie's grief. I thought Theo was sweet...especially with the ornament's plotline. I thought Daria did a fantastic job making the novella feel Christmasy. The Santa party was a neat way to get Theo and Evie together. I wish there were one or two more scenes of Theo and Evie together before they hooked up. Daria's writing sort of reminded me of Ali Hazelwood. This novella was a fast-paced read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the ARC.

Loving these short holiday romance stories by some of my favorite romance authors!! Thank you, Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for the Arc!

Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood 4 Stars
For two former childhood friends, a blustery winter storm stirs some frosty—and scorching—memories.
Fantastic short story! FMC was so relatable, MMC was determined! Managed to get me in my feelings in just 70 pages, bring on the blizzard and the blankets by the fire.
Thanks Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!


Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey 3.5 stars
A single mother working in a thrift store. A gentle giant farmer who can’t find jeans that fit. When opposites attract, they find themselves making alterations in more ways than one.
A cute cast of characters, and a spice level that you anticipate with a Tessa Bailey book! We even managed to get an epilogue within this short story, Merry Christmas to us!
Thanks Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

All by My Elf by Olivia Dade 3 stars
Secret crushes, spicy Christmas treats, heinous holiday traffic, and a fateful snowstorm bring good friends together in a funny, heartfelt short story.Hard to really picture this weiner mobile that these three college professionals are working in... felt like a lot of set up to finally get to the idea that the MMC just wanted close proximity to our FMC! I was here for the "let's share body warmth" but gave a little giggle at the other shenanigans that took place back there! Thanks Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

Merriment and Mayhem by Alexandria Bellefleur 4 stars
This Christmas, a hot fireman makes a holiday rescue and sparks fly in this funny, sexy holiday short story.Another story I needed more of! Loved the meet cute, firefighter Griffin coming to save Everleigh, and would have loved to see their relationship develop! Thanks Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

Cruel Winter with You - Ali Hazelwood
This was a really cute and fluffy novella! I’m usually not a fan of the miscommunication trope, but it was done well here. The flashbacks also added to the character developments and gave a good understanding of Marc and Jaime and their relationship. It did feel like it ended abruptly and I think it would have benefited from an epilogue of some sort, but I did enjoy the quick and cozy read.

Merry Ever After - Tessa Bailey
This was definitely a really cute novella, but I found it hard to connect with the characters and the story, as there wasn’t much character development and the pacing felt off. Though if you like the insta-love trope, you may enjoy it! It’s just not for me.

All by My Elf - Olivia Dade
All by My Elf is a quick and sweet novella. I usually don’t like the miscommunication trope, but thought it was done well, in addition with the forced proximity trope. The characters were likable and the story has potential to be a really good novel to allow for building deeper character development, with maybe a dual POV. Overall, it was an enjoyable and lovely story.

Merriment and Mayhem - Alexandria Bellefleur
This was a fun novella! All the characters are really great. I would love it if it was a full book to provide a little more relationship building, as it was kind of insta-love. But for a novella, this was a nice and cute read.

Only Santas in the Building - Alexis Daria
Only Santas in the Building might be my favorite in the collection. I really enjoyed this short and sweet novella! The set up for the characters was perfect as you get a good feel for the characters and their relationship with each other. The pacing was just right; it didn’t feel rushed at all. The story is well-balanced and the chemistry between the two main characters felt very natural. I would love to read a full novel about these characters.


Thank you NetGalley & Amazon Publishing for the ARC!

This was a cute series of holiday novellas to help get you into the holiday spirit! The one thing I hate about novellas though is I get so attached quickly to characters that I want and need more.

Ali Hazelwood proves again she doesn’t sleep but I am not mad at all. 70 pages was enough to have me so invested in the characters. We love when they actually have to communicate when they are stuck in a blizzard. he childhood friends to lovers trope was done excellently but I NEEDED more.

Tessa Bailey knows how to spice up the holidays in the best way. It was a sweet and cosy read set in a small town. We love a giant farmer who is nothing but soft-hearted.

Olivia Date provided a cute and steamy co-worker romance. The automobile they were driving was different and added humour to this short read. A cute nerdy Christmas love story with great representation as always.

Alexandria Bellefleur has me wanting a firefighter to come save me. Griffin was so cute and patient and SOOO SMOOTH with his game, I too would combust. I 100% needed this to be long and more time with Griffin.

Alexia Daria has me swooning for Theo. We love the neighbour trope who both have been secretly pining for each other. This one felt the most Christmasy and was such a fun read. would also love a longer story with these characters.

Cruel Winter with You: Five stars to Ali, as always.

Merry Ever After: 3.5 stars. It was probably bad for Tessa that I read this one after Ali’s novella, because I just felt like this one moved too quickly compared to that one. But it was decent enough.

All by My Elf: 4 stars. HOW CUTE. And ridiculous (in a good way).

Merriment and Mayhem: 4.5 stars. HOT FIREMAN SAY LESS. I actually wish this one was longer. 😭

Only Santas in the Building: 4 stars. Short and sweet, with a touch of serious issues like grief. I enjoyed it!

3.5

overall, this was fun. my favorite short was tessa bailey’s (the farmer was just TOO hot), and my least favorite was probably olivia dade’s. that said, i did end up liking all of them, and since they’re so short, they’re super easy to read!

#netgalley

Thanks to Amazon and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.
It has nothing to do with the book, but it caught my attention that this is the first time I've read an ARC that has editing flaws so that someone wouldn't want to pirate it.
This anthology of 5 short stories in a way reminded me of those Christmas editions of Historical Romance with short novellas where each author has her style of writing something Christmassy with a happy ending.
Being that Ali Hazelwood has the first story, I expected something more from her. I think short stories are not her thing, because almost all of her 70 pages are backstory, trying to give an explanation to what happens to her characters in the present, but I think it's a story that could use more work.
Definitely “Only Santas in the Building” was perfect. I want to read more from Alexis Daria. Perfect to read with a cup of very hot chocolate.