Mistletoe Season by Michelle Major – a Review

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Description:
Spend the holidays in Magnolia, North Carolina, where two lonely hearts find exactly what they need for Christmas.

Anji Guilardi needs a man for Christmas—at least, according to her mother. What she really needs is to grow her fledgling catering business. Partnering with Magnolia’s Wildflower Inn holds promise, but when her mother falls ill, Anji’s drawn back to the responsibility of the family restaurant. Balancing work and her eight-year-old son, she has no time for romance…until Anji runs into Gabriel Carlyle.

Temporarily helping at his grandmother’s flower shop, Gabriel doesn’t plan to stick around, especially after he bumps into Anji, one of his childhood bullies. Sure, she’s all grown up and gorgeous now, and when they find themselves under the mistletoe, their chemistry is undeniable. But it’ll take more than a Christmas miracle for Anji to break through the defenses of Gabriel’s well-guarded heart and find a love built to last.

Review:

Mistletoe Season by Michelle Major is the 2^nd book in her The Carolina Girls series. I have become a big fan of Michelle Major, having enjoyed her Magnolia Sisters series, and the first book of her Carolina Sisters.  Mistletoe Season continued this trend, as it was a wonderful story, with a terrific couple, and great secondary characters.

Anji Guilardi, our heroine, loves working at the Wildflower Inn, but with her mother recovering from an illness, Anji is stuck helping at the family restaurant. She is working overtime, between both places, trying not to leave her new friends (Emma and Mariella) in a difficult position (Anji does all the cooking for the Inn); and also help out at the restaurant, not to mention taking care of her young son, Drew.  Anji’s mother makes things difficult for her, putting pressure on her handling the restaurant, even though her heart and new recipes are with the Inn.

Gabe Carlyle, our hero, is back in Magnolia to help out his grandmother run the flower shop.  Gabe knows his mother wants to sell the shop and house they live in, but since she is far away, he ignores her, and puts most of his time with his grandmother.  Years ago, when the was young, he had a crush on Anji, but things broke up.  Now when he meets her at his shop, and despite his coldness toward her, he can still feel the chemistry between them; especially when they are forced to kiss under the mistletoe, and the sparks sizzle.

Between Anji’s mom, she pressures her to find a husband, and her son, Drew, who has become close to Gabriel, a bond begins to form.  Anji asks Gabe for help to be her fake boyfriend, to get her mom off her back. Drew had become very close to Gabe, which brings him closer to Anji.  Their relationship turns into a full-blown real romance, after they are both asked to run the town Christmas festival, and spend lots of time together.  Gabe is also there for Anji, when he sees how much she loves working at the Inn, but is pressured by her mother to stay with the restaurant.

What follows is a wonderful heartwarming story with both Anji and Gabe dealing with their issues (both mothers). Michelle Major also created a wonderful group of secondary characters, as well as giving us a glimpse at the ladies we loved from the previous series. Mistletoe Season was written so very well by Michelle Major, with a great couple, and so many wonderful characters, many of the townsfolks, and the cute animals. I suggest your start this series, and if you have not read The Magnolia Sisters, you should start that one too, then read Wildflower Season, before you move to Mistletoe Season.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher