Barb’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone Novella
Publication Date: 11/10/20
Number of Pages: 85

In this delightfully lovely tale, we attend a house party that is to end just a couple of days before Christmas. Since the weather has been miserably rainy and uncooperative, the guests are looking forward to heading home for Christmas. However, just as it is time to leave – the weather turns, snow covers the grounds, and keeps the guests in residence.

Holly Farthing and Adam Ivy had been friends since they were children because Adam was close friends with Holly’s brother. She was immediately as smitten as a six-year-old girl can be with a nine-year-old boy. However, as her brother’s friend, nothing ever came of her devotion. Then, during her first season, she met and fell in love with the man she married. That all ended with the death of her husband, and now she’s just lonely and Christmas is a difficult time for her. When her best friend invites her to a house party, she decides to attend because she knows Adam Ivy will be attending. After all, her affection for him is still there and she’d like to see where it could go – if he doesn’t still think of her as a ‘little sister’.

Adam had always liked Holly – as much as a nine-year-old boy could like a six-year-old girl. Even during her come out he was drawn to her and always made an opportunity to speak to her – then – she fell in love and married – and he went on his way in life. He hopes to see her at the house party because she is best friends with the hostess, but he knows Holly will probably be bringing along a betrothed. She is entirely too beautiful and delightful not to be betrothed by now.

Holly and Adam dance around each other for the entire house party – never really approaching – just watching from afar. Until almost the end when Holly makes her move – and WOW – who would have thought. Then, an unfortunate event occurs and forces them to become even closer. Can a fake betrothal become a real one? After what Holly learns, can she trust any man again?

I absolutely loved both Holly and Adam. I loved that Holly knew what she wanted and, even though she was very shy, she went after it. I loved how Adam appreciated Holly and I loved how their HEA grew.

I hope you’ll read this novella and enjoy it as much as I did. I thought it was a great story and just the right length. I do wish it had an epilogue though – somehow I never feel ‘finished’ with a book until the wedding has taken place. So, a short epilogue taking place sometime after the wedding would have made it just perfect for me.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.