Name: The Mistletoe Motive
Rating: 3.976102941176471 (136 reviews)

Chloe Liese

The Mistletoe Motive

Leonie

Here’s the thing about reading romance: it’s taught me an appreciation for a good grovel, but it’s also taught me to recognize a toxic character when I see one.

“I’m just saying, for all sorts of valid reasons, not everyone loves the holidays.”

Behind the safety of a screen, I’m my most sophisticated self—articulate, witty, sharp.

I relate to this soo much. The rink always was one place where I could easily shut up my brain for a while, either on the idea myself or watching others play. I miss that so much. 

Despite my grumbling about this late-night hockey game, I can’t help but smile as we enter and get our first glimpse of the rink. I love the atmosphere— the scrape and shoosh of blades on ice, the cold, dry air filling my lungs.

This is super cute holiday novella! I love Chloe’s books she takes such care with her characters and their neuro spicy brains! 

This is a story about co managers at a book store - who are chatting online without knowing and obvs they fall for eachother

She’s a Christmas lover and he’s a Christmas Scrooge this is super cute and I definitely recommend to anyone looking to add to their holiday tbr 

Brittany Peterson

This is super cute holiday novella! I love Chloe’s books she takes such care with her characters and their neuro spicy brains! 

This is a story about co managers at a book store - who are chatting online without knowing and obvs they fall for eachother

She’s a Christmas lover and he’s a Christmas Scrooge this is super cute and I definitely recommend to anyone looking to add to their holiday tbr 

Ellie M.

** spoiler alert **
           This was my first time picking up a holiday romance book and I surprisingly liked it. The vibes, the winter and bookshop aesthetic, and not to mention the beautifully-pleasing playlist.

However, first off, I felt underwhelmed about Jonathan and Gabby’s chemistry. They indeed looked good together, but there was something lacking about this story. However, secondly, the plot was beautiful and simple, and it made me feel like I was watching a Hallmark Christmas movie, which I actually appreciated a lot. 

Additionally, I can’t say how much personal this became for me because of the disability rep. I have already gone from highlighting every quote in which Gabby mentioned the difficulties of being a neurodivergent individual in a neurotypical world. I have ADHD, and so a few of the symptoms sometimes overlap with that of ASD, that was why I was so happy to learn about how it’s like for other autistic individuals, most especially with the sensory issues, building up routines, and the hyperfixating to borderline obsession. I’m so thankful to this book for making me feel heard and seen. Also, I loved learning a few things about Jonathan’s T1D, since two people in my life have T3D and has lived through medication and frequent hospital trips and check-ups for as long as I can remember.

To finish this review: I never really put much thought into the budding romance, only because to me, it was fine. But I did laugh, feel butterflies, and may have also teared up and smiled so badly my cheeks hurt so because of how much I could relate to Gabby, as a fellow neurodivergent who’s faced ableism multiple times growing up. I really I can’t say much more about the romance, because I was busy learning instead, but thebppo made me feel all warm and fuzzy, and it also made made me realize I will never find my Mr. Reddit.

loren

This book is a solid 3.5 with an extra .5 for the spice. Overall it’s a cute little novella, however it’s a bit abrupt and disjointed. The spice scene, while good, seems sort of randomly squished in. The author also doesn’t really seem to understand the proper use of italics, which was distracting. 

Alyssa deRaad

dija

Marsha Evelyn

The Mistletoe Motive by Chloe Liese

World building : ★★★★★
Character development : ★★★★★
Plot : ★★★★★

The Mistletoe Motive is the book that make me suddenly fall in love at the first time reading. This book is a fast-paced book for many reasons. I love that there's autistic representation here; which connected to Disability December and also Christmas vibes too.

We followed the journey of Gabriella Di Natale and Jonathan Frost that I guess so funny here. Their enemies to lovers trope I can feel it here. Such a clever, funny, beautiful and cute Christmas story with a neurodivergent main character.

Brilliant!

Nour Bassiouny

Typically i(personally)wouldn't give it 4 stars
But it just came in the right time
The exact type of vibe i was looking for
And i have to say that sometimes i couldn't help smiling or laughing
In general i had fun reading it

When the brain and soul work on the same goal, whatever the result be, the journey is sure to be exciting and wonderful. This is what this book felt like and we get a happy ending too!

Two words to describe this book would be cute and sweet. It made me happy. I would definitely recommend this for people who are just starting to build up a habit of reading books!

Prachi

Holiday Romance, grumpyXsunshine

When the brain and soul work on the same goal, whatever the result be, the journey is sure to be exciting and wonderful. This is what this book felt like and we get a happy ending too!

Two words to describe this book would be cute and sweet. It made me happy. I would definitely recommend this for people who are just starting to build up a habit of reading books!

It felt a little bit rushed because one day she hated him and the next day she already loved him but given the amount of pages it was expected to be a little faster.

It had the cheesy hallmark movie vibe to it so basically everything you could ask for in a christmas book :)

Sophia

It felt a little bit rushed because one day she hated him and the next day she already loved him but given the amount of pages it was expected to be a little faster.

It had the cheesy hallmark movie vibe to it so basically everything you could ask for in a christmas book :)

Such a cute holiday Novella providing all the good feels, the comfy kind of vibe and the setting that's just classically perfect. It's for sure no literary masterpiece but it does all it wants to do: the grumpy-grinch-sunshine arc, a sprinkle of hockey on top and christmas on the sides. Add a dash of demisexual and neurodivergent representation, include a character with a chronic health condition and voilà, it even does a whole lot more than the usual holiday romances. 

That it even swerves around the cliché 75% obstacles and includes characters who don't just get stupidly angry without for one second considering why their counterpart behaved as they did rounds it up to a perfect, cozy, holiday read for me. 

Such a cute holiday Novella providing all the good feels, the comfy kind of vibe and the setting that's just classically perfect. It's for sure no literary masterpiece but it does all it wants to do: the grumpy-grinch-sunshine arc, a sprinkle of hockey on top and christmas on the sides. Add a dash of demisexual and neurodivergent representation, include a character with a chronic health condition and voilà, it even does a whole lot more than the usual holiday romances. 

That it even swerves around the cliché 75% obstacles and includes characters who don't just get stupidly angry without for one second considering why their counterpart behaved as they did rounds it up to a perfect, cozy, holiday read for me. 

Giving stars where stars are due: 5/5. 



4.5 🌟 AHHHH THAT EPILOGUE IM CRYING!! Chloe Liese's writing gives me comfort like I'm being wrapped around a warm, fluffy blanket during this winter season

“Jonathan's the brain of this place. I admit that.

I'm the whimsical touches in the window display, the thoughtful addition of plush armchairs tucked into cozy corners. I'm the warm smile that welcomes you and the artful front display table that draws you in.

And Jonathan knows it. He knows that without me, this place would be industrious but impersonal, tidy but tedious.

In short: he needs me just as badly as I need him.”

This was such a fun read! It really was giving me major “The Hating Game” plus “You’ve Got Mail” vibes, so if you’re a fan of both you should definitely pick this up.

It was sweet, hot, a lil cheesy, and a whole lotta fun.

Kathryn

“Jonathan's the brain of this place. I admit that.

But me? I'm the soul.

I'm the whimsical touches in the window display, the thoughtful addition of plush armchairs tucked into cozy corners. I'm the warm smile that welcomes you and the artful front display table that draws you in.

And Jonathan knows it. He knows that without me, this place would be industrious but impersonal, tidy but tedious.

In short: he needs me just as badly as I need him.”

This was such a fun read! It really was giving me major “The Hating Game” plus “You’ve Got Mail” vibes, so if you’re a fan of both you should definitely pick this up.

You’ve got:

• a cute independent bookstore setting

• amazing representation

• enemies to lovers

• workplace romance

• a TON of pining

• snippy banter

All in a Christmas novella!

It was sweet, hot, a lil cheesy, and a whole lotta fun.

3.75/5⭐️

Yami🌷

Me encanto muchísimo y ellos son hermosos🥺💗

The Mistletoe Motive

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