Under the Mistletoe

Four and a half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒ Under the Mistletoe by Sue Moorcroft is a lovely, emotional holiday book. It’s not the light, fluffy read that the cover suggests, and is instead a book with flawed characters who deal with some tough issues that the author handles with care and compassion. After a tough divorce, Laurel heads back to her hometown of Middledip to help her sister Rae, her niece Daisy, and to rest and figure out the rest of her life after her divorce. She runs into her old friend, Grady, who she left suddenly when she left town many years ago. Laurel and Grady were fast becoming more than friends when she suddenly left, and Grady never could figure out why Laurel left town so fast. Laurel also runs into Grady’s brother Mac, who is now a teacher at Daisy’s school. However, Laurel can’t stand to be in the same room as Mac because of something that happened back when they were all in school together. Can Grady and Laurel rekindle something they had all those years ago? And will Laurel be able to spend time with Grady when she can’t even be in the same room with his brother Mac? This complex story deals with many deep issues to include sexual assault, agoraphobia, and bullying. The author takes these tough issues and deals with them with compassion and empathy. However, the book also has some lighthearted moments and is a heartwarming read all the way through the book. The village of Middledip is full of quaint characters and is a lovely setting for the book. The author brings the village to life with her vivid descriptions of this delightful place. I highly recommend Under The Mistletoe to anyone who loves a heartwarming Christmas book and doesn’t mind a book that takes on some tough issues. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Three and a half stars. Welcome back to the village of Middledip. Laurel, a successful artist, has returned home to help with her sister Rae's acrophobia and her fourteen year old niece Daisy's selective truancy. Her original intention is only to stay for a few weeks to help out Rae and Daisy before moving to somewhere like Cornwall to set up her own art studio. A divorcee, Laurel has avoided Middledip since a traumatic incident in her teenage years which involve her then boyfriend Grady Cassidy's older brother Mac. Laurel is horrified to learn that Mac is now Daisy's Head of Year and the father of one of Daisy's best friends. Do Laurel and Grady have a second chance, or will the events of that long ago night cast a shadow over the present? Set against the chocolate box setting of a small English village at Christmas this is a charming second-chance romance. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.