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story_stone 's review for:
Once Upon a Winter's Eve
by Tessa Dare
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really enjoyed certain elements of this story as part of the Spindle Cove series. The evolution of the FMC from a wallflower into a confident, capable woman was really satisfying. The mix of a second-chance romance with espionage seemed quite unique. One of my favourite touches was the multilingual banter between the main characters since it added personality and warmth to their dynamic.
However, the emotional intensity of the MMC felt a bit over the top, and their reunion moved too fast for me to fully believe in it. The short format didn’t leave much room for deeper development, and some plot points felt rushed. I think this would’ve been stronger as a full-length novel where the relationship could develop more naturally.
Overall, it was a fun novella with a compelling FMC and interesting premise, but the pacing and character depth didn’t quite hit the mark for me.