The Winter King

Weathermages of Mystral #1

by C.L. Wilson

An epic new fantasy romance from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author C. L. Wilson

After three long years of war, starkly handsome Wynter Atrialan will have his vengeance on Summerlea's king by taking one of the man's beautiful, beloved daughters as his bride. But though peace is finally at hand, Wynter's battle with the Ice Heart, the dread power he embraced to avenge his brother's death, rages on.

Khamsin Coruscate, Princess of Summerlea and summoner of Storms, has spent her life exiled to the shadows of her father's palace. Reviled by her father, marriage to Wintercraig's icy king was supposed to be a terrible punishment, but instead offers Kham her first taste of freedom—and her first taste of overwhelming passion.

As fierce, indomitable Wynter weathers even Khamsin's wildest storms, surprising her with a tenderness she never expected, Kham wants more than Wynter's passion—she yearns for his love. But the power of the Ice Heart is growing, dangerous forces are gathering, and a devastating betrayal puts Khamsin and Wynter to the ultimate test.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Magic, Romantasy, Enemies To Lovers, Paranormal

608 pages, Unknown Binding

First published July 29, 2014

About the author

C.L. Wilsons unique blend of pulse-pounding action, sweeping epic fantasy, and passionate romance has made her books a favorite read for romance and fantasy readers alike. Praised for exceptional worldbuilding and lyric prose, her critically acclaimed novels have regularly appeared on bestseller lists including the USA Today, the New York Times, and Publishers Weekly.

C.Ls novels have won numerous industry and reader-selected awards including, LifetimeTV.coms Best Paranormal debut of 2007, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, two National Readers Choice awards, the Colorado Award of Excellence, and the Holt Medallion. Ms. Wilson is the honored recipient of the PEARL award from Paranormal Romance as the best new author of 2007, and winner of the 2009 PEARL award for best Romantic Fantasy novel.

When not torturing her characters mercilessly, C.L. enjoys relaxing with her family in sunny Florida and daydreaming of a world where people exercise in their sleep and chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream is a fat burning food.
"

Reviews

[Cece ❀Rants, Raves &Reviews❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

First things first! do NOT let this COVER mislead you! it's better than that, dammit

This is an actual world BUILDING, character DEVELOPING, son oF a BITCH NOVEL THAT I FUCKING LOVE

Meet Kham
She went through so much shit but remained headstrong and fierce. And who doesn’t love a lili bloodthirsty heroine?



“She was a daughter of the Sun, capable of warmth, but just as capable of fire and lethal volatility.”

As a summer baby, I love this description so much Imma embroider it on a pillow


Kham was such a baddie. Abused by her father, she would literally rather die in the fucking mountains then give in to that whimp with the family dynamics adding a dynamic backstory to why she thinks the way she does. She is a survivor thrown into a whole new society she knew nothing about, and was natural enemies with

And the plot? There is all kinds of back stabbing, evil cunning plots, beasts trying to kill peeps, near death experiences, a quest to get the magical sword, defeat everyone, and sexy times and just awesomeness!



Now our love interest Wynter!! King of Wintercraig. Like jesus christ guy it combines my two favorite things WINTER & WOLVES bitches! The king is already a legend among his people but all magic comes with a cost…

Wynter is not even close to perfect. He got an alpha temper to rival the best of assholes. He comes across as harsh while trying to protect everyone. But goddamn he got the fucking hot barbarian thing going for him and it WORKS

“Her eyes narrowed, beginning to swirl with silver. “You. Wouldn’t. Dare.”
“Oh, min ros, I would.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Wrestling a beautiful, naked woman out of her furs and into her bath? What Winterman worth his stones would pass up a chance like that?”



I would kill for this man.
I would straight up murder any hoes that got near him, any dicks that dared threaten him, boii i will fuck you up if you even look at him funny

“ She could sense its presence now, as if some part of the sun had broken off and fallen into the well.... Now, she just had to retrieve it.”

The world-building so incredibly good, avoiding cliches of purple prose. New creatures, freaking weather patterns, local customs, everything just so freaking amaze. I loved walking around the villages, sneaking in the castles, and discovering new places with Kham

“A giant ice wolf, they called it,” Kham muttered as she scrambled up the tree. “Ice wolf, my ass. Show me one wolf—just one!—that can climb a tree!”

Now the romance...

“Do that again,” she mumbled. “Feels nice.” She was rewarded by more cooling kisses against her closed eyelids and hot brow. “I’ll be fine in a few minutes. I’m stronger than I look.”
“I know, min ros. I know.” Wynter’s husky voice whispered in her ear. “Tomorrow, you’ll be ready to fight Frost Giants barehanded, but for now, just rest.”

oh. my FUCKING GOD ITWAS ADORABLE

I just love the balance in their relationship, Wynter knows she powerful AS FUCK and thinks its freaking awesome but also cares for her and helps her when she uses up all her power. She isn’t some dainty flower and he just loves every part of her and WHERE THE HELL IS MY WYNTER?



“Something missing. Something important. Not her. Wasn’t her.
Where was she”
“Was this one her?
The scent of lemon verbena filled his nostrils. Fear and fury swept through him in equal measure.
Not her! Where was she?
What had they done to her?
He roared”

Even fucking half DEAD and barely conscious this dude is like where the fuck is my lady imma kill you all if you hurt her....and if that isn’t the sweetest thing you’ve ever heard then just unfriend me right now bitches just do it

I loved his alpha protective nature but he still understands she was a reckless force of nature and loved her for it.

Their relationship. I could literally feel the goddamn chemistry. Wynter and Kham are drawn to each other but goddamn do they fight it. It was delicious torture, i loved from start to finish
I’m not crying YOURE CRYING

“She was his wife, his queen, his mate. His heart.
And he loved her.
He loved every exasperating, fiery, rebellious, beautiful, challenging, volatile inch of her.”
Fuck it, im crying

I loved ALL these characters— main and secondary just so well developed. I instantly loved Kham and Wynter, their strengths and weakness and oh god the sass

“I’ve no idea why Freika ever bothered creating men. She should have recognized perfection when she created woman and stopped while she was ahead.” I mean.... where’s the lie though hahaha



Overall. Read the book. Just. Read. The. Goddamn. Book.

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread! 💕

OMG!



I'm so in love with this book! I love Wynter who is the King of Wintercraig. I love that he is an ice king with some abilities. I love that his wilderness companions are wolves. He's everything! Two of my favorite things: WINTER & WOLVES



So this twat of a prince from Summerlea comes over to visit Wyn and he ends up stealing some important things, well one was not so important, and kills his brother, so this sets off a 3 year war. Wyn does some things to make himself stronger and full of hate and it could take him over completely. He crushes Summerlea in the war, yay. Wyn and some men then go on a visit to see the king of Summerlea and make his demands. This includes some stuff but the most important was that he would be taking home one of the king's daughters to marry. There is a stipulation with that but I won't tell you.

While Wyn is there he meets Khamsin (Storm) (Kham) by accident. Well, their magics merge and it's like crazy train.

I felt sorry for Kham because she was kept away as a prisoner since she was a child and never acknowledged as the kings daughter after something happens. He's a big freaking jerk that man!

Anyway, Wyn is tricked into marrying Kham after her father almost kills her < -- read the book. But, Wyn isn't upset by this when he finds out who he is married to, the girl he met briefly and couldn't stop thinking about.

They make their way back to king Wynter's home, but it takes awhile as Kham almost dies for reasons.

Kham isn't made to feel welcome in the castle, of course, but over time most of the people come to love her because she is awesome! She's not like her sorry brother or father. Her sisters are nice like her too, btw.

There is all kinds of bad stabbing, evil cunning plots, beasts trying to kill peeps, near death experiences, a quest to get the sword, defeat everyone that needs defeating, sexy times and oh so much more and I LOVE IT! I'm so happy with this book ♥



Happy Reading!

Mel ♥

MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List

[Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

C.L. Wilson writes Fantasy Romance like nobody’s business.

I discovered Wilson’s Tairen Soul series a little over a year ago through a Goodreads’ recommendation, and I read all five books in five days.

All five books. In five days.

And they weren’t filler books either. They were all 400(ish) page FANTASY books.

When I finished my reading binge, I was glad to see that another book was in the works—The Winter King (this book), and I’ve had it on my watchlist since January of last year.

And people . . . it did NOT disappoint.

Khamsin Coruscate is the unwanted daughter of King Verdan IV of Summerlea. Unacknowledged, she roams the abandoned places of her father’s castle, desperately trying to be good enough, noble enough, worthy enough to gain her father’s affections.

All of her efforts are for naught.

Wynter Atrialan is the young King of Wintercraig. Barely into manhood, he is already a legend among his people, having single-handedly killed a Frost Giant in a successful attempt to save his younger brother. But when he is betrayed, he embraces an ancient, dangerous magic to assist him in his quest for revenge.

But the magic has a cost, and the longer Wynter uses it, the higher the price.

Things I loved about this book:

1. The characters—ALL of the characters, main and secondary alike, were incredibly well-developed. I felt an instant connection to both Wynter and Khamsin, and the secondary characters were both likable and entertaining while enhancing my understanding of the MCs.

2. The world-building—Time wasn’t wasted describing actual landmasses, so while I may have only had a vague understanding of where Summerlea, Wintercraig, and Calbernan would be located on a map, I did gain knowledge of the other (more important IMO) aspects of the geography. I knew what creatures lurked where. I knew the weather patterns and the local customs. The imports and exports, etc. All those details combined to create a clear picture of Kham and Wyn’s world.

3. Villainous villains—I love to hate a good villain. Oh, I like a sympathetic villain on occasion as well, but sometimes a clear-cut bad guy is a wonderful target for your animosity, and The Winter King has several.

4. The ROMANCE—Wynter and Khamsin are instantly drawn to each other and have incredible chemistry, but oh, how they fight it. There are numerous misunderstandings and miscommunications (for the path to true love never did run smooth), but the journey never crosses the line from swoonfest to tedium. It’s very simply delicious torture.

5. Possibility of future books from this world—As far as I can tell, there are currently no other books from this world under contract. BUT Wilson lays the groundwork for several future books throughout this one, and my fingers are crossed that said books will come to pass (Dilys Merimydion + a Season = True Love 4-Ever).

Things I could have liked more:

1. Too many villainous villains—There were at least four significant bad guys (as well as several other characters you were made to be suspicious of), and as effective as they were, I can’t help but think that cumulatively a few less would have made even more of an impact. Even if there were still a few secondary bad guys all working for one Big Bad<——Big Bad is singular for a reason.

2. So very LONG—I kind of feel like this book could have had 100 less pages and still accomplished everything that needed to be accomplished. The end seemed to drag a bit (but only a bit). That being said, all of those pages flew by.

But ultimately, a couple of minor issues were not enough to keep me from absolutely loving this book.

Fantasy romance is not a big genre, so finding an author who excels at writing it is highly fortuitous. C.L. Wilson is one such author, and this book perfectly illustrates that claim. With a completely enthralling combination of fantastical elements and a swoonworthy romance, I recommend The Winter King to lovers of both Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. C.L. Wilson is always a safe bet, and The Winter King is perhaps my favorite of her books to date.

Be sure to check out the Author Interview on the blog post!

[EmBibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

This started out so strong and I was enjoying the plot, all because of the forced marriage trope tho, but then it started dragging and things were just so repetitive. The entire book is filled with them not trusting each other and throwing accusations. They just didn’t give me a chance to connect with both of them. Even at the very end both the main characters were still throwing accusations of betrayals at each other! The world building was good and some parts were really enjoyable tho. I think I just came here for the romance, but it wasn’t that memorable. Still it was just okay.

[Yodamom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tried to think of a way to review this book I tried and failed. How do you review something that left your heart thumping, your brow sweating, and your soul singing ? There are no words worthy of this feeling. I loved this book, I loved the world, the characters and even the villains. I hated the villains one completely, true unwavering hate for a certain father figure. It was so nice to have a completely evil force to focus on without those wavering good deeds mixed in. Do not judge this book by the cover or the blurb on the back, they are so off from the reality of what is on the pages. This is a WOW, high fantasy, mystery, action packed, romantic tale. The writing is so vivid so detailed I could read each page twice and pick up different things each time.
I recommend this book and her Tairen Soul series already published -read them

[Nadia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like this book because:

·Khamsin and Wynter,
·the main characters never really talked, so they could get to know each other, to find something else to fall in love with besides amazing skill in the bedroom,
·corny conversations in the end,
·cheesy plot,
·Khamsin's purpose as a baby-making machine,
·Wynter's distrust of Khamsin even after she saved his ass time and time again,
·insta-lust,
·insta-love,
·it's about 300 pages too long,
·even though it's easy to read, the story is drawn out waaaay too much,
·awful cover (in this case, judging a book by its cover is worth it).

[Parvati Patil · Rating 5 out of 5]

EDITED

Kindle Unlimited in some territories. Sadly not the UK, but £1.99 is a good bargain.

🎁🎁🎁🎁

Action-packed, great characters. Excellent worldbuilding. Reika and her schemes were over the top, but other than that one of the best I've ever read.

[Anna [Bran. San. Stan] · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been a while since a romantasy had me so emotionally invested, so heart-wrenchingly on the edge of my proverbial seat that wresting myself away from it for stupid things like sleep and adulting was immensely hard. So if you’re looking for a beautiful, immersive, well-written romantasy that will have you in its grasp and also works as a stand-alone, look no further.

Khamsin, giftname Storm because of her elemental magic, is the fourth daughter of the Summer King; she is loathed and ostracized by her father and the court to the extent that not many people know she even exists. Only her brother Falcon, her three sisters, whose giftnames are Spring, Summer, and Autumn, and her nursemaid Tildavera care about her. Why? Because in addition to her temper, which thanks to her weathermagic is echoed by the sky, the King holds her responsible for the Queen’s death. And no, it was not childbirth itself that killed her, which is an often used trope, but a combination of Khamsin’s elemental magic and her mother’s own poor constitution – which did commence after Khamsin’s birth.

Then everything changes. Falcon travels to the neighboring realm of Wintercraig, ostensibly to negotiate trade; the result of his actions, however, is war between the two nations. Based on how Falcon’s character is presented initially, it was hard for me to reconcile the loving brother with the atrocities he commits – but later on it becomes clear that Khamsin just didn’t see her brother clearly, so don’t get too hung up on that.

The action continues three years later, with King Wynter Atrialan, an extremely powerful weathermage, traveling to Summerlea to demand one of the Summer King’s daughters as a price for peace. And the King, who is a colossal douchebag, decides to use the opportunity to rid himself of the unwanted daughter – preferably without Wynter knowing who exactly he is marrying.

Here we come to one occasion which took me out of the story because I had problems getting past it. In his scheme to rid himself of his fourth daughter, the Summer King intends for Wynter to wed and bed Kham right way, allegedly so that he will only realize AFTER the consummation he didn’t marry one of the King’s beloved Season princesses and therefore won’t be able to annul the wedding. That reasoning seems very Shakespearean to me – and not in a good way: It suggests a woman in a darkened bedroom is interchangeable. (Looking at you, All’s Well That Ends Well.) And the worst part is, through a combination of olfactory misdirection and a lust-inducing drug the plan actually works; they have sex, blinded by lust. I had a hard time reconciling myself with that bit of questionable, ill-conceived skullduggery. Why couldn’t he have noticed and chosen to accept the marriage because he has unknowingly been bewitched by her at their first incognito meeting?

And speaking of their first unofficial meeting – unofficial because Khamsin is in the guise of a servant –, I still feel really ambivalent about this encounter: While I loved that they meet like this and that Wynter is immediately and inexplicably drawn to her, he ends up pushing her against a wall, groping her breast and kissing her, which is supposed to be okay because he can smell her arousal. A part of me found this a bit rapey while another part quite enjoyed getting some action in the fun department. I can’t decide. If you do decide it bothers you, please don’t let it stop you! There is no more non-con, borderline or otherwise. (The wedding night and all other sexy times are completely consensual.)

This first encounter notwithstanding, I loved both of our MCs so much: behind a stoic, assertive, sometimes glacially cold Wynter with the Ice Heart hides a man capable of great love and tenderness – and headstrong, fierce, and proud Khamsin was a perfect match for him. (I also loved the fact that Wynter affectionately calls Khamsin “Summerlass”, which reminded me of Jamie calling Claire “Sassenach”, and anything that reminds me of those two is good in my book.)

As for their relationship arc, I found the fact that they have sex from the beginning, rather refreshing; lust was instantaneous, but love had to be earned.

"He was the Winter King, her enemy, a man feared for his killing coldness, yet when he'd touched her, she had not frozen. She'd burned."

Naturally, that journey from lust to love is fraught with obstacles and all but smooth; my emotions were sent on a proverbial roller coaster, which made the ending even sweeter. I only wish that Wynter had trusted Khamsin more sooner – it was really hard seeing both Wynter and Khamsin let their personal baggage interfere with their feelings and actions.

The world building was well done – elemental magic is always such a cool power, even more so when it serves to further the plot, as it does here. It also fit that the realm of Wyntercraig is inspired by Norse mythology, which I always love. The chosen names were aptly telling; my favorite being Lady Villani, who is one letter swap away from “villain” – which she really was. (Only General Furze has a very unfortunate name, unintentionally I’m sure: “Furze” means “farts” (plural) in German.)

Apart from the big deception explained above, there were other minor occasions on a much smaller scale which broke my immersion – such as the viewpoints mixing and thus causing some confusion on my part. And as much as I generally felt the prose was wonderful, one metaphor really killed the mood for me. I mean who likens breasts to “plump little pigeons”? I fucking hate pigeons.

I realize I’m being much too nit-picky and will stop before I dissuade you from reading this – because despite it all, I loved this book and I really want more people to read it. The fact that I was sorely tempted to give this 5 stars despite any (minor) issues should tell you enough. So again, read this if you love spicy romantasy (yes, there is plenty of explicit sex), characters to love and loathe, solid world-building, and a gripping plot.

PS: There is a second book in this world with different MCs, but you can totally read The Winter King as a standalone I’m not sure if there’ll ever be a third book, but I sure hope so! I will definitely read more from this author!

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romantasy!!! It is my favorite genre loved my reread with my friends at Buddies Books and Baubles

Original Review Aug 2014

Finally!!! A great Adult High Fantasy with both a wonderful romance and fantastic plot/world this is two of my favorite genre’s combined.

The Story - Wynter the king of Wintercraig was betrayed by his fiancé and the Falcon the Prince of Summerlea. Wynter in his sadness took in a powerful magic that could destroy him and plunged both countries into war. Now three years later he has won the war but may have lost his heart and soul to the ancient power he used to do it. He has one chance, the birth of a child might save his ever colder growing heart. Time is running short and if he loses himself to the Ice Heart within an ancient power will rise and it could destroy everyone in the lands.

Wynter takes a Princess of Summerlea as his prize of war to be his wife, now he just needs to get her pregnant but that is easier said than done and time is running short.

The Romance - As heroes go Wynter is right on the border for me. By his deeds he was kind to his new wife even if his words weren’t always warm and tender. He is forever fighting with the power within him and it leaves him slightly cold to Khamsin at times.

The reasons I love the romantic couple are that they are both so broken and alone, but for completely different reasons. Khamsin never accepted by her family wants to desperately to find some kind of comfort and companionship but is so headstrong that she sometimes shots herself in the foot. Wynter has lost his entire family and greatly wants one of his own but finds it so hard to trust anyone. But there is an undeniable physical attraction between the two of them and eventually that tries to grow into something more. Both are very insecure in their own ways but somehow being together makes them stronger people.

Things I loved - I adored Khamsin from the beginning. She was easy to like as she was headstrong and fierce, plus she never whines. After living with the hatred of her father for so long and never fitting in I really wanted her to find that happily ever after.

I liked that there wasn’t an instant love. There was attraction and lust but the actual friendship and feelings between the pair took time. They are alike in many ways and share a deep loneliness and longing for family. Wynter could be a harsh ass at times but there were also moments when he was extremely tender with Khamsin and those of coarse are the moment I liked the most.

“Then come to your bath. Accept my care, as you swore you would. Offer me the fruits of your life, that I may dine once more on peace instead of war.”

Wynter is not perfect, far from. He is quick to temper and often comes across harshly as he is trying to protect himself from ever being hurt again. But I like that he isn’t perfect and I respected that everyone in the land knew how cruel he was capable of being. He did start a war to avenge his family so I thought it would be out of character if he were perfect. He can be ruthless and will be to protect those in his charge.

“Do you honestly think something as flimsy as a signed piece of paper and a marriage ceremony would have stayed his hand had he not wanted you for his bride? Wynter would have parted your head from your shoulders, taken all three of your sisters as concubines, slaughtered everyone else involved in the deception, and frozen the whole of Vera Sola on the spot. After ripping your father’s entrails from his still-living body and calling the snow wolves to feast upon them, of course.”

But he is still extremely likeable and easy to root for.

The setting and magic of the weathermages was also a draw for me. Wintercraig seemed to be a winter wonderland of sorts and I loved how Khamsin and Wynters magic worked together to feed into and calm one another’s magic.



The threat of Rojak returning was the main big bad and that is the story line I enjoyed the most. His army of frozen acolytes seemed a lot like white walkers from Game of Thrones with an added huge abominable snow beasts and I’m sold.

Lastly I liked the introduction of Dily. Even though we didn’t see him until about 93% of the way in, I liked getting a glimpse of the future hero in the next boo set in this world and want to know so much more about the Sea People

The Sealord smiled. “This offer is most generous, myerina, to be sure, but why would I or my men sacrifice the certainty of a liana now for the possibility of a liana later?”
“Trust me, none of you would want an unwilling Summerlea or Wintercraig wife.”
“Ah, but any liana of a Calbernan would not be unwilling for long.”
The way he said it sent an unmistakably erotic shiver up Khamsin’s body. If she weren’t irrevocably in love with her own Winterman, she might actually have considered throwing down her sword and taking Merimydion up on his offer.

The Problems - Too many bad guys and obstacles. At some point in this book I thought ‘seriously, again’. It just seemed our couple could not catch a break for anything. While I did enjoy the drama I was of the opinion that maybe some of them could have been cut and possibly streamlined. I think there were three or four different ‘bad guys’ in this and then the big threat as well. It just seemed a little much at times.

Overall - This was such a fun story full of the girlie romantic stuff I like and the High Fantasy world, magic, culture and intrigue that I adore. It was really a win-win for me.

[Elise ✘ a.k.a Ryder's Pet ✘ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second re-read: 20.02.2020
I'm ashamed to admit that I skimmed quite a bit this time around. I've been truly struggling lately to focus so I made the mistake of starting this detailed book whilst I knew I was having problems with reading. So because of this, I won't lower the rating or anything, even though I didn't find the book as enjoyable as the previous times. If I were to rate it now, it'll be at 2.5 stars and that's unacceptable. I'll overlook this read, to be honest. I refuse to believe I don't still love it so I'll re-read it again in the future and that will be the final thoughts.

Other Characters:
The list is long so I've put it in a spoilers tag.
→ Falcon Coruscate (23), the handsome Prince of Summerlea and Kham's brother. He could literally charm the birds from the trees with his name-gift—controlling any feathered creature on a whim—and the weathergift inherent in his royal Summerlander blood was stronger than it had been in any crown prince in generations.
→ Tildavera ‘Tildy’ Greenleaf, Kham's nursemaid.
→ Autumn (the youngest of the three), Spring (the eldest), and Summer (the middle daughter), the three princesses known as the Seasons, Kham's older sisters.
→ King Verdan IV of Summerlea, Kham's father. His wife, Queen Rosalind, who died when Kham was three years old.
→ Garrick, Wyn's younger brother, who Wyn had raised since their parents’ death ten years ago. Falcon killed him when Garrick chased Falcon after Falcon stole (a book) from the Wintercraig court and ran away with Wyn's bethroved three years before the book starts.
→ Elka Villani, was Wyn's bethroved who ran away with Falcon.
→ Valik, Wyn’s lifelong friend and second-in-command, Wyn's Steward of Troops.
→ Hodri, Wyn's horse.
→ Galacia ‘Laci’ Frey, the imposing and statuesque High Priestess of Wyrn, goddess of Winter. Laci is the guardian of Thorgyll’s Spears.
→ Maude Newt, Mistress of Servants of Summerlea.
→ Belladonna Rosh, Kham's maid. She had put herbs Kham's tea every morning to stop her from having a child without Kham's knowledge. It resulted in Kham having a miscarriage .
→ Roland Soldeus, the Triumphant, a heroic king who sacrificed himself to save his kingdom - the Hero of Summerlea, the brave king who had defeated an overwhelming invasion force with his wit, his weathergifts, and a legendary sword reputed to be a gift from the Sun God himself. The sword called Blazing, that had disappeared shortly after the king’s death. Book of Riddles has clues as to where the sword is.
→ Barsul Firkin, Lord Chancellor of Wintercraig, who served as White Sword during Wyn's father’s reign. His wife, Lady Melle.
→ Lord Deervyn Fjall, Steward of the Keep of Wintercraig. He oversees everything that pertains to the provisioning, protection, and operations of the castle.
→ Reika Villani, Valik’s cousin by marriage, the daughter of his uncle’s second wife. Reika was also the sister of Wynter’s former betrothed. Traitor, killed by Kham.
→ Vinca, Gildenheim (the jewel of Wintercraig)’s Mistress of Servants.
→ Bron, the stable master of Wintercraig.
→ Krysti (10), a orphan boy. After he's caught stealing, Kham takes on his compensation and claim a year of Krysti's service in payment as her page.
→ Dilys Merimydion, Prince of Calberna, Sealord.

The Ice Heart:
Text is long so I've put it in a spoilers tag.
The Ice Heart is a dreadful power, Wintercraig's most deadly magic. Those who embrace it freeze from the inside out. Once in its grip, compassion and honor are mere things of memory, easily forgotten, just as easily foresworn. Wynter’s heart—his humanity—is freezing. He’s dying. It's surprising Wyn has lasted as long as he has. A weaker man would have succumbed long ago. Valik is one of the reasons Wyn hasn't succumbed to the power: loves him like a brother. Wyn is losing the capacity to love—to feel anything. And when all warm emotion is gone, the man we know as Wynter will cease to be. A monster of unimaginable power will inhabit his body—a dark god who was once a man, Rorjak, the Ice King. Wyrn, the goddess of Winter’s husband, the one Thorgyll slew with his spears. Love is the only thing that can melt the Ice Heart.

The Ice Heart is Wintercraig’s most carefully hidden and lethally defended treasure. It is the essence of the god-king Rorjak, the mortal-born man whom Wyrn loved so much, she gave him immortality. He traded her love for power, using the gifts she’d bestowed upon him to father the Frost Giants and become the first Ice King. Because of Wyrn's gift, even though his body could be destroyed, his godly essence never could. It was to slay her husband that Wyrn had fashioned the ice spears and given them to her brother Thorgyll. So after slaying him with Wyrn’s spears, Thorgyll gathered that essence and hid it away in a place he thought would be safe. And for thousands of years, it has been. Many have tried to embrace the Ice Heart, but except for a rare few, they died before ever reaching the place of its confinement. Wynter is one of the few. The garm were deadly, giant wolflike monsters from the ice fields of the Craig, pets and servants of the Frost Giants, Rorjak’s deadly minions.

⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Great Fantasy Book*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱

Re-read: 21.01.2018
For those of you that haven't read this great fantasy book, definitely should do it. It's a great story of love, honor, friendship, legends and war. About finding a place you belong, your home and becoming who you are meant to be. I seriously recommend this book. The Winter King centers around King of Wintercraig, Wynter ‘Wyn’ Crystalin Boreal Atrialan (how old? Late twenties? Early thirties?) and Princess of Summerlea and summoner of Storms, Angelica Mariposa Rosalind Khamsin ‘Kham’ ‘Storm’ Gianna Coruscate (20).

“Your father thought he scored a victory over me when he tricked me into marrying you instead of one of your sisters, but he unwittingly gave me the one daughter I wanted most.”

Both characters are amazing. Khamsin shows great development from the beginning to the end. Wynter is just fabulous throughout the book. Love him. The only thing that bothered me this time around that didn't bother me the first time was the constant mentioning of Roland Soldeus. I got quickly tired of hearing about him. Overall, this story is great and should be read. I'll probably re-read it again sometime later. The length doesn't even bother me. I could've read even more.

“Well, princess,” Wynter murmured, “let’s see what you’re made of.”

Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Fantasy Romance.
Series: - Series (Standalone), Book One.
Love triangle? - No.
Cheating? - No.
HEA? - Yes.
Favorite character? - Wynter ‘Wyn’ Crystalin Boreal Atrialan.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Yes.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Yes.
Will I read this again in the future? - Yes..
Rating - 4 stars.

First read review:

(Just picture them a few years younger ;))

“Well, princess,” Wynter murmured, “let’s see what you’re made of.”

OMG!! I cannot believe that I waited so freaking long to read this book! I seriously loved it! It was long, yes, and hard to read with all the information, but damn, it was worth it!! The whole story was well written and the characters was perfect! C.L. Wilson is pretty brilliant to come up with this world of fantasy, I must say... Roland's sword, The Ice Heart, Storm.. It was all an amazing journey and it left me wanting more!!

“I love you more than the sunrise. More than laughter. More than song...”

To be frankly honest, I had trouble putting the book down and get some sleep.. I really wanted to finish the book in one day, the book was that exciting but I couldn't sit up all night, so I literally had to force myself to put the book down and go to bed -.-' But the first thing I thought about when I woke up was "I need to know what will happen to my Wynter!!" Hehe I mean, come on, I had to stop where it had started to get interesting..

“There’s no guarantee the goddess will find you worthy,” she warned. “Many men have tried and died.”
“You think that frightens me? If I die, I will be with my brother. If I survive, I will have the power to avenge him.”

Now, I don't really want to tell you all what happens in the book, other than that Wynter need to warm his Ice Heart, (which is taking over his body,) and he think that to warm his heart he needs love. Since he's lost his family, (the reason he's taken the power of the Ice Heart is because his brother was killed by Prince Falcon of the Summerlea->He also stole his betrothed,) Wynter need a new family, an heir/a child and to do that, he's decided he needs a wife. He has decided that the Summerlea are to replace the losses. To give him a wife, an heir and a treasure. Wynter's tricked, and is given Khamsin.

“Well," she said again, turning to him and tipping back her head to meet his gaze. "As the begetting of an heir holds such dire import, I suggest we get to it.”

The thing is, since the first the Wynter saw Khamsin he hasn't been able to stop thinking about her, so in a way, it was a good thing that she was to be his wife. They are so meant to be. I love them together. Their connection are so powerful and I love their bricking. They are constantly challenge each other.. It's rather cute.

“I hadn't thought you such a faithless coward. You are a princess of the Summer Throne, wedded Queen of the Craig, and my wife. You swore an oath, before a priest and your father's court, to accept my counsel and my care. You swore to offer me all the fruits of your life. And now, you would deny me that which you swore to offer? Do you have so little honor?"
The accusation stole the silver from her eyes, leaving them pure, plain gray filled with shock and dismay. "I...No! Of course not! I'm no oathbreaker."
"Then come to your bath. Accept my care, as you swore you would. Offer me the fruits of your life, that I may dine once more on peace instead of war.”

Now, let's talk about the characters... Damn, I LOVE Wynter!!!!!!!! He was just so damn sexy! A complete warrior, with hot, cold powerful power. Ruthless, yet kind to his people. A good kind but a great man. And a FANTASTIC lover.. An wild animal and passionate male in bed... *clears throat, takes a deep breath* Runs with wolfs and never gives up.. and I can go on and on and on about how much I love my man Wynter.. But, ehh, I think I need to stop..

“If you didn’t need food more than I need a good fucking, I���d flip you over right now and fill you ’til you scream and beg for mercy.”

Khamsin was awesome! She really develop from the beginning to the end. She really grew on me. She was like a child and became a woman. I liked her and now I LOVE her. She stood up for her man when it counted and that was all that mattered. She didn't let Wynter order her around, and she didn't back down when she was afraid and scared, she held her head up high and made me proud! :)

“Wyrn curse it,” Kham swore. If Wynter’s life was truly in danger, and she did nothing to warn him, she’d never forgive herself. “I just know I’m going to regret this,” she muttered.

Jesus, I talk a lot of shit.. Anyways, you get my point. I like this book a lot, might even love it. Scratch that, I do love this book, it's just that it was so freaking long that it was so freaking hard to read sometimes. I wish this book was made into two books instead of one.. I hope we get more of my beloved man Wynter!!!!!!

[Svetlana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The past few weeks have been really tough for me because my mental health has been playing up again. I haven't been able to enjoy reading the way I used to and that honestly just breaks my heart. I still try to read because I don't want my issues to stop me from doing something I love so much. It's also why I like to come on goodreads because the environment here makes me feel better. And even though I find it difficult to read myself, I like knowing that other people are reading and enjoying books.

I decided to go with this book because I didn't want to read something that would require too much thinking or would be too emotionally draining. And woohooo because I was thoroughly entertained by this book! It took me a lot to start it but I really did enjoy myself! And THAT is why I love reading! :)

I'm still struggling and probably will for a long time, but I'm also starting to learn how to deal with things. So yay me!

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus)]

😬 So I know this didn't win my poll but it's a longer book than the one that won so I'm going to start this one first.

Ignore the cover. I've heard this is fantastic. 💙❄️

[Aisling Zena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read 28/12/2015

5 stars

Do not let the 80s, slightly Fabionesque, cover of this book fool you! We tend to categorise now based on the cover, if it's urban fantasy it's usually a badass woman with some sort of weapon, if it's shifters you have an animal mixed in with the people and so on.

For me this is the kind of book you can't class based on cover. You think you're getting a historical romance with a shot of magic featuring a silly heroine and a wishy-washy knight in shiny armor. Well, you don't. This book is pure delightful fantasy, steeped in magic and I think no one could do a cover that would give it justice. This is my lesson (again) not to judge a book by it's cover.

Khamsin Coruscate is a Princess of Summerlea and summoner of Storms,

she wields great magic but can't control it. She grew up an outcast, unloved and unwanted by her father. Unacknowledged and shunned, raised by her maid Tildy, she begins the book as an idealistic, petulant child but soon forced to grow up fast and realise that war leaves behind ruin and peace always comes with a price.
I loved Kham. All the hardships she went through growing up, the vileness thrust on her by her own father, forged her character. She was no silly, whimpering pampered palace princess. Naive and innocent but far from silly. She is a fighter, a survivor, a clever woman struggling against all odds desperate to be loved and wanted.

"What was wrong with her that no one wanted her?"

No matter what happened between now and the end of her year as Wintercraig’s queen, she was going to find a way to survive and to thrive.

Wynter Atrialan, King of Wintercraig

wants revenge and to get it he takes the Ice Heart a dreadful power that can consume him. He struggles against it and at the same time wages war against Summerlea. Running out of time he decides to top of his revenge by marrying one of the princesses, he doesn't care which one and get's conned into marrying Khamsin, still a princess but not one cherished by the King. Even though he was conned he was still outraged on Khams behalf and is thoughtful and gentle with her but distant. There's a bit of an insta-lust situation but to be honest I loved it! It was so well written, the passion and chemistry between them so hot I didn't care if it was instant!



He was smiling. The fresh air, white snow, blue sky, and bright golden sun made her feel happy and light-hearted. It was a perfect, beautiful day. The kind of day he’d sculpted in the Atrium. The kind of day he’d known so many of as a child. And then she realized what he was doing. He was giving her a memory of her own to cherish.

As always there were plenty of plots afoot and weathering through them changes them both. I did suspect and guess some of the plots but didn't really mind. I loved the effortless world building created by C.L.Wilson and I honestly submerged myself in it with no effort at all. This book is beautiful, enchanting, mesmerizing and I definitely got caught in it's spell. C.L.Wilson also introduced the main characters for the next book in this series and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

[enqi ☾⋆˚*̣̩✩ · Rating 5 out of 5]

10.03.2022: time to reread one of my favorite books ever

_______________________

astonishing. beautiful. romantic. i am breathless.

[Antonella · Rating 5 out of 5]

SERIES: Weathermages of Mystral no.1
GENRE: paranormal romance
TROPES: arranged marriage
CLIFFHANGER: no
TRIGGER/CONTENT WARNINGS: parental neglect & abuse
HOTTIE METER: 3
SONGS: Tate McRae- You broke me first
Selena Gomez- Wolves




I am so happy that I gave this book & author a chance..



it is really really good...
sure it a chunk of a book..but it is like two books in one..
and I love big books and can't lie...
with one badass of a heroine, this book is a must-read for fantasy readers who like romance in their plotline!!

[Rain · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Love can melt the Ice Heart?”
“It’s the only thing that can.”

Old school fantasy, romantasy before it was a thing. Wonderful character building, some heat, and loads of backstabbing plots throughout.

Wynter and Khamsin, these two couldn’t be more different, yet they are each other’s missing piece. Khamsin is my favorite kind of heroine. She doesn’t ever give up, she doesn’t play games, she is fierce, loyal, and always underestimated.

She was a child of the elements, a mage of storms. Rarely gentle. And never well behaved.

Winterman and Summerlass forever. 4.5 stars rounding up.

[Choko · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 4 ***

A buddy read with my friends at BB&B! Because we love Fairy tales!!!

This is exactly what it looks like - a fairy tale for adults, which we also call Romantasy! In short - a fantastic tale of the battle between good and evil set on the background of romance, promising Happily Ever After and on the way getting steamy with the main characters getting busy...

"...“What had come over her? He'd touched her, and it was like electric flame -- like the lightning she could summon -- shooting sparks through her veins. She'd all but melted, boneless, at his feet. He was the Winter King, her enemy, a man feared for his killing coldness, yet when he'd touched her, she had not frozen. She'd burned.”..."

Wynter is the king of Wintercraig, who was betrayed by his fiancé and the Prince of Summerlea Falcon , who happens to also be the brother of our heroine, Khamsin aka Storm. In a fit of anger and betrayal Winter incorporated the powerful magic of a dormant Winter King into himself, making him capable of destroying anything with a freezing glance, but also threatening to overtake his humanity and personality... He retaliated with war and in three years subjugated the embattled Summerlea. As he emerges as the victor, the frozen heart of the Winter King threatens to take over his body and his life. Only love could keep that from happening and plunging everything in the world into a perpetual freeze. Winter is running out of time and as far as he and his priestess counselor can tell, the birth of a child could possibly melt his doomed heart. Luckily for him , the King of Summerlea has 4 beautiful and gifted with weather magic power daughters and any one of them could do for a wife. After all, she needs only give him a child...

"...“Well," she said again, turning to him and tipping back her head to meet his gaze. "As the begetting of an heir holds such dire import, I suggest we get to it.” ..."

Yep, at least he gets the one who really gets him hot and bothered, so the hard work of making a child is not as unpleasant as it could have been... Now, I am missing a lot of small magical detail in my introduction, but this is why, if you feel this is something you might enjoy, you should go and read it for yourself. It does have some beautiful world-building and although it is somewhat linear and simple in nature, it is engaging and the sexy times are neither ridiculous nor overly done. The chemistry between the two lovebirds works, despite its start being forced on them and the female having no choices, as it usually goes in those kind of stories.

As always, the thing that bugs me the most, and it is something that appears in most every Fantasy or Fairytale, is that no one gives even a thought to the possibility that a man could actually be in love with a woman. No, it is always the woman who has cast a spell or enchanted, or ensorcereled , or somehow poisoned the man with evil magic or herbs, that the man is so under this vile spell, that he can't stop wanting to be with or please his lady. In the last 10 books I read, 8 of them eluded to such an unfortunate fate befalling the male lead. Poor men, they just can't help themselves when it comes to those evil women's wiles... Pu-leeeeeeeessssseeeee!!!!! What a great excuse not to be nice to us, in case someone thinks they are under our spell! We are such awful witches!!!

"...“Speaking of his little Summerwitch . . . he had not laid eyes on her nor had one whispered update about her activities since leaving her bed this morning. That did not bode well. If he’d learned one thing about his wife, he’d learned that Absence of Khamsin held a far greater potential for disaster than Khamsin Constantly Underfoot.” ..."

Apart from that, which is in no way singular complaint for this book, I enjoyed it well enough as a perfect easy reading in the holiday season. Perfect for the fans of HR and PNR!

I wish you all Happy Reading and may you always find what you need in the pages of a good Book!!!

[Lyndi W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing. That's the best word I can come up with to describe my feelings towards this book. I expected something epic and fantastical, in the same vein as the Tairen Soul series. What I got was... not that.

The plot is great - that's the saving grace here. The characters are shit. I hated the heroine. I hated the hero. I hated all the various villains. I even hated the secondary characters that only had a few lines. They were all shitty people that do shitty things and it was just shit. SHIT, I TELL YOU.

The heroine. Petulant, contrary, hypocritical, argumentative, clueless, disloyal, conniving, rude, childish, meek... I could come up with more, but I don't want to think about her enough to do so. Admittedly, she does develop into a better person eventually, but I nearly DNF'd this every few pages because she was just. that. annoying.

The hero, though he may have had his reasons, was a dick. He was not an endearing hero at all. Again, he warmed up about 3/4ths of the way through, but then he immediately turned into a dick again.

The villains were good villains, in the sense that they were horrible and I wanted them beaten as violently and as painfully as possible, but they were insanely predictable. Boooring.

The plot of war, marriage, the sword, etc. That was really neat. I just... I wish the author used entirely different characters. The final battle was a bit of a surprise, seeing who was going to battle who. But then it devolved into predictability and those who should have been punished were not.

I'm incredibly disappointed in this book. I waited and waited. I was sure C.L. Wilson would deliver an amazing story. She did not. Maybe my expectations were too high, but that's only Wilson's fault because she wrote amazing stories before. Perhaps she should have just stopped after Tairen Soul.

[Georgia ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Fairytale Stars



I love you more than the sunrise. More than laughter. More than song [...] I love you more than any man in the history of Mystral ever loved...



Love, warlords, magic, strange lands, lies, loyalties, family, heartbreak. C L Wilson weaves a fantastic tale that has your soul sighing and you eyes teary. I absolutely adore her books and I can't wait for more!

[Cris · Rating 1 out of 5]

..... The heroine was too precious and the hero too much of an asshole.

And while I can understand insta-lust in certain romance books, this one started with Wynter using force in order to immobilize Storm, and her being overcome by lust or something. Because nothing says romance more than (TG: Assault) being held by your throat, held agains a wall, and having a man rub his dick against you while touching your breast. And obviously any woman's reaction would be to moan sexily. Somehow I'm supposed to buy that a woman's first reaction to this would be lust? No thanks. This is hugely problematic for me.

I can see that this is one of those old-fashioned romance books where the hero is forceful and "A Man Amongst Men" , and I'm certain that later in the story the heroine will probably be "Rebellious, Spirited and Independent" while still loving him or something, and he will be vulnerable and overcome by "Feelings" . But I couldn't get past that first scene between the two of them. It's just not something I am able to enjoy at this moment.

[Céloise · Rating 5 out of 5]

5☆ Everything on the inside of this book is amazing.

INSTANT FAVORITE, except that covers’s gotta go: Khamsin’s shown as a white woman and is missing her famous storm mistress hair, while Wynter seems to have traded his sexy Witcher look for a bad ‘80s dye job. 🧐 They deserve better, Avon!

Full RTC 🩶

*****
Buddy read with Elle Jae 😊🤞

[Bindi Boo · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 absolute brilliant stars

An AMAZING historical, paranormal romance with SO MUCH action, drama and feels. This book was just what i needed to get out of my book slump. It made my gut twist, it made me smile and most of all, it made me FEEL! The chemistry between the main characters was just out of this world and i especially loved how they eventually start trusting each other despite being enemies and having lingering doubts. The heroine had balls of steel and an unmatched wit, my favourite kind. She challenged every order and every word. The hero; a sweet softy despite his manly aloofness. THEY MADE THE PERFECT MATCH! *heart melts*

At 597 pages long and with many, many words i had to look up the dictionary, this book was so well written and the plot gave me a 'Game of Thrones' sort of vibe. Also reminded me a teeny bit of the Golden Dynasty by Kirsten Ashley. Overall, it shoots into my absolute favourite shelf and i am looking forward to many re-reads in the future. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

[Z]

Oh my God yes! I must read this book, I want more CL Wilson! But I wish she'd make another Tairen Soul book! One with Gaelen and Bel and Kiel and Kieran!!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy shit. Quite possibly the best book I've ever read.

To be honest, I probably never would have chosen this book had I stumbled upon it on my own. The cover just doesn't look or feel like the kind of book I'd enjoy. (It looks like some sort of cheesy, soap opera historical romance?) But I decided to pick it up because someone recommended this book to fans of A Promise of Fire and I ADORED that book so I bought this one without question.

I think I loved this even more.

The Winter King was everything I wanted. It was a fantastic fantasy with an intense, all-consuming, earth-shattering romance. The romance had me reading the last half of the book with tears in my eyes (constantly alternating between happy and sad tears).

But what I loved even more was the length. At over 600 pages, I felt like I was reading an entire series in one sitting, but without the horrific cliffhangers and long waits. The epicness just kept coming and coming and I never wanted it to end. But the book felt so incredibly epic (and in no way too long). There was an incredible, detailed world; interesting history; a heart-throbbing romance; and so much more. There was a purpose to the length. I got sucked into this amazing universe, adventure, war, and romance.

On top of it all, every single character was perfect.

Perfect.
Perfect.
Perfect.

I seriously don't even have the words to convey how much I adored this book.

- It kept me up at night.
- It had me reading first thing in the morning.
- I had my book propped up while I ate so I could read during meals.
- It sent me twirling around my apartment in excitement (there was legit twirling and frolicking, I swear).

I so much wanted the universe to be real. I wanted to slip into it and live there myself (which is an odd thing given all the battles and devastation in the story).

I'm going to pounce on The Sea King as soon as that glorious book becomes available. ♥

My only criticism is that the book alternated points of view—which was totally fine (loved it), but the Kindle edition didn't really separate the POV switch very well. There were no chapter headings or clear dividers. Just a new paragraph with slightly more space between it. Sometimes I didn't fully realize the POV had switched and it jarred me. I'm not sure if this is also the case in the print edition.

[Christina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bullying ≠ romance.

Note: that one star isn't for the book, it's for me, managing to finish this.

[NMmomof4 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Overall Opinion: I came across this book by looking at the similar books section on the page of The Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley. After taking a chance on the new sub-genre for me with that book, I enjoyed it so much that I thought I should try this one. I'm glad I did. It's definitely a different sub-genre for me, but that's not a bad thing! I like to mix it up every once in a while in hopes of avoiding that dreaded book slump. I enjoyed the characters, and while the world building was elaborate it didn't seem to be too much or overbearing at all. I enjoyed the way they cared for one another, and I felt like the romance was a good balance with the fantasy action going on. I did have issues with the ending, and I wish it had a little bit more steam -- but other than that it was an enjoyable read!

Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Khamsin and Wynter's story. Khamsin is a princess that her King father hates because he blames her for her mother's death. When the King is in a bad place and in need of peace negotions with the Winter King, Wynter, he comes up with a plan to kill two birds with one stone and get rid of Khamsin for good as well as give Wynter the bride he seeks to gain a much needed heir. After some deception, they marry and head back to Wynter's home. It is not a warm welcome for Khamsin, as their countries have been at war for ~3 years. It still is better for her than her abusive father, and she learns to care for Wynter greatly. There is some magic at play that has Wynter desperate for an heir, but he purposefully keeps Khamsin at a distance because he is unsure he can fully trust her. They have some big battles to fight for each other as well as their world, but they do get a HEA ending.

POV: This alternated between focusing mainly on Khamsin and Wynter in 3rd person narrative.

Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well, even though it is on the longer side.

Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.

H rating: 4 stars. Wynter. I liked him. I felt like he needed to trust his instincts a little more, but I also understood that his past caused him to hesitate.

h rating: 4.5 stars. Khamsin. I really liked her. She was strong and loyal as well as desperately wanting to be loved.

Sadness level: Low/moderate. I shed a few tears, but I never needed any tissues.

Push/Pull: Yes The H pushes away some, but I'd also say that he is the main pursuer of the relationship too.

Heat level: Moderate. They have some tension, chemistry, and scenes -- and not so much it takes away from the story.

Descriptive sex: Kind of. Not super descriptive, but not fade-to-black either.

OW/OM drama: Yes There is a courtier that wants the H that causes a good bit of drama.

Sex scene with OW or OM: No

Cheating: No

Separation: No. Once they're married they might be separated physically but not in the way that I would call it a "separation".

Possible Triggers: Yes Loss of a parent (both mcs off page), loss of a sibling (H on page), miscarriage (on page), child abuse (h's dad on page), and forced marriage (on page).

Closure: This had alright closure with what I would call a HEA ending married and she's very pregnant. BUT! I would've really liked some more time between their big conflict being resolved and the epilogue. The way it jumped from the conflict to HEA just felt way too abrupt for my liking.

Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers

- Does Not have cheating
- Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
- Does have the H pushing the h away
- Does Not have a separation between the h and H
- Does have abuse
- Does have a HEA ending

[₊ ˚ ale ࿓ ♡ ⋆｡˚]

I'm picturing Wynter as Thranduil and I already love him 😩🤌🏻💖

[*TANYA* · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 FANTASTIC FAIRYTALE STARS!!! By far one of the best books I've ever read!!! It had everything!!! EVERYTHING!!! This book would be a phenomena of epic proportions if it weren't for the cheesy cover. I'm sure of it!!! Dare I say this book is better than Game of Thrones??! C.L. Wilson is genius!!!! I want the TV series, the movie, play, something. Lol. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

[A Romance Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5 stars*

So good!!! This was an epic read. Loved the fantasy, adventure, romance and intrigue. Had a great time reading it.

[Kristalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Final rating: 5/5 stars

“I love you more than the sunrise. More than laughter. More than song...”

Magic and Kingdoms; War and Peace; Lightning and Ice; Love and Hate; Legends that might as well be true.Summer and Winter shall unite to stop the war: Storm and Ice - Khamsin and Wynter.

Neither of them are perfect :

♦♦♦ Khamsin : strong, dependable, quick temper, reckless, brave, but broken. Princess forced to marry the King of the country who won the war.

♦♦♦ Wynter: smart, dependable, respected and thoughtful King; cold, ruthless and cruel to his enemies; quick tempered, but also warm, kind, capable of love, and also broken.

“Your father thought he scored a victory over me when he tricked me into marrying you instead of one of your sisters, but he unwittingly gave me the one daughter I wanted most.”

Amazing writing style; Well developed characters and unique story. I especially loved the second part of the book, when the main plot started happening. Battle scenes were very well described and the world building was well done as well (the creatures that appeared were interesting as well, like Garm, for example). The book was captivating, made me cry, made me laugh and i enjoyed it the whole time.

The book is written from 2 third POVs, aka, Wynter's and Khamsin's.
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CHARACTERS :
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♦ Wynter Atrialan, the Winter King :

Wynter is the man surrounded by grief, rage, cold and ice. He had to witness betrayal of his wife-to-be, murder of his younger brother and heir, and he had been robbed of the most priced possession. All of this led to his decision to embrace the power called Ice Heart - a very dangerous power. All who had tried to take it for themselves died. But not Wynter. All of this happened because of the Summerlea's prince Falcon.

After three years of war, the peace was achieved and he took his revenge on Summer Kingdom. All because.... his time is running out - the power he took destroys him from the inside.

He is very tricky opponent, and he made that clear - strong, powerful and he is one of the Kings to be feared of. Despite all his ruthlessness and cruelness to his enemies, he is a hero and a saviour in his own country, well respected and loved.

Wynter may be hard to like in the beginning, but then again, he was never perfect to begin with. But, as the story goes, you will most likely like him. I know i did. He was, all in all, well written character.

♦ Khamsin, Princess of the Summer King, Storm :

Khamsin is the fourth daughter of the Summer King, but because of her gift - calling of the storm - she had been shut from her family, rejected, abandoned, never recognized for what she is.

Despite having 3 sisters (Spring, Summer and Autumn) and brother (Falcon), few maids who helped her, she never felt loved or needed, and, worst of all - she never felt free. Her father Verdan, the King, always wished she was dead, and he made sure to make her life as miserable as possible.

And yet, she is strong, bold and she wasn't the type of the heroines that whine all the time - she was just wild, reckless and brave. A truly wonderfully written heroine. I always looked forward to reading her POVs.

♦ Other characters :

There were many other characters - but they were all well done and their characterization was great as well. I especially enjoyed reading about the boy Krysti, and his tricks and talents. I hope there will be his book as well, considering this is a series (and also this: "...all books in the Mystral series are standalone novels and can be read without reading other books in the series.".) Laci was also amazing woman, and I loved her witty comments. Valik and Tildy were interesting characters as well. Of course, there were many despicable characters as well, which I won't name, since you will probably find on your own.
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OVERALL :
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I was very surprised by the developments in the second half of the book. Going by the book description, i thought it would be only a romance type, but i was wrong - this is after all, a high fantasy book and evil lurks around.

I haven't read books by this author before, but after this one, i believe i will check them out as well. After all, this writer has amazing writing style.


This review can be found on my blog: infinity-of-time.blogspot.com also known as...