Blame It on the Mistletoe

Sugarplum Falls, Book 1

De: Samantha Baca

Narrado por: Louise Cooksey

Being a single mom was hard, but celebrating our first Christmas without my girl’s father, in the Christmas-obsessed town of Sugarplum Falls, was even harder. I knew they needed me to be there with them, but I was sinking quickly, barely keeping my head above water.

That was, until a handsome man came into the salon I worked at, needing my help.

Jackson Mason was as handsome as he was charming, and his five-year-old niece was just as adorable. She melted my heart instantly, and soon, I looked forward to our nightly hair appointments, as I taught him how to care for her hair. Losing her mother a few weeks ago was hard, but her uncle seemed to have everything handled.

That was, until he came in one night, extremely grumpy and in need of help again. But this time, it wasn’t her hair that he needed assistance with. When he offered me a job as his new administrative assistant, I couldn’t believe it.

But being in such close proximity to him on a daily basis proved challenging. Neither of us was in a position to act on the chemistry that flowed so easily between us, but our bodies didn’t seem to get that message.

With three little girls looking to us to make this Christmas merry and bright, we couldn’t afford to let our feelings get in the way. Even if we got caught under the mistletoe and everyone encouraged us to kiss.

There was too much on the line, and one little mistake could easily ruin everything.

©2022 Samantha Baca (P)2023 Samantha Baca

Good story

The story was heartwarming but the narration in my opinion let the story down. However that is just my opinion.

Loved this sweet holiday story.

Loved the characters and the interactions with his 5 year old niece. Perfect holiday story.

Sweet small town workplace Christmas novella!

This book had me in tears within 5 minutes of listening. Emily has been dealing with the death of her husband while being there for her two daughters. Jackson just got custody of his neice after the death of his sister. Jackson is in a bind and needs a new assistant and talks Emily into the job so she can provide for her family without needing two jobs. This is a beautiful love story of 5 broken people coming together to heal eachother at Christmas. Even though this novella is light on the spice it makes up for it with huge emotions. Highly recommended! Narration by Louise Cooksey who drew me in with her sweet voice.

Mistletoe

A great love story, perfect match for the families. Wonderful. Loving. Christmas story perfect. I would recommend reading for anyone who has lost a Loved one.

Adorable Holiday Novella!!

Emily and Jackson meet when Jackson is in search of someone who can fix and show him how to do his niece's hair, since he just became her guardian after his sister passed away. Jackson quickly learns he wants to spend more time with Emily and offers her a job when he learns she currently works two jobs trying to make ends meet. Can their new boss-employee relationship be the trick to keeping their feelings at bay?

I absolutely loved this novella! It has all the cutesy holiday vibes without feeling like a daytime television holiday movie. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but that's usually not what I'm looking for in my books, haha. This is a fast-paced story, but that doesn't mean you are left feeling like things are missing. I love how the author still manages to make this story feel complete.

The FMC is 40 years old and had her kids in her 30s, which isn't something that's seen in most of the books I've listened to, but I loved it. I feel like it is relatable to us "older" bookstagrammers. I think this book also reminds us that everyone grieves at their own pace, and just because someone has moved on, doesn't mean they have stopped grieving their loss.

Louise Cooksey did an excellent job narrating this book. I hope to hear more of her in the future!

THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF: You are looking for a quick, cute holiday read with lots of feels.

Made my Heart Happy

Emily is a newly single mom. Her husband passed away from cancer. She has 2 daughters and her mom helps out.
Jackson just got custody of his niece after his sister passed away. He has no family.
It’s all of their 1st Christmas without their loved ones.
Emily is just so kind hearted and has a beautiful soul. Jackson lights up around her. They’re just so cute together. Seeing them work through pretty horrible stuff. I cried a few times because it was like I could feel the kids emotions. It was such a sweet read. I’ll definitely be continuing the series.

Lovely found family

I loved the fact that the people are just so loving and caring. All the characters are so empathetic and compassionate and it’s just really sweet to see people be good people. The one downside is the narrator, her man talking voice is not the best but it’s also slightly confusing because the internal dialogue does not sound like a man so I sometimes would forget whose chapter I was listening to. Not a huge deal but could be better.

Heartwarming Single Parent Holiday Romance

This was a very cute holiday novella! Quick easy read and good story. This is a small town, single mom, boss/ assistant, forced proximity romance. The town of Sugarplum falls is such a cute setting for this story! I loved the small town and Christmas overload especially for the three little girls. Emily came to sugarplum falls with her two daughters. They meet Jackson who has recently started caring for his niece. Jackson and Emily bond over their girls and their griet which is really touching. Their relationship was very sweet and I liked their story a lot. I listened to the audiobook for this book and really enjoyed it! Very cute novella would definitely recommend!

All the Feels!!

Blame it on the Mistletoe is the first book in the Sugarplum Falls series. Emily is a widow with 2 children, 2 jobs and barely making ends meet. Jackson has just lost his sister and has guardianship of his 5 yo niece, Sophia. Jackson meets Emily at the hair salon where she works and ends up offering her a job to be his assistant. Their chemistry is off the charts, but blending work and families isn't easy. The author brought comedy, heartfelt family connections, and sweet holiday romance in this little jewel. I can't wait for the second book!!

The narrator was new to me and she did a good job. Not going to lie, I do love dual narration, but the single female voice didn't take away from the story. I can't imagine having to voice ALL the characters in this story.👍🏼

Jackson and Emily

I listened to the audiobook of this book and loved the perspectives of Jackson and Emily. Jackson was faced with his sister passing away and taking on Sophie. Emily had two children of her own and dealt with the loss in the past of her husband. I enjoyed seeing how Jackson and Emily's relationship bloomed throughout the book. I am glad they gave it a try after they initially met when Jackson needed help with Sophie's hair. I can't wait to see what else comes from the Sugarplum Falls series.