Meet Me Under the Mistletoe

Such a good collection of interlinked short stories! I didn't read them all but read some great ones and found some new authors to try. Another I'll come back to next Christmas and read the rest of the stories.

Did I jump into this anthology without knowing anything about the books? Yes, yes I did...

Hallelujah by Skye Warren - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
My first story from Skye Warren and honestly I really liked it. Obviously, it feels like a distant prologue to an existing story, but I'm not even mad. It is one night in their past and has definitely sparked my interest. I already added their book to my TBR.

O Holy Night by Pam Godwin – DNF after 2 chapters
Let's not count this DNF as a negative to the story, but more my personal hang-ups. First off, chapter 1 says TWO YEARS LATER and let me tell you I was confused as hell. Two years after the first story??? Will we go in the past soon?? I think I've worked out that this means two years AFTER their story so... an epilogue. Which is... frustrating as someone diving into an anthology who hasn't read these stories. I read chapter two because honestly the writing isn't bad and I'm kinda interested in knowing who poisoned her BUT I'm not going to have ANY context, soooo I'm skipping the rest of it. Plus, I think 18y/o X 39y/o is a bit too much age gap for me.
So, not bad, just not for me.

Little Drummer Boy by M. O'Keefe - ⭐⭐⭐
Not bad, I like that they are vigilantes of some sort, but because I haven't read the sister's story, I guess I don't know anything about this couple and I kinda just didn't care.

Silent Night by Sienna Snow DNF after 3 chapters
It is difficult to write a novella with an asshole mmc because we see the bad and not so much of the good and what we are told in this one is mid at best. I'm not convinced he's decent and have no idea why she'd give up her life and her dreams for some rando. shrugs

Away in a Manger by Jade West –skipped–
Read “5 years later” and immediately skipped.

Baby, It's Cold Outside by Giana Darling –skipped–
I like Giana Darling, but I haven't read the duet for this couple yet. I don't wanna spoil anything, so maybe I'll come back to this in the future.

This Christmas by Theodora Taylor –skipped–
ehhhh not in the mood for military dudes.

Santa Baby by Claire Contreras - ⭐⭐⭐
Not bad. I'm not a huge fan of second chance romances, but this was alright.

Last Christmas by Katee Robert ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Super short and to the point, but honestly not bad. I liked that we got an older woman/widow and younger man with a little bit of angst thrown in.

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear by Jenika Snow —skipped—

Wrapped in Red by Sam Mariano ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I wasn't a fan of the almost rape by the mmc and how the fmc forgives it pretty much instantly, but it was an interesting story.

Carol of the Bells by Maria Luis ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Silver Bells by Alta Hensley ⭐️⭐️

O Come All Ye Faithful by Amelia Wilde —skipped—

All I Want for Christmas is You by M. Robinson ⭐️⭐️