If there is one thing Cambria Hebert does flawlessly, it’s giving us characters who burrow straight into our hearts and set up permanent residency — and MistleFoe is no exception. This charming, snowy, small-town MM holiday romance was exactly the cozy, feel-good escape I needed. Warm lights, meddling moms, gingerbread disasters, a town obsessed with Christmas, and a decade-long grudge? Yes, please. Wrap me up in Winterbury and never let me go.
Even though MistleFoe is a standalone, it delivers the full Cambria Hebert experience: lovable characters, hilarious chaos, and heart-squeezing sweetness all in one perfectly wrapped holiday package.
We follow Toby, a Boston vet who avoids Christmas at home like it’s a sport, all thanks to one legendary mistletoe incident that blew up his friendship — and maybe his heart — ten years ago. Enter Archer Hodge: grumpy tree-farm king, walking pine-scented temptation, and Toby’s sworn frenemy… who shows up on page one holding a dog so adorable I wanted to reach into the book and steal Marlowe myself.
From the second Toby and Archer collide again (literally) in the animal clinic, the tension is instant — the snappy banter, the flustered nerves, the lingering hurt, and that delicious spark beneath all the prickliness. Winterbury itself basically conspires to shove them together: holiday events, traditions, moms who KNOW, gingerbread “accidents,” and… well… a bit of mistletoe magic. You can fight a lot of things, but you cannot fight a determined small town in December.
What I adored most?
This isn’t just a cute holiday romance. It’s a story about two men who have loved each other far longer than they’ve admitted. It’s about miscommunication, timing, forgiveness, and finding your way back to someone even when you tried so hard not to look over your shoulder. Toby is an anxious, sweet, slightly clumsy cinnamon roll. Archer is the rough-around-the-edges grump who feels everything deeply but says very little. Together… swoon. Their chemistry practically glows like a strand of Christmas lights.
The whole book honestly reads like a Hallmark movie — but with better banter, more queer joy, and a side of bonus spice for those who want it. It’s soft, it’s tender, it’s snarky, and it’s filled with that signature Cambria humor (gingerbread will be harmed… consider yourself warned). And as someone who loves her MM romances the most? Cambria absolutely shines here. She gets the dynamic, the emotions, the vulnerability so right.
MistleFoe is light, fun, heartfelt, and absolutely perfect for kicking off holiday reading season — or for disappearing into a snow-covered small town when real life gets too loud. I genuinely enjoyed every minute.
And honestly? When it comes to MM romance, Cambria is simply the best.
Happy reading!
- Would I recommend this book: Yes.
- Would I re-read this book: Probably.
- Would I read future books by this author: 100%.
e-ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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Meet the Author
Cambria Hebert is a bestselling novelist of more than fifty titles. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.
Besides writing, Cambria loves a pumpkin spice latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching K drama until her eyes won’t stay open. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chihuahuas (the real bosses of the house).
Cambria has written in many genres, including new adult, sports romance, male/male romance, sci-fi, thriller, suspense, contemporary romance, and young adult. Many of her titles have been translated into foreign languages and have been the recipients of multiple awards.
Where to Find Cambria:
Mia Book Addict 
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