Mistletoe Motel

I went into *Mistletoe Motel* expecting a fluffy holiday rom-com, but Lise Gold delivered something sharper: a story that uses the season’s sentimentality to underscore how easily love can derail—or redeem—us. The setup is a trope by now (stranded strangers, one bed), but Gold twists it by making the stakes personal. The protagonist, Jordan, isn’t just navigating a snowstorm; they’re running from a failed engagement and the guilt of coming out to their family. Their chemistry with the motel’s owner, Leo, isn’t instant or cloying—it’s built on reluctant honesty and the kind of chemistry that makes you lean in closer to the audiobook. Sandy Green’s performance is a masterclass in vocal restraint. She nails Jordan’s brittle sarcasm and Leo’s quiet warmth without ever tipping into caricature, and the way she paces the more intimate scenes—where words are scarce but emotions aren’t—feels organic. That said, the audiobook stumbles slightly in its middle act, where the dialogue-heavy scenes lose a bit of momentum. The ending, however, redeems everything with a raw, earned resolution that lingers. If you’re craving a romance that’s equal parts heart and grit, this is a sleeper hit worth your time.