He’s an annoyance. She’s a puzzle. Together, they make sparks fly. Caroline Bingley ‘s greatest desire is to marry a wealthy gentleman with an estate. However, Pemberley and its master have been lost. While this is a most unfortunate turn of events, it’s not the worst of it, for Caroline’s brother insists that he will marry his most recent angel despite the lady’s ridiculous family.And Caroline? … the lady’s ridiculous family.
And Caroline? Well, she must return to Netherfield and perform the part of perfect hostess for her brother and the gentleman she has lost, as well as his sister and his annoyingly direct cousin.
Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam has always found Caroline Bingley attractive. However, by focusing on her sharp tongue, he has deftly managed to avoid any entanglement that might threaten his plan not to marry.
Until now.
Having been challenged to re-evaluate his opinion of Caroline, Richard has found himself unable to resist the puzzle she present
s.
While Richard attempts to understand and Caroline attempts not to offend, love works its magic causing hearts to become engaged. But is love’s enchantment powerful enough for a gentleman bent on remaining single and a lady equally as determined to marry only a man with an estate to come to an understanding? Or will love find itself rejected and shivering under the stars of a winter’s night?
One Winter’s Eve is the second book in Leenie Brown’s Darcy Family Holidays series. If you like well-written, sweet romance starring a flawed heroine in need of guidance and a determined hero bent on seeing her improve, then you’ll love this story where love rises above imperfections revealing itself as an instrument that is matchless in its ability to affect change and bring lasting joy.
So, put the kettle on, pick up your copy of One Winter’s Eve, and snuggle in for a sweet romantic read.
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Other books in this series:
- Two Days Before Christmas
- One Winter’s Eve
- A Scandal in Springtime
- Sketches and Secrets of Summer
Each story is a complete romance and can stand alone. However, reading the series in order will provide a more satisfying experience since details from earlier books may appear in later books.
One Winter’s Eve can also be found in Darcy Family Holidays, Volume 1 (Books 1-3).
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This book was a really fun sequel to Two Days Before Christmas: A Pride and Prejudice Novella (Darcy Family Holidays, #1). I loved seeing how Caroline changed and evolved during this book and her relationship with Richard was really fun to read about. This was a fun, quick, and cute holiday related Austenesque book and I would like to see more from this storyline in the future.
“Whatever he had found, it made him a better person. Maybe that’s what love was, finding the person who brings out the best in you and eliminates the worst.” Diana Holquist, Make Me a Match
I received this ARC [Advanced Reader Copy] from the author with no expectations of a review. Over the years I have read and reviewed nearly all of Brown’s work and it is my pleasure to add this book to my collection. The views expressed are my own
This novella is book two in the Darcy Family Holidays series. It follows ‘Two Days Before Christmas,’ which I have also read and posted reviews on Amazon and GoodReads. This story is written in such a way that it stands on its own without having the reader completely in the dark. In book one, we left our characters in London and, as suspected, book two returned them to Hertfordshire where Darcy/Elizabeth and Bingley/Jane prepare for their approaching marriage.
Being a novella, we have the condensed version of events and limited interactions with other characters, such as: some of the family Bennet, Mrs. Bennet and her nerves, Mary playing and expounding on some passage, the silliness of the two younger girls, Mr. Bennet lost in his bookroom, the wisdom of Jane, and the vulgar Sister Philips. However, that was not what this story was about. This story featured our dear Colonel and his opinion of Caroline Bingley.
We are told that our dear Colonel was presented with a quest by Elizabeth in book one… to look at Caroline with new eyes and to see the real person [paraphrased-my words]. Who was the real Caroline; what motivated her, what was she really like and what did she want out of life? The story revolved around the changes in character/personality/and behavior of our two main characters… our dear Colonel and Caroline Bingley.
“We cannot decide to love. We cannot compel another to love us. There’s no secret recipe, only love itself. And we are at its mercy—there’s nothing we can do.” Nina George, The Little Paris Bookshop
The Caroline/Colonel crossroads:
Our author presented a background with the Bingley family that made you wish you had known them. The parents were good honorable people and we saw, at their passing, the profound impact it had on the Bingley siblings. We have memories of Caroline with her parents, at school and her interactions with higher society. We listened as she discussed her goal of garnering an advantageous marriage that would elevate and distance her from the stench of ‘trade.’ And, we watched as she was finally forced to examine her actions with Darcy and Elizabeth.
I liked this Colonel. He struggled as much as Caroline as he made life altering decisions of his own. As a second son of an earl, he did not have the luxury of a title or fortune and thus had to make his way in the military. He did not want a wife while in service due to fears of returning maimed, or worse, leaving a widow with children. He also wanted a marriage of love and not just one of convenience due to needing her fortune.
Wickham: “No scoundrel is so stupid as to not find a reason for his vile conduct.” Shakti Gawain
Evil still raised its ugly head in the form of Wickham and it became necessary for him to be dealt with. Our dear Georgiana encountered him with dignity and a new strength of character. Our dear Colonel and Darcy quickly took evasive actions to curb his threats. That was interesting.
Over all, this was a delightful, clean and entertaining story. There was minimal angst as our couple struggled to make their HEA. I loved the characterization and devoured it in one sitting.