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Disclaimer: This review WILL have some spoilers. You’ve been warned.
Synopsis
For two former childhood friends, a blustery winter storm stirs some frosty—and scorching—memories in a delightful short story by #1 New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood.
All newly minted pediatrician Jamie Malek wants is to borrow a roasting pan for Christmas dinner. Unfortunately, that requires her to interact with Marc—her best friend’s troublemaking brother, who’s now a tech billionaire. He’s the one who got away. She’s the one who broke his heart. Outside, a howling blizzard. Inside, a crackling fire. Suddenly, being snowbound with the man she never expected to see again might not be such a bad way to spend a winter’s night.
Ali Hazelwood’s Cruel Winter with You is part of Under the Mistletoe, a stirring collection of December romances that thrill and tingle all the way. They can be read or listened to in one swoony sitting.
My Review
This was such an incredibly sweet read! I’m never disappointed by Ali Hazelwood’s books. She’s an instant-buy author for me for a reason!
While this is a novella and fairly short, I felt really connected to the story and it gave me all the warm fuzzy feelings. At the beginning of the book, Jamie has to go to her old best guy friend Marc’s house to retrieve a pan for her father for Christmas dinner. During this book, it goes back in time and follows the history between her and Marc, their growing up together since they were little, through their childhood and teenage years together, and then comes back to the present where they currently are in the story. I think Ali Hazelwood did a really amazing job giving a great backstory that made me feel connected to the characters and their relationship. I absolutely love a childhood friends to lovers trope. ♥ I was rooting for them the whole way!
If you love the childhood friends to lovers trope, you’ll love this. It’s a short read, but I was definitely all up in my feelings. Seeing the MMC and FMC grow up, him falling first and how he’s always really loved her, and just seeing that development was really heart warming, and I loved that a book this short was able to really make me feel something. That’s how you know it’s good!
This is a fantastic short holiday read, Ali Hazelwood doesn’t disappoint. Highly recommend!
The Cozy Cat Rating: ★★★★★
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