I love a good Christmas story and this one delivered.

Christmas spirit, small town, Christmas desserts, and some fun matchmaking! (With some faith elements sprinkled in)

Read this book if you’re looking to get into the holiday mood!

Thanks to Revell for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

What a fun holiday read. Full of holiday cheer, the real meaning of Christmas, and childlike exuberance, this romance will have you wanting to curl up with some hot chocolate and warm apple pie by the fire. Whitney and Daniel are so tender and sweet as they fall for one another. I loved how they immediately saw each other as no one else had seen them before. I love the instant connection (this is not insta love here). Plus the secondary characters Aretha (the meddling old lady), and Julia Mae (the intuitive and matter of fact child) added some good levity and insight into the plot.

I haven't read Liz Johnson before but I will definitely be seeking out more of her books and looking for the rest of the books in this series.

Whitney is starting culinary school when in exchange for work space she agrees to help the local inn owner with her kids. With holiday guests at the inn she decides to help a guests aunt with a set up. However when Whitney fall for the guy herself she doesn’t know what to do. This is a warm holiday rom com that was a quick and fun read.

From reading the synopsis of the book, I thought it was going to be about baking and it was going to be a rom-com. It was not too much about baking, but it was a rom-com. However, it was a little different then most of the rom-coms that I have read. It was until I started reading it that I discovered that one of this book's tracings was Christian fiction. If that is what the reader wants then I think this would be a good book for that reader. There are several scenes that cater to that Christian theme. However, the plot is somewhat a formula and I got tired of the children, even if they are part of the story. I think this book was just not what I thought it was when I asked to read it, but I think it will find an audience who will really like it.

Meddling with Mistletoe by Liz Johnson is a wonderful book. I thought it was so sweet. I loved the characters and the situation they found themselves in. I thought Whitney’s character was great. The romance part was perfect and well done. It was the perfect holiday romance and readers of this genre will love it. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

A fun festive read. Whitney is supposed to be helping matchmake Daniel, so what will happen when she starts to call for him herself? I liked how it was told from both points of view.

If you’re looking for a cute, hallmark style read where the miscommunication between main characters isn’t infuriating and you get cute friend group/found family vibes then this is a story for you.

It was sweet, included adorable banter and dorky tendencies and two people trying to find their place in the world, together.

What more could you want?

On a narration level, overall I did enjoy it. However if having an adult imitate a child for younger characters isn’t your thing, here’s the heads up that it happens but not enough to make me want to stop listening - and if you’re reading it yourself, no worries at all!

Small island holiday hijinks with meddlesome families, rambunctious little ones, pies in the oven, snow on the ground, and a bit of unexpected romance in the air.

This was a fun, charming Christmas Romance with a Hallmark vibe. I loved the chemistry between Whitney and Daniel. Whitney knew how to get Daniel out of his holiday funk. My favorite part of the book was when they paused in front of the Nativity at Mr. Huntington's Christmas light display. It was a reflective moment to remember the reason for the season. This book was a delightful holiday read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Revell for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was enjoyable during, but won’t leave a lasting impression long term.

I enjoyed this. It had likable characters, a cozy setting and an entertaining plot. Overall it was an enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend it as a holiday read with hallmark ESK vibes, but it doesn’t leave a lasting impression.

It felt a bit, overdone and not that interesting or crazy happened. I would say that i will most likely forget about this books, but if you’re looking for a cute, low energy holiday palate cleanser read - i’d definitely recommend this one!

It gives: grumpy/sunshine, christmas baking & some matchmaking 🎅🏼

"Meddling with Mistletoe" was a delightful read.

As Whitney Garrett is trying to figure out this "adulting" thing and what it is that she wants to do with her life, she unwittingly gets drawn into a scheme of her meddling older friend, Aretha. Aretha is concerned that her perpetually single nephew will never find love again after his heart was broken three years earlier. So, she decides to pair Daniel up with Ruby, the woman whose company is about to buy Aretha's store. Daniel and Ruby are both driven, career-oriented, numbers people. So, to Aretha, the math is perfect!

But when she bribes Whitney to help her get the soon-to-be lovebirds to fall for each other, she doesn't realize that Whitney is already a little smitten with Daniel herself. And the more involved Whitney gets with Aretha's scheme, the more soul-crushing it is to think that she might lose the man of her dreams.

And the more time buttoned-up Daniel spends around Whitney, the more he's reminded that living life can be a wonderful and joyous experience when you're with the right person.

Even though this series is new to me, I thoroughly enjoyed this book as a standalone standalone romance.

Thank you to Liz Johnson, Revell, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

I was so excited to finally get to read this one! A return to the island and inn, and at Christmas time!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Liz Johnson and Baker Publishing Group for the ARC of this novel.

What a cute Christmas read ❤️ Whitney needs a kitchen to do her baking so she can pay for culinary school. After coming to an agreement with Marie, she finders herself watching kids while baking pies and making breakfast for the inn Marie runs.

Daniel and Ruby are staying at the hotel while helping Daniel’s aunt with the sale of her antique store. But she’s decided that Daniel and Ruby are perfect for each other and enlists Whitney to help with matchmaking. The only problem - Whitney doesn’t think Ruby is the right woman.

This was cozy, full of cute holiday moments, and a light read. I breezed through this and was smiling so much. Definitely endearing characters and a fun Christmas read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.
4 Stars!
A cute holiday romance. A cozy nice read for the holidays.

I absolutely adored the small town charm in this novel, as I’m a small town girly myself. I loved how Whitney and Daniel were almost opposites attract but at the same time the perfect match for one another. The faith aspect was appreciated by me, as I loved it, and I’d recommend to anyone seeking an adorable Christmas cozy romance!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a wonderful Christmas novel. It really put me in the Christmas spirit!

This such a good holiday story. It would make a very good Hallmark movie that everyone could enjoy. The characters are fun to read about and the setting is where you want to be for Christmas.

Liz Johnson knows how to write Christian fiction.

If you've read Liz Johnson's Red Door Inn series (or really, any of the books in the series) you've met some of the characters in Meddling with Mistletoe already. If you haven't yet, you're in for a treat!

Whitney Garrett has tried (and given up on) so many different careers that her exasperated father has finally had it. The only way she can try cooking school is if she pays for it herself. Selling her home baked pies is her solution, but the money isn't adding up fast enough to cover her tuition. When Aretha Franklin-Sloan offers to cover the outstanding amount if she helps match her nephew, Daniel, with Ruby, the woman brokering the sale of Aretha's antique shop. Unfortunately for Whitney, the only chemistry is between her and Daniel, not Ruby and Daniel. When Aretha's solution is to get Daniel and Ruby to kiss under the mistletoe, even that fails because Daniel catches Whitney instead. Can she turn Daniel's heart to another when she wants it for herself?

This was a fun book to read as a Christmas treat. I completely understand Whitney's misgivings on both the job front and the romance front. When she finally sees herself as others see her, she can take a chance on her future. Until then, she's stuck in a pretty self-destructive rut.

I've read every book in this series and loved them all. This one is shorter in length, and if you enjoy audio books, I can recommend that version as well. Narrator Kelli Tager does a great job voicing the different characters.

I loved the stories set at the Red Door Inn, so it was such a pleasure to return there for Whitney's story! She is at a crossroads in her life, feeling forced to choose a career that she can stick with, or let her parents down again, and no more safety net. I could sense how on edge she felt, working toward an end goal with things falling apart around her. Despite her circumstances, she is the sunshine providing contrast to Daniel's grumpiness. His character put off vibes of flatness and unhappiness, going through the motions, but still caring about his aunt enough to travel and help her sell her business. There are plenty of funny mishaps, but the best part of this book is the way Daniel blossomed around Whitney's light. They both gently challenged each other, and as Daniel learns to open his heart again, Whitney gains the courage to find and follow the dream authentic to her. A sweet holiday read with great romantic chemistry!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Whitney is on a mission to pay for culinary school, planning to bake pies and sell them for the holidays, but a broken oven puts her in a bind and she ends up watching the Sloan children and cooking for the Red Door Inn in exchange for use of their kitchen.

Whitney isn't the only one on a mission, Aretha Franklin Sloan has a plan to cheer up her nephew by matching him up with a successful business woman, and enlists Whitney to help her make it happen.

A feel good rom-com with endearing characters, adorable children, strong faith, and a matchmaking gone wrong. Whitney is a relatable heroine, and I admired her for continuing to push forward despite all the set backs. Daniel has poured himself into his work for the last few years, not willing to give love another chance. I liked how Julia Mae kept asking him to join them in their activities.

Overall, from beginning to end this was a delightful read, with a feel-good, cozy, rom-com feel, and a strong core of faith. I enjoyed the full cast of characters, and grumpy/sunshine, matchmaking tropes. The perfect pick-me-up for the Christmas season!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.