Once Upon a Christmas

by Jane Porter

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Can the magic of the Christmas season lead to a fairy tale happy ending?

When Cara Roberts’ family plans an extra special Christmas to support her after her broken engagement, she wants nothing to do with the holiday. After learning her brother and his wife can’t use the cottage vacation they purchased, she impulsively escapes to an English cottage in the bucolic village of Bakewell, despite having no idea where Bakewell is.

Lord Alec Sherbourne of Langley Park is no fan of Christmas, but following in his parents’ footsteps, he annually donates his impressive 19th century country home to be decorated and opened on December weekends as a community fundraiser. This year, Christmas is complicated by the arrival of a pretty American woman who booked a cottage on his estate—only the cottage is occupied. Forced to take her under his vast roof, he’s dismayed when a storm and frozen pipes keep her with him longer than he’d anticipated. Even more worrisome, her presence is making it feel like Christmas for the first time in forever.

As these two holiday housemates become friends, is there something more in the Christmas air?

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Book Details

Genre

Contemporary Romance

Subgenre

Holiday (Christmas, Valentine’s, etc.)

Series

Love at Langley Park • Book 1

Audience

Adult

Bell Peppers

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Profanity

1 None

Violence

1 None

Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco

1 None

Publication Date

September 15, 2025

Language Versions

English

Fiction Form

Novel

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 70 romances and fiction titles, Jane Porter has been a finalist for the prestigious RITA award six times and won in 2014 for Best Novella with her story, Take Me, Cowboy, from Tule Publishing. Today, Jane has over 13 million copies in print, including her wildly successful, Flirting With Forty, which was made into a Lifetime movie starring Heather Locklear, as well as The Tycoon’s Kiss and A Christmas Miracle for Daisy, two Tule books which have been turned into holiday films for the GAC Family network. A mother of three sons, Jane holds an MA in Writing from the University of San Francisco and makes her home in sunny San Clemente, CA with her surfer husband and three dogs.

Charming

This was an easy reading story quite charming

Such a gentle and enjoyable read.

A much gentler read that what I have had lately, but just as enjoyable. Loved the characters. Had lots of 'feels' about it too. Settled into reading and didn't want to put it down.

Charming, cozy Christmas tale

Once Upon a Christmas, by Jane Porter, is absolutely a new favorite of mine! This was exactly the Christmas book I was craving. It’s charming, feel-good and cozy, while still having substance. This story is truly character-driven and I adored the good-hearted, unique, lovable lot of them. The story takes place on a grand, wintery, English countryside estate on the days leading up to Christmas.Cara is given a stay at the Langley Estate, in one of their sought-after cottages, by her brother and sister-in-law who aren’t able to use it. When a double-booking makes her cottage unavailable, Cara is taken into the main home to stay in one of the many stately rooms by the stoic and stiff owner who is in town for the holiday. When a few quirky, distant relatives arrive for the annual pre-Christmas dinner, and heavy snowfall closes the roads, the group is forced to make the best of the holiday together.I enjoyed not only the main plot, but also the backstories that made the characters who they are. The history of the estate and family, as well as the characters’ personalities, struggles and lessons were interesting and moving. Once Upon a Christmas is a delightful, inspirational, and rather insightful story that was a pleasure to read. I look forward to many more from this author.

Delightful Christmas Read

Lovely escapist story with all the British lordship feels contrasted with the honest brashness and sincerity of a young American. The HEA was too tidy. I felt like it needed more complications.

Highly Recommend!

ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS (Love at Langley Park Book #1) by Jane Porter is an enchanting and heartwarming holiday contemporary romance featuring a hero and heroine finding love over the Christmas holiday. This is the first book in the Love at Langley Park series, and it has everything I want and hope for in a holiday romance read.Cara Roberts broke up with her fiancée and is looking for a change of scenery over the holidays. Her brother gives her an English cottage vacation at Langley Park won in a school raffle. After a sixteen-hour trip from Seattle, Cara discovers a problem with overbooking and she is given a room in the main house with the handsome, but grumpy lord of the manor.Lord Alec Sherbourne returns to Langley Park every Christmas holiday out of duty, but not with much holiday cheer after the death of his wife eight years ago. When burst pipes and a snowstorm have Cara staying in the manor with Alec and his elderly relatives over the holiday, he discovers this American is making Langley Park feel like Christmas for the first time.This is a wonderful holiday romance. Cara is a sunny, optimistic person who loves people. Alec is a reserved English aristocrat who believes his responsibility is to his family estate and heritage above all else. When these two are forced together over the holiday, what should not work, does. I love Cara and the fact that she is always willing to tell the truth and have difficult discussions, even when it hurts her, but she does not stay down. She is able to open Alec’s closed off heart. This is a cozy romance with no sex scenes, just kisses, and yet it is one of the most romantic love stories I have recently read. Ms. Porter’s romances always give me realistic characters, dialogue, and emotional HEAs.I highly recommend this delightful holiday contemporary romance! I am looking forward to the next book in this series.