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Mistletoe and Mishigas

Contributors

By M. A, Wardell

Formats and Prices

Price

$17.99

Price

$23.99 CAD

This steamy romance follows two men with opposite personalities as they pretend to date during the holiday season—perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Anita Kelly.

Beauty and the Bear: Can these opposites fake their way into something real?


Sheldon Soleskin should be having a horrible day. Even though he’s been unexpectedly transferred to a new school right before the holidays, has only one day to set up his new classroom, and just discovered his twin sister’s been hiding an invitation to his ex-boyfriend’s Christmas Eve wedding, he’s still ready to take on the world with a smile on his face and a skip in his step.

Theo Berenson just wants to be left alone to his custodial duties. But when the chipper new first-grade teacher needs help moving furniture the Sunday after Thanksgiving, he’s forced to do something he detests. Help. To make matters worse, Theo’s overbearing parents are coming for Hanukah in a few weeks, and he’s told them he has a boyfriend. Except he doesn’t. Because who would want to date an oaf like Theo? Working together, these opposites discover they might be able to help each other out. Agreeing to be each other’s dates, they become friends as they practice for their upcoming events. But when all the rehearsing starts feeling a little too real, and both men’s pasts come roaring back to haunt them, will they be able to pull off the ultimate holiday masquerade?

Now with bonuses! A new epilogue and artwork of the characters. 

  • "M.A. Wardell's stories are sweetness and spice wrapped into a big, warm hug."
    Alice Oseman, bestselling author of Heartstopper
  • "A winning love story with just the right amounts of thoughtfulness and playful energy."
    Kirkus on Teacher of the Year
  • "A love letter to queer educators, Teacher of the Year is a warm hug-and spicy treat-of a novel!"
    Courtney Kae, author of In the Event of Love

On Sale
Sep 16, 2025
Page Count
320 pages
Publisher
Forever
ISBN-13
9781538774649

M. A, Wardell

About the Author

Writing as M.A. Wardell, LAMBDA Literary Award nominee Matt writes spicy queer rom-coms.​ His goal is to tell adult gay love stories with a diverse representation of flawed and damaged characters who find healing through love. Matt loves rom-coms and has always wished for better representation, so he’s writing the stories he wishes existed. The queer men in his stories are flawed and messy. Helping them find their HEA is Matt’s passion.

Learn more about this author