Mistletoe Season: Three Christmas Stories by Sheila Roberts, Kathleen Fuller, and Pepper Basham Review

 Happy Monday Sweet Friends :)

I pray today finds you all doing well, and I'm so thankful you've taken the time to drop on by The Preppy Book Princess today for another book review.

I'm Kirby, and I'm excited to welcome you to my little bookish corner of the internet.

Today's Labor Day, and I'm actually off from work, which means I'm trying to catch up at home, amidst feeling pretty exhausted from everything we've had going on the past couple of weeks.

However, I wanted to take a break from all the craziness to share another Christmas book review with you all.

I can't believe it's already September, and I'm definitely here for it. The ber months are always my favorites, and I look forward to all the cozy, fall things and getting into the Christmas spirit in the very near future.

But let's kick off September by diving right into another Christmas book review! I hope you'll all join me down below for today's full review.

Mistletoe Season: Three Christmas Stories by Sheila Roberts, Kathleen Fuller, and Pepper Basham:

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publication Date: October 8th, 2024

Genre: Christian Fiction/Christmas Read/Novella Collection

Synopsis:

This Christmas, three couples find themselves under the mistletoe . . . whether they want to be there or not.

Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts--Mistletoe is Hailey Fairchild's kryptonite. Every time she's kissed someone under the mistletoe it's led to love disaster. Not a good thing for a romance writer! When she was a gawky high school girl, her hunky neighbor, Carwyn Davies, star of the basketball team (and her dreams) kissed her under the mistletoe on a dare. But the kiss wasn't a dream come true. It was a mortifying moment she's never forgotten, and now she's about to go home for the holidays, unengaged and . . . determined to say no to mistletoe. Especially if Carwyn is anywhere around.

Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller--Emmy Banks has always loved Christmas. How could she not when she lives in Mistletoe, Missouri? Kieran O'Neill has spent years abroad, renovating an old Irish castle, but returns to Mistletoe for his mother's seventieth birthday. He reconnects with Emmy, his sister's close friend, and spends time with her in her charming antique shop. When the weather turns colder, things start to warm up between Emmy and Kieran. But can Emmy risk her heart when she knows he'll never stay in Mistletoe, and she will never leave?

The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham--Prince Arran St. Clare has lost his freedom and fairytale life in exchange for a three-month "punishment" in the small town of Ransom, North Carolina. To prove he is ready for the royal life for which he was born, Arran must engage in the Christmas charity fundraiser, The Mistletoe Wish. But when kindness, authenticity, and hard work prove more appreciated in Appalachia than a royal pedigree, Arran must face the mirror and find out who he is beyond the crown. Add a beautiful and intelligent woman who doesn't recognize her own worth, some mistletoe, and a little Christmas magic and it all might be enough to help the rebel-prince understand what truly matters most.

(synopsis from goodreads)

My Review:

I usually find myself enjoying these Christmas novella collections Thomas Nelson tends to release each year, and considering I've loved previous titles by all three of these authors, I didn't expect this one to be any different.

Each of these stories is a fun, heartwarming Christmas story that centers in some way around Mistletoe, though not always in the most expected of ways. Each had all of the Hallmark movie vibes, and I could easily see any of these sweet stories being adapted for the small screen. It was an added treat that each story had subtle faith mentions, that just made me enjoy them that much more.

I actually didn't read the synopsis before picking this one up, I just went into it knowing it was a sweet romance Christmas novella collection. So it took me by complete surprise that Pepper Basham's contribution was set in her "Skymar" world, and I couldn't have been more excited about that. Her story was by far my favorite of the three, and I loved how it dived into some deeper topics like child neglect, and learning to rest in what our Heavenly Father says about us, instead of everyone around us.

Both of the other stories were also heartwarming and sweet, while also tackling a few deeper messages that I wasn't initially expecting when I went ahead and picked this one up.

Overall, I wholeheartedly enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend it for anyone who enjoys sweet, Christmas romances. Another fun release from Thomas Nelson, and one that I could easily see myself rereading in the future.

Final Rating: 4/5

Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to advance read and review this title!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.

Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a great rest of your day and a lovely last day of summer holidays :)