Winter Solstice

The Seasons #2

by Jo Willow

Josh Parker, Katie Wells, and James Monroe have an interesting relationship. Josh and James have been best friends forever and are rising rock stars in the same band. Katie writes romance novels. She met Josh on a flight and the sparks flew. James knew that Josh didn't do "long term relationships", so he didn't take it too seriously. Until he met Katie and understood the attraction. Now it's a tug of war and Katie is the prize. Her heart belongs to Josh, but she feels safer with James. Will Katie ultimately go with what she knows or what she feels?

Genres: Music

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 2, 2014

About the author

I started writing on a dare. I wrote the first "Adventure" book and the sequel, passed them around to my friends and they demanded to know what happened to Rose's brothers. I wrote three more and filled in the blanks. Soon, another couple, Josh Parker and Katie Wells, begged me to tell their story. Four books later, The "Seasons" series wrapped up.
Then something odd happened. A character by the name of Richard Rogers started whispering in my ear about cable ties, moonlit nights, and the love of his life. My serial killer was born and so was the stuff my nightmares are made of.
I'm a southerner by way of Chicago, my roots are in Eastern Tennessee. When I'm not writing, I'm playing guitar, aggravating my spouse or cuddling a dog. I'm very friendly, the "fun" kind of crazy, and a natural born adventurer. Try me. JW

https://www.facebook.com/jjo.willow

Reviews

[Lidia's Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

**The rockstar and the romantic novelist**
What could possibly go wrong?

Series Rating:
4 Stars, purely for the entertainment I got out of it.

This is a trilogy
- first 3 books are about the same couple >> Josh & Katie
I only came for the drama, the angst and hopefully some epic groveling from the hero. I definitely got the first two—in spades. The grovel, well, Josh went about it in an extremely cavemannish way, which was perfectly acceptable to me. I love alpha hero antics.

I was so desperate for some angsty goodness, I was willing to skip around and only read the parts that held all the goods. Look, I'm on a reading slump AGAIN and seriously running out of patience with slow-moving stories (which are oftentimes full of filler). Give me drama! I skipped book 1 entirely, and skim-read book 2, only focusing on the details of the betrayal. I will say this: if you're looking for a "safe" romance, RUN. Slowly back away, then turn around and run. If you remain, you've only yourself to blame. Even some readers who enjoy cheating stories (like I do), will probably hate this. It wasn't just the editing issues (which honestly, didn't bother me much because they didn't distract me from the story). Josh and Katie tested my sanity. They brought out the serial killer in me, because I wanted to strangle these two people over and over again.

Katie, I love her, but DAMN, she gave in to Josh every time he fucked up, and these weren't little fuck-ups by any means. The pattern went: he would royally screw up, she would run and hide, he would chase her, she'd forgive him. Rinse and repeat. I rolled my eyes when she would give in and instantly go back to being all lovey-dovey with him (while I was still mad). It wouldn't last long anyway, because Josh would fuck up again. It got to the point that I thought, "You know what, she deserves it, she deserves everything she gets for being stupid." Katie wasn't exactly innocent either. There was another man (James, Josh's best friend and guitarist) who she would run to without fail. Sometimes this felt like a relationship between 3 people: Josh, Katie and James. Not very unlike a love-triangle, though I wouldn't tag it as such; this is undoubtedly Josh & Katie's (destructive) love story. Both men were crazy for her, fought over her, and she yo-yoed between them (James would rescue her). Rinse and repeat.

Did Katie cheat? That's some gray area. Did Josh cheat? Absolutely, on more than one occasion. There was only one OW (Maria, the reporter following the band). There is NO excuse for the infidelity. Basically, there was an attraction and he couldn't help himself, period. I wanted to kill him with my bare hands.

Now that I've finished book 3...Call me crazy but I enjoyed Josh and Katie's dysfunctional dynamic. Regardless of the flaws in the book, it was entertaining and it hooked me. And I fell in love with their little family (their 2 cute babies and fluffy doggie). But I also believe they had a toxic relationship and I'm not sure the ending convinced me of their happy ever after. They were too volatile and impulsive and they never changed. For a romance reader, that isn't comforting. One thing I was completely convinced of was that they deserved each other.

I'm rating the story as a whole, 4 Stars. But I admit I am more generous towards cheating romance books. I need more of them lol

[Lady Lauren Explorer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here for the drama

I don’t think I’ve ever hated a OW as much as I hate Maria.

Josh King kick the bucket for all I care right now. This is just so much messy drama which I really love, but I feel like this is very disjointed.

I don’t know if it’s flowing as bad again I’m just here for the drama.

[wrkatreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

🤷‍♀️

Ok so I hated the last book. This one had the cheating ashole. I will read the next. I hope it doesn’t disappoint.

Ok this book had a lot of cheating. He slept with a reporter who was following the band. The h forgives him for one time then find out he slept with her the entire six months.
Of course she forgives.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a love triangle / cheating/ ow drama.
I like the angst and can't get the book out of my mind, but I think it is because it makes me mad. Josh does not realize how much he has hurt Katie. He says he does but his actions does not show it. I think he has more of a connection with Maria and should have stayed with her and let James be with Katie. I have not read the next book yet, but understand that he may be with Maria again at least kissing and that James gets with Maria. If that is the case why does the author have Maria get with both men that were part of the FMC life. I really think she did not like her FMC.

Maria is a slut even though the dialogue the author has for her says she is not that type of person. She does not care that she was hurting Katie and the family only thought of herself

I do like books with angst but I want to have my MMC be really remorseful for what he has done. I don't think Josh has that in him. Josh is all about Josh and what makes him happy.

SPOILERS BELOW

Josh a rockstar and Katie an author. James also in the band with Josh and in a love triangle so to speak with Katie.

I did not read the first book and probably should have to get the background and love between Josh and Katie. This book I could not see any love that Josh has. Since I didn't read the first book I also do not understand the love Katie has for Josh. He is horrible to her. The things he says and does. After marrying her, he takes her to his parents house and she finds out he cannot have kids from his Mom. She is not upset that he can't have kids but the lie itself. She goes on a book tour and the run into each other a month later in Atlanta and they get back together. They are supposed to meet up the next night after his meetings but here the OW Maria comes into play. Josh meets her and is so taken with her he forgets to meet his wife. Katie has texted him repeatedly and finally said she sleep on your own, which then makes Josh mad. Apparently Josh has a temper and James is aware he gets in touch with Katie to get her away from his temper they go to another hotel. Josh finds Katie on the app and thinks that she is with Josh. Maria happens to be staying at the hotel and he ends up having sex with her. The next morning Katie catches him leaving Maria and smells the sex on him. She tells him is over and gives him the rings back. He balks. Anyway they are apart. He goes on tour Maria is there because she is writing a piece for Rolling Stones apparently they continue to sleep together without protection, you know because Josh thinks he can't father a baby, not to worry about STD. He he lies to Katie one time when she calls him. Katie finds out she is pregnant and it has to be Josh's, she calls to tell him but he does not believe her. He is still sleeping with Maria. 6 months later he comes off tour goes to his parents gets checked and he now has sperm. Realizes this baby is probably his. A week or more before having the baby she lets him come stay with her. The whole time she has been pregnant James has been with her as a FRIEND. Because he does love her and wants the best for her. Nothing has happened with them. Anyway Josh comes she has the baby, to me he is still horrible while she is having the baby. He delivers the baby and then gets the look in his eye that he is ready to bolt. Katie sees this and decides she needs to take her baby and leave. After she leaves the hospital she does not tell Josh where she is. She does face time him but tells him he needs to grow up. 6 weeks later she visits his parents and Josh finds out and comes to her. They get back together again. They are not back together long he has to go back on tour. Enter Maria again. Katie goes to surprise Josh at a concert and catches him and Maria having sex. She now tells him she is divorcing him. This is how the book ends.

My thoughts this whole book I don't think Josh and Katie were together more than a month total. He has spent more than 6 months with Maria, but he supposedly loves Katie. I don't see it. He does not know what love is. He is a spoilt child. IMO he only wanted Katie because his friend James did. Because as soon as he saw Maria he already had designs to sleep with her. He had not thought of Katie. If you love someone you do not think that way.

[TheBookishWife · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving this one a solid 3.75 stars. It had the angst, stupid cheating Rockstar hubby, quasi love triangle, and, for the most part, written well. Some obvious typos, etc. However, I've come to terms with this issue when reading these cheating tropes. I was entertained, so it got my angsty, loving heart approval.

[angela.avery · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always making life difficult for his wife

This one is a explosive 💊 pill to swallow. He keeps breaking his woman 🚺 , wife ❤ heart. Now baby 🚼 girl they name Hope is caught in her dad's love, his 🚼 girl know her daddy voice. He hurting his family.

[Nerissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Badly written