Hate Me Under the Mistletoe by Kelly Jamieson

Rating: 4/5
PoP: 51%
Tropes: Second Chance; Age Gap; Holiday; Slow Burn; Hockey
Series: Romancing the Rink #1
POV:  Dual 1st Person

In this holiday Novella we get Amy Heller and Ryder Long.  These two knew each other when they were younger as Ryder was a billet hockey player in the Heller household.  Amy had a huge crush on him, and things didn’t exactly go the way she had hoped.  Ryder had feelings for her, but because of the situation, he was unable to act on them and didn’t make the best decisions where she was concerned.  

Amy is at a turning point in her life, and things are just not working out for her in the way she hopes.  It’s holiday season, and she is feeling exceptionally grumpy so she decides to bypass her family holidays because she just can’t handle them.  Enter Ryder who is taking a break at this cabin in between meeting up with his family.  He is ecstatic about Christmas and loves all things having to do with the holiday. 

These two butt heads a little bit at the beginning because Amy is one still a little bruised over what happened but at the same time, just unhappy with the way her life is trending.  What follows is a case of close proximity but also the fact that they both have unrequited feelings for the other.  I love the way this novella plays out, and the direction that it takes.  While this isn’t a hockey story per say because Amy no longer plays only coaches, and Ryder no longer plays, it is set in the Heller world.  Kelli Jamieson never ceases to give me a story that is well written and the characters are flushed out in a way that you keep wanting more.  This is a perfect holiday story!