Common Sense Media Review
By Sage Moreaux
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sweet, clean, small town, winter-themed romance.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In MINT TO BE, Emma has always wanted to live in New York, and finally gets her chance when admitted to a prestigious boarding school. But confused by her growing feelings for her best friend Aiden, she leaves without saying goodbye. Aiden is furious, and his anger only grows when Emma returns to the charming small town of Briar Glen for winter break with a new boyfriend in tow. Aiden and Emma keep running into one another at town holiday events, and their confusion grows. Is their childhood friendship meant to stay in the past, or are they actually meant to be?
Is It Any Good?
Light, with lots of winter ambiance, this clean romance is just fine. Mint To Be is the second in a series of books set in Briar Glen, Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice being the first, a town reminiscent of Gilmore Girls' Stars Hollow. With ice skating, holiday lights, sledding, and plenty of hot chocolate, the book will get readers excited about winter. As a cutesy touch, the cover includes a scratch-and-sniff sticker with a minty smell. The story itself is fairly predictable, with Emma torn between her small-town childhood friend and her flashy big-city boyfriend, with flashbacks to Emma and Aiden's childhood adventures to round it out. While the plot and characters are unexceptional, the real draw is the descriptions of Briar Glen in winter. A fun, comforting read for anyone who enjoys small-town, winter romances with little mature content.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the courage Aiden shows at the end of Mint to Be. How hard do you think it was for him to sled down the same hill he was injured on? Do you have a similar experience?
This is a clean romance with very little physical affection described on the page. Why do you think some authors choose to write clean versus more graphic romance? Which do you and or your friends prefer? Why?
How do you feel about the town of Briar Glen being almost one of the characters? Do you read books like this for the ambiance, or the plot, or both?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Cooking , Friendship , Holidays ( Winter Break ) , School ( High School )
- Character Strengths : Courage
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Scholastic Inc.
- Publication date : October 7, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 304
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 22, 2025
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