The Mistletoe Motive by Chloe Liese is a charming holiday novella that follows the story of Gabriella Di Natale, a bookstore employee with type 1 diabetes, autism, and demisexuality. The book explores themes of trust, representation, and romance as Gabriella navigates a budding relationship with Jonathan Frost, her love interest and co-manager at the struggling bookstore. The storyline, filled with tropes like enemies to lovers and workplace romance, is fast-paced, predictable yet cute, and heartwarming, with a touch of Christmas magic and online friendship.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include dealing with an ex-partner who makes grand gestures and persists despite clear rejections, which may be triggering for some readers.
Has Romance?
The romance is a central element of the story, driving the narrative and emotional engagement throughout.
From The Publisher:
From the author of THE BERGMAN BROTHERS series comes a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers holiday romance, perfect for fans of THE HATING GAME and YOU'VE GOT MAIL.
He loathes the holidays. She loves them. She's full of festive cheer. He's brimming with Bah, Humbugs. Besides unreasonably seasonable names, the only thing Jonathan Frost and Gabriella Di Natale have in common is a healthy dose of mutual contempt. Well, that and the same place of employment at the city's most beloved independent bookstore, Bailey's Bookshop. But when the store's owners confess its dire financial state, Jonathan and Gabby discover another unfortunate commonality: the imminent threat of unemployment.
With the Baileys' requests to minimize expenses, win new customers, and make record sales dancing in their heads, Jonathan and Gabby conclude-barring a financial Christmas miracle-one of them will soon be cut from the payroll. Neither are willing to step down from their position, so they strike a bargain: whoever has more sales in December gets to stay on in the new year; the loser will resign. With a lifetime's worth of festive tricks up her sleeve, Gabby should easily outsell her nemesis, except the unreadable Mr. Frost's every move seems purely designed to throw her off her game.
As if that wasn't bad enough, Gabby's deceptive ex won't quit pursuing her, and her anonymous online friend suggests they take a break. Worst of all, as the pressure mounts to save the bookshop and her job, Gabby meets a new, tender side of Jonathan. Is this the same man she's called her cold-hearted enemy?
Maybe he's got a motive she just can't figure out-or maybe Jonathan Frost isn't as chilly as she once thought. Maybe Jonathan and Gabby already know-and love-each other in ways they never thought possible.
Ratings (5)
Loved It (3) | |
Did Not Like (1) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (17):
Read It (5) | |
Want To Read (9) | |
Not Interested (3) |
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