It all began the moment she hit him on the head with a spade.
Brik Janushek is nothing if not resilient. But as his time in Ormdale continues longer than he ever intended, he begins to wonder if he will easily recover from the enigmatic woman who has captured his heart. Or could he dare to find a way through the wall that stands between them?
A quick-read short story at 4,600 words.
This story takes place during the events of Books 4 & 5 in my completed series The Secrets of Ormdale. As such, it is best enjoyed after reading the entire series. It contains medium-strong spoilers for Book 5 (Valley of Dragons).
Katie –
I absolutely loved this short story! Janushek is one of my favorite characters and it was awesome to get to see his thought process and feelings, and to get to see his courtship of Lily.
I can’t wait to see more of Janushek and Lily in the next Ormdale series!
Clare Koens –
What a delightful read! I enjoyed getting to know Janushek better, as well as discovering new details about events from the books.
Katja Labonté –
5+ stars (6/10 hearts). It’s no secret that Janushek is my favourite character in Ormdale.
What makes him amazing is he’s unique, fascinating, funny, dramatic, tender, but could absolutely kill someone if they needed to be stopped that way.
Ya know when Anne Shirley said Fred Wright was hopelessly good and she wanted a husband who could be wicked but wasn’t? Well, that sums up Janushek’s appeal. I don’t make the rules 💁🏻♀️
Ok but for real his arc is so good & we love a man who actively betters himself out of love but not for reward (witness the everlasting appeal of Fitzwilliam Darcy).
I wrote that on Threads a while ago and still stand by every word.
Anyways. Yeah. It was obvious I would love this book. It’s Christina Baehr. It’s also Ormdale. And it’s Janushek. But let’s not forget Lily, who I also love.
I can’t say much for fear of spoilers, but this little story is full of twinkling humour, somber reflections on being a foreigner and an immigrant, delightful little nods at bilingualism, sweet love, and deep understanding. It rounds out the series so perfectly, and I can hardly keep myself from diving back into this cozy world by rereading the entire series…
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
K –
Sweet short story that is like icing on the cake. I love Janushek’s honesty and oddly sweet yet practical personality. He and Lily are perfect for each other and I am excited to se them again in future books!
seamus (verified owner) –
Christina Baehr writes with such sentimentality, I swear she could have me blubbering over something as inane as coffee filters or acrylic paints. So it is no surprise that this short story is so heartwarming! If you’ve read The Secrets of Ormdale and need a good, happy cry before Christina Baehr’s new series comes out, this is the perfect use of your time and money.
Amazing job as always!