The Mistletoe Promise

Shirley J.                Adult Fiction Holiday Romance            Christmas Season, Fake Relationships

The Mistletoe Promise (Part of the Mistletoe Series) by Richard Paul Evans    272 pages    

Excellent holiday story about Elise Dutton, who's husband had an affair with her best friend 3 years prior that left her crushed, alone and distrusting men to the point of not wanting another relationship.  It is November and she is eating her lunch alone (as usual) in the mall food court below her office.  She notices a man from her office building also eats there around the same time she does.  She doesn't know him but has seen him around.  One day he approaches her with a unique proposition.   He is a lawyer on one of the upper floors and he, too, is alone for the holidays.    He discusses how social engagements come up and family gatherings and he would like to have someone to attend all the holiday events with to keep people from trying to fix him up with someone and to stop them from all the questions that come up when you aren't part of a couple but without any strings attached and no actual coupling going on.   Elise is intrigued.  She has the same issues and hears him out.  He proposes for the next eight weeks - ending on December 24, that they pretend to be a couple.   He says there will be four rules: 

1.)  No personal questions.

2.)  No drama.

3.)  No telling anyone the truth about their NON-relationship.

4.)  The contract is void on Christmas Day.

At first Elise is floored by his offer, but, still intrigued.   She thinks, why not?   And she goes for it.  To all outside eyes they become an item.   They go to holiday dinners with family, they go to work sponsored holiday events, they attend fund raisers and every day he sends her an expensive present to her office.   Her co-workers are in awe, especially the office floozie who tends to give her a hard time.  At the holiday office party this floozie comes on like gangbusters to the fake boyfriend, who turns out to be a very successful partner in the law firm and the town's most eligible bachelor.  The story is so fun and so real, the reader gets the feeling you are right there with them.  I highly recommend this fun romp through the realities of navigating the holidays with a no-strings companion to keep the nosies off your back.  Such a great story! ; )     I recommend this one to middle schoolers on up to senior citizens.   If you love Christmas stories and Christmas love stories this one is right up your Hallmark alley!