MEET ME ON MISTLETOE LANE, by Cassie Miller, Viking Books for Young Readers, Oct. 13, 2026, Paperback, $13.99 (young adult)
A girl hopes to save her small-town market and save Christmas tradition in Meet Me on Mistletoe Lane, by Cassie Miller.
Gianna Mancini is a Christmas romantic. She especially loves the way Mullings Creek Market transforms into a holiday wonderland during the most magical time of the year.
While Gianna adores her small-town life, she dreams about traveling and getting a break from her overbearing family. Except on the same day she finally gets her ticket out, the market’s beloved owner unexpectedly passes away, leaving the property to a literal Scrooge from NYC!
The town has just one month to convince the owner, their new guest, not to sell. His flirtatious son, James, suggests he and Gianna should fake date. Surely her holiday flair will warm his father’s icy heart. While Gianna is up for whatever it takes to save the market, Sam, who has been secretly pining for Gianna for years, is not so keen on James snuggling up with his best friend next to the Christmas tree. But as the lines between Gianna and James begin to blur during gingerbread contests and candy cane hunts, so do the lines of friendship between Gianna and Sam under the glow of the town’s holiday twinkle lights.
Soon, both boys are ready to be under the mistletoe with Gianna. Who will be her first real Christmas kiss? The future of the market and her town may just depend on it. —Synopsis provided by Viking Books for Young Readers
If the Hallmark Channel and Gilmore Girls had a baby, Meet Me on Mistletoe Lane would be it. It’s set in a small town. There’s a girl who seems to be in the center of everything. And two boys, one local and one from the big city, are both out to get her attention. It’s a recipe that plays out well over and over again.
Author Cassie Miller has done an admirable job setting the stage. Her characters are likeable and the stakes are appropriately high for the circumstances.
Meet Me on Mistletoe Lane is a light-hearted holiday romance with enough comedy and drama to keep readers hooked. It’s a cute story for fans of the genre and is tame enough you could hand it to a 12-year-old without a problem.
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