RITA Reader Challenge Review: “Mistletoe Magic” by Sandra Hyatt

Time for some more RITA® Reader Challenge reviews, which readers have taken to like romance readers reading romance novels. (Obvious statements is obvious!) Today, we have a review for the RITA® nominated novella “Mistletoe Magic” by Sandra Hyatt in Under the Millionaire’s Mistletoe, plus the other novella in the book, “The Wrong Brother” by Maureen Child, both reviewed by Lindlee.

The cover copy: Pucker up for two irresistible millionaires who are about to meet their matches…under the mistletoe!

“The Wrong Brother” by Maureen Child

Well, she’d asked to be kissed. Who was Sam Hale to deny a beauty such a request? But when the businessman discovered she was Anna Cameron, the woman he’d made his brother stop dating, Sam knew trouble was brewing. Especially since his mistletoe lady was driving this noncommittal bachelor to distraction….

“Mistletoe Magic” by Sandra Hyatt

He never expected to be kissing his “wife” under the mistletoe. Millionaire Luke Maitland had married Meg Elliot under extreme circumstances…certain they’d never be reunited. Yet even as he planned to end their temporary union, he could not ignore the intense passion between them. Was this magnate meant to be married?

“Mistletoe Magic” by Sandra Hyatt

I really enjoyed this story. It was a very sweet romance between Meg and Luke. I liked that they had a history together so there was already a friendship in place. The two of them met in Indonesia and became close when Luke fell ill. In case he died, Luke did not want his half-brother inheriting, and so Meg and Luke marry in Indonesia. The story picks up when Luke returns home after making a full recovery.

The romance had both sweet and hot moments between Luke and Meg. Personally my favorite part of their relationship was the obvious respect they had for one another. There was even some character growth with Luke learning to forgive and Meg learning the importance of considering her own needs. 

My only problems with the novella were that sometimes I wanted more. I wish I could have seen more of their time together in Indonesia. Also, it would have been nice if the back stories for both Meg and Luke had been fleshed out more. But I think these problems were just symptoms of Short Story Syndrome (just not enough space to address everything). All in all, the novella was definitely worth buying.

“The Wrong Brother” by Maureen Child in Under the Millionaire’s Mistletoe

How to Win an Arrogant Ass in 10 Days

  1. Kiss a complete stranger under the mistletoe. Realize he’s the jerk who demanded his younger brother break up with you because you must be after their money in order to save your dad’s company.
  2. Accept a commission painting a mural in the dude’s house. Spend the next few days working in close quarters and realize the arrogant ass has “hidden depths.”
  3. Go on a motorcycle ride with the “hero” and then fall in bed together. Because it is an universal truth that when a hero and heroine ride a motorcycle together, they will then feel an overwhelming urge to get it on.
  4. Fall in love with the jerk for some unknown reason. Break up with him because he still thinks you’re after his money.
  5. The idiot decides to use his brain and decides you are NOT after his money. Happy every after…I guess.

In case it isn’t clear, I didn’t really like Sam. The story started out well. I liked the kiss between strangers who ended up being enemies. I liked Sam at first. In the beginning, he wanted to get to know Anna better because he acknowledged that he may have prejudged her on flimsy evidence. I thought he was going to act like a reasonable adult.

Instead Sam calls Anna at her store and offers her a job, and, even though she doesn’t like him at this point, Anna accepts. Sam’s response:

“If Garret brought up her name again, Sam was simply going to point out to his younger brother that Anna had said flat-out that even though she hated him personally, she was going to take his money….Wouldn’t that prove to his brother that Sam had been right all along?”

And this is what ruined the story for me. The fact that Sam would consider Anna money-grubbing for working for someone she didn’t like. Must be nice in his world where he only works for people he likes. And while the rest of the story was enjoyable, it wasn’t great enough for me to get over this. I just never could understand what Anna saw in Sam and why she slept with him, much less fell in love with him. The author tried to convince me that there was some serious heat and sparks flying between Sam and Anna, but I never felt it. I’d give Wrong Brother a C.

[A] comment about the two novellas in Under the Millionaire’s Mistletoe: I liked that both stories began with a kiss between strangers under the mistletoe. It was very cute.