The only one I read was Grace Draven's short story which was really good and I connected with the characters. Her writing is one of the best.

Oh, this anthology was perfect! It had both PNR and fantasy romance stories, just the perfect mix for me. I don’t have a favorite because each author wrote a wonderful story that made me feel so much… love, hate, sadness, and happiness. I have funny, sweet, and touching quotes highlighted for each author, it was hard to narrow down which ones to use. They can be read as standalones, but I highly recommend reading about the worlds that are mentioned. You will not be disappointed.

A well-written set that I enjoyed reading I could not tell you my favorite as they all have their own merits. I received a copy of this book and I am voluntarily reviewing it.

This is a great way to get to know the work of other authors. The only author I had previously read was Thea Harrison. Grace Draven was a good read and new to me.

*A copy of this book was provided to me by the author with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion.

I wanted to read this collection because two of my favourite authors - Thea Harrison and Grace Draven , were contributors .I am always willing to read new Authors but I felt the other two Authors were not quite up the same level as Grace and Thea . That being said the collection makes for a good read .

Grace Draven takes you into a world where looks count - scarring , disfigurement is looked down on , the person can almost feel invisible . The mark Jahna Ulfrida was born with has made her a target for the Court but during the long festivities a stranger teaches her to value herself for who she is as a whole person , to stand up to the bullies and to finally save herself .

Thea Harrison takes you back into the world of the 'Elder Races' .
In her visions, Lily sees two men fighting for her country’s allegiance: the wolf and the tiger, each deadly, each cunning , one will bring Ys chaos and death ..... Lily must use all her senses and magic to find the path to keep Ys safe and find true love .

Elizabeth Hunter brings us a character full of loss , hiding in the mountains mourning her dead love . She must forgive those that killed him before she can begin to love again .

Jeffe Kennedy allows an ex convict - a man full of doubts and scars to bring himself to believe that he can love a Queen , and she him ...........He must fight for her , her Kingdom and himself after a surprise attack ...........and find the part of himself that was missing .

Mixed feelings.

I had not been familiar with any works by the authors published in this anthology of short winter stories, so I thought maybe this would be a good introduction.
Unfortunately, I found that these stories did not have it in them to tempt me to try and read more from their authors with the exception of Grace Draven.

All in all, these stories were meant for their fans who are familiar with their books/worlds. As a non-fan I could not really appreciate them.

THE DARKEST MIDNIGHT, by Grace Draven
Jahna was born with a birthmark which made her a target of the cruel and idle all her life. When a handsome young man, Radimar, who is to be the sword trainer of her brother arrives, he helps distract her tormentors and ends up giving her lessons to protect herself and help with her confidence. Naturally they fall in love as well. I liked this one, and enjoyed the writing of this author (new to me) very much. A pleasant surprise.
THE CHOSEN, by Thea Harrison
In her visions, Lily sees two men fighting for her tiny country’s allegiance: the wolf and the tiger, each deadly, each cunning. When the Wulf shows up with an army she decides to try to learn more about him. With her abilities to see peoples auras and emotions, she reveals a traitor in his midst, and the love sparks go from there. I have enjoyed many books by this author, and although Pia and Dragos are not here I still enjoyed it and highly recommend this one. The only thing I didn’t like was that the story was left hanging a bit at the end, since the evil “tiger” is left on his throne (for now).
THE STORM, by Elizabeth Hunter
When her soul mate died in a massacre of the half-angelic Irin people, Renata thought she’d never feel happiness again. When Max shows up she must confront her feelings, including dealing with some of the people she considers her enemies. Struggled a bit with this one, as it seemed like a section taken out of a larger book. Confused a bit on who or what some of these other people were and why they were fighting.
THE SNOWS OF WINDROVEN, by Jeffe Kennedy
As a blizzard threatens their mountain keep, the new Queen Amelia of the Twelve Kingdoms and her unofficial consort Ash face their own storm. My least favorite of the four novellas, as the story is taken from the point of view of Ash. Also, the “poor me, not worthy” attitude got a little old.
Overall, a wonderful compilation by 4 different writers. I must admit I mainly wanted to read Thea Harrison’s story, but also found Grace Draven a delight. The other two were fine too, but parts of their stories could have been a bit stronger in details. On the other hand, I still was interested enough to want to see how they ended, so in that case I still recommend them too. Highly recommend this collection.

I got this for Thea Harrison`s contribution and it was brilliant! I really enjoyed it and loved Lily and Wulf as a couple!

Amid the Winter Snow caught my attention quickly when I saw it was a fantasy anthology with winter holiday as the them. All these worthy authors have been on my wish list to try their books for some time, and, what a rush, here their writings are all collected together in one book. I know better than to get my expectations too high, but somehow, I don’t think I’ll be doomed to disappointment.
Review

The Darkest Midnight by Grace Draven

This was my first encounter with this author’s work. I’ve anticipated them after reading the blurbs and the reviews. Oh yes, this story more than proved it was worth my excitement. It is a standalone story that I understand may have loose connections to the Wraith Kings series. It was rich in characters, plotting, and description. It elicited my feelings from the beginning and I loved everything about Jahna’s tale of triumph over her bullies and her sweet secret love for the handsome swordmaster who taught her to value herself and stand alone.

The Chosen by Thea Harrison
An Elder Races Novella

This one was another sparkling encounter for me. I still haven’t picked up the Elder Races series yet- and I will, but this one showed me what I’ve been missing. Lily is The Chosen and her vision seeing ability has left her worried about having to make a huge choice for her country. Wulf is on a mission of vengeance and to protect his people.

I enjoyed their strong sense of duty and loyalty, but openness and playfulness with each other. The growing romance was a lovely one.
The story does feel that it is part of a greater group of ongoing storyworld, but I got into it quickly. I did feel it left things open at the end, but not in a bad way and the romance is definitely tied up.

The Storm by Elizabeth Hunter
An Irin Chronicles Novella

And, we continue with my love fest as I was wowed by the Irin Chronicles world and the deep pain in Renata that made her push away Max. He faithfully ran her down for eighteen years proving to her he wanted her no matter what. This one is framed with a present scene, dips into the past to bring the reader up to speed on their long history, and then continues on with the current time of the story. Thankfully, after all his pursuit, Max got through her grief and pain even as a little surprise adventure finishes up her healing. The darker, gritty world of this series definitely has me wanting to go back for the full thing.

The Snows of Windroven by Jeffe Kennedy
A Twelve Kingdoms/Uncharted Realms Novella

Ash feels he isn’t good enough for Ami who is a queen and he a former ex-convict. They snarl and rage, ice each other out and smolder with passion through a snowstorm, danger, and a castle winter festival.
Ah yes, my second venture into the Twelve Kingdoms/Uncharted Realms world and it reminded me why I need to get on the ball about starting the series from the beginning. Great world building and spicy passion, winning characters who have their flaws, and a solid plot.

****************************************

So, four fabulous winter celebration fantasies that showcase magnificent storytelling that make me want more. A definite must-read for the fantasy romance lovers.

I received this book from Net Galley in exchange of an honest review.

Anthologies aren’t usual my thing but there is always an exception to the rule and here is where it applies.
I have a lack of time at the moment so this is going to be quick. I have to date not had the opportunity to read anything by Grace Draven or Jeffe Kennedy so I can’t rate the stories that I have written. I have heard some really good things about them but I’m just lacking time. I have read Thea Harrison and I love her work yet again it is a matter of time.
The Storm by Ms. Hunter is another great addition to her Irin Chronicles series and although a novella it most certainly does pack a punch. I can only recommend reading the series as this can’t be read as a standalone. There is so much depth and history here that it is worth it.
Here it is Max and Renata’s story and what a story they have. They’re love, avoidance and hate spans over a very long time. But Max is persistent that he has followed Renata wherever she goes. This time it’s no different.
They have both encountered loss and each has dealt with it differently but after such a long time it is time to heal. To face fears to move on. Not an easy feat especially for these two. Ms. Hunter grips me with her storytelling every single time. I felt all the emotions that our MC have experienced and savor this author’s writing so much. Since the beginning of all of her paranormal romance it has been a true pleasure.

THE DARKEST NIGHT

Jahna was born with a birthmark on her face (what is now known as a port wine stain) that has made her the victim of severe bullying whenever she wasn’t in her home. Her father refuses to let her stay home when there are festivals to go to at the palace. She never takes part in the festivities but enjoys them none-the-less.

When Jahna is a 16-year-old she meets Sir Velus, the swordmaster who has been hired by her father to teach her brother for the next four years. They become friends but they both harbor deeper feelings for the other that may never come to light.

This was a lovely story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I do wish that we could have seen Velus and Jahna together a bit more as the story does jump time a bit (the novella covers a 4-year span of time). Despite that I really liked it and love Velus for loving this wonderful woman that everyone else ignored.


THE CHOSEN

This story takes place in the same world as the Elder Races but in one of the parallel magical universes. The Goddess has a Chosen one and she has prophetic dreams. She sees violence coming to her country and she’s not sure who she can trust among the warring men. One man, makes his way into her heart and helps her grow as a Chosen.

I really love Harrison’s Elder Races novels and this was a lovely glimpse into the more magical places in that world. I really loved both the hero and heroine in this story – I just wish it was longer! Lol I was totally into it and then it ended. *sigh*


THE STORM

Maxim fell in love with Renata 18 years earlier but she has been in and out of his life since that time. He’s determined to finally lock her down!

I loved the premise of this book with the half-angelic Irin people and all they were going through. It was sad at times but happy at others. I liked Maxim a lot and was happy when he finally got Renata to agree to be with him forever.


THE SNOWS OF WINDROVEN

Ash is a soldier and knows that he’s not a good enough man to be with the queen, even though he loves her and her children. Ash is seeing them to Windroven where Queen Amelia wants to spend the feast of midwinter. During their travel they argue and agree to part but neither truly wants to be parted from the other. When danger threatens the Queen Ash is there to save her. They finally talk and realize that they never want to be parted.

This was a good story but I felt like I was missing something. It’s obviously part of a series and because of this I didn’t feel that it stood alone well. I liked it but was lost at times. I thought that Amelia and Ash were both hard-headed and needed to talk. When they finally did, all was well. It ended without conclusion so I believe that there will be more to their story in the series to come.

Overall I really liked this anthology a lot. The stories were engaging and I loved the magical/fantasy element that ran through all of the novellas. This is one I definitely recommend.

Rating: 4 out of 5

This will post as a guest review on Book Binge.
http://bookbinge.com/

Four stories by four pretty formidable authors and what a treat for their fans this book is. Plus if new to these authors then a fabulous way to sample their work.
Ok the first story by Grace Draven shows a friends to something much more kind of story. A young impressionable girl who is horribly bullied meets her brothers new teacher. Their mutual respect shines so bright and of course there's a very happy ending.
The second story connects to the Elder Races books but has a much more type of fantasy vibe. A woman protected by a Goddess has prophetic dreams but which choice should she make ?
Third up is a story that slots into the Irin world by this author featuring violent descendants of Angels. There is a romance here but I thought it more about the progression of the different species at war and the possibility of a distant peace.
Finally Ms Kennedy offers a story that revisits characters from her Twelve Kingdoms series and its an emotional story. Two very different people who love each other but who really need to learn to communicate !
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and happily recommend it although obviously I did have my favourites but it was time well spent and I'm already eager for more !
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

THE DARKEST MIDNIGHT - GRACE DRAVEN -  (5 stars)

This was unexpectedly lovely.  I haven't read anything by Ms. Draven before, though I have her two books on my TBR list, and now I know why everyone raves about them!  This story spans several Delyalda seasons, over more than a decade, giving plenty of time for the relationship to become believable.  I loved young Jahna and the woman she becomes, and Radimar was just plain swoon.  I believe it’s set in the same series as her other books, so that definitely made me bump them higher on my TBR list!

THE CHOSEN - THEA HARRISON -  (3 stars)

This is more like a 3.5 stars... but since I hate giving half-stars, I rounded down.  This story had a lot of promise, but the insta-love really turned me off.  Plus, it's like weird fantasy cliche soup - there's weather magic and telepathy and healing magic and ... Chef Boyardee?  I did like Lily, and I thought the humor was very well done.  I've read two of Ms. Harrison's books before and was also kind of meh on them, so I think the author just isn't my cup of tea.

THE STORM - ELIZABETH HUNTER -  (2 stars)

I think I would have rated this a lot higher if I'd had prior knowledge of this series.  While I liked the relationship between Renata and Max, there was just SO. MUCH. ELSE. going on that I was constantly taken away from the romance to puzzle over everything else.  There's libraries?  scribes?  archangels?  Grigori, who are part human, and are evil, except wait they aren't...  I enjoyed the writing style so I think I'll put the first book in the series on my TBR.

THE SNOWS OF WINDROVEN - JEFFE KENNEDY -  (4 stars)

Lovely.  This was also part of a series, but I found it easier to follow along with, especially since it was told in first person.  Ami annoyed the heck out of me at first, but Ash's obvious and deep love of her won me over.  I get super smooshy over damaged heroes, so this was catnip for me.  Plus, I was fascinated by the whole widow/stepfather relationship.  I'll be adding this series to my TBR list as well!

In the Darkest Midnight – Grace Draven – 3.5 Stars
This tale covers several years as Radimar lives with Jahna’s family in order to tutor her brother in swordsmanship. The world/society building here is perfection but perhaps a bit too much for such a short story. Nevertheless, I was lost in this richly drawn world as well as invested in the story of these two characters. My heart hurt for the loneliness Jahna’s disfigurement left her with. I loved that when Radimar looked at her he didn’t see the stain but instead saw only beauty.

The Chosen – Thea Harrison – 4 Stars
Wulf and Lily’s story was full of action, humor and romance. I absolutely loved the chemistry between these two. The world building was difficult to catch onto in the beginning – obviously built in previous books – but soon enough I caught on and was pulled into the story. Lily is strong and independent but not careless and Wulf is protective and possessive and in the end wants only what is right for Lily. This was an engaging tale and I must check out more from this author.

The Storm – An Irin Chronicles Novella – Elizabeth Hunter – 4 Stars
Renata and Maxim’s story was fast paced in the beginning but slowed toward the end. I was completely engaged in it and their conflict. I loved that Maxim wanted her above all else, despite the time and distance she put between them. The ending was poignant and poetic. Definitely would’ve enjoyed this more had I read previous books.

The Snows of Windroven – A Twelve Kingdoms/Uncharted Realms Novella – Jeffe Kennedy – 4.5 Stars
This was definitely my favorite. Angsty and filled with so much emotion. It was fast paced without cutting into the world building. The characters came to life and I especially loved that it was in the hero’s point of view. The relationship between these two must have begun during a previous book but I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything. There was just so much here I loved. It never felt like I was reading a novella. I absolutely must check out more from this author.

This is an honest review of an advanced copy provided by NetGalley and Brightlynx Publishing.

I'm not generally a fan of anthologies, but when my favourite authors get together? Bring it.

In The Darkest Midnight by Grace Draven - three and a half stars
Set in the world of Eidolon and the Wraith Kings this is the charming story of Jahna Ulfrida, the daughter of a nobleman, born with a large port wine stain on one side of her face and her brother's teacher, Radimar Velus. Told against the back drop of several annual Deyalda festivities this is a slow blossoming romance told with sumptuous prose and fabulous world-building. Easy to read as a stand-alone if you have never read any of Grace Draven's books before.

The Chosen by Thea Harrison - three and a half stars
Set in The Elder Races but not on earth. Braugne and Guerlan are at war, threatening the neutrality of the island of Camaeline Abbey. The Chosen of the goddess Camael has to choose which side to align with, her visions tell her that one way will spell disaster for her people - but which?

The infamous Wolf of Braugne has brought his army practically to the doors of the abbey, can the Chosen use her psychic gifts to read his aura and determine if he is friend or foe?

This was a charming novella about a warlord and a strong priestess, each with their own kingdoms to rule, who find love in a time of war. TBH, I would have liked this to be a full-length novel to explore how the characters got to where they are and expand the story a bit. Easy to read as a stand-alone if you have never read any of Thea Harrison's books before.

The Storm by Elizabeth Hunter - three stars
Set in the world of the Irin Chronicles. i haven't read this series and I did feel that I missed something not having read the series. From what I gathered there are two groups of half-angel children on earth. One group, the Irin, have magical gifts and are scholars and artists. The other, the Grigori, are encouraged by their sires to take human lives (I think). Renata was the daughter of scholars and intellectuals, when The rending occurred she saw the aftermath of her parents, her mate and everyone she knew being murdered by the Grigori. Later she meets a much younger Irin, Max and they share a brief relationship. But Renata knows that she is broken ,having lost her one true love she can never allow Max to settle for something lesser.

I started off not liking this novella and by the end I rather enjoyed it.

The Snows of Windroven by Jeffe Kennedy - four stars
Set in the world of The Twelve Kingdoms this a novella about the widowed Queen Ami of Avonligh who is travelling to her late husband's castle Windroven with her twin children to celebrate the feast of mid-Winter along with her unofficial consort Ash, a scarred ex-convict and half-shifter.

Although I have read some of Jeffe's more recent books I haven't read The Twelve Kingdoms series and didn't have a clue about the characters. No matter, the brief paragraph "About the Book" at the start told me all I need to know.

Ash and Ami are in love but he knows she can never marry him and he can't imagine any future King allowing his affair with Ami to continue. As the entourage travel to Windroven the pair decide to part, until a vicious attack by undead creatures forces events to take a different turn.

This novella just left me wanting more, more Windroven, more Ash, more Ami, more of Ami's adorable twins. More, more, more.

That blood red cape on the white snow is such an eye-catching image... I feel like I need one of those capes now! Not to mention that this anthology is written by some of the hottest names in fantasy and paranormal romance - I was stoked to get an advanced copy.

All of the stories are set in a fantastical or alternate realm where magic abides and anything seems possible.

In The Darkest Midnight, Grace Draven gives us a hugely romantic story involving a young heroine ridiculed for a birthmark on her face, as she comes of age and falls in love with her brother's swordmaster. I loved seeing Jahna come of age, grow into her maturity and develop confidence in her abilities.

In The Chosen, Thea Harrison delves into the Other Land and the witchy city of Ys. The Chose, Lily, has been having visions of two men who will change the course of her future. Lily must choose wisely as one will bring her happiness and the other will destroy her people. I liked both of these characters, Lily and the Wolf, but I wanted to learn more about the tiger. I really liked Lily's powers and abilities, and the Wolf's fearless nature was fabulous. This short story left me wanting a full length version to really delve into the political plots and romance.

In The Snows of Windroven, Jeffe Kennedy takes us back to the Twelve Kingdoms with Ami and Ash on their return to Windroven for the winter feast and to determine just how much trouble the dragon under the volcano is causing. I recommend reading the Twelve Kingdoms and Uncharted Realms series before embarking on this story. At the very least, you will want to have read The Tears of the Rose to be familiar with our couple. It was nice spending some time with beloved characters. Ami and Ash still haven't ironed out all the kinks in their relationship and I enjoyed seeing things develop further.

Unfortunately, I had to put The Storm by Elizabeth Hunter on hold for now. I have only just started the Erin Chronicles, and I haven't read enough to know exactly how the world works and the characters relate. So I will come back to this one once I get more of that series read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the author.

I think it is easiest to draw these out into mini reviews for the four short stories. The entire collection is really solid, but the breakdowns give a better look at how they all shine.



The Darkest Midnight – Grace Draven
I'm a big fan of Grace Draven and that is what drew me to this anthology honestly. The novella doesn't disappoint and features all the things I really love about her writing in a compact form. Seriously read her books they won't disappoint and this novella is a great way to get a taste of her writing. The story features an imperfect heroine and hero. It's a drawn out romance built on kindness. Which is delightful.

4.5 Stars!

The Chosen – Thea Harrison
Wow! So I've only read one other book by Harrison and now I need to go back for more. This novella has left me in a pile of mush. It was so delightful and so charming. I loved reading as Lily and Wulf fell in love. I loved how it worked out and how strong of characters they were. Seriously this novella could have easily been a 300 page book that I would have devoured.

5 stars! I love love loved this one!

The Storm – Elizabeth Hunter
So this one is the epitome of sweet and long lost loves. My eyes watered a few times while reading this story. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming. Which is great since Hunter gives you a great payoff at the end.

I think I was a little lost on the world at first with this one, but Hunter manages to expand a ton of the world and leave you feeling connected even if it ties into her other series.

4 Stars!

The Snows of Windroven – Jeffe Kennedy
I was not sold on this one as I started it honestly. It wasn't badly written but I was left mad at the characters for not understanding each other better. Obviously that is a pretty normal situation. By the end though I was in and really interested in the world that this book takes place.

We follow Ash and Ami as they work through relationship problems and communication issues. Slowly the realizations come about why neither one is happy apart.

4 stars!



Overall this collection is a really solid 4. I highly recommend it if you want something set in wintery to read while it's chill outside.

Amid The Winter Snow is a wonderful collection of fantasy romance stories written by four fabulous authors. They are all standalone reads although set in worlds where these authors have published books on.
I originally picked up this anthology because I wanted to read the story written by Thea Harrison. I'm glad I did but then also went on to read the stories written by the other three authors. I was not disappointed.
Two of the authors were new-to-me authors and they deftly wove stories that drew me into their worlds and left me wanting more. While this was the first time of me reading their work, it will not be the last. I love when I pick up an anthology to read a beloved author only to find other authors to fall in love with.
The stories in this anthology are well-written, engaging, charming and romantic. A few of them touched me deeply and brought me to tears. Whether you've read these authors or not, I highly recommend this anthology. It's worth the read.

This is probably the first time I've ever read an anthology in order, with many favorite authors here it would have been hard to decide where to start otherwise:)

Reviewing though I am starting with the last...

THE SNOWS OF WINDROVEN, by Jeffe Kennedy -I am not familiar with Kennedy's stories, but this short has the feel of established characters in a world that should be familiar to her fans and I am guessing that they will be happy to see this pair - Ami and Ash - on the road to their HEA. I liked this for the most part - even though there is a tad too much 'I am not worthy' inner dialog from the leading man and I really wanted to know more about the dragon. I really liked Ami's children and friend.

THE DARKEST MIDNIGHT, by Grace Draven - Set in her Wraith King's world, with a brief cameo by one of those characters. As always, Draven does a wonderful job with a slow burn romance that grows from kindness, admiration and respect. I also liked the growth in our heroine, who gets a chance for some payback against a tormentor. And I loved the hero who sees the past what others see in the heroine's appearance and helps her to find her strength and how he stands up for her against those who would demean her. This was a great pairing and a story that felt very complete.

THE CHOSEN, by Thea Harrison - Set in a corner of the Elder Races world. This story has good bones, two very interesting characters and a prophecy setup for something that could have supported a much longer story. -I always enjoy Harrison's stories, I liked the leads, I liked what was here but I wanted more.

THE STORM, by Elizabeth Hunter - I love Hunter's stories of her angelic decendant Irin - their history is just so tragic, and finding love for the young males of their race such a rare treasure that they are truly appealing as leading men and the leading man Max is all that. The leading lady Reni is a bit tougher to like initially, because she is terribly scarred by the tragedy and she is not open to love. Her journey with Max is a long one told in flashbacks ( at least one of which felt very familiar from the series) and while Max pursues her over the years, she spends most of that time trying to discourage him even as she can't resist him. Where this story really shines is when all the past history recap is done and things start happening in the here and now - that is were Reni really started to shine and when a nice little side plot finally gave her some peace and Max his hard won HEA.

ARC via NetGalley, but my own copy has been preordered since day I could click:) Release date 12/12/17

I enjoyed all 4 stories and found a new author or two. Good solid romances.