Hi friends!
We have a lovely surprise for you – a new book announcement and cover reveal from none other than ABIGAIL REYNOLDS!!! 🎉🙌🏼🎉
Yes…you heard that correctly! 👏🏼
Abigail has a secret she has been keeping from us… 🤫
But today she is finally sharing it with us all! 🤗
Surprise! Today is a double unveiling – both of a book and the cover! You get to be the first to now I have a new Christmas novella coming out. I haven’t told anyone about it yet. Yes, it’s rather out of my wheelhouse, being both holiday-themed and short.
I hadn’t planned to write it, you see, not when I’m neck-deep in finishing Triumph at Pemberley, the conclusion to my fantasy JAFF series. But last winter Cristy Hulsz asked me for a Christmas short story for an anthology to support Jane Austen’s House. It’s an important cause, so I said I’d try. Short stories really aren’t my strength – my shortest work is over 13,000 words, making it technically a novelette.
Still, I managed to come up with a simple plot bunny and gave it a shot. It was a fun little project, at least until I looked at my word count. Cristy’s limit was 5000 words, and I was already at 14K with a good bit to go. Yikes! This is why I don’t write short stories – my muse keeps complicating things! I peeled off the first few scenes, put an ending on it, and called it a short story. It will be in Christmas Celebrations 2025, releasing in December.
I thought I was done, but my muse kept bugging me about the loose ends I’d left and the ending I hadn’t written. Finally I realized I could make it into a novella without much work, and it would be a nice break from writing a long, complex tale where I have to keep multiple plotlines straight. Besides, my readers haven’t seen anything from me apart from the Fitzwilliam Darcy, Mage series in 4 years, and you deserve something new!
So Under the Netherfield Mistletoe will be coming out on Nov. 17, and it’s available for pre-order now! It’s a shorter novella, about 20K words, full of romance, longing, and the holiday spirit.
~ Book Description ~
When Elizabeth Bennet stumbles upon a rare clump of mistletoe at Netherfield, she knows exactly how to use it…
Not for herself, of course. She has no interest in romance. Instead, she hopes her discovery will lift her sister Jane’s spirits after her recent heartbreak. Everyone says that mistletoe grown at Netherfield was special. That’s why so many matches were always announced after Christmas balls at Netherfield. But Elizabeth’s plans take an unexpected turn when a sad, mysterious young lady catches her in the act of plucking a sprig of mistletoe. Her simple wish to bring joy to both her sister and the stranger puts her in the path of the brooding Mr. Darcy once more.
Darcy has struggled to stay away from Elizabeth, but her liveliness and wit have haunted his dreams. Now, as he discovers her deep kindness and generosity to his sister, it is even harder to resist her. Between the festive season and a Twelfth Night celebration in London, secrets unravel, and true priorities emerge. Will a kiss under the legendary Netherfield mistletoe kindle a connection between them, or will pride and misunderstanding yet again stand in their way?
Celebrate the Christmas season with Darcy and Elizabeth in a sparkling holiday journey of unexpected romance and heartfelt revelations!
And without further ado….here is the big reveal!!!
(expected release date: November 17th)
Glowy, warm, and festive – it is enchanting – I love the subtle nod to the. holidays. 🎄
Swoon…this almost kiss pose…the hand placements….his leaning in… 😍
I love the idea of Elizabeth being the instigator for bringing some mistletoe into the festivities. 🥳
All I know is this is one holiday party I really want to be invited to! 😄
What do you think, friends? 🤔
~ GIVEAWAY TIME!!! ~
But what would an unveiling be without a giveaway?
Today Abigail is giving 3️⃣ winners a pre-release ARC e-book of Under the Netherfield Mistletoe + a copy of A Matter of Honor, her other book in which the holidays play a role.
To enter the giveaway, please leave Abigail a comment.
Bonus entry for sharing your favorite holiday tradition. (doesn’t have to be Christmas)
- This giveaway is open worldwide. Thank you, Abigail!
- This giveaway end November 3rd.
Oh fun! And I would love to read the Mistletoe book as I already have A Matter of Honor! Best Wishes!
Thanks, Jen!
Oooooo yay, how exciting!!! Definitely looking forward to this Holiday delight. Speaking of holidays, Meredith your Austenesque Jolobokoflod is definitely one of my favorite Holiday traditions!!!
I love the idea of book sharing for the holidays!
I love it. I was giggling over Abigail’s dilemma of keeping a short word count. Fun for us in the extra words comes a new Christmas story. 🙂 Love the cover, too.
Thanks, Sophia! I just fail at shorts. My two pieces that I call short stories are over 13K, which technically makes them novelettes. 🙂
For a surprise, this is a big one! I can’t believe you kept this a secret, Abigail! I have to have it, like, NOW!
Can’t wait to have my mittens on it – and a lovely idea to include A Matter of Honor, a big favourite of mine!
I didn’t actually decide to publish it until about 3 weeks ago! It was sitting there in my unfinished file, and then I thought, why not?
This sounds great! I already have A Matter of Honor, but I’d love a chance to win Under the Netherfield Mistletoe. My favorite holiday tradition is nothing too unusual – it’s trimming the tree with my kids, who, even though they are all now adults, still participate.
I love trimming the tree, too!
How exciting! congratulations!!
So glad to hear you are hard at work on Triumph at Pemberley 😉
Yup, working hard in the word mines for Triumph! I’m working on the big missing piece – what happens when Frederica goes to Wales. 🙂
Woohoo!!
Sheila L. Majczan here. As I am now a grandmother, my favorite tradition is having my children now host the holidays…Each child (three) does one. Thanks for a chance to win a these stories. Good luck with the release.
I am NOT enemytoofb88abcdf2 and I can’t seem to get Meredith’s attention to correct this. Don’t know how it came to be as I have been a regular on this site for a number of years under my correct name.
Sharing the hosting sounds like a great option!
My favorite holiday tradition is to see descendant of Charles Dickens perform a Christmas Carol ! *unfortunately this is his final year doing this
A descendant of Charles Dickens? That’s so cool!
I love this cover…so warm and romantic and very racy really. And nothing helps celebrate the Christmas season than mistletoe magic. Thanks Abigail! Congrats!
I love mistletoe stories! And they’re true to the Regency period, unlike many of our modern traditions. And kisses!
I’ll read anything Abigail Reynolds writes! Thanks for this wonderful surprise on a Monday morning.
Aww, that’s so nice to hear! Thanks!
Wonderful news! I will be eagerly waiting to read it as yes, it’s been a while since I read a new Abigail Reynolds book, other than the third one from the Mage series.
Absolutely wonderful author.
Keep them coming!
Thank you so much! I do hope to have more books after I finish the Mage series. I have an almost complete long novella I wrote back in 2020 that I’d like to get out, too.
You’re covers are always so beautiful. A great match for the stories inside!
Thank you! I think this one’s a pretty good representation. 🙂
Amazing!! I want to win a copy!! Congratulations, Abigail, on what seems to be a sweet story with a lovely cover!
It’s definitely sweet – an old-fashioned JAFF with no big character changes or dramatic events, just JA’s characters in JA’s world finding an earlier resolution. 🙂
Looks like a delightful read. Looking forward to it!! Thanks for the chance to win…
Thanks, Amy! I hope it’s delightful. 🙂
Oooh! This sounds like a perfect Christmas story! I love Elizabeth befriending Georgiana so hopefully her reward will be a kiss under the mistletoe with Darcy???
I like the way you think, Glynis!
I love a Christmas JAFF story. I love the story premise. I look forward to it.
Thanks! I hope you’ll enjoy it.
How exciting! Beautiful cover, too! Thanks for the chance to win a copy!
Thanks! Glad you like the cover, too!
A great cover, plus the chance to win not one but two Abigail Reynolds books. Yeah!
Thanks! Glad you like the cover, too.
I love her books! A festive one, yay!
Thanks! So nice to hear.
Wow Exciting announcement. Love a good Christmas tale. Would love to win a copy.
Thanks, and good luck!
IMO, Abigail Reynolds is near the top of the A-List of JAFF writers–always well written, interesting stories. Since I already own A Matter of Honor, you may want to eliminate me from the contest though I will most certainly look forward to reading Under the Netherfield mistletoe. Holiday traditions? My three children are adults with spouses who generally go to their in-laws for Christmas. We do have a rather festive party though in the beginning of November when my daughter and I travel to another state to visit with my other “kids” and watch a particular football game. It is something all of us happily anticipate! Congrats on publishing another novel in the midst of the difficulties you have faced this year.
Thank you, Jeanette! I hope you enjoy Under the Netherfield Mistletoe just as much as my other books. I love how you’ve found a to celebrate with your kids at a different time!
Oh! How wonderful! I look forward to reading both books! Congratulations on your newest publications!
Thank you!
Oh what fabulous news! Happy days to have another new Abigail Reynolds. U Christmas traditions…. So many but one is to buy a new decoration each year for the tree, and another is Christmas Eve Reading – cost PJs and Hot chocolate whole we read a new book…. Think I’ve found mine…
Now I want hot chocolate! Sounds like a great way to celebrate.
I look forward to reading the new Christmas novella. My favorite holiday practice is having a few friends over to celebrate New Years day, with roasted goose and all the fixings. It starts the New Year with fiends, love and food.
Gorgeous cover and I love holiday stories!! Looking forward to Under the Netherfield Mistletoe! And A Matter of Honor is a great story!
Finally, a new book from Abigail! I didn’t realize that it’s been 4 years since you started the Mage books. I haven’t ready any of them, because I want to do it all together. So “Under the Netherfield Mistletoe” will be a nice “consolation” as I wait.
Favorite holiday tradition? That’s a tough one. But we’ve started an eggnog taste-testing to determine the “best” one.
An intriguing concept, which sounds like a little “holiday magic” may have worked itself into it. Haven’t yet read either book, but I certainly would like to!
Oh wow! Super-dooper excited about this. Congratulations on the release.
What a wonderful surprise! I’m looking forward to reading “Under the Netherfield Mistletoe!” My favorite holiday tradition is cookie decorating with the kiddos.
I love holiday-themed stories and this one sounds wonderful. Thanks for the giveaway!
Looking forward to ushering in the Christmas season with this! My favorite holiday tradition is my family all attending Midnight Mass together.
I love JAFF Christmas stories with Mistletoe included. Looking forward to the release. The cover is lovely.
What a wonderful surprise to see this reveal today! Holiday based JAFF’s are always a joy to read and look forward to reading! Favorite traditions is decorating the house with music playing.
What exciting news! I love seasonal reading, but Christmas is one of the times when I fail in this, as it is always such a busy time. Maybe a novelette is the answer 🙂
What a great surprise! Looking forward to reading this. My favorite holiday tradition is baking cookies with my mom for Christmas.
I’m looking forward to reading your new book, since I’ve been enjoying your stories for years and years.
And now that I’m much older, I prefer the shorter books I can easily read in a day.
Thank you once again.
Thanks! Looking forward to reading over the holidays.
I am so looking forward to reading something new from Abigail! I have the older book but would love a copy of then new one.
Any book by Abigail Reynolds is a hit for me and a Christmas novella sounds perfect. Mistletoe even in Regency times can lure the prim and proper.
A tradition that I have continued: a tree ornament for each grandchild so they will have memories when they hang them on their own tree.
Looks like such fun!