Mistletoe Match (No Match for Love)

Michelle Collins, a primary school teacher and animal rights activist, makes the mistake of entering the men’s restroom at a holiday party. She bumps into a stranger who gives her a toe-curling kiss under the mistletoe. While the stranger could have been a potential Mr. Right, Michelle knows that a chance encounter hardly leads to anything — until she bumps into the stranger when he brings his daughter to her school. Austin O’Neal was just as affected by that kiss under the mistletoe, and would liked to have taken things a bit further, if he only knew her name! He’s given another chance when he finds out that Michelle is his daughter’s teacher.  Problem is, they are on opposing sides of the fence.

This is a tale where opposites attract, but the author increases the stakes further when she pits the two protagonists against each other because of their principles and accepted truths. The plot is mostly character-driven; the reader is given a glimpse of the characters’ evolution brought about by the events happening around them.  It allows the reader a glimpse beneath the veneer of Michelle and Austin’s public persona, and how circumstances affect their decisions. 

Yet, this could have been more. The characters could have still evolved and that would have made the story meatier. Had this not been a novella, the author would have had more room to maneuver, the space to make her characters more multifaceted. Nevertheless, this is a good read for anyone who enjoys a sweet,  fulfilling love story.

M.P. Ceja