Title: Merry Little Mix-Up
Series: Snowflake Falls #1
Author: Lacey Black
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Tropes: Small Town/Holiday Romance
Second Chance/Neighbors to Lovers
Release Date: December 10, 2024
Eve
Christmas in Snowflake Falls is the most wonderful time of the year. The lights, sounds, and smells are pure magic. Living here is like being wrapped up in a warm holiday hug. There’s nothing better.
My cozy little world gets shaken like a snow globe when the house next door sells. Worse yet, the new neighbor’s tomcat sneaks over and makes himself at home on my Christmas quilt with my sweet feline. Furious, I storm next door to give the owner a piece of my mind, only to find John Mitchell—my first love—standing there.
It would be so easy to fall back into a rhythm with him, one where only he and I exist. As the holidays pull us closer, I have to wonder, are we just wrapped up in the season…or could this time be different?
John
Returning to Snowflake Falls is exactly what I needed in my life—especially right before Christmas. I’d forgotten how much I missed the holidays in my hometown.
What I didn’t expect was my new next-door neighbor to be the one who got away. The moment she stomps over to my house, bangs on my door, and demands cat-support in the likelihood of a feline pregnancy, I know I’m done for. Eve is every bit as feisty and beautiful as I remember.
Free in Kindle Unlimited
© Lacey Black
“Oh! I forgot to ask. Have you met your new neighbor yet?”
I pause the flat iron I’m about to run through Ariel’s hair. “New neighbor?”
“Yeah, I heard the old Blackwood house sold. Do you know who bought it?”
I blink a few times, trying to wrap my head around the fact the house next door to me finally sold. It’s been on the market for about six months, and, from what I was told, the family of old man Blackwood refused any offer below their asking price, which was high to begin with. It sat empty for more than a year, ever since the older man passed away. The family moved away long ago and have paid someone to maintain the house and yard, waiting for a buyer. Now, it sounds like it’s finally happened.
I glance over at my mom. “Have you heard who bought it?”
Something flashes in her eyes, but it’s gone quickly. “No,” she says, reaching for her broom and sweeping up discarded hair on the floor around her station.
“I heard it was a younger guy, not from here,” Roxie states as she adds highlights to her client’s hair.
“Really?” I ask, a bit concerned by this news. Mr. Blackwood was a grumpy old man, but he was a good neighbor. He was meticulous about his lawn, especially the garden, and I’d often help him with some of the weeding throughout the summer, since he struggled to get up and down the last few years. In fact, since he passed, I’ve continued to maintain it, hoping the next owners will have a green thumb and take good care of it. The thought of some young guy buying the house and letting the garden go—or worse, removing it completely—doesn’t sit well with me.
For the rest of the day, I worry about the new neighbor. Even after Dad delivers our Christmas tree to the salon and I spend time decorating it, I still wonder about who the new owner is. What if we don’t get along? What if he trashes the place and I have to look at mountains of crap in the yard and driveway? What if he ruins the gorgeous curb appeal of the house by painting it seafoam green?
What if he doesn’t hang Christmas lights?!
As I round the corner by my house, just three short blocks from the downtown square, my eyes zero in on the moving truck in the driveway. Parked beside it is a large Chevy truck with out-of-state plates that looks big and loud. Since my bedroom window is on that side of the house, I’ll probably hear him coming and going all the time. A young guy probably doesn’t care that his neighbors like to sleep at night.
I slowly walk past the house, trying to look in the windows, but all of them are covered with blinds or curtains. When I reach my own sidewalk, I let out a sigh, realizing I’m no closer to finding out who my new neighbor is than I was this morning when I heard the house sold.
Slipping my key into the door, I release the lock and push it open. The familiar scents of home assault me. I flip a switch on the wall, bathing the entire room and everything that will stand still in bright white Christmas lights, and smile. I love this holiday and the warm, comfortable feeling I get every time I arrive home.
Just as I step through the door, something brushes past my leg, making me jump. I spin around, terrified Miss Snowflake ran past me and is now outside, but when I turn around, I don’t see my cat. Instead, I catch movement inside my house as a black and gray one darts down my hallway.
“What in the world,” I mutter, running inside and almost forgetting to shut the door behind me. I chase after the cat that isn’t mine, frantically searching the first room for the stray.
A noise catches my attention. It sounds like my cat’s being…murdered!
I take off running, following the sound into my bedroom. When I cross the threshold, I gasp in shock at the sight. Right there, in the middle of my bed, is a big tomcat, and he’s having his wicked way with Miss Snowflake. I’m so surprised, all I can do is stand there in horror as the scene plays out in front of me, right in the middle of my snowy village Christmas quilt.
Finally, when I find my voice, I open my mouth. “Get off my cat!”
5 Stars
What a wonderful sweet, witty holiday read full of second chances and silly mix-ups. These characters and the fun banter will have you turning pages as they re-connect after all these years.
Eve is all about Christmas and spreading the cheer to everyone. Happy with her life but missing a partner to share it all with. Great friends and family that let her indulge in all the fun.
John has finally made his way back home after his military career and he is excited to live this next chapter of his life. He has one big chore in mind and that is to get Eve back. The one thing he let go all those years ago and she has never really left his heart.
Will she let him in again? Can it be that they were really meant to be all along? Grab your cocoa and a warm spot, sink into all that is small town Snowflake Falls.
*** Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review. ***
COMING NEXT
USA Today Bestselling Author Lacey Black is a Midwestern girl with a passion for reading, writing, and shopping. She carries her e-reader with her everywhere she goes so she never misses an opportunity to read a few pages. Always looking for a happily ever after, Lacey is passionate about contemporary romance novels and enjoys it further when you mix in a little suspense. She resides in a small town in Illinois with her husband, two children, and three rowdy chickens.
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