Novella Collection Book Review: Once Upon a Dickens Christmas
About the Book
Title: Once Upon a
Dickens Christmas
Author: Michelle
Griep
Genre: Inspirational
Historical Fiction
Publisher: Shiloh Run
Press (Barbour Publishing)
Release Date:
September 1, 2019
Click here to purchase a copy of this book for yourself.
Publisher's Description
“Pour yourself a
cuppa, get lost in the merriment of the season, and enjoy a Dickensian
Christmas in three stories from fan favorite Michelle Griep:
12 Days a Bleakly Manor: Brought together under mysterious circumstances, Clara and Ben discover that what they’ve been striving for isn’t what ultimately matters. What matters most is what Christmas is all about . . . love.
A Tale of Two Hearts: Pleasure seeker William Barlow needs a wife immediately to gain his uncle’s inheritance, and Mina Scott is just the girl to make him look respectable—too bad she turns him down. Ought he give her a second chance?
The Old Lace Shop: Recently widowed Bella White is finally freed from the domination of the overbearing men in her life, but when she enters into a business partnership with the handsome Edmund Archer, she begins to wonder if marriage is worth a second chance.”
12 Days a Bleakly Manor: Brought together under mysterious circumstances, Clara and Ben discover that what they’ve been striving for isn’t what ultimately matters. What matters most is what Christmas is all about . . . love.
A Tale of Two Hearts: Pleasure seeker William Barlow needs a wife immediately to gain his uncle’s inheritance, and Mina Scott is just the girl to make him look respectable—too bad she turns him down. Ought he give her a second chance?
The Old Lace Shop: Recently widowed Bella White is finally freed from the domination of the overbearing men in her life, but when she enters into a business partnership with the handsome Edmund Archer, she begins to wonder if marriage is worth a second chance.”
My Review
Written by the talented Michelle Griep, Once Upon a Dickens Christmas is a
beautiful novella collection featuring three stories that are thoroughly
engaging and wholly entertaining.
The collection begins with 12 Days at Bleakly Manor. Set during a dreary winter in Victorian
England, this novella creatively explores the themes of loss, love, redemption,
faith, and forgiveness through a diverse cast of entertaining and compelling
characters. The well-paced plot, brimming with gothic mystery and eerie intrigue,
deftly draws the reader fully into the story. As the mysteries unfold, heartwarming
scenes provide a balance to those that are heavy with heartbreak. Abounding
with surprises and unexpected twists, this novella is genuinely captivating and
satisfying. It is a well-crafted story that is uniquely memorable for all the
right reasons.
A
Tale of Two Hearts, the second novella in the collection, is
truly a delightful story. In this novella, Ms. Griep displays a remarkable
talent for writing stunningly descriptive sentences that never fail to evoke
emotional responses in the reader. The words she sows thoughtfully on the page
are like seeds from which feelings, thoughts, and moods grow. Like deep, green vines,
her descriptions take root and wind around the reader’s heart and imagination. A Tale of Two Hearts is lush with
writing that makes the characters, setting, plot, and themes vibrant with life
and authenticity.
The characters in this novella are exceptionally
engaging and endearing. Within the span of just a few pages, the characters
feel like old friends, and their concerns, hopes, and dreams become a shared
experience with the reader. Furthermore, the intrigue, suspense, and romance
within the pages, combined with the Victorian Christmas setting, ensure that
this novella is utterly compelling and extremely enjoyable.
The final novella in the collection is The Old Lace Shop. Written in the first
person perspectives of the two main characters, this story is touching and
unforgettable. With meaningful themes of generosity and compassion, this
novella is remarkably moving and edifying. Its gripping plot provides plenty of
mystery and romance to ponder and savor, and its characters are authentically
relatable and memorable. It certainly succeeds at providing a felicitous ending
to a wonderful novella collection.
Once
Upon a Dickens Christmas includes three stories of second
glances and second chances. With new possibilities and new perspectives, they
are stories of perseverance and forgiveness. This novella collection offers
stories of reconciliation and renewed hope that beautifully depict the gift of
God’s grace that is freely offered to all. Like a timeless Christmas tradition,
Once Upon a Dickens Christmas is a
book that should be revisited again and again. It is charming, inspiring, and immensely
satisfying. I recommend it wholeheartedly.
*I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.
A review was not required. The review I have written is voluntary and contains
opinions that are entirely my own.
About the Author
“I hear voices.
Loud. Incessant. And very real. Which basically gives me two options: choke
back massive amounts of Prozac or write fiction. I've been writing since I
discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. I seek to glorify God in all that I
write--except for that graffiti phase I went through as teenager.” –Biography
from Michelle Griep’s author page on Amazon.com.
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