As the beloved stepdaughter of the Earl of Castleton, Lady Mariah Lyons cherishes her home at Plumford Manor, but her idyllic world will be threatened when the estate passes to Cyril Lightbourne, a childhood friend she hasn’t seen or heard from in years. Once, Mariah dreamed their old friendship would kindle into something more–but that was before she heard that Cyril was courting the cruel-hearted Lady Pearl. Now Mariah is willing to welcome him as a friend and pray he will finally be the heir her stepfather needs, but she’ll keep her heart locked safely away from anyone with such poor taste.

Due to misunderstandings, Cyril Lightbourne has long avoided returning to Plumford Manor, yet he reluctantly arrives in time for Christmas. When his friendship with Lady Mariah reignites, he finds himself torn between his affection for her and her family’s distance toward him because of Lady Pearl, a woman he’d rather forget. Then, more trouble arrives in the form of a Danish lord on a mission to win Mariah’s hand by Christmas . . . and to disgrace Cyril in the process.

Inspired by The Nutcracker, this Edwardian-era historical romance is a tale of holiday spirit, love, and the power of family and friendship from bestselling and award-winning author Roseanna M. White.

This was my first time reading a book by this author, and while I can see the appeal, it ended up being a mixed experience for me. The writing itself is solid and polished, but the story felt very slow for most of its length. I found myself wishing for more momentum and a few stronger moments of action, as not much happens overall. I agree with other readers who have described it as having both three-star and four-star moments, but taken as a whole, it landed in the middle for me. There is no spice and no strong language.

That said, I did genuinely enjoy the characters, particularly the love triangle, which added some emotional interest. The inspiration from The Nutcracker is clear, and I loved how those elements were woven into the story. Combined with the Christmas details, the book feels very festive, and it even made me want to try sugar plums.

Since this is a short novella, I appreciated that it did not overstay its welcome. It gently explores themes of forgiveness, hope, and the true miracle of Christmas, which gave the story a warm and meaningful foundation. While it did not fully win me over, I still found things to enjoy, especially the whimsical winter setting, cozy atmosphere, and wonderland-style romance. I also loved the food descriptions and the Christian faith elements thoughtfully sprinkled throughout.

If you enjoy second-chance romances with childhood crushes, inspired by The Nutcracker and wrapped in Christmas charm, this may be a good fit for you. Even though the pacing did not quite work for me, I can still recommend it for readers looking for a cozy, inspirational holiday story filled with hope and Christmas cheer.