The Mistletoe Trap by Cindi Madsen

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Title: The Mistletoe Trap
Author: Cindi Madsen
Series: Heart in the Game #2
Published by: Entangled: Amara
Release Date: November 16, 2020
Format: eARC
Pages: 269
Genres: Sports Romance, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance
Source: the author
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2020 Diversity Reading Challenge, Lenoreo's 2020 New Release Challenge, Lenoreo's COYER Quarantine Edition
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iBooks
My rating:

Blurb:

From the moment Julie sees her best friend, Gavin, in the airport, it’s like no time at all has gone by instead of months and months. No matter how long they’ve been apart, their relationship has always been steady, comfortable, and decidedly just friends. Even though their meddling parents have hung what seems like unlimited amounts of mistletoe everywhere she goes this holiday season, Julie knows some things will never change.

Gavin is well-aware his family’s wanted him and Julie to get together since forever, even though he’s been friend-zoned since they could talk—and he’s been happy to play that role. After all, as the new starting quarterback for the San Antonio Mustangs, he’s got enough on his plate without adding romance to the mix.

But between playing elves in the holiday bazaar to nights spent one-on-one watching rom-coms or soaking in their town’s hot springs, suddenly the “reverse parent trap” they’ve fallen into is actually starting to work. But this could be one scheme where letting themselves get trapped might be way too dangerous.

My Review:

I received a free copy through the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

4.5 stars — You know what?  This was the perfect book to kick off my holiday reading season.  It was adorable and hilarious, with a good mix of heart and emotion.

Julie and Gavin were just gold together.  I loved the relationship they had as friends as the book starts, and ADORE the way their relationship evolves.  Just like in another book I read recently, I appreciated that they were both oblivious to the potential for more…or at least not in the spot to contemplate it, and it wasn’t a case of one friend being secretly already in love with the other.  So they were really going through all these crazy new feelings together.

Julie was smart and silly and awkward af, and it just worked for her.  I loved that she was so passionate about her job, and that while not everyone would “get” her, the people who did would love her.  I felt for her insecurities, and how her self esteem had taken a hit.  And consequently I loved that Gavin was there wanting to help her with it, not knowing the rabbit hole it would lead to.

Gavin was equally adorable and hilarious, though a bit too stubborn and stuck on the wrong lessons from the past.  He definitely got the bonehead moment in this one, and I was pretty annoyed with him.  But he made up for it.

It really was the two of them together that made this book the gem that it is.  They had a great report, and once they started giving in to their chemistry, it was definitely hot.  But it was their ease with one another, their wholehearted support of one another that just made my heart sing.  I laughed at their antics.  It was just a fun read.

Gavin’s teammates were awesome, and I’m so glad that there are hints for more books because I need them.  And both Gavin and Julie’s families were amazeballs.  I mean, they would be insufferable with their meddling in real life…and I was annoyed with them for not thinking through the consequences of some of their actions.  But you could really tell how close they all were, and what great examples of love they were for those around them.

So yeah.  I had a hard time deciding 4 or 4.5, but I go with my gut, and my gut had a hella good time.