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Once Upon a Winter's Eve (Spindle Cove) [Kindle Edition]

Tessa Dare
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (101 customer reviews)

Digital List Price: $0.99 What's this?
Kindle Price: $0.99 includes free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet

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Book Description

Some wallflowers bloom at night...

A Spindle Cove Novella

Violet Winterbottom is a quiet girl. She speaks six languages, but seldom raises her voice. She endured bitter heartbreak in perfect silence. The gentlemen aren't beating down her door.

Until the night of the Spindle Cove Christmas ball, when a mysterious stranger crashes into the ballroom and collapses at Violet's feet. His coarse attire and near-criminal good looks would put any sensible young lady on her guard. He's wet, chilled, bleeding, and speaking in an unfamiliar tongue.

Only Violet understands him. And she knows he's not what he seems.

She has one night to draw forth the secrets of this dangerously handsome rogue. Is he a smuggler? A fugitive? An enemy spy? She needs answers by sunrise, but her captive would rather seduce than confess. To learn his secrets, Violet must reveal hers—and open herself to adventure, passion, and the unthinkable... Love.

Warning: The heroine packs a pistol, the hero curses in multiple languages, and together they steam up a cold winter’s night.



Product Details

  • File Size: 258 KB
  • Print Length: 96 pages
  • Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (November 15, 2011)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B0061SNX1I
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • X-Ray: Enabled
  • Lending: Enabled
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,924 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
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Customer Reviews

This is an enjoyable novella with fun characters and an interesting plot despite it's short length. Cindy DeGraaff  |  16 reviewers made a similar statement
I could not put it down till I finished reading it. Jenny  |  15 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars There's A Lot Going On November 27, 2011
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Although little happens in this novella it felt frantic. Too many characters are introduced, too many backgrounds given. For example, in order to give one character a gun Dare incudes background information on another character, the activities of the town they live in and the belief others have about that town. While that sounds like a boring read, I give Dare credit for forcing so much information into her tale without overpowering it. There are twins (one disabled), shop owners, a criminal father, an innkeeper, a doctor expecting a child, the list goes on. It seemed the main characters were a distraction rather than the reason for the tale. I don't know that I would read another book by the author, but for the price she delivers an entertaining short with a solid introduction to her series. Based on this, and the excerpt of another book included, I don't think it's for me. I would recommend this short to readers interested in Dare but not ready to purchase a full length book.
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31 of 35 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars Worth reading if you're a Tessa Dare fan. November 28, 2011
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I downloaded this because I'd read Dare's A Night to Surrender and this is the continuation of the Spindle Cove series, to be followed by the full-length novel A Week to Be Wicked, coming out in March 2012. Spindle Cove, as you may or may not know, is a refuge for women who are running from or trying to resolve certain issues in their lives. Susanna Finch, now Lady Rycliff (she found her Lord Rycliff in the first book), is more or less in charge of their empowerment lessons, with outdoor exercises such as hiking, sea bathing, archery, guns, and whatever else may be needed to give these women the opportunity to return to their former lives more confident and in full command of themselves. Few men live in Spindle Cove, except for the militia headed by Susanna's husband.

In this novella the heroine is Violet Winterbottom. It's December 1813 and an officers' ball is being held at Spindle Cove. Violet is somewhat lacking in self-confidence and prefers to be a wallflower. She is also nursing a heart broken in the past by her handsome next-door neighbor (aka The Disappointment) who loved her and left her. The ball is disturbed by the abrupt entrance of a wounded, wet, muddy man speaking a language no one understands. Violet, being versed in many languages, is asked to find out what's going on, especially since the military men at the ball are suspicious that this guy may be a spy.

There you are. The rest is to read. I'm reluctant to say this, but I did not find the experience enjoyable. Too much goes on, the characters aren't well developed and the plot is almost a farce, but I do not believe that that was the intention. Violet's character is inconsistent. The timid wallflower develops quite the fierce independent streak in such a short time. We're supposed to think it's personal growth but the change is too radical to happen in just a few hours. And the wounded hero here has nothing heroic about him. He's pretty much ineffectual at everything except sex. I didn't see him do one useful thing in the whole novella.

The story itself is overly busy, disjointed and a bit silly. For me, Tessa Dare's writing is not improving. I enjoyed her first trilogy released a couple years ago but nothing since then has impressed me as being an improvement on her debut work.
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars A Decent Winter Night's Read November 27, 2011
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This novella started off with an interesting premise, with a mysterious man crashing a ball where our heroine Violet is busy wallflowering. I enjoyed the mystery and the heroine's particular talent with languages. I will say that I felt the story sagged about two thirds of the way through, but for the price it was a nice, easy read.

This was my first time reading Tessa Dare, and I will probably be giving one of her full-length novels a chance soon.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars I want to move to Spindle Cove
This is a fun, sexy little novella. I want to move to Spindle Cove, where you find strong, amazing women and hot guys! Read more
Published 3 days ago by Lady Wesley
3.0 out of 5 stars just ok
This book was just OK. I've read better. It didn't really give a chance to learn about the characters. It seemed rushed in some areas and dragged along in others.
Published 13 days ago by Tahj
3.0 out of 5 stars Cute Short Read
Short Novella.. Wish it could have been a little longer good storyline that could have a lot more potential. Love the main characters and hope to see another book about them.
Published 15 days ago by M. Bowen
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Novella I have ever read!
The novella comes with quite a punch! What beautifully romantic story! Love the way the 2 main characters are portrayed....Tessa Dare does a fantastic job with this one.
Published 19 days ago by Dellme
3.0 out of 5 stars Simple plot
Although it was still a good story overall. It's well written, and a sweet story. I would read this author again.
Published 26 days ago by mindy
3.0 out of 5 stars good romance for a regency
it started out with her thinking he looked like christian but wasnt sure, he was her disappointment she holds him a gunpoint so he will tell her what she wants to know and then... Read more
Published 28 days ago by Paula
5.0 out of 5 stars Once Upon a Winter's Eve
The plot definitely kept you on your toes but the reading was not nearly long enough. I would still recommend this author for future reads.
Published 1 month ago by Vicky/
3.0 out of 5 stars "And he'll cross the room to you, and ask you to dance, and fall madly...
Plot:
Sent to Spindle Cove to recover from The Disappointment, Violet is moving happily forward until He collapses at her feet and changes everything. Read more
Published 1 month ago by cathyr
4.0 out of 5 stars Well worth the $.87!
This book contains everything I adore about Tessa Dare: characters who are likable and root-worthy yet never dully, flatly perfect; a bright, quietly strong heroine with an... Read more
Published 1 month ago by CHB74
5.0 out of 5 stars So this is love
I loved the story every girl's dream with a bit of a twist. The characters were great especially the hero and the heroine it was short an sweet an unexpectedly funny in places an... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Angel
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More About the Author

Tessa Dare is a part-time librarian, full-time mommy and swing-shift author of historical romance. She makes her home in Southern California, where she shares a cozy, cluttered bungalow with her husband, their two children and a big brown dog.

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