Reviewed by Ro
TITLE: Under the Mistle-Tome
SERIES: Christmas Falls
AUTHOR: Sammi Cee
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 188 pages
RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2023
BLURB:
Hoping to give his young daughter, Holly, the joyful childhood he had, Trevor moves back to the one place he’s always considered home—Christmas Falls.
As happy as he is to be back in the festive atmosphere of the small charming town, it’s nothing compared to how excited he is to spend time with his best friend, Trey.
Taking over the family bookstore in the town he grew up in was all Trey had ever wanted. Until Trevor walked back into his life, proving his childhood crush had never completely faded.
And Trevor’s daughter? Well, the adorable girl quickly claims a piece of Trey’s heart.
With the help of a little holiday magic, these two men and one very determined little girl may get exactly what they need—a family.
Christmas Falls is a multi-author M/M romance series set in a small town that thrives on enough holiday charm to rival any Hallmark movie.
REVIEW:
This is the fifth in the Christmas Falls series, but you do not have to read them all to appreciate them. Christmas Falls is a very happy holiday town. Trevor and his family lived here as he grew up, but his mother, who is pretty cold, didn’t like it much. Trevor loved the place, especially his best friend, Trey (Mr. T), and Trey’s family. As tends to happen, Trevor and T kept in touch for a while and then communication slowly faded away. Trey took over his family’s bookshop and misses his old friend. When Trevor and his daughter, Holly, have dinner with his parents, he suggests having Christmas in Christmas Falls. He wants to give Holly the type of holiday he had as a child. His mother isn’t for it, honestly his mother isn’t for much. Trevor is an artist and “Of course she’d think I couldn’t afford it. She’d never bothered to hide her disdain for my work even though I turned a pretty hefty profit.” When Trevor’s dad offers to take Mom, “I think it’s high time you address me as Edith”, on a Christmas cruise, he also encourages Trevor to go to Christmas Falls. So off he and Holly go.
Trevor shows Holly around and reconnects with the town, T, and family. It’s delightful to see them all. Trevor bought a house in Christmas Falls but told no one, so his appearance is a surprise, a very welcome one. It’s funny that neither told the other about being anything but straight while they both lived in Christmas Falls. Trey was very worried because (not knowing Trevor is gay) he had posted a picture of his boyfriend once and felt that was when Trevor stopped communicating. This turns out not to be the case but worry is worry.
This is a sweet story, no angst. I appreciated that Trey and Trevor didn’t just fall right into bed when they reconnected. They actually took a little time to do just that – reconnect. They were best friends but ten years apart, especially at 15-25 means they as adults were strangers. And Trevor has to worry about Holly. One thing about Holly – she is three years old and sometimes she spoke like a three-year-old, and sometimes she sounded far older. Her mispronunciations were cute, “It’s the Greenwich!”.
If you want something happy, holiday, and adorable, this is it. There are some believable changes in some of the characters, which made me happy.
RATING: 
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