The Heart of Winter

Eden's Omegaverse #5

by Eden West

MM Stranded on an Island Romance
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Beta Winter Nolan hates alphas. But what happens when he’s stranded on a deserted island with an alpha unlike any other in their world?
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Winter Nolan is a strong-willed beta with a deep-seated hatred for alphas. Growing up with six alpha brothers, he learned to avoid their chaotic energy and obnoxious jokes. Winter doesn’t date alphas. Known as the "Icy Prince" for his aloof attitude and striking albino looks, he keeps his guard up and steers clear of all mating/dating games, focusing solely on his career.

When his CEO proposes hiring alphas for their company, Winter is adamantly against it, believing they don’t fit well with programmers. But unforeseen circumstances force him to accept one in his department - Sariel Lowen, the CEO’s own son, an irritating rich kid.

Soon they are both sent on a business trip. However, their plane crashes, leaving them stranded on a deserted island. With no sign of rescue, their hope fades. After all, who could have survived a crash landing in freezing waters?

All they have is each other now.

But is Winter’s heart even colder than the icy island they’re stranded on?
And... there’s more to Sariel than meets the eye. He isn’t just any alpha - he’s a rare type, one that could change everything about the mating games...

Main Tropes

- Stranded on a cold island
- MM Omegaverse romance
- Snowed-In (to the extreme!)
- Rich Kid vs. Self-Made Man
- Rebel vs. Rigid
- Enemies to lovers
- Boss + Employee
- Beta + Alpha (unusual)
- Vir*in MC
- Albino look / (TW: albino slurs)
- Age gap (12 years)
- Forced Proximity
- Angsty start
- Sworn off love (ARO by choice)
- Life-threatening situation
- Isolation, hunger and despair
- Heat, knotting
- Mpreg
- HEA
The book is a standalone.

Content Warning: bullying due to albino appearance, insults, slurs, humiliation, life-threatening situations (starvation), a plane crash claiming hundreds of lives, forced proximity, toxic interactions, mpreg.

Genres: Omegaverse, M M Romance, LGBT, Romance, Gay, Paranormal

602 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 14, 2025

About the author

Born in Poland to a Polish-Ukrainian family, specializes in hurt-to-comfort gay romances and erotica. Eden loves art, hiking and reading. Despite not being a native English speaker, Eden loves to use this language to tell romantic and steamy stories.

What sets Eden's books apart? They are filled with eccentric, intense characters, obsession, and possessiveness, along with plenty of awkward confessions. Expect peculiar dialogues, relationships with unusual dynamics, and always positive endings!

Eden does not shy away from exploring the fringes of what is acceptable in regard to unusual body types, not necessarily neurotypical personalities, and even slight body fetishization.

All Eden's books are intended to be relaxing in the end. Eden focuses on the personality and uniqueness of the portrayed characters, delving into their souls and exploring their distinctive paths beyond stereotypes.

Stay tuned, as Eden has seven books written and waiting in line to be published, spanning genres such as gay romance, omegaverse, and trans women romances!

Eden's partner assists with ideas and editing, so you may refer to them as a duo hiding under the shared pen name.

Feel free to check Eden's Instagram 'edenwestauthor' for news and premiere info.

Reviews

[Joanna Grosz · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rating 4.7*****

Wow, this book is long, but I read it in just three days!
It was like… maybe a few more pages. And then maybe ten more? And it just kept going, I was obsessed with finding out what happens next. I seriously couldn’t put it down. I just had to know how it all ended.

The story starts off with an enemies-to-lovers (the classic boss-and-employee trope),
but it quickly turns into a dramatic adventure, where the angst at the start changes into something sweet.

The setup goes like this:
Sariel is seen as a lazy failure by his rich, snobbish family. He’s basically forced to work at his father's corporate company, DevApp. But he’s a rebel, a dancer, an artist, and he doesn’t fit in. He needs challenges, and he’s stuck doing dull, meaningless work.

Winter (sworn-off-love character), the department director, is totally against hiring alphas in the corporate environment. He has personal reasons, he was hurt by his teenage crush and took it hard.
Secretly though, he’s always been attracted to alphas, but decided to only date betas just to avoid relationships where he could get hurt or abandoned.
Now he has to deal with this bold kid who catches his eye, and vice versa.

They end up forming this strange lust-hate-attraction-animosity kind of bond.
The chemistry between them is off the charts, they’re soooooooo into each other.

Then it all climaxes when the plane they’re on crashes over the Kuril Islands.
Their struggle for survival is shown well—down to the little details like obsessing over food, searching for shelter, their mental state, exhaustion...
It’s a gritty picture of the body and mind fighting against nature. And that intense setting becomes a convincing backdrop for their feelings.

One of my favorite parts: Sariel is an alpha... but not really. He’s something else entirely, but I won’t spoil it. It was fascinating how the author described it, he’s such a character :D He seemed so honest and pure in a way.

I also loved that Eden showed more than just their rescue and called it a day. There’s a glimpse into their life afterward, how they interact, how their relationship grows.
I love that in books. I hate when a story just ends with no follow-up, that's why I do really appreciate the length and how complete the story feels .I could totally immerse myself in it and live in that world for those three days.

Now, why I took off 0.3 from my rating:
The Liam's attempted suicide scene. Okay...
I know this scene first appeared in Toxic, then again from Liam’s POV in Unwanted, so I understand the author didn’t want to repeat it a third time.
But the way it was handled here, like “Oh, there’s some guy…” just felt really abrupt.
I get that people who care can go read Unwanted, but it still confused me.
Personally, I would’ve just left that scene out of this book entirely. Finn’s not even a main character here, and I doubt many readers care that he found his perfect mate. I get he's important for Winter and showing a change in Winter, but still...
Sorry for the rant 😅 It was a short scene, so maybe I’m overreacting. Probably.

So! The book was great overall, well-paced, not too fast—so I could really enjoy it. It absolutely held my attention and lifted my mood, and i needed it.

[LuR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: MM omegaverse + adventure/paranormal element
Spice level: 2.7/5
Main trope: BOSS + EMPLOYEE
Romance type: slow burn
Plot pace: medium
Angst level: Very high at the start, then sweet
Overall tone: Romantic + dramatic + survival
Pairing:beta + alpha (unusual alpha!)
Size difference between MCs: 3.5 inches
Series: Standalone
Cheating: No
Ending: hea

Well, this story was an adventure for sure! :D I enjoyed it so much, it kept me on my toes ;)
Very different in setting from all the other books in the Eden's Omegaverse series, and impressively well-researched. The author made sure the survival scenes on the deserted island felt realistic, and the portrayal of the MCs’ mental states was believable.

The main couple also stands out compared to others in the Eden's books.
There’s no strong sense that it’s just a hidden man + woman dynamic, the relationship feels equal and balanced. And even though I usually love sweet omegas and strong alphas, I really enjoyed the power balance here. I think it was exceptionally well done.

Sariel = I loved him. He was just so… untamable :D Very artistic, energetic, and unhinged. And to be honest, despite me not liking spoiled rich kids, he was far from a bad stereotype!

Winter = he came off as aloof and kind of unpleasant at first, but his character development was gradual and natural, nothing rushed. That was important for me, because I don't like sudden personality shifts. Winter's slow journey from a cold asshole to a pretty righteous and decent man was satisfying(in my opinion).

I’m usually not a fan of long books, but this one needed the length, honestly. If it had been a different storyline, I might’ve found it too long. But with everything going on, the dramatic airplane crash, the harsh conditions, and the tense rescue situation, it made sense for it to be this long.

Other plots in the book
The only small criticism I have is that there were a few mentions of Winter's brothers that may seem unnecessary to the plot but are necessary to the series. If someone reads it as a standalone, there may be a few moments when hearing some gossip about one or the other brother may leave you puzzled, but these were a few short scenes and overall, the book works quite well as a standalone.

This is an honest ARC review

[Jenny (Nyxie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is everything I want in a survival book. Everything.

I’m not sure who I’d recommend this to. The pacing is off, there are non MC POVs sprinkled in, and too many side characters. And it’s 600 pages!

And yet! I loved it. All vibes. Hissing kitten MC, some truly epic survival stuff, and a wonderful ending.

Bonus points for creative survival setting - barren freezing volcanic isle for the win. No lush tropical jungles here.

[Angela Kohl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read The Heart of Winter as an arc. It’s a long book, but the pacing makes it easy to get through.
It starts with high angst, a rebellious young alpha and a corporate director, who has his reasons for hating alphas, clash. The workplace tension turns into attraction, especially after a plane crash forces them into a survival situation.

I agree with the previous reviews, the psychological survival part is wellresearched, I happen to read some docu books about explorers and I think the author did their job well. The scene with biting into clams and hunger, fixation, was a masterpiece of mental struggles. It was like Should I be a decent human or a desperate castaway.

There were a few scenes that the book would be just as good without, but from a perspective of a person reading it as a standalone, it's a bonus since it's all explained. For a person reading the book in the series, some mentions may be a bit repetitive, but it's not a major issue and didn't take away from my enjoyment.

It's a solid read with a satisfying plotarc and well-developed characters.

5 stars for the arc.

[EveryReadss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book much more than I expected, despite its length! I enjoyed the adventure aspect, and the fact that it wasn’t just a romance but also a dramatic survival story that helped shape the relationship. Even though I was worried the book would focus too narrowly on just two characters, it actually had a much broader perspective. The biggest surprise for me was the third, small POV, Lake’s. That was such a treat, especially since I really liked his character in Broken.

The book has a strong focus on the physical appearance of both characters. Personally, I liked it, it helped me feel more immersed and created clear images in my head. But some readers might not need such vivid descriptions of freckles, blue veins, or pouty lips. I know this author tends to write that way when describing characters, and I’m totally fine with it.

Sariel and Winter were a great match. Their relationship felt balanced, and their connection developed gradually. I loved the little nuances the author sprinkled throughout the book, like Easter eggs for readers to find and piece together. I even say more, the book could have been even longer for my taste. I love reading about the actual “happily ever after”, so I wouldn’t have minded 50 more pages! 😄
The unexpected “gender reveal” for one of the characters was a fun surprise. The pacing was mostly calm and even slow at times, but I never got bored, just went with the flow. I’m also really intrigued by the stories of the other brothers, so I’ll keep reading the series in the future.

My rating: 4.5 stars
I only took off a little for the Liam's cliff scene. I agree with a previous review that since Finn already has his own book, the author could’ve handled that moment differently,or maybe left it out altogether. If I were a new reader to the series, I think I’d be confused about what just happened. It didn’t ruin the experience(it was a side plot anyway), the book was too good for that, it's just a minor imperfection. The rest was very satisfying.

[Sandy Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another intense and entertaining entry in West’s Omegaverse/Fated Mates/Mpreg series. Mild age-gap (I think ~12 years? Shoot I didn’t retain the exact number. One hero, Sariel [love his name] is 22) and boss-employee forbidden romance dynamic.

I love West’s omegaverse world, in which True Mates are rare (unless you’re the MC in one of her books, in which case...you’re in luck!) but the connection is so powerful it takes over any other kind of connection the unwitting heroes might have, both current and past. Here no one is committed to anyone else when they meet; the older MC, Winter, has a longtime f-buddies arrangement with a former boyfriend/fellow beta, and Sariel has never been in a relationship (and is a virgin).

Cool, calm, “I will never work with alphas they distract everyone too much” Winter is in for it when his need to hire his alpha brother at the company he works for as a director requires him to also give his boss’s alpha son a chance. Also, this alpha-presenting son has a unique secret...!

Sariel has zero interest in working for his father’s company, but with no alternatives to offer in his defense, he agrees to give it a chance. From day 1, he is uniquely drawn to his supervisor, Winter, a cool, remote, white-blond almost albino and fascinating romantic elf-like man he can’t stop thinking about. And drawing graphics of them together and putting it on T-shirts to tease him. Turning up in the same place at the same time. Pushing a little more and a little more into Winter's space, until they’re finally put on to a project together, and...well, they literally wind up stranded on a deserted island together through extremely bad luck and not listening to warnings, and possibly through the hand of fate.

When your survival depends on each other, and one of you who is supposedly to be an alpha turns out to be something more and is going into heat...things shall we say progress very rapidly. And as usual, West’s scenes of intimacy and extreme pleasure are 🔥 scorching hot.

There’s so much emotion and self-examination here, Winter, a beta who has always been incredibly angry about the treatment of betas as less important than alphas and omegas, is beside himself over his undeniable attraction to Sariel. He’s too young! He’s an alpha! He’s...he’s...oh god I must help him with this heat problem NOW...! LOL. Yeah that was fun. Amidst, you know, starving, looking for food, injuries, nearly dying... And strange physical changes are happening to both of them...

But is their connection real? Can either trust it? Or is it based on going through extreme circumstances together, and it will dissipate back in the ordinary world? (Oh come ON though, you two were already dancing around each other before any of that happened...! WISE UP! 😂)

I greatly enjoyed seeing them fall for each other, forging that delicious True Mates connection, and ultimately work through their crap (okay mainly Winter had to work through his crap, poor Sariel was in emotionally and physically from jump) and come out stronger together (well, eventually together...!)

I had issues here and there. The True Mates connection seemed inconsistent/not as powerful as other books, like, I thought when they were kept apart they are supposed to become ill? That didn’t seem to happen, much as I loved the pining. I also could not stand Winter’s initial f-buddy arrangement, mainly because they’d been boyfriends, broke up, and then the ex went and f-ed Winter’s brother, Storm (I have issues with Storm, who chose to F all his brothers’ exes to get back at them...I love Storm’s True Mate, but, him I just put up with, what a jerk), and then Winter and f-buddy decide on a betas-with-benefits arrangement and just...ewww. Why on earth would you go back there? Why be with someone who thought screwing your bro was a good way to get over you, and just...yuck. I won’t be reading that character’s book, and he does have one. Overall, too, the book felt long; the pace was wonky and I found myself skimming at times to get to the heart of the romance. I also wasn’t thrilled with the choices and actions of Sariel’s father and how that all played out; I’d have drop-kicked that man right out of their lives. Blech. And the time apart at the end felt kinda contrived, and there wasn't enough oomph in their coming back together, but, whatevs. Still loved them together!

I also enjoyed the cameos of Winter’s parents and other brothers and cousins, their upcoming books sound intriguing, and Sariel’s uncle Blue is a fascinating character, I’m looking forward to his story.

Overall, I really enjoy this author’s powerful passionate connections and look forward to reading more of her work.

HEA, fated mates, boss-employee, age gap, stranded together survival story. The day they meet, Winter wakes up with his f-buddy, but that’s their last encounter; there’s no one for either hero once they connect, it felt safe enough for me. Recommended, as is the series, especially if you’re into omegaverse. All of Eden West’s storytelling is intense.

[Malissa Hilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

Going into this story of Winter, I wasn’t sure how things would work out. I sure wasn’t expecting what I got. It was just Fantastic! There’s no other way to describe this book. It’s a total 100% rating but since I can’t give it a hundred stars ⭐️, I’m giving it a 5 star ⭐️ rating! Right from the start it pulls you in. It’s like you needed to know more of what was happening between Winter and Sariel. I loved how it was sectioned off in three parts and each part had whose POV you were reading.
Once you get past the Prologues for both Sariel and Winter, which were absolutely amazing, you then have Part One-The Office. This was just wonderful as it shows the relationship building between the two characters. Part Two-The Island was, OMG 😱 I couldn’t stop reading. Part Three-The Home was a mix of sadness, not much, realization of things in the characters life and excitement once the characters accepted their fate. I was very pleased with the outcome of this book. It was truly an incredible story. 💜

[Sandrutza · Rating 5 out of 5]

​When I first saw how long this book was, I was a little scared! But I never got bored—not even for a second. I loved every single page and lived the story at maximum intensity.
​The way the main characters' relationship grew was beautiful (sublime). It took a big moment, like the plane crash, for them to finally be brave enough to share their feelings.
​Being completely isolated after the accident was the perfect thing for them. It gave them the chance to truly know each other and grow, without worrying about what other people would say or judge.
​A fantastic, exciting read! ♥️♥️

[J. Lee Edwards · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really liked the first book of this series, but they have been getting progressively worse as the series goes on. Boring, repetitive, and I just can't stand the main character. I ended up skimming the second half of this book, hoping to find something I liked. I didn't. I'm not sure if I will continue this series or not.

[Rollan Martos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is… wow. I didn’t expect something like this in the Omegaverse.
It has an adventurous, intense edge, and the character development and chemistry between the MCs build slowly and feel super real. A beautiful love story, unexpected and full of sacrifice.
My favorite book by this author!

[Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, beautiful! Each of Eden's books is extraordinary, and unique. Stranded on a desert island 🏝 fantastic, I loved it. And the dynamic between Winter and Sariel is one of a kind. I liked that Lake and Aiden appear a lot in this book, and I love their family so much. ❤️❤️❤️