The Mistletoe Motive: A Holiday Novella

The BEST holiday romance and no I will not be taking any criticism on that decision!!!I have so many FEELINGS and I’m crying so many happy tears 😭🥹 they are just so cute and this book was so good and the banter and the spicy bits and OH MY GOSH I was giggling and laughing the whole time! I had the book literally 3 inches from my face (at the end especially😘) because I was so into it 😂I think I want to read this every year and I’ve never said that about a book before 🥹

This was so stinking cute!! You've Got Mail meets The Hating Game and it's a new Christmas favorite.Two independent bookstore employees act like rivals without knowing they're the secret pen pal they write to each night.I loved so much from this book: winter and Christmas vibes, peppermint hot chocolate, Pride and Prejudice references, the way he notices and takes care of her comforts even while enemies. The epilogue 😍❄️Forced proximity❄️Enemies to friends to lovers❄️Workplace❄️Slow burn❄️Pen pals❄️Autism & Diabetes rep❄️Spice 2/5

Holiday novella + queer rep + grumpy & sunshine!Gabriella & Jonathan work at an independent bookstore. When they learn the store’s financial state and that one of them will likely be unemployed by the end of the year, they strike a deal: whoever has the most sales in December gets to keep their job.Despite the tricks up her sleeve, Jonathan every move throws Gabriella off her game. Add in an ex who wants her back, an anonymous online friend who wants a break, and Gabriella discovering a softer side to Jonathan.Read if you love…- holiday novella- enemies to lovers -bookstores- workplace romance- You’ve Got Mail- grumpy (him) & sunshine (her)- messages on page- forced proximity- banter & teasingThis was a quick one-sitting binge read! I’m not the biggest holiday book person, but I adore Chloe’s books & love love love the rep she always includes, so when @kaykaysbookshelf demanded I read it, I did!I loved the mix of tropes in this one! Jonathan is a grump & a total grinch about the holidays. Gabriella is sunshine & spirit & adores the holidays! They work closely together six days a week, but hate each other.While the banter at some points was petty, it was hilarious! I also loved that we really saw the autism rep & authenticity in these moments, where Gabriella doesn’t always know how to read people and can often shutdown because of it.I loved the back & forth of seeing their interactions online and in person. And the way they both figured out that who they’ve been talking to online for a year is the same person they’ve basically hated in person. The You’ve Got Mail vibes were on point!Overall, highly recommend this bingeable holiday novella!!Representation: autism, FMC; demisexual, FMC; T1 diabetes, MMCTrigger warnings: an ex who repeatedly texts & shows up unannounced in one scene

I absolutely devoured this holiday novel. I adore it so much it was such a great story with a grumpy sunshine duo in a workplace romance, full of angst from forced proximity, with a dash of spice towards the end. Love love loved it

Such a cute, sweet Christmas read. Perfect for the holidays when you want to take a few moments to yourself and cozy up in the holiday spirit.

This book was everything! It gave all the Christmas vibes, it was the perfect slow build from hate (“annoyance”) to love, and it had some sneaky things in it that I wasn’t expecting but love to see in romance! And the rep was great!

I love Chloe Liese and The Mistletoe Motive was cute but it felt a lot like The Hating Game.. just make it Christmasy.The Hating Game is an enemies-to-lovers co-worker romance where the man has been in love with the woman from day one, even though she thought he hated her the whole time and that led to them constantly bickering.That is EXACTLY the context of The Mistletoe Motive, only they worked in a bookstore instead of a publishing company.. and it takes place during Christmas, which happens to be Gabriella’s favorite time of year. And of course, Jonathan’s least favorite.I did really love the Autism and Type I Diabetes representation in this book. Chloe really knows how to make you feel seen with her representation and I absolutely love that.If you’re looking for a cute/quick holiday romance, you’ll enjoy this. 🎄

Loved these characters. Great banter, flirting, and tension!! Would have loved a spicier on. Super relatable, neurodivergent female lead.

Excelente Christmas holiday read romance with a hint of spicy

I absolutely loved this novella! Honestly, this story didn't even read like a novella to me because I had the same level of enjoyment (if not more) than I would with a beloved full length novel.I loved the enemies-to-lovers and grumpy-sunshine tropes that were used in this story. These tropes were both executed perfectly and made me love each of the main characters equally. Truly. I couldn't pick a favourite between the two main characters if I tried because I loved each of them.Between the story, the settings, and the details in this book, this book put me in full Holiday Mode. It's a perfect read for the Winter/Christmas season. Although it's geared more towards Christmas, I think many readers could appreciate the excitement and atmosphere of the holiday season any time of year.The representation in this novella was also incredible and I have to applaud the author for also including an author's note in the beginning of this book. I think by having that note, it's obvious that the author cares deeply about their readership and a reader can make their own decision on whether to read this novella based on their own personal triggers.This was my first read by Chloe Liese and now I can't help but want to read more. This was such an incredible story packed into a novella.

This story gave me exactly what I was looking for in a sweet and short Christmas romance. Enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, grumpyxsunshine... *chef's kiss*

I absolutely loved this novella 😍I have been wanting to read it since last Christmas, but I waited until now.It melted my heart that Jonathan had Gabby’s back even when she didn’t noticed it 🩷 It meant that he paid attention to her, even though they didn’t want to like each other.I really enjoyed seeing these two characters built their relationship 🥰If you want something short and cute I really recommend this book 🤗

Great little christmas novella. Very romantic, gave me all the feels. And it has demisexual rep!!