Blame It On The Mistletoe

Blame it on the Mistletoe by Joyce Magnin

Synopsis:

Is There Really a Fountain of Youth in Paradise?

Welcome back to Bright ‘s Pond, where strange happenings are afoot at the Greenbrier Nursing Home. Strange even for Bright ‘s Pond. The residents suddenly act like kids again riding trikes, climbing trees, and of all things falling in love. Some of the townsfolk blame it on the crooked new gazebo, or its builder, a quirky little man who quotes Don Quixote, collects water from the fountain at the Paradise trailer park, and disappears on a regular basis.

While Chief of Police Mildred Blessing investigates the mystery, Griselda and her friends deal with a luau Thanksgiving, preparations for the Christmas pageant, and maybe even an upcoming wedding. Only, in Bright ‘s Pond, nothing ever really goes as planned . . .

Thoughts:

Blame it on the Mistletoe is the fourth novel in Joyce Magnin’s Bright’s Pond series.  In the small town of Bright’s Pond, the characters are a bit quirky and the situations sometimes bizarre!

Residents of the local nursing home seem to have found a source of rejuvenation and are acting years younger than their age, leaving those in the community to wonder who or what is responsible.  With a mystery to solve, as well as an on-again, off-again love story, Blame it on the Mistletoe is full of surprises and lots of laughs!  I enjoyed this delightful visit to Bright’s Pond and wonder what these characters will come up with next!

I have not read the other books in the series, so this was my first introduction to Bright’s Pond.  While I didn’t really know the time setting of the novel or the history of the cast, I was able to read this book as a stand-alone novel.  However, I would assume that reading the first three books would certainly add to the enjoyment of Blame it on the Mistletoe.

Joyce has graciously answered a few of my questions.  Please read her delightful interview below! 

1.  Blame it on the Mistletoe is the fourth novel in the Bright’s Pond series.  What inspired this fun series?  Oh boy, that’s hard to pinpoint. I just love small town life and quirky characters. I guess it was the character of Agnes Sparrow that started it all. She arrived one day and said, “Write my story.” And I went from there. I love these characters and  I just follow them around and write down the things they say and do.      

2.  What can we expect next from the quirky characters of Bright’s Pond?  Well, my publisher isn’t doing any more Bright’s Pond books but I am hoping to continue the series with E-Books. I get requests for more all the time. I’d like to see Charlotte open her pie shop and Griselda and Zeb finally adopt Mercy and maybe some more romance and even a little intrigue as the characters grow.      

3.  This book is full of humorous and bizarre situations.  Have you ever found yourself in such a situation?  If so, please share.  MY life is a humorous and bizarre situation. HA! The truth is the church in Bright’s Pond is pretty much the church I grew up n. Very odd and quirky. MY father once built a cannon and set it off one fourth of July. It turned out okay, the police were understanding. My mother was the pie baker and we still talk about the cherry pie of 1982. It was incredible. Of course the year my father drop kicked the turkey through the living window was interesting. So yeah, lots of stuff.   

4.  What are some special traditions or celebrations you and your family enjoy during the holiday season?   I enjoy Christmas lights. Cuckoo for them. So stringing as many lights as possible is always a goal. And of course going out and driving around town to see other displays. They crack me up sometimes, especially when folks mingle the religious with the secular traditions. Frosty visits the Holy Family–those are my favorite.Of course in my home, someone always manages to sneak an elf or a giraffe into the creche. But that’s okay, everyone is welcome to see the baby Jesus.      

Thanks for asking. Merry Christmas to All. Peace!

Thank you, Joyce!  Merry Christmas!!

Joyce has also shared a fun character post written by Charlotte Figg!

It’s almost Christmas. I cannot imagine where the year has gone. But here we are facing the hustle and bustle of the season. Ha, I guess it’s more bustle than hustle for some, especially after eating all those Christmas goodies. And speaking of goodies I just got back from Shoops with Griselda and Rose Tattoo. We bought all the ingredients I need to make pie. Yep, pie. Lots and lots of pies.  

Don’t worry though, I know Zeb has the market cornered on lemon meringue what with his famous Full Moon Pie. But I’m planning on Apple, Dutch Apple, Pumpkin, Cherry, Mince and my brand new experimental Super Duper Chocolate Praline pie. That’s right, experimental.

Now I know, I know it’s not a good idea to experiment with recipes during the holidays and especially not good to serve something that has not been tried and found true. But I’m gonna give it a whirl. I just love pralines. Don’t you.  

And so does my dog, Lucky. That pooch will sneak them right off the counter, right out of the bowl if I’m not careful or keep them tucked up high or in the fridge. Ha! That’s the perils of pralines, I suppose.  

But I got to say that amidst all the hustle of shopping and decorating and wrapping – oh dear, the wrapping, I enjoy the day most when I’m wrist deep in flour or rolling out my extra special flaky crust. It might sound odd but it’s at those times when I find it easiest to remember the real reason for the season. That’s right, the birth of our savior, Jesus. Not that Jesus has a lot to do with crust mind you, it’s just that at those times the house is quiet, the Christmas carols are playing sweetly in the background and I can let my thoughts drift on account of I can make crust blind folded and with one arm tied behind my back. Anyhoo, with each roll of the rolling pin and each pinch on the crust I say a little prayer for well, two things, Peace, Peace on Earth for all humans, and that Jesus will make his return quickly. Don’t you agree?

Merry Christmas.

Love,

Charlotte

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Abingdon Press.  All thoughts expressed are my own and no monetary compensation was received.

Tags: Blame it on the Mistletoe, Christmas, Joyce Magnin