My thoughts



Narrative and Plot


One Winter's Night by Kiley Dunbar is a sequel to One Summer's Night. Now, I haven't read the first book but the author assures that this book os a standalone in itself. On that note, I decided to go on reading the second without reading the first. The book starts slow and remains so for a while. However, towards the end it picks up pace and things move faster. It could have been a bit more evenly paced as a lot of the important stuff felt like they were covered hastily.


However, the story remained consistent keeping its focus on Kelsey and Mirren even though it was easy to get distracted. The plot was more about their personal growth than this being a Christmas read.






Characters and Conflicts




Kelsey and Mirren both had a coming of age arc in the book which I enjoyed. But it takes a lot of patience to get there. It was fine that the characters blamed themselves for most of the things gone wrong in their lives, but it never bodes well when they continue to do so towards three forth of the story.


Especially, when one of your main character is slut shaming herself repeatedly, it became it a bit tiresome to get through. I realise that people often wallow with things that are not their fault. But all that loathing and blaming would not stop, if someone mansplained it to you. That's where I took issue with it.


The romance was very Shakespearean in its longing and pining. I enjoyed the quotes at the start of each chapter. However, the long distance relationship between Kelsey and Jonathan was a bit hard to ship for, with me having no backstory about their relationship without reading the first book.


The ensemble cast however,looks colorful and brings life to the story, Blythe in particular. Perhaps, she was my favourite character of the book.


Conclusion


Overall, it was a one time read for me. I enjoyed the Shakespearean vibe throughout the writing and the Stratford charm. There wasn't a lot of focus on Christmas but it sure makes up for a cozy winter read.

What a terrific follow up. I love Kiley's style and had so much fun reading her first and now this one. .As charming as the town where it takes place.

This was a little festive romance, following the main character of Kelsey. Kelsey has recently moved to Stratford upon Avon and found love with an American actor called Jonathan. Her best friend Mirren visits from Scotland and uncovers a long buried scandal while working alongside a local journalist, which threatens to turn everyone’s lives upside down.

This was the second book in a series, I haven’t read the first but it doesn’t matter at all, and the author includes a little summary at the start incase this is needed. This is was a cosy little festive read and had a great setting and likeable characters, especially the eccentric Blythe. I liked the fact that there was a Shakespeare quote at the start of each chapter, matching the setting, and I loved the descriptions of Stratford. Kelsey and Mirren have such a lovely friendship and that was a strong theme throughout the book. The scandal wasn’t anything massively shocking, and the storyline was a bit predictable, but all in all an enjoyable festive read.

This book is the perfect Christmas read. So atmospheric and sweet. The book follows the story of Kelsey and her friend Mirren. While this is a sequel, the author wrote a short recap at the beginning and I did not feel lost at any point.
Kelsey is still in Stratford-upon-Avon trying to get her photography business going while also deeply missing her boyfriend and actor Jonathan Hathaway. Her friend Mirren, a court journalist in Scotland, is struggling with her breakup and the fraught work relation with one of her colleagues. An unexpected even forced Mirren down to England and from here their adventure truly takes off. If you want a Christmasy, happy ending, well written book, this is the one. .

This is the second book following the new life of Kelsey Anderson in Stratford-upon-Avon. According to the author, you can read it as a stand-alone, and that's what I did.

In One Winter's Night, Kelsey has set up a photography studio in Shakespeare's hometown. It hasn't been easy to start this new project, and throughout the story we see how she manages to deal with this and her long-distance relationship with Jonathan, an American stage actor who is now playing Hamlet in Canada.

On the other hand, we see that Mirren, Kelsey's best friend who lives in Scotland, has been dealing with the consequences of her breakup, some problems at work and living with her mom. It seems like it's time for a change for her too.

We meet new characters, as well, and enjoy the cosy autumn/winter season in the picturesque Stratford-upon-Avon.

Thanks to Hera Books and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is a Christmas book that could be read any time of the year and you most definitely needn't read the previous book either, as this works perfectly fine as a stand-alone.

Following the lives of two women, one in a stable but long-distance relationship, the other trying to find love, the book deals with self-worth, abandonment and betrayal, and there is a bit of intrigue too.

Another nice book by Kiley Dunbar! But I have to be honest, her writing style is not so smooth and I found myself a bit bored from time to time during my read. I almost gave this book a 3 stars but in the end I gave it a 4 because the storyline is good, there are plenty of events and I loved the characters and the setting in this book. All in all it's still pretty good!

I can't even begin to explain how exciting it was to return to Stratford-Upon-Avon during the Christmas period, after first being introduced to the gorgeous town and our leading lady Kelsey, last year in One Summer's Night. I couldn't wait to dive in to book two to find out what Kelsey was up to since we had last heard from her. 

Along with catching up with Kelsey, we also get a more in-depth look in to her best friend's life and I absolutely loved her! Her whole story-line was so gorgeous, as was Kelsey's - full review coming on the blog soon!

Much like the first book in this series, most of the One Winter's Night felt like it was building up to the plot. For the first 75% of the book I couldn't really identify the main plot. It felt like Mirren's story, not Kelsey's-- and then toward the end, it turned out to be more Kelsey's story than Mirren's.
Kelsey's story was very much what comes after the Happily Ever After, though there was more stagnation than conflict for the most part.
Mirren's story was off to a great start, but she didn't seem to have much drive or motivation once she got to England.
Overall, I spent most of the book waiting for something to happen, and then being underwhelmed by what actually did happen.

This series is nice if you're looking for a slower read-- one with lower stakes, easy forgiveness, and more gentle vibes than concrete plot. Which is not to say that it's *bad*, just that it's not what I was expecting or hoping for when I picked it up. This book, at least, called out the predatory men, unlike the first one. Overall, it wasn't terrible, but I also wouldn't recommend it to a friend.

This book is a follow up to One Summer’s Night, but can be read as a standalone, which is how I read it. I appreciated the brief synopsis on our main characters past in the introduction letter that the author included. I found parts of this book to be a little slow, but I appreciated the charming characters, dreamy locations, and story.

I adored this book! Beautifully written, and the characters are so lovable and relatable you feel an instant connection to them. My favourite part of this book was the friendship that blossomed between Kelsey and her neighbor Blythe. It was heartwarming to say the very least.
Full of fun, love, and friendship, this book is a definite must read.

A heartwarming read about connections and love. As a theatre fan, I loved getting to journey to Stratford-upon-Avon and geeked out at the Shakespeare references, but also found the story engaging. It was not centred solely on the romance which I enjoyed. While there definitely is romance, there are also themes of mystery, friendship, perseverance in career, life choices, and trust in others. Kelsey is a brave young woman figuring out how to launch her own photography business, while her friend Mirren is starting over because of harassment at work. With help from some friends, old and new, these women navigate their new worlds.

Definitely enjoyed and would recommend if you're looking for a heartwarming, uplifting, empowering, and romantic read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are all my own.

This book was the perfect read to get me into the holiday spirit. I wish I would have read the first book because it did take me awhile to feel connected to the characters, especially Kelsey. However, I felt connected about a third of the way through and was hooked from that point on. This book was a great feel good story that warmed my heart.

My first Kiley Dunbar book and definitely not my last. I’ve already purchased most of her previous ebooks and they are happily waiting for me to devour them. This is the story of Kelsey and Jonathan who got together in the previous book. He’s an actor living in the US and Kelsey is a photographer. Mirren, Kelsey’s friend also appears in the book. It’s based in the beautiful village of Stratford-Upon-Avon and Kiley’s writing brings the place to life. It’s a wonderful read about love, romance, friendship, loyalty and loss and put a massive smile upon my face. An easy 5 star review.

A typical holiday read. I do love holiday books but for some reason this years books arent the magical experince ive had in previous ones.....
First of all i did not know this book was second book in the series but i found it ok to read as a standalone. But i felt i have missed some things and started it mid way through.... I enjoyed characters very much. I liked the romance in the book but there was just something missing...
Thnak you to netgalley for this early copy.

One Winters Night by Kiley Dunbar

A gorgeous uplifting romantic story, that will warm your heart, takes place in Stratford-Upon-Avon, plus uncovering a long buried scandal.

This was a great book about Stratford-Upon-Avcon, Shakespeare, the heater, both old and new actors and their stories.. Very warm characters and plenty of romance. I want to read Kiley’s :One Summer Night. I recommend this book.

There is truly nothing better than a book set in the months leading up to Christmas. It makes you feel warm and cosy for the upcoming festive traditions. However, for me, this book didn't necessarily feel very Christmassy at all. Rather set at Christmas time, with the plot set on something else.

The plot is mainly focused on two women, Kelsey and Mirren who are just having moments in their lives where things are changing. One, with how they have left their job - not completely out of their own volition and two, the other starting their own business venture in the homeplace of Shakespeare. But as things progress, new information becomes present and it is the dilemma whether to withhold it as a secret or to make it known to the world becomes the bulk of the plot.

However, one thing that I didn't realise before reading this book is how it is a part of a serial, this particular one being the second. Not like I did not mind that it was, but I felt like on this occasion I did not understand certain references until I did some research on the particular characters of what happened before. So just a note if you do want to read this book in the future, don't make the same mistake of reading this one before the previous instalment.

On the whole, I didn't exactly feel as though the plot was miraculous or bad, rather just mediocre. If you just want something to get away from the horrors of the world for a while then this is for you. However, if you want a bit more substance and a plot more festive this probably is not the one to look at. Thus, because of the plot, I have decided to rate this particular book, three stars.

3.5 stars
Winter nights in the Shakespear’s home where two love stories are perfectly told in a great few hours of reading.

It was my first book by the author and I enjoyed the characters and the overall love story, even if it’s the second book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone. It’s exactly as you would expect, not much angst or drama, just the perfect balance between the adult life struggles about carrier, family and friends to lovers ultimately.

It’s a light and beautiful novel that many romantics will enjoy.

I loved Kiley's debut book, Christmas at Frozen Falls. That books is one of my top three favorites of all time, so I've been excited by each new publication. I finally got around to read the first book in this series, One Summer's Night, and really did not like it at all. I did not enjoy the writing (it felt like a different author had written it). I did not like the characters and the story just dragged and dragged. I had hoped this second book would be different, but I ended up not finishing it. I am holding out hope that this author is not a one-hit wonder for me, though! I'm still very excited to read Summer at the Highland Coral Beach. Thanks so much to the publisher for the opportunity to read this book! I'm sorry it didn't work out for me.

The best thing about this story was the setting! I loved the Stratford setting, and it was the perfect step back for a fun holiday romance, reminiscent of the Hallmark movies we love to watch come chilly winter nights. This book is closed door, making it very wholesome, fade to black style. One thing that felt a little clumsy, was the multiple POV plot-lines that didn't always weave together seamlessly. But overall this was a cute romance.