Such a sweet story. I loved the tie in the 12 days of Christmas. A beautiful message of never give up in love.

It was love at first sight for Cav when he saw Emily, but she was taken by his best friend. Nine years later, Andrew has passed and Cav and Emily are best friends, but when Cav agrees to help her with a house party, he wonders if this is finally his chance to profess his love.

Great Christmas romance and I love the twelve days of Christmas theme of the house party and Emily’s attempts at matchmaking.

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via NetGalley.

I enjoyed this book I didn’t love it but it was a fun read. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite troupes. 
Cavendish and Emily have been friends for ten years. Emily was married to Cav’s best friend, and he has loved her that entire time. When her husband died Cav was there for her every step of the way. She was there for him as well. This is Emily’s last party a the viscountess and she’s asked Cav to help. Cav is having a hard time keeping is distance. He will do anything to keep Emily in his life but can he keep her if she knows what he wants. Will I change everything for the good or will she turn her back?
This story will make you laugh and cry.

If you love Yuletide stories, sizzling romance and a fair bit of hilarity and hijinks, this is a perfect novella.  The short, holiday themed tale uses a classic “friends to lovers” trope against a backdrop of matchmaking, holiday parties and merriment.  The main characters are likable and clever, with a pre-established backstory so we can jump right into the romance.  The setting and plot, while entirely a foil for how our couple will get together, is cheerful, fun, flirty and often hilarious.  This reads as a comfortable story of two people figuring out how to move forward as more than friends.  A perfect fireside read for this holiday season.

This book is a fun and sweet read to get you into the Christmas spirit. I loved the 12 Days of Christmas theme. We have a friends to lover romance about to take flight. Lady Emily Rutledge has been a widow for years now and her husband’s best friend, John Cavendish have been thrown together for Emily’s house party. Cav has been in love with Emily since the beginning but has kept his feelings a secret for the last nine years. Emily is completely unaware of Cav’s feelings but it just starting to have feelings of her own. Both are concerned that one may not feel the same so their close friendship will be ruined. I really enjoyed how this isn’t about two people that fell in love a long time ago but have been kept apart because Emily was engaged to another man. There is no cheating involved and Emily really did love her late husband, Andrew. Cav has kept silent because he knew Emily and Andrew were happily married. I also liked how she took time to explore her feelings. Thinking of Cav as more than a friend is new to her. It is unexpected and I liked that they had a physical connection but she really wanted to make sure of her feelings. I can easily see they have been friends for years and wanted to make they were in each other’s lives no matter what. I’m glad it worked out because there is something about them being close friends first that builds a solid long term relationship. 

Also I’m thinking we met a few new characters and they may have their own books in her new series? We will see.

If you are a fan of Darcy Burke or even Erica Ridley, you’ll enjoy this books vastly. 

It’s very steamy, the heat and chemistry was coming off the pages! Love it! A good winter’s night read.

I recieved a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a enjoyable novella.  Honestly I have loved pretty much everything I have read by this author.
While this book did feel slower and I didn't feel as invested in the characters overall it is a sweet book.
Cav fell in love with Emily at first sight but he also happened to meet her for the first time as his best friends fiance.  He has loved her for almost a decade and half that time Emily has been a widow.  Now during her 12 days of Christmas party while she intends to play matchmaker, Cav is taking his chance.

A splendid holiday historical romance. I really enjoyed the plot and the cast of characters. Loved the romance.

Cav has been in love with his best friend's wife, Emily for nine years. Five years ago his friend passed away. Always a friend to Emily, he's afraid if he told her he loved her she would cut off their friendship.
Emily decides to play matchmaker with a country Christmas party. Using each day to correspond with the song Twelve Days Of Christmas turns into a disaster. Cav is always there for support. When a kiss turns into more, will Emily choose with her heart over her head. An agonizing, emotional rollercoaster rooting for Cav. 
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I just love historical romance Christmas novellas and I am pleased to recommend this one. The incorporation of the 12 Days of Christmas theme into the house party was perfect. This is going to hit the spot for readers who enjoy the friends to lovers trope, and this one has the added twist of of featuring a rake and his best friend’s widow. This has some steamy scenes and plenty of heart.

Loved this story! It was a fun, steamy Christmastime novella. My only complaint is I wanted a little bit more character development but got exactly what I expected for this story.

John Cavendish has been in love with his best friend's widow, Lady Emily, for nearly a decade. He's kept his feelings hidden out of loyalty to his friend. But time is running out. His grandfather the marquess wants Cav to marry to secure his legacy. If he doesn't win Emily's heart soon, he'll lose his chance forever. 

After losing her husband and both her parents in quick succession, Emily is finally starting to come out of the fog of grief and feel like herself again. Still, she doesn't want any more changes in her life. Cav is her best friend. She can't bear the thought of any more loss. So despite the burgeoning desire she feels for him, is it worth risking their friendship? 

This book is a desire-driven, friends-to-lovers holiday novella. I adored the idea of a house party with a 12 Days of Christmas theme—it was fun to watch that play out. And you can't help rooting for these two likeable characters to get the happily ever after they deserve. 

I received a NetGalley ARC, and this is my honest review.

Friends to lovers make the best stories, this one has a unique twist.

Do you believe in love at first sight? John Cavendish certainly didn't until he laid eyes on Lady Emily Rutledge, only one teeny tiny problem, she's marrying his best friend. For years he watched them and stayed close friends until tragedy struck leaving Emily a widow. Now Cav has become her closest friend and he's still secretly pining away. Until she decides to play matchmaker for wallflowers and rakes with a Twelve Day of Christmas themed house party. What could possibly go wrong with that many birds involved? Yet Cav sees this as possibly his last opportunity to move Emily from friends to do much more. All he had to do is take a leap of faith.

Mismatched Under the Mistletoe is a stand-alone book by Jess Michaels.  Once again Ms. Michaels hits it out of the ballpark!  You want a witty Christmas tale?  It's here.  A sweet romance?  That too.  A friends-to-lovers story?  Yup.  The steam and passion for which Ms. Michaels is known?  Lawd have mercy, YES!  Dive right in, but you may need to open the window so the cold wind can blow in and ice you down.

John (Cav) Cavendish, an avowed rake, falls in love at first sight.  Unfortunately, the woman for whom he falls was just introduced to him by her intended...who happens to be Cav's best friend.  Oh, dear.  Years have gone by, and widowed Lady Emily Rutledge is now Cav's dearest and closest friend.  She decides to throw a country party with the theme of The Twelve Days of Christmas, and use it as an opportunity to matchmake wallflowers with rakes.  She of course wants help from Cav, though he's not sure it's a good idea; after all, there's a plethora of birds in that poem.  Things could go better - her guests aren't drawn to one another and the birds run amok.  But Emily is drawn to a guest:  Cav.  Desire sparks between them, but will Emily's fear keep her from allowing love to bloom for her dear friend?

This story started out rather sweet and witty.  Though Cav secretly loved Emily, they were the closest of friends, teasing each other and their banter was humorous.  Unlike a lot of romances, the widowed Emily totally loved her deceased husband, as did Cav.  One of my favorite parts of the book was Cav's heartfelt discussion with his deceased friend about his love for Emily.  Oh, how I cried!  They were great as individual characters, but together they were divine.  When Emily gave in to her passion for Cav, they positively ignited!  I loved the humorous bits about the party mixed in with their romance.  This has been a horrible year, and this was the perfect story to start getting me into the Christmas spirit.  Don't miss this warm and passionate seasonal tale!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley.  I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

4.5 stars

Good romance, Cav has been friends with Emily and her husband.  All that time he was in Love with Emily but didn't let it be known to his friend.  Emily is widowed and in a final fairwell to her husbands home and her previous life she decides to do one last Christmas house party aided by her good friend Cav,  Cav advised by his grandfather than he really needs to make his move or else find someone else to marry at last starts to let Emily know his feelings.  Its a lovely romance with passion and a good build up of the feelings of both parties.  Not sure whether it's part of a series but it didn't hinder my enjoyment either way.  I think you'll like this story. 

I  voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A tug-at-your-heartstrings holiday romance between best friends. For John Cavendish, it was love at first sight when he met Emily. The only problem was that he met her when his best friend, Andrew Rutledge, introduced her as his fiancee. 
Although Emily became a widow a few years prior, Cav, still kept his feelings a secret. It has been nine years of hiding his love for her but life obligations require him to either declare his feelings or move on to a loveless union with someone else. 
Will Emily's fear of losing her best friend cost them both a chance at lifetime of love?

This is a friends-to-lovers, house party Christmas romance with a fun 12 Days of Christmas twist. The heroine, Emily throws the house party to try to play matchmaker for a group of wallflowers and interesting women with some rakish men. It has a lot of Christmas charm, though it is set starting right after the holiday. And, with the 12 days of Christmas theme, there are definitely a lot of birds. 

I liked watching Emily discover that she cared more for Cav than she thought. And I liked how Cav respected her and valued her friendship. They have great chemistry, and the story included lots of cute moments for them together. 

I would have liked to see the side characters developed further, but perhaps she plans to do that in a future book.  

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley in return for a fair review.

John Cavendish has carried a secret for the past ten years, he’s been in love with his best friend Andrew’s wife Lady Emily Rutledge. Lady Emily has been widowed for five years now and Cal is no closer to confessing his feeling for her. They have become best friends the three of them and he doesn’t want to ruin their friendship, Emily doesn’t see ready for another man in her life that is romantically.  She decides to throw a house party to do some match making and of Cal is helping his friend.  But things change when he kisses her and she can’t stop thinking about him. I love this friends to lover’s romance. I loved this enchanting story to see how their friendship grows and becomes so much more than either thought was possible, for Emily to love again and Cal have his love returned by the woman he’s loved a lifetime.  I have voluntarily read and reviewed these excellent story.

Mismatched Under the Mistletoe by Jess Micheals is a sweet novella that will get anyone in the mood for the holidays. The entire story has a very classic regency and Christmas novel feel (think Mary Balogh’s Christmas stories!).

John Cavendish fell in love at first sight with his best friend’s wife, Emily Rutledge. He never makes a move but befriends her as well. His friend died suddenly five years ago, Emily lost her parents and through it all they become close friends. Emily has recently returned to society and decides to through a house party. She is playing matchmaker and ropes Cav into playing host with her.

The setting is a house party held after Christmas but the whole premise is celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas. It is here at the party where sparks fly for Emily and Cav. I wish this was a full length novel so that we got to know these characters even more. That is the only down side to the novella, I feel like the secondary characters and plots are not as fleshed out as I would like them to be.

What I love about this book is that it is all sweet and charming regency and then super steamy scenes! I love the trope of this story and highly recommend it.

#MismatchedUndertheMistletoe #NetGalley #JessMichaels #ChristmasRomance #ChristmasNovella

This is a well written and entertaining love story that revolves around Cav and the love he has felt for Emily even though she married his best friend.  No one suspected his feelings except his grandfather who worried about him.  Now after five years of being a widow, Emily begins to see him as more than just a best friend even though she is totally unaware of his love for her.  The story tells of how they come to term with their feelings and there is a HEA but a lot happens first.  This is a beautiful love story and I would highly recommend reading it.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley and are voluntarily leaving a review.