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Once Upon A Christmas: The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year/'Twas The Week Before Christmas
Once Upon a Christmas by Lauraine Snelling\Lenora Worth released on Oct 25, 2005 is available now for purchase.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
41 people are currently reading
357 people want to read
About the author
Lauraine Snelling
161 books2,056 followersAward-winning and bestselling author Lauraine Snelling has over 80 books published with sales of over 4.5 million. Her original dream was to write horse books for children. Today, she writes adult novels about real issues centered on forgiveness, loss, domestic violence and cancer in her inspirational contemporary women’s fiction titles and historical series, including the favorite, Blessing books about Ingeborg Bjorklund and family.
Lauraine enjoys helping others reach their writing dreams by teaching at writer’s conferences across the county. She and her husband Wayne have two grown sons, and a daughter in Heaven. They live in the Tehachapi Mountains with a Basset named Sir Winston ob de Mountains, Lapcat, and “The Girls” (three golden hens).
Lauraine enjoys helping others reach their writing dreams by teaching at writer’s conferences across the county. She and her husband Wayne have two grown sons, and a daughter in Heaven. They live in the Tehachapi Mountains with a Basset named Sir Winston ob de Mountains, Lapcat, and “The Girls” (three golden hens).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
December 26, 2018
This novel was two Christmas novellas in one.
The first story, by Lauraine Snelling, was so cute and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Blythe and Thane meet while walking their dogs (I’m a sucker for a story involving dogs), and immediately hit it off. When Thane is forced to take his three-year-old niece in, it adds a whole new dynamic for their relationship. Between the dogs, niece, and their wavering feelings, Blythe and Thane find the recipe for falling in love at Christmas.
The second story, by Lenora Worth, I just could not get into. The story seemed forced and the characters seemed off in a way, but I can’t quite put my finger on why. Theo, a Cajun from the deep south, occasionally does things for Elise’s grandmother. Elise is home for the holidays and her grandmother wants Elise to refine Theo and help him develop a more cultured nature. It’s all in disguise of a potential love match that her grandmother hopes will stick. Of course it does work out and they fall in love. Two people from opposite ends of the class spectrum. Lenora’s writing style wasn’t really for me though. I wasn’t sure if it was just this story, or if it is her style in general.
Overall, both stories were cute and perfect for my holiday reading, but I much preferred the first story over the second one.
The first story, by Lauraine Snelling, was so cute and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Blythe and Thane meet while walking their dogs (I’m a sucker for a story involving dogs), and immediately hit it off. When Thane is forced to take his three-year-old niece in, it adds a whole new dynamic for their relationship. Between the dogs, niece, and their wavering feelings, Blythe and Thane find the recipe for falling in love at Christmas.
The second story, by Lenora Worth, I just could not get into. The story seemed forced and the characters seemed off in a way, but I can’t quite put my finger on why. Theo, a Cajun from the deep south, occasionally does things for Elise’s grandmother. Elise is home for the holidays and her grandmother wants Elise to refine Theo and help him develop a more cultured nature. It’s all in disguise of a potential love match that her grandmother hopes will stick. Of course it does work out and they fall in love. Two people from opposite ends of the class spectrum. Lenora’s writing style wasn’t really for me though. I wasn’t sure if it was just this story, or if it is her style in general.
Overall, both stories were cute and perfect for my holiday reading, but I much preferred the first story over the second one.
December 2, 2023
A chance meeting for two people that walk their dogs...met after their leashes got tangled up.
Soon a romance blooms between Blythe Stensrude and Thane Davidson.
A transition is made after Thane has guardianship of her three year old niece.
Thane has made this Christmas the best ever for his little niece and for Blythe too.
Soon a romance blooms between Blythe Stensrude and Thane Davidson.
A transition is made after Thane has guardianship of her three year old niece.
Thane has made this Christmas the best ever for his little niece and for Blythe too.
June 23, 2020
Ok, nothing very memorable. I wanted to like it more because of the Christmas theme, but it's just average.
January 1, 2022
There's something about Christmastime that makes me enjoy cozying up with fluffy, festive romances. Once Upon a Christmas is two fluffy, festive romances in one volume that I probably wouldn't have even picked up any other time of year. But the week before Christmas, they were just what I wanted.
In "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" by Lauraine Snelling, an overworked creative consultant with a dog she loves and a family she avoids meets up with a harried computer tech who's just had to take in his toddler niece because his sister landed in jail. Which all sounds kind of heavy, and there's definitely some depth to this story that I wasn't expecting, but also plenty of cheery fluff to keep the overall atmosphere light.
In "'Twas the Week Before Christmas" by Lenora Worth, a pretty Southern belle returns to her grandmother's Louisiana manor for a big family Christmas and falls hard for the handsome, scruffy groundskeeper that her grandmother more or less sets her up with. This one has a lot more oohing and ahhing over muscles and jawlines and eyes and hair, but I kept envisioning Pierre Jalbert as the Cajun groundskeeper, so I would've been oohing and ahhing over muscles and jawlines and eyes and hair if I'd been the belle, too.
Of the two stories, I liked Snelling's the most, but I enjoyed Worth's too. I don't think this is a book I'll reread, but it was just what I needed at the time.
In "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" by Lauraine Snelling, an overworked creative consultant with a dog she loves and a family she avoids meets up with a harried computer tech who's just had to take in his toddler niece because his sister landed in jail. Which all sounds kind of heavy, and there's definitely some depth to this story that I wasn't expecting, but also plenty of cheery fluff to keep the overall atmosphere light.
In "'Twas the Week Before Christmas" by Lenora Worth, a pretty Southern belle returns to her grandmother's Louisiana manor for a big family Christmas and falls hard for the handsome, scruffy groundskeeper that her grandmother more or less sets her up with. This one has a lot more oohing and ahhing over muscles and jawlines and eyes and hair, but I kept envisioning Pierre Jalbert as the Cajun groundskeeper, so I would've been oohing and ahhing over muscles and jawlines and eyes and hair if I'd been the belle, too.
Of the two stories, I liked Snelling's the most, but I enjoyed Worth's too. I don't think this is a book I'll reread, but it was just what I needed at the time.
December 28, 2018
I like the second of these two novellas (‘Twas the Week Before Christmas) more than I did the first (The Most Wonderful Time of the Year). Although both had generally predictable plots, they were still entertaining to read during the holiday season.
For a romance story, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year did not have a lot of romance. I felt like it was mostly them doing favors rather than getting to know each other. Plus, a major part of the story was not explained until the end, making a lot of points confusing and taking away from the story. The ending also seemed very rushed, even for a short story.
‘Twas the Week Before Christmas was much more enjoyable for me. Although the characters did not have as much depth as I’d prefer, I still found the plot entertaining and appreciated seeing how the characters discovered where they belong according to God’s plan for them.
For a romance story, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year did not have a lot of romance. I felt like it was mostly them doing favors rather than getting to know each other. Plus, a major part of the story was not explained until the end, making a lot of points confusing and taking away from the story. The ending also seemed very rushed, even for a short story.
‘Twas the Week Before Christmas was much more enjoyable for me. Although the characters did not have as much depth as I’d prefer, I still found the plot entertaining and appreciated seeing how the characters discovered where they belong according to God’s plan for them.
December 28, 2018
Both tales have the predictable cookie-cutter feel. I like the faith ties in it, more in the second novella than the first.
"Most Wonderful Time" felt stiff ... but maybe it was because the characters have stiff personalities, workaholics that they are. The changes of heart happened rather quickly, almost as if the writer was coming close to her word quota and had to bring it to an end.
"'Twas the Week" was softer and the difference between the key characters made it more intriguing. The discussion questions at the end miss the mark, though; they seem to be written for a different novella ... even getting the male character's name wrong.
"Most Wonderful Time" felt stiff ... but maybe it was because the characters have stiff personalities, workaholics that they are. The changes of heart happened rather quickly, almost as if the writer was coming close to her word quota and had to bring it to an end.
"'Twas the Week" was softer and the difference between the key characters made it more intriguing. The discussion questions at the end miss the mark, though; they seem to be written for a different novella ... even getting the male character's name wrong.
December 26, 2018
A couple of sweet, predictable romances.
January 23, 2009
I give the first book 5 stars, and the 2nd book 4 stars. I really loved L. Snelling's character and style of writing. But I could not get into L. Worth's characters until 10 pages till the end.
Overall, a good Christmas read!
Overall, a good Christmas read!
January 4, 2015
Interesting & easy to read...really liked the second story better than then the first....Romance & good Christian book....
January 28, 2008
really liked the first story - did not like the second one.
January 6, 2024
Two short holiday stories, and neither one of them are good.
In the first, Lorraine Snelling introduces us to two horrible people: a hero who is relationally distant and a heroine who is absolutely out of her mind. She writes it with an 'upbeat' tone and puts lots of 'thought streams' into the story to bring us into their heads, and I really appreciated that - it's practically novel in an LI book. ((Okay, outside of Allie Plieter)). But here it just. doesn't. work. Mostly because nobody wants to be in either of their minds, the story isn't good enough and the author's lack of characterization beyond those thought streams is severely lacking.
The blurb on the back says that the two people meet when their dogs' leashes get tangled (a la '101 Dalmations'), but it's not true. The book says her BASSETT HOUND "flies her like a kite" thru the park chasing wildlife. Yeah, you read that right - a BASSETT HOUND. A 40-something pound dog, dragging an 120 pound woman. ((((O_o)))) I had to turn the dogs into Great Danes in my head in order to make it work, because it was THAT. STUPID.
The hero is a self-absorbed workaholic who thinks (as the author apparently does) that it's okay to stand someone up on a date, and then NOT CALL them for five days, after. I get that he had a family emergency, but it takes THIRTY SECONDS to TELL HER THAT. He's not worth it, kid, run away, run away...!!!
Not that she's any prize. She's absolutely out of her mind, and we're talking psychosis, here. She is FR-eaked out about having kids because she believes she did something that she never did. Yeah - that's the premise of this story.
When his niece starts to choke in a restaurant, she saves the child, but then has a complete and total psychotic break, screaming - literally screaming - about how she killed not only the girl (who is alive and well, hello), but how she killed her brother (who also is alive and well, happily married and living in Alabama). WHAT. THE. FARTS?!?!? It was so fabricated to have some 'friction' point for the heroine for the story, and it did. not. work. It was awful.
In the second story, we have a snobby, snooty Southern socialite girl (who in no world would EVER be single - she's hot and rich and graceful and 'connected') going home for X-mess to her Grand-mere in the bayou. There Grand-mere asks her to 'refine' the gardener - who happens to be a big Cajun redneck who does the sexy-snarky thing in some near-identical caricature to Pepe Le Pew.
He's a smarm, she's a wench, and it's five days after X-mess and I asked myself... do I even want to continue with this? The answer was a resounding 'no', so I DNF-ed the thing and threw it in the donations box.
There are wonderful 'Love, Inspired' books. Not many, but there are. I just finished two 5-star ones, including 'The Christmas Rose'. But these? These isn't worth anyone's time.
In the first, Lorraine Snelling introduces us to two horrible people: a hero who is relationally distant and a heroine who is absolutely out of her mind. She writes it with an 'upbeat' tone and puts lots of 'thought streams' into the story to bring us into their heads, and I really appreciated that - it's practically novel in an LI book. ((Okay, outside of Allie Plieter)). But here it just. doesn't. work. Mostly because nobody wants to be in either of their minds, the story isn't good enough and the author's lack of characterization beyond those thought streams is severely lacking.
The blurb on the back says that the two people meet when their dogs' leashes get tangled (a la '101 Dalmations'), but it's not true. The book says her BASSETT HOUND "flies her like a kite" thru the park chasing wildlife. Yeah, you read that right - a BASSETT HOUND. A 40-something pound dog, dragging an 120 pound woman. ((((O_o)))) I had to turn the dogs into Great Danes in my head in order to make it work, because it was THAT. STUPID.
The hero is a self-absorbed workaholic who thinks (as the author apparently does) that it's okay to stand someone up on a date, and then NOT CALL them for five days, after. I get that he had a family emergency, but it takes THIRTY SECONDS to TELL HER THAT. He's not worth it, kid, run away, run away...!!!
Not that she's any prize. She's absolutely out of her mind, and we're talking psychosis, here. She is FR-eaked out about having kids because she believes she did something that she never did. Yeah - that's the premise of this story.
When his niece starts to choke in a restaurant, she saves the child, but then has a complete and total psychotic break, screaming - literally screaming - about how she killed not only the girl (who is alive and well, hello), but how she killed her brother (who also is alive and well, happily married and living in Alabama). WHAT. THE. FARTS?!?!? It was so fabricated to have some 'friction' point for the heroine for the story, and it did. not. work. It was awful.
In the second story, we have a snobby, snooty Southern socialite girl (who in no world would EVER be single - she's hot and rich and graceful and 'connected') going home for X-mess to her Grand-mere in the bayou. There Grand-mere asks her to 'refine' the gardener - who happens to be a big Cajun redneck who does the sexy-snarky thing in some near-identical caricature to Pepe Le Pew.
He's a smarm, she's a wench, and it's five days after X-mess and I asked myself... do I even want to continue with this? The answer was a resounding 'no', so I DNF-ed the thing and threw it in the donations box.
There are wonderful 'Love, Inspired' books. Not many, but there are. I just finished two 5-star ones, including 'The Christmas Rose'. But these? These isn't worth anyone's time.
July 24, 2018
These two stories by these two authors are both absolutely delightful holiday tales!
Both of the tales told in this book are heartwarming stories that are genuinely the type that just put a smile on your face and remind you what the holiday season is all about. In the first story, you have two workaholics with basset hounds who find each other but have some obstacles to work through. In the second story a good ol' southern belle returns to her grandmothers grand home for a family Christmas but there may just be a little more to the invite than our belle has been lead to believe!
Both of these stories have charming characters, intriguing storylines, and are just short-ish and sweet to read. The plots may be slightly predictable but let me tell you the characters are so great it's all good. These remind you of the true meaning of Christmas and just leave you feeling good when your all done.
Both of the tales told in this book are heartwarming stories that are genuinely the type that just put a smile on your face and remind you what the holiday season is all about. In the first story, you have two workaholics with basset hounds who find each other but have some obstacles to work through. In the second story a good ol' southern belle returns to her grandmothers grand home for a family Christmas but there may just be a little more to the invite than our belle has been lead to believe!
Both of these stories have charming characters, intriguing storylines, and are just short-ish and sweet to read. The plots may be slightly predictable but let me tell you the characters are so great it's all good. These remind you of the true meaning of Christmas and just leave you feeling good when your all done.
October 5, 2018
Two and a half stars
The Most Wonderful Time of Year by Lauraine Snelling
Blythe Stensrude and Thane Davidson are both basset owners and busy business owners. Neither is really looking for love, but sometimes God has other plans. They are both kind of workaholics, and then Thane unexpectedly becomes guardian to his three-year-old niece... and Blythe is certain she isn't mother material.
'Twas the Week Before Christmas by Lenora Worth
Elise Melancon is asked by her grandmother to help out Theo Galliano so he can win back his girlfriend who apparently was disappointed by his lack of polish. To be honest, I was somewhat put off by the debutante-ish airs of Elise, and the general down-one's-nose attitude towards the more Cajun Theo.
Both stories are adequately written and give a bit of a taste for the Christmas season.
The Most Wonderful Time of Year by Lauraine Snelling
Blythe Stensrude and Thane Davidson are both basset owners and busy business owners. Neither is really looking for love, but sometimes God has other plans. They are both kind of workaholics, and then Thane unexpectedly becomes guardian to his three-year-old niece... and Blythe is certain she isn't mother material.
'Twas the Week Before Christmas by Lenora Worth
Elise Melancon is asked by her grandmother to help out Theo Galliano so he can win back his girlfriend who apparently was disappointed by his lack of polish. To be honest, I was somewhat put off by the debutante-ish airs of Elise, and the general down-one's-nose attitude towards the more Cajun Theo.
Both stories are adequately written and give a bit of a taste for the Christmas season.
July 6, 2018
2 stories, 2 authors. Blythe and Thane meet when their Bassets tangle together at the park while walking. They’re both workaholics, but get together when they can. Until Thane has to take in his 3 year old niece. Blythe thinks she’s not safe for kids. But of course it works out. Elise goes home to her grandmother’s mansion for Christmas. Grandmere wants her to work with a Cajun boy, whose girlfriend dropped him because he had to drop out of college and go back home to shrimping when his father gets hurt. Maybe if he learned manners, she’ll take him back. But soon he realizes he doesn’t want her back, and Elise doesn’t want her around, either. Grandmere has set them up to fall for each other. I liked both stories a lot.
December 11, 2024
A bubblegum book. Don’t think about it too deeply and it’s fine.
Clean though, no sex scenes, violence, or foul language.
They kept sending up prayers but I don’t think they were actually listening to God, just kinda doing whatever they wanted. God doesn’t tell you to “listen to your heart” because the heart is actually deceitful and desperately wicked. I couldn’t stand the MIL grandma in the second story, but that’s just because I hate witchy MIL “I had all boys” so “pick me not your wife” stories.
Clean though, no sex scenes, violence, or foul language.
They kept sending up prayers but I don’t think they were actually listening to God, just kinda doing whatever they wanted. God doesn’t tell you to “listen to your heart” because the heart is actually deceitful and desperately wicked. I couldn’t stand the MIL grandma in the second story, but that’s just because I hate witchy MIL “I had all boys” so “pick me not your wife” stories.
February 18, 2019
This book was just fun to read, as the romance grew between two people after they were entwined by their dogs. Blythe Stensrude and Thane Davidson who met while walking their dogs Into this picture comes his niece and as he looks for ways to give her a wonderful Christmas Blythe finds herself becoming more involved with the him as they in different ways worked to give his niece a Christmas to remember.
December 13, 2023
I don’t care for romance novels esp ones with a hallmark quality but I gave this a try for Christmas season. I didn’t get that cozy comfy crackling fire warm blanket hot tea snow falling through the window I was wanting but the stories were tolerable. The end to the 2nd story set in Louisiana was way too much, overly dramatic, unrealistic, def hallmark ridiculous, make me gag. I enjoyed the swamp plantation house setting though.
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December 23, 2019Two enjoyable Christmas novellas. I loved how Blythe and Thane met as their bassets tangled with one another in the dog park. Friendship and romance developed from there. In the second novella, Elise is prompted by her well-to-do grandmother to make a gentleman out of her Cajun gardner/handyman, so he can recapture his lost love. But grandma has other ideas in mind.
December 29, 2021
The two novellas were sweet but nothing special. I enjoyed that Christ was actually part of Christmas for the characters!
Lauraine Snelling is an author I’ve loved reading since I was a teenager, and I’m definitely glad I read her book.
The other one I found harder to believe but it was a fun new experience to “be” down in the Bayou.
Lauraine Snelling is an author I’ve loved reading since I was a teenager, and I’m definitely glad I read her book.
The other one I found harder to believe but it was a fun new experience to “be” down in the Bayou.
October 2, 2023
Endearing Christmas stories intertwined with sweet romances that were pleasant to read though almost predictable as well as somewhat rushed somewhat towards an ending. This reader needed a Christmas holiday boost as October rears it's ugly head! It provided all that plus was delicious in doing so!
December 9, 2017
A light Christmas read of two novellas. Snellings was the better of the two.
December 9, 2018
I really enjoyed the first story in this book, but didn't care for the 2nd story so much.
December 28, 2019
Two, romantic Christmas tales. Both are pretty predictable, yet nice to read this time of year.
January 25, 2020
Sweet, clean romance stories that send a message and leave you feeling good after reading...
Interesting plots and characters.
Interesting plots and characters.
December 22, 2020
Sweet stories. Nice to read positive stories during a pandemic. Enjoyable. Merry Christmas.
March 3, 2022
Both stories were cute and were wholesome.
April 13, 2023
wonderful book
December 2, 2023
Light hearted quick read. Just a feel good kind of book with two stories in it.
December 18, 2024
Two books in one. I enjoyed the second one more.
December 19, 2022
1.5 stars, rounded up. If you like you stories with a lot of syrup or sap, these two novels in one book may just be the reads for you!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews