Once Upon a Winter's Heart
Sweet but too stilted to flow smoothly, Carlson’s sappy inspirational romance novella centers on love, loss, and the power of forgiveness to change all things. Emma Burcelli has pretty much given up on love after 10 years of dating disasters. When her beloved grandfather dies, leaving behind his grieving widow after 65 years of marriage, Emma gets even more down on love. Moving back home to help her grandmother navigate this difficult transition, Emma also starts to help out at the family bookstore. When she meets handsome Lane Forester, her guarded heart relaxes for a moment, until she finds out someone else may have already claimed him. As Valentine’s Day approaches, Emma realizes she must heed her grandfather’s advice, which was to always follow her heart. This should attract attention from the prolific Carlson’s fans as well as fans of Christian romance. --Julie Trevelyan