Secrets and Mistletoe by Julia Jarrett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
"Secrets and Mistletoe" by Julia Jarrett is part of the Dogwood Cove series and features cameo appearances from previous characters, but reads as a standalone.
Single mom Abby Martin and her daughter, Layla, recently relocated to the small town of Dogwood Cove to help out on her Uncle Steve's farm after he broke his leg. On her own for an evening shortly after their arrival, she decides to unwind with a beer and some nachos at a local bar, where she meets a handsome man named Reid. They spend the evening talking and even share a kiss before parting ways, but don't exchange last names or phone numbers. A month later, they're surprised to run into each other when elementary school principal Reid accompanies Layla and her fellow first graders on a field trip to the Martin farm. With no rules preventing him from dating the parent of a student, Reid hopes that Abby will agree to go out with him again, but she's concerned about her daughter's reaction to the prospect of them dating. Can he convince both Abby and Layla to take a chance on him?
"Secrets and Mistletoe" was a short but sweet story with the perfect amount of steam. Abby's concerns about dating as a single mom were totally understandable, and I appreciated how patient Reid was with her while she worked up the courage to talk to her daughter about their relationship. I also appreciated that the author didn't try to rush them into an engagement, or even living together, by the end of the story. I didn't need a proposal to see how happy they were together or that they were in it for the long haul. Finally, I loved Abby's adorable, precocious daughter Layla, whose antics made me laugh numerous times over the course of the story.
I recommend this novella for all fans of contemporary/holiday romance and look forward to Julia Jarrett's next release.
*Review copy provided by the author/publisher via Give Me Books Promotions. All opinions expressed are my own.
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