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Dollar Princess #3.5
To Bless a Baron at Christmas: A Dollar Princess Novella
For those enchanted by The Gilded Age and White Christmas...
When celebrated artist Ava Whitmore arrives in snowy Herefordshire for the holidays, she expects the magnificent ancestral manor of her grandmother’s stories—not Waverly Hall, an estate slipping toward ruin. Yet beneath its faded grandeur is a family desperate to save it, including Edward, the baron’s reserved eldest son, whose hopes rest on a fragile dream of orchards and renewal.
Determined to rescue her grandmother’s childhood home, Ava proposes a dazzling Christmas art exhibition that could restore the estate’s fortunes. But as winter deepens and her connection with Edward grows impossible to ignore, Ava finds herself torn between the fiercely independent life she’s always guarded and the startling possibility of love.
When a painful misunderstanding threatens to shatter their fragile bond, Ava must decide whether this snowy English Christmas is simply a beautiful interlude…or the beginning of everything she never knew she wanted.
Filled with glittering festivities, village warmth, old-world elegance, and a swoon-worthy romance, this enchanting historical love story is the perfect holiday escape.
When celebrated artist Ava Whitmore arrives in snowy Herefordshire for the holidays, she expects the magnificent ancestral manor of her grandmother’s stories—not Waverly Hall, an estate slipping toward ruin. Yet beneath its faded grandeur is a family desperate to save it, including Edward, the baron’s reserved eldest son, whose hopes rest on a fragile dream of orchards and renewal.
Determined to rescue her grandmother’s childhood home, Ava proposes a dazzling Christmas art exhibition that could restore the estate’s fortunes. But as winter deepens and her connection with Edward grows impossible to ignore, Ava finds herself torn between the fiercely independent life she’s always guarded and the startling possibility of love.
When a painful misunderstanding threatens to shatter their fragile bond, Ava must decide whether this snowy English Christmas is simply a beautiful interlude…or the beginning of everything she never knew she wanted.
Filled with glittering festivities, village warmth, old-world elegance, and a swoon-worthy romance, this enchanting historical love story is the perfect holiday escape.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 3, 2026
About the author
Gabrielle Meyer
98 books3,684 followersGabrielle Meyer grew up above a carriage house on a historic estate near the banks of the Mississippi River, imagining real and make-believe stories about the occupants who had lived there. She went on to work for the Minnesota Historical Society and loves writing fiction inspired by real people, places, and events. She currently resides in central Minnesota on the banks of the Mississippi River, not far from where she grew up, with her husband and four children. By day, she’s a busy homeschool mom, and by night she pens fiction and non-fiction filled with hope. Learn more about Gabrielle and her writing by visiting www.gabriellemeyer.com.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
In a Nutshell: A historical romance novella retelling the classic Christmas musical ‘White Christmas’ in a Gilded Age setting. Nice, loveable characters and a heartwarming storyline. Straightforward and predictable, but it suits the genre. Christian fiction, though the religious content is quite diluted. Recommended. Part of the ‘Dollar Princess’ series but can be read as a standalone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
The ‘Dollar Princess’ series is a set of standalone historical romances, each retelling one classic Hollywood musical by setting it in England during the Gilded Age. This book, the first novella of the series, spins a new version of ‘White Christmas’. As such, you can expect loveable characters, a heartwarming plot, faith-oriented writing, and of course, plenty of Christmassy vibes.
The biggest appeal of the book is its characters. Every single character, whether the main characters such as Ava and Edward, or the minor ones such as the people in the village, or even a character like Betty (Ava’s grandmother) who is only mentioned, makes their presence felt strongly. Despite the book being only novella-length at 120 pages, we get a good glimpse of their personalities and why they behave the way they do. Of course, all the characters are too goody-goody with not a single negative quality, but this is par for the course for a Christmas storyline.
Given that the story takes place over just a fortnight, the romance is a bit insta, which isn't often my favourite romance trope. But in this novella, it is handled quite well, with more focus on the attraction of personality than on physical attraction alone. There are three love stories in the book, with the other two being almost the opposite of each other. I loved the lost-love subplot, and wished multiple times that the pair had had a happy ending. The third track didn’t get much page-space, but the couple still made their mark with their vibrant personalities.
The storyline is quite straightforward and predictable, but one doesn’t read romances for their twisty surprises, right? We need all the gushy-mushy feels when we read this genre, and this book offers the same in plenty. I just wish the conflict in the third-act had felt more natural; it felt shoved in just because a conflict was needed by the story.
The book is Christian in approach, but the faith content is quite diluted this time. There are references to God’s plan, but the overall tone is secular. The story offers plenty of Christmas feels in the second half. The true spirit of Christmas is visible in the acts of every character.
Overall, this is a heartwarming historical romance that stays true to the genre to provide a cozy love story underlined by a Christian spirit. The characters are the highlight of this novella.
Definitely recommended to historical romance readers. Though a part of the ‘Dollar Princess’ series, this novella can be read as a standalone.
4 stars.
My thanks to author Gabrielle Meyer for providing a complimentary digital review copy of “To Bless a Baron at Christmas” at my request. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
The digital version of this book is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
Interested in the earlier books in this series? Check out:
Book One: ‘To Love a Lady’
Book Two: ‘To Dance with a Duke’
Book Three: ‘To Educate an Earl’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I follow the Goodreads rating policy:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Lifelong favourite!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I loved the book.
⭐⭐⭐ - I liked the book.
⭐⭐ - I found the book average.
⭐ - I hated the book.
The decimals indicate the degree of the in-between feelings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
1886. Ava Whitmore, a celebrated artist, is in London for her upcoming exhibition. But during her stay, she wishes to visit Waverly Hall, the estate her late grandmother grew up in. However, she discovers that the grandeur of Waverly Hall is much reduced because of the changing circumstances of its owners – the elderly Baron Waverly and his two sons Edward and Henry – and the tenant farmers. Determined to save the manor, Ava proposes a daring plan: to exhibit her artwork at Waverly Hall instead of in London. Now she has to make this idea work, while also evaluating her growing feelings for the ever-smiling-yet-reserved Edward.
The story comes to us in Ava’s first-person perspective.
The ‘Dollar Princess’ series is a set of standalone historical romances, each retelling one classic Hollywood musical by setting it in England during the Gilded Age. This book, the first novella of the series, spins a new version of ‘White Christmas’. As such, you can expect loveable characters, a heartwarming plot, faith-oriented writing, and of course, plenty of Christmassy vibes.
The biggest appeal of the book is its characters. Every single character, whether the main characters such as Ava and Edward, or the minor ones such as the people in the village, or even a character like Betty (Ava’s grandmother) who is only mentioned, makes their presence felt strongly. Despite the book being only novella-length at 120 pages, we get a good glimpse of their personalities and why they behave the way they do. Of course, all the characters are too goody-goody with not a single negative quality, but this is par for the course for a Christmas storyline.
Given that the story takes place over just a fortnight, the romance is a bit insta, which isn't often my favourite romance trope. But in this novella, it is handled quite well, with more focus on the attraction of personality than on physical attraction alone. There are three love stories in the book, with the other two being almost the opposite of each other. I loved the lost-love subplot, and wished multiple times that the pair had had a happy ending. The third track didn’t get much page-space, but the couple still made their mark with their vibrant personalities.
The storyline is quite straightforward and predictable, but one doesn’t read romances for their twisty surprises, right? We need all the gushy-mushy feels when we read this genre, and this book offers the same in plenty. I just wish the conflict in the third-act had felt more natural; it felt shoved in just because a conflict was needed by the story.
The book is Christian in approach, but the faith content is quite diluted this time. There are references to God’s plan, but the overall tone is secular. The story offers plenty of Christmas feels in the second half. The true spirit of Christmas is visible in the acts of every character.
Overall, this is a heartwarming historical romance that stays true to the genre to provide a cozy love story underlined by a Christian spirit. The characters are the highlight of this novella.
Definitely recommended to historical romance readers. Though a part of the ‘Dollar Princess’ series, this novella can be read as a standalone.
4 stars.
My thanks to author Gabrielle Meyer for providing a complimentary digital review copy of “To Bless a Baron at Christmas” at my request. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
The digital version of this book is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
Interested in the earlier books in this series? Check out:
Book One: ‘To Love a Lady’
Book Two: ‘To Dance with a Duke’
Book Three: ‘To Educate an Earl’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I follow the Goodreads rating policy:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Lifelong favourite!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I loved the book.
⭐⭐⭐ - I liked the book.
⭐⭐ - I found the book average.
⭐ - I hated the book.
The decimals indicate the degree of the in-between feelings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
November 7, 2026
“I glanced at the field again, at the dozens of wooden stakes, spaced about twenty feet apart, at the cold mud and remnants of wheat shafts, and knew Edward’s words to be true. Life was both good and bad at the same time. Sometimes, the death of one dream allowed the birth of another. I just hoped he had enough time to see his new dream come to fruition.”
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. A review was not required.
I am ABSOLUTELY LOVING this series and its nods to classic movies! And while I’m slightly embarrassed to admit I’ve never actually watched White Christmas (the movie this one pays tribute to), this book was FANTASTIC in every way. I loved every second!
When celebrated artist Ava arrives in snowy England for Christmas, she expects a grand ancestral manor, not an estate desperately in need of saving. Determined to restore her grandmother’s childhood home, she comes up with a Christmas art exhibition—and finds herself growing closer to Edward, the reserved baron who has dreams of his own.
This was such an unputdownable read! I loved the beautiful English setting, the festive celebrations, the family dynamics, and watching Ava and Edward discover that sometimes life has a way of giving us something even better than the dreams we’ve lost.
The romance was SO lovely, and I especially enjoyed the themes of hope, new beginnings, and learning to embrace unexpected possibilities. Gabrielle Meyer has such a gift for creating stories that feel like stepping into another time, and I cannot recommend this series enough!
This one is available NOW and linked in stories!
Happy Reading📚
Content/Trigger: loss of a loved one, uncertain future, hope, romance-kisses only.
#ToLoveABaronAtChristmas #GabrielleMeyer #ChristmasRomance #HistoricalRomance #ChristmasRomanceBooks
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. A review was not required.
I am ABSOLUTELY LOVING this series and its nods to classic movies! And while I’m slightly embarrassed to admit I’ve never actually watched White Christmas (the movie this one pays tribute to), this book was FANTASTIC in every way. I loved every second!
When celebrated artist Ava arrives in snowy England for Christmas, she expects a grand ancestral manor, not an estate desperately in need of saving. Determined to restore her grandmother’s childhood home, she comes up with a Christmas art exhibition—and finds herself growing closer to Edward, the reserved baron who has dreams of his own.
This was such an unputdownable read! I loved the beautiful English setting, the festive celebrations, the family dynamics, and watching Ava and Edward discover that sometimes life has a way of giving us something even better than the dreams we’ve lost.
The romance was SO lovely, and I especially enjoyed the themes of hope, new beginnings, and learning to embrace unexpected possibilities. Gabrielle Meyer has such a gift for creating stories that feel like stepping into another time, and I cannot recommend this series enough!
This one is available NOW and linked in stories!
Happy Reading📚
Content/Trigger: loss of a loved one, uncertain future, hope, romance-kisses only.
#ToLoveABaronAtChristmas #GabrielleMeyer #ChristmasRomance #HistoricalRomance #ChristmasRomanceBooks
Want to Read
June 23, 2026Pre Review:
A retelling of White Christmas? One of my favorite Christmas movies of all time??? Can't wait!
A retelling of White Christmas? One of my favorite Christmas movies of all time??? Can't wait!
November 3, 2026
“Love? Could I be in love with Edward Wallace so soon?Behind that question was another, more profound and telling.How could I not be? There was no other man like him, and I felt blessed that God chose to cross our paths.“
I have loved everything I’ve read by Gabrielle Meyer and the Dollar Princess series appeals to my musical theater/reader heart on so many levels! One of the things I love about Meyer’s writing is that there are no spicy scenes for me to skip. The love stories are so sweet and I enjoy all of the characters. The storyline was sweet and predictable but that is one of the things I enjoyed. I’d love to get Marigold’s story.
Thank you to Gabrielle Meyer for gifting me a copy of this sweet story. The content of my review was not affected in any way by this.
I have loved everything I’ve read by Gabrielle Meyer and the Dollar Princess series appeals to my musical theater/reader heart on so many levels! One of the things I love about Meyer’s writing is that there are no spicy scenes for me to skip. The love stories are so sweet and I enjoy all of the characters. The storyline was sweet and predictable but that is one of the things I enjoyed. I’d love to get Marigold’s story.
Thank you to Gabrielle Meyer for gifting me a copy of this sweet story. The content of my review was not affected in any way by this.
November 5, 2026
Warm and cozy love story
Ava is an acclaimed artist but misses her grandmother, who passed away a year ago. She travels with her younger sister, Marigold, from London to Waverly Hall, where her grandmother had fond memories growing up. Lord Waverly welcomes them to his home. He and his two sons have since fallen on hard times, and Waverly Hall might end in ruins. A love story ensues for both sisters. The writing fits the story. Readers will find this a delightful and clean read, especially for the holidays.
Ava is an acclaimed artist but misses her grandmother, who passed away a year ago. She travels with her younger sister, Marigold, from London to Waverly Hall, where her grandmother had fond memories growing up. Lord Waverly welcomes them to his home. He and his two sons have since fallen on hard times, and Waverly Hall might end in ruins. A love story ensues for both sisters. The writing fits the story. Readers will find this a delightful and clean read, especially for the holidays.
November 6, 2026
Thank you to @gabrielle_meyer for this #gifted e-book!
This was the perfect holiday romance novella, a charming retelling of White Christmas.
Ava and her sister, Marigold, travel to their grandmother’s ancestral home for Christmas, only to find a struggling estate and Edward, the baron’s son, determined to save it. As they work together to restore the manor, an unexpected romance blossoms in the magic of a Victorian Christmas.
Ava and Edward’s instant attraction was so sweet, and the festive setting made the story even more enchanting. I loved the village and its townspeople, who band together to help restore Waverley Hall. It was lovely to see Ava and Marigold connect with the baron and his sons through their shared memories of their grandmother and to hear the stories they shared about her.
If you’re looking for a heartwarming story about rekindling friendships and embracing the spirit of Christmas, this book is perfect. It’s available now!
This was the perfect holiday romance novella, a charming retelling of White Christmas.
Ava and her sister, Marigold, travel to their grandmother’s ancestral home for Christmas, only to find a struggling estate and Edward, the baron’s son, determined to save it. As they work together to restore the manor, an unexpected romance blossoms in the magic of a Victorian Christmas.
Ava and Edward’s instant attraction was so sweet, and the festive setting made the story even more enchanting. I loved the village and its townspeople, who band together to help restore Waverley Hall. It was lovely to see Ava and Marigold connect with the baron and his sons through their shared memories of their grandmother and to hear the stories they shared about her.
If you’re looking for a heartwarming story about rekindling friendships and embracing the spirit of Christmas, this book is perfect. It’s available now!
November 11, 2026
For the holidays, Ava Whitmore and her sister, Marigold, traveled to the home of their grandmother’s dear friend, Lord Waverly, but upon arrival, they found the once enchanting manor had fallen into ruin. Even worse, it could be the last Christmas that Lord Waverly and his sons would share in the majestic home, so Ava and Mari hatched a plan to save the house.
To Bless a Baron at Christmas was inspired by the classic musical, White Christmas. It was a quick, fun holiday story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
To Bless a Baron at Christmas was inspired by the classic musical, White Christmas. It was a quick, fun holiday story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
November 4, 2026
Everything this woman writes is just lovely.
This was a short and very sweet Christmas novella. I adored the setting and the siblings and deep family love. This little village and everyone’s love for each other was so touching. I wish more people were still like this.
Lovely reminders to be joyful always.
“No such thing as charity among friends. Everyone helps everyone. It’s just the way it is.” 🩷
“Time is a thief, but it’s given more than it has taken.”
This was a short and very sweet Christmas novella. I adored the setting and the siblings and deep family love. This little village and everyone’s love for each other was so touching. I wish more people were still like this.
Lovely reminders to be joyful always.
“No such thing as charity among friends. Everyone helps everyone. It’s just the way it is.” 🩷
“Time is a thief, but it’s given more than it has taken.”
November 10, 2026
This was so, so sweet! I loved that although it was a novella and it was short, the romance did not seem rushed or like it progressed too quickly. The characters grew up knowing about each other so it was as if their relationship had started before it really began. This was such a sweet story. Definitely add it to your Christmas tbr for something short and swoony!
*I was sent a copy of this book by the author. All my opinions are my own.
*I was sent a copy of this book by the author. All my opinions are my own.
November 8, 2026
A wonderful retelling of the classic Christmas movie, White Christmas. I love the references to the movie! The setting is charming, with an old Enlgish manor, cheery town, and nostalgic Christmas atmosphere. This is a perfect quick, sweet read to get into the Christmas spirit.
November 5, 2026
Loved this book! I would’ve loved it more if it were a full length novel rather than a novella but I thoroughly enjoyed the plot & setting and characters 🥰
November 6, 2026
A retelling of White Christmas set in the gilded age. This one was a novella so shorter than the other books in the Dollar Princess series but such a good book with phrases from the movie mixed in.
November 7, 2026
I loved the setting and Christmas time atmosphere! I think book three in this series has been my fav so far but still enjoyed this one!
November 9, 2026
A sweet Christmas romance set in Victorian England 🩷
November 10, 2026
Cute novella.
November 11, 2026
It was a great read! I just wish it was longer ! I really don’t like novellas.
November 11, 2026
Heartwarming
A warm and cosy story, like a hug. Grab your hot chocolate and enjoy. Just enough tension to keep you on your toes..
A warm and cosy story, like a hug. Grab your hot chocolate and enjoy. Just enough tension to keep you on your toes..
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews