Kerry Barrett - Under The Mistletoe

Under the Mistletoe

Mistletoe Mansion

Samantha Tonge

The Mince Pie Mix-Up

Jennifer Joyce

Baby It’s Cold Outside

Kerry Barrett

Copyright

HQ

An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2015

Copyright © Samantha Tonge/Jennifer Joyce/Kerry Barrett 2015

Samantha Tonge/Jennifer Joyce/Kerry Barrett asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

E-book Edition © June 2015 ISBN: 9781474048484

Version date: 2018-07-23

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Mistletoe Mansion

Blurb

Author Bio

Acknowledgements

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

The Mince Pie Mix-Up

Blurb

Author Bio

Acknowledgements

Dedication

Chapter One: Mince Pies at Dawn

Chapter Two: Frostie the Snowman Forgot

Chapter Three: Two Parents A-Rowing and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

Chapter Four: We Made a Wish

Chapter Five: The First Stage in Wish-Fulfilment: Denial

Chapter Six: The Second and Third Stages in Wish-Fulfilment: Fear and Anger

Chapter Seven: The Fourth Stage in Wish-Fulfilment: Acceptance

Chapter Eight: The Gloves Are Off

Chapter Nine: It Isn’t (Christmas) Fair

Chapter Ten: Monday’s To-Do List: Tattoos, Waxing and Make-up

Chapter Eleven: The Fifth Stage in Wish-Fulfilment: Acknowledgement

Chapter Twelve: Monday Night Blues

Chapter Thirteen: There’s a Rumour Doing the Rounds

Chapter Fourteen: PTA (Pain in the Arse)

Chapter Fifteen: Man Trouble

Chapter Sixteen: The Shepherd and the Grinch

Chapter Seventeen: A Bad Day

Chapter Eighteen: The Presentation

Chapter Nineteen: Father and Son

Chapter Twenty: Good News/Bad News

Chapter Twenty-One: The Christmas Fair

Chapter Twenty-Two: Not Quite Driving Home for Christmas

Chapter Twenty-Three: Step into Christmas

Chapter Twenty-Four: All I Want for Christmas Is Me

Epilogue: A New Year

Baby It’s Cold Outside

Blurb

Praise for KERRY BARRETT

Author Bio

Acknowledgement

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Endpages

About the Publisher

Mistletoe Mansion

Samantha Tonge

Kimmy Jones has three loves: cupcakes, gossip magazines and dreaming of getting fit just by owning celeb workouts.

When Kimmy’s Sensible Boyfriend told her he didn’t approve of her longing for the high life or her dream of starting a cupcake company Kimmy thought she could compromise – after all, she did return those five-inch Paris Hilton heels! But asking her to trade in cake-making for a job sorting potatoes is a step too far.

So, newly single - and newly homeless – Kimmy needs a dusting of Christmas luck. And, masquerading as a professional house sitter, her new temporary home is the stunning Mistletoe Mansion. Soon she’s best buds with glamorous next door golf WAG Melissa, and orders are pouring in for her fabulous Merry Berry cupcakes! The only thorn in her side is handsome handyman Luke, a distraction she definitely doesn’t need. And talking of distractions, something very odd is going on at night…

Kimmy is finally living the life she’s always wanted. But will her glimpse into the glittering lifestyle of the rich and famous be as glamorous as she’s always imagined…?

SAMANTHA TONGE

lives in Cheshire with her lovely family and two cats who think they are dogs. Along with writing, her days are spent cycling, willing cakes to rise and avoiding housework. A love of fiction developed as a child, when she was known for reading Enid Blyton books in the bath. A desire to write bubbled away in the background whilst she pursued other careers, including a fun stint working at Disneyland Paris. Formally trained as a linguist, Samantha now likes nothing more than holing herself up in the spare room, in front of the keyboard. Writing romantic comedy novels is her passion.

http://samanthatonge.co.uk/

http://doubtingabbey.blogspot.co.uk/

http://pinkinkladies.wordpress.com/

Acknowledgements

Massive thanks to my great editor Lucy Gilmour and the wonderful HQ Digital UK team for their excellent input, dedication and super covers. Plus thanks to my agent, Kate Nash, for her continual support.

Fellow Carina authors, you are the best and keep me sane. And Pink Ink blog gals, I couldn’t manage without our hilarious chats.

I’m constantly bowled over by the support from chicklit bloggers and reviewers – your effort and time is much appreciated, with a special mention to Robyn Koshel from Elder Park Book Reviews and Tay from Chicks That Read. Plus thank you to those readers who’ve let me know how much my books have made you laugh – because that’s why I’m in this writing business, to raise a smile (and have an excuse to go on Facebook and eat chocolate all day long ).

Thanks to Jo Hoddes, founder of the fabulously, affordable online clothes shop Bae Boutique, ( http://bae.boutique/), for her support in launching Mistletoe Mansion, a story which features the glamorous lifestyle her customers no doubt aspire to.

Martin, Immy and Jay, I so appreciate your regular injections of perspective and confidence. You three guys make every day seem like Christmas.