Mistletoe Mansion

Read in October, 2014

To say that this was entertaining, is putting it mildly! It was FUN FUN FUN and I love the wittiness of everyone! The gist is we have a girl who LOVES to make cupcakes but her boyfriend thinks its frivolous work and will get her nowhere and wants her to quit doing it and get a 'real' job. She doesn't want to do that, because cupcakes are her passion. So, they break-up. So now she finds herself homeless. Cue ... Mistletoe Mansion. She pretends to be a house-sitter and her and her also homeless (lol) friend move in! Cue ... holy laughter, good times, mystery, more laughter, friendly neighbors, not so friendly neighbors, night-time shenanigans, even MORE laughter .... I laughed A LOT reading this story! And I'm pretty sure I won't be alone in THAT! If you're looking for a humorous feel good book, you cant go wrong with this one!
ARC provided by Carina UK via NetGalley for an honest review.

Just when I needed light and laughter this book fell in my lap. The book was lovely from start to finish. Kimmy has big dreams, she is living with a down to earth, get a job, get married, buy a house kind of guy. He doesn't support her dream and kicks her out. Her best friend, has a fight with her roommate brother and they find themselves homeless. And the fun begins. Out of desperation they find an ad for a home-sitter, Mistletoe Mansion.

So, Kimmy and Jess find themselves in the home-sitting business. The story made me laugh out loud more then once. It has everything, celebrities in crisis, nutty neighbors, mysteries to solve, ghosts to be dealt with, oh yeah and Kimmy's passion - CUPCAKES! I felt as if I was living this little adventure in the English Countryside right along with them.

If you are looking for a sweet, light, wonderful, holiday read - run do not walk to your download portal and bring this wonderful read to bed with you.

I love discovering new authors and I will be following Ms. Tonge for what I hope is a long and wonderful journey.

Mistletoe Mansion is a funny, sweet and unforgettable novel. Readers will fall in love with the main female character. Kimmy Jones has always wanted to own her own baking business. Her current boyfriend is against her making her dreams come true. He wants her to take up a job at the company he works, so that they both will be making a steady income. But Kimmy denies the job offer over and over again. Until one day he decides to break it off with her. He's tired of waiting for her to get a real job. Kimmy is offended by her boyfriend's behavior and of that fact he broke off their relationship. But it isnt too long before Kimmy finds a way to land herself a job without any references to be a housekeeper at a haunted mansion. There Kimmy runs into a hot, sexy, and the most frustrating man ever! Strange things soon start to happen that scare Kimmy into calling the one man who frustrates her. Luke thinks Kimmy is likes him way too much and decides to call him for every little excuse just to see him. But soon, he too finds out there is more going on a the manison than what the eyes cant see. Will Kimmy be able to prove to her boyfriend that she can be financially independent from her business? Or will Luke take over her boyfriend's spot in her heart? And what exactly is going on at the mansion? To find out, you must read this brialliant romantic story that will keep you lured in forever! I would recommend this book to all readers! Overall, the novel is a 5 out of 5 stars.

Mistletoe Mansion is supernatural Christmas house-sitting a la Bridget Jones, full of pop culture references romance that starts with a break-up. Intrigued? I was. This romance has many aspects that the average romance doesn’t have, including but not limited to a haunting. A fun, easy read, full of messages many women and men shouldn’t ignore when it comes to dating. 1. There are usually signs that the person isn’t what they seem or that things aren’t working out, too often people choose to ignore them.
2. Too often the things that we find attractive in another person can become irritating, even infuriating, something you once found quirky or cute may later become grounds for divorce.
3. We hear things like there are silver linings to every cloud and when one door closes hopefully your foot isn’t in it, well, I might be mixing my metaphors or platitudes, but the point is, often, if you’re open, what you need shows up or was there all along.
“You can't always get what you want You can't always get what you want You can't always get what you want But if you try sometimes well you just might find You get what you need.” ~The Rolling Stones Mistletoe can be potent stuff, use with caution.

Kimmy dreams for having her own baking business. She loves gossip magazines and celebrity DVDs. But her long-term boyfriend doesn't share same things. He wants steady job, security and roots. After a fight with him, Kimmy finds herself jobless and homeless. Her best friend also finds herself jobless and homeless, so it's time for plan B. The owner of Mistletoe Mansion needs a housekeeper until the mansion is sold. It's a perfect opportunity for Kimmy and her friend. The dream finally comes true! Living like a celebrity! And the kitchen, perfect for a cooking show!

But what Kimmy doesn't know is that living in the Mistletoe Mansion comes with a catch. The mansion is possessed. Strange things are going on. Strange sounds, lights, smoke, music that no one is playing. Is there a logical explanation or the house is really haunted by ghosts?

This time, Samantha Tonge really surprised me, in a positive way. This is, according to me, so far her best writing. Halloween theme is perfectly incorporated in romantic read. Kimmy, despite loving everything that I hate, like gossip magazines, is very interesting person. She has a heart of gold, always there for her friends in trouble. And she has an attitude! Nothing stands on her way to make her dreams come true. But she would never ever hurt someone else to make her dream come true. That's a real character, for me.

The ghost in the mansion is really unique ad for the story. An old mansion without a spooky ghost is not a mansion at all. A play of lights, Christmas music from nowhere, smoke under the door... My reading room suddenly starts to feel cold. Is there someone who has unfinished business on this world, or someone is having really sick sense of humor?

Melissa is another character in the story, a celebrity, famous just for being a wife of a famous golf player. She is living proof that the lives of the rich and famous aren't what they seem to, the stories that we read in the magazines are far from real. She has one face for the paparazzi, another one for her husband, and another one when she looks herself in the mirror. But wearing so many masks is very hard for her, and finally she stands for herself and shows her true face, a face of a real woman with feelings.

As I said previously, Ms. Tonge positively surprised me. She mixed very well the life and dreams of the ordinary people with the one of the rich and famous, spiced the story with romance and humor and iced it with a spooky ghost. Totally recommended perfect read!

My opinion: 4.5 / 5

MISTLETOE MANSION – Samantha Tonge
FUN AND UPBEAT – 4 stars
Plot – 4 stars – We first meet Kimmy at her lowest point—when she’s basically being kicked out of her apartment and her relationship with boyfriend Adam. Kimmy is a fun-loving, celebrity-watching, stylish British woman with a cupcake-baking talent and the desire to build her own business. Adam is a staid, solid, surprise-hating guy who wants her to give up her “wacky” dream and work in a factory. But Kimmy is resourceful and finds a house-sitting job with her friend Jess who is facing her own problems. There they meet up with a friendly ghost, a not-so-friendly spirit, and a helpful and gorgeous handyman. There’s a bit of a mystery to solve, but nothing terribly disturbing.
Writing – 4 stars – The story jumped right in, setting the tone of looking at somewhat serious subjects in a light-hearted way. I loved how Tonge created such fun characters, but they have deep centers which makes them much more interesting. The story has the same sense of underlying intrigue, but with a silly outer layer. There were a few references to TV shows and/or movies that I didn’t get, but it didn’t really detract from the story.
Characters – 4 stars – Kimmy is a great main character. She is a talented and very resourceful woman on one hand, and a nutty celebrity watcher who worries about her sense of style. Jess is her total opposite, although they’ve been friends for years and have each other’s back. Melissa and Terry, the neighbors are also more than they seem on first look. Luke is less well-known beyond the fact that he is hunky and was friends with the former owner. I would have liked ot have gotten to know him better.
Title – 3 stars – Straightforward title, giving us the name of the house where Kimmy and Jess are staying. It implies a Christmas story, although there’s not a lot of reference to the holidays.
Cover – 4 stars – The cover is very cute and fanciful, just like Kimmy’s bubbly personality. It definitely sets the tone of the book.
Overall – 4 stars – The best adjective for this book is cute, although there are actually some rather serious moments included. Kimmy finally gets to see life from the other side of the magazine cover, meaning she sees what it’s like to be a celebrity chased by the paparazzi. Plus she faces some facts about starting up a business and having a dream.

I received an ARC of Mistletoe Mansion by Samantha Tonge from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is the second book I have read by this author. I love her lighthearted, fun book which is a perfect read for the holidays!

The book was charming from the first page to the last one. Kimmy has always had big dreams, she has a live in boy friend who is very down to earth who wants her to get the nonsense of baking cupcakes for a living out of her system and get a job at the potato factory where he works. He doesn't support her dreams and kicks her out. Her best friend, Jess had a fight with her roommate brother and they both find themselves homeless. It is snowing and so close to Christmas they are feeling desperate and cold with nowhere to go.

They find an ad for house-sitters and they impersonate themselves as such and apply for the position. Kimmy and Jess soon find themselves living in Mistletoe Mansion. The story has everything including their neighborhood local celebrities in crisis, wacky neighbors, and a ghostly haunting, and of course Kimmy's passion of CUPCAKES! Kimmy is finally living the life she has dreamed of but the distractions are hard to deal with namely the handyman Luke and the odd things going on at night….

Mistletoe Mansion is a lovely, lighthearted tale that highlights some of the dirt of the celebrity lifestyle. It made me laugh at some of the things in the book that was so funny. This is a thoroughly enjoyable book, sweet, and light a wonderful holiday read. I look forward to reading more from Samantha Tonge.

Cupcakes, craziness and Christmas just about sum up this latest offering from Samantha Tonge. It’s a lovely, lighthearted tale that sheds the dirt on the celebrity lifestyle. As we’ve come to expect there’s the usual cast of totally realistic yet bonkers characters and a bit of ghostly haunting to give it a Christmassy feel. Thoroughly enjoyable if you’re looking for a cosy read in front of the fire. If I hadn’t already read it, it would be on my Christmas list.

Mistletoe Mansion is such an entertaining read, its full of sugary goodness, celebrities, ghostly encounters and a swoon worthy handyman who looks good in a lumber jacket and cream cords. What more could you want. Leading lady Kimmy has a very bad day and is catapulted into a situation that could change her life. When her very sensible and quite frankly boring boyfriend gives her an ultimatum work in a potato factory and give up her dreams or leave, with no choice she ends up homeless and at a bus stop with her best friend and total opposite Jess who is also homeless due to her OCD and a bachelor brother.

The girls end up house sitting for Mr Murphy who has put the gorgeous house up for sale after being left it from good old Walter, but not everything is as it seems. What I really enjoyed about this book was how gossipy it was, everyone loves a cupcake and a natter about the latest scandal and the residents of this small but very fabulous village have more secrets and trouble than you could imagine.

Our heroine Kimmy dreams of the celebrity lifestyle, she wants it all but now she is living next door to it, with WAG Melissa and sees what it really is like. I love Kimmy's internal monologue with her ever changing facebook status and the headlines she makes up for her adventures she is truly a comical woman who dreams and dreams big.

Samantha Tonge brings us a entertaining and delicious story that is perfect for those winter evenings, put on those flannelette pyjamas, grab a hot chocolate and buy Mistletoe Mansion, its truly scrumptious read.

Lovely festive reading. Great characters, wonderful settings makes this a great story to get lost in on a cold winters' night.

Mistletoe Mansion is my first book by Samantha Tonge but it won't be the last as I found this story highly entertaining, fast-paced and with so much drama and cake! Kimmy, our heroine, is like a breath of fresh air, funny, a bit celebrity-obsessed but with a golden heart. And a really talented baker. I was drooling with all the descriptions of her creations, oh god! I want cupcakes now!

The secondary characters are also lovely. I especially liked Terry, the also gossip-obsessed man who lives next to Mistletoe Mansion and has a micro pig as a pet, how cool is that! As per the boys in this love triangle, I was totally team Luke, with those eyes... I really enjoyed his scenes with Kimmy, they were sparks flying but I was quite surprised with his secrets too!

There's also a bit of paranormal activity on the mansion and I was a bit sceptic at the beginning because I am not a big fan of ghosts on stories but Samantha handled it very well and it had the perfect fun and touching spark.

All in all Mistletoe Mansion is a fun story that will leave you with a huge smile on your face. A bit over the top with all the drama going on but with the right message: believe in yourself. And be prepared to read about the most fantastic culinary creations. I actually loved all the cupcakes and I can't wait to try my hand at some of the flavour combinations Kimmy tried as I also love baking them.

MISTLETOE MANSION BY SAMANTHA TONGE THE BLURB Kimmy Jones has three loves: cupcakes, gossip magazines and dreaming of getting fit just by owning celeb workouts.

When Kimmy’s Sensible Boyfriend told her he didn’t approve of her longing for the high life or her dream of starting a cupcake company Kimmy thought she could compromise – after all, she did return those five-inch Paris Hilton heels! But asking her to trade in cake-making for a job sorting potatoes is a step too far.

So, newly single - and newly homeless – Kimmy needs a dusting of Christmas luck. And, masquerading as a professional house sitter, her new temporary home is the stunning Mistletoe Mansion. Soon she’s best buds with glamorous next door golf WAG Melissa, and orders are pouring in for her fabulous Merry Berry cupcakes! The only thorn in her side is handsome handyman Luke, a distraction she definitely doesn’t need. And talking of distractions, something very odd is going on at night…
WHAT I SAY What a fantastic christmas read it very fast paced it full of surprises and lots of cupcakes . Kimmy a great character she works so hard at setting up her cupcake business . She got a heart of gold she a person that would always be there for you . I like her fascination with celebrities alot of people are just like her i think . I did not like her boyfriend Adam he was so mean and a very uptight young man he was not a very nice boyfriend at all what did you think of him ?
Now they had fall Out and she had gone to move out . She soon sort her self out she got a job at mistletoe mansion with her friend Jess who brother throw her out to

They seem to like this mansion it just like Kimmy dreamed of living in a glamour houses but what going on in this old mansion was it a ghost ?

You will just love all the characters they were so much fun Jess is a garden mad i felt she got s few problems to sort out Melissa got the life Kimmy Wants she very beautiful and rich her life is just perfect or is it ? What did you think? Terry a gossip but you will love him he just so cool i love his micro pig i love that as a pet But what was stopping terry from going to the mansion at night ? Why would he only go in day time ? What was wrong ? Luke the handman he was very handsome a real lovely man i felt there seem to be a bit of love thing going on with Luke , Adam and Kimmy . Who will she pick ? I just loved all the spooky encounters it made the book for me . All the character seem to come alive and jump out at you The story just grips you it got love , friendship, a ghost ,cupcakes and a love triangle what more could you want ? I just a wonderful read 5 stars A great price at min Publisher:Carin release date:10 Nov 2014 Source net gallery Link Amazon Mistletoe Mansion by Samantha Tonge http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00O56X3HM/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_AncJub0A16NB3

*Book provided by the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

First of all: What an amazing cover!

The story follows Kimmy, she wants to have her own business making cupcakes and more. Her boyfriend Adam doesn’t really approve of this and wants her to get a real job. At one point he has enough and throws her out. Let’s just say that I didn’t like him from the beginning.

Her best friend Jess lives with her brother Ryan, or should I rather say lived… The two friends are desperate for a place to live and so they apply for this housesitting job at Mistletoe Mansion. The owner died and his nephew is trying to sell the house now, in the meantime he needs housesitters.

Kimmy and Jess meet a lot of people through that: Terry, Melissa (the wife of a famous golfer) and gorgeous handyman Luke. Terry becomes their friend really fast and he is a real sweetheart. Kimmy gets the chance to cater for Melissa and the two women become good friends. And as for Luke?! He is hot and cold, really nice and helpful one minute and then the total difference the other minute.

Mistletoe Mansion is a spooky house. There is weird fog, creepy music and much more. This added the right spark of mystery to this story and the reveal?! Oh my… but I kind of guessed in that direction…

Kimmy finally goes for her dreams with Luke’s encouragement. There was definitely a chemistry there between them and their scenes had the perfect tension, passion and drama – I loved it.
Kimmy however, still wanted to impress her ex-boyfriend and I just couldn’t understand that. I liked the way the story developed and I just wanted Luke and Kimmy to be honest to each other. There had to be a misunderstanding as well of course ;) And the end suddenly came really fast, which I think was a pity, because I wanted to read more about Kimmy’s life.
I liked the way everything turned out to be though…

Melissa and Jess had their own story to tell through Kimmy, which was great. The characters seemed really authentic.

A lovely written story, with well lined out characters, the right amount of mystery, drama, friendship and love.