Mistletoe Bay by Marcia Evanick
review by Sybil

The start of the back copy of this book is perfect:

Nestled beside the coastal town of Misty Harbor, Maine, lies the picturesque village of Mistletoe Bay. There, overlooking the clear blue sea, is a charming old house that’s the perfect place to gather for the holidays and give thanks for family, good friends, and bright new beginnings…

Then it sort of derails:

When Cooper Armstrong left California to return to Maine, he also left a cheating ex and all his plans for settling down. Now Coop concentrates on taking care of his ailing father and learning his route as the area’s new UPS man. It’s not just Coop’s parents who need assistance—

Everything stated here is true but it left me with the feeling of, “Oh joy, another ‘women are the devil cuz my ex was a whore who cheated on me’ tale.” When really his father’s heart attack happened before the book starts, he is already getting better and gives Coop a reason to come home. And as Coop says, “She banged up his heart a little but didn’t break it.”

And then the summary gets back on track and is prolly enough to send many of you running in the other direction anyway…   😉

Jenni Wright, whose blossoming new business has him making daily deliveries to her property, could clearly use some help.

With three young sons, her mother-in-law, and a teenage niece all sharing a rickety house that seems to be held together with duct tape, Jenni has her hands full. To Jenni, Coop is their UPS guy, handyman, and her boys’ guardian angel all in one gorgeous package. She’s sure he’d run a mile before getting involved in the chaos of her life. But as Thanksgiving gives way to Christmas, the lovely, resilient Jenni turns Coop’s expectations of a cold, lonely winter upside-down, revealing the promise of warmth, love, and a lifetime of happy memories…

Yep… kids.

Three young terrors, enough to send most handsome, thirty-something, never-married men running, along with more than a few romance readers. Throw in a 17 year-old teenager and there really isn’t a chance in hell I would have picked this book up on my own.

I had never even heard of Marcia Evanick (a loveswept favorite).  So her cute cover and holiday story would have been passed over. That would have been sad because it truly is a charming story, with very real characters who could be people you know and even like. It didn’t feel too ‘over the top’ or over done but I can honestly say this isn’t my normal read.

The hero, Cooper, doesn’t see the heroin, Jenni, and fall madly in love, ready to take on her troubles and kids. And even with the entire book taking place in about 6-weeks, you can believe they grow to love one another. Shockingly, with all the story lines going on, Marcia Evanick, was able to tell a complete story for Coop and Jenni. And for a widow of two years, who was truly in love with her husband, the love scenes are believable, honest, and still steamy.

I did want to slap the teenager a few times but no book is prefect (of course, I think it was a pretty true-to-life reaction).  And the secondary romance between Doroty and Eli is sweet.

If you enjoy holiday stories this is perfect. If you enjoy straight contemporary romances, I think there is a very high chance you will like this book. The story flows very nicely into the ending without wrapping up every little thing in an unbelievable bow.  To put it simply, I was completely charmed by Mistletoe Bay. I hope you are too.

Grade: A

Read an excerpt here.  Published by Zebra Oct 1, 2007.