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Once Upon A Dream
217 pages
A sun-drenched, gentle retreat into the English countryside where quiet, dutiful hearts find unexpected solace in each other.
What it feels like
Reading this collection feels like stepping into a sunlit English garden on a lazy summer afternoon. The pace is decidedly leisurely, allowing the emotional intimacy between the characters to bloom at a natural, unforced rhythm. Both novellas trade high-stakes melodrama for the quiet, profound stakes of lonely, mature individuals daring to open their hearts. The prose is elegant and deeply empathetic, focusing on the subtle glances and quiet conversations that build true partnership. It is an atmosphere steeped in warmth, gentle humor, and the comforting certainty of a happily-ever-after. This is the perfect escape for readers who delight in character-driven historical romance, where the greatest adventure is simply being truly seen and understood by another person.
- Mood
- sunlit
- tranquil
- cozy
- romantic
- Tone
- tender
- earnest
- gentle
- warm
- Pace
- leisurely
- Themes
- second chances at love · the loneliness of independence · seeing past societal facades · quiet devotion · healing through companionship
- The writing
- Elegant and measured, the writing lingers on internal emotional landscapes and the subtle shifts in character dynamics.
- The arc
- The journey moves from a state of quiet, dutiful resignation to the warm, joyful embrace of unexpected companionship.
- Who it's for
- Historical romance fans who prefer mature, thoughtful protagonists and gentle, character-driven love stories over high-stakes melodrama.
Content notes
- feelings of isolation
About the book
Mary Balogh and Grace Burrowes team up to create a pair of Regency novellas each set at a summer house party. In Another Dream, by Mary Balogh, Miss Eleanor Thompson has found satisfaction as the director of a respected school for girls. The life of a dedicated educator offers many rewards and much meaning--but also more loneliness than Eleanor anticipated. She accepts an invitation from her sister, Christine, Duchess of Bewcastle, to attend a Bedwyn houseparty, never dreaming the summer curriculum might include stolen kisses and true love. In The Duke of My Dreams, by Grace Burrowes, banker's daughter Anne Faraday is cast into the company of Elias, Duke of Sedgemere, at house party in the Lakes. Anne warms to the lonely man and conscientious father behind the title, and Elias becomes enthralled with the brilliant, burdened woman beneath Anne's genteel facade. Liking turns to love under the Cumbrian summer moon, but family obligations, secrets, and a prodigal duck conspire to thwart the course of true love.
Description from Open Library.
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