Friday Fiction | Under The Mistletoe by Penny Zeller

For Friday Fiction I am reviewing Under the Mistletoe by Penny Zeller

Book Description:

He’s a nerdy tourist needing a vacation.
She’s a bed and breakfast employee with a broken heart.
Love is the last thing they expect to find this Christmas.

Introvert Braxton Wertz needs a vacation, but his trip to the small town of Cloverdale Falls is anything but restful when he finds himself not only falling for the sweet and bubbly Gracely, but also in the crosshairs of geriatric private investigators…and their numerous shenanigans.

Recovering from a painful breakup, extrovert Gracely Eklund needs a vacation. Where better to spend her Christmas than her aunt and uncle’s charming bed and breakfast? Her time managing the business comes with a few surprises, one of those being the nerdy and lovable Braxton.

He’s from Florida. She’s from the Rocky Mountain West. Can Christmastime, an incomplete photo album, and a quirky town with its equally quirky residents bring two unsuspecting hearts together?

Take a trip to Cloverdale Falls in this hilarious Christian rom-com, the second in the Small Town Shenanigans Series. Under the Mistletoe can be read as a standalone or enjoyed in conjunction with Recipe for Love.

**Please note: Under the Mistletoe is a faith-filled contemporary Christian romance.**

My Review

Thanks to the author for my review copy, I have this book on pre-order and will have my own copy when the book releases.

Another great book by Penny Zeller and a great follow up to A Recipe for Love. This time Hudson’s cousin Braxton is the hero. We meet Braxton arriving in Cloverdale Falls for a vacation just before Christmas. He is staying at the bed and breakfast for two weeks to relax and not work.

Gracely is looking after the bed and breakfast for her aunt and uncle who are currently on a cruise. She is loving working at the bread and breakfast and making sure her guests have a good time. Gracely is an extrovert which Braxton isn’t. It is fun seeing how different they both are but how they find common ground.

Gracely is also still dealing with the breakup of her last relationship to guy who was very controlling and manipulative. It has left her doubting herself when it comes to other relationships. Also back are Maeve and Beulah two older ladies investigate mysteries in town. Hudson and Maise from the previous book are on their honeymoon and need temporary help and Braxton gets roped in. This leads to some hilarious scenes and witty banter. I love these ladies and their antics.

We also have a cast of guests staying at the bed and breakfast who add to the story but I won’t say much about them. There are some poignant moments with one of the guests that chocked me up. I loved how the author dealt with this and other situations. The faith element isn’t forced but comes across very naturally.

I didn’t want to stop reading and read the second half in a night later than I intended but I just couldn’t stop. Being reunited with a few of the characters makes the book more special as you see where they are now, but you also get a new story. I still think Maeve and Beulah need their own series of cozy mysteries or even a book of short stories. They just demand attention and won’t take no for an answer.

For me seeing Braxton grow from being an extrovert who shies away from is normal comfort zone and Gracely embracing a few new past times and how they handled them made the book even better. This book deals with forgiveness of others and self, and growth of a character and acceptance.

I totally enjoyed my return trip to Cloverdale Falls and hope to revisit one day. If you enjoy small towns, Bed and Breakfasts, with humour and quirky characters this is a book for you.

Preorder here