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katsmiao's review
5.0
Such a cute and uplifting story.
If you are looking for a heartfelt, sweet and make you laugh read, then this is the book for you.
I love all the English expressions that Ollie uses, and it makes this story very charming.
If you are looking for a heartfelt, sweet and make you laugh read, then this is the book for you.
I love all the English expressions that Ollie uses, and it makes this story very charming.
meggold4's review
2.0
I hate to rate this any lower, because I feel like it probably accomplishes exactly what it intended; it's just not for me.
artsyreadergirl's review
3.0
Doesn’t this book sound a little like The Holiday? That is one glorious movie and my favorite movie ever, so I was super excited when I found out that this book is about a transatlantic house swap! Even better, a man and a woman are swapping. And even BETTER, the airport gets shut down and she makes it to his London home… but he does not make it to her California home. SO… they have to both stay at his house. I mean, come on. How could you not want to read about this? It sounds super romantic, not to mention an accident waiting to happen! House swapping sounds like one of the coolest adventures ever, but I think I’d be a nervous wreck having a stranger living in my house. Anyways…
Ashley and Oliver are both looking for something. Growing up in poverty, Ashley has never had a real Christmas. And Oliver is looking for a way to survive the pain Christmas brings him. Neither of them were entirely happy to discover they would be sharing a home until Oliver could fly out to California, but they decide to make the best of it after an awkward encounter when Oliver enters his dark room and falls into bed… right on top of Ashley. Oops! She smacks him in his happy place, and he falls to the ground, naked and in pain. And that’s how their love story begins.
Oliver feels for Ashley and her strong desire for a beautiful Christmas, so he takes her shopping for a tree, takes care of her when she slips and falls on the ice, watches her decorate her tree, and enjoys her peppermint hot chocolate. I love the tension and the romance that grows from the bud of friendship. They confide in one another and share their stories, bonding over their sad memories and hope for a better future. I don’t like sad books at all, so I was happy to discover that the book did not feel sad for me. I just felt hope for them and excitement over the possibilities of their love story.
I really enjoyed this sweet, quick Christmas read and would recommend it to people who love The Holiday! While I think the movie is better, this book will make you smile and remind you that the most important part of Christmas is having someone special to share it with.
Find this review and many more at That Artsy Reader Girl!
Ashley and Oliver are both looking for something. Growing up in poverty, Ashley has never had a real Christmas. And Oliver is looking for a way to survive the pain Christmas brings him. Neither of them were entirely happy to discover they would be sharing a home until Oliver could fly out to California, but they decide to make the best of it after an awkward encounter when Oliver enters his dark room and falls into bed… right on top of Ashley. Oops! She smacks him in his happy place, and he falls to the ground, naked and in pain. And that’s how their love story begins.
Oliver feels for Ashley and her strong desire for a beautiful Christmas, so he takes her shopping for a tree, takes care of her when she slips and falls on the ice, watches her decorate her tree, and enjoys her peppermint hot chocolate. I love the tension and the romance that grows from the bud of friendship. They confide in one another and share their stories, bonding over their sad memories and hope for a better future. I don’t like sad books at all, so I was happy to discover that the book did not feel sad for me. I just felt hope for them and excitement over the possibilities of their love story.
I really enjoyed this sweet, quick Christmas read and would recommend it to people who love The Holiday! While I think the movie is better, this book will make you smile and remind you that the most important part of Christmas is having someone special to share it with.
Find this review and many more at That Artsy Reader Girl!
phoenixinthecity's review
2.0
This was a quick read that had shades of the Jude Law/Cameron Diaz meet-cute in The Holiday.
It was noteworthy for 2 things: 1. the implicit references to the for-profit American health care system and how Ashley didn't want to go to the hospital to get her twisted ankle checked out because she couldn't afford it on her teacher's salary - here's a heroine who grew up the child of a teenage single mother who raised her daughter in their car and couch surfed when it was possible. It's rare to have MCs with very regular jobs who find it difficult to make ends meet, which is very much the reality in the US.
2. the reference early on to Ashley's cheap furniture being made in China because the instructions were in Chinese. I probably wouldn't have noticed it before, but post-pandemic with the Asian hate that arose from it, this is like a bright red pimple on the nose - it could have been edited to say the instructions were pictograms that didn't make any sense or something else generic, but it had to be Chinese because why?
CW for grief over parent/sibling death around the holidays.
It was noteworthy for 2 things: 1. the implicit references to the for-profit American health care system and how Ashley didn't want to go to the hospital to get her twisted ankle checked out because she couldn't afford it on her teacher's salary - here's a heroine who grew up the child of a teenage single mother who raised her daughter in their car and couch surfed when it was possible. It's rare to have MCs with very regular jobs who find it difficult to make ends meet, which is very much the reality in the US.
2. the reference early on to Ashley's cheap furniture being made in China because the instructions were in Chinese. I probably wouldn't have noticed it before, but post-pandemic with the Asian hate that arose from it, this is like a bright red pimple on the nose - it could have been edited to say the instructions were pictograms that didn't make any sense or something else generic, but it had to be Chinese because why?
CW for grief over parent/sibling death around the holidays.
chantal550's review
4.0
I really liked this one it was short, sweet and really cute. I love that it took place in London. The disabled rep is questionable but other than that I really enjoyed this.
anacoqui's review
5.0
Ashley Turner has swapped houses with Oliver Stansfeld leaving behind sunny San Diego for what she hopes is the idealize English Christmas she grew up hoping for. Oliver is fleeing London and all the feelings and grief Christmas there would mean.
But Christmas for Ashley and Oliver is not turning out as planned. Oliver is stuck in London after deep snows ground all flights out, so he heads back to his house and his bed to wait for the airport to re-open. His bed isn't empty however as Ashley made it in to London in one of the last flights to land. Their introduction is hilarious and worthy of the best of British farce.
This a story of about the best of intentions, horrible mistakes, regret, loss and choosing love, set in a beautifully drawn modern London.
I almost wrongly nitpicked myself out of enjoying this story due to a small insignificant detail about Christmas lights and the difference between British and American plugs in the first few chapters. However there is nothing to nitpick about the romance in this story. I really loved how Ashley and Oliver got on, how naturally their relationship developed with all its hesitancy, false-starts and set-backs. I thought the resolutions were also natural and emotional. 5 out of 5 stars
The Publication date was Dec.5, 2013, Digital ARC provided for free by Publisher via NetGalley.
But Christmas for Ashley and Oliver is not turning out as planned. Oliver is stuck in London after deep snows ground all flights out, so he heads back to his house and his bed to wait for the airport to re-open. His bed isn't empty however as Ashley made it in to London in one of the last flights to land. Their introduction is hilarious and worthy of the best of British farce.
This a story of about the best of intentions, horrible mistakes, regret, loss and choosing love, set in a beautifully drawn modern London.
I almost wrongly nitpicked myself out of enjoying this story due to a small insignificant detail about Christmas lights and the difference between British and American plugs in the first few chapters. However there is nothing to nitpick about the romance in this story. I really loved how Ashley and Oliver got on, how naturally their relationship developed with all its hesitancy, false-starts and set-backs. I thought the resolutions were also natural and emotional. 5 out of 5 stars
The Publication date was Dec.5, 2013, Digital ARC provided for free by Publisher via NetGalley.
jaimearkin's review
4.0
Do you love the movie The Holiday? I do… I mean, I was just reminded when talking with a friend on twitter just how much. I think it oftentimes gets overlooked by movies like Love, Actually or the fact that Jack Black is in it, but the premise of it is something I would love to try… you know if people wanted to come stay in gross Wisconsin in the middle of winter. Anyway… there is a point to my ramble, I promise. Mine Under The Mistletoe borrows a bit from The Holiday, but only in that California Girl Ashley and Sexy Brit Oliver are set to trade places for the Christmas holiday.
Ashley, never having had a proper Christmas is set to live out her dream of a proper English Christmas and Oliver is running away…away from the memories that he continues to struggle with and he thinks sunny San Diego is the answer.
A freak ice storm grounds Oliver’s plane and he’s forced home never expecting that Ashley has arrived, and Ashley was definitely NOT expecting a naked brit to attempt crawling into bed with her. After a knee to the junk and a bit of panic they finally realize what has happened and who each other are.
Even though Oliver isn’t a fan of the holiday, he offers to show Ashley around the area and help her get her first Christmas just right. But the more time they spend together, the more their attraction to each other grows, both knowing that what they have can go nowhere and when the time comes, will they find a way to make things work, or will they go their separate ways? You’ll have to read to find out.
This is the second novella I have read in the All I’m Asking For Holiday Collection from Carina and I really enjoyed the story! The characters themselves were likable and well fleshed out for a novella.
Both Oliver and Ashley are struggling with loss and they form a bit of a silent bond over it, and while their stories are a bit sad, they never really overshadowed the build of the relationship between them.
My only issue of course was the quick ‘I love you’s’, but I also realize that this is a novella and there are only so many pages to get there. I just struggle with that insta-love portion of these short stories sometimes. I will say that that doesn’t take away from the sweet love story that you get with Mine Under The Mistletoe.
If you’re looking for some quick holiday reads that will have you cheering for the characters and swooning over the guys, I can vouch for 2 out of the 3 short stories in this compilation –Mine Under the Mistletoe is the perfect read I’ll definitely be looking for more from Kat Latham in 2014!
Ashley, never having had a proper Christmas is set to live out her dream of a proper English Christmas and Oliver is running away…away from the memories that he continues to struggle with and he thinks sunny San Diego is the answer.
A freak ice storm grounds Oliver’s plane and he’s forced home never expecting that Ashley has arrived, and Ashley was definitely NOT expecting a naked brit to attempt crawling into bed with her. After a knee to the junk and a bit of panic they finally realize what has happened and who each other are.
Even though Oliver isn’t a fan of the holiday, he offers to show Ashley around the area and help her get her first Christmas just right. But the more time they spend together, the more their attraction to each other grows, both knowing that what they have can go nowhere and when the time comes, will they find a way to make things work, or will they go their separate ways? You’ll have to read to find out.
This is the second novella I have read in the All I’m Asking For Holiday Collection from Carina and I really enjoyed the story! The characters themselves were likable and well fleshed out for a novella.
Both Oliver and Ashley are struggling with loss and they form a bit of a silent bond over it, and while their stories are a bit sad, they never really overshadowed the build of the relationship between them.
My only issue of course was the quick ‘I love you’s’, but I also realize that this is a novella and there are only so many pages to get there. I just struggle with that insta-love portion of these short stories sometimes. I will say that that doesn’t take away from the sweet love story that you get with Mine Under The Mistletoe.
If you’re looking for some quick holiday reads that will have you cheering for the characters and swooning over the guys, I can vouch for 2 out of the 3 short stories in this compilation –Mine Under the Mistletoe is the perfect read I’ll definitely be looking for more from Kat Latham in 2014!
kame's review
4.0
I wish this novella was longer!
Imagine what would happen if you "traded" houses with someone and because of an airport shutdown they came home...
A good Christmas read - nothing heart wrenching that makes you sob. It just made me feel good. Ashley has come to London to live out her Christmas wish, and Oliver is trying to leave London to forget Christmas. When his plane is grounded and he meets his house guest he decides while he is stuck at home to show her a proper English Christmas.
There connection was wonderful - but I wish the novella had more of their backstory. A little is revealed as you go through the book but there are a lot of unanswered questions for me, but they did not detract from the story - I just think a lot while I read. :)
The steam factor is up there, so if you are worried of blushing on the plane/bus etc. you might want to read this in private.
I enjoyed this novella a lot and would love to read more about these characters, if just a short cameo in another book (hint hint - maybe in the Rugby books) I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review.
Imagine what would happen if you "traded" houses with someone and because of an airport shutdown they came home...
A good Christmas read - nothing heart wrenching that makes you sob. It just made me feel good. Ashley has come to London to live out her Christmas wish, and Oliver is trying to leave London to forget Christmas. When his plane is grounded and he meets his house guest he decides while he is stuck at home to show her a proper English Christmas.
There connection was wonderful - but I wish the novella had more of their backstory. A little is revealed as you go through the book but there are a lot of unanswered questions for me, but they did not detract from the story - I just think a lot while I read. :)
The steam factor is up there, so if you are worried of blushing on the plane/bus etc. you might want to read this in private.
I enjoyed this novella a lot and would love to read more about these characters, if just a short cameo in another book (hint hint - maybe in the Rugby books) I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review.
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