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A review by enchantingtaleswithalex
Sleigh Belle by N.D. Testa, N.D. Testa
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thank you so much to author N.D. Testa for allowing me to be an ARC reader for this novel! (And how appropriate that I zoomed right through it on the debut day!)
If you're someone who loves a festive setting, romantic sleigh rides and a fairytale retelling, I think you will greatly enjoy this novel. "Sleigh Belle" introduces us to Belle, a young woman forced to return to her family home in Vermont after a failed career in New York City, and Jake, a young man who has turned his heart to stone in order to escape the pain of past heartbreak. Through old traditions and the meddling of a man who saw romance before its time, Belle and Jake are brought together during the holidays as she desperately attempts to keep the Christmas traditions of her home town alive.
I felt this was a solid 3.5 star novel that is perfect for people who enjoy a fast paced plot and a happy ending. The biggest reason I can't quite give this a 4 is because the dialogue between characters sometimes pulled me out of the narrative. Some of it was great! But there were a lot of places where I felt that people just...don't talk like that. So it pulled me a little bit from what was happening in each chapter. The sentence structure was short and sweet but sometimes just a little too short to truly grant me a picture of where the characters were at the time.
Overall it was an enjoyable read and I do appreciate that I had the opportunity to be a first time ARC reader!
If you're someone who loves a festive setting, romantic sleigh rides and a fairytale retelling, I think you will greatly enjoy this novel. "Sleigh Belle" introduces us to Belle, a young woman forced to return to her family home in Vermont after a failed career in New York City, and Jake, a young man who has turned his heart to stone in order to escape the pain of past heartbreak. Through old traditions and the meddling of a man who saw romance before its time, Belle and Jake are brought together during the holidays as she desperately attempts to keep the Christmas traditions of her home town alive.
I felt this was a solid 3.5 star novel that is perfect for people who enjoy a fast paced plot and a happy ending. The biggest reason I can't quite give this a 4 is because the dialogue between characters sometimes pulled me out of the narrative. Some of it was great! But there were a lot of places where I felt that people just...don't talk like that. So it pulled me a little bit from what was happening in each chapter. The sentence structure was short and sweet but sometimes just a little too short to truly grant me a picture of where the characters were at the time.
Overall it was an enjoyable read and I do appreciate that I had the opportunity to be a first time ARC reader!