Under the Mistletoe: Six Contemporary Romance Novellas by Cindy Roland Anderson

Under the Mistletoe: Six Contemporary Romance Novellas

Cozy Holiday Sparks with Bite and Heart

Narrated byElizabeth Wiley
Length9h15m
Release dateJuly 18, 2017
LanguageEnglish
★★★★ 4.3 (3 ratings)

Free with Audible trial. Cancel anytime.

Listen to a Sample

Hear Elizabeth Wiley's narration on Audible.

Play Sample on Audible

Quick Facts

AuthorCindy Roland Anderson
NarratorElizabeth Wiley
Runtime9h15m
PublishedJuly 18, 2017
Rating★★★★ 4.3 / 5 (3 ratings)
CategoriesLiterature & Fiction, Genre Fiction, Holidays, Romance, Contemporary
FormatAudiobook (Digital)
PlatformAudible

About This Audiobook

*Under the Mistletoe* isn’t your grandmother’s saccharine Christmas collection—it’s a sharp, modern take on holiday romance that balances steam with sincerity. These six novellas, each by a distinct voice, dodge cliché by grounding their meet-cutes in real-world stakes: a snowed-in rival turned ally, a second-chance love derailed by family secrets, a fake-dating disaster at a corporate retreat. The anthology’s strength lies in its range—from playful banter to quieter, aching reunions—all tied together by Elizabeth Wiley’s narration, which shifts seamlessly from wry humor to throat-tightening tenderness. Her pacing is particularly adept at selling the shorter format; she lingers on emotional beats just long enough to land them without overindulging.

What sets this apart from the holiday-romance glut is its refusal to sand down edges. A standout story follows a divorced mom navigating her ex’s new relationship at a shared custody Christmas, while another flips the billionaire trope by making the heroine the one with generational wealth—and trust issues. The prose is tight, the chemistry crackles, and the settings (a ski lodge, a NYC brownstone, a small-town diner) feel lived-in, not like snow-globe backdrops. If you’re tired of Hallmark platitudes but still crave the warmth of a well-earned happy ending, this is your audiobook.

Tags: holiday romance anthology audiobookcontemporary romance with emotional depthwitty banter & slow-burn tensionfemale narrators excelling in dual POVChristmas stories for cynics who love loveshort-form romance with high stakes

Why Listen to Under the Mistletoe: Six Contemporary Romance Novellas?

  • Expert narration by Elizabeth Wiley brings every character and scene to life across 9h15m of immersive audio.
  • Highly rated at 4.3 stars by 3 listeners.
  • Free with your Audible trial — keep the audiobook forever even if you cancel.
  • Perfect for commutes, workouts, and relaxation. Listen anywhere, anytime.
Start Listening Free
AE

Editor's Review ★★★★

AudioBook Atlas

I’ll admit I approached *Under the Mistletoe* with skepticism—holiday anthologies often feel like leftover scraps from bigger projects. But this collection surprised me, mostly because it *commits*. Take the opening story: a blizzard traps a wedding planner and the groom’s cynical brother in a cabin, and instead of instant attraction, we get 20 minutes of delicious, prickly tension where both characters actively *dis*like each other. Wiley’s narration sells it; she gives the hero a gravelly, exhausted charm that makes his eventual thaw satisfying, not inevitable. Her voice work is consistently strong, though I’ll dock half a point for her male voices occasionally blending together in the ensemble casts. The standout for me was ‘The Christmas Clause,’ a second-chance romance where the leads’ history unfolds in fragmented memories during a 24-hour layover. The nonlinear structure could’ve felt gimmicky, but Wiley’s pacing—clipped during arguments, melting during flashbacks—makes it sing. My one critique? The middle two stories lean harder into trope (amnesia! secret babies!) and suffer for it; their conflicts feel manufactured next to the anthology’s sharper entries. Still, the production quality is flawless—no awkward edits or volume jumps—and the stronger tales (especially the closing piece, set in a struggling bookstore) linger like the scent of pine needles. If you’re craving holiday romance with teeth, this is your best bet. Just skip the eggnog while listening; these stories deserve something stronger.

Download: Under the Mistletoe: Six Contemporary Romance Novellas

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Under the Mistletoe: Six Contemporary Romance Novellas by Cindy Roland Anderson is an immersive listening experience. Performed by Elizabeth Wiley with a runtime of 9h15m, you can start with a free trial that you can cancel at any time. The audiobook remains yours forever, even if you end the trial.