CFBA Review: Once Upon a Winter's Heart by Melody Carlson

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Once Upon a Winter's Heart Center Street (January 7, 2014) by Melody Carlson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Over the years, Melody Carlson has worn many hats, from pre-school teacher to youth counselor to political activist to senior editor. But most of all, she loves to write! Currently she freelances from her home. In the past eight years, she has published over ninety books for children, teens, and adults--with sales totaling more than two million and many titles appearing on the ECPA Bestsellers List. Several of her books have been finalists for, and winners of, various writing awards.

She has two grown sons and lives in Central Oregon with her husband and chocolate lab retriever. They enjoy skiing, hiking, gardening, camping and biking in the beautiful Cascade Mountains.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Emma Burcelli has suffered over a decade of dating disasters. But she concludes that love is officially dead when her grandfather Poppi suddenly passes, leaving her grandmother Nona devastated. To help out, Emma works in the family bookstore, which Nona insists must be decked out in sweetheart décor as Poppi would have done for Valentine's Day. Although she feels like a V-Day Scrooge, Emma quickly learns to enjoy the task with the help of a handsome family friend, Lane Forester, who shows her that hanging hearts is much more fun when done to the tune of Dean Martin. As Emma and Lane share time and memories of Poppi, she reconsiders the notion that romance is alive.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Once Upon a Winter's Heart, go HERE.

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Links to the book on Amazon & Goodreads.

My rating:

My thoughts:

I've read several of Melody Carlson's books and plan on reading more in the future. Once Upon A Winter's Heart was a cute novella, perfect to read around this time of year - Valentine's Day. Not only does the story take place around Valentine's Day, but Emma (the main character) starts out as a Valentine's Day scrooge and is pessimistic about love.

I thought the story was fun, though there wasn't a lot of depth to it. The ending was a little abrupt and things seemed to happen very quickly towards the end. There was one thing I really liked in Once Upon A Winter's Heart's story, but I won't say what it was because that would spoil it for you, should you decide to read this book.

Overall, a good read. Not the best novella I've read and I wish the ending would have been a little different, but it was still an enjoyable and fun story.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

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