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A Tale of Two Cities: A Thanksgiving Novella
When people think of a holiday for love, they automatically come up with Valentine's Day. But who's to say that's the only one? For actress Aspen Watson, all it takes is a trip back to her hometown for Thanksgiving for her to realize that sometimes home can be where the heart is in more ways than one. ;) A Tale of Two Cities Cute & Sweet Millennial Meets Over a Holiday, All With One Thing In Common; Cities. This is a short novella with a happy-for-now ending. If you prefer your stories longer, I'd recommend checking out another Alexandra Warren project. :)
97 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 18, 2018
140 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
About the author
Alexandra Warren
48 books1,290 followersAlexandra Warren is a contemporary romance author with over thirty works to date, all of which intentionally center Black love. She is also the co-founder of Girl, Have You Read…, a digital platform dedicated to Black romance written by Black authors.
When she’s not in front of her computer, she enjoys traveling, spending time with family, watching sports, and clearing her DVR. Alexandra is a proud native of Omaha, Nebraska, but she currently calls Houston, Texas home.
Learn more about Alexandra by visiting her website www.actuallyitsalexandra.com.
When she’s not in front of her computer, she enjoys traveling, spending time with family, watching sports, and clearing her DVR. Alexandra is a proud native of Omaha, Nebraska, but she currently calls Houston, Texas home.
Learn more about Alexandra by visiting her website www.actuallyitsalexandra.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
November 20, 2022
My heart feels full!
November 29, 2020
Okay...so I honestly only found this because of the Halloween novella that's included in this collection. I was surprised because I was curious about how Thanksgiving would be tied into the overall theme of the story and while it didn't play a big role I absolutely loved this book. The chemistry between Aspen and Orland was great. They were no definite conclusions of where their relationship would go but they were willing to give each other a shot and I respected that. Kudos to Warren for, once again, creating a story with dynamic and wonderful characters that I couldn't get enough of.
November 13, 2022
This Was Cute
Basically, a love at first sight…kind of…Aspen and Orlando kinda fell for each other while he worked part time as a driver for his friend.. His friend happen to be the cousin of the famous actress Aspen…land from there a short mutual beneficial arrangement ensues.
Basically, a love at first sight…kind of…Aspen and Orlando kinda fell for each other while he worked part time as a driver for his friend.. His friend happen to be the cousin of the famous actress Aspen…land from there a short mutual beneficial arrangement ensues.
December 15, 2021
Aspen x Orlando
Aspen came home for Thanksgiving and fell for her driver, Orlando. Orlando, the laid back barber and driver saw Aspen and immediately was drawn to her. No games, no charades, they went for it. They got their happy ending....for now. It's a good read. Nothing too profound, too deep. A little story to kill some time.
Aspen came home for Thanksgiving and fell for her driver, Orlando. Orlando, the laid back barber and driver saw Aspen and immediately was drawn to her. No games, no charades, they went for it. They got their happy ending....for now. It's a good read. Nothing too profound, too deep. A little story to kill some time.
December 7, 2020
“A Tale of Two Cities: A Thanksgiving Novella” by Alexandra Warren is the second book in the holiday collection. Aspen and Orlando’s chemistry was great. I loved the pacing and found the story to be pretty realistic. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in this collection.
November 19, 2023
Although this is a cute, laugh out loud, short story, the "n" word and constant profanity was a bit of a turn off for me.
Aspen, the movie star, returns home for Thanksgiving and discovers that there's a lot more to Orlando than just driving people around in a limo!
Aspen, the movie star, returns home for Thanksgiving and discovers that there's a lot more to Orlando than just driving people around in a limo!
November 21, 2023
I love the instant chemistry that Aspen and Orlando shared.
November 26, 2020
I know I’m late gettin on board, but this shit right here was a treat. I absolutely loved reading this Thanksgiving Novella. Aspen is a up and coming celebrity who is home with her family for the holidays after a long absence from the spotlight. However, she meets and forms an instant connection with Orlando, the new barber in town. Orlando is starting over from a terrible past and is enjoying settling into a slower paced life. This book is hilarious and so good!!!! I cackled loudly at Aspen’s inner thoughts about climbing on Orlando and the roasting sessions between herself and her family. I loved that she was so down to earth, had an amazing personality and didn’t hesitate to go after what she wanted. I loved Aspen and Orlando’s flirtatious energy and their inability to keep their hands off each other. Aspen loved that thug dick! LOL.This story proves that opposites do attract, second chances exist and everyone craves love. This was a short story but it didn’t lack anything. As usual, the author pulls me in with her writing and I hope to see more from this couple.
November 24, 2022
This had no right to be this adorable 😅 I was nervous this would be too insta-lovey for my taste. But alexandra warren proved me wrong. So cute 🧡
June 9, 2023
Alex does it again!
I’ve read every book by Alexandra and of all her series, the Spite series is my fav. So glad to revisit the crew and meet some new friends. Mr. Clyde is still hilarious! Dust and despair??? 😂 I love Orlando and Aspen together. They show how love blossoms when a person sees the real you.
I’ve read every book by Alexandra and of all her series, the Spite series is my fav. So glad to revisit the crew and meet some new friends. Mr. Clyde is still hilarious! Dust and despair??? 😂 I love Orlando and Aspen together. They show how love blossoms when a person sees the real you.
November 6, 2024
I'm so disappointed. I really wanted to like this but I knew almost from the beginning that this wasn't for me. I didn't enjoy the writing style or the way the characters thought about each other. I'm all for insta-love...but I really wanted something that would sweep me off my feet and this wasn't it.
November 10, 2022
A Tale of Two Cities: A Thanksgiving novella is part of a novella series featuring different holidays. I first read the Halloween-centered one last year and had a great time so I picked this Thanksgiving one up. This is a strangers-to-lovers romance that takes place over Thanksgiving weekend and ends in a happily for now since the couple is long distance.
Aspen is an actress who comes back home for Thanksgiving. Her cousin hires a driver to pick her up and take her around while in town and when Aspen meets Orlando at the airport, she immediately wants him. Orlando is a new barber in town who also does driving on the side, he works with both Aspen’s cousin and his wife.
I did like their instant chemistry and connection, even though it happens on-sight I totally believed Aspen wanting Orlando. Lots of family times, running around to different parties and clubs. This is the second book in the holiday novella collection from this author (the first was around Halloween), which I did prefer book 1 more as the couple just hit better for me.
Aspen is an actress who comes back home for Thanksgiving. Her cousin hires a driver to pick her up and take her around while in town and when Aspen meets Orlando at the airport, she immediately wants him. Orlando is a new barber in town who also does driving on the side, he works with both Aspen’s cousin and his wife.
I did like their instant chemistry and connection, even though it happens on-sight I totally believed Aspen wanting Orlando. Lots of family times, running around to different parties and clubs. This is the second book in the holiday novella collection from this author (the first was around Halloween), which I did prefer book 1 more as the couple just hit better for me.
December 1, 2025
New beginnings
This was a cute Thanksgiving read!
Aspen a budding actress that is making a name for herself decides it's time to go home for Thanksgiving. Little did she know her driver Orlando that her family sent was going to be part of the cure of her home sickness 🤭 These two but it off and it's just "cute," because that is the side Aspen brought out of Orlando. They hit it off quickly and decide to see where this connection will take them.
This was a cute Thanksgiving read!
Aspen a budding actress that is making a name for herself decides it's time to go home for Thanksgiving. Little did she know her driver Orlando that her family sent was going to be part of the cure of her home sickness 🤭 These two but it off and it's just "cute," because that is the side Aspen brought out of Orlando. They hit it off quickly and decide to see where this connection will take them.
November 29, 2020
Holiday love stories
This is a first by this author for me and I absolutely loved it! I cannot wait to read more, I've added quite a few to my TBR. It was a well written cute holiday love story. I've already added the Christmas book to my library. Orlando and Aspen make you want to fall in love!
This is a first by this author for me and I absolutely loved it! I cannot wait to read more, I've added quite a few to my TBR. It was a well written cute holiday love story. I've already added the Christmas book to my library. Orlando and Aspen make you want to fall in love!
November 23, 2018
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Truly Amazing novella it gave you all the love you can receive in a complete novel and definitely left me wanting more. Orlando and Aspen was great and I can't wait to see their love expand in the future
Truly Amazing novella it gave you all the love you can receive in a complete novel and definitely left me wanting more. Orlando and Aspen was great and I can't wait to see their love expand in the future
November 20, 2018
Cute!
Really enjoying these holiday novellas. Keep them coming! I was really into this couple and wouldn't mind getting more about them.
Really enjoying these holiday novellas. Keep them coming! I was really into this couple and wouldn't mind getting more about them.
November 20, 2018
Good
This was such a good short read. Now this is what I so like. A couple that know what they want and go for it. They didn't beat around the Bush. No drama at all. Real good read.
This was such a good short read. Now this is what I so like. A couple that know what they want and go for it. They didn't beat around the Bush. No drama at all. Real good read.
February 10, 2019
Enjoying these holiday novellas as Orlando and Aspen's romantic adventures were told.
Great read
Great read
November 13, 2022
Aspen and Orlando insta love was so good! I wouldn’t have minded if they had a surprise baby lol. It was nice to see character pop back up too! I loved Jules!
December 23, 2022
This was a cute insta love
November 21, 2025
This was cute !!! I’m loving this series of holiday novellas
December 8, 2018
Short and sweet.
Loved this holiday novella. This couple was just too cute.. Love at first sight. They saw what they wanted and went for it.
Loved this holiday novella. This couple was just too cute.. Love at first sight. They saw what they wanted and went for it.
December 23, 2023
A sweet and sexy novella! Although it felt a bit insta-lovey to me, I liked Orlando and Aspen's chemistry and relationship. They were very open and communicative with each other, which I really liked, but it just seemed a little too forced.
Also, not sure if I've mentioned this in other reviews of this series, but I do not like how the author puts quotation marks around italicized inner dialogue. Just a small irritation that distracted me while reading.
Also, not sure if I've mentioned this in other reviews of this series, but I do not like how the author puts quotation marks around italicized inner dialogue. Just a small irritation that distracted me while reading.
November 25, 2025
I really enjoyed Orlando and Aspen together. It felt a little like opposites attract because she is this big time star and he is someone who is trying to live a better life after being in the streets growing up. When they first see each other there is definitely an attraction there but he doesn't think someone like her with her background could be interested in someone like him and therefore he doesn't try to pursue anything. She is definitely interested and wants more but feels like he isn't trying to give her the time of day. Once they let it be known they were feeling each other it was on from there. It was a short period of time that they were around each other but it was clear they wanted to see where things could go outside of the bedroom. I know this was a novella and would be short but I lowkey wanted a little bit more. However, I still enjoyed it for what it was.
November 26, 2020
This holiday novella series is very insta-love, which normally isn’t my thing but these stories have been a lot of fun to read. Actress Aspen is very horny for barber Orlando’s BDE. They had chemistry for days.
If it had just stayed there, this would have been a 5 star read. But Orlando’s past tries to interfere with his fresh start in Colorado—his father was in and out of jail and he wanted to be like him until he was shot—when a customer gets under his skin and he chokes him. Orlando’s colleagues pull him off the guy before any real damage is done but I didn’t understand why his taunts that Aspen wouldn’t want him long-term got under his skin like that in the first place. It didn’t seem enough to make him snap. He and Aspen hadn’t talked about this being more than a fling at that point and I don’t think he’d even thought of it himself. And while I appreciated that he told her about the incident right away, I was surprised she brushed it off as if it was no big deal. He physically assaulted someone and he has a recent history with “thug life” as Aspen’s cousins say. Maybe there’s something I’m missing but assaulting a customer in your place of business isn’t a great idea but especially not for what amounts to someone sharing their opinion. Orlando clearly has some issues to work through. The scene was different in tone from the rest of the story, which felt jarring, and I wish the author had skipped it entirely.
This is fast-paced and happens over a few days before Aspen has to fly back to resume filming. My personal preference would have been for their relationship to have more room to breathe before any big declarations, especially because of the stuff Orlando needs to work through. But they are really good to together so I’m not worried about how he’ll treat her. This is just one of those novellas where you wish everything had been developed further. Case in point: there’s a macaroni and cheese rivalry at the Thanksgiving gathering but then it doesn’t really go anywhere. Still fun but I wanted more.
CW: hero physically assaults and chokes a customer on-page (his colleagues pull him off before real damage is done), past death of parents, grief (including on-page visit to cemetery), unprotected sex, hero was shot in the butt (targeted during a club shooting but recovered), hero’s father is in prison, reference to vague gang activities/thug life, pregnant secondary character, ableist language
If it had just stayed there, this would have been a 5 star read. But Orlando’s past tries to interfere with his fresh start in Colorado—his father was in and out of jail and he wanted to be like him until he was shot—when a customer gets under his skin and he chokes him. Orlando’s colleagues pull him off the guy before any real damage is done but I didn’t understand why his taunts that Aspen wouldn’t want him long-term got under his skin like that in the first place. It didn’t seem enough to make him snap. He and Aspen hadn’t talked about this being more than a fling at that point and I don’t think he’d even thought of it himself. And while I appreciated that he told her about the incident right away, I was surprised she brushed it off as if it was no big deal. He physically assaulted someone and he has a recent history with “thug life” as Aspen’s cousins say. Maybe there’s something I’m missing but assaulting a customer in your place of business isn’t a great idea but especially not for what amounts to someone sharing their opinion. Orlando clearly has some issues to work through. The scene was different in tone from the rest of the story, which felt jarring, and I wish the author had skipped it entirely.
This is fast-paced and happens over a few days before Aspen has to fly back to resume filming. My personal preference would have been for their relationship to have more room to breathe before any big declarations, especially because of the stuff Orlando needs to work through. But they are really good to together so I’m not worried about how he’ll treat her. This is just one of those novellas where you wish everything had been developed further. Case in point: there’s a macaroni and cheese rivalry at the Thanksgiving gathering but then it doesn’t really go anywhere. Still fun but I wanted more.
CW: hero physically assaults and chokes a customer on-page (his colleagues pull him off before real damage is done), past death of parents, grief (including on-page visit to cemetery), unprotected sex, hero was shot in the butt (targeted during a club shooting but recovered), hero’s father is in prison, reference to vague gang activities/thug life, pregnant secondary character, ableist language
January 10, 2019
Lovely!
This is a great movie playing in my head as I read this story. What an awesome storyline. Aspen's personality in this story is so care free, fun with a great amount of humbling qualities that make her so likeable by many. Orlando shows some insecurities, but manages to become the man Aspen needs and wants. I like when two people involved chemistry gives them the necessary tools to committ to each other by any means necessary. Love is so kind that it will give you a peace of mind. Aspen brings that quiet to Orlando's storm because of the restlessness that he endures. Great celebrated love. ReneeG 👍
This is a great movie playing in my head as I read this story. What an awesome storyline. Aspen's personality in this story is so care free, fun with a great amount of humbling qualities that make her so likeable by many. Orlando shows some insecurities, but manages to become the man Aspen needs and wants. I like when two people involved chemistry gives them the necessary tools to committ to each other by any means necessary. Love is so kind that it will give you a peace of mind. Aspen brings that quiet to Orlando's storm because of the restlessness that he endures. Great celebrated love. ReneeG 👍
December 21, 2019
Cute story
I enjoyed this, just like I'm enjoying all that I'm reading from Alexandra Warren.
I hate (really love) that characters from other books are featured in the stories. Even though I wish I knew the reading order of her works before I started binging.
This was cute, and this was a novela. Unlike some of the other novelas, the progression of their relationship was realistic and didn't seem rushed, even though it was a short time frame. But I feel like I needed more. It didn't feel incomplete, I just needed more.
This one wasn't a "you lucky I finished this shit" 3, it was a "teetering between 3 and 4" 3.
I enjoyed this, just like I'm enjoying all that I'm reading from Alexandra Warren.
I hate (really love) that characters from other books are featured in the stories. Even though I wish I knew the reading order of her works before I started binging.
This was cute, and this was a novela. Unlike some of the other novelas, the progression of their relationship was realistic and didn't seem rushed, even though it was a short time frame. But I feel like I needed more. It didn't feel incomplete, I just needed more.
This one wasn't a "you lucky I finished this shit" 3, it was a "teetering between 3 and 4" 3.
November 23, 2018
Loved it
A Tale of Two Cities well I stumbled upon the Halloween 🎃 one that I love too. Well I be damn look what we have here Author Alexandra done gave us Thanksgiving. Now I will be looking for Christmas, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day two different books. Martin Luther King Birthday, Black History Month, Valentine's Day....etc. Ok the last two and New Year's Eve might not be officially Holidays but you get it. So you must continue what you started. I'm so looking forward to the Christmas Novella one.
A Tale of Two Cities well I stumbled upon the Halloween 🎃 one that I love too. Well I be damn look what we have here Author Alexandra done gave us Thanksgiving. Now I will be looking for Christmas, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day two different books. Martin Luther King Birthday, Black History Month, Valentine's Day....etc. Ok the last two and New Year's Eve might not be officially Holidays but you get it. So you must continue what you started. I'm so looking forward to the Christmas Novella one.
November 28, 2018
Regular Joe gets the wildly famous, pretty girl
I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. While Aspen had moved away from home to make a name for herself, deep down inside, she was hungry for what every warm-blooded human being desires: to be genuinely loved and cared for by someone special. She, unexpectedly, found that in Orlando. Their bond was unconventional but inevitable, due to their mutual connections.
Catching up with several of Ms. Warren's characters, from her other bestsellers, was a pleasant surprise 😊
I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. While Aspen had moved away from home to make a name for herself, deep down inside, she was hungry for what every warm-blooded human being desires: to be genuinely loved and cared for by someone special. She, unexpectedly, found that in Orlando. Their bond was unconventional but inevitable, due to their mutual connections.
Catching up with several of Ms. Warren's characters, from her other bestsellers, was a pleasant surprise 😊
February 19, 2020
I loved this book, it is so sweet. It follows Orlando and Aspen who’s lives are quite a bit different but their personalities are in one accord.
It was a joy to watch them navigate their feelings and circumstances. It was also a pleasure to see characters from other books make an appearance without leaving the reader wondering about how they fit in. It also helped there was a link to show which books they came from, it was expertly done. This is a great stand alone.
I really think you will enjoy this novella.
It was a joy to watch them navigate their feelings and circumstances. It was also a pleasure to see characters from other books make an appearance without leaving the reader wondering about how they fit in. It also helped there was a link to show which books they came from, it was expertly done. This is a great stand alone.
I really think you will enjoy this novella.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews