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Monsters and Mistletoe
Snowed in with the Winter Guardian
She can't survive without his shelter. He can't survive without her warmth.
FREYA
I'm a wildlife photographer who got caught in the wrong storm at the wrong time. Now I'm trapped in a cabin with Vidar—seven feet of otherworldly winter deity with antlers made of ice and a skull mask he thinks hides his true face. He saved my life, but the storm won't let me leave. And the longer I stay, the less I want to go. Especially when I discover I'm the only human in five hundred years who can touch him without freezing to death.
VIDAR
She was supposed to die in my storm like all the others. Instead, I saved her. Fed her. Warmed her. Watched her look at my monstrous form without fear. Now Freya's humanity is thawing something in me I thought forever frozen, but our connection comes with a price. The more time she spends in my arms, the more winter claims her for its own. She sees only the man beneath the monster. She doesn't realize that with every touch, winter is claiming her as much as I am.
Snowed in with the Winter Guardian is a steamy paranormal novella that is part of the Monsters and Mistletoe shared author series.
FREYA
I'm a wildlife photographer who got caught in the wrong storm at the wrong time. Now I'm trapped in a cabin with Vidar—seven feet of otherworldly winter deity with antlers made of ice and a skull mask he thinks hides his true face. He saved my life, but the storm won't let me leave. And the longer I stay, the less I want to go. Especially when I discover I'm the only human in five hundred years who can touch him without freezing to death.
VIDAR
She was supposed to die in my storm like all the others. Instead, I saved her. Fed her. Warmed her. Watched her look at my monstrous form without fear. Now Freya's humanity is thawing something in me I thought forever frozen, but our connection comes with a price. The more time she spends in my arms, the more winter claims her for its own. She sees only the man beneath the monster. She doesn't realize that with every touch, winter is claiming her as much as I am.
Snowed in with the Winter Guardian is a steamy paranormal novella that is part of the Monsters and Mistletoe shared author series.
117 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 2, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 29, 2025
Snowed in with the Winter Guardian by Luna Wren is the kind of story that wraps icy fingers around your throat while placing a warm hand over your heart. It’s haunting in the best way—equal parts ethereal wonder, primal longing, and that quiet kind of intimacy you only find when two lonely souls are forced together by fate… or in this case, a vengeful, sentient winter storm.
Freya pulled me in instantly—not because she’s fearless, but because she’s the type of woman who keeps moving even when she’s terrified. A wildlife photographer living life on the edges of the world, always chasing the next frozen horizon, always braving more than most people ever could. When the storm swallows her, she’s not just fighting for survival. She’s fighting her own sense of being “too much” and “not enough” all at once—something many of us know too well.
And then there’s Vidar.
A winter deity.
A guardian.
A monster to everyone but her.
He’s every romantic contradiction we crave: terrifying and tender, ancient and innocent, godlike and heartbreakingly unsure of his own worth. His ice-antlered, masked form should make Freya run… but instead, it makes her look closer. See deeper. Reach out instead of pulling away.
And that’s where the magic happens—literally and emotionally.
The forced proximity between them is charged with this slow-burning intensity that makes you forget it’s a novella because it feels so full, so immersive. Every touch is forbidden. Every shared breath is a risk. Every moment they grow closer, winter steals a little more of Freya—and Vidar knows it. He’s torn between wanting her near and fearing he’s destroying the only warmth he’s felt in centuries.
It’s beautifully tragic.
It’s beautifully hopeful.
Their chemistry is deliciously unique—icy skin meeting warm hands, a woman unafraid of the unknown, and a guardian who has never known gentleness until her. Watching Vidar unravel, soften, and fall—not because he wants to claim her, but because he finally feels seen—hit me harder than I expected.
This story is for readers who crave:
❄️ Monsters with more heart than the humans around them
🔥 Heat that feels both dangerous and tender
💙 A heroine who chooses compassion over fear
🌨️ A mythic atmosphere full of snow, shadows, and sacred magic
❤️ A love powerful enough to thaw centuries of loneliness
Snowed in with the Winter Guardian is more than a winter romance—it’s a reminder that sometimes the right person doesn’t melt your ice; they teach you how to live with it, how to shape it, how to let someone else brave the cold with you.
And by the end?
You’ll be wishing a storm would trap you with your own Winter Guardian, too.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Freya pulled me in instantly—not because she’s fearless, but because she’s the type of woman who keeps moving even when she’s terrified. A wildlife photographer living life on the edges of the world, always chasing the next frozen horizon, always braving more than most people ever could. When the storm swallows her, she’s not just fighting for survival. She’s fighting her own sense of being “too much” and “not enough” all at once—something many of us know too well.
And then there’s Vidar.
A winter deity.
A guardian.
A monster to everyone but her.
He’s every romantic contradiction we crave: terrifying and tender, ancient and innocent, godlike and heartbreakingly unsure of his own worth. His ice-antlered, masked form should make Freya run… but instead, it makes her look closer. See deeper. Reach out instead of pulling away.
And that’s where the magic happens—literally and emotionally.
The forced proximity between them is charged with this slow-burning intensity that makes you forget it’s a novella because it feels so full, so immersive. Every touch is forbidden. Every shared breath is a risk. Every moment they grow closer, winter steals a little more of Freya—and Vidar knows it. He’s torn between wanting her near and fearing he’s destroying the only warmth he’s felt in centuries.
It’s beautifully tragic.
It’s beautifully hopeful.
Their chemistry is deliciously unique—icy skin meeting warm hands, a woman unafraid of the unknown, and a guardian who has never known gentleness until her. Watching Vidar unravel, soften, and fall—not because he wants to claim her, but because he finally feels seen—hit me harder than I expected.
This story is for readers who crave:
❄️ Monsters with more heart than the humans around them
🔥 Heat that feels both dangerous and tender
💙 A heroine who chooses compassion over fear
🌨️ A mythic atmosphere full of snow, shadows, and sacred magic
❤️ A love powerful enough to thaw centuries of loneliness
Snowed in with the Winter Guardian is more than a winter romance—it’s a reminder that sometimes the right person doesn’t melt your ice; they teach you how to live with it, how to shape it, how to let someone else brave the cold with you.
And by the end?
You’ll be wishing a storm would trap you with your own Winter Guardian, too.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 26, 2026
Gleeful Goblin Review: This novella is a little love note to the stark beauty of winter. Our main female character Freya is a photographer who is out taking nature pictures in a wide wilderness when she finds herself caught in a sudden, intense winter storm that is set to wipe her out. But it's not just any storm! This storm is sent by our main male character who is the Winter Guardian, Vidar. He has ancient grounds to protect and he's been successful at keeping everyone out...until now.
Vidar rescues Freya and brings her back to his home. She should be scared, she knows it. But she's enchanted by what she sees. "What makes me freeze is what I can see in the dim morning light filtering through frosted windows. His hand, extended past my waist, rests on the furs in front of me. Except it's not entirely a hand anymore. The fingers have elongated, tipped with what look like translucent claws that catch the light like crystal. Frost patterns spiral up his forearm, not like frost on skin but like frost within it, as if his veins carry winter instead of bl00d. I should be terrified. I should be planning my escape from this cabin, from whatever he is. Instead, I find myself studying the patterns with a photographer's eye. The fractals are perfect, mathematical, and beautiful in their precision. I've never seen anything like them—not in nature, not in art."
The fascination runs both ways, no matter how much Vidar tries to resist. Seeing these two go from frozen tundra between them to fully melting is a lot of fun and this winter read will really heat you up. 5/5
Vidar rescues Freya and brings her back to his home. She should be scared, she knows it. But she's enchanted by what she sees. "What makes me freeze is what I can see in the dim morning light filtering through frosted windows. His hand, extended past my waist, rests on the furs in front of me. Except it's not entirely a hand anymore. The fingers have elongated, tipped with what look like translucent claws that catch the light like crystal. Frost patterns spiral up his forearm, not like frost on skin but like frost within it, as if his veins carry winter instead of bl00d. I should be terrified. I should be planning my escape from this cabin, from whatever he is. Instead, I find myself studying the patterns with a photographer's eye. The fractals are perfect, mathematical, and beautiful in their precision. I've never seen anything like them—not in nature, not in art."
The fascination runs both ways, no matter how much Vidar tries to resist. Seeing these two go from frozen tundra between them to fully melting is a lot of fun and this winter read will really heat you up. 5/5
November 24, 2025
Thank you BookSprout and Luna Wren for sending me this advance review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was a fun wintery quick read!
Vidar's winter powers, and awesome variations on his inhuman form were really good. The descriptions are amazing, and Vidar would be stunning to see in real life. Freya is one of those people that isn't afraid of anything too. Vidar is the softest cinnamon roll deep inside, and I love him so much.
The spice was plentiful and interesting. It was on the lighter side and not super intense on the spicy details.
There wasn't a ton of worldbuilding because it was a novella. However, the descriptions of everything were so lush and beautiful, especially the scenery. It was lovely to read.
Overall this would be a great novella to read on a cold snowy day.
This was a fun wintery quick read!
Vidar's winter powers, and awesome variations on his inhuman form were really good. The descriptions are amazing, and Vidar would be stunning to see in real life. Freya is one of those people that isn't afraid of anything too. Vidar is the softest cinnamon roll deep inside, and I love him so much.
The spice was plentiful and interesting. It was on the lighter side and not super intense on the spicy details.
There wasn't a ton of worldbuilding because it was a novella. However, the descriptions of everything were so lush and beautiful, especially the scenery. It was lovely to read.
Overall this would be a great novella to read on a cold snowy day.
December 1, 2025
Snowed in with the Winter Guardian is a romance novella that has it’s MFC photographer Freya coming up against Wendigo MMC Vidar, and of course that couldn’t possibly end well.
Freya is out in Iceland taking pictures of nature, and hoping for the one that will sell big and earn the funds she needs desperately. Wandering off the trail chasing that right shot she notices a snowstorm rolling in pretty fast in the distance.
Vidar is drawn towards the human female through the storm he created and wonders why she hasn’t left… but she does take a picture of him before passing out, and when she wakes it’s safe in his cabin facing a winter deity.
I did so enjoy this nicely written fantasy that was spicy, dramatic, and engaging as the two soon discover just how connected by fate they are. HEA.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Freya is out in Iceland taking pictures of nature, and hoping for the one that will sell big and earn the funds she needs desperately. Wandering off the trail chasing that right shot she notices a snowstorm rolling in pretty fast in the distance.
Vidar is drawn towards the human female through the storm he created and wonders why she hasn’t left… but she does take a picture of him before passing out, and when she wakes it’s safe in his cabin facing a winter deity.
I did so enjoy this nicely written fantasy that was spicy, dramatic, and engaging as the two soon discover just how connected by fate they are. HEA.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 27, 2025
'He stares at me like I'm the impossible thing in the room. Maybe I am. Maybe normal people would be catatonic with fear right now.
"May I..." I hesitate, then push forward. "May I see again? The real you?"
Now he does look at me, shock evident in his too-bright eyes. "Why would you want that?"
"Because it's beautiful," I say simply.'
I loved this book, and loved both Freya and Vidar. A wildlife photographer saved from a storm by the winter guardian whose decision to save her instead of letting her perish confuses even him. I liked her mostly calm reaction to him, and loved how they got to know each other while together in a relatively small space. She didn't react the way he'd expected, and their was an air of vulnerability to him with the loneliness. I was hooked to their story. 5 stars
"May I..." I hesitate, then push forward. "May I see again? The real you?"
Now he does look at me, shock evident in his too-bright eyes. "Why would you want that?"
"Because it's beautiful," I say simply.'
I loved this book, and loved both Freya and Vidar. A wildlife photographer saved from a storm by the winter guardian whose decision to save her instead of letting her perish confuses even him. I liked her mostly calm reaction to him, and loved how they got to know each other while together in a relatively small space. She didn't react the way he'd expected, and their was an air of vulnerability to him with the loneliness. I was hooked to their story. 5 stars
December 2, 2025
I liked the plot and the characters in this quick read. Freya is a winter photographer who gets lost in a snowstorm while on a tour in Iceland. Vidar, a winter guardian, rescues her from the snow just in time and takes her back to his cabin. He doesn't know why he saved her, but it becomes apparent that she is the one for him when she is unafraid of his otherworldly appearance and she can tolerate his cold touch. Unfortunately, rescuers are looking for her and she has to go back to Canada to tie up loose ends. Vidar wonders if the bond they have formed in just a few days will be strong enough to lead her back to him. It's a romantic story with great world building.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 27, 2025
Freya is a photographer and has come to Iceland to get some photos. She is out doing this when a storm comes out of nowhere. She is determined to capture images at the risk to her own life. If not for Vidar she wouldn’t have survived.
For unknown reasons Vidar saves this human from his storm. He nurses her back to health and in the process discovers that she is more than just any other. She sparks something in him long thought dead. They develop a love like nothing he has felt in his centuries of living. He gives her the choice of a bond in the end. To come back to him or stay gone to the human world again.
For unknown reasons Vidar saves this human from his storm. He nurses her back to health and in the process discovers that she is more than just any other. She sparks something in him long thought dead. They develop a love like nothing he has felt in his centuries of living. He gives her the choice of a bond in the end. To come back to him or stay gone to the human world again.
December 1, 2025
This was another great read by this author and a fab addition to this multi-author series. Freya is a photographer and goes to Iceland looking to get some unique photos. Unfortunately, she gets caught in a sudden storm and wouldn't have survived without Vidar's help. He's a Guardian and is shocked at himself stepping up to help save a human. However, she didn't die when he touched her...and she isn't afraid of him. Another shock ;) After centuries of living he finally feels seen and accepted. These two get the love they deserve and a wonderful HEA. The author did a fab job with the world building and had me glued to my reader to see how their romance would unfold. Good fun!
November 29, 2025
This was such a good read. I enjoyed every moment of this book. I loved how this is different than others I have read. When this secluded male who thought he would never meet someone that he could have for himself he ends up rescuing this human who can touch him and she doesn't freeze into ice. The chemistry between these two was so much fun to read. I love a good romance that just thaws everything between these two and makes for steamy chemistry and a loving couple. This is a must read!!!
December 6, 2025
Part of the Monsters and Mistletoe, another captivating story in this series. The story grabbed my interest from the start and did not let go until I finished reading. Freya and Vidar's story is exceptionally well written, featuring a compelling storyline and great, memorable characters and a satisfying, happy ending. I should not have started this story at bedtime. I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 7, 2025
This was more mystical, otherworldly, even the writing more romanticized than the others in this series I read. There is some spice. It’s well written. I felt like the characters took too long to commit fully to each other given that it was instalove, but that’s just me. It was quite good!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 7, 2025
Really enjoying this Monsters & Mistletoe series of books. Some from my favourite authors. In this book we have Freya, a wildlife photographer and Vidar, the monster who should be feared. But in this book, it's not quite as Vidar expects and loved this pair as they come together.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 2, 2026
The Winter Guardian's
He saved her, but she saved him in turn. After 5 centuries he started to have feelings that he thought he'd forgotten. She brought out the humanity in him and she found the winter in her. Through mutual understanding, they found a solution to being together. I enjoyed witnessing two different worlds melding and finding solutions to achieve their HEA.
He saved her, but she saved him in turn. After 5 centuries he started to have feelings that he thought he'd forgotten. She brought out the humanity in him and she found the winter in her. Through mutual understanding, they found a solution to being together. I enjoyed witnessing two different worlds melding and finding solutions to achieve their HEA.
December 3, 2025
Freya's drive for beautiful and dangerous winter photography has landed her in an Icelandic blizzard. Getting rescued by the mysterious Vidar makes survival so much more interesting!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 5, 2025
Loving each story in this series. Freya a photographer gets distracted and finds herself lost in a snow storm. The Winter Guardian himself becomes the unwilling rescuer.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 23, 2026
cute!
Very cute! A lot of inner dialogue and no real detailed explanation of what happened to our FMC in her transformation into something both human and other. Not super detailed spicy scenes but oh you can feel the love they have for each other through the pages!
Very cute! A lot of inner dialogue and no real detailed explanation of what happened to our FMC in her transformation into something both human and other. Not super detailed spicy scenes but oh you can feel the love they have for each other through the pages!
December 1, 2025
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I liked how Freya and Vidar becomes mates and adapt to be together. I'm glad Freya chooses to be with Vidar.
December 23, 2025
Cute but really repetitive. The FMC must not be a very good listener because he explained the pros and cons of being a mate, in the same detail, at least five times.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews