5 stars
4 chili peppers
Just got done with "Mistletoe & Mishigas" by the fab M.A. Wardell! It's a sure-fire 5-star read that's spiced up to a 4. You can snag it on Kindle from 10/10 or nab the paperback right now!
Me and my buddy Natalia from @inside2brains were gonna take our sweet time with this one, but we just couldn't resist and gobbled it up in a week.
This book is like an emotional theme park ride - it's hot, gentle, tender, and feels like a snugly blanket all at once. I'm a sucker for romcoms, so this was totally my jam.
Theo and Sheldon are such adorable characters. Theo's grumpy side really hit home for me (even though folks reckon I'm always upbeat). Both characters just pop right out of the page. Sheldon does so with pizzazz, showering us readers with his magical unicorn awesomeness. Theo is more low-key and takes a bit of nudging. Like Teacher of the Year, both main dudes are well fleshed out, and we get to see things from both their perspectives in this book!
The author nailed the hurt/comfort thingy. Sheldon deserved all the love after what his folks put him through. His sunny outlook was his armor against his gloomy past. And seeing how well he fit into Theo's family was super touching.
Both Sheldon and Theo had their own baggage that they dealt with together after some of Theo's insecurities threw a wrench in their relationship. As an ex-soldier, Theo has emotional and physical battle scars, and his vulnerability was handled really honestly. Sheldon lays all his cards on the table and spills his guts to Theo on their first practice date.
The romance is A+, and body positivity gets its moment in the spotlight here too. Theo's body hang-ups really resonated with me, and watching both characters evolve was super cool. This romance is chock-full of holiday feels, and the author does a great job juggling Christmas and Hannukkah.
This series is fast becoming one of my top picks! Can't rave about it enough!
Heads up: this book deals with PTSD, panic attacks, the death of a loved one (in the past), homophobia, and parental rejection.
Massive shout-out to M.A. Wardell for the ARC! What's your favorite holiday-themed book?
Just a quick heads up! If you fancy clicking any of the links below, Amazon's Influencer program tosses a little bonus my way. Don't fret, it won't cost you anything extra! It's just a cool little way to back what I'm up to here!
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