Magic Under the Mistletoe by Lucy Coleman
It's December 23rd and while everyone else is rushing home for the holidays, workaholic Leesa Oliver is dreading switching on her out-of-office for the festive season. And it seems her equally driven boss, Cary Anderson, isn't relishing spending Christmas at his family's country estate either.
So together, they draft an unexpected Christmas contract: They'll spend half of the holidays with each other's families, pretending to be a couple. Leesa knows the insufferably good-looking Cary will make her Christmas more bearable, but what happens after the last of the mince pies have been eaten...?
Leesa signed off on a sensible business agreement, but somewhere, amongst the fairy lights and carols something seems to have changed... It seems there might just be some magic under the mistletoe this Christmas!
Two
career-driven people burdened by familial expectations at the most
wonderful time of the year!!
Leesa Oliver and Cary Anderson are work colleagues, expected to spend the Christmas festivities with their families after returning to the UK from a hectic business trip in Australia. Both are lacking the seasonal spirit and bad weather on arrival at Cardiff Airport means plans must be changed. Leesa reluctantly accepts Cary's offer of help only for it to lead to a misunderstanding. Therefore they decide to split time between both families pretending to be a couple because of the potential impact it will have. Theoretically, it's the perfect plan but as the pair spend more time in each others company, it becomes clear the lines between them are becoming more and more blurred.
I really enjoyed this novel simply because it isn't overly packed with Christmassy sentiment as the time-line extends a full year. The author provides us with plenty of visual descriptions of the glamorous backdrop to feel it's a special time of the year when the story begins. Yet, there's an undercurrent mood reflected in the protagonists and their attitudes that projects feelings aren't as they seem. The narrative is realistic and believable. It's a wonderful portrayal of how seasonal holidays provoke mixed reactions for many. Ms Coleman captures this and it contrasts well with the snowy scenes we love to read about in festive novels.
I've always liked the fake relationship trope and the fact the protagonists work closely together makes it all the more satisfying when they allow their heads to follow their hearts.
"We've both discovered that all you need to do is listen to your heart…"
This novel has so much to offer and the supporting characters add some thought-provoking plot lines. Therefore, it triggers plenty of mixed emotions but most importantly, love is always there in some form or another.
Well balanced and written to keep a reader invested in all aspects of the story, It's a book that will work well at any time of the year for a reader. This is my second Lucy Coleman novel and I'm looking forward to reading many more.
***arc generously received courtesy of Aria via NetGalley***
Linn is the bestselling author of more than a dozen novels and is excited to be writing for both Aria Fiction (Head of Zeus) and Harper Impulse (Harper Collins); she’s represented by Sara Keane of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
When she’s not writing, or spending time with the family, she’s either upcycling furniture or working in the garden.
Linn won the 2013 UK Festival of Romance: Innovation in Romantic Fiction award; her novels have been short-listed in the UK's Festival of Romance and the eFestival of Words Book Awards.
Living in Coed Duon in the Welsh Valleys with her ‘rock’, Lawrence, and gorgeous Bengal cat Ziggy, she freely admits she’s an eternal romantic.
Linn is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Authors. She writes feel-good, uplifting novels about life, love and relationships.
Website: https://linnbhalton.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LucyColemanAuth
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