Twenty-eight-year-old Holly Snow is the only mother her four-year-old niece remembers. Three years earlier, when her sister and brother-in-law were killed, Holly’s dream of becoming an international flight attendant was put on hold so she could be home for baby Faith. Holly is doing everything she can to keep the rent paid, including working as an online travel agent, filing medical claims, and cleaning apartments in her building. When her friend Maggie tells her that her boss needs someone to buy his Christmas gifts, she leaps at the opportunity.
Tall, dark and Scroogy, investment banker, Archibald Harrington is too busy to do his own Christmas shopping. When his assistant tells him she knows of a professional shopper, he happily checks another dreaded task off his holiday list. The last thing Archie is expecting is for his hired elf to text him insistently to find out more about the people on list. The last thing Holly expects is to develop feelings for grumpy man who’s stealing her Christmas spirit.
Will there be a Holiday miracle, or will Holly and Archie miss their chance at love? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)
The collaboration of Dineen and Summers provided one of my most favorite holiday reads to date, hands down! I really, REALLY loved Mistle Text. You have one character (Holly) who is down-on-her-luck but continuously keeps the faith that everything will work out for her and for her niece, while the other character (Archie) appears to have the perfect life and has never felt the need to rely on faith or anything else to get by. He has a never-ending wealth of good fortune. With such opposing characteristics, there are bound to be magnanimous sparks between the two, and that’s exactly what we get to witness and be a part of.
Despite it all, Holly doesn’t take crap from anyone, least of all a man like Archie. After she’s given the opportunity to become his personal shopper, there are no pretenses involved. What he sees is what he gets, and from where he’s standing, he likes what he sees. Holly is completely different from the women he’s been accustomed to, which makes the way he feels about her even more confusing. Not only is she his employee, but Archie doesn’t believe in love, period. What he believes in is hard work, dedication to his job, and doing all he can to fight for the promotion of a lifetime. So, why let a little something like feelings and emotion get in the way?
Their story is told from both perspectives, which made the viewpoints incredibly insightful. It really helped to balance out their polar opposite personalities and also helped to showcase where they met in the middle, even when they didn’t think it could happen. Or that it would happen. But the reader gets to look right into their souls, so to speak, so when Holly feels that Archie doesn’t approve of her, we know he does. And when Archie doesn’t think he’d ever be good enough for Holly, we know there is potential. Unfortunately for them, they’re not privy to that information, which sets off a series of misunderstandings and hurt feelings. When you come from completely opposite sides of the tracks, will there ever be room for a happily-ever-after?
I can think of other books, TV shows and movies that go into that “lovers from opposite sides of the tracks” scenario, but Mistle Text took the genre, and ran with it. We’ve got all of that, and more here–one of the best holiday experiences. More than worth it’s five-star review!
Thanks to Whitney and Melanie for the book in exchange for an honest review. They are giving away a prize package (US only) or a $50 Amazon gift card (outside the US), as well as TWO copies of Mistle Text! Enter to win their next book, Text and Confused, at Goodreads (US only).
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| US prize package: Throw, infinity scarf, signed book, slippers, and shortbread. |
The most unique job I ever had was when a friend of mine was going to hairdresser school, I was her live test subject to do hairstyles on for her tests. It only lasted about a week, but it was so much fun and I got paid a good amount of money.
ReplyDelete"Tell us about the most unique job you've ever had." At age 10, I had a job alphabetizing university students' transcripts (old-fashioned computer print-outs about 12 inches by 18 inches) for 25 cents an hour at a university-student-alphabetizing sweatshop (our house). You use these big sort-of-flipbook alphabetizing tools that look a bit like rulers. Last names that start with "A" go beneath the "A" "ruler," etc. You get the idea.
ReplyDeleteI imagine the print-outs would be different and smaller today, if they printed them out, which they probably don't.
The most unusual job I ever had was with my Senior Girl Scout troop who worked on the weekends at a camp that held company picnics. My usual job was making snow cones. One weekend I spend babysitting the camp owner's young daughter who had chickenpox. I was the only girl who had already had the chickenpox. By the way, we were paid $1 an hour and we had a great time!
ReplyDeleteNancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
My most unique job was helping older people, mostly women clear out their homes and apartments. Getting rid of accumulations from many years. Books, tchakes, etc. I enjoyed meeting these interesting women and they always were so kind and generous. We shared stories, tea and lunches and they gave me special items which they wanted to part with.
ReplyDeleteGreat review! The most unique job I had was working in a gift shop at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. It was definitely an interesting experience!
ReplyDeleteDuring my first college summer I worked at a Wilkinson Sword packaging plant. Our line was all college students. We would get a bit bored with the repetition. For amusement we would put notes in the packages of razor blades saying things like "Help I'm being held captive in the razor blade factory!".
ReplyDeleteThe most unique job that I had was working on a U.S Army base in Germany. All of the soldiers were just so nice, and would do anything for you.
ReplyDeleteI would like to get time away from my family.
ReplyDeleteSeriously all I want for 2022 is peace and harmony in my immediate family!!
ReplyDeleteI Linda Herold am the above anonymous!
ReplyDeleteI worked as a maid in a convent. Eye-opening.
ReplyDeleteSigh, all I really want for the holidays is for the world to be past this dang pandemic. Oh, and anything bath related is always fun.
ReplyDeleteI worked at a chicken farm when I was young.
ReplyDeleteMy jobs have been startingly normal! Babysitting, retail, food, retail, it's the stories that are unique! It is Fun to interact with these people even at this harried time of year. Love having my family together for the holiday.
ReplyDeleteNone of my jobs were considered unique. I've had some jobs that were boring and some that were interesting. I always love getting books as gifts. Something I wish for is to not to have to worry about getting sick.
ReplyDeleteI was probably too young at the time for such a job but I excelled at being a tow truck dispatcher for AAA.
ReplyDeletei worked in a dry cleaners when i was younger. I guess that was kind of unique...lol
ReplyDeleteI worked as a billing clerk for a trucking company.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't consider any of my jobs to be unique.
ReplyDeleteI hope that my family will be together for the holidays.
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ReplyDeleteMost unique job I've ever had is my current job, I'm a braille transcriber for the blind. I transcribe books, sheet music and math into braille for school kids. I love it.
ReplyDeleteI'd love a new purse.
ReplyDeleteI was a lab technician doing research on corn.
ReplyDeleteI would love to have an iPad as christmas gift! It would help me so much on college!
ReplyDeleteThabks for the chance to win and happy holidays!