when first love goes downhill

It was just another Friday afternoon when Aiden’s life turned upside down. He was at his favorite coffee place, Cup o’ Joe, with his usual order, peppermint hot chocolate, waiting for his best friend Emma the way he did every Friday afternoon. He had decided that today was the day. He was finally going to tell her how he felt about her.

But when she finally blew in twenty minutes late, she couldn’t help but share her own big news. She had been accepted to Easton Academy, a prestigious high school in Manhattan. It was a boarding school, so she’d be moving out of the sleepy town of Briar Glen, where they had grown up together. Emma couldn’t stop talking about how excited she was. She couldn’t wait to live in New York City, with everything it has to offer her, and while they’re only sophomores, this would help her get into that good college she had her eye on. Now that her older sister is going to law school, it’s even more important to Emma to do well in school.

Aiden can’t process this new information quickly enough to share what’s on his mind. And then suddenly, Emma was gone from his life. She left for a summer session at Easton before she had a chance to tell Aiden that she was leaving, and he had to go months without seeing her. There were texts and emails, but he never told her the truth.

Now it’s Christmas break, and Emma is coming back to Briar Glen for the first time since she left. But she’s not alone. She’s bringing her boyfriend Sam home for a few days, so he can meet her family before he heads off to his family for their yearly Christmas ski trip. Emma doesn’t know where things stand with Aiden, and she doesn’t know how he’ll react to her having a boyfriend. But she can’t wait to get back to Briar Glen, back home, for the holidays.

As Emma tries to throw herself back into her usual Christmas activities, like decorating cookies and looking at the town’s lights (put up by Aiden’s family), and getting peppermint hot chocolate from Cup o’ Joe, she finds herself worrying about what her best friend will think of her boyfriend. And worrying about what her boyfriend will think of her best friend. And trying to figure out what she thinks about all of it. Because even though she’s home for Christmas, something doesn’t feel quite right with her. And Emma finds herself needing to choose between peppermint mochas with Sam or peppermint hot chocolates with Aiden.

Mint to Be is a sweet holiday romance that brings the big city/small home town debate to high school. With all the warmth of a Hallmark holiday movie, this YA novel brings on the ice skating, holiday parties, Christmas cookies, and sledding that Christmas books need. And there’s a touch of romance besides. I truly enjoyed this nice-not-naughty holiday romance filled with charm, hot drinks, and a scene-stealing dog.

Egalleys for Mint to Be were provided by Scholastic through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.