Review: Once Upon a Christmas Kiss (Wicked Widows #3.5) by Manda Collins

Print Length:139 pages 

Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (October 14, 2014)

From Goodreads.com: When Sir Lucien Blakemore arrives at his cousin’s estate for a week long Christmas party, he’s shocked to see Miss Winifred Nightingale among the other guests. Employed by his neighbor back in Yorkshire, the governess with the lovely eyes has always seemed off limits, but she’s visiting here as a guest—and there’s nothing like a little mistletoe to make the spirits bright…

Miss Winifred Nightingale never dreamed a holiday visit with her sister would lead to both ladies spending Christmas as the local lord’s guests. But the big surprise is when she finds the handsome Sir Lucien Blakemore staying there too. Their attraction between is undeniable, but will an old nemesis and a party guest bent on mischief make their first kiss under the mistletoe their last?

                                                 

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 My Rating: 4 stars out of 5

My Review: This is one of those stories that when I requested it, I wasn't aware that it was part of an on-going series. However, even with that, this novella was written in such a way that it could be considered a "stand alone" story. I was not confused about the relationship between the characters, nor did I feel like I was "missing something" that would have been gained by reading the other novels. Based on this story alone, I would read more by this author. 

I enjoyed everything about this novella. From the romance between two people who were so very different (according to the class standards of the time), to the mystery surrounding who was behind all the evil things done to Miss Winifred... this book kept me reading and wanting to see what happened.

I must admit that I was both surprised at the identity of who was behind all of the things that had befallen Miss Winifred since her arrival, but I was also left hoping there is (or will be) a story centered around her sister and how things turned out for her. 

Overall, this is definitely a novel that will get you in the "Christmas Spirit", and one that I would definitely recommend for those looking for a quick & sweet Regency Novella.   

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novella in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own. 

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Once Upon a Christmas Kiss (Wicked Widows #3.5) is available from Amazon.com