It Must Have Been the Mistletoe by Judy Astley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Thea is not ‘feeling’ Christmas this year; newly single, all Thea wants is for Christmas to pass her by. No such luck. Her parents, married for almost forty years but amicably separated for a year, although still living in the same house, have decided that they want the whole family together this Christmas, one last family Christmas before they finally divorce.
So the whole family heads off to Cove Manor in Cornwall, an idyllic house near the beach with plenty of rooms, log fires, a housekeeper and a dishy co-owner living in the converted stable. As well as Thea and her parents, Mike and Anna, the family consists of sister Emily, her husband Sam and their two children and brother Jimi, his wife Rosie and son Elmo. Christmas trees are to be decorated, food will be eaten, booze will be drunk and with the itinerary that Thea has had to plan there surely won’t be time to think about being single or her parent’s imminent divorce.
It is however a family Christmas and predictably things don’t go to plan. Emily is already stressed out and continues to get agitated about anything and everything and not one but two unexpected guests turn up in the shape of Mike’s new love interest Charlotte and Anna’s younger lover Alec.
Whatever else happens, and plenty does, it is sure to be a fun and interesting Christmas.
This is a Christmas book in the best tradition of Christmas books. Family dynamics and the various love interests with all the mix ups and tangles that can ensue (and do) make this a genuinely funny and heart-warming read with characters you can relate to and even recognise in your own family circle. There are the slightly predictable mix-ups but none the less enjoyable for that as Judy Astley writes with a warmth and humour that will brighten up any reader's Christmas.

Thanks to Netaglley and Random House for the ARC of this book.