Mistletoe and the Mountain Man

Rugged Hearts #5

by Aria Cole

When the grumpy loner of Devil's Peak and a curvy city girl looking for a holiday mountain escape share the same tiny cabin, sparks fly and hearts ignite...

When Poppy, a quirky data analyst with a passion for Christmas, books a holiday getaway to the secluded mountain town of Devil’s Peak, she expects a cozy cabin, festive cheer, and a little break from city life. What she doesn’t expect is Cade—a rugged, brooding craftsman who’s more comfortable with a hammer than holiday lights and has sworn off anything resembling a relationship after his heart was shattered long ago.

When a booking mix-up forces them to share the cabin, sparks fly and boundaries blur as Poppy’s relentless holiday spirit begins to thaw Cade’s icy exterior. With every holiday tradition she ropes him into—from mistletoe kisses to baking sessions laced with tension—Cade starts to wonder if letting Poppy in could be worth risking it all.

As Christmas Eve brings secrets to light and desires to a boiling point, Poppy and Cade must decide if their passion is just a holiday fling or the beginning of forever.

Can a mountain man who’s sworn off love find it in the last place he expects? And will Poppy’s leap of faith give her the greatest Christmas gift of all—a love that lasts?

Get ready for a sizzling, grumpy-sunshine, curvy heroine, forced proximity, opposites attract love story that proves sometimes, the best gifts aren’t found under the tree, but in the heart of the one who loves you.

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Holiday Romance, Contemporary

111 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 13, 2024

About the author

Aria Cole is the pen name of a USA Today bestselling author who published her first book in 2012 and began writing contemporary romance long before that.

Her books always feature possessive alpha men and the sassy, curvy, nerdy heroines who love them, along with a healthy dose of irresistible insta-love and happily-ever-afters sweet enough to make your teeth ache.

Follow Aria on Amazon for new release updates, or stalk her on social to see which daring book boyfriend she's writing next!

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Reviews

[Vanessa Ouellette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This angsty Christmas novella was full of chemistry & sizzle. A sweet, unexpected match, set in the snowy wilderness. When you know, you know!

[Nancy Koske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poppy had reserved a mountain cabin for the Christmas holidays, but she is in for a shock when she finds a mountain man there working on the cabin. Now she has to share the cabin with Cade. But he is grump and doesn't do relationships. There are no other available cabins in the area. She has plans to bake and relax. He doesn't seem to like the holidays. And there is only one bed in the cabin. They seem to challenge each other? Is a crack appearing? Why is Cade the way he is?.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shelly Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cade and Poppy‘s love story
Book Title-Mistletoe and the Mountain Man
Author-Aria Cole
MMC/FMC- Cade and Poppy
Genre- Holiday romance
Length-novella
Spicy level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ out of 5 peppers
Series- Rugged Hearts Series Book 5
Tropes- grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, spicy, mountain man, opposites attract,
What I liked- Cade and Poppy are great together, with plenty of spice and a perfect HEA. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the story is both fun and emotional.
What I didn’t like- Cade often struggles with fears of abandonment due to a past relationship, which got a bit frustrating.
#grumpysunshine #forcedproximity #spicy #mountainman #oppositesattract #Mistletoeandthemountainman #ariacole #RuggedHearts.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poppy plans a Holiday getaway to a cabin in the mountains where she meets mountain man and loner Cade. I loved how the author brought Poppy and Cade together and how she was the sunshine to his grumpy. This is a fun holiday romance about a reservation mix-up that forces Poppy and Cade to share the cabin and find love. Mistletoe and the Mountain Man is a steamy addition to the Rugged Hearts series. I look forward to reading more books in this Mountain Man series. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

[Imogen Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poppy
Cade

Poppy loves Christmas she wanted a get away vacation where her friend Winter now lives (FMC from last book). The cabin is double booked by Cade and only has one bed.

Cade doesn’t do relationships because his first and only one (his high school sweetheart) tore his heart out and then married someone else but he can’t resist Poppy even with his insecurity about her leaving him

Dual V- Cade had a high school sweetheart who left him before college over a decade ago, don’t know how far they went

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spicy spicy spicy!!! Cade isn't sure that he is capable of being with someone in fear they will just leave. Poppy is a bowl full of cheer and sets out to make him see that she isn't leaving. Great story and great characters. I did get annoyed that Cade was so hung up on being left because of a high school sweetheart who left for college. Ugh, move on!

DOUBLE V!!!

Age gap, unsure of ages.

Safe read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jean Stillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet Christmas tale. Cade has been alone, unwilling to give his heart to anyone after his first relationship failed to go according to plan. When Poppy books a stay in the very cabin where he is completing renovations, his world is turned upside down as Grumpy meets Sunshine. It's instalove full of sizzling smex.

This is my first read with this author, but I really enjoyed her writing style. I look forward to moving on to the other books of the series.

[LA FITCH · Rating 5 out of 5]

An entertaining story of Cade who has been renovating a cabin for the Lodge and Poppy who has booked the cabin for a week to get away from the city and work. Cade tells her it shouldn't have been rented due to his working on it and as it was starting to snow with a blizzard forecast to start she had no option but to stay. Poppy breaks through Cade's relationship reluctance for their HEA. Highly recommended reading.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a “there’s only one bed” Christmas novella- this might be for you. It’s promoted as “grumpy/sunshine” but it’s a little insta-love so the grump barely grumps before he’s madly in love with Poppy. If you like the virgin trope, this book also has that with both main characters but don’t expect the spice to be indicative of that at all. Also, an engagement after knowing someone for days is wild behavior.

[CJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has given us a heartwarming story that pulls us into the lives of Poppy and Cade. The fast-paced story keeps us turning the pages with instant connection, fears of having a relationship, realizations and steam.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lucy Chesna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 5 of the Rugged Hearts series by Aria Cole. A great collection of stories that you keep wanting more. The story of two people that got into a sticky situation of sharing a cabin that becomes more they ever thought. I love the story of Cade and Poppy and you will too.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dena Coles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story

When a breeze of sunshine is given a cabin that is being renovated by a hunky, grumpy mountain man, sparks are going to fly. He's reluctant to give his heart a chance to heal and love again, and she's all in. Will their close sleeping arrangements be able to bridge the gap? Find out for yourself.

[Noemi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cade and Poppy

Cade and Poppy end up having to share a cabin. Poppy's reservation was messed up.

The sparks between them are super intense. Poppy is a city girl whole Cade lives on the mountain. His past doesn't allow him the freedom to see they belong together.

Will Poppy and Cade find their JEA?

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want a HOT holiday read to put you in the Christmas romance spirit, then I suggest you read this book about Poppy and Cade. You're going to want to snuggle up reading this mountain man romance read that is HOT enough it could melt snow. It's way more than just a 5/5 Star read.

[Mary Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

like the book
18 and above sexual content

This is where I say the author gives enough information.
So, I do not give anything away.
I received a free copy of this book via Amazon and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Will Decker · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this story was much better than the delivery. I couldn't connect with either of the characters and found the flow choppy. At times, the male lead came off quite creepy and domineering one moment while insecure the next. It just didn't work for me.

[Ali's In Literature]

Started off cute but pretty cringeworthy

Started off cute, but the dialogue (particularly during the spicy scenes) was really cringeworthy. I also hate it when two MC's are supposedly inexperienced, yet there's zero awkwardness or trial and error 🤦🏻‍♀️
Not for me.

[lf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spicy holiday romance

Mistletoe and the Mountain Man is the fifth book in the Rugged Hearts series. It is a Christmas themed romance between Poppy and Cade. This was an delightful and exciting story, with lovely characters and an entertaining and steamy story-line.

[Cynthia Siermienski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mistletoe and the Mountain Man

Good book. It was filled with the right amount of romance and sexual content. I enjoy reading your books. This series is amazing.

[K G Wakeley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it..

A lovely Christmas story with heart and heat. I enjoyed the way they were so vulnerable with each other. Short and sweet.

[Kindle And A Cuppa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poppy renting out a cabin for Christmas and the contractor that’s doing some work on it. With one bed and a ton of sexual tension this is a cut and quick Christmas read

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

so good

This was an very good Christmas book. She had so much fun with making her gingerbread cookies. She changed him that he finally like Christmas.

[Ashley Carr, LSoR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poppy And Cade are thrown together in this holiday romance. Poppy has booked a cabin and Cade is fixing that same cabin. She is all holiday cheer and he is NOT. Can she get him into the holiday spirit and prove to him that she will stay?

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

no offense to the author at all, but it felt like I was missing WHOLE CHAPTERS, idk if I wasn't supposed to be reading it as a stand alone, in which case, completely my fault that I didn't enjoy it as much, but if not, I just didn't enjoy the writing style. I was very excited and believe that I would've enjoyed it more, it just felt a bit incomplete