Audiobook and Movie Review - The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis • Ana's Attic Book Blog

The Trouble With Mistletoe (Heartbreaker Bay 2) by Jill Shalvis

Contemporary Romance. Easily Stands Alone.

The Trouble With Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis is the second in the Heartbreaker Bay Series. I didn’t read the first, but had no problem jumping right in with #2. In fact, I never even realized until I started this review that it was the second in a related series. I love cheesy Christmas books, and as soon as I heard they were making a movie, I had to read it first no matter what.

I’m so glad I did! I really loved the story! Willa and her group of friends were awesome. She had a cool building in San Francisco that housed her, her pet care shop, and her pets. She had a habit of collecting stray people as well. She loved everyone, and they all loved her back. Until Keane showed up at her shop with his Great aunt’s cat, Petunia.

Keane was the guy who completely shattered Willa’s heart in high school by standing her up for a dance then pretending he didn’t know her. It really messed with her self-esteem and changed her life. Yet he didn’t even recognize her, even after she told him her full name. Could you imagine? This guy changed her life, and he had no clue who she was.

Keane is a contractor who is restoring a beautiful old house while living in it. He loves the house, but knows he will have to sell it when he is done. As someone who was brought up in the system, Willa finds that sad as she falls in love with the house.

“He shook his head in surprise. “I don’t get attached.”
She looked at him. “Ever?”
“There’s no place for it in my world.”

Keane is totally into Willa, and kind of happy to have to watch Pita AKA Petunia so he has excuses to go to Willa’s shop. Of course, Willa is more than a little wary of getting involved with this guy—the guy who broke her heart and doesn’t even remember. Keane can’t believe it either.

“You’re the most unforgettable person I’ve ever met.”

This story can be read all year long, it just happens to take place during the holiday. It was a fun, sexy and sweet story, and I definitely want to read more Jill Shalvis!

Likes:

Not strictly a Christmas story.
Petunia was an awesome cat.
I loved the crotchety old aunt.
I really loved all the characters and side characters.
Sweet, fun, sexy and low on angst. Perfect for holidays.

Dislikes:

It was a teeny bit long for the story it told.
3rd Person (albeit very good 3rd person)

The Narration:

I really enjoyed the narration by Karen White. Since it was 3rd person, I can’t say if it enhanced or detracted from the book, but she has a great voice for narration.

The Movie:

The Trouble with Mistletoe is available on Passionflix. I was very surprised at how well it followed the book and how they brought to life everything I pictured. While the characters aren’t exactly the way I pictured them, I was glad to see they weren’t flawless and perfect looking. It almost made them all the more relatable. If you like Hallmark Christmas movies, I would say this is very similar, if not a bit of a step up.

The Down & Dirty:

I love to read a book first and then watch the movie to see how well they translate the book. I was very surprised at how much of the book they used considering it’s a 10 hour book to listen to. I think if you are looking for a sweet second chance romance with very little angst, The Trouble With Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis is a great book and movie combo.