Mistletoe Kisses: A Clean, Small Town Christmas Romance by Stephanie Faris

Mistletoe Kisses Series: Reindeer Ridge Series Book #1
on November 3, 2025
Genres: Fiction / Holidays
Pages: 216
Goodreads

Love is in the air in Reindeer Ridge as four female shop owners celebrate the season.

As an animal lover, the last thing Annaliese Bennett needs is a trapped bear in the shop across from her pet clothing store. But that's exactly what she finds when she returns from being out of town. Worse, the bear has been deliberately trapped by the shop's owner, Will Parker.

Will is starting a new life in the town of Reindeer Ridge. His shop, The Big Bear, sells novelty items while also providing guests the chance to see a live bear kept humanely in the back of the store. Unfortunately, the shop owner across the way seems to be determined to have his shop closed down.

But Annaliese soon begins to realize that Will isn't the bad guy she wants to make him out to be. As their feelings for each other start to grow, they both begin to realize the importance of compromise.

This book was previously included in the December 2020 anthology, Small-Town Christmas. The rest of the series was not part of that anthology.

The Reindeer Ridge series is a sweet, clean contemporary Christmas series filled with swoon-worthy heroes and a small-town setting.

Mistletoe Kisses is book number one in the Reindeer Ridge series by Stephanie Faris. Annaliese owns a shop that sells pet items in the tiny town of Reindeer Ridge. When Will Parker opens a store across the square with a live bear inside, Annaliese’s animal rights instincts kick in. Is the bear being mistreated? What can she do to save it? What happens when Will and Annaliese feel drawn to one another? On the negative side, this felt more like an animal rights book instead of a light and sweet romance. On the positive side, I liked the character of Will – good looking, strong and a man of integrity. Annaliese took some time to warm up. I can’t wait to read more of this series and the character of Reindeer Ridge.