Mistletoe Mansion

Read in October, 2014

To say that this was entertaining, is putting it mildly! It was FUN FUN FUN and I love the wittiness of everyone! The gist is we have a girl who LOVES to make cupcakes but her boyfriend thinks its frivolous work and will get her nowhere and wants her to quit doing it and get a 'real' job. She doesn't want to do that, because cupcakes are her passion. So, they break-up. So now she finds herself homeless. Cue ... Mistletoe Mansion. She pretends to be a house-sitter and her and her also homeless (lol) friend move in! Cue ... holy laughter, good times, mystery, more laughter, friendly neighbors, not so friendly neighbors, night-time shenanigans, even MORE laughter .... I laughed A LOT reading this story! And I'm pretty sure I won't be alone in THAT! If you're looking for a humorous feel good book, you cant go wrong with this one!
ARC provided by Carina UK via NetGalley for an honest review.

Just when I needed light and laughter this book fell in my lap. The book was lovely from start to finish. Kimmy has big dreams, she is living with a down to earth, get a job, get married, buy a house kind of guy. He doesn't support her dream and kicks her out. Her best friend, has a fight with her roommate brother and they find themselves homeless. And the fun begins. Out of desperation they find an ad for a home-sitter, Mistletoe Mansion. 

So, Kimmy and Jess find themselves in the home-sitting business. The story made me laugh out loud more then once. It has everything, celebrities in crisis, nutty neighbors, mysteries to solve, ghosts to be dealt with, oh yeah and Kimmy's passion - CUPCAKES! I felt as if I was living this little adventure in the English Countryside right along with them.

If you are looking for a sweet, light, wonderful, holiday read - run do not walk to your download portal and bring this wonderful read to bed with you.

I love discovering new authors and I will be following Ms. Tonge for what I hope is a long and wonderful journey.

Mistletoe Mansion is a funny, sweet and unforgettable novel. Readers will fall in love with the main female character. Kimmy Jones has always wanted to own her own baking business. Her current boyfriend is against her making her dreams come true. He wants her to take up a job at the company he works, so that they both will be making a steady income. But Kimmy  denies the job offer over and over again. Until one day he decides to break it off with her. He's tired of waiting for her to get a real job. Kimmy is offended by her boyfriend's behavior and of that fact he broke off their relationship. But it isnt too long before Kimmy finds a way to land herself a job without any references to be a housekeeper at a haunted mansion. There Kimmy runs into a hot, sexy, and the most frustrating man ever! Strange things soon start to happen that scare Kimmy into calling the one man who frustrates her. Luke thinks Kimmy is likes him way too much and decides to call him for every little excuse just to see him. But soon, he too finds out there is more going on a the manison than what the eyes cant see. Will Kimmy be able to prove to her boyfriend that she can be financially independent from her business? Or will Luke take over her boyfriend's spot in her heart? And what exactly is going on at the mansion? To find out, you must read this brialliant romantic story that will keep you lured in forever! I would recommend this book to all readers! Overall, the novel is a 5 out of 5 stars.

Mistletoe Mansion is supernatural Christmas house-sitting a la Bridget Jones, full of pop culture references romance that starts with a break-up. Intrigued? I was. This romance has many aspects that the average romance doesn’t have, including but not limited to a haunting.  A fun, easy read, full of messages many women and men shouldn’t ignore when it comes to dating.  1. There are usually signs that the person isn’t what they seem or that things aren’t working out, too often people choose to ignore them.
2. Too often the things that we find attractive in another person can become irritating, even infuriating, something you once found quirky or cute may later become grounds for divorce.
3. We hear things like there are silver linings to every cloud and when one door closes hopefully your foot isn’t in it, well, I might be mixing my metaphors or platitudes, but the point is, often, if you’re open, what you need shows up or was there all along.
“You can't always get what you want You can't always get what you want You can't always get what you want But if you try sometimes well you just might find You get what you need.” ~The Rolling Stones Mistletoe can be potent stuff, use with caution.

Kimmy is a dreamer, she loves to bake cupcakes and is trying to get her business of the ground. She would love to be a celebrity and often fantasizes what her life would look like then. When her boyfriend Adam gives her an ultimatum she suddenly finds herself on the streets. She has no regular job and needs to find a place to live as soon as possible. Together with her best friend she arranges a house sitting job, they have to take care of a beautiful mansion. Will Kimmy’s dreams come true now that she’s living among the rich and famous?
I like Samantha Tonge’s writing style. It’s always filled with humor and irony. It’s what I liked best about this book. Dreams are important to have and I like the main theme of the novel. I’m not such a big fan of swooning over celebrities and that’s why I’m not giving this novel a 5 star rating. Other than that I think it’s great. If you like glossy magazines you will certainly love this book. And the cake talk is delicious. Enjoy reading!

Kimmy dreams for having her own baking business. She loves gossip magazines and celebrity DVDs. But her long-term boyfriend doesn't share same things. He wants steady job, security and roots. After a fight with him, Kimmy finds herself jobless and homeless. Her best friend also finds herself jobless and homeless, so it's time for plan B. The owner of Mistletoe Mansion needs a housekeeper until the mansion is sold. It's a perfect opportunity for Kimmy and her friend. The dream finally comes true! Living like a celebrity! And the kitchen, perfect for a cooking show!

But what Kimmy doesn't know is that living in the Mistletoe Mansion comes with a catch. The mansion is possessed. Strange things are going on. Strange sounds, lights, smoke, music that no one is playing. Is there a logical explanation or the house is really haunted by ghosts?

This time, Samantha Tonge really surprised me, in a positive way. This is, according to me, so far her best writing. Halloween theme is perfectly incorporated in romantic read. Kimmy, despite loving everything that I hate, like gossip magazines, is very interesting person. She has a heart of gold, always there for her friends in trouble. And she has an attitude! Nothing stands on her way to make her dreams come true. But she would never ever hurt someone else to make her dream come true. That's a real character, for me.

The ghost in the mansion is really unique ad for the story. An old mansion without a spooky ghost is not a mansion at all. A play of lights, Christmas music from nowhere, smoke under the door... My reading room suddenly starts to feel cold. Is there someone who has unfinished business on this world, or someone is having really sick sense of humor? 

Melissa is another character in the story, a celebrity, famous just for being a wife of a famous golf player. She is living proof that the lives of the rich and famous aren't what they seem to, the stories that we read in the magazines are far from real. She has one face for the paparazzi, another one for her husband, and another one when she looks herself in the mirror. But wearing so many masks is very hard for her, and finally she stands for herself and shows her true face, a face of a real woman with feelings. 

As I said previously, Ms. Tonge positively surprised me. She mixed very well the life and dreams of the ordinary people with the one of the rich and famous, spiced the story with romance and humor and iced it with a spooky ghost. Totally recommended perfect read!

My opinion: 4.5 / 5

MISTLETOE MANSION – Samantha Tonge  
FUN AND UPBEAT – 4 stars  
Plot – 4 stars – We first meet Kimmy at her lowest point—when she’s basically being kicked out of her apartment and her relationship with boyfriend Adam.  Kimmy is a fun-loving, celebrity-watching, stylish British woman with a cupcake-baking talent and the desire to build her own business.  Adam is a staid, solid, surprise-hating guy who wants her to give up her “wacky” dream and work in a factory.  But Kimmy is resourceful and finds a house-sitting job with her friend Jess who is facing her own problems.  There they meet up with a friendly ghost, a not-so-friendly spirit, and a helpful and gorgeous handyman.  There’s a bit of a mystery to solve, but nothing terribly disturbing.      
Writing – 4 stars – The story jumped right in, setting the tone of looking at somewhat serious subjects in a light-hearted way.   I loved how Tonge created such fun characters, but they have deep centers which makes them much more interesting.  The story has the same sense of underlying intrigue, but with a silly outer layer.  There were a few references to TV shows and/or movies that I didn’t get, but it didn’t really detract from the story.    
Characters – 4 stars – Kimmy is a great main character.  She is a talented and very resourceful woman on one hand, and a nutty celebrity watcher who worries about her sense of style.  Jess is her total opposite, although they’ve been friends for years and have each other’s back.  Melissa and Terry, the neighbors are also more than they seem on first look.  Luke is less well-known beyond the fact that he is hunky and was friends with the former owner.  I would have liked ot have gotten to know him better.    
Title – 3 stars – Straightforward title, giving us the name of the house where Kimmy and Jess are staying.  It implies a Christmas story, although there’s not a lot of reference to the holidays.
  Cover – 4 stars – The cover is very cute and fanciful, just like Kimmy’s bubbly personality.  It definitely sets the tone of the book.
  Overall – 4 stars – The best adjective for this book is cute, although there are actually some rather serious moments included.  Kimmy finally gets to see life from the other side of the magazine cover, meaning she sees what it’s like to be a celebrity chased by the paparazzi.  Plus she faces some facts about starting up a business and having a dream.

I received an ARC of Mistletoe Mansion by Samantha Tonge from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is the second book I have read by this author. I love her lighthearted, fun book which is a perfect read for the holidays!

The book was charming from the first page to the last one. Kimmy has always had big dreams, she has a live in boy friend who is very down to earth who wants her to get the nonsense of baking cupcakes for a living out of her system and get a job at the potato factory where he works. He doesn't support her dreams and kicks her out. Her best friend, Jess had a fight with her roommate brother and they both find themselves homeless. It is snowing and so close to Christmas they are feeling desperate and cold with nowhere to go.

 They find an ad for house-sitters and they impersonate themselves as such and apply for the position. Kimmy and Jess soon find themselves living in Mistletoe Mansion. The story has everything including their neighborhood local celebrities in crisis, wacky neighbors, and a ghostly haunting, and of course Kimmy's passion of  CUPCAKES! Kimmy is finally living the life she has dreamed of but the distractions are hard to deal with namely the handyman Luke and the odd things going on at night….

 Mistletoe Mansion is a lovely, lighthearted tale that highlights some of the dirt of the celebrity lifestyle. It made me laugh at some of the things in the book that was so funny. This is a thoroughly enjoyable book, sweet, and light a wonderful holiday read. I look forward to reading more from Samantha Tonge.

I absolutely adored this read. It is a book stuffed with surprises, not least a heroine, Kimmy, who is great fun to read about. Kimmy is desperate to build up her own cupcaking business Kimcakes, and oh my word can she bake! This is not a book to read if you are on a diet, as every few pages Kimmy is whipping up the most amazing sounding cupcakes. I could almost smell them baking, they were that delicious sounding.  I ate the best part of a large chocolate cake whilst reading this book and I blame any extra pounds entirely on the author. Apart from baking, Kimmy is obsessed with the celebrity lifestyle that she reads about in her magazines. I loved the little headlines she made up in her head as she goes through life, imagining what the paparazzi would say about what she is up to. She would adore being a celebrity, thinking it would be a breeze but in the story we see she will find out that the lifestyle she craves is not a bundle of fun every single second of the day.

When Kimmy and best friend Jess find themselves homeless, they take on jobs as housesitters at Mistletoe Mansion, the house of their dreams in a millionaires row, with all the luxuries you could wish for. But, is there a reason they got the job so easily and is the estate agent who arranged it hiding something from them? Could the things that go bump in the night be the reason that no other housesitters seem to last in the job?

It is a great read with some wonderful colourful, fun to read about characters with so many different aspects to it; friendships both old and new, romance old and new, celebrities, paparazzi, a cute dog and a micropig, as well as the ghostly happenings at Mistletoe Mansion. What is causing them? Is the previous deceased owner trying to send a message to them? All this in addition to those awesome cakes! Many, many thanks to the publishers for the review copy.

Mistletoe Mansion by Samantha Tonge

Kimmy has big dreams of running her own cake baking business. However, her boyfriend Adam thinks it's unrealistic, and urges her to get a proper job. Their disagreement leads to their separation, and Kimmy finds herself suddenly homeless. Along with best friend Jess, they take on a house sitting job at the magnificent Mistletoe Mansion. Despite having no experience whatsoever, they are confident they can do the job well. But at Mistletoe Mansion they encounter much more than they bargained for! 

Tonge has a real talent for creating main characters who are charismatic and funny, and Kimmy is no different. She is very likeable, and I became invested in her story from very early on. There was a great supporting cast of characters, neighbours Melissa and Terry being my favourites. The paranormal element to the novel, while not usually my thing, was written in such a way that it was just one aspect of the plot, and not so much that it was the plot as a whole, so I enjoyed it despite not being a believer in these things. Again a very enjoyable book by this author.

Cupcakes, craziness and Christmas just about sum up this latest offering from Samantha Tonge. It’s a lovely, lighthearted tale that sheds the dirt on the celebrity lifestyle. As we’ve come to expect there’s the usual cast of totally realistic yet bonkers characters and a bit of ghostly haunting to give it a Christmassy feel. Thoroughly enjoyable if you’re looking for a cosy read in front of the fire. If I hadn’t already read it, it would be on my Christmas list.

Mistletoe Mansion is such an entertaining read, its full of sugary goodness, celebrities, ghostly encounters and a swoon worthy handyman who looks good in a lumber jacket and cream cords. What more could you want. Leading lady Kimmy has a very bad day and is catapulted into a situation that could change her life. When her very sensible and quite frankly boring boyfriend gives her an ultimatum work in a potato factory and give up her dreams or leave, with no choice she ends up homeless and at a bus stop with her best friend and total opposite Jess who is also homeless due to her OCD and a bachelor brother. 

The girls end up house sitting for Mr Murphy who has put the gorgeous house up for sale after being left it from good old Walter, but not everything is as it seems. What I really enjoyed about this book was how gossipy it was, everyone loves a cupcake and a natter about the latest scandal and the residents of this small but very fabulous village have more secrets and trouble than you could imagine. 

Our heroine Kimmy dreams of the celebrity lifestyle, she wants it all but now she is living next door to it, with WAG Melissa and sees what it really is like. I love Kimmy's internal monologue with her ever changing facebook status and the headlines she makes up for her adventures she is truly a comical woman who dreams and dreams big. 

Samantha Tonge brings us a entertaining and delicious story that is perfect for those winter evenings, put on those flannelette pyjamas, grab a hot chocolate and buy Mistletoe Mansion, its truly scrumptious read.

Mistletoe mansion is a delightful read! Kimmy is whacky and fantastic and Luke, is sexy as sin. This book has it all, heart-warming romance, spooky encounters, and fabulous cupcakes. It is the perfect winter’s read!

Samantha Tonge has a wonderful way of writing that her characters come alive, and now with her third book to date-  I really think she is a force to be reckoned  with, and I can not wait to see what she comes up with next.

Mistletoe mansion is a absolute treat of book! I highly recommend!

Firstly I would like to thank Samatha Tonge for sending me an advanced copy to review. I’d never read anything by her before but the cover of this book was so lovely I couldn’t resist.  I have to say I think I’ve found another favourite author as this book was jam packed with lovely characters and I just loved the plot, it was hilarious.
The story begins with Kimmy being thrown out of her shared flat by boyfriend Adam because she won’t give up her dreams of a baking business and go and work in a potato factory with him. Kimmy is a baking whizz and is hoping to build her own cupcake business, she’s had a few jobs through friends but not enough to give Adam the confidence to believe in her.  Kimmy begs him to give her more time to allow her to make her business work, but Adam’s having none of it and out she goes.
After meeting up with friend Jess, who has just been thrown out by her brother, they manage to blag themselves the position of house sitters for Mistletoe Mansion. The girls can’t believe their luck, set in a quiet cul de sac Mistletoe Mansion is everything Kimmy has dreamed of but is everything exactly as it seems? Hot handyman Luke seems initially very standoffish and neighbour Terry can’t wait to leave as soon as its gets dark, so what is going on?  Kimmy meets celebrity WAG Melissa from next door and gets her first job catering for one of her coffee mornings, as Kimmy makes a new friend she realises the celebrity lifestyle isn’t as glossy as the magazines make out.  Mistletoe mansion is full of great characters and I loved that they all seemed just slightly over the top. There’s Kimmy with her gold parka jacket that you just can’t help but like and who are longing to see succeed with her business, just to prove Adam wrong.  Jess, her  vegetarian best friend who is gardening mad, handsome handyman Luke with his sexy cords, who Kimmy might have a little crush on, Melissa the stylish but kind celebrity wife who’s longing for a baby and Terry the eccentric, celebrity gossip loving,  next door neighbour  with his micro-pig, yes you read that right PIG, Frazzle.  The thing I loved most about this book was the relationships. Especially the little love triangle between Kimmy, Adam and Luke. Kimmy’s so focused on proving to Adam that she’s worthy of his love and support by making her business a success. Initially she can’t stand how arrogant he is around her, but when she gets to know him she realises that he believes in her and gives her encouragement and support without question. Will she pick solid, reliable, sensible Adam or sexy, cheeky, risk-taking, Luke?
With the delicious descriptions of cupcakes, the slightly spooky goings on and the misbehaving celebrities this book is the perfect treat for a cozy Christmas read and I loved every single page.  I give this book 5/5 and think everyone should add it to their reading list this year.

Lovely festive reading. Great characters, wonderful settings makes this a great story to get lost in on a cold winters' night.

Mistletoe Mansion is my first book by Samantha Tonge but it won't be the last as I found this story highly entertaining, fast-paced and with so much drama and cake! Kimmy, our heroine, is like a breath of fresh air, funny, a bit celebrity-obsessed but with a golden heart. And a really talented baker. I was drooling with all the descriptions of her creations, oh god! I want cupcakes now! 

The secondary characters are also lovely. I especially liked Terry, the also gossip-obsessed man who lives next to Mistletoe Mansion and has a micro pig as a pet, how cool is that! As per the boys in this love triangle, I was totally team Luke, with those eyes... I really enjoyed his scenes with Kimmy, they were sparks flying but I was quite surprised with his secrets too!

There's also a bit of paranormal activity on the mansion and I was a bit sceptic at the beginning because I am not a big fan of ghosts on stories but Samantha handled it very well and it had the perfect fun and touching spark. 

All in all Mistletoe Mansion is a fun story that will leave you with a huge smile on your face. A bit over the top with all the drama going on but with the right message: believe in yourself. And be prepared to read about the most fantastic culinary creations. I actually loved all the cupcakes and I can't wait to try my hand at some of the flavour combinations Kimmy tried as I also love baking them.

MISTLETOE MANSION BY SAMANTHA TONGE  THE BLURB  Kimmy Jones has three loves: cupcakes, gossip magazines and dreaming of getting fit just by owning celeb workouts.

When Kimmy’s Sensible Boyfriend told her he didn’t approve of her longing for the high life or her dream of starting a cupcake company Kimmy thought she could compromise – after all, she did return those five-inch Paris Hilton heels! But asking her to trade in cake-making for a job sorting potatoes is a step too far.

So, newly single - and newly homeless – Kimmy needs a dusting of Christmas luck. And, masquerading as a professional house sitter, her new temporary home is the stunning Mistletoe Mansion. Soon she’s best buds with glamorous next door golf WAG Melissa, and orders are pouring in for her fabulous Merry Berry cupcakes! The only thorn in her side is handsome handyman Luke, a distraction she definitely doesn’t need. And talking of distractions, something very odd is going on at night…
WHAT I SAY  What a fantastic christmas read it very fast paced it full of surprises and lots of cupcakes .     Kimmy a great character she works so hard at setting up her cupcake business . She got a heart of gold she a person that would always be there for you . I like her fascination with celebrities alot of people are just like her i think .  I did not like her boyfriend Adam he was so mean and a very uptight young man he was not a very nice boyfriend at all what did you think of him  ?
Now they had fall Out and she had gone to move out . She soon sort her self out she got a job at mistletoe mansion with her friend Jess who brother throw her out to 

They seem to like this mansion it just like Kimmy dreamed of living in a glamour houses but what going on in this old mansion was it a ghost ? 

You will just love all the characters they were so much fun  Jess is a garden mad i felt she got s few problems to sort out  Melissa got the life Kimmy   Wants she very beautiful and rich her life is just perfect or is it ? What did you think?  Terry a gossip but you will love him he just so cool i love his micro pig i love that as a pet  But what was stopping terry from going to the mansion at night ? Why would he only go in day time ? What was wrong ?  Luke the handman he was very handsome a real lovely man i felt there seem to be a bit of love thing going on with Luke , Adam and Kimmy .  Who will she pick ?  I just loved all the spooky encounters it made the book for me . All the character seem to come alive and jump out at you  The story just grips you it got love , friendship, a ghost ,cupcakes and a love triangle what more could you want ?  I just a wonderful read 5 stars  A great price at min  Publisher:Carin release date:10 Nov 2014 Source net gallery  Link  Amazon  Mistletoe Mansion by Samantha Tonge http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00O56X3HM/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_AncJub0A16NB3

*Book provided by the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

First of all: What an amazing cover!

The story follows Kimmy, she wants to have her own business making cupcakes and more. Her boyfriend Adam doesn’t really approve of this and wants her to get a real job. At one point he has enough and throws her out. Let’s just say that I didn’t like him from the beginning.

Her best friend Jess lives with her brother Ryan, or should I rather say lived… The two friends are desperate for a place to live and so they apply for this housesitting job at Mistletoe Mansion. The owner died and his nephew is trying to sell the house now, in the meantime he needs housesitters.

Kimmy and Jess meet a lot of people through that: Terry, Melissa (the wife of a famous golfer) and gorgeous handyman Luke. Terry becomes their friend really fast and he is a real sweetheart. Kimmy gets the chance to cater for Melissa and the two women become good friends. And as for Luke?! He is hot and cold, really nice and helpful one minute and then the total difference the other minute.

Mistletoe Mansion is a spooky house. There is weird fog, creepy music and much more. This added the right spark of mystery to this story and the reveal?! Oh my… but I kind of guessed in that direction…

Kimmy finally goes for her dreams with Luke’s encouragement. There was definitely a chemistry there between them and their scenes had the perfect tension, passion and drama – I loved it.
Kimmy however, still wanted to impress her ex-boyfriend and I just couldn’t understand that. I liked the way the story developed and I just wanted Luke and Kimmy to be honest to each other. There had to be a misunderstanding as well of course ;) And the end suddenly came really fast, which I think was a pity, because I wanted to read more about Kimmy’s life.
I liked the way everything turned out to be though…

Melissa and Jess had their own story to tell through Kimmy, which was great. The characters seemed really authentic.

A lovely written story, with well lined out characters, the right amount of mystery, drama, friendship and love.