My first read by this author and definitely not my last!

Spanning several years, two friends decide to make a mistletoe pact - if neither are married or in a serious relationship when Evie turns 30, they will marry. And they do. On one drunken night in Las Vegas. Only that's not the end of this story. That's the beginning.

This dual timeline, friends to lover story was just what I needed to button up my Christmas reading. Lots of fun with some sweet and romantic moments too. And that's a bit misleading as it seems like this is a Christmas read, but really, there are just a few Christmas elements in the story. Most of the story takes place at other times of the year.

So feel free to read this one anytime. 4.5 stars

This was light and sweet seasonal fare perfect for winter hiatus and a hot cup of cocoa! I ended up checking it out at my local library as I was late to download.

The Mistletoe Pact by Jo Lovett was a really cute Christmas-time novel. Evie and Dan were long-time friends who made a pact when they were in their early twenties. If neither was married on Evie's thirtieth birthday, they would marry each other. And somehow, they end up in Vegas, married on the eve of Evie's thirtieth birthday with little to no recollection of what they did. What did they do?!
My only complaint with this really cute story, was the jumping around of the time lines. I found it confusing and hard to remember what had happened and what had not happened yet, But I really enjoyed the romantic story and was really cheering for Evie and Dan the entire time. I would love to read other works by Jo Lovett and will be recommending The Mistletoe Pact to other romantic story lovers. Special thanks to NetGalley, Jo Lovett, and Bookouture for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. (Sorry it took me so long to read!)
4 stars for me
#TheMistletoePact #NetGalley

The Mistletoe Pact
By Jo Lovett
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Would you make a pact with someone if you weren't married by 30, you'd marry each other? Another slow burn romance, than spans over 10 years and a trip to Vegas, with a drunken wedding. I loved how it goes back and forth with the past and present. Loved the chemistry between Evie and Dan, you could feel it and not help but root for them to just finally get together, lol. Definetly loved this one.
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My entire reading list in December consists of Christmas books. I depend on these novels to inject me with the holiday spirit, so the more Christmassy, the better. So I was quite disappointed to discover that Jo Lovett’s The Mistletoe Pact was Christmas-lite, containing only a tidbit of the holiday here and there with the rest of the novel taking place during the rest of the year. Not what I signed up for. To make matters worse, this story is only mildly entertaining. It is written in a roundabout way that uses a lot of words to finally, eventually, get to the point, yet it loses its audience in the process. I just couldn’t keep my mind in this book, and unfortunately, couldn’t wait for it to be over.

This was a lighthearted read with an interesting concept. I found the two main characters to be very likeable and thought the side characters were an added bonus as they were also very well written. The flashbacks were a great addition and provided a lot of background information for where we are in the present. This was a cute and heartwarming read overall but not massively Christmassy and a bit slow and predictable in places.

The concept is pretty cool: a wedding in Las Vegas between two long-time friends. But in the end, the story is spread out over 1 year where the characters are going to do a cross chase, with each advancing on their own to finally have a real something towards the end of the novel.
The only thing that makes the romance more believable is the fact that they have loved each other almost forever, but in reality, it's not that exploited except for the jealousy.
But otherwise, the mood of the novel was at the very beginning and end Christmas themed, so for me those were the best parts.
The characters in the book were likable; however, I never really felt a strong connection. The book felt rushed (especially the end) as if the author were trying to tell you about many different events and activities quickly, rather than going in depth. The character development seemed flat and the book lacked those rom-com scenes where you can feel the chemistry and tension between characters. Easy read, just wanted a little more Christmas spirit and depth.

this was a cute and kinda christmassy read, though i have to admit, it was REALLY slow. and there were too many unnecessary scenes/plotlines/chapters in it!

esp the whole baby thing??? I mean why was it even needed?? it literally didn't affect anything!!

BUT the chemistry between the main character's was sizzling and even though this is a book with closed door scenes, i could feel their longing and it was veryy hot!

i kinda got bored in between but it was still a cute book.

ARC received from Netgalley and author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

One Christmas, two friends make a pact to marry each other if they are still single at 30.

Eight years later, a drunken night in Vegas causes misunderstanding and upset.

This was a lightweight read, but I found the characters to be wooden and one dimensional. The main characters were frustrating - I know that their mistakes made due to their self-obsessed introspection meant that the story didn’t end after one chapter, I found it really annoying that they didn’t just talk to each other, instead making assumption after assumption.

This wasn’t the most enjoyable festive book I’ve read this year, I found I spent most of my time shouting and swearing at the main characters instead of sitting back and enjoying the story.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy of The Mistletoe Pact by Jo Lovett Narrated by Charlotte Hamblin & Frazer Blaxland in exchange for an honest review. It published October 1, 2021.
This was a cute book of the will-they, won't-they? trope. Definitely a fun read with a lot of meat on its bones, it will keep bringing you back to see what will happen! I enjoyed the character development over the years, the relationship growth between the main characters, and between them with their friends and family.
This is definitely a sweet one, and although there is a bit of Christmas involved, you get other times of year as well, and would work for anytime of the year, in my opinion!

This book is fast and easy to read, involving 2 long time friends who end up getting hitched in Vegas. It has a heart warming plot and the banter between an American and a Brit are amusing but it lacked some pizazz to stand out from the other Christmas romcoms. Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was fine but I just couldn't keep myself interested. It seemed like a pretty regular Christmas romance but I unfortunately did not end up finishing this one

For me this was just a pretty standard Christmas romance that was just okay. I wasn't particularly attached to any characters and felt that it was quite predictable in parts.

I had to DNF this one. It just wasn’t the book for me, unfortunately. It actually made me super sad because I truly love Christmas.

This is a lovely holiday romance and will brighten up your mood no matter what season it is. It starts with a pact between friends, that if they were to be still single by the the time they were 30, they would marry each other. While these notions of marriage by a certain age are not exactly the message we want to hear anymore, the book explains their predicament in a satisfactory manner.
It does involve an accidental marriage and very very long road to the happily ever after, so if one likes fast paced plots, this romance isn’t it for them. It switches perspectives from the past to present and while that can be confusing at times, it gives a nice peek into the lives of the characters. The long term friendship of the characters is what makes this a sweet romance, otherwise it could be frustrating to see the constant pull and push in their relationship.

This was a sweet holiday romance story with a somewhat predictable plot and likable characters, and while it was a slow burn for me, I found the plot heartwarming.

The plot of the book revolves around two friends who had promised to marry each other by the time they were 30 if they were not already married to someone else. While I don't mind an overused trope to develop a plot, I also found that this story dragged for too long. Evie and Dan seem to be the only ones who don't see their chemistry, and the fact the most absurd conflicts and miscommunication keep them apart is irritating.

I did like the characters and was hoping to get into the plot as the story unfolded, but I keep getting distracted. At least I was happy with the ending.

Having read both of Jo Lovett's other books, I was eagerly anticipating the publication of her third and have not been disappointed - it is every bit as good as the other two. It's an adorable slow-burn romance. I loved the settings and all the characters. Jo Lovett's writing is fantastic with amazing dialogue. I couldn't put this cute feel-good story down and really recommend it.

If I read the first chapter of a book and forget what I’ve just read the second after I read it, I feel like the book isn’t worth my time. I absolutely hate saying that but it’s just what happened with this book. It wasn’t compelling and engaging.

Cute story, I enjoyed the waking up in Vegas premise. It was at times hard to follow character motivations for me but I think overall it was an enjoyable holiday romance. I would recommend it to anyone looking for Christmas romance vibes.

A cute Christmas romance that everyone needs to read. It was a fun and easy read and easy to fall in love with the characters and really route for them. I love a friends to lovers book and this one had plenty of cute moments