Audio: Under the Mistletoe by Sue Moorcoft

Narrated by: Olivia Mace

Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins

Release date: 10-28-21

Publisher: Avon

Women's fiction

To review

I am very conflicted when it comes to this book. I read reviews that said rom com, Contemporary romance, all the feels. Well I did not get that. Def women's fic.

I did enjoy it, but at the same time all the other drama took over and her trauma felt  like too much. Also it made the book feel too long.

Spoiler time

I went through much of the book thinking she had been raped by her bffs/almost bf's brother. For 20 years she has thought and had nightmares. She never spoke with her bff again and left the village at 16?

Not to belittle trauma, but, one dark night a bitchy girl told her bf to hold Lauren, and then she pulled up Laurens top and bra. The Bf was horrified and let her go and she ran away. And that was the trauma.

See, now I feel shitty for belittling this. But it felt too much.

The guy who was her bff's brother, never drank again, went to uni and straight and narrow, and ditched toxic girlfriend.

So Lauren comes back, starts back with former bff, almost bf. I get why she is still mad at the brother, but she wont let him say he is sorry. She is almost bitchy about it.

What she needed was to yell at him, kick him in the balls and be done with it. But like hello, the toxic ex was the one who did it all but whatever, only the man's fault.

Not to mention the book starts with her coming back, and meeting the brother who had his pants pulled down and chained to his car....so wasn't his assult then the exact as hers? But since he is a man it does not matter?! That is some double standard

Also she keeps dropping hints how she can still put him in jail..

And he is scared he will loose his family and job.

Like see, so much drama

Ok so yes the drama took over. Sure she slowly got to know this guy again, but this is not a romance.

I did like the narrator! She was good and if feels were missing, she sure put them there

When Laurel returns to the village of Middledip, she’s looking for a quiet life. Adjusting to her recent divorce, she’s ready to spend some time getting back on her feet amidst the glorious snow-dusted countryside.

Yet, life in Middledip is far from straightforward. Coming to the aid of her sister, Rea, as she navigates her own troubles, Laurel barely has a moment to think about where her own life is going.

However, time stands still when she sees her old flame, Grady Cassidy – and it’s soon as if they’ve never been apart. But through her happiness, Laurel remembers why she left the village all those years ago, as she recalls a dark night and Grady’s once-wayward brother, Mac…

Can Laurel learn to forgive and forget? Or will her chances of Christmas under the mistletoe with Grady remain a dream?