Once Upon a Winter’s Eve, by Tessa Dare
Forget brandy or egg nog, Tessa Dare’s holiday novella from Samhain, Once Upon a Winter’s Eve, is the perfect warm-up on a chilly evening. Readers are welcomed back to the charming hamlet of Spindle Cove — where “Mondays, we have country walks. Tuesdays, sea bathing. We spend Wednesdays in the garden. And on Thursdays… we shoot.” — for the story of Violet Winterbottom and the mysterious man who literally falls at her feet after festivities in the Summerfield grand hall.
Years after heartbreak nearly led to her ruination, Violet’s family is ready for her to come back home — and back to the Marriage Mart — but quiet, bookish Violet is still smarting from the actions of the man she’s ruled The Disappointment and not quite ready to leave the safe haven of Spindle Cove. All of that changes when the mystery man, assumed to be a spy by the Cove’s militia, comes into her life. Dare’s heroines are smart, free thinking and don’t balk at taking action. Violet embodies those qualities, and then some, as she and the party crasher connect. Sparks fly and soon kindle into flames more than capable of heating their blood.
Once Upon a Winter’s Eve is a fast-paced, quick read — so much so that the reader will likely be itching for more and feel constrained by the novella length. At the core, it’s a feel-good story about a woman coming into her own and grabbing what she wants with both hands. Dare’s prose is fun, laced with banter and light and life, and guaranteed to make you smile. Violet fled a Disappointment to come to Spindle Cove but, hopefully, readers visiting her story will experience anything but!
Once Upon a Winter’s Eve is available for download at e-tailers like the Samhain Publishing store, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
*Disclaimer: I was consulted about Bengali dialogue for this novella, but I had no idea what the story was about and was not privy to any of the text before publication.
