Once Upon a Winter's Eve by Tessa Dare

Once Upon a Winter's Eve

A wallflower finds her voice under mistletoe

Written byTessa Dare
Narrated byMary Jane Wells
Length3h04m
Release dateApril 10, 2020
LanguageEnglish
★★★★☆ 4.5 (270 ratings)

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Quick Facts

AuthorTessa Dare
NarratorMary Jane Wells
Runtime3h04m
PublishedApril 10, 2020
Rating★★★★☆ 4.5 / 5 (270 ratings)
CategoriesLiterature & Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Historical, Regency
FormatAudiobook (Digital)
PlatformAudible

About This Audiobook

Violet Stanhope is the kind of woman who speaks six languages but forgets to use most of them—especially in company. She’s the quiet spinster at the Spindle Cove Christmas ball, content to stay tucked in the corners until a masked stranger barrels into the room, scattering the usual order of things. Tessa Dare’s *Once Upon a Winter’s Eve* is a deliciously sharp historical romance that trades in the usual tropes for something richer: a heroine whose quiet isn’t shyness, but strategy, and a hero who mistakes her restraint for indifference. The chemistry crackles in ways that feel earned, not manufactured, with a setting that’s more than just festive window dressing—it’s a character in its own right. Dare’s prose is witty without being arch, and her ability to balance humor with genuine emotional depth makes this a standout in a crowded genre. For readers who’ve ever rolled their eyes at brooding dukes or relentless matchmaking, this is the antidote: a romance where the tension isn’t in the who-or-when, but the how and why of two people finally seeing each other clearly.

Tags: historical romance audiobookRegency Christmas romancefeisty wallflower heroineslow-burn romancefemale-led historical fictionaudiobook narration with emotion

Why Listen to Once Upon a Winter's Eve?

  • Expert narration by Mary Jane Wells brings every character and scene to life across 3h04m of immersive audio.
  • Highly rated at 4.5 stars by 270 listeners.
  • Free with your Audible trial — keep the audiobook forever even if you cancel.
  • Perfect for commutes, workouts, and relaxation. Listen anywhere, anytime.
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Editor's Review ★★★★☆

AudioBook Atlas

Mary Jane Wells’ narration is the secret weapon here. She doesn’t just voice Violet’s reserved reserve—she *performs* it, modulating her tone so that every quiet sigh or clipped sentence feels like a deliberate choice rather than a lack of one. Her delivery of the hero, a rakish viscount with a guilty conscience, is all velvety charm and underlying grit, a perfect contrast to Violet’s steel-spined steadiness. The pacing is brisk without feeling rushed, and the production quality is crystal clear, letting the dialogue and Wells’ expressive performance shine. If I had one critique, it’s that the secondary characters occasionally blur together in a way that makes the small-town setting feel less vibrant—though that’s a minor quibble in a story this tightly focused. The real magic is in the way Dare builds Violet’s transformation from overlooked spinster to a woman who commands attention not by changing who she is, but by refusing to hide it anymore. It’s the kind of audiobook that makes you lean into your headphones, eager to see how these two finally bridge the gap between their careful words and the feelings they can’t voice. For anyone who’s ever felt too much or spoken too little, this is a balm and a thrill in equal measure.

Download: Once Upon a Winter's Eve

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Once Upon a Winter's Eve by Tessa Dare is an immersive listening experience. Performed by Mary Jane Wells with a runtime of 3h04m, you can start with a free trial that you can cancel at any time. The audiobook remains yours forever, even if you end the trial.