Review: An excellent novella, especially for the holidays!!!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 25, 2013
I read some of the other reviews for this book and I completely disagree with the lowest review ratings. The readers who wrote those reviews obviously didn't understand that this story was originally part of a collection of stories that all took place in the same location with intersecting characters. And furthermore, Caldwell's characters are extremely well developed. It makes me wonder what those reviewers were looking for and I can't help but think maybe they rushed through the reading because much of the character development is sweet and subtle.I found the entire story to be in turns humorous and thought provoking. Alexandra and Nathan are both flawed and likeable characters. They started out with a past that is a little complicated but Caldwell presents their backstory in a way that is easy to follow.  I loved how the heroine had a personality trait that made her count things in her head when she needed to assert self-control, it was cute! Caldwell does a fantastic job of layering in historical details that make this read a real treat for nerds like me who love history. She doesn't bog you down with descriptions or details that are superfluous, just gives you the right amount of info.I think what really makes this story good though is how it tells a story of redemption. Nathan wounds Alex, despite his best intentions and during Christmas he has the opportunity to make things right. The ending is predictable, but all romances are, that's the beauty of the genre, we delight in secretly knowing how it will end (happily ever after), but the real pleasure is in finding ourselves loving the characters created along the way. After reading Winning a Lady's Heart, I'm definitely impressed with Christi Caldwell's writing. She made me feel for Alex and Nathan. They didn't have a picture picture romance, there were bumps and emotional bruises along the way and it made it all that more real, which given it's a historical romance, I loved that I could really picture myself in the story.I would definitely recommend this story to anyone who loves historical romances and loves Christmas themed stories. It's a true delight. I know I'm looking forward to more of Christi Caldwell's books in the future!