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Harvest Ranch Romance #21

Mountains and Mistletoe

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Nia doesn’t believe in dating a guy more than three times, and Darius is out of the dating game for good.

Ski pro Nia Pearson never spends more than three months in any given town and never goes on more than three dates with any guy. But with her mom being sick, she’s stuck in Harvest Ranch working at its tiny resort for an interminable winter. When she meets the incredible-looking ski instructor Darius, she has a good idea of whom to go on those dates with during the snowy season.

After a soul-destroying divorce, Darius Atwater has sworn off dating and takes no time in rejecting the cocky Nia. Instead, he plans to focus all his attention on the local, run-down ski resort he’s purchased. To bring it back to its glory, he’s working undercover to learn the mountain from the lifts to the peaks. Only problem is that it’s in a lot worse shape than he’d bargained for.

To save the resort, he needs Nia’s expert help, forcing him to let her in on his secret. But it’ll take all he can to not let her into his heart.

Is a Christmas miracle in store this snowy season for this stormy couple?

194 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 30, 2021

10 people are currently reading
145 people want to read

About the author

M.K. Dymock

5 books

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5 stars
48 (57%)
4 stars
27 (32%)
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5 (6%)
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3 (3%)
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for M.K. Dymock.
Author 6 books172 followers
December 2, 2021
I had so much fun writing this book and I hope you have fun reading it! I worked as a ski instructor for ten years, and I always wanted to set a romance on the ski slopes. I based Nia on so many of the kick-butt women I worked with who spent their days sending it through the trees with little rippers on their heels. I loved writing Darius as the seemingly ski bum who is so much more. Happy reading!
842 reviews5 followers
December 9, 2021
Mia and Darius have a plan to save the resort but they have no idea how many people are trying to stop them. It was fun reading about all the things that happen on a ski resort like children crying and teens who can't be stopped. I enjoyed the visit back to Harvest Ranch and look forward to the next one.
Profile Image for Cheryl.
1,889 reviews27 followers
January 9, 2022
The twists along the way were surprising, and the ending, well I did *not* see that coming! What a delightful romp. In a sweet way. At first I was a little taken aback by Nia's in your face attitude and was not impressed with Darius either. I realized neither one had the facts, both were making assumptions, and so was I!! Nice move there by the author. This book had lots of little surprises for me. I expected drama between the sisters, thinking...ok same oh - Nope. Yes there was the standard sibling issues, but not the same oh same oh. And the mother, oh my word, I was like what? what? what? So many dynamics going on, pulled a lot of emotions, a lot of strings. Thank you for the arc!
I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions.
1,309 reviews
December 2, 2021
Nia and Darius meet at the Harvest Ranch ski resort and don't like each other at first. She finds out that he's the one who bought the ski resort and pegs him as a rich boy using his father's money to play with the resort. Darius doesn't know Nia but the more he's around her he begins to like her. He has her keep his secret that he's the new owner so he can learn what is needed to improve the resort. There are a lot of twists and turns - an ex-wife who wants Darius back, Nia's mother's cancer, the resort being sabotaged, Darius and Nia's growing attraction to each other, and more. This is a good book with an unexpected HEA. I received an early copy to read from Booksprout and I'm leaving my honest review.
Profile Image for Barbara.
19.2k reviews8 followers
December 4, 2021
Book 20 in the Harvest Ranch Romance series,this is a new Author to me. Ski pro Nia Pearson and divorced ski instructor Darius Atwater meet at Harvest Ranch when they work together. I enjoyed seeing these two with all the ups and downs, drama, and sabotage find love. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for MaryEllen.
2,909 reviews29 followers
December 4, 2021
Great story with great characters.

There's quite a twisty road in this one. There's so much more than a romance going on at the ski resort, and all of it entertaining for the reader. The character's growth arcs were satisfying add in the family drama and sabotage!
I recommend this one!
2,999 reviews44 followers
December 6, 2021
This book is part of the Harvest Ranch Romance series and the main characters are ski pro Nia Pearson and businessman Darius Atwater, who has just bought the ski resort at Harvest Ranch, but is pretending to be a ski instructor and fellow employee, to learn all he can about the resort and how to fix it. Nia was aiming for the Winter Olympics before she lost her father and shortly after, her dreams for the future, after a horrific accident whilst competing. She could have lost her life in the accident and it took her about a year to even get back onto her feet again and it was her mother, who hated her desire for skiing, who took her back to the slopes to get her life back. She can’t being back at home, the reminders of all she lost, and spends her time going from rich client to rich client in the resorts all over the world. But this time, she had to return home and help her older sister, who is married and has a child, to care for their mother as she is treated for cancer. She’s stuck at the small and tires old ski resort of Harvest Ranch, which has just had its fifth owner in less than five years. Each had ideas for how to improve it, but most changes had failed and driven away the locals and ski enthusiasts.
Darius has only recently come out of a soul destroying divorce with a woman he loved and who was only using him to get the attention of others. The firm he started on his own, without his father’s money, became very successful in renewable energies and he sold it for a large sum of money, which he has used to but the resort. But it needs a lot more than he was expecting and things keep going wrong, which is losing them even more customers. Nia overhears him speaking to their manager Tommy and he isn’t very nice about her looks or anything else, still comparing other women to his ex-wife! He is undercover and even staying in the shared and really grotty employee housing on site, trying to learn all the different jobs at the resort. There aren’t many lessons to be taught with such a lack of skiers, so Nia gets given a small group of miserable infants who have been dumped by their parents. She isn’t at her best and Darius comes over and charms them all, while she gets reassigned. That doesn’t go down well!
She should have found him attractive and maybe someone to fool around with for a bit, to get her mother off her back about her still being single and not doing a proper job. When he catches a look at her skiing abilities, he soon realises that he needs to get her expert and local advice on what he needs to do to sort out the resort. Meanwhile her mother and the local pastor have added another young man into the mix and he is someone that used to work with Darius and gives him a bad reputation. This man turns up frequently at her mother’s dinner table and you can tell her mother wants to fix her up with him, since he is an apparently successful businessman, but Nia isn’t looking to stick around after the winter season, or however long her mother needs help. Someone is trying to stop Darius making a success out of the resort and there are a number of possible suspects from his past, but the person responsible is not who he might expect at first. The attraction between Nia and Darius ramps up the longer they work together, but his ex-wife turning up, throws things into a spin and causes confusion. Expectations and family issues pile on the pressure and a family friendly ski resort needs saving, as romance makes a slow move on the slopes. A nice read with one character whose life plans are over at an early age and another damaged by another and struggling to get out from under their father. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Profile Image for Kristen Lewendon.
8,429 reviews63 followers
June 5, 2024
It’s possible that nobody’s quite what they appear to be in this book. And that’s part of the magic of this story as all the main characters come to some important realizations about their first impressions and misconceptions of each other. From Nia and Darius to their family and friends, everyone’s got learning and growing to do. There were several unexpected twists in this book, but it all brought them to exactly where I wanted to see them get to. I can’t wait to find out what’s next for Harvest Ranch.
3,352 reviews18 followers
December 10, 2021
A Christmas romance that's sweet, enjoyable and grabs your attention from the start. You love getting to know Nia and Darius as you turn every page and easily fall in love with them long before you reach the end of the story. The story is well written and flows smoothly from page to page and hard to put down once you start.

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

5,665 reviews63 followers
December 30, 2021
Darius and Nia cross paths at the ski resort he just bought and they do not hit it off. As he works to find out what really needs his attention, Nia becomes a necessity and a holder of his true mission. Loved the characters and how they come to find friendship and so much more by the end of the story. The characters are terrific, with great backstories and family situations. The chemistry works with them and surprises are in store before a great ending.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1,659 reviews11 followers
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December 2, 2021
Brilliant

Another brilliant visit to Harvest Ranch. Darius's plans for the ski resort are being thwarted but the feisty ski instructor helps come up with some ideas that help both the resort and themselves find new paths
666 reviews5 followers
December 13, 2021
Wow

A delightful story about finding yourself and in spite of your family and friends sabotaging your life, you can still discover that life has meaning. True love and trusted friends can be found. A great story and contribution to this great town series!
269 reviews
December 14, 2021
Great Read!!! I loved this wintry story. It was a tale of real life struggles and love winning in the end. A clean romance that’s worth the read.
2,687 reviews19 followers
December 3, 2021
There was a lot going on in this book and there was so much underlying drama in the story to keep me quickly turning the pages.  It was a story of family and family dynamics, and facing illness.  It was a story of exes and characters who seem to dislike each other and it was a story about a small ski resort and trying to bring it back to life.  My favorite part of the story was the relationship between Darius and Nia.  I really liked the banter between the two and how their love for the resort brought them together although both of them disliked the other one.  I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.
1,738 reviews7 followers
December 3, 2021
A sweet Christmas romance. I love this series! This latest book is not exception. A delightful escape to Harvest Ranch with wonderful characters.

I received an ARC from the author and all opinions are my own.
2,281 reviews27 followers
December 21, 2021
Nia and Darius are both arrogant but have also been hurt. They are great in taking each other down a peg or two. Make great partners working together to save the lodge and in romance. My heart hurt for both in their relationships with their families. Some great mystery and chemistry. Twists and turns. A spectacular ending.
Profile Image for Nati.
2,955 reviews16 followers
January 1, 2022
A story of second chances in love and life. After a severe injury ended Nia’s career Shen is back in town to take care of her sick mother and work in the ski logde. Darius is set to make the ski lodge thrive but something is not working in his favour. Can nia and Darius work together and help each other in finding love and happiness again?
2,247 reviews12 followers
January 17, 2022
Mountains and Mistletoe

Another good installment to the Harvest Ranch series. Mia is at home on the snow. She teaches skiing at the resort. Darius is an undercover boss trying to turn a resort around. Can they come together to save the resort and maybe themselves?
Profile Image for D..
1,802 reviews
June 12, 2022
Book 20 in the Harvest Ranch Romance series,this is a new Author to me. Ski pro Nia Pearson and divorced ski instructor Darius Atwater meet at Harvest Ranch when they work together. I enjoyed seeing these two with all the ups and downs, drama, and sabotage find love. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
195 reviews4 followers
January 6, 2022
Nia and Darius have an interesting story. The come from totally different backgrounds. Nia has a deep sense of family, although she feels like she can't be there for them and do what she loves. Darius' family isn't close. In fact, he doesn't deal with them if he can help it. To Nia, they're worlds apart. I love how Darius doesn't want anyone to know who he is and what he's working toward. I also love that the two of them end up working together to save something they love. I liked the mystery elements of this book as well. They know someone's against them, but figuring it out takes a minute, and Darius' enemy is the prime suspect. I truly loved these characters and felt like I should go put my base layers on and ski down.
Profile Image for Shanna Johnson.
554 reviews23 followers
December 2, 2021
It's always nice to be back in Harvest Ranch. Mountains and Mistletoe was so fun and really enjoyable. There is so much tension between Darius and Nia that you can't help but keep reading and being hooked page to page because you just have to know what happens next or what they disagree on next. I kept myself through the whole book trying to decide what I wanted to happen and I was pleasantly surprised with how everything played out in the book.

One thing I really enjoyed about this book is that it didn't paint families in a perfect light. Many books make every family seem perfect with no problems. However, M.K. Dymock did a wonderful job showing a family in realistic light; trials, illnesses, arguments, sibling rivalry, etc. It helped the book seem even more real and wonderful. While it takes a while to see the chemistry between characters, there is a wonderful friendship-esque build up that is lovely.

If you enjoy sweet romance, stories of adventure and growth, and learning to move on from the past, you will love this story. I definitely recommend it for a nice and cozy read this winter. So load this one up on your phone or tablet, or even better go get a physical copy. Then make yourself a nice cozy cup of hot chocolate and sit back and relax. Enjoy this quick but story filled book.
208 reviews4 followers
December 8, 2021
This was a fun book to read.
Nia, is working as a ski instructor at the ski resort in Harvest Ranch. She would already be off skiing somewhere else if it weren't for her mother that is fighting cancer.
Darius, just bought the ski resort and is trying to find out the inner workings of the resort by acting as an employee.
At first meeting they dislike each other to say the least. Then as they continue to work together they realize they tolerate and even like each other. As new people come into the story and old friends/enemies return someone is out to make Darius and Nia fail.
This story had some great twists and turns, it was fun to read. I wanted to give it a 4.5 star rating but I cant do that. The reason I didn't give it a 5 was because it just didn't pull me in like other books I have read do.
I was given an ARC of this book, I left my review voluntarily. All opinions expressed are my own.
2,873 reviews11 followers
March 7, 2022
It's a terrific story. I enjoyed the no-nonsense style that Nia brings to life. I found Darius initially emotionally stunted but he made great progress through the story until he also came across as an amazing individual. There is a bit of a mystery to the story as well as the love story yet I didn't figure out until it was explicitly shared. Well done.

Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Happily Ever After. Romantic. Twisted. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.

I received a review copy of this book from a third party. This is my honest review.
6,028 reviews45 followers
December 7, 2021
what guy ever tells you the whole truth about himself- especially a hot guy? and we all have lumps and bruises we tend to hide. can you trust a hottie who has seriously underplayed his role at your job? will you help him anyway?

is it once a liar, always a liar, or is it worth taking a chance?

small town bittersweet romance

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
59 reviews
December 28, 2021
I adore all of the Harvest Ranch series books. The authors collectively have seamlessly woven characters and plots together to form a wonderful series.
Heading up into the mountains we find an ex Olympic skier coming home to help family and an under the radar billionaire trying to make his own mark. Will these two be able to overcome family, ex's and their own egos to form a relationship and to make just another reason to visit Harvest Ranch anytime of the year?
234 reviews
February 25, 2022
The book started out great but by the 4th chapter it was all down hill from there. The whole storyline was repetitious and had a strange ending. There are probably many folks who would enjoy this story, I'm not one of them. Sorry.
Profile Image for Amberlee Day.
Author 25 books392 followers
December 13, 2021
I look forward to the adventures MK Dymock's stories take me on, and love rooting for her characters to have a HEA ❤ This one doesn't disappoint!!
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews

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