Blame It On The Mistletoe by Joyce Magnin

She's been dating Zeb for years and believes she loves him.  But then Cliff and his airplane show up in Bright's Pond and her heart gets confused...

Abingdon Press and Net Galley allowed me to read an ebook of this story for review (thank you).  This story has been published and you can get a copy at your local bookstore.

I had the read the previous story set in Bright's Pond about Charlotte Figg and the trailer village Paradise, so I was looking forward to reading this story.

Bright's Pond is a small community and everybody knows everybody else's business.  (I used to live in a small town, and that's how life really is in such environment.  That's part of why I moved...)

Griselda is visiting her sister, Agnes, at the nursing home she's staying in while trying to lose weight and get to a normal size.  What's odd is that the little old lady across the hall has her tricycle outside out the door.  When Griselda asks about it, Agnes tells her she rides up and down the hall and rings its bell, just like she's a little kid.  And an old couple out in the gazebo that was recently built are smooching and planning on marriage.  What's going on?

Turns out the gazebo builder is also at Paradise, fixing the fountain that hasn't worked for years.  When the local cop tries to talk to the "arteest", she finds he's fast talking and evasive and it makes her even more interested in who he is.

Griselda's boyfriend, Zeb, asks her to marry him again.  It's been on and off for years now, but seeing Cliff around has made it "on" again.  Grizzy is sure she loves Zeb, but she loves Cliff's plane and the freedom she feels from flying.  When Cliff expresses an interest in her and gives her a kiss, she really gets confused.  Who does she really love?

This is a busy story set during the holidays, which gives it a certain ambiance that melds well with Grizzy's confusion.  So much to do and so little time.  It's a mellow read and fit right in with all the activities you still have to do for Christmas.  Why not get a copy and take a break every now and again and read another chapter?  It'll keep your stress at bay.

Happy reading.