| Title | : | Once Upon a Duke (12 Dukes of Christmas, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 212 |
| Publication | : | First published October 9, 2018 |
Noelle Pratchett is immune to charming rakehells like the arrogant duke. He stole her heart, stole her first kiss, and then stole away one night never to return. Now he's back—and so are all the old feelings. Noelle knows he won't stay. But how can she maintain her icy shields when every heated glance melts her to her core?
Once Upon a Duke (12 Dukes of Christmas, #1) Reviews
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Once Upon a Duke by Erika Ridley
12 Dukes of Christmas book 1. Historical romance with references to characters from historical Christmas characters. Second chance troupe.
Benjamin returns to his ancestral home for the reading of his Grandfather’s will. He only wants a locket but ends up staying to comply with the terms of the will. Noelle, as bookkeeper helps Ben while also trying to convince him that Christmas in Cressmouth is a wonderful place to live.
It’s a holiday story with references to Christmas characters that Noelle loves and Ben just wants to runaway from. As Ben and Noelle work together, their attraction reignites but Ben is adamant about going back to Parliament. He’s still hurt by the past and also knows that Noelle will never be accepted in society because of her abandoned orphan status.
A sweet holiday romance that all comes together in the epilogue.
🎧 I listened to an audiobook version that was narrated by Rosie Ackerman. The performance was rich with humor and joy of the holiday season. Male and female voices were distinct and clear. I found the most conversational speed to be 1.3.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio. I also purchased a copy to keep. -
SHORT AND SWEET
Historical romance is one of my favourite genres and I love Christmas, so this seemed like the perfect book! It was short and sweet, had a decent romance and some interesting characters. I thought that the overall plotline was a bit weak and lacked surprises, but I will still be continuing that series to see where it goes. -
Meh. I can't believe I am saying this but there is a thing like too many Dukes.
Meh, did not feel the chemistry between them
i HATED the townsfolk. Damn jolly bastards. His grandfather was a d*ck to his grandson and everyone loved the granddad cos, arghh, stupid xmas town
It was just too much -
Once Upon a Duke by Erica Ridley is a darling, historical, holiday-themed romance that is perfect to add to your TBR shelf!
This book is just a sweet delight. I was seeking something fast, light-hearted, comedic, romantic and simple and this book fit the bill.
Benjamin, the Duke of Silkridge has returned to his old town when his Grandfather died for the will reading. He stumbles upon his first crush and lost love, Noelle, who worked for his Grandfather. The feelings are very much mutual for Noelle as well. Ben, our resident Scrooge, must complete a Christmas-themed task to be able to get what his Grandfather left him in the will, but it brings him closer to Noelle in the process... Sparks fly and drama ensues, all in a town called Christmas and during the holiday season.
This is one of those books you curl up under a good blanket with some hot tea and just sink into it. Relaxation and simplicity works super well for titles like these, and I mean that in a good way. It's fun and lovely, exactly what a romance and historical romance reader loves! It's also PG, so it's a lovely book to get started into the historical romance genre.
I am definitely going to continue with this series if I can find it. I'd like to see all 12 of the Dukes find love since this series is just so lovely! Good job Erica Ridley, you've crafted a historical romance masterpiece.
Four out of five stars.
I found this book via Bookbub! -
My favorite Erica Ridley yet! This was a Christmas book that combines a lesson of Christmas spirit to be learned with a second chance romance - two of my favorite things!
In a world where nothing lasted, it was better not to try, not to be disappointed, not the get hurt.
Benjamin Ward, Duke of Silkridge, has every reason to hate Christmas. The season is associated with tragedy and the worst of memories, and now he is forced to return to his grandfather's Christmas village (no kidding, the man invested his fortune in a village where it could be Christmas all year around…) to reclaim a piece of family history his grandfather had stolen and kept from him while he was alive. He is not prepared for his feelings for his childhood friend, Noelle, to not only rekindle, but discover that they had never gone away. He is not amused when he discovers that his grandfather's will comes with even more manipulation and forces him to stay away from his duties and responsibilities to fulfil a ludicrous scheme.
Noelle has most definitely not been pining all those years after her first crush. She has learned to make herself useful, carved out a space for herself in a world dominated by men where her talent for organization comes in handy, even if it goes completely unnoticed. When Ben comes back and not only sees what she has accomplished, but her, too. she is not willing to open herself up again to the hurt of being left behind. And she knows he has to go back to London, where he is needed. But that doesn't stop her from wanting…
I really enjoyed this story! Both leads where just the nicest people, and it was rewarding to see them get reacquainted, to discover their feelings had only been pushed aside, but never forgotten. I also really really loved that this Scrooge didn't do a full one-eighty and was miraculously cured. His hurt runs too deep for that, but by the end, he realizes that some things need to be let go and it's time to make new memories, and for me, that makes the story incredibly moving.
If you're looking for a good, satisfying Christmas story complete with a grumpy Duke and a sweet, lovely heroine to remind him of what home and Christmas are all about, give this one a try!
*I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review* -
I unintentionally read this book out of order it is numbered in the series. I started with the second book, which I enjoyed the most, followed by the third book, as it was a close continuation of the second one, then read this one. Of the three, I enjoyed this the least. It isn't bad, but in comparison I didn't like it as much. Maybe I read too many of these in a row. I guess I need to space my romance books out more.
The romance was sweet and a tad spicy, as the others were as well. This one also had no women competing for the man, so bonus as far as I am concerned. I like the continuity of everything taking place in the same village in England. Very homey.
Nothing overly fantastic, but also nothing horrific. I enjoyed seeing a different side to the founder of the Christmas in the village. The characters have personalities and foibles. I look forward to reading the next book in the series! 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 stars, because it was comfortable.
My thanks to NetGalley and WebMotion for an eARC copy of this book to read and review. -
If you're looking for a quick historical holiday romance with a Scrooge-y hero and a competent heroine, you might try Once Upon a Duke. A Duke who hates Christmas must return to a small town full of holiday cheer to complete the terms of his grandfather's will. A town where the woman he loved and left still resides, having worked for his deceased grandfather as a bookkeeper and advisor. And of course being thrown together reawakens that flame!
This was cute if fairly predictable in terms of plot and characterization. I would have liked a bit more from their relationship with each other but this does the job if you want a quick, festive romance! And the premise of this Christmasy town is a fun one, so I might be interested in reading later books in the series. I have to say I don't love the audio narrator for this one. She did okay, but I found her voice to be irritatingly high and nasal-y at times. That said, I want to try something else from this author to see how I get on. I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. -
A Scrooge-like Duke is no match for the spirit of the townsfolk of “Cressmouth,” or is that “Christmas?” Cozy up with Erica Ridley’s ONCE UPON A DUKE and ring in the Christmas (or is that Cressmouth) spirit as one dour duke returns to the home where he only knew pain in order to fulfill his late grandfather’s last wishes.
All Benjamin wants is to retrieve the last item he has to remember his mother and father, but his cold and calculating grandfather has made even that a painful experience, or is there more to that Will than meets the eye?
Noelle Pratchett never forgot the young Duke who kissed her then disappeared into the night. Now he’s back, a hardened soul. Can the spirit of Christmas year round in Cressmouth thaw his frozen heart? Maybe meeting Tiny Tim will help? Lovely, quirky characters, light, feel-good reading!
Get ready to laugh, to chuckle and to fall in love with Cressmouth and its jolly inhabitants in this historical romance nestled in a small snow covered village where there must be some magic in the air!
The perfect gift to give to yourself or anyone who loves a sweet romance with a holiday feel!
I received a complimentary ARC edition from WebMotion!
Series: 12 Dukes of Christmas - Book 1
Publisher: WebMotion (October 9, 2018)
Publication Date: October 9, 2018
Genre: Historical Romantic Holiday
Print Length: 169 pages
Available from:
Amazon |
Barnes & Noble
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❤️❤️❤️
💋
A modern Christmas fairytale , based on the Classic , Christmas Carol .
It’s different and Quirky, and to be honest not my sort of thing , but I enjoyed the read .
The main characters are interesting and have well developed personalities, the setting is seasonal, though for me a bit too cheesy.
I love Christmas stories, and this did tick a lot of the write boxes , but for me this is at most a 3 star. I received an advance copy of this book and chose to submit a review -
Once Upon A Duke was slow moving with boring characters. There was just no Chemistry or real Sexual Tension between Benjamin Ward 5th Duke of Seekridge and Noelle Pratchett.
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3.5 stars.
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This was a quick and delightful read, if a little cheesy. Benjamin, now a duke, returns to his grandfather's mountain home for the reading of that estranged relation's will. Noelle, a beloved member of his grandfather's Christmas themed town, remembers Benjamin from before, and she also remembers his abrupt departure without a goodbye. Through this short story, Benjamin deals with his grandfather's final manipulation and learns to open himself up to the possibility of caring for another person again, while Noelle learns to see outside her narrow little world and believe in her own worthiness. If you're looking for a quick read to get you into the Christmas spirit, this is it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link:
https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo... -
This was a little bit like Stars Hollow, Regency England Edition. It was fun, but short and lacked a little of the substance I think I would have liked. Really would have liked more of the actual romance and a little less of the town shenanigans. That said, this was very enjoyable in the context of it was free for Kindle when I downloaded it.
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Once Upon a Duke by Erica Ridley is one of my Christmas reads for this year. It was an enjoyable sweet story that has a second chance romance plot to boot. Very nice read to help get the Christmas spirit reads continuing.
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By the time he'd learned she was an orphan far below his class, it no longer mattered. They were already inseparable. Too inseparable. Their friendship would have challenged Society more than enough. Their single stolen kiss had been so dramatically outside his control that it had sent him reeling. Retreat was the only safe path for them both. --Benjamin
3.5 stars
Hmm. Ultimately I guess I ended up liking this novel, but it was definitely a mission completing this one. The story follows Benjamin, Duke of Silkridge, who has been summoned back to Cressmouth, a town nicknamed "Christmas" because of its year-round holiday cheer, by his grandfather's will. Years ago, his grandfather (Mr. Marlowe) stole Benjamin's locket containing the only portrait of his now-deceased parents, which is Benjamin's most prized possession. Now Mr. Marlowe is using his death as a final way to control Benjamin and coerce him back to Cressmouth--a place that holds nothing but painful memories for him--and blackmail him into performing outrageous tasks in order to get his locket back. In addition, Benjamin is forced to face his former lady love Noelle, who is as beautiful and full of life as ever. There is lots of pent-up hurt, misunderstandings, guilt, and buried love between these two as they are forced to work closely together and face their past in order to maybe build a future together.
And even though this story had all the elements that I adore in HRs, I still had a tough time finishing it. The story itself was pretty solid, but I think the story was too drawn out! It would have been much better as a shorter novella, which would have improved the pacing and moved the story along smoother. It just seemed so repetitive especially in the beginning half, and I found myself losing interest. The second half definitely picked up the pace and saved the novel a bit, although I still hated Mr. Marlowe and don't feel he ever redeemed himself. Also, this novel wasn't as steamy as I usually prefer. Overall, I did like this Humbug Christmas novel, but I've read better. I will still be continuing on in the series.
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review* -
I know… I know… wrong time to read Christmas cheer novel, but I believe that Christmassy stories are the best books to be read whenever one feels the blues, and a story in the historical romance genre is the cherry on the top.
Benjamin, Duke of Silkridge is a man who wants nothing to do with Christmas. As if losing his mother during Xmas was not enough but his father also dies around the same time, but to add salt to the wound, 5 yrs before his only living relative, the maternal grandfather banishes him from Cressmouth and Benjamin wows to never return to the land of all year-round Christmas cheer.
Noelle Pratchett, has no plans to fall for the Duke’s charms again but what she wants is not what she gets. As Benjamin and Noelle fight their attraction amidst the most cheerful place on the planet, the best laid plans definitely go awry.
Book # 1 in the 12 Dukes of Christmas series, this was way too sweet and sugary for my liking. I loved the character of Benjamin but the whole Cressmouth/Christmas endless cheer of course was too filmy. Maybe I need a good villain to spice up the plot. LOL!
A plotline with Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol story, Once Upon a Duke is a fun and quirky read that will definitely cheer you up.
This review is published in my blog
https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India and Twitter. -
This is the first book in the 12 Dukes of Christmas.
The H is the Duke of Selkridge Benjamin and the h is Noelle Pratchet an orphan taken in by Benjamin’s grandfather Jacob Marlowe on his mother’s side.
Five years ago Benjamin came to visit his Grandfather and hoped for a reconciliation but his grandfather asked to see Benjamin’s locket with the portrait of his mother holding him as a baby and his grandfather kept it. Benjamin wanted to have a likeness made so they could each have one but his grandfather refused. Benjamin knew that his grandfather blamed him for losing his mother and that is why he didn’t care for his grandson. Benjamin hated Christmas because that is when he lost both his mother in his earliest years and later his father as a young man. When he came to the castle five years before and met Noelle he had fallen for her and left at Christmas knowing he couldn’t have her. Just one more reason to hate everything Christmas.
Noelle grew up at the castle and Mr. Fawkes took her under his wing as his apprentice. He worked in the counting house keeping the Castle and village of Cressmouth accounts. Jacob Marlowe was a wealthy eccentric whose vision was to make Cressmouth a year round holiday village with everything Christmas. He built up the village attracting special trades like a smithy, jeweller, perfumer, baker etc. He renovated the Castle restoring to its original grandeur making it appealing to paying guests with a slogan ( The 12 Dukes of Christmas).
Five years later Jacob died and Benjamin was summoned at Christmas for the reading of the Will. He was requested by his grandfather to restore the aviary and put a partridge in it and have an opening with at least four witnesses and he would receive back his mom’s locket. Benjamin was thinking about seeing Noelle Pratchett again and when he did see her his heart swelled and she was as beautiful as he remembered. She was assigned to assist him in his task. She also remembered him and their kiss and parting five years before feeling on guard around him so her heart wouldn’t be broken again. She knew he would leave and that she wasn’t Duchess worthy. As they spent time together their attraction and admiration of one another grew. Their guards came down and they spent more time together. They shared their feelings and spent one last night together. In the morning Noelle left him not bearing another good bye. He drove toward home but turned around to come back to her. She not saying goodbye rode out to catch up to him to share her heart. They met and confessed their love on the road. They came back to Cressmouth and were married living half the year in London and the better half in Cressmouth better known as Christmas.
There are some similarities between characters in the 12 Dukes of Christmas and A Christmas Carol by Dickens and the 12 Days of Christmas.
The grandfather Jacob Marlowe and the best friend of Scrooge Jacob Marley.
Noelle Pratchett assistant to Jacob Marlowe last name Pratchett (Cratchett)
Tiny Tim not a small sickly child but a sickly pigmy pig.
The first bird for the aviary a Partridge. Old Mr. Fawkes who was the original accountant for Jacob Marlowe now stone deaf mis heard what Benjamin asked him to acquire for the aviary. He produced a Pear tree. So they ended up with a Partridge in a Pear tree.
Benjamin hated Christmas and said Bah humbug just like Scrooge.
12 Dukes
1. Duke of Selkridge 1st day of Christmas A Partridge in a Pear Tree.
This is a delightful series. -
Once Upon a Duke was an enjoyable read with a second chance romance and a focus on a town’s love of Christmas.
Benjamin Ward, Duke of Silkridge, enjoys his life in London and has no intention of returning to the village his grandfather calls home. But after his grandfather’s death, Benjamin has a chance to reclaim a lost family heirloom and he will stop at nothing to get it. However, upon arriving in Cressmouth, Benjamin runs into Noelle Pratchett, the one woman who made him want more out of life. As Benjamin and Noelle work together to satisfy the terms of the will, all those old feelings begin to resurface.
Noelle and Benjamin’s relationship in this book starts out fairly rocky as both have lingering issues over the way things ended between them years ago. However, despite those issues it’s clear the pair are still attracted to one another which they have a hard time not acting on. I enjoyed watching them fight the attraction and thought the scene where they finally give in was wonderfully done. Unfortunately, I did have a couple of problems with the romance. My main issue with the relationship was that I felt Noelle and Benjamin were too different and were looking for different things out of life. The pair did both compromise in the end, but I was still left with some doubts about their relationship working.
The setting for this book is a small English village that Benjamin’s late grandfather turned into a year-round Christmas village. I found the setting to be completely charming and I loved the idea of a place where the spirit of Christmas is always celebrated. Benjamin is the lone scrooge in town as he has a hatred of the Christmas season as it has only ever brought him pain. All of the townsfolk, Noelle in particular, love the village’s theme and all play their role in keeping things running. I really enjoyed some of the side characters and I’m looking forward to seeing more of them when I read the rest of the series.
Despite my issues with the romance, I did like Once Upon a Duke and will be continuing on with the series. -
Benjamin, the Duke of Silkridge returns to the small town of Cressmouth (Christmas) for the reading of his Grandfather's will. He hates the town but desperately wants his mother's locket, which was taken from him by his grandfather before he was banished from Cressmouth. After the deaths of his beloved mother and father and his grandfather's behaviour Benjamin has devoted himself to his work in the House of Lords, after all if you don't love anyone they can't hurt you when they leave. What he isn't looking forward to is seeing the girl he loved before he was forced to leave Cressmouth.
Noelle Pratchett has lived in Cressmouth all her life, she was desperately in love with Benjamin until he left without notice and never came back. Since then she has clung to the town and its people, and to Benjamin's grandfather who embraced eccentricity and was beloved by all the townspeople.
This started off very like A Christmas Carol, I must be one of the few people who loathes and detests A Christmas Carol in each and every format, Hallmark remake? Hate it. Muppet Christmas Carol? Hate it. Black and white version? Hate it. Book? Hate it. So it didn't bode well.
But I do like Erica Ridley's books, so I persevered and I can say the less it felt like a retelling of A Christmas Carol, the more I liked it. As Benjamin comes to know Noelle better and engage with the townsfolk in order to meet the terms of his grandfather's will he sees a new side to the town. But can there be a future for the man who won't stay and the woman who won't leave?
Overall, it was sweet and schmaltzy and Christmassy, full of eccentric characters in a small town that prides itself on being Christmas 365 days a year.
I received a free copy of this book from the author via NetGalley in return for an honest review. -
I received this book for review from netgalley. I wish there was a way to give half stars but there's not, so I will just say I give it 3.5 stars.
This is the first book I've read that I hated the main male character. Benjamin is the type of guy that thinks he has to do what society thinks he should. I did start to like him but not until the last few chapters. Now I loved Noelle, I think she is probably one of my favorite female characters. She is witty, kind, strong and independent. The storyline was good, however, it was very slow compared to what I'm used to reading. I didn't like how the grandfather wasn't really explained as far as why he treated the town so good but his grandson was nothing to him.
I have always liked this author, but this is definitely not one of my favorites by her. I would recommend this book to other historical romance lovers. I think it is good for those that prefer less sex scenes. -
1.5 stars
Quite a disappointment, really. It said in the intro “The 12 Dukes of Christmas is a laugh-out-loud historical romance series”. Must be me, but I didn’t laugh-out-loud. I didn’t even chuckle or grin, to be honest, as it was plain boring. I mean, Jacob Marlowe?? Really? Come on... And that is just one of the examples (Noelle, Nicholas Pringle = ‘Saint Nick’, Scrooge, and so on). I kept reading on (skimming most of the time), hoping it would get better. But to my chagrin it didn’t...
I’ve come to expect (far) better from Erica Ridley. Just as well this was a freebie, because I would have been sincerely disappointed if I’d spent money on this novel. -
'Due to the terms of an estranged relative's will, the Duke of Silkridge must revisit the cold, unforgiving mountains where he lost everything he once loved. As soon as he rights his family legacy, he'll return to London where he belongs. He definitely won't rekindle the forbidden spark crackling between him and the irresistible spitfire he'd left behind...
Noelle Pratchett is immune to charming rakehells like the arrogant duke. He stole her heart, stole her first kiss, and then stole away one night never to return. Now he's back—and so are all the old feelings. Noelle knows he won't stay. But how can she maintain her icy shields when every heated glance melts her to her core?'
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2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 stars.
Once Upon a Duke is the first book in Erica Ridley's 12 Dukes of Christmas series and is a historical romance set in a fictional Christmas wonderland in England.
This is the first book by Erica Ridley which I have read and I wasn't much a fan. This was novella length, which I know is often not an ideal book to start with when reading a new author. And similarly a Christmas novella is not an ideal first book to read, but 'tis the season and I did it anyway.
The story is filled with Christmas references and odes to A Christmas Carol. The village is a winter wonderland where everyone is markedly happy and call the village 'Christmas' instead of its real name of 'Cressmouth.' There's an orphan who feels she need to constantly prove her worth or else she'll be abandoned again. There's a cold duke who has lost everyone he has loved and so decides the only way to never be hurt again is to never allow anyone close enough love again. Hence they must be perfect, but I didn't really see the connection. The story was too cheesy. I expect any holiday book to be a little corny, but it was to much for me. I had to push myself to keep reading the first 75%, the last 25% was better though. Much of the book was inner monologue of the two main characters.
Once Upon a Duke just wasn't for me. I wanted to read a few Christmas books before the end of the year though, so I'll be giving the next in the series a chance. Also this was the first book of Ridley's I have read, so I still plan to give a book from another series a chance because I expect her books not from a Christmas series to have a different town. -
A delightful Regency romance flavored well with Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol sounded like a splendid holiday romance to enjoy.
Once Upon a Duke is the first in a series of historical holiday romances and introduces the fictional high mountain, northern English village of Cressmouth (locally pronounced 'Christmas') where it is Christmas all year round thanks to old man Marley running things from his crumbling keep at the head of the village and there is an odd legend about the 12 Dukes of Christmas.
The one person not enamored with Mr. Marley's perpetual spirit of zany fun and Christmas cheer is his grandson, the Duke of Silkridge. He is forced to return to his maternal grandfather's little town to get back what was taken from him and he is well aware that he left behind a young woman with whom he shared something more than a friendship before he left. She will be well within her rights to hate the sight of him.
And, Noelle is determined that she does detest Silkridge as an arrogant snob who left her because she was beneath him. Her generous spirit, however, remembers what they had and sees after not long that the duke isn't the scrooge she vilified him as. Her heart couldn't take another abandonment so she doesn't dare dream of a second chance.
I went into this book in the spirit it was intended. It had a heart-felt situation, but it was set in make believe. There was over the top stuff like getting lost in a fantasy dream, but it also had some core struggles like a man who grew up with the loss of both parents while he was young and getting rejected by his grandfather because he survived childbirth and his mother did not. Class differences. A woman orphan who wanted something more to her life because she was bright with a mathematical mind and wanted to be respected for her work. And, a chance to set a wrong right. So much and it was all good stuff. I will admit that it was a quick-paced romance and hustled through, but it wasn't missing in essentials. There was quirky charm and fun mixed in that caught me in just the right way.
So, it was a delightful romp and I want to read more of the series. Those who want a quick and fairly light holiday historical romance should consider this one. -
I thoroughly enjoyed this heartwarmingly romantic winter tale. Bound by duty and driven by deep-rooted anger, the Duke of Silkridge returns to the town of Christmas with no intention of staying. His sole purpose is to hear a will read, retrieve what was stolen from him long ago, and be gone - back to London and the work that awaits him there. But when he encounters Noelle Pratchett, the woman who he fell for during his last visit, leaving her behind a second time proves harder than he'd imagined.
A beautifully drawn second chance love story by an exemplary writer. -
1.5
Lettura natalizia in GdL con Edicola & Libreria: le nostre passioni...
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Che delusione.
Volevo fare una bella lettura natalizia romanticosa, mi aspettavo qualcosa tipo
A Christmas Promise invece ...
Libro banale (una trama più scontata non era possibile), superficiale (caratterizzazione dei personaggi inesistente), spirito natalizio scarso (non basta inserire nella storia un paesino soprannominato Natale e chiamare la protagonista ... Noelle) e anacronistico (delle volte mi sembrava ambiato negli anni '80 del XX secolo).
Una perdita di tempo (per fortuna si legge velocemente). -
All in all, a rather sweet book, but just wasn't for me.
Unbelievable that I would say this: but Noelle (the h) was far too understanding of Benjamin (H) and how important he was in the Parliament with his responsibilities of being a Duke. And let's not forget how choppy some of the sentences were. Too fragmented. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes it jolted me right out of the story.
I dunno. I just didn't enjoy it all that much. -
Benjamin Ward, Duke of Silkridge, has reasons to hate Christmas season and going back to Cressmouth a.k.a. Christmas is not making him happy. Everywhere he looks is Christmas even if its January. His estranged grandfather’s will forced him to come and he must obliged to get back the only relic that reminds him of his family. But going back means seeing someone he left behind years ago. Noelle Pratchett didn’t forget the man who stole her heart, stole her first kiss and then left her without so much a goodbye and she vowed not to be fooled again. But the spirit of Christmas can do things to people’s hearts no matter how hardened they are.
This is the third book I read from Erica Ridley and by far my least favorite. I’m now familiar with the author’s writing and I liked the vibrant and vivid description of her book’s setting. Cressmouth or Christmas Village seems to come alive on pages. And the townspeople are someone I want to be neighbours with. I can understand why Noelle and the others want to stay in Christmas.
I think the story is just fine, it’s a second chance romance, one of my favorite tropes. But unfortunately, I couldn’t buy the romance between Noelle and Benjamin. As individuals, they’re fine but they seem detached from each other. I just didn’t see the romance building, they just met again and told us their past feelings and then they still like each other. The way it was ended is also a bit unsatisfying in a way that all the conflicts between them weren’t really dealt with. They just disappear and I don’t understand why?
But overall, this is still a good read. Perfect for Christmas or relaxing time and I’ll be continuing with the series. -
Once Upon a Duke is a sweet tale of second chances. Christmas time has brought nothing, but heartache and sadness to Benjamin Ward, the Duke of Silkridge. When his grandfather's death forces him to spend the Christmas season in Cressmouth in order to regain a precious family heirloom, he must also face his past, including Noelle, the woman he left behind five years ago. Determined to put her broken heart behind her, Noelle has spent the last five years as an integral member of the village.
I really enjoyed this novella. Both the main characters were sweet, caring people that you couldn't help but root for and hope they find their happily ever after. I also loved all the bits and pieces of Christmas tidbits thrown in. A partridge as the first gift of Christmas? A twist on Scrooge finding his happily ever after? Yes, please! I've already started the second in the series and am enjoying it even more!
