Review: Mistletoe and Mr. Right (Moose Springs, AK #2)

Author: Sarah Morgenthaler

How the moose (almost) stole Christmas.

Lana Montgomery is everything the quirky small town of Moose Springs, Alaska can’t stand: a rich socialite with dreams of changing things for the better. But Lana’s determined to prove that she belongs…even if it means trading her stilettos for snow boots and tracking one of the town’s hairiest Christmas mysteries: the Santa Moose, an antlered Grinch hell-bent on destroying every bit of holiday cheer (and tinsel) it can sink its teeth into.

And really…how hard could it be?

The last few years have been tough on Rick Harding, and it’s not getting any easier now that his dream girl’s back in town. When Lana accidentally tranquilizes him instead of the Santa Moose, it’s clear she needs help, fast…and this could be his chance to finally catch her eye. It’s an all-out Christmas war, but if they can nab that darn moose before it destroys the town, Rick and Lana might finally find a place where they both belong…together. 

We return to small town Alaska in this novel set in Moose Springs! It felt like coming home as I’m a sucker for the Alaskan wilderness as it’s a magical place. Now add in Christmas-time and you’ve now gone into full fairy tale territory! This novel is a continuation of The Tourist Attraction and although it’s better to read the first one in order to understand all of the background and characters, it could be read as a standalone as there are sections where the background in recapped.  All the characters from the first novel, Graham, Zoey, Easton, Ashtyn, Lana, and Rick are all back and play their own roles in this story. This time the focus is on Lana and Rick’s story with the others in the background.

Lana Montgomery continues her quest to build the Moose Springs Luxury Condominiums while still facing resistance from the local residents. Although she spends tons of time in Moose Springs, she is still considered an outsider and does not feel like she truly belongs. Lana was a fantastic character and even though she was only a secondary character in the first novel, I actually liked her much better than Zoey (the main). I loved that she got her own story to take center-stage and shine as a main character.

She not only has to prove herself to the town of Moose Springs, but she also has to maintain her place in her family’s company, The Montgomery Group. Her optimism about everything working out and her big heart push her forward to make the town shine in the face of financial peril.  She has difficulty though balancing her disappointments with keeping a strong appearance and sometimes she questions her decision to continue to work in isolation. Also, her love of Moose Springs might not be able to sustain her wishes to continue to stay as her family’s business might have other wishes. Lana must not only prove herself worthy of her involvement with the town, but also to her family why this town is worth it.

Rick Harding is a shy bar owner of a pool hall, bar, and pizza place. His past relationship with Jen still consumes him as it makes him insecure with any future romantic endeavors. Although he wasn’t a huge fixture in the first novel, it was great to get to know his character in this one. He’s one of the few allies that Lana has in Moose Springs and has a huge crush on her that’s been around for a while. He begins to determine that maybe it’s time to act on his feelings and finally ask Lana out.  While they flirt with each other, both are shy to begin something when they not only live in two separate worlds, but are both fearful of being vulnerable. 

During a town hall meeting, it is announced that the Santa Moose is on the loose and destroying decorations again. Lana decides this is her moment to get the town on her side so she volunteers herself to catch the elusive creature. The story continues as Lana attempts to find the moose while working to try and save Moose Springs. She also navigates her newfound connection with Rick. The two of them don’t have that super tension that you usually find in contemporary romances and instead they have a comforting connection.

I love how these two characters come together after trying to convince themselves they were okay with their solitary existences. Lana found an ally in Rick and he, in turn, found comfort in her.  They had great chemistry where they had a great attraction for each other with substance added (it felt more meaningful compared to the typical pure sexual attraction to each other).  The two of them have a very heart-warming relationship filled with mutual respect for the other’s personality and want for the other to be happy .

I love these types of series as you continue the same world between each novel while focusing on different characters in each one. Overall, this series is great and definitely is picking up speed as I wasn’t a huge fan of the first (I liked it, but just didn’t love it), but this one was excellent. I have hopes that Enjoy the View featuring Easton will continue to exceed my expectations and be beyond amazing! Hopefully a future one will focus on Ashtyn and/or Killian as both of them were excellent in both novels and deserve to be featured in their own stories.  This author has continued to produce great stories and, again, I cannot wait to read the next one!