Daffodils in Winter

Marymount University #2

by Lola Miles

There are things you ibuprofen on your nightstand after a night out, alarm clocks to wake you up for a class at an ungodly hour, and spare tampons in your bag for a surprise period.

With my best friend at my side, I thought I had prepared for every scenario freshman year could throw at us. The last thing I anticipated was him.

Dante Camaro is unlike anyone I’ve ever sinfully good-looking, covered in tattoos, and ridiculously annoying. Despite how hard I try to push him away, he keeps coming back, undeterred and determined to make me his.

My plans for independence and a fun college experience are decimated by two pink lines on five little tests. But, when tragedy strikes, will Dante stay by my side? Or will my tough exterior finally push him away?

Daffodils in Winter is book two of the Marymount University series. Though it can be read as a stand-alone novel, it is recommended to read book one, Lilies in Autumn, first. 18+.This book contains graphic sexual scenes and references to pregnancy, pregnancy loss, and graphic violence. Please, take care of yourself and your well-being when reading.

Genres: College

344 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 3, 2023

Reviews

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review. Thank you so much to the Author Agency for picking me to review this book!
I loved the cover, it’s simple yet beautiful! I really liked the characters of CeCe and Dante. Their relationship moves pretty quickly. The obsession Dante has with “ Red “ isn’t a creepy obsession but one that I am sure every girl is wanting their man to have with them. He certainly swears like it’s his only language but you can tell it’s his character.
Something happens between Cece and Dante and their lives will be changed but not over. The fact that Dante wants to be there for every part of it is absolutely beautiful. You know that she has feelings for him but doesn’t want to admit to it. Can Dante and Cece overcome what’s happening in their lives?
Do not miss out on Cece and Dante’s story!

[Megan L Harnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the chemistry between Dante and CeCe. I also love how he loves her unconditionally and is always there for her! This series is so good!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

☆☆☆☆☆
🌶️🌶️🌶️ . 5

HOLY MOLY. I read Lilies in Autumn (first book in this series which if you haven't read I highly recommend) and I thought that book took me on an emotional roller coaster but Lola said SIKE.. you better buckle up for this one!

First off, I want to be friends with Ava and CeCe so bad..throughout the book whenever they were together I felt like I was part of their friend group! Loved them so much! I liked how the first two books were intertwined and we got the perspective from other characters when the events from the first book took place!

Dante is my new book boyfriend and we must protect him at all costs. He gave 110% golden retriever energy but that man in the bedroom... sheesh! Also, he was super vulnerable with Celeste which made me love him more.

This book is about Dante who instantly falls for the red head who is best friend's with his best friend's girl. At first she wants nothing to do with him and definitely makes him work for it but their banter was UNMATCHED. Definition of "I hate you" "yeah it turns me on". I was here for all of it!

Celeste wants to be single and isn't ready for a relationship. She is emotionally unavailable but after she has a one night stand with Dante she starts to question things. When they are left with a decision to make, they get closer than ever.

I don't want to spoil anything but you will need tissues towards the end of this book... but there is a happy ending! My heart broke for both Dante and Celeste but it made me so happy that they both were able to work through their trauma together leaning on those around them! Even though this book was emotional there was no lack of spice! I'm talking it started on page 20!

I can't wait to see what Lola writes next!

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦:
🔥 He falls first (and hard)
🔥 Feisty FMC
🔥 Possessive MMC
🔥 Emotional Trauma
🔥 Insta-lust (him) and Insta-annoyance (her)
🔥 Redhead FMC
🔥 Sunshine (him) v. Grumpy/argumentative (her)

[Rhianna Grossi · Rating 5 out of 5]

rating: 5⭐️
spice: 4🌶️

tropes:
- college romance
- surprise pregnancy
- he falls first
- insta lust/love
- virgin FMC
- tattooed possessive alpha-hole

***please check trigger warnings, there are heavy themes discussed such as pregnancy loss, loss of a parent and uninvolved parenting/emotional neglect

thoughts:
Lola knocks it out of the park with this follow up to her debut novel in the “marymount u series”

book two follows Celeste “CeCe” and Dante! these two together are instantly explosive. dante is immediately in love and cece wants to throat punch dante😂 yet the chemistry and pull between them simply cant be denied!

this story dived right into the spice, just how we like it 😝😝 dante is an obsessed, possessive, dirty talking MAN and poor cece doesn’t stand a chance… though she really knows how to go toe toe in a verbal sparring match... and honestly a physical one too 🤩I don’t know how you do it lola but the one liners and banter you create are flippin hilarious and amazing!!

while this story brought the heat and a lot of laughs, it was also heartbreakingly emotional, for more than a few reasons. How lola can have us needing a cold shower one moment, to then making us need a whole box of tissues the next, to then making us have a fit of giggles again… just shows how she can create such a beautiful story for her characters ❤️

If any of the tropes above sound like your jam, i highly recommend this book! While it CAN be read as a standalone, i do recommend reading book one for the full experience!

also already salivating for Serenas book 😍❤️‍🔥

Thank you lola for providing me with this ARC 🫶🏻💛

[Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did received this book as an ARC.

I will extremely honest, I disliked this book so much. I DNF'd 28% or 89 pages of the way through. I honestly wanted to stop after the first chapter.

The prologue was absolutely horrible. Dante was IMMEDIATELY in love with Cece after only speaking for 3 HOURS a few days prior to the party they both are attending. Cece does voice how weird it is that he's acting possessive, territorial, and instant boyfriend out of NOWHERE. But does she shut him down...kinda...in the weirdest, rudest way that turns him on? I just can't... She then gets pulled into him room with him and submits to him right off the bat! No fighting just mean words that he, once again, gets turned on to.

Now in Chapter 2, Cece's best friend is in some kind of fight where she gets stabbed by a jealous girl who wanted her boyfriend. It's weird. This friend isn't exactly mentioned or even described at all. So her friend is in the hospital and it's serious, the girl needs surgery. The whole time I'm read this I'm asking myself why in the heck I should be caring about a character I know NOTHING about. And Dante's urgency to get Cece to stay calm was laughable. Once again why should about characters I know nothing about and have no connection to? By Chapter 8, where I absolutely had to DNF, I still know nothing about any of the characters. Dante is hooked, end game, stalkerish with Cece; meanwhile Cece says nothing but the worst things about Dante and does so to his face! And on top of all of this, Cece ends up pregnant after one night with Dante and she was a VIRGIN. I can't seem to find anything good about this book and I'm 8 chapters in and cringing the more I read.

I have never disliked a book so fast in my life, half the time I'm able to finish them because I would like to know the ending of the story. This one gave me no urge to want to continue/finish. The writing was okay, the characters are terrible, the way this book is set up is weird. There is no slow burn between the MC's just INSTANT love for the MMC. The FMC truly hates MMC and he doesn't seem to get the hint. This book is not something I will ever try to read again in future. I have no desire to know what's going to happen with any of these characters.

[the_spice_ofbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️
3/4 🌶️
*Sensitive subject matter so please read trigger warnings*
Insta love and insta not love. You know the story: the boy is obsessed with the girl and the girl is annoyed with the boy. He says they are forever while she claims that they are never. That’s Dante and CeCe’s story. Dante is obsessed from the moment he sees CeCe. He knows that she is the one for him. CeCe knows that Dante is a playboy and has no intention of being with him. However, their attraction to each other is undeniable and CeCe can’t help but start falling for Dante as she gets to see a different side of him. They continue to get to really know each other throughout CeCe’s pregnancy. Then, tragedy strikes and their relationship is not what it was before this tragedy.
Dante falls hard for CeCe right at the beginning of the book. I love how obsessed he is with her. He’s ready to marry her and make babies with her. CeCe, on the other hand, is hesitant about getting into a relationship with playboy Dante. She gives him a chance and he shows her all that he is able to give her. It was heartwarming to see how well he took care of her. He even took care of her before he found out she was pregnant. He made sure that she was fed. He made sure to go to the doctor appointments with her. Caring for others is a huge part of who Dante is. It is also a trait that makes him an instant book boyfriend (in my opinion). I couldn’t help but fall for Dante’s family and his relationship with his family. This is a family that is alway there for each other, no questions asked. I admire the rally and support they provide for each other. After CeCe lost the baby, Dante continues to show CeCe how supportive and caring he is even though he is also breaking on the inside.
Lola had an amazing way of getting me invested in the pregnancy. The characters were excited and showing what amazing parents they could have been. I was tearing up when I read about their excitement. It broke my heart knowing that they would lose the baby. Lola was able to weave together a love story and a tragedy. And she did it with her signature banter and Italian family.

[Jacklyn B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really excited for the next book in the Marymount University series.  We were introduced to CeCe and Dante in the first book and I couldn't wait to read their story. We find out about their relationship and how they started seeing each other.  Dante was immediately into CeCe, but she wasn't overly impressed with him at first. Dante had been a bit of a ladies man, but as soon as he started falling for CeCe he was all in.  As CeCe is starting to fall for him, they are faced with tragedy.  Will their relationship survive?

I loved this book!  My heart was ripped from my chest, shredded and then put back together. Dante and CeCe together were the perfect mix of funny and fire and passion. Their chemistry and banter throughout the entire story was excellent.  I really identified with CeCe wanting to be independent, but also wanting to feel loved and needing to rely on someone else.  

Oh Dante, where do I start?  He was so incredibly sweet and patient with CeCe.  He was all in from the beginning and was willing to wait as long as it took for her to love him back.  I LOVED his relationship with his mother and sister. The way that he stepped up and cared for CeCe when she was at her lowest was incredible.  He also really owned his feelings.

This story isn't just angst and drama, there is plenty of delicious spice as well! Don't let that innocent cover fool you! We also get to meet CeCe's cousin Wolf...who seems to have an eye for one of her friends...I can't wait to read the next one in the series!!

If you have triggers, please check the TWs as this book does discuss pregnancy loss. Take Care.

Tropes
Reverse Grumpy/Sunshine
OTT MMC
Fiesty FMC
He Falls First
Found Family
Dual POV
College Romance

[Lia Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

❄️🌼𝙰𝚁𝙲 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆🌼❄️

*⭐️⭐️⭐️.5*
*🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️*

𝘿𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙤𝙙𝙞𝙡𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚. 𝘾𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚 𝘿𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙖𝙨 𝘾𝙚𝙘𝙚, 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝘼𝙫𝙖 𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙚. 𝘾𝙚𝙘𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙪𝙣𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙞𝙢. 𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚 𝘾𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙤. 𝘾𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙩 𝙖 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 ����𝙣 𝙖𝙣 𝙪𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙤. 𝘼 𝙛𝙚𝙬 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝘾𝙚𝙘𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨. 𝘾𝙚𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙, 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙩? 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚 𝙗𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙙𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙨, 𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚'𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙤 𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩?

Wooo… this book was something I tell you! I loved how this book had the roles versed compared to most romance books I have read. It’s usually the MMC who’s set on resisting or initially “hates” the FMC and is the one not looking for a relationship yet fails miserably but to see the switch was refreshing! This book escalated a bit too quickly for my liking but it was still a good one!! I cried A LOT. It was very spicy but when it was sad it was SAD!! My heart was hurting deeply for the two MC’s I could never imagine having to go through what they went through. I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND.

[DarknessLighttt · Rating 5 out of 5]

🐚 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 🐚

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀: accidental pregnancy, he falls first, possessive hero, reverse grumpy x sunshine

𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀: miscarriage, emotional trauma

OMG, this book is so emotional!!

At the end of the previous book we find out that Cece is pregnant, and now we see the whole process she goes through. She is scared of this change, but Dante is there for her. And when I say always, it really is always. From the moment he finds out about the pregnancy, he sticks to her and documents himself about what will happen next.

Dante fell in love with Cece from the first time he saw her and now he wants her. If before finding out about the pregnancy he was teasing Cece about "their relationship", but now he is serious and even excited about the baby.

Until the tragic moment when both of them suffer and grieve the loss, they are so sweet and adorable. Cece keeps trying to refuse Dante's advances, only to fall straight into his arms and he continued to playfully tease her. After the loss, Cece is heartbroken, and even though Dante is suffering as well, he is there to assure her that they will get through this together. And they did it!!

Cece and Dante are beautiful characters with an emotional story, and if you don't have as triggers pregnancy and miscarriage then maybe give them a chance to tell you their story. You will definitely love it.

Thank you Lola Miles for the opportunity to read this amazing book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jan Camille · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌼ARC REVIEW 🌼

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

After reading Lilies in Autumn (1st book in the series), I ended up being obsessed with it after. I immediately hopped to Daffodils in winter (2nd book in the series ),and it did not disappoint!

We were given a snippet of what’s happening in Dante and CeCe’s relationship at the end of book 1, Lilies in Autumn. The story in this book, Daffodils in Winter, starts off with how the relationship escalated. And let me tell you, it’s both sweet and spicy 🔥. Dante was immediately crazy for her the moment they met, but it’s different for CeCe. She was not impressed. Their bantering was so entertaining. CeCe’s comebacks were hilarious. And Dante, even though known as a womanizer, is so dedicated to getting CeCe’s love and acceptance. He did not give up, and I love him for that💛. Other than making me swoon and laugh, I also got emotional towards the end. Totally recommend having some tissues next to you when reading this😂. Be aware that the book also deals with serious topics like accidental pregnancy, emotional trauma, and speaking your mind and emotions out loud.

Daffodils in Winter is definitely worth the read, 100% would recommend!
I cannot wait for the next book in the series. And I think that story is gonna be a wild and bumpy ride🤓.

[Maz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very different, it was reverse grump and a wonderful protective and obsessed Alpha, that knew what he wanted.
I did find it difficult to warm up to Cece, she was definitely the ice queen that Lola had wanted to portray. I felt she was very mean to Dante, but as time went on Dante seem to enjoy it, so it didn't bother me too much.
Cece didn't want a relationship and she wanted to be free and explore college.
I think she just came a cross abit rough and tough but it really was all bark.
Then there was Dante. That man is what dreams are made of. He didn't let her words derail him. He kept on trying. He was so attentive, passionate, loving, caring and protective. Honestly I can't fault him. My goodness he had a filthy mouth to go with his muscles and tattooes.
When they finally are making progress tragedy strikes. It was quite heartbreaking as I know how it feels. Can they come back from it?
Please read triggers as it is a sensitive subject.
The way Dante handled it was absolutely perfect. I want my own Dante.
Their HEA was tested but they did get it eventually.
I really enjoyed this super steamy love story. Loved the group of friends too. Can't wait for Selena's story.

Favourite Quotes:

"She’s got the personality of a warrior princess and the balls of a linebacker, though."

"There are good men, there are great men, and then there’s Dante."

[Amber Spade · Rating 5 out of 5]

So to start off, I really enjoyed this book! Dante and CeCe know eachother through CeCe’s friend Ava. And Dante falls in love with CeCe at pretty much first sight, but she thinks he is just annoying. Once CeCe starts to see a different side of him, she can’t help but start to feel things for him. After a one night stand with him, CeCe becomes pregnant. So now she has to tell Dante this new information, and figure out what they are going to do. The more time they spend together, CeCe realizes she may not dislike Dante as much as she puts on. They start to be more that just friends, and they now have this baby on they way bringing them together more. But when tragedy strikes, CeCe wonders if he will stay. and Dante wonders if she will push him away. The only thing I disliked about this book, was that i felt like 80% of conversations with Dante had to include him wanting to have sex with her. But other than that this was a very good read! I really think that since I read lilies in autumn, this book was even better for me. Because in the first book you see their interactions before knowing a ton about them. And seeing Ava and Grey in this book really filled my heart. I would recommend to read lilies in autumn first, and then this one. But it can be a stand-alone as well!! Don’t forget to check trigger warnings before reading!!

[Cigi cini · Rating 4 out of 5]

💖 He falls first
💖 Instalove
💖 Dual pov
💖 Accidentally pregnancy
💖 Pregnancy loss

Star: ⭐⭐⭐.5

"Daffodils in Winter" by Lola Miles is a contemporary romance novel that tells the story of unexpected love and the challenges that life throws at two young college students.

Cece navigating her freshman year with her best friend Ava. Cece believes she's prepared for whatever challenges college life might present, but she couldn't have foreseen meeting Dante Camaro. Dante is described as a sinfully good-looking and tattooed character who is both attractive and annoying, creating a fascinating dynamic.

As the story unfolds, the Cece finds herself drawn to Dante, despite her initial efforts to push him away.

The unexpected twist in the story comes when Cece discovers she is pregnant, shattering her plans for an independent and fun college experience. This revelation adds depth to the narrative as the characters grapple with their new reality and the challenges it poses. The book explores the question of whether Dante will remain steadfast by her side in the face of tragedy or if the walls the protagonist has built around herself will drive him away.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

[4.5/5⭐️]
Celeste planned on her college experience being an adventure in independence with her best friend by her side. She didn’t plan on Dante Camaro or that this gorgeous, tattooed man would want her with all the strings attached, even when she tries to push him away. But will Dante want to stick around through her positive pregnancy test and everything that comes after?

Dante and Celeste broke my heart and had me absolutely sobbing 😭 while their pain was real and raw. Dante is such a loyal, devoted man and the ultimate caretaker and protector for Celeste. I really enjoyed the contrast of their family dynamics and loved the acceptance and love that poured from Dante’s home despite the outward appearance of the compound. This is one where I spent the whole time rooting for them and their healing and their happy ending was so well deserved. Definitely looking forward to the next installment in this series!

You’ll Find —
Instalust
He Falls First
Possessive MMC
Grumpy (Her) x Sunshine (Him)
Feisty FMC

⚠️: check content warnings

Thankful for the opportunity to read a gifted digital copy!

[Alyssa GSell · Rating 4 out of 5]

💛ʀɛʋɨɛա🤍

4.5/5⭐️

I absolutely love Dante and CeCe…. I loved them both in the first book but this one, wow….

There are so many amazing parts and quotes that it was hard to pick.

This book pulled at my heartstrings with the miscarriage💔 I went through one a couple months ago and this hit home for me.

From day one Dante has been obsessed with C… She is definitely a firecracker and the banter between these two is so amazing 🤣

Dante is covered in tattoos and gives off bad boy vibes but he is incredibly sweet and wants nothing more than to make C his girl…

She tells him the big news and he doesn’t freak out at all…. He becomes even more sweet and attentive if that is even possible…

Things continue to change and feelings grow….

Some unfortunate events happen and she tries to push Dante away but he’s not having it…

His mouth is🔥
He loves when C says she gonna kick his ass🤣
I love how hard he falls from day one.
I love that we got more of Grey and Ava.
I love all the little talks he has with the baby🥹

"WE'RE ENDGAME. I KNOW YOU'RE HURTING, AND FUCK, IAM TOO. WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS, TOGETHER.*

[Bea Morelandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could take a portion of my emotions and attach them to this review so that whoever is reading this can get the most accurate depiction of how I feel about this book. I read Lilies in Autumn in a day, then immediately started this and read it in 4 hours. I was not prepared for the waves of emotion I would experience when reading this.

Daffodils in Winter follows the pairing of Celeste and Dante, who we meet in the first book, Lilies in Autumn. We learn at the end of the first book that Cece is pregnant, and the second book quickly details how that came to be, through a very very spicy way. The trigger warnings are very open about what to expect in this book and I will just say it, Lola's words moved me to tears. I cried with Dante and Cece, and I felt like if I clung the book to my chest, I could envelope them too.

I highly recommend reading Lilies in Autumn, then this book and allowing yourself to fall into the stories of this found family, their trials, their passion, and their friendship. 5 stars, isn't enough for this series. I think it's passed a rating system.

[A.H. Monroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

✍️ Holy shit!!! This book has accidental pregnancy which isn’t my favourite trope to be honest BUT Lola handled it *chef’s kiss*. You guys are in for a RIDE. In the first chapter there is already dirty talk and smut. Actually there is smut throughout the whole book AND LOLA FREAKING DELIVERED.
If you want the definition of determination to get the girl, look no further, it’s Dante. That man was absolutely fucking feral over Cece. Yes he is a tad too much, but he also has a big heart and many tattoos👀 and ofcourse Celeste, our CeCe. She was a spitfire. I love how she carried herself. She put herself first and she was all about setting boundaries. And she does jiu jitsu? Queen behavior tbh.

So do I recommend this book? Hell yes. Mature audiences only. And I can’t wait for Serena and Wolf’s story🥰

📕 * I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. All my opinions are my own.

[Candy Schulze · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review. Thank you to The Author Agency and author Lola Miles for the advanced copy of this book. After book one finished on a little bit of a cliffhanger with CeCe and Dante this book picks up right where we left off and starts building on their history. I enjoyed this story even more than book one. I LOVED Dante’s character; he repeatedly showed up and never gave up on CeCe. He also was very aware of his own emotions and shortcomings, which felt very mature. In my opinion, CeCe’s character is very “big”. She speaks her mind with no filter and displays her emotions strongly. I liked CeCe, I just couldn’t relate to her very well. Accidental pregnancy is not my favorite trope, but this story worked very well. The only thing I would’ve liked is a recap/reminder of how/when Dante and CeCe initially met, I remember it from book one but I feel like a reminder of their initial impressions of each other would’ve set up their relationship a little better. Lola has set the stage well for book three at Marymount University!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5

There’s a new book boyfriend/husband in town and his name is Dante Camaro. 😍😍

After reading Lilies in Autumn earlier this year, I knew I had found a new treasured author in Lola Miles. Daffodils in Winter follows Celeste & Dante (we meet them in part 1 of this burgeoning series), and what starts as a coming of age, ultra obsessed MMC storyline quickly morphs into something much deeper & profound.

Miles wrote & handled a wildly delicate story for CeCe & D…and did so in such a gentle, authentic, and full way. And all along, at every turn I found myself cheering for & loving Dante. He is CeCe’s rock - he never gives up or surrenders - he most importantly never pushes.

I honestly have nothing bad to say about their story - I loved their HEA & the future that seems to be laying out in front of them.
Not to mention what’s likely to be our next coupling! Love love love the potential here! #mariposa

[Laurenreadingrecs · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a little conflicted on this one. It was really 3.5 stars from me.
Tropes:
💜He falls first
💜instalove
💜dual pov
💜accidentally pregnancy
💜pregnancy loss

To start with I did not read the first book and I feel that might be beneficial. Although, this is listed as a standalone I feel Situations, characters, circumstances were probably introduced in book 1 and would make this book better.

This book was a bit more instalove then I was expecting. Or at least one sided instalove.

This is the story of Dante and CeCe. Dante was in love with CeCe at first sight. After one night together, Dante is convinced they are destined. CeCe keeps her distance. She thinks he’s a bit crazy. But they are put through some trials and tribulations. Will they grow closer or will this pull them apart even further?

[Kate Deeds · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review-available 11/3
Story: 10/10
Spice: 4/5
Spice Hierarchy: spicy
Dante and Cecelia meet when CeCe starts college and their best friends begin dating. CeCe wants nothing to do with Dante but he is a boy obsessed with his woman. Two pink lines change everything for them. Theirs is a story of growth, change, overcoming loss, and believing in love. I don’t want to give away too much because it really was a beautiful story.

I devoured this book in a day. I knew I would love Cecelia and Dante after reading Lilies in Autumn and I was right. The witty banter back and forth was everything. CeCe is every bit a grump and is not afraid to dish it out. Dante is so over the top possessive of her but I loved the way it was written. Dante never wavered in his love and devotion to CeCe.

I rarely recommend checking trigger warnings because I think it can guide how you approach a story, but I do recommend it for this story.

[Amber Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Celeste and Dante’s story was a journey. Their love was always meant to be even with their shared loss. This book made me cry and shattered my heart but the ending put my heart back together. The growth Celeste has in this book is I think very spot on for this age. On your own for the first time and adult things happen and you realize things about yourself that you may or may not have noticed before and you start to find your voice. I really loved it! **Please read Content Warning before reading this book!**

Tropes:
•College Romance
•Frenemies to Lovers
•Opposites Attract
•Strong & Dramatic FMC
•Obsessed & Dedicated MMC
•Surprise V-Card
•Unexpected Pregnancy
•Dirty Talk and Praise
•Found Family
•Heartbreak and Healing
•Dual POV

Quote: “Daffodils are symbolic of rebirth and new beginnings; I don’t want to forget my tragedy, but I want to be reborn from it.”

Rating: 4⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

[Rosie :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟
🔥🔥🔥🔥

You know, I don’t really read the pregnancy tropes, but I really did enjoy this. At first, Cece was hard to like, but by the end I loved her. Dante was a total hero and such an alpha golden retriever character. I think even though it is a stand alone, it would be better to have read the first, which I haven’t.
I liked the relationship development, I liked that there was no silly drama. It was genuine and emotional.
It was spicer than expected too which was a nice surprise!
Overall really well written and would recommend. I am looking forward to the next one!

-Accidental pregnancy
-College
-Alphahole
-Frenemies to lovers
-Heartbreak / healing

[Gabby (Gabbylikesbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daffodils in Winter is book 2 in the Marymount University series. Some parts probably would have made a lot more sense to me if I had read book 1, but this can be read as a stand-alone as well.

I feel like this book was a little too insta-love for my liking. I can understand falling quickly, but having obsessive behavior after the first day of meeting? That’s Dante. However, he did redeem himself later in the book with how well he took care of CeCe. Even I fell for him at that point!

Definitely check your trigger warnings prior to reading!

Read this if you love:
Surprise Pregnancy
Insta-Love
Virgin FMC
He Falls First

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️5 stars⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Omg 🫢😭 stop it right now!! Loved the first one, loved this one and can’t wait for the next one!

This book follows Celeste who is Ava’s bestfriend. And the guy she met at the party in book one. Love her so much she is a strong confident woman who will kill you if you hurt her friends.

Dante is the guy she met at the party and he grew up rich. I love him so much!!! He’s protective but considerate and soo sweet.

Omg them two are AHHH 🫢😩!! This book though! It’s emotional 😭 but amazing all at the same time!!!

I want to thank Lola for this arc I absolutely loved it and can’t wait for the next one 🥰🥰

[Alanys Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book of the Marymount University series.
This book continues from book one but starts off of
Ava's incident.
I truly loved this book!!
Dante really stepped up and showed another side of himself. His story truly hit home I was truly happy he always had his family and friends.
Cece truly went through a difficult time but I was glad she didn't go through it on her own.
I felt really bad for her because she had parents that love her so much but sadly prioritize their jobs more. I also felt that she let her parents off easily because she needed their support.
I truly understood the need to push others away to heal but that cause more pain than ever.
This was truly an amazing and captivating book that will make you cry, laugh, become frustrated but also give you hope and peace.
I LOVED the meaning behind Daffodils
The author truly did an amazing job with this book!
And I saw what you did with Serana 👀👀Can't wait to see her HEA. After what happened, she deserves it.
I will keep repeating this, A WOMAN CAN DO WHAT SHE WANTS AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T HURT ANYONE

[Briana Mullis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel. Funny, spicy, and emotional? Yes please! I FREAKIN LOVED DANTE 🔥🥵 not only was he a fantastic dirty talker, he was a straight up golden retriever and I loved every moment of it! The banter was hilarious! I cried I was laughing so hard at certain parts. It’s reverse grumpy/sunshine, which was a nice change to what I’ve currently been reading. There are some pretty heavy topics in this one, so please read the trigger warnings. The emotional journey for both characters was done really well imo, and I’m so happy to have had the chance to read this one. Absolutely going back to read the first book, because this one was fantastic!

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dante is a dream and Cece is perfect.

This is the first Lola Miles book I've read and it won't be the last. I laughed and cried along for Dante and Cece. Dante has a golden retriever personality, happy, protective and very attentive to his girl. Cece is a grump, with Dante annoying her a lot and her threatening him which in return he really loves. Dante also has the best dirty talk omg! They go through heartbreak but come out stronger on the other side. Loved reading this book.

[Sara Gentry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: ����🌶🌶
Tears: 0

Lots of spice and VERY controlling/alpha MMC which I LOVED. He falls first and he falls hard and he never gives up on her which I *love* to see.
I went in completely blind to this one and really enjoyed it after I got introduced to all the characters. I will say- if you have triggers- I would check the trigger warnings because there are some graphic, triggering scenes. I won't go into details because it would be major spoilers, but just know your own triggers.

[Yvette89 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insta love
He falls first
Grumpy (her)/sunshine
Possessive MMC
Trauma

Dante is definitely obsessed with CeCe. He falls for her the moment he sees her. Instantly protective and possessive. CeCe is not on the same page as Dante. It takes a minute. But she can’t help falling hit his charm and big energy.

They have great banter and plenty of attraction. They go through some hard times and have to make life altering emotional decisions. It tough but the get through. HEA is definitely worth it.

Great characters and a great friend group. Entertaining and emotional read.