Three wonderful Christmas Tales! Each is filled with wonderful characters, second chances, and a wonderous feeling of love.
12 Days at Bleakly Manor has a mystery that drew me in from the first invitation.
A Tale of Two Hearts is a wonderful story of second chances for many of the characters. I loved Mina and Will.
The Old Lace Shop is a surprising second chance at life and maybe even love for Bella. I loved the story so much. I feel the need to warn other readers, grab a tissue or two before you read the last chapter and Epilogue.
I love the second chance coin and the meaning it holds.
Michelle Griep has become part of my Christmas tradition with her Dickens style Christmas tales. I highly recommend reading or listening to this collection! Nan McNamara does a wonderful job narrating.
*I own the first two books in this collection in e-book and Audible form. My thanks to the publisher for an ARC of this book via NetGalley. A review was not required. The opinion expressed is entirely my own.

Three delightful Victorian novellas bound together by a second chance coin, a twist of Dickens, a smidgen of suspense, and wonderful spiritual content.

12 Days at Bleakly Manor

This story reminded me of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None but without the deaths. Put together a group of strangers each with an invitation to a 12 day get together at Christmas time each with a reward if they stay all 12 days. Place them in a mysterious old mansion in the county; but without much in the way of supplies, and then wait to see what things take place.

Our hero and heroine were once engaged, but Benjamin Lane left Clara Chapman standing at the alter and she doesn't know why. Will they both survive the 12 days and will love return as they learn to forgive and trust one another once again. A touch of romance, a hint of mystery, and a cast of quirky characters make this an enjoyable read.

A Tale of Two Hearts

This is book 2 in the Once Upon a Dickens' Christmas series, but it reads well as a standalone. This book is delightfully enchanting as you stroll through Dickens' era with Mina Scott and William Barlow. A topsy turvy tale as William embroils Mina in his attempt to appear married for his Uncle Barlow as Barlow decides which of his two nephews would become his heir. Even though William had good intentions to protect his uncle from his cad cousin Percy, the truth from the beginning would have probably saved William as well as Mina from the problems they encountered with Uncle Barlow and Mina's father. 

The Dickens' quotes at the beginning of each chapter were perfectly connected to whatever took place in the chapter, and Dickens cameo appearance at the fancy restaurant where William took Mina was a cute touch. The play on the title of the story to Dickens A Tale of Two Cities was clever as well. This was definitely an enjoyable Victorian read in which Michelle Griep kept me entertained from start to finish. 


The Old Lace Shop
This was my favorite novella of the series. After becoming a widow whose husband was very abusive, Arabella with no heirs, Arabella inherits her husband's many properties. She sells everything except his lace factory and moves to Nottingham. Little does she know that her only love, Edmund Archer, is managing the lace factory, and she is now a co-owner with him.

Bella is a very caring person and it shows in the way she reaches out to the elderly lace workers who have lost their sight and are reduced to begging. She also reaches out to Edmund's daughter, Flora, as she is crippled and Edmund has been very protective of her. Both Bella and Edmund grow in their faith and their determination as they work together to make the lace factory a growing and profitable concern even with spies and arsonists who are trying to put them out of business. With a HEA ending, and a twist of Dickens at the end, I want to see what happens next after the sweet epilogue.

Griep creates fantastic characters that you can't help but love and root for, even when they're in slightly odd situations. And don't even get me started on the spiritual takeaways. All of the stories are, of course, about second chances (hence the second-chance coin), but there are also other lessons. And these rich, fantastic storylines set in a distant period of history intersect so well with our current lives, that you can't help but take a lesson with you when you close the book. Overall, I highly recommend this book, especially if you need a stocking stuffer or two. These wonderful Christmas stories are filled with substance and food for thought as well as a nice reminder that the first Christmas was about the world's second chance.

A delightful collection of Victorian era novellas set at Christmas! Some of the best I have had the privilege to read.

All three animated tales are full of eccentric, charming and some dastardly characters, worthy of Dickens himself, who makes a cameo appearance in each one. Centered around the theme of 'second chances', with a bit of a connection between them, each of these unique tales gives a refreshing look at the gift of grace, forgiveness and redemption.

"Either your faith will move mountains, or your doubt will create them.”

The first two tales were a joy to read again, so packed full of story that it's easy to get lost in them and hard to believe that they are only novellas. The writing is excellent, including the newest addition--a second chance romance set against the industrial background of the lace market in Nottingham. A tough topic of abuse is carefully touched on as a young widow begins again, hoping for a better life. A kind heroine who reaches out to the unloved and unwanted, she was easy to root for. A few descriptions of factory life reminded me a bit of Gaskell's North and South. The peril and competitive business climate added tension to this one. Faith and hope are included to add a positive side to the story. This one could easily be stretched to make a full length novel.

Highly recommend to readers who enjoy historical Christian romances with a classic feel. A good collection to read and reread at Christmas time.

12 Days a Bleakly Manor: A most unlikely group of people are all invited to Bleakly Manor for Christmas - but the owner doesn't appear and things don't seem to make sense. Then there are the accidents that keep occurring... What is going on, and why? And can some good come of it all?

A Tale of Two Hearts: William and his cousin Percy are contending for a legacy from their elderly uncle - and unmarried William believes that Percy has an edge in the contest because he is married, and his uncle prefers that. So a pretend bride might help, and the barmaid is just the woman to do it. But the stakes are raised when it appears that Percy has nefarious plans for what to do if he is named heir, so that William must win at all costs - but will the cost be too high?

The Old Lace Shop: Widowed Bella has been left her husband's substantial holdings in various companies, and decides to keep her majority ownership in a lace-making company to give her some independence. Unfortunately, her partner turns out to be the man whose rejection forced her to marry her late abusive husband. Can she carve out a place for herself in a world she doesn't understand, and become a valued part not only of the company but also of his heart?

Three stories in one book, the middle of which I had read before but enjoyed reading again (okay, I enjoyed reading the other two for the first time too!). The writing is good, the plots unexpected, the characters interesting and the content clean. The theme of second chances runs through all of them, and it was a good reminder that we do need to be willing to give others second chances when things go wrong. Written in somewhat of a Dickensish style (though much shorter!) and with references to the author and his writings, but with their own plots that are not merely trying to retell another author's tale, I thoroughly enjoyed them all, and would happily recommend them.

Note that I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my opinion.

Three delightful tales that take place during Christmas in Victorian England! All three stories have a character being given a "second chance coin". And each of them have little appearance or mention of one the greatest storytellers, Charles Dickens.

The first story "12 Days at Bleakly Manor" is about a group of people from all walks of life gathering at a manor till the end of the Twelfth Night. Whomever is the last one remaining has their deepest wish come true. The reason why these people were gathered was quite a nice surprise; it brought a smile to my face lol.

The second story, "A Tale of Two Hearts", is about William trying to be named heir of his uncle's estate over his cousin Percival. William's unsavory is past is already against him but there is catch-he must be married. Then enters our heroine Mina who happens to be the innkeeper's daughter which William frequents. I really liked his uncle with whom Mina got along famously. At the beginning of each chapter there are quotes from books which I really liked.

The third story, "The Old Lace Shop" was my favorite! After recently becoming a widow of an abusive man Arabella White is selling all of his businesses besides one-an old lace shop in Nottingham. She decides to be a co-owner with her husband's partner, Edmund Archer, who happens to be her one and only love. Reaching there she sees poverty, hunger, and the competition side of business. Arabella tries to find an occupation for Helen, along with a few other women, who are left with no choice but to ask for alms after going blind due to straining their eyes in the lace factory. This story is the more darker and realistic of the three.

At the end of each story are historical notes about things or events during that time period pertaining to each story.

This was my first foray into Michelle Griep's writing which I very much liked. I'll be looking into her other books. Highly recommended especially during the Christmas season as these stories teach us about hope and forgiveness; and well they're also really enjoyable to read!

All my opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

Three lovely stories, well written and heartwarming.
I appreciated the character development, the style of writing and the Christmas atmosphere.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A note before I begin this review: Two of the stories in this collection, “Twelve Days at Bleakley Manor” and “ A Tale of Two Hearts” have been previously published. “The Old Lace Shop” is a new story published in this edition. I had read the first two stories, but I’m glad to have all three in one volume because they share common story elements.

These stories are all Victorian in their settings. (Think of “A Christmas Carol” for this time period.) There are small, but important, links that follow through each story: A “second chance” coin: a swift “glimpse’ of Charles Dickens; characters that make a cameo appearance in a story. “Bleakley Manor” is a Victorian mystery that sets the tone of second chances for the other two stories. “A Tale of Two Hearts” had characters that I loved. My favorite story was “The Old Lace Shop”. I loved the setting of this
story and several of the characters in this one touched my heart.

In all three stories, the themes of second chances, forgiveness, and hope are the guideposts for the reader, which make these perfect stories for the Christmas season.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Three Victorian themed Christmas stories. I thoroughly enjoyed these 3 stories of hope and second chances. I love the way Michelle Griep describes her characters and the places. You'd almost feel like you're there. From second chances at love to pretences to earn an inheritance and falling for old love turned business partners, these stories take you on an exciting journey with the message of hope and forgiveness. I love the appearance of the second chance coin in each story and the message it signifies.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this book.

In the first story of this trio of tales, "12 Days at Bleakly Manor", an odd assortment of people are summoned to Bleakly Manor, and whoever stays through Twelfth Night will have his or her wish come true. This is an unusual story; it starts slowly and is quite wonderful by the end! The characters are great, from Miss Scurry and her mice to Mr. Tallgrass and his Cockney dialect. Clara Chapman and Ben Lane get a well-deserved second chance. For lack of a better word, the "puppetmaster's" identity and reasoning came as a surprise to me. 4.5 stars

"A Tale of Two Hearts" features innkeeper's daughter Mina Scott and law clerk William Barstow, who pretend to be a married couple so Will will be named the heir to his uncle's estate. This is not nearly as bad as it sounds, although problems quickly ensue. Another potential heir is Will's cousin Percy, who along with his wife Alice, plan to place Uncle Barstow in an asylum upon being named heir. While I have read stories with the pretend-marriage theme before, this is the most well-written. There are many Dickens quotes. Effie Gedge from the first novella plays a part, and the Lanes are mentioned. 5 stars

The third offering, "The Old Lace Shop" takes place in 1850s industrialized Nottingham, England. Arabella White, a new and GRATEFUL widow, decides to retain one of her deceased husband's businesses, a lace-making factory. As majority owner, she decides to be an active co-manager with the minority owner. She is shocked to discover the man is Edmund Archer, the only man she's ever loved. This is a more somber and gritty story, dealing realistically with poverty and hardships of people dealing with hunger, employment and sadly, violent business competition. Flora is a delight. Percival Barstow is a secondary character in this novella. 4 stars

All three stories are wonderful and have themes of hope and forgiveness. I love how the second chance coin plays an important role in each story. As always, Michelle Griep's prose is lovely, and her characters are well-drawn. Depiction of life in 1850s England is vivid.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this great collection.

Once Upon a Dickens Christmas is a good collection of Christmas stories. I enjoyed each selection and found them to be well written. I highly recommend this book. My thanks to the publisher for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

"12 Days at Bleakly Manor"
I, personally, have never read anything by Michelle Griep. I do have a number of her books downloaded to my Kindle, but I haven't had the time to read them yet. The book 12 Days at Bleakly Manor was my first introduction to Griep's writing. With the setting being in London, I was interested in the plot right away. The story is a historical romance, so I was pretty sure the historical setting with the characters would be interesting.

Griep's writing is top notch. I had no problem picturing Bleakly Manor at all. Griep sprinkled in just enough description to capture my attention as Clara and Ben moved through the house. I could feel the cold outside and imagine that I was belonged in the house during the twelve days of Christmas. She did a great job at inviting me into the Manor just like she did her characters.

The characters were interesting too. I loved the strange cast of characters that she used to tell her story. All of them were different, but each one of them had their own vices that made them stand out. I loved seeing Clara and Ben interact after so much trials and misunderstanding which had affected their relationship. They were a nice couple to watch as they loved blossomed after their misunderstanding came to light.

As for the plot, it did remind me of the 1980's movie Clue, but with a British Christmas twist. I enjoy the mystery. The entire time I couldn't wait to meet who the master of the house was. Griep did a great job at intertwining the mystery into the Christmas story. When I started the novel, I was drawn in right away to the plot. I had a hard time believing it was a novella. Most novellas feel short and not fully developed, but I didn't feel this way with Griep's novel. It felt complete, and I really can't wait for the next addition. Next fall seems too far away.

Overall, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor captured my interest because of the mystery, London setting, and the Christmas time of the year. I highly recommend this book to fans of Charles Dickens and fans of a good mystery. I can't wait to see what the next book entails.

I received a complimentary copy of 12 Days at Bleakly Manor by Michelle Griep from Barbour Books, but the opinions stated are all my own.
(A previous review of the individual novella.)

"A Tale of Two Hearts"
Christmas. London. Victorian era. What could be the better makings for a novel? Maybe some suspense. But Michelle Griep creates a wonderful short story that fits in with the makings of a true Dicken's novel. I enjoyed the first book in the series entitled 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on A Tale of Two Heart too. Boy, am I glad I did. The story comes to life and brings the good feelings that Christmas brings only a couple of months earlier.

I really enjoy traveling to London during the Victorian age with Griep. She wove together a timeless love story filled with intrigue and romance. I loved how well-described Griep make London. I have never been there, but she did a wonderful job at bringing London from a long time ago to life. She dove into the characters personalities and allow me to see how the characters feel and perceive things.

The plot kept me spellbound. The top item on my bucket list is to visit London during the Christmas time. I loved how Griep created a story with a fake marriage to win an inheritance from an uncle. The competition between the two cousins captured my imagination. I couldn't wait to see how the story ended. I finished the novel in under a day. It didn't feel like a novella because Griep does a good job at diving into the characters and intermingling them with the plot.

The romance was not the typical Victorian romance. I mean, what girl allows herself to pretend to be someone marriage to help them earn an inheritance? What does she get out of it? Slowly, through all the conflicts and moments that could have blown their cover, the romance between Mina and William blossomed into true love.

The theme of second chances is created and fulfilled by the uncle and passed onto his nephews. What person does not need a second, or even a third or fourth chance from their past mistakes or encounters?

In conclusion, TheTale of Two Hearts is a wonderful, Christmas-type of feeling story. With a different type of plot, Griep captures my attention by creating another keeper for the shelf. I anxiously await the next installment in the story, which is teased at in the final pages of the book. Fans of Johanna Davidson Politano would enjoy this novel.

I received a complimentary copy of A Tale of Two Hearts by Michelle Griep from Barbour Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.
(A previous review of the individual novella.)
"The Old Lace Shop"
"The Old Lace Shop" is a wonderful Christmas feel-good story telling the horrors of working conditions in Victorian London. I really enjoyed the inside look at the horrors of the tiny detailed work of Lace making and the old factories that used to produce them. The plus side to Griep's story is that she didn't just show the horrors inside the factory; she also showed us the horrors of the town surrounding the factory. The low wages and low hours affected the employees, the bosses, and the community. I enjoyed this glimpse into Victorian London's life. I did enjoy the characters of Edmund and Ms. White. The romance between the two really didn't sparkle on the pages. There were hints of their past love coming the surface, and enjoyed that. Edmund was more focused on working on orders for the factory while Ms. White wanted to make a better world for the less fornuate. This was a great story in favor of Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol, and I think it was a great addition to the collection and a wonderful story to read for Christmas.
I received a complimentary copy of Once Upon a Dickens Christmas by Michelle Griep from Barbour Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

Michelle Griep is such a wonderful writer and this set of 3 three short stories is no exception. All three are Christmas themed Victorian stories with a definite Christian message that is never overly preachy with some romance and lovely, believable characters. There's a heartwarming message in these stories that is perfectly done. I enjoyed the second and third stories just a bit more than the first but honestly all three were very, very enjoyable to read.

This book is so good! All three stories are very well written and hold your attention. If you like Victorian Christmas romance stories, you will love this book. This stories in this book have drama, suspense and romance. This is the perfect book to curl up with and take a step back in time. It will put a smile on your face and joy in your heart. I enjoyed every minute spent reading this book. Thank you Barbour Publishing, Inc. Shiloh Run Press via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this wonderful book. All opinions expressed are my own.