I do not know if this was the intent, but half-way through the novel The Mistletoe Favor, I felt I was in a middle of a Cinderella remake. Mac Tolbert is a wealthy rancher who is now the legal guradian of his half-sister, Kaylee. Kaylee’s mother just passed away and she is struggling to acclimate to the new small town she resides in, Sunrise Bend. Bridget Renna just moved to the town to take over the town’s coffee shop. Bridget is from New York who had a rough childhood and had to deal with abuse from her demanding step-mother. Bridget and Mac’s developing relationship remidned me of Cinderella and the Prince. While there may be some similarities to the fairy tale, this novel is certainly more real. Both Mac and Bridget are far from perfect; they both have an unpleasant past and they need each other to overcome their struggles.
There is a down-to-earth quality of this story. Unlike Cinderella, this novel does not take place in a fancy castle or ballroom; it is set in a small town where people like to hang out at the coffee shop or go horse back riding. There is a strong sense of community that one does not always see in other novels. Additionally, the romance between Mac and Bridget was sweet. Since Bridget came from New York, she did not know how to drive. She and Kaylee end up taking driver’s ed together, which brought some moments of humor to the novel, especially when Mac took them out for driving practice.
I highly recommend this novel.
Next Novel to Review: A Cowgirl’s Secret