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
BLURB
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. Thereโs nothing better.
My cozy little world gets shaken like a snow globe when the house next door sells. Worse yet, the new neighborโs 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 Mitchellโmy first loveโstanding 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 seasonโฆor could this time be different?
John
Returning to Snowflake Falls is exactly what I needed in my lifeโespecially right before Christmas. Iโd forgotten how much I missed the holidays in my hometown.
What I didnโt 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 Iโm done for. Eve is every bit as feisty and beautiful as I remember.
Being around her rekindles feelings I thought had faded, and the spark between us makes me think we could pick up right where we left off. First, I have to convince her this isnโt about holiday nostalgia. Itโs about forever.
PURCHASE LINKS
EXCERPT
ยฉ Lacey Black
โOh! I forgot to ask. Have you met your new neighbor yet?โ
I pause the flat iron Iโm about to run through Arielโs hair. โNew neighbor?โ
โYeah, I heard the old Blackwood house sold. Do you know who bought it?โ
I blink a few times, trying to wrap my head around the fact the house next door to me finally sold. Itโs 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 itโs finally happened.
I glance over at my mom. โHave you heard who bought it?โ
Something flashes in her eyes, but itโs gone quickly. โNo,โ she says, reaching for her broom and sweeping up discarded hair on the floor around her station.
โI heard it was a younger guy, not from here,โ Roxie states as she adds highlights to her clientโs hair.
โReally?โ 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 Iโd 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, Iโve 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 goโor worse, removing it completelyโdoesnโt 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 donโt 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 doesnโt 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, Iโll probably hear him coming and going all the time. A young guy probably doesnโt 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 Iโm 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 donโt see my cat. Instead, I catch movement inside my house as a black and gray one darts down my hallway.
โWhat in the world,โ I mutter, running inside and almost forgetting to shut the door behind me. I chase after the cat that isnโt mine, frantically searching the first room for the stray.
A noise catches my attention. It sounds like my catโs beingโฆmurdered!
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 heโs having his wicked way with Miss Snowflake. Iโm 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. โGet off my cat!โ
๐Review๐
Eve fell in love with John when they were teenagers however his decision to join the military resulted in them having no contact for over a decade. The last place she expected to see him was next door when she finds out not only is he her neighbor but responsible for the cat who has been bonding with her feline.
After his military career ended, he returned to his hometown to be close to those he cares about including Eve. Although their reunion did not go as he had hoped he is determined to show her that she has always owned his heart and the future he wants is with her.
This is an enchanting second chance for John and Eve as with the help of the magic from the season they work to overcome the pain of the past and recapture the love they have always shared.
COMING NEXT
AUTHOR BIO
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.
AUTHOR LINKS
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