Mistletoe and Mayhem by Catherine Ferguson

Lola Plumpton can’t believe her luck.

Christmas is coming and her gorgeous boyfriend, Nathan has offered up his swanky apartment to host the Plumpton family’s festive celebrations. It looks set to be a Christmas to remember. And it is – but for all the wrong reasons.

As the 25th December draws closer, Lola unexpectedly finds herself missing some key components:

1. A job (but who needs one of those anyway, when you’ve got the ultimate family Christmas to prepare for?)
2. Money (no job equals no money, it turns out.)
3. A boyfriend (yup, Nathan the hunk has said adios to Lola – and in the *most* embarrassing way possible…)
4. Somewhere to host her fabulous family Christmas (because of course, no Nathan means no des res apartment.)

Lola’s at a loss about what to do. But one way or another, she’s going to make this the happiest Christmas her family’s ever had…

A wonderfully festive read that I couldn’t put down when I picked it up.  I was looking forward to this after reading Humbugs & Heartstrings and it didn’t disappoint.  I started reading this after Christmas as I just didn’t get round to it and it brightened up my January and kept the Christmas spirit going that little bit longer.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I loved reading about Lola and all her ups and downs at Christmas.  It was nice to read a story that while been uplifting also helped to bring in some reality.  For example people do lose their jobs and especially in this day close to Christmas it was good to read about things that were easily relatable in real life, whilst also been a wonderful escape at the same time.

I loved getting to know Lola and liked the full range of characters the one you hate, the one you root for and the fact that you aren’t sure really who you want to win.  (well I didn’t until closer to the end lol)

The end of the story was a lovely way to finish and made me wish Christmas was coming round again.  I am already looking forward to next Christmas if for nothing else to read Catherine’s next book!  Her books are becoming a festive favourite of mine and I would highly recommend them to anyone.

Catherine Ferguson burst onto the writing scene at the age of nine, anonymously penning a weekly magazine for her five-year-old brother (mysteriously titled the 'Willy' comic) and fooling him completely by posting it through the letterbox every Thursday.

Catherine's continuing love of writing saw her study English at Dundee University and spend her twenties writing for various teenage magazines including Jackie and Blue Jeans and meeting pop stars. Then she got serious and worked as a sub-editor at the Dundee Courier and the Aberdeen Evening News before moving to Surrey and setting up her own business, Surrey Organics, delivering fresh organic fruit and veg to people's homes. 

Catherine's first novel, HUMBUGS AND HEARTSTRINGS, is very loosely based on Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL and is a clever, modern tale about the price of friendship, the cost of enmity, and the value of love. It was the launch title for Avon's brand new imprint, Maze, and was published in October 2014.

Her second book, GREEN BEANS & SUMMER DREAMS, was inspired by her experiences running the veg box business.

MISTLETOE & MAYHEM is published in October 2015.

Catherine lives with her family in Northumberland.