What do you think?
Rate this book
Rescued from Ruin #9.5
Once Upon a Midnight Kiss
Escape into the enchantment of wintry Scotland in this short holiday novella featuring characters from two of Elisa Braden's Amazon-bestselling series—Rescued from Ruin and Midnight in Scotland.
Charming antiquities dealer Andrew Farrington relies on his clumsy-but-capable private secretary, Euphemia Sinclair, to be by his side when he needs her. And for three years, they've rarely spent more than a day apart. Then, Euphemia travels to the wintry north of Scotland in search of a family heirloom that only a married woman can claim. And Andrew realizes the only way to keep this indispensable woman by his side is to follow her, find her, and marry her before she marries someone else.
But first, he must convince her that sometimes, the most priceless treasures are the ones closest to home.
(Note: This story was first published as part of the Dragonblade Publishing Boxed set Star of Wonder, November 2021)
Charming antiquities dealer Andrew Farrington relies on his clumsy-but-capable private secretary, Euphemia Sinclair, to be by his side when he needs her. And for three years, they've rarely spent more than a day apart. Then, Euphemia travels to the wintry north of Scotland in search of a family heirloom that only a married woman can claim. And Andrew realizes the only way to keep this indispensable woman by his side is to follow her, find her, and marry her before she marries someone else.
But first, he must convince her that sometimes, the most priceless treasures are the ones closest to home.
(Note: This story was first published as part of the Dragonblade Publishing Boxed set Star of Wonder, November 2021)
62 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 11, 2021
71 people are currently reading
484 people want to read
About the author
Elisa Braden
25 books1,744 followersReading romance novels came easily to Elisa Braden. Writing them? That took a little longer. After graduating with degrees in creative writing and history, Elisa spent too many years in “real” jobs writing T-shirt copy ... and other people’s resumes ... and articles about giftware displays. But that was before she woke up and started dreaming about the very unreal job of being a romance novelist. Better late than never.
Elisa lives in the Pacific Northwest, where you're constitutionally required to like the colors green and gray. Good thing she does. Other items on the "like" list include cute dogs, strong coffee, and epic movies. Of course, her favorite thing of all is hearing from readers who love her characters as much as she does.
If you're one of those, get in touch on Facebook (@authorelisabraden), visit her website (www.elisabraden.com), and - most importantly - be the first to hear about new releases, price specials, and awesome free bonuses by signing up for her email newsletter (bit.ly/ElisaNewsletter). It's easy, quick, and FREE.
Elisa lives in the Pacific Northwest, where you're constitutionally required to like the colors green and gray. Good thing she does. Other items on the "like" list include cute dogs, strong coffee, and epic movies. Of course, her favorite thing of all is hearing from readers who love her characters as much as she does.
If you're one of those, get in touch on Facebook (@authorelisabraden), visit her website (www.elisabraden.com), and - most importantly - be the first to hear about new releases, price specials, and awesome free bonuses by signing up for her email newsletter (bit.ly/ElisaNewsletter). It's easy, quick, and FREE.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
February 12, 2025
So I picked this up on a whim, and I only just noticed that this is an “in-between” novella in an already long-running series, which is like picking up any old book at the library and opening it at a random page. But all things considered? This was pretty solid. It did do that thing I don’t like where a character will act like a jerk and then every other character will be like, “no but he really has a heart of gold… really!” All I saw was lord what’s-his-face acting like an aggressively possessive man-child. Maybe show his good attributes through character action rather than just straight up telling me that he’s a good man. Then again, this is like, sixty pages, so maybe there wasn’t enough time? All in all, the writing was engaging and I liked how the story starts off in the middle of the action rather than giving us a million pages of backstory. I might continue this series sometime in the future!
June 10, 2024
This charming piece of fluff was a recommendation from Lori. It’s only fifty pages long, but a complete story.
Can’t recall details because it was read two books ago. I can say the beginning was epistolary, I smiled at the end, and I’d like to read it again.
Can’t recall details because it was read two books ago. I can say the beginning was epistolary, I smiled at the end, and I’d like to read it again.
December 26, 2023
I love Elisa Braden and this was no exception. Witty, sexy, tender. This is how you do a holiday novella!
September 15, 2022
This was a fun novella that begins with letters between a personal secretary (h) and her employer (H) while she's in Scotland for a personal trip. He wants her to come home and she concerns him with what she may do while there. Then the book dives right into the action where the H has traveled to her in time to stop her marrying someone else in order to get a family heirloom, which was the purpose of her trip. Some shenanigans ensue. The two main characters are clearly infatuated with each other and neither suspects the other one feels the same. Nice blend of humor, some feels, and a bit of steam. It's more of a HFN ending with a hint of their HEA, a short epilogue would have made this even better. No ow drama, om drama in the sense the h almost marries someone else for convenience, h is a virgin and H is not but not much info is given of his history (the h also thought he was with others when based on how he reacts, I don't think he was because of his feelings for her), no bc.
November 19, 2023
Light and fluffy, short and sweet. This was a great wintry novella with a bit of magic. But there are no holiday elements here. Still it only took an hour to read and was a good time.
June 10, 2024
A very cute fluffy 50-paged novella with a wee bit of steam. I’ve not read this series in order, and I was not confused while reading this so I would say it’s safe to say it can be a standalone. Even though it was only 50 pages, I felt like it had a decent amount of story packed in.
This quick novella revolves around a hero and his female secretary that deal with antiquities… they find themselves in a Scottish blizzard, partaking in a marriage of convenience while not knowing that they secretly love each other. I loved the hero, he was perfect 😍
I had to chuckle, as the heroine was another one of those glasses-wearing heroines, that needed to readjust their glasses back up their noses every 5 minutes and would constantly bump into things. I read this trope often, and it makes me thankful each time, how lucky us visually-challenged people are today to have custom made glasses that fit and improve our eyesight so nicely.
This quick novella revolves around a hero and his female secretary that deal with antiquities… they find themselves in a Scottish blizzard, partaking in a marriage of convenience while not knowing that they secretly love each other. I loved the hero, he was perfect 😍
I had to chuckle, as the heroine was another one of those glasses-wearing heroines, that needed to readjust their glasses back up their noses every 5 minutes and would constantly bump into things. I read this trope often, and it makes me thankful each time, how lucky us visually-challenged people are today to have custom made glasses that fit and improve our eyesight so nicely.
March 14, 2024
My Review: (May contain spoilers, fair warning upon reading this review)
This was a chef's kiss novella and one of my favorite books of the series at this point. I can see how this book is a bridge between her two primary series. This book was a enchanting quick read that I soaked up like a sponge. I love also how quick paced this book was. I really didn't want to put this one down here. This book was really enchanting in what we see in the romance itself. There is so much adventure in this one, with a slight amount of flashbacks, but they aren't flashbacks that will bother anyone. They are well mixed into the story that you don't feel the transition. We also see such great chemistry between these two. They have both been pining for the other for years. So when the hero realizes she is making a stupid decision....he decides to make his claim haha sometimes a big play is what you need to do when hints to the other isn't working. This is a very short story though, its only like 70 pages, so you sweep through it so quickly. What I really appreciate is how much emotional depth was packed within this story. Very endearing and I was so invested in these characters and I kinda wish we had longer with them and then that sweet quick ending that had a magic feel to it was just right! I can't wait to move on to her highlander series now! But a bit bittersweet this series is over though.
This was a chef's kiss novella and one of my favorite books of the series at this point. I can see how this book is a bridge between her two primary series. This book was a enchanting quick read that I soaked up like a sponge. I love also how quick paced this book was. I really didn't want to put this one down here. This book was really enchanting in what we see in the romance itself. There is so much adventure in this one, with a slight amount of flashbacks, but they aren't flashbacks that will bother anyone. They are well mixed into the story that you don't feel the transition. We also see such great chemistry between these two. They have both been pining for the other for years. So when the hero realizes she is making a stupid decision....he decides to make his claim haha sometimes a big play is what you need to do when hints to the other isn't working. This is a very short story though, its only like 70 pages, so you sweep through it so quickly. What I really appreciate is how much emotional depth was packed within this story. Very endearing and I was so invested in these characters and I kinda wish we had longer with them and then that sweet quick ending that had a magic feel to it was just right! I can't wait to move on to her highlander series now! But a bit bittersweet this series is over though.
May 6, 2024
In a writing space barely longer than a short story, Elisa Braden manages to fill in a convincing back story for the two main characters, drag the reader into a very entertaining present, create conflict, and resolve it in a very satisfactory way. While I didn’t care for the Scottish legend aspects of the story and would have preferred a couple of sentences focusing on tender feelings and a couple less devoted to sex on the dining table (I’m probably in the minority on that), this story snapped and crackled and provided all the warmth of a fire on a winter’s night.
August 5, 2022
Toooo short, yes even for me!
August 24, 2022
Another enjoyable short story. 4☆
March 11, 2023
Utterly adorable, charming and lovely. More, I needed more!
December 19, 2022
Sweet Christmas Novella
This is a really sweet little story. As with most novellas, I wish it could’ve been a full book. I really liked the two MCs and wish we could’ve spent more time with them.
This is a really sweet little story. As with most novellas, I wish it could’ve been a full book. I really liked the two MCs and wish we could’ve spent more time with them.
December 4, 2022
5 absolutely loved this cute, funny novella stars!
December 13, 2022
I'm so glad this novella popped up on my feed. It is a well written and charming read. The story doesn't center around Christmas but it takes place in December and Christmas is mentioned so it is holiday-esque.
Free on KU!
Free on KU!
December 11, 2022
Sweet little Christmas novella from one of my favorite HR romance authors. The Devil is a Marquess is my favorite book by Braden and I got excited when Charlotte was mentioned.
This was short and sweet, but with some great sexual tension between the MC’s. Andrew was so sweet. I devoured this one. Wish we could’ve been reunited with Charlotte!
This was short and sweet, but with some great sexual tension between the MC’s. Andrew was so sweet. I devoured this one. Wish we could’ve been reunited with Charlotte!
November 26, 2022
Short and sweet historical romance between an antiquities dealer and his secretary.
December 11, 2023
YES ELISA GIMME STARCHY MEN IN LOVE AND DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.
Ladies, if you run off to track down a family heirloom but have to get married to retrieve it and you tell your hot boss who you’ve been in love with forever that you’re marrying a stranger to procure it and he hauls ass to Scotland to marry you himself because he’s stupid in love with you and is terrified of losing you, is that the dream or is that the dream?
I loved these two knuckleheads. Adored the scratched out letters our darling idiot MMC wrote in his panic (a microtrope I adore). And loved that Mrs. MacBean is back in all her weird prophetic oddity, being kinda right if mysterious about it.
10/10
Ladies, if you run off to track down a family heirloom but have to get married to retrieve it and you tell your hot boss who you’ve been in love with forever that you’re marrying a stranger to procure it and he hauls ass to Scotland to marry you himself because he’s stupid in love with you and is terrified of losing you, is that the dream or is that the dream?
I loved these two knuckleheads. Adored the scratched out letters our darling idiot MMC wrote in his panic (a microtrope I adore). And loved that Mrs. MacBean is back in all her weird prophetic oddity, being kinda right if mysterious about it.
10/10
October 8, 2022
This was short and sweet and funny and smart. With a bit of hotness included.
Very good read.
Very good read.
December 27, 2022
“You are my most necessary treasure.”
What a little gem of a story!
Once Upon a Midnight Kiss is incredible sweet and romantic short story.
There is so much charm in this novella: from main characters and the obvious chemistry they share, their working relationship clearly based on mutual respect, to the setting itself.
Elisa Braden used winter scenery to create almost magical backdrop for really swoon worthy short story. The romance is so sweet and hot and the humor so charming.
I’m a sucker for pining heroes who fell in love first, and here – even though the story was so short – the way the author expressed how the hero felt was amazing. So many incredible quotes.
Beautiful and romantic novella, I highly recommend reading it.
5/5 stars
December 5, 2022
she's his secretary and DARES to ask him to bring her mother's wedding ring so she can conveniently marry someone that is NOT HIM to obtain an object (don't worry about that part) and HE WILL NOT HAVE THAT.
You are put right into the story at peak exasperated man; truly delightful, steamy, and a great one sitting read under your holiday lights (OR the aurora if you are lucky enough to have them near you). The hero and heroine get to enjoy the northern lights and discuss the phenomena AND some Scottish lore regarding it which especially made me happy.
Read for #Bangittarius Sagittarius Romance Challenge 2022.
You are put right into the story at peak exasperated man; truly delightful, steamy, and a great one sitting read under your holiday lights (OR the aurora if you are lucky enough to have them near you). The hero and heroine get to enjoy the northern lights and discuss the phenomena AND some Scottish lore regarding it which especially made me happy.
Read for #Bangittarius Sagittarius Romance Challenge 2022.
June 19, 2024
2.5
This one was hard to rate since it’s only 4 chapters. I enjoyed the last two chapters more than the first two. The sex scenes has gotta be some of the best scenes in any Elisa Braden book. If the book is slow, at least I can look forward to reading those scenes.
With the completion of this novella, I have completed the Rescue from Ruin series. (I don’t read in order.)
This one was hard to rate since it’s only 4 chapters. I enjoyed the last two chapters more than the first two. The sex scenes has gotta be some of the best scenes in any Elisa Braden book. If the book is slow, at least I can look forward to reading those scenes.
With the completion of this novella, I have completed the Rescue from Ruin series. (I don’t read in order.)
December 24, 2023
I loved this. Daft woman takes years — YEARS — to realize her employer loves her, and they kiss under the Northern Lights. It’s funny, too: Andrew has to keep going outside in a blizzard when he gets horny for Euphemia, and she has precisely zero idea.
This is #9.5 in a series of which I’ve read only the first two, so I know I definitely missed some of the background, but I loved it as a stand-alone, too.
This is #9.5 in a series of which I’ve read only the first two, so I know I definitely missed some of the background, but I loved it as a stand-alone, too.
January 1, 2023
3.75 stars
July 25, 2022
I purchased this as a multi author bundle called Star of Wonder.
Touch of magic in the telling. Our H is English and our h is Scottish. Both have loved the other but don't realize it until it is almost too late. The problem is, the h works for the H as his private secretary. She has missed all the clues he gives her on his feelings.
It was a warm tale of two people who are clueless. I loved the ending and enjoyed this author's writing style and how she tells her stories.
No cheating, HEA, some romance and lovemaking within marriage, heat level barely 3 out of 5. (ljb)
Touch of magic in the telling. Our H is English and our h is Scottish. Both have loved the other but don't realize it until it is almost too late. The problem is, the h works for the H as his private secretary. She has missed all the clues he gives her on his feelings.
It was a warm tale of two people who are clueless. I loved the ending and enjoyed this author's writing style and how she tells her stories.
No cheating, HEA, some romance and lovemaking within marriage, heat level barely 3 out of 5. (ljb)
December 23, 2022
This tiny novella did more for me in 62 pages than plenty of romance novels do in 300. And it had epistolary elements, my favorite! Definitely a winner for me.
January 1, 2023
Short but very entertaining!
4 stars.
4 stars.
December 1, 2023
First of all, this is on KU! Second of all, it's short but full of story, with epistolary in the beginning. And those who read The Devil is a Marquis will might recognize our hero here! He's all grown up now.
December 10, 2022
So delightful! Definitely reading more Elisa Braden. Also reminder that we need more heroes with dimples.
December 14, 2022
delightful
December 17, 2023
Christmas novellas got me in a chokehold
Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews