From the publisher:
She wants to make him Mr. Holiday. He wants to stay a certified Grinch. From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely comes a small-town spicy holiday romance about a guarded cowboy veterinarian and a Christmas-loving optimist who team up for a town holiday competition.
Dr. Noah Lennox lives by three holiday rules—avoid his hometown, cheerful people, and Christmas itself.
But when his beloved grandfather announces he’s retiring and handing the cherished sleigh-ride farm to either Noah or his slick cousin Stephen, the first rule goes out the window. Back home in Evergreen Falls, the veterinarian vows to fight for the farm that means everything to him. The problem is, the town doesn’t exactly welcome its resident Scrooge with open arms.
Except for one very charming holiday enthusiast. Eloise Langston, a sunny tourism bureau hopeful, needs a win to land her dream job—and to pay the rent. Her holly jolly plan? Turn the broody, broad-shouldered grump into a festive front-runner to help the town’s Mr. Holiday Competition draw record crowds.
Transforming a camera-shy cowboy vet into a small-town sweetheart isn’t exactly in her job description—but neither is falling for him.
Soon, Noah and Eloise find themselves tangled in twinkle lights, fake kisses, and one very real attraction. But with the farm’s future at stake, Stephen’s scheming, and Eloise’s career on the line, there’s a blizzard of reasons to put their feelings on ice.
Or will they fight to turn their holiday fling into forever under the mistletoe?Order the deluxe limited edition of Mistletoe All the Way now—a stunning, collectible paperback edition featuring stenciled edges, only available on the first printing while supplies last!
https://bookshop.org/a/123058/9781668233795
The prolific Blakely (It Seemed Like a Good Idea) offers a fun, cozy holiday read. Noah is the ultimate Christmas grinch, a veterinarian who has seen the darker side of the season. Eloise has started her own PR business, and is lovably chaotic yet a total powerhouse. She loves everything Christmas and proudly embraces being a “jolly.”
Their goals seem incompatible at first: she is looking to build her business, and he needs to keep his family’s Christmas farm out of his scheming cousin’s hands. Then she delivers the perfect solution: enter Noah in the town’s first-ever Mr. Holiday competition and let Eloise work her magic.
Blake delivers romcom perfection: sharp banter, undeniable chemistry, and a fake relationship that slowly turns genuine and emotional, while providing twin-swap shenanigans, scene-stealing animals, slow-burn tension, and festive spice, all wrapped up in cozy small-town charm. But beneath the holiday fun, there’s real emotional depth; Noah’s grief and Eloise’s desire to be taken seriously make their connection feel authentic and heartfelt.
VERDICT A charming contemporary romcom with strong Hallmark-movie energy in the best possible way. Warm, witty, and impossible to put down.
©Library Journal, 2026
10/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
MISTLETOE ALL THE WAY by Lauren Blakely. Atria Books (October 6, 2026). ISBN: 978-1668233795. 384p.
