Review: Mistletoe and Mr. Right

 

I read Sarah Morgenthaler's The Tourist Attraction this past summer after I saw all sorts of bloggers and bookstagrammers talking about it. The cover first grabbed me and the description drew me in even further. Once I realized it was going to be a series, I was thrilled and made sure to request a copy of Mistletoe and Mr. Right to read and review. I'm so glad I did because it was so enjoyable - even more so than the first book!

Here's the synopsis:

How the moose (almost) stole Christmas.
Lana Montgomery is everything the quirky small town of Moose Springs, Alaska can't stand: a rich socialite with dreams of changing things for the better. But Lana's determined to prove that she belongs...even if it means trading her stilettos for snow boots and tracking one of the town's hairiest Christmas mysteries: the Santa Moose, an antlered Grinch hell-bent on destroying every bit of holiday cheer (and tinsel) it can sink its teeth into.
And really...how hard could it be?
The last few years have been tough on Rick Harding, and it's not getting any easier now that his dream girl's back in town. When Lana accidentally tranquilizes him instead of the Santa Moose, it's clear she needs help, fast...and this could be his chance to finally catch her eye. It's an all-out Christmas war, but if they can nab that darn moose before it destroys the town, Rick and Lana might finally find a place where they both belong...together.

If I had to try to explain Moose Springs, I would have to liken it to Stars Hollow but moved from Connecticut to Alaska and with a lot more moose. The townspeople are quirky but loveable and always there for each other. They're very much against tourists and that's why they're hellbent on blocking Lana at every turn. I think that was a really interesting thing to read as the townspeople don't want change nor do they want a bunch of strangers ruining their town. Most of them do know that without tourists their town would start dying but it has to be hard to see your quaint town overrun with people who don't care about what's left when their vacation is over. The thing is, Lana really does care about the town and you can't help but hope the town realizes that her vision does have some merit and that they can all find a way to work together.

I couldn't really remember how Lana and Rick met and there was some allusion to their history that kept throwing me off because I couldn't remember any of it. And I only read the first book in the summer! It wasn't a huge deal but I had to keep reminding myself that they did have history and that was why their relationship was moving as it was. It's a bit of an opposites attract kind of story but I find that kind of insults both Lana and Rick. She's rich, yes, but she knows the important things are friends and family which is why she holds on to her friendship with Zoey and Graham so tightly. And Rick isn't some small town guy with no brain, which he sometimes comes across as - which I don't think was Morgenthaler's intent. He's a quiet guy who observes everything and has a lot of his shoulders, trying to take care of a failing business and raising his ex-wife's nephew, who is now twenty and Rick's roommate.

Speaking of roommates - Rick is a total animal lover (he has a tendency to take in strays and look after everyone which was a bit refreshing since normally it's the female in the romances who has that issue). He has a giant cat, Roger, who often makes his displeasure known but deep down loves his home. AND HE HAS A HEDGEHOG. The set-up to the reader meeting Darla was perfection and I laughed out loud when I got to that part. I'm not a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, exactly, but even I found it too funny that the hedgehog is named after a character in the show.

This book is heavy on the comedy with a sweet romance (no open door sexy time here) and important messages woven throughout. It's not all fun and games when you're trying to: catch a destructive moose, prove to your family that you have a solid business plan for your favourite town, keep your pool hall afloat, keep your nephew out of jail, and just generally save the town.

Sarah Morgenthaler's Mistletoe and Mr. Right is quirky and lovable and I had a lot of fun reading it. I enjoyed the second Moose Springs book much more than the first and I really looking forward to the next book in the series, Enjoy the View. 

*An egalley was provided by the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*