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Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe
The warmth of Katie Fforde and the festive charm of Trisha Ashley - Christmas sparkles with Fiona Harper!
This Christmas, ex-WAG Louise Thornton is starting her new life, away from the paparazzi - and her cheating husband. Un-manicured, back on carbs and holding herself together courtesy of some seriously good foundation, Louise will make things perfect for her son, right up until he leaves for his dad's on the big day. Then she'll be free to curl up and cancel Christmas. But it turns out escaping the fame goldfish bowl comes with some perks: peace and quiet, no baying press, plus regular battles with her Mr Darcy-esque new neighbour to keep her edge. And the best thing about a real, country Christmas is that there's always lots of mistletoe to be found...
This Christmas, ex-WAG Louise Thornton is starting her new life, away from the paparazzi - and her cheating husband. Un-manicured, back on carbs and holding herself together courtesy of some seriously good foundation, Louise will make things perfect for her son, right up until he leaves for his dad's on the big day. Then she'll be free to curl up and cancel Christmas. But it turns out escaping the fame goldfish bowl comes with some perks: peace and quiet, no baying press, plus regular battles with her Mr Darcy-esque new neighbour to keep her edge. And the best thing about a real, country Christmas is that there's always lots of mistletoe to be found...
384 pages, Paperback
First published December 15, 2009
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682 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
December 6, 2019
This was a lovely Christmassy book to read. It was easy, sweet and very lovely to read. The basic
Story was predictable but only in a good way. It was a duel time line which I love so that made it even better.
Story was predictable but only in a good way. It was a duel time line which I love so that made it even better.
May 24, 2024
Unlike the other books I’ve read by Fiona, this one was slightly different. I wasn’t particularly impressed by the book for two reasons; the pacing and the chemistry.
The pacing was very slow. Nothing happened between Ben and Louise for half the book, and only 3/4 into the book their relationship changed a bit. I was almost bored to death because Ben and Louise spent a lot of time doing inner thinking but not acting on their feelings.
Their chemistry was alright, it wasn’t the best, I just wish we could have seen better chemistry. More banter would be nice.
All in all, an alright book but feels like something I’d forget in a few weeks.
The pacing was very slow. Nothing happened between Ben and Louise for half the book, and only 3/4 into the book their relationship changed a bit. I was almost bored to death because Ben and Louise spent a lot of time doing inner thinking but not acting on their feelings.
Their chemistry was alright, it wasn’t the best, I just wish we could have seen better chemistry. More banter would be nice.
All in all, an alright book but feels like something I’d forget in a few weeks.
January 5, 2013
A wonderfully magical tale of renewal, deliverance and finding love in unexpected places, Fiona Harper’s Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe is an indulgent treat you cannot do without this holiday season!
Louise Thornton’s life is seemingly perfect: she’s married to Hollywood heartthrob Tobias Thornton, has got a gorgeous son, millions in the bank and the world at her feet. But beneath the glossy hair and designer wardrobe lies a broken-hearted woman who is sick and tired of being lied to by her philandering husband. The time has come for Louise to take charge of her own life and to begin afresh away from the glaring lens of the paparazzi. Newly divorced and bored with her superficial life in London, Louise packs her bags and heads off to the countryside where she buys a gorgeous stately home in Devon. Louise just wants to take stock of her life, recharge her batteries and figure out what she’s going to do next. Falling in love is certainly not option, so why can’t she stop thinking about her gorgeous gardener Ben Oliver?
Ben is also going through a tough time at the moment. His wife had called time on their marriage because she felt stifled by the constraints of suburbia and had gone off to find herself, his daughter is growing up way too fast for his liking and he’s running himself ragged juggling the demands of his landscape gardening business with single parenthood. The only respite Ben has from his busy life is tending to the grounds around Whitehaven, the magnificent house that once belonged to an iconic British actress. Whitehaven has lain abandoned for years and shown no sign of coming off the market – which is why Ben is flabbergasted when he is ordered off the grounds by Louise Thornton, the new owner who has got high maintenance written all over her! After his disastrous marriage, Ben had vowed never to go near another high maintenance woman ever again, so why can’t he get Whitehaven’s new owner out of his head?
Having already been burnt in the past, Ben and Louise are initially reluctant to put their hearts on the line again. But when attraction gives way to something deeper, will they finally find the courage to grab this second chance at happiness? Or will they continue to allow fear and past mistakes to stand in their way?
Award-winning author Fiona Harper’s single title debut, Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe, is a moving, uplifting and deliciously feel-good tale I couldn’t bear to put down! With a fantastic heroine to cheer for, a gorgeous hero any woman would love to find under her Christmas tree, rib-tickling humour, heart-warming drama and tender romance, Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe is the perfect book to curl up with to banish away the winter blues!
Full of cheer, charm and heart, Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe is a funny, beguiling and fabulously romantic tale from the fantastic Fiona Harper!
Louise Thornton’s life is seemingly perfect: she’s married to Hollywood heartthrob Tobias Thornton, has got a gorgeous son, millions in the bank and the world at her feet. But beneath the glossy hair and designer wardrobe lies a broken-hearted woman who is sick and tired of being lied to by her philandering husband. The time has come for Louise to take charge of her own life and to begin afresh away from the glaring lens of the paparazzi. Newly divorced and bored with her superficial life in London, Louise packs her bags and heads off to the countryside where she buys a gorgeous stately home in Devon. Louise just wants to take stock of her life, recharge her batteries and figure out what she’s going to do next. Falling in love is certainly not option, so why can’t she stop thinking about her gorgeous gardener Ben Oliver?
Ben is also going through a tough time at the moment. His wife had called time on their marriage because she felt stifled by the constraints of suburbia and had gone off to find herself, his daughter is growing up way too fast for his liking and he’s running himself ragged juggling the demands of his landscape gardening business with single parenthood. The only respite Ben has from his busy life is tending to the grounds around Whitehaven, the magnificent house that once belonged to an iconic British actress. Whitehaven has lain abandoned for years and shown no sign of coming off the market – which is why Ben is flabbergasted when he is ordered off the grounds by Louise Thornton, the new owner who has got high maintenance written all over her! After his disastrous marriage, Ben had vowed never to go near another high maintenance woman ever again, so why can’t he get Whitehaven’s new owner out of his head?
Having already been burnt in the past, Ben and Louise are initially reluctant to put their hearts on the line again. But when attraction gives way to something deeper, will they finally find the courage to grab this second chance at happiness? Or will they continue to allow fear and past mistakes to stand in their way?
Award-winning author Fiona Harper’s single title debut, Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe, is a moving, uplifting and deliciously feel-good tale I couldn’t bear to put down! With a fantastic heroine to cheer for, a gorgeous hero any woman would love to find under her Christmas tree, rib-tickling humour, heart-warming drama and tender romance, Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe is the perfect book to curl up with to banish away the winter blues!
Full of cheer, charm and heart, Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe is a funny, beguiling and fabulously romantic tale from the fantastic Fiona Harper!
October 15, 2016
Mistletoe is not just for Christmas as you will learn during this lovely romance novel. In fact there are two stories being told in this book, which I wasn't fully expecting.
There is Louise, who is now an ex-WAG and has moved to Westhaven, in Devon after demanding a divorce. She is determined to make a new home for herself and son Jack, out of the prying eyes of the paparazzi. The house is massive and in need of some TLC, as is its garden. Ben had been tending the garden and slowly comes to an arrangement with Laura, but will they ever give into the connection they are both denying between them.
Then perhaps even more interestingly is the story of the house's previous owner Laura, who had hidden a diary in the boathouse, and her story is revealed slowly in the form of diary entries. I found myself more eager to find out what happened to Laura and her love affairs, than the present day story at times.
It feels like a story of renewal, of getting your life back together after a divorce, and also involves a lot of cake. Believe it or not Louise is a fantastic baker, and some of the cakes she was making sounded delicious. She also had a really hard childhood, which has affected her every decision since.
I really enjoyed reading Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe, it has some good storylines, a pleasant writing style and a couple of big romantic gestures to look out for. There is a Christmas element to the story, but its not the overpowering theme of the book, and probably isn't the Christmas period you would have predicted as the start of the book.
There is Louise, who is now an ex-WAG and has moved to Westhaven, in Devon after demanding a divorce. She is determined to make a new home for herself and son Jack, out of the prying eyes of the paparazzi. The house is massive and in need of some TLC, as is its garden. Ben had been tending the garden and slowly comes to an arrangement with Laura, but will they ever give into the connection they are both denying between them.
Then perhaps even more interestingly is the story of the house's previous owner Laura, who had hidden a diary in the boathouse, and her story is revealed slowly in the form of diary entries. I found myself more eager to find out what happened to Laura and her love affairs, than the present day story at times.
It feels like a story of renewal, of getting your life back together after a divorce, and also involves a lot of cake. Believe it or not Louise is a fantastic baker, and some of the cakes she was making sounded delicious. She also had a really hard childhood, which has affected her every decision since.
I really enjoyed reading Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe, it has some good storylines, a pleasant writing style and a couple of big romantic gestures to look out for. There is a Christmas element to the story, but its not the overpowering theme of the book, and probably isn't the Christmas period you would have predicted as the start of the book.
November 9, 2013
I liked this book. It was a super sweet story of a woman trying to find out just who she is. For her entire life before the divorce she had been defined by someone, she never knew just what she could do, who she was. The book sees her journey of self discovery.
However, as much as I liked the story, I was a tad disappointed. The book blurb has the word Christmas about 3 times, so I expected it to be set in and around Christmas. But sadly it was more a case of blink and you miss it for the amount of content there was for Christmas.
It was a good book, just not what I was expecting when I picked it up.
However, as much as I liked the story, I was a tad disappointed. The book blurb has the word Christmas about 3 times, so I expected it to be set in and around Christmas. But sadly it was more a case of blink and you miss it for the amount of content there was for Christmas.
It was a good book, just not what I was expecting when I picked it up.
January 18, 2013
More 'women's fiction' than romance, this tells the twin stories of Louise, the ex-model, and soon to be ex-wife of a major star, and of Laura, the recently deceased actress who Louise admired enough to buy her former home and then to read the diary she finds there in carefully rationed installments. Meanwhile Ben, who looked after the gardens for Laura doesn't know what to make of Louise and worries she'll want to make too many changes to the house and to the gardens he loves. A lovely story of two single parents finding themselves as much as each other.
November 7, 2012
Loved this book. The two lead characters are very likeable (especially the hero Ben) and the setting is great too (you feel as though you're there in the little town by the river with them!). Nice touches of humour as well.
A lovely, escapist romance - highly recommended!
October 9, 2016
This is the first book I have read by Fiona Harper and even though it took me a while to get through I enjoyed it.
I found the characters likeable and the story easy to follow. Will definitely be keeping an eye out for any more books by Fiona Harper.
I found the characters likeable and the story easy to follow. Will definitely be keeping an eye out for any more books by Fiona Harper.
December 3, 2012
Beautifully written Christmas Romance about discovering ones self, trusting in love and forgiveness. Loved Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe, I will be looking out for more books by Fiona Harper.
September 16, 2013
This is the first book I have read from this author and love it even thou it has Xmas title the story travels through time and seasons so loved it .
February 7, 2015
A really lovely feel good Christmas story
November 30, 2022
3/5 stars!
This is my first Christmas book of the year! I found this book in a charity shop and as soon as I read ‘Mr. Darcy-esque neighbour’ I couldn’t take it off the shelf fast enough.
Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe is a typical getting divorced moving to a small neighbourhood with the neighbour (who at first they don’t get along (but in a typical fashion they pretty much do get along after the first couple of encounters) end up falling in love. They are both chalk and cheese. Louise coming from a background of stardom and Ben coming from just your normal small English town background. And it’s happily ever after. I mean what more do you want?
I actually enjoyed the majority of the book. I liked the characters, not loved, but liked. I do love the main character moves to small town but they aren’t from a small town they are super famous and don’t know how to be a normal person type trope. The only thing is with this book that doesn’t really happen as Louise is surprisingly humble and knows just how to fit in. Which defiantly makes her character more likeable and I guess is a middle finger to the other characters that Louise isn’t fake like the tabloids say they were and she was originally from humble beginnings.
She’s also going through a divorce from her famous husband and she has a son called Jack who surprisingly is hardly in the book. I also like the trope of a person going to a place/moving to house from a film/book/TV etc. And end up having some sort of connection with the previous owner. Louise moving to her new house because it was originally from a 1950s romance film was a good touch to the story and finding those letters from Laura defiantly added more interest. But I’m kind of disappointed there was no connection in the end (no spoilers I defiantly thought there was with a certain main character).
Ben was an okay love interest. I liked him as a character and Laura together but he came across old to me. I know that sounds so rude of me but he was a typical dad. Not a dilf but a dad that falls a asleep in his chair with his glasses falling down and the sort of dad that would moan about the heating being on too long. So I felt the spark wasn’t really there for me.
But the main issue I had with the book was the writing style. I couldn’t stand it. It felt so muddled and incohesive at times. It’s so very English that sometimes when reading books that are so English it almost feels like it’s being written by an American or an AI if you asked it to write an English romance book. I mean who says supper? I don’t. I understand this book was written in 2008 but it felt so much older. Maybe 2002. The English slang was jarring. It was like for example in really romantic times it would be ruined by how over the top the writing is. The same with sad or intense moments it was just so English I couldn’t take it seriously. It was like it was almost written like a caricature. There was no room for emotion it was all ya want a cuppa and whatdya want for supper like it was something from Oliver Twist.
Overall the book was entertaining. I enjoyed the story. It wasn’t very Christmassy but it defiantly wasn’t a boring read. The romance was sweet and Louise had interesting character development. The book did the job!
This is my first Christmas book of the year! I found this book in a charity shop and as soon as I read ‘Mr. Darcy-esque neighbour’ I couldn’t take it off the shelf fast enough.
Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe is a typical getting divorced moving to a small neighbourhood with the neighbour (who at first they don’t get along (but in a typical fashion they pretty much do get along after the first couple of encounters) end up falling in love. They are both chalk and cheese. Louise coming from a background of stardom and Ben coming from just your normal small English town background. And it’s happily ever after. I mean what more do you want?
I actually enjoyed the majority of the book. I liked the characters, not loved, but liked. I do love the main character moves to small town but they aren’t from a small town they are super famous and don’t know how to be a normal person type trope. The only thing is with this book that doesn’t really happen as Louise is surprisingly humble and knows just how to fit in. Which defiantly makes her character more likeable and I guess is a middle finger to the other characters that Louise isn’t fake like the tabloids say they were and she was originally from humble beginnings.
She’s also going through a divorce from her famous husband and she has a son called Jack who surprisingly is hardly in the book. I also like the trope of a person going to a place/moving to house from a film/book/TV etc. And end up having some sort of connection with the previous owner. Louise moving to her new house because it was originally from a 1950s romance film was a good touch to the story and finding those letters from Laura defiantly added more interest. But I’m kind of disappointed there was no connection in the end (no spoilers I defiantly thought there was with a certain main character).
Ben was an okay love interest. I liked him as a character and Laura together but he came across old to me. I know that sounds so rude of me but he was a typical dad. Not a dilf but a dad that falls a asleep in his chair with his glasses falling down and the sort of dad that would moan about the heating being on too long. So I felt the spark wasn’t really there for me.
But the main issue I had with the book was the writing style. I couldn’t stand it. It felt so muddled and incohesive at times. It’s so very English that sometimes when reading books that are so English it almost feels like it’s being written by an American or an AI if you asked it to write an English romance book. I mean who says supper? I don’t. I understand this book was written in 2008 but it felt so much older. Maybe 2002. The English slang was jarring. It was like for example in really romantic times it would be ruined by how over the top the writing is. The same with sad or intense moments it was just so English I couldn’t take it seriously. It was like it was almost written like a caricature. There was no room for emotion it was all ya want a cuppa and whatdya want for supper like it was something from Oliver Twist.
Overall the book was entertaining. I enjoyed the story. It wasn’t very Christmassy but it defiantly wasn’t a boring read. The romance was sweet and Louise had interesting character development. The book did the job!
June 26, 2018
Fiona Harper really understands what deep and true and love is. She has the gift of being able to convey every nuance of those feelings in both her male and female characters. From subtle looks, to unspoken words, from their daydreams and their shared vulnerabilities. This touching and beautifully written story, takes you through the highs and the lows of true love, the conflicts between head and heart. This story isn't just for Christmas -- It was one of my summer reads and one I will definitely be re-reading in the future. It has really touched my heart.
December 2, 2025
I needed to relax and escape so I picked up Fiona Harper's cosy novel Kiss Me Under The Mistletoe. Yes, it was relaxing but the edition I read had many editing errors. Sentences had words left out, probably because changes were made but not checked. This novel had been published previously, but a new timeline was added together with a few new events. The theme is personal redemption through the exploration of emotions and reviewing past events. The reference to mistletoe is slight. The ending is satisfying rather than glorous.
December 28, 2019
This book got pretty boring fast and I had to force myself to finish it. Nothing really happens in it but I did appreciate that the characters spoke to each other and the only real drama was weither they love each other.
February 15, 2022
Im not sure if I loved or found this book boring,at the beginning everything was going well with the flow and I loved the characters but then it got boring and the characters didn’t stand out anymore especially Ben.BUT IM SO HAPPY FOR THE RECIPE AT THE END OF THE BOOK.
November 27, 2024
A light festive read. I felt like nothing much happened between Ben and Louise and wanted more passion from them but I very much enjoyed the story of Laura and Dominic the most. Overall not a bad read but it needed a bit more to it I think in terms of Ben and Louise's relationship.
January 11, 2018
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My honest review
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My honest review
January 22, 2020
A warm Christmassy feeling after reading this book! Got me in the mood for Christmas!
December 1, 2020
A lovely romantic read, with a hint of Christmas.
November 9, 2022
“In my experience, people say they want to you to be real, but only as long as it involves living up to their expectations of you at the same time”
December 12, 2022
Amazing!! What a beautiful feel good book.
December 27, 2015
Last Christmas I wanted a festive book to read to add to and enhance my Christmas Holiday. So while shopping on Amazon.co.uk I picked up 'The Little Shop of Hopes and Dreams' by Fiona Harper, I'd never read of of her books before but this sounded like it could fit the bill.
It did and I loved it, so when it came to this festive season I decided to start reading Christmas themed books earlier. I picked a selection however, the first three I red in the run up to the start of my Christmas break didn't cut the mustard, they just weren't what I was looking for. So on Christmas Eve I picked up 'Kiss Me Under The Mistletoe';
Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe
Fiona Harper
This book surprised me, it was a lot deeper than I expected. The lead character Louise is described as a WAG, she's a model who married a Hollywood star and lives what from the outside looks like a dream life but of course it's far from it.
She decides to leave her husband and the life that she no longer finds fulfilling, if she ever thought that at all and moves to Whitehaven, a large house on the top of the hill which reminded me of the house in the Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie.
Here she meets local landscape designer Ben and although they get off to a rocky start they develop a friendship and then more as the book progresses.
I thin what surprised me the most was the way in which Fiona Harper writes about Louise's back story, her life as a child carer. This is something I found a great affinity with having been a carer myself. I identified with a lot of the pain, grief and guilt that comes with taking on that role no matter what age you are.
I found myself liking Louise and I was intrigued by the story of Laura Hastings whom Louise has bought the house from following her death. In Laura's diaries Louise finds comfort likening her life to that of the hollywood star but I always found she was more like Dominic, the love Laura wrote about longingly.
This book was exactly what I was looking for in a Christmas read, I was eager to turn every page and felt happy and content when I turned the last page.
It did and I loved it, so when it came to this festive season I decided to start reading Christmas themed books earlier. I picked a selection however, the first three I red in the run up to the start of my Christmas break didn't cut the mustard, they just weren't what I was looking for. So on Christmas Eve I picked up 'Kiss Me Under The Mistletoe';
Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe
Fiona Harper
This book surprised me, it was a lot deeper than I expected. The lead character Louise is described as a WAG, she's a model who married a Hollywood star and lives what from the outside looks like a dream life but of course it's far from it.
She decides to leave her husband and the life that she no longer finds fulfilling, if she ever thought that at all and moves to Whitehaven, a large house on the top of the hill which reminded me of the house in the Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie.
Here she meets local landscape designer Ben and although they get off to a rocky start they develop a friendship and then more as the book progresses.
I thin what surprised me the most was the way in which Fiona Harper writes about Louise's back story, her life as a child carer. This is something I found a great affinity with having been a carer myself. I identified with a lot of the pain, grief and guilt that comes with taking on that role no matter what age you are.
I found myself liking Louise and I was intrigued by the story of Laura Hastings whom Louise has bought the house from following her death. In Laura's diaries Louise finds comfort likening her life to that of the hollywood star but I always found she was more like Dominic, the love Laura wrote about longingly.
This book was exactly what I was looking for in a Christmas read, I was eager to turn every page and felt happy and content when I turned the last page.
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January 26, 20232.5 stars
December 28, 2015
This was my 2015 Christmas themed read and while it was quite entertaining, I wouldn't necessarily say that the story swept me away. Yes, I can understand the growth factor, but the interference of the diary kind of put me off because I didn't really find absolution in either of the stories although there was a happy ending. Laura's story could have been a novel all on its own, I think, and it's the scarcity of her entries throughout in light of that tantalising possibility which makes it just slightly frustrating overall. I liked that Louise grew but I'd say that in the end she still wasn't quite what we'd been expecting her to be after all the developments we experienced.
November 1, 2016
Book was good.... but did not print any impression on me. In the story, you will feel you are reading the same thing again and again, and it created mess. it is slow and too simple.
too lengthy but nothing happens even till the end. Even after reading 3/4th part of the book I was feeling like i haven't read anything. and still know less. and its funny that i keep on feeling the same thing when the book ended.
but still the diary part was good.
and the men in the story are really good. but they are imaginary only. Never Found Men like that.
too lengthy but nothing happens even till the end. Even after reading 3/4th part of the book I was feeling like i haven't read anything. and still know less. and its funny that i keep on feeling the same thing when the book ended.
but still the diary part was good.
and the men in the story are really good. but they are imaginary only. Never Found Men like that.
December 15, 2015
This story would have been 3 stars but I have never read a book with so many typos, it was very distracting, especially as some were so obvious. I got the feeling this was published in a rush, which is a shame really as the story was pretty good!
December 29, 2012
Because sometimes you need a post-divorce love story. Nothing ground-breaking here, but if you need a sweet story and a lovely setting, this will fill the need and make you smile.
February 3, 2013
Struggled. Liked the Ben character but didn't connect with the book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews