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Once Upon a December

Book by Amy E. Reichert · 17 quotes · Christmas Romance, Bakery Romance, Bernie

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Once Upon a December Quotes

“He whispered words in a language she didn't understand, his lips brushing her ear. "What does that mean?" Astra asked. " 'The Christmas lights rose higher and higher, till they looked to her like the stars in the sky.' " Astra's heart twisted. " 'The Little Matchgirl.' One of my favorites, but it's so sad." Jack pulled her tighter. "I've always thought of it as hopeful. We leave one place to go to another with those we love. They're always waiting when we need them most," Jack said.”

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“Living here is a commitment to a very specific lifestyle. It's not for everyone. Astra needs to know." Astra blinked at her, visibly surprised by his mom's comments, and Jack didn't blame her. His mom had been pestering him to find someone, and now she was being difficult because she didn't agree with his choice. His dad cleared his throat. "Astra, any questions for us?" his dad said. Jack gave him a grateful smile. Astra finished chewing and took a sip of her water, sitting up straighter as she set her glass down. "Jack's done a wonderful job of answering my questions and giving me the history. I can see why he loves it so much. And who you might be protective of it." Astra's eyes flicked to his mom. "I understand that people join the Julemarked, but I haven't asked about people moving to the Outside." Mads's lips formed a silent "oh" and he heard Ani whisper, "Damn," under her breath. Astra kept her body turned toward his dad, but everyone at the table knew who the comment was directed at. Astra was letting his mom know she didn't intimidate her, that she wouldn't meekly disappear when challenged. Up to this point, Jack knew he could fall in love with Astra, that he stood on the peak, where one nudge would send him plunging headfirst to worship at her feet. This was the moment when he tipped over. When raised by a strong woman, a man can't help but respect and admire other strong women. Astra had proven herself capable of holding her own and now his heart was hers forever.”

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“She took another bite of the kringle, appreciating how she tasted just the right combination of flaky, tender pastry and scrumptious filling in each bite. She could see the layers in the dough, but they didn't flake off like a turnover or croissant. The almond cherry filling and cream cheese glaze were the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. With a man who could bake like this, she could almost see herself in another relationship.”

Bakery RomancePastryFlavor CombosDream Man
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“He set a raspberry cheese slice wrapped in parchment paper on the counter and she slid it off, biting off the corner with an "mmm." Her eyes closed as she chewed and swallowed, taking another large bite with an even more audible sigh. "That is indecent," Steph said. He wished he could figure out the rest of their names, but at least time was on his side again. "It is indecent in the very best way," she said. "Everything tastes ten times better than it ever did before." She held out the pastry to each of her friends so they could taste, all nodding in agreement. Most patrons didn't eat their treats while still in the building, and it was wildly satisfying to witness her enjoyment, titillating even. Parts of him tightened that hadn't tightened in response to another person in much too long. One of the friends pointed out the fleck of glaze perched on her lip and she licked it into her mouth. Talk about indecent. He placed both of his hands on top of the pastry case to steady himself, his knees suddenly unstable like he'd spent a morning moving bags of flour from the kitchen to the cellar. He was grateful the apron covered the front of him.”

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“As for the glaze, he took another bite to think as the intense sugar slapped his taste buds. Cream cheese. That would add a tanginess to counter the sweet. He mixed a new glaze, adding a pinch of cinnamon, and spread it on the unglazed halves so they could sample right away. "Should I keep the cherries whole or chop them up so you don't get a giant glob in your mouth?" Jack loved the flavor but didn't always like it when he took a bite and an entire cherry came out. For his taste, it was too much cherry in one chunk. "Chopped. Always chopped.”

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“They stepped out of the trees, which opened onto a large meadow that appeared to be in the middle of a mountain range, large boulders scattered around like a giant had dropped them like seeds. Bernie dashed between them, kicking up snow and leaving a twisty trail of tracks. The nearest boulder stood right next to them, taller than Jack. Most of the sides were straight, but the one facing the mountains had a seat carved out of it. Astra imagined some ancestor had created it as a convenient place to rest. On the horizon, the sun glowed orange in the space between the low-hanging clouds and the mountaintops, covered in snow-topped pines. Astra was stunned into silence. There was no explanation for this. The faintest breeze kissed her cheek, the air scented with pine and newly fallen snow. Jack set his hands on her shoulders behind her, and she melted into him, sharing this moment. A sight he had surely seen a thousand times, but could it ever get old? "This is the most beautiful..." She couldn't find the words. "I know." They stood in silence until the sun completely disappeared and the night sky turned from orange and red to purple to a deep black only broken by more stars than Astra had ever seen.”

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“Before you, I thought my life was perfect. I had family, community, a long life in a literal magical land, but I wasn't living--- not really. I had abundant time, so it had no value. When I almost lost you, I realized how meaningless time was when I couldn't be with you. You've shown me that a second lived with the right person is better than one hundred years alone. Now every moment is precious because I know its worth." He opened his hand to reveal a sparkling diamond ring that resembled a star or maybe even a snowflake--- she loved that it could be either. Set in white gold, a round center stone was surrounded by smaller pear-shaped diamonds that formed the points. "Will you do me the honor of making every second of my life priceless?”

Happily Ever AfterChristmas RomanceMarriage ProposalPrecious TimeConfession Of LoveDiamond Ring
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“Cookies, turkey, stuffing, homemade candies. Leftovers become special treats. And so many cheese-and-sausage platters--- it wasn't a holiday party in Wisconsin without one. For the hard-core Wisconsin-ites, there were the cannibal sandwiches--- raw ground beef on rye bread topped with raw onion. Astra preferred throwing one on the grill, but her dad loved them as is.”

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“You're reading Outlander?" Steph said, pointing to the book cover. Astra loved that book, about a woman who had escaped into the past to live another life and find true love. She had reread the entire series three times and here he was reading it. Such a surprising choice. She would have expected him to read something by Tom Wolfe or Stephen King, maybe even some presidential memoirs, but certainly not a time-traveling historical romance. She should know better than to try to predict a person's reading preferences--- they were never what you anticipated. Jack shrugged and set her kringle on the countertop. "I like how even time can't keep two people who belong together apart.”

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“"Not everyone can find this book." Old Johan tapped the cover. "Only people who have a connection to this place. Her story isn't done yet." Hopefulness surged. His life had been all but perfect. Surrounded by his loved ones, never wanting for anything--- why would he have needed to hope? But he could only describe the soaring feeling in his chest as hope. Hope that he wasn't wrong about their connection. Hope that she would someday return here unattached. Hope that their story wasn't done.”

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“Bernie, a giant Bernese mountain dog and Lab mix (she guessed), had a long coat, mostly black except for a streak of white starting on her forehead, then trailing down her throat and onto her chest, with another spot under her tail, making her look like a cream-filled chocolate-dipped cannoli. Three of her four paws looked dunked in white paint, like she'd made a mess during a home improvement project. She was named for one of Astra's favorite characters, Bernadette Fox from Where'd You Go, Bernadette. Like the titular character, Bernie had a small circle of people she adored; she found the rest to be annoying gnats (small children excluded--- they often had snacks to share), not to be bothered with, except the squirrel who lived in the front yard, who was her nemesis. She spent hours making sure the little rodent didn't sneak into the house.”

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“The tiny red-hatted gnome held a stack of books, the titles delicately carved onto the spines and painted in gold. Each book represented a different part of her. Outlander for their love across time and because it was one of her favorites. Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen because she had found it in the bookstore. A Christmas Carol because they both loved Christmas. Lily and the Octopus, presumably because of Bernie, and lastly Circle of Friends, which seemed self-explanatory.”

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“Jack crouched to meet Bernie and let her sniff him, her tail at half-staff. Jack loved dogs though they hadn't had one in the Julemarked since Pinecone wandered in and stayed. That was decades ago. Bernie gave a quick sample lick of his chin, clearly approved, then went in for the full-body affection, knocking him onto his butt and stepping on his lap, forgetting she was more horse than dog. He couldn't help but laugh and felt he'd passed an important test.”

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