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Jan 12, 2012

http://www.demonloversbooksandmore.com/2...

Violet Winterbottom had her heart shattered. Above and beyond broken. Like that scene from Sex and the City where Carrie was broken up with via Post It note. Yeah, that bad.

So Violet does something not too many heroines in Historicals do-She grows up. She gets over him. She moves away to Spindle Cove, and realizes that she doesn't need a man to be happy.

Then a dangerous, bloody, bedraggled stranger falls at her feet ( More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Nov 23, 2011

willaful rated it:

3.5 stars. A truly indomitable heroine is the highlight of this sweetly romantic novella. Violet Winterbottom is a determined wallflower, after a Disappointment broke her heart. But then a wounded, foreign stranger -- or is he? -- bursts into a ball and collapses at her feet, beginning an adventure that will test her mettle and bring her back to life. The story loses some of its edge after the mystery of the stranger's appearance is solved and the style is generally frothy, but Violet's streng More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Feb 02, 2012

Kati rated it:

***original review posted at Romancing Rakes***

***contains spoilers, read at your own risk***

You know, I've got stop taking peeks at some of these books I've been getting until I'm done reading older review books. But who am I to resist the temptation of a Tessa Dare story? Obviously, I keep coming back for more, like that poor girl, Violet Winterbottom. I don't know when to quit and I'm glad I didn't. My self restraint is as good as Lord Christian Pierce's, barely non-existe More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Nov 21, 2011

Among The Muses rated it:

Rated 4.5 on the blog.

Another fabulous edition to the Spindle Cove series!! Have no fear if you haven't read the first one yet; but, beware, you'll want to after reading this novella! The short Christmas theme story is a fabulous addition to this series!

Once Upon a Winter's Eve is a great introduction for those who have not yet read, A Night to Surrender (book #1), but want to get a taste for Tessa Dare's fantastic writing style, setting, and character dynamics. This nov More...

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Feb 08, 2012

Judy & Marianne from rated it:

Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/...

He speaks a language only she understands. She can be his greatest ally or his worst nightmare. They don't have much time but they plan to make the most of it.

Violet Winterbottom is a quiet young woman is recovering from a broken heart when she meets a mysterious man from a foreign country who distracts her from her memories of the man who left her abruptly after a passionate night together. The man who More...

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Dec 29, 2011

Ana rated it:

Some wallflowers bloom at night...

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, blee
More...

5 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 21, 2011

Alexa Loves Books rated it:

(I received this book as a gift.)

Oh Tessa Dare, you have a gift for telling stories. I have yet to finish reading my way through all of your novels, but I squeezed in this little novella recently and it has become my absolute favorite story from you as of the moment. I mean, combining a quiet wallflower with a special talent and a mysterious, injured stranger? That alone is intriguing enough a premise for any fan of historical romances.

And the story took my breath away. As More...

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Nov 19, 2011

Ruth rated it:

This was the first one of the Spindle Cove series that I've read, and although it was an OK read, I'm not sure I could take a full-length HR in this setting. Apparently, there's a whole load of women who've "escaped" to the middle-of-nowhere Cornwall to get away from men, but who then each find love - with a man. I don't know. this sounds slightly weird to me, and not particularly exciting. I've read a few books by Tessa Dare, and some I really, really liked, and others didn't real More...

6 comments like (5 people liked it)

Nov 18, 2011

Barbara rated it:

Violet Winterbottom left London for quiet little Spindle Cove following what she called, “The Disappointment” – a tryst with a man she'd known since childhood who didn’t return her feelings and was gone the following day. Despite her wish to stay hidden away with her friends, after this final Christmas ball in the Cove, her family is expecting her to return to London and find a suitable match.

The Christmas Ball is interrupted by a filthy, bloody man bursting into the ballroom and col More...

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Nov 16, 2011

Kelly rated it:

This is another one that was a perfect match for my reading mood when I picked it up. Don't you love it when that happens? Well, I do. I really, really enjoy Tessa Dare's writing style and her characters - especially poor Violet - jumped off the page. From the moment the stranger makes an appearance, she begins to blossom. Her sadness, the slow way she's managed to put her life back together, and her heartache over the past all made her an immensely likable character. Her suspicions over t More...

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Dec 12, 2011

Francesca the Fierce ~Eyelet Ecstasy~ rated it:

This review was posted at Under The Covers

I've been checking out this series for a while so when I saw this Christmas read for only $0.79 on Kindle I had to jump on it. I've never read this author either so it was the perfect sampler. Now I can't wait to read more.

This historical has some spunk. Violet is no wilting flower. She was in love with her neighbor, Christian, her whole life. Then one night he finally notices her and takes her virginity, only to leave town the ne More...

4 comments like (2 people liked it)

Nov 19, 2011

Jill rated it:

In a setting much like this one, almost a year ago. A man she'd adored for years had finally noticed her. Locked gazes with her across a crowded room, then carved his way through the throng to take her hand.

But in the end, he had proved to be a disappointment.

The Disappointment

Violet Winterbottom is clever, pretty but no beauty. She had loved her neighbour, Lord Christian Pierce, for years and finally he'd noticed her. But then with barely a word he'd left. We More...

5 comments like (4 people liked it)

Jan 29, 2012

Ann aka Iftcan rated it:

Ok, first things first--I will admit to a major weakness. I will read ANYTHING with a holiday theme--western, sci-fi, fantasy, romance, real life--anything. So keep that warning firmly in mind for this review.

This is an historical romance short story. Its set in Regency England, just about the time of the first defeat of Napoleon. Its set in a series that I haven't read any of, which I'm sure would have made things a little less confusing, since it seems like the author expected so More...

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Dec 15, 2011

Jennifer rated it:

Originally posted on my blog: http://feministfairytalereviews.blogspot...

Once Upon a Winter's Eve is a historical romance novella that is part of Tessa Dare's Spindle Cove series. Spindle Cove is a small seaside village along the English Channel that has become a haven for young ladies with "problems". These issues range from illness to impending spinsterhood to scandal. The village is a place for these ladies to have a peaceful existence without the demands of society More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 01, 2011

Jess the Romanceaholic rated it:

This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.com.

Expected Release Date: November 15, 2011
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Imprint: N/A
Author’s Website: http://tessadare.com/
My Source for This Book: Won in a Contest
Part of a Series: Yes, “A Spindle Cove Novella”/Spindle Cove 1.5
Series Best Read In Order: Works well as a standalone
Steam Level: Steamy

Despite my dislike for the hero (and my firm belief tha More...

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Dec 03, 2011

Gaby rated it:

Posted at Oh My Books!

I loved A Night to Surrender, so when I discovered there was a Christmas novella from the Spindle Cove series, I couldn't wait to read it.

It doesn't matter if you haven't read the first book, but of course you will enjoy it better if you do. This time it's the story of Violet Winterbottom. She's very quiet and reserved, and prefer to suffer her heartbreak alone...until the day a stranger comes looking for her at the Christmas ball.

He's h More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 07, 2012

Jennie rated it:

Originally posted at http://www.mycutebookshelf.com/2012/02/r...

I was expecting so much from this book. I had only seen good reviews for it, so I went into reading it expecting an amazing read. Sadly, I was completely disappointed. This book had all the elements that make a book unbearable to me. First of all, the pacing was extremely slow— molasses slow. I have seriously never read a book as slow as this one. I had to force myself to finish one chapter each night. They weren’t even t More...

14 comments like

Dec 27, 2011

Leslie rated it:

After reading and loving the first book in this series, when I read Tracy's review for this one, I knew I had to read this novella. We head back to Spindle Cove during which an uninvited guest crashes the officer's ball. He's certainly not dress for the ball and turns the village of Spindle Cove upside down with talk of spies and invasions.

Violet Winterbottom has been hiding out in Spindle Cove but her seclusion is about to end when she returns to her family and London society. The nig More...

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Dec 06, 2011

FictionVixen rated it:

Violet Winterbottom came to Spindlecove after she was abandoned by a man with whom she’d been in love with. He left her abruptly after she’d given herself to him. Now, she only refers to him as “The Disappointment.” Living at Spindle Cove she is considered a wallflower. One evening, during an officers ball, a beaten and bloodied stranger bursts in falls at her feet. Even more suspicious, the language he speaks is unknown but Violet is fluent in many languages and so she steps up as the interpret More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Nov 23, 2011

Anja rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

2 comments like

Nov 21, 2011

DiDi rated it:

3.5 STARS

This is the first book I have read by Tessa Dare. I REALLY like the premise of the Spindle Cove Series.

"Welcome to Spindle Cove, where the ladies with delicate constitutions come for the sea air, and men in their prime are... nowhere to be found. Or are they?

Spindle Cove is the destination of choice for certain types of well-bred young ladies: the painfully shy, young wives disenchanted with matrimony, and young girls too enchanted with the More...

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Nov 19, 2011

Sharyn rated it:

Very cute novella set in Spindle Cove. Loved this story. Wallflower Violet Winterbottom is used to be a girl who hangs out in the corner of ballrooms during parties. She is pining for her true love, Christian, who basically seduced her and then left her. When a bloody, wet man bursts into the ballroom, lunges for Violet and starts speaking a strange foreign language, no one knows what to think. But Violet, who is an expert in languages, gets the sneaking suspicion that this strange man is famili More...

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Feb 12, 2012

Taja rated it:

I thought it started out okay, even interesting, but then it went downhill. I just couldn't buy into the whole spy thing - the reason the hero took up spying, how he came to be at the Christmas ball, the escape, and so on. It felt all rather too contrived for my tastes, as seemed some of the characters' actions and the plot, especially later on. I found myself feeling irritated and slightly bored the more I read with nothing I really liked (though there's nothing "wrong" with the writi More...

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Nov 26, 2011

Suzie rated it:

I really did enjoy this book. It was suppose to be set in England during the early 1800's but I did not get the feel that it was set during that time. I guess since it was so short of a book that the author was more concerned with the characters and plot to worry about making sure the story felt/read like it was in the correct time period. It did not take away from anything in the story or the plot of the book. This was still a wonderful book and I enjoyed reading about Violet and Christian. More...

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Dec 28, 2011

Beverly rated it:

I didn't know what to expect. A little too busy re: number of characters, and I thought Violet was a bit too forgiving. Also - Winterbottom? Really? It just sounds like a joke. The hero (whose name escapes me, but he's got 2-3, so it's not really my fault) recovers from his injuries and is ready to party, so to speak, a little earlier than is realistic, IMO.

However, the chemistry between the too characters is fun, the lovemaking is nice and juicy, and it ends with a Happily for Now More...

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Nov 18, 2011

Janga rated it:

I knew I’d love this book from the moment I read the tagline: “Some wallflowers bloom at night...” and I did. I loved Violet’s intelligence, vulnerability, and courage. I loved her stranger in the night. And I loved seeing Bram and Susanna’s happiness continuing to grow. Spindle Cove has become one of my favorite fictional settings. My second visit there was a rare treat, and I look forward to returning with A Week to Be Wicked (March 27, 2012).

See full review at Just Janga:
http://justjanga.blogspot.com/2011/11/tu... More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 14, 2012

Stevie rated it:

I love bookish heroines in historical fiction, and historical heroines needing second chances, so I decided not to worry unduly about the premise for the series (which I assume was explained in the first book anyway). Violet is good at languages, and so when a man staggers into the ball speaking what turns out to be Breton, Violet is the obvious choice to translate the gist of his words. Of course she's also the first one to realise that there's a lot more going on with this captured enemy sailo More...

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Dec 11, 2011

Candice rated it:

Details at my blog

Violet's playing wallflower in the corner of a ballroom when a gorgeous Frenchman stumbles in and falls at her feet. At the height of the Napoleonic Wars, this is not a good thing. Even tied up and waiting for the soldiers stationed at the garrison, the man isn't harmless - he represents exactly the danger Violet left London to escape.

This is a 3.5 star book for me, rounded up because I love Tessa Dare and like the premise of the Spindle Cove books. For More...

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Dec 10, 2011

Anna rated it:

My first Tessa Dare read and I will be reading more for sure.

This was a great story about a girl who had been loved for an evening by her long-time crush, her next door neighbor. He disappeared the very next day after their tryst and she has not seen him for almost a year.

Then he shows up in Spindle Cove, at a ball, covered in mud and blood and babbling about being a French peasant.

How she comes to recognize and then reconcile with him is the fun of the sto More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 31, 2011

Judith rated it:

Such a good story--one that I really appreciated as a lover of historical romance. I have to be honest that I have not read the first book in this series but that is going to happen forthwith! Good characters and written so that the reader is touched with the feelings and thoughts of the characters. And it is all done in a fairly short format. Good authors can do that. Have read several Tessa Dare works and liked them all. This was no exception. Just a really fine holiday read!!

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