Festive grump/sunshine romance with a full cast audio experience
Goodreads | Mistletoe All the Way
Release date: October 6, 2026
Publisher: Simon Maverick
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Narrators: Erin Mallon and Teddy Hamilton and a full cast
Synopsis:
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely, a small-town spicy, holiday romance about a guarded cowboy veterinarian and a Christmas-loving optimist who team up for a town holiday pageant.
Dr. Noah Lennox has three Christmas rules—avoid his hometown, avoid being mistaken for his internet-famous twin, and definitely avoid his smug cousin, Stephen. But when his beloved grandfather announces he’s retiring and leaving the family’s beloved sleigh-ride horse farm to either Noah or Stephen, Noah finds himself snowed in back home in Evergreen Falls and determined to fight for the place that means everything to him. The problem is, the town doesn’t exactly welcome its resident Scrooge with open arms.
Eloise Langston, a sunny Tourism Bureau hopeful, needs a win to land her dream job—and health insurance. Her Hail Mary plan? Turn Noah into Mr. Christmas to help the town’s Mr. Holiday Pageant 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.
As sleigh bells ring and sparks fly, Noah and Eloise find themselves tangled in twinkle lights, fake pageants, and one very real attraction. But with the farm’s future at stake, Stephen’s scheming, and Eloise’s own career on the line, there’s a blizzard of reasons to put their growing feelings on ice. Then again, if you can’t fight for love at the most wonderful time of the year, you don’t deserve the kiss waiting under the mistletoe.
Review:
A Christmas loving optimist trying to turn a guarded cowboy veterinarian into Mr. Christmas? Please, I was already sold. Mistletoe All the Way delivers plenty of snow, small town holiday charm, and the kind of grump/sunshine pairing that’s especially fun when the grump would prefer to skip Christmas altogether. Noah gets pulled straight into the festivities, and watching Eloise work her sunny magic on him was such a good time.
I loved how funny, festive, and cute this was without skimping on the spice. Noah and Eloise have great chemistry, and the contrast between her Christmas enthusiasm and his resistance gives their interactions such a playful energy. Between the holiday pageant and the sleigh ride horse farm, there’s plenty of Christmas cheer woven into the story. It’s an easy pick when you want a seasonal romance with some heat.
Lauren Blakely’s books on audio are always an experience, and this was no exception. Erin Mallon and Teddy Hamilton lead the duet narration, with Rose Dioro, J.F. Harding, Simone Lewis, and Gregory Salinas rounding out the cast. The production quality is fantastic, and having that ensemble brings even more personality to an already lively story. If you love audiobooks, this is a treat, and if you’re new to listening, it would be a great place to start.
This is an interconnected standalone, so readers of Blakely’s previous two holiday releases will find some fun Easter eggs, but you can jump in here without having read them. If your ideal Christmas romance involves a sunny heroine, a reluctant holiday participant, strong chemistry, and enough snow to make you grateful you’re reading somewhere warm, add this to your seasonal TBR.
Perfect for readers who love:
- Grump/sunshine romance
- Small town Christmas festivities
- Cowboy veterinarians with a guarded heart
- Spicy holiday love stories
- Full cast audiobooks with duet narration
Overall rating: 4/5
Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
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