Review: Under the Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis

Under the Mistletoe 

Book 6.5 in the Lucky Harbor series

Author:  Jill Shalvis

Publisher:  Grand Central Publishing

Release date:  12/4/12

Author's website:   Link

JUST ONE MORE KISS

There's no place like home for the holidays. And the Lucky Harbor Bed & Breakfast is bursting with festive lights and good cheer. But for Mia, Christmas is turning out to be anything other than merry and bright. Her recent break-up with her boyfriend Nick has made her return bittersweet. But then a surprise arrives, when Nick follows her to town bearing gifts-and asking for forgiveness.

Nick grew up without a family of his own so he's overwhelmed by the love that Mia receives from all her relatives, gathered together to celebrate the season. Under their watchful eyes, Nick finds earning back her trust the hardest thing he's ever had to do. If he succeeds, he will receive the greatest gift of all, Mia's love for a lifetime.

The character of Mia is first introduced in book 2 of The Sweetest Thing after arriving at Lucky Harbor to find her birth parents that had given her up for adoption.  Tara and Ford welcomed her with open arms as did the readers of the series.  Now Mia is a little older and in a relationship of her own.  However, she and her boyfriend Nick run into an issue when they both realize that they want different things in life.  They decide to end their relationship and Mia returns home to Lucky Harbor for her aunt's wedding feeling a little heavy hearted.  Nick knows that he's got a good thing going with Mia and follows her to Lucky Harbor to let her know just how much she means to him.  But it may be to late since Mia is the company of a previous love and doesn't know if she'll have this problem again with Nick.

I'm giving Under the Mistletoe a rating of:

While it was great revisiting Lucky Harbor and reading about the characters that I've gotten to know and love, I didn't enjoy this story as much as I thought I would. I had a hard time connecting with Mia and Nick's characters and didn't feel anything for their relationship. Even when Mia went back home to Lucky Harbor, I felt a sort of detachment to the other characters as well. I think it's because the characters have moved on and now have different lives from what I've been used to reading. But there was something missing, that special magic that I've grown to love with Jill Shalvis's writing. It just wasn't there for this story and it felt a little flat and one dimensional. While I may have felt this way about this story, I've really liked the others and am sure I'll continue to feel this way again.