Once Upon a Wicked Night (Donovan Sisters, #1.5)

by Jennifer Haymore

All of London looks forward to the Dowager Duchess of Clayworth’s annual ball. For no matter how hard the serious society matron strives to host an elegant event, scandal always ensues…

Seven years ago it was a young Serena Donovan and Jonathan Dane who shocked the ton when they were discovered in a most compromising position. Tonight they return for the first time as the Earl and Countess of Stratford. And while Serena hopes for a quiet evening to introduce her younger sister Olivia to society, Jonathan’s only desire is to pick up where he and Serena left off…

Though innocent Olivia secretly longs for the kind of passion her sister shares with her husband, none of the men she’s met spark a fire inside her heart—least of all the notorious Marquis of Fenwicke. When his request for a waltz turns into something sinister, Olivia must use her wit and wiles to evade a powerful peer who vows if can’t have her, no man shall…

• ISBN10: 1306744679
• ISBN13: 9781306744676
• Publish Date: 1 January 2012
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 19 May 2015
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Forever Yours
• Format: eBook
• Language: English

Reviews

[rakesandrogues]

I picked up ONCE UPON A WICKED NIGHT by Jennifer Haymore from NetGalley because I thought it was a good way to introduce myself to a romance author I was not familiar with.

I thought that almost fifty pages of ONCE UPON A WICKED NIGHT would introduce me to Haymore's writing as well as give a taste of what her series would be like.

The story focuses on sisters Serena and Olivia. For Serena, this ball is important because seven years ago, it was the ball that had damaged her reputation. For Olivia, this was her first outing of the Season and she was determined to keep up her family's reputation. I thought Serena's story to be quite pointless, but it did make me interested in her story. On the other hand, Olivia's chapter was quite scandalous.

Now my problem with ONCE UPON A WICKED NIGHT is basically false advertising. I thought I would get around 50 pages of romance goodness. I got less than 30. The other half of this "novella" was an excerpt from the first Donovan Sisters novel by Jennifer Haymore. What? Yeah. Talk about disappointing.

I understand that ONCE UPON A WICKED NIGHT is a novella, but it failed to leave me with any kind of satisfaction as a reader. I am interested in Serena's story and eventually, I may pick up the first Donovan sisters novel, but overall, ONCE UPON A WICKED NIGHT was a let down.

But if I were to have purchased this novella just to try out a new author, I would have been severely disappointed. I rather would have read the first book of the Donovan Sisters series to see if I liked Haymore's writing than to have been let down just after a measley 25 or so pages.

[Cocktails and Books]

This short novella ties together the time between the end of Confessions of an Improper Bride and Secrets of an Accidental Duchess. Serena is escorting her sisters Olivia and Jessica to the Dowager Dutchess of Clayworth's ball, the very ball that caused Jonathan and Serena all sorts of trouble seven years ago. Jonathan and Serena exercise some demons at the ball, while Olivia has a run in with the Marquis of Fenwicke. But that run-in causes Olivia to discover that while she thought she didn't want any man she instead wishes to have the passion that he sister has with Jonathan.

Quick, quick, quick read, but it's give us quick insight into Olivia before her story in Secrets.