One Night Only

Regency in Color #2

by Elise Marion

Could one night ever be enough?
Thalia Ramsey has resigned herself to a quiet life running a respectable book shop in London’s West End. Nothing exciting ever happens in her world … until Stephen Dryden, His Grace the Duke of Westerfield, begins patronizing her establishment. Her girlish infatuation is completely ridiculous, and nothing will ever come of it. Yet, a heart’s hope is not so easily broken, especially when a chance encounter during a Vauxhall Gardens masquerade brings Thalia face-to-face with the duke. A night of passionate romance is more than she could have hoped for, but once the night is over, will there be a chance for more?

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical Fiction, Novella, Fiction, Cultural

120 pages, Paperback

Published February 12, 2022

About the author

Elise Marion is a lover books and has a special place in her heart for sweet and sensual romance. Writing about love across all walks of life is her passion, as is reaching people through the written word. The Army wife and stay-at-home mother of two spends most of her time taking care of her children. Her second job includes writing stories about characters that people can fall in love with. When the Texas native isn’t caring for her family or writing, you can usually find her with her nose in a book, singing loudly, or cooking up something new in the kitchen.

Reviews

[Fran · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 and a half stars

so there were good things and bad things but mostly good. I enjoyed the historical detail but I think if it were a full novel it would feel less like the romance was rushed. I know the author did try to make the characters have a history so it was less insta love but it did not quite get there. over all not a bad read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars rounded up
Aw this was a perfect escapist fantasy.
I quite enjoyed it.

[Mint · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so enthralled by this novella, I read it in one sitting!

For readers who are looking for romances with leads of colour and/or for an interracial romance, this would be an excellent choice for you. The male lead is descended from both British and Indian royalty while the female lead is Black. Both leads were lovely to read about and I quickly found myself rooting for both of them.

The amount of detail that Marion puts in the book is so appreciated. For example, there’s a couple of references to the Year Without a Summer. As someone who also loves learning about history, this was a really nice touch. There’s also a thoughtful detail about Thalia’s spectacles and how she deals with them at the masquerade.

If anything, I wish that this book was longer. I really liked the characters and thought they made a cute pair. I also would have loved to have seen certain scenes fleshed out in more depth.

To be fair, in a novella, it can be hard for an author to not make the relationship seem too insta-love. (This is still a problem in some full-length books!) Marion does a decent job of trying to address this.The Duke is a regular customer at Thalia’s bookshop so they already have a connection before the book meets. But I still feel like the relationship moved a little fast based on what we did see of their relationship in the novella.

Readers should note that this is a steamy romance.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[Space Cowgirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Man🐺🍆⛲ of Her Dreams🌈💘
ADULT Regency Romances 💕and Adventure

Thalia💃💋, A young woman of Color who owns a bookstore📚, becomes infatuated with Stephen, young Duke🐺🍆⛲ Westerfield, of half royal Indian descent. He finds excuses to visit the store📚 and talk to her.
They meet at Vauxhall Gardens🌺 for a masquerade🎭, and have a passionate one night affair. Could it lead to more.?

ARC Provided by Booksprout 🌱.
This ebook was $3.99 on Amazon 📚 at the time of this review. No KU.
Opinions expressed here are entirely my own fault!

This is a novella, a very quick read. It's an average story for the genre.

[Cathy Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a story set in 1817 in London. This is the story of the Duke of Westerfield,. His Grace Stephen Dryden and the young lady who is owner of a bookstore Thalia Ramsey. Thalia is a lovely black woman in the 1817 era and is not poor or destitute, but has been left the ownership of a bookstore that her father had been left by the owner when he died. When her father died he left the management of the bookstore to his oldest daughter, 21 year old. Thalia. Thalia has a sister they call Theo who is 18 and is a seamstress and has finished school. Her mother is still alive and all three live together. His Grace the Duke of Westerfield frequents her bookstore which is in the SoHo area of London. They have what you call a friendly relationship, with her and him exchanging pleasantries during his visits to the bookstore. This is their romance story. It was a good book about love and class and archaic ideas in the 1800's. It was a good read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Reader_for_LifeTLG · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a good short story. Thalia pines for Stephen but their love is taboo. She is a merchant (bookseller) and he is a duke. The very thought would make ladies swoon and gentlemen sputter. Not to mention that she's a Blackamoor and he's half Indian. So many obstacles because of societal mores, but the heart wants what it wants. One night of shared joy turns everything around, as he realizes what lies in his heart. Convincing her to trust his feelings is no mean fete, but love wins the day.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I was not disappointed. I can't wait to read more from her. I received an ARC for an honest review.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Gloria Pastorino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thalia has always been infatuated with the gorgeous Duke of Westerfield who visits her bookshop every Saturday, but it will take a magical night at Vauxhall Gardens to properly fall in love with him…
Elise Marion pens an intriguing novella with two interesting and passionate characters. I loved the interaction between them and the feelings that they were able to convey through the author’s gorgeous writing. I particularly enjoyed the magnificent descriptions of the pavilions, the walks and the attractions of Vauxhall, that made me wish I could have been there to see it all. Definitely worth reading.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in 1817 London, this classic romance has hints of a Cinderella/masked ball fairy tale. Thalia owns a book shop that the Duke of Westerfield visits veery Saturday. As someone below his social standing, she keeps her admiration of him to herself and is content to expand his horizons through literature. When Stephen is pressed to find a wife, he realizes there is one woman who peaks his interests above all others. Can he convince Thalia how serious he is about loving her? Short, likable characters, good plot, excellent world building through detailed descriptions, romantic with heat, passion and grand gestures. Very entertaining!!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kat Ryker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly do hate it when I forget to write a review.
My thanks to Elise Marion for mentioning this book in a Facebook group which made me remember what I'd forgotten.

I loved this book. I loved the cover, her hair is freaking gorgeous. I loved the story. I loved the characters. I loved the world building and the touch of Cinderella that can be seen.

Oh wait, there wasn't anything I didn't love about this book. Except maybe the fact that I forgot to review it.

Thalia is a wonderful woman in this book, I wouldn't be able to find anything negative to say about the way the author has written her. And the Duke of Westerfield, just hotness in a Dukedom.

Once again, Elise Marion proves she knows how to write an engrossing and entertaining story.

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen, Duke of Westerfield, has been frequenting Thalia's bookstore for years. When they run into each other at a Vauxhall masquerade, they agree to a night of passion. Given their different stations, can they ever have more together?

This is an adorable story. The writing is richly detailed and immersive, more than you might expect from a short novella. I love the characters and how sweet they are together.

This story was previously published as part of the Regency in Color box set.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Thanks, Booksprout, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Hawkeye K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute regency story of color. Thalia runs a family bookstore that is visited by Stephen the Duke of Westerfield. Its a boy meet girl, find reasons to visit girl and well you know how this will end. What made this different and got my attention while reading this was not only the female lead being black but the fact that the male lead is mixed raced. The time frame made this an interesting outside the box story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Linda Maidani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this short Regency romance with a twist. After her father died, she ran the bookstore and provided for her mother and younger sister. A Duke came in every Saturday and they always talked. Then she went to an event at Vauxhall and he was there. They agreed to one night only, even though he wanted more. Then he told her he wanted her forever, but she thought he wanted her for his mistress. There were complications, but the ending was great. He treated her like roy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bridget Love to read Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thalia is the owner of a bookstore and responsible for her mother and younger sister. She is very dutiful and serious and allows almost no fun on her life!
Stephen Alexander Warwick Conrad Dryden is the Duke of Westerfield has been coming to the bookstore every Saturday for years and these two know each other much better than they think!
Stephen invites Thalia to Vauxhall gardens for a magical evening full of love and possibilities! Thalia insists it’s only for 1 night!
Stephen is a Duke she is a commoner and a Black woman there is no possibility of a match!? Is there? When hearts are involved never say never! Bravo!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me tell you how this made me feel - fabulous, great, amazing, fantastic. This is a feel-good story that I hope makes you feel the same. For a short story, the characters are pretty well developed and gave me the sense of their longing and love for each other. You can’t go wrong with a bookstore owner and a generous Duke. I imagine these beautiful people living their lives to the fullest with love. Smiles everywhere.

I received a complimentary copy from Booksprout.

[Winnifred D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars rounded to 4. I actually already read this novella in the Regency in Color Collection 1 but didn't realize it until about halfway through. Anyway, this is a romantic story involving two characters with ethnic backgrounds that you don't often see explored in Regencies. I enjoyed the nuances of Indian culture that are presented. The H has a mother of East Indian decent, and the h is of African heritage. The plot is nothing new, with a Big Misunderstanding that occurs to pull the couple apart before their HEA. The H is a likable "cinnamon roll" type hero while the h is a bit of a hot-head. There is some steam (level 3) but language is tame.
I received a free copy of this novella via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick but so good!
I am amazed on how much the author was able to put into this very quick read. She was able to show the characters in a realistic light giving even the secondary characters a bit of background information. I really enjoyed the story the characters were so likable. I highly this charmer it was an awesome story. I did receive a free copy of this book from Booksprout and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short,sweet and spiced to perfection One Night Only is an alluringly well written historical romance whose theme of Regency in Color was a welcome change of pace for this reader.
The lead characters Thalia and Stephen were likable and the narrative was well paced for the books length delivering an engaging first class read!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thalia and Stephen are friends. She owns a bookshop he frequents. He invites her to the masked ball at Vauxhall. Thalia doesn't think she'll attend, but she does. Stephen runs into Thalia at the Vauxhall Ball. They spend the evening together, and Stephen knows Thalia is the girl for him. A few misunderstandings happen, but Stephen gets the girl in the end.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is One Night Enough ? . . .

Thalia Ramsey is a merchant, running a bookstore she owns in London’s West End. Then a handsome gentleman, Stephen Dryden, Duke of Westerfield, starts coming around to her bookstore.

Thalia knows this is an impossible dream, but when she and Stephen meet at a masquerade and have a night of passion together, will that be the end of the dream? Or could there ever be more between them?

[amirahlynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute cover but..

There’s no reason for this to be set in the 1800’s. These characters don’t talk like they’re from that century, they don’t behave like they’re from that century and the story felt disjointed. The dialogue tried to be from that era but towards the middle, the author gave up and used words we use today.

Example: “Mr. Cunningham’s design is the safest in England and he is experienced. I wouldn’t trust anyone else with your life.”

2.75 rounded

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the Regency in Color series a short well written story that held my interest until the end. Bookstore owner Miss Thalia Ramsey and His Grace Stephen Dryden, Duke of Westerfield's story, has a great storyline, the story flowed smoothly across the pages. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Christene Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uh.....

Unrealistic, but cute. At least he wanted to marry her instead of getting her pregnant. I am even surprised they allowed him to be a Duke, being he is a person of color. I was waiting to hear "go back to your country". This cute little story can take you away from reality, which is good in this day and age.

[Anita Snyder · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an ok read, similar to most regency romance even though the main characters are people of color. Thalia’s family owns and she runs a bookstore, Stephen (the duke) visits the bookstore often and develops a friendship that leads eventually to love. It was a quick read that I did enjoy.

[Manisha Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a sweet romance with Thalia as Cinderella and Stephen prince charming . This book is a page turner with a wonderful storyline . You won't regret reading this book .

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rachel]

I'm going to have to come back to this one. I should have gobbled it up considering it was about a Black woman during the Regency era. However, I couldn't really connect. The pace was slow even with this being a novella.

[Alisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining

I am enjoying the regency in color series. Nice to see a different type of regency romance where the heroine looks like me. Everyone lives a Duke, so this book did not disappoint.

[Kimyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book lovers and love

What's better than finding a person who loves books as much as you. Finding out that the person who you like, likes you back.
This is sweet story about 2 people from different backgrounds developing a friendship and maybe more.

[Tiffany Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful story!

This is my first book by Elise and I am happy to say that I loved every bit of it! I was in the mood for regency romance and I’m glad I came across this book. Will definitely be checking out more books by this author!

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content warnings: racism, classism

Extremely short and very sweet. Definitely spicier than I anticipated, given the length of it and the fact that it had to introduce the characters and the dynamic between them. But still charming.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has it's ups and downs, it was an enjoyable book to read and the characters were interesting.