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A review by theespressoedition
Mistletoe and Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book brought out my sappy side. It was mushy-sweet and I loved (almost) every second of it!
Lana was definitely not my favorite character in the first book. I touched on this some in my first review, but I think my distaste was due to the way the narrator, well, narrated her. I was under the impression that she was mostly shallow, uppity, and generally just an annoying rich girl. But, I was wrong! This book showed me that in just the first few pages.
Despite her wealth and power, Lana definitely struggles with the choice between who she was born to be and who she actually wants to be. She has a heart of gold, but the family "empire" she's been raised in really doesn't allow her to use it the way she so desperately desires - even when she tries to go out on a limb to do it anyways. On top of that, the town of Moose Springs pretty much loathes her (aside from Rick, obviously, and Zoey - who isn't a native, but her best friend). Even Graham, who I had hoped would maybe see the light in this book, is still prejudiced against "tourists" or literally anyone not native to the town. That still gets on my nerves. But anyway, back to the struggles at hand: Lana "owns" the town, doesn't belong there or anywhere, and wants to do more with her money than her family always has.
Enter Rick. He's held a torch for Lana for a while now and secretly, the feelings are mutual. Despite the way everyone surrounding him feels about the woman, he makes his move, and gosh darnit, they're adorable together. Sure, there are the typical miscommunication issues, the fact that she has to travel for a living so it would just be a "holiday fling," etc., but the romance aspect for this book was precious. I loved their chemistry and the hilarious moments they spent together (like the tranq dart and the uncomfortable bed and breakfast).
There was also a lot more depth to this book than the first, what with everything that happens to Killian. I found myself even getting a little misty-eyed a few times, which was unexpected.
This is a case of the sequel being better than the initial book in the series, which is a rare occurrence to me! I am only feeling extra excitement to begin the next book (especially knowing that it's about one of my favorite characters: Easton).
Lana was definitely not my favorite character in the first book. I touched on this some in my first review, but I think my distaste was due to the way the narrator, well, narrated her. I was under the impression that she was mostly shallow, uppity, and generally just an annoying rich girl. But, I was wrong! This book showed me that in just the first few pages.
Despite her wealth and power, Lana definitely struggles with the choice between who she was born to be and who she actually wants to be. She has a heart of gold, but the family "empire" she's been raised in really doesn't allow her to use it the way she so desperately desires - even when she tries to go out on a limb to do it anyways. On top of that, the town of Moose Springs pretty much loathes her (aside from Rick, obviously, and Zoey - who isn't a native, but her best friend). Even Graham, who I had hoped would maybe see the light in this book, is still prejudiced against "tourists" or literally anyone not native to the town. That still gets on my nerves. But anyway, back to the struggles at hand: Lana "owns" the town, doesn't belong there or anywhere, and wants to do more with her money than her family always has.
Enter Rick. He's held a torch for Lana for a while now and secretly, the feelings are mutual. Despite the way everyone surrounding him feels about the woman, he makes his move, and gosh darnit, they're adorable together. Sure, there are the typical miscommunication issues, the fact that she has to travel for a living so it would just be a "holiday fling," etc., but the romance aspect for this book was precious. I loved their chemistry and the hilarious moments they spent together (like the tranq dart and the uncomfortable bed and breakfast).
There was also a lot more depth to this book than the first, what with everything that happens to Killian. I found myself even getting a little misty-eyed a few times, which was unexpected.
This is a case of the sequel being better than the initial book in the series, which is a rare occurrence to me! I am only feeling extra excitement to begin the next book (especially knowing that it's about one of my favorite characters: Easton).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol and Bullying
Minor: Car accident