Glimmer in the Dark

by Cozy DuBois

His whole life, Rory has longed to see the Northern Lights.
He just never expected his irritating coworker would be there when he did.

Rory will be spending the holidays alone this year. His polycule recently hit a rough patch, and his family cut him off after his transition. With his boss icing him out, work has been the cherry on top of the sh*t cake.

After another awful meeting—where Rory’s project gets reassigned to Sanzhar, the annoyingly perfect new guy—Rory finds a brochure in the Three days in Fairbanks for the Winter Solstice in a luxurious geodesic dome cabin, full of cozy charm, winter adventure, and the Northern Lights. Frustrated with everything, Rory books a spontaneous vacation to finally see the Aurora Borealis. His PTO request will probably get declined, but he’ll be in Alaska by then.

But when he lands, the hotel (more rustic than luxurious) has no record of his reservation. The snow is falling, the sun set hours ago, and to make matters worse, Sanzhar is there to witness his humiliation. Swallowing his pride, Rory accepts Sanzhar’s offer to share his cabin. A long weekend of fireside chats, endless nights, and only one bed may turn Rory and Sanzhar from rivals to friends...or more.

Genres: Queer, LGBT, Romance, Adult, Contemporary, M M Romance

142 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2025

About the author

Cozy Dubois (they/them) thought writing fiction was a long-lost hobby. A longtime lover of romance novels, Cozy has renewed their love for writing by telling stories for and about LGBTQ+ people. They hope to bring more books into the world that represent the complex and entangled relationships between friends, lovers, and chosen family found in the queer community they love.

Based in Minneapolis, they enjoy life with their partner, two hound dogs, a regal queen of a cat, dozens of houseplants, and a garden that has seen better days. Find them with a beverage in hand on a patio anytime the temp is above freezing or planning their next vacation when it's not.

Reviews

[mace · Rating 1 out of 5]

A rivals-to-lovers winter-y romance between coworkers who get stuck in the same cabin together sounded like it would really appeal to me, but unfortunately, this novella didn’t work for me in the slightest, for a multitude of reasons. My first problem starts with the way this book is marketed. The blurb calls the two central characters rivals, but this is one of those books in which the so-called “rivalry” is completely one-sided and largely based on a misunderstanding that’s solved with a single conversation. They aren’t rivals, really, which is a common flaw in romance book marketing, and it’s getting annoying at this point.

Another problem with this book, probably my biggest one, is that Sanzhar, the love interest, comes out to Rory, the main character, as agender (he/him pronouns), but then Rory just continues to think of him as a man and a guy, which doesn’t make any sense if they haven’t had a conversation about this. I don’t need his gender identity to be a big deal, but a couple of lines in which he explains to Rory that he doesn’t mind masculine terms would have very easily solved a lot of my problems with how this book handled Sanzhar’s gender identity. the fact that they don’t really talk about this at all felt doubly weird because Rory himself is a trans man, and I’d typically expect a trans character to briefly check what sort of terminology someone is comfortable with if they come out as some form of nonbinary. The fact that the author is marketing the book as an MM romance when the love interest is nonbinary doesn’t help this matter at all.

I also wasn’t impressed with a passage where Rory thinks about the fact that a certain climate he grew up in “never gave [him] asthma,” but that it only started happening as a “side effect of exercising” in another climate. As someone with asthma, I can tell you that this isn’t how asthma works. A certain climate can trigger your asthma symptoms, but it can’t give you the disease itself. That is a weird way of thinking about a chronic disease that, yes, can develop at a later age, but not in a way that can be described so simply. It’s a lot more complex than moving to a different climate, and if a new climate triggers asthma symptoms for you, it’s likely that you’ve been dealing with the disease for longer without realizing it.

Then we have the fact that this book is being marketed as a romance, when the love interest is aroace and the two central characters don’t end up defining their relationship as anything by the end, although they do bring up the possibility of it being platonic or queerplatonic. In fact, neither of them really want to be in a committed relationship anyway. Normally I wouldn’t mind any of this, especially because I’m aroace-spec myself, but if you’re marketing your book as a romance when the characters don’t end up in a romantic relationship, that’s just straight up misleading marketing. I went into this book expecting a romance, and I very much did not get a romance, and I think calling this book a romance does a disservice to what the central relationship actually is.

Taking all of these points into account, I just didn’t end up enjoying this book at all. The book was quite different from how it was promoted by the author, and there were just some careless mistakes on the front of representation, at least for me as a reader who identifies with multiple of the marginalized identities the two central characters hold. For these reasons, I’m unfortunately giving this book 1/5 stars.

Disclaimer: I was sent an advance reader copy by the author for reviewing purposes. This did not influence my review in any way.

[Rhys · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy from the author.

3.25 star rating.

This is my first official winter holiday romance read of 2025, and it was okay.

I haven’t read anything else by Cozy Dubois, so this was my introduction to their writing. Overall, I enjoyed the writing style.

Where this book kind of fell apart for me was the mention of Rory having multiple partners and being part of a polycule. I enjoyed this aspect of the book, however, there was no exploration of Rory’s partners. I felt like that aspect of Rory’s life was thrown in there just to have the conversations about polycule’s. I understand that polycule’s are not talked about in life or in books, but I feel like there was just zero exploration of Rory’s polycule and how he feels about it. I wanted more. I wanted to meet these partners he has. And we got none of that. They were only mentioned during times Rory checked his phone, or when him and Sanzhar were talking about where they wanted their relationship to go. There could’ve been so much more added, but alas, it wasn’t and that really took me out of the story.

Furthermore, the end of the novella is Rory asking Sanzhar to join him at his polycule’s/friends New Years Eve party. WE COULD’VE MET THEM? Please why couldn’t we have??

Overall, this was an okay romance. Not my favourite, but not my least favourite.

Representation:
- bisexual white trans man MC (also part of a polycule)
- asexual, aromantic, and agender Asian love interest (uses he/him pronouns and states he doesn’t subscribe to norms in chapter 7)

[Nicole Reads Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, but the lack of HEA ending may throw some romance readers.

Set at Winter Solstice at a geodome hotel in Alaska, two coworkers are unexpectedly thrown together as they try to catch some Aurora Borealis. Instead they catch feelings!

This book has polyamourous and aroace rep, with two people coming together trying to figure out how their preferences and wants could mesh. At times this felt both heavy handed and glossed over. There are some really fun winter weekend in Alaska moments, which is what initially drew me to this novella.

This does not end like a typical Romance, there is no HEA and the MCs discuss how this is not an end goal for either of them. As this is marketed as a romance I would have loved an epilogue or NYE chapter with a firmer HFN. This is a novella and it felt like a snippet rather than the full story.

Thank you to the author for an eARC. All opinions are my own. And I applaud and appreciate the anti-AI statements used in the marketing for this book.

[Heather Close · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not going to lie, the cover of this book absolutely drew me in! Luckily, the story is just as good. I really loved Rory and Sanzhar's relationship. This was perfect book to read while cuddle up under a warm blanket on a cold night.

[Stef (Noveltea Corner) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy release day to Glimmer in the Dark by Cozy Dubois, a really delightful MM romance novella. Rory’s always dreamed of seeing the Northern Lights and with the members of his polycule spending the holidays separately and his boss cutting him off from a major project, he’s decided to spend Winter Solstice in a geodesic dome cabin. He doesn’t expect Sanzhar, the coworker who’s been given his project, to be there. Or, to fall for him.

This was a truly wonderful novella. The characters were well-fleshed out, both of them having preconceived ideas of each other, but realising that maybe they’ve judged each other a bit too quickly. The set-up was perfect for the length - Rory turning up and finding out his booking hasn’t come through and Sanzhar being there to offer him a place to stay. In this corner of Bookstagram, we appreciate forced proximity and only one bed tropes! It was the perfect afternoon read, and I look forward to reading more books by Cozy Dubois in the future.

I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Lyndzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Cozy for giving me the opportunity to review this!
"Glimmer in the Dark" was a breath of fresh, crispy air after having read a year of cishet monogamous romcoms. This novella has trans rep, poly rep, ace rep, and celebrates open, honest communication between partners! My queer, poly heart sings 😁
The tropes used in this novella include close proximity, one bed, strangers to friends to lovers, and cuddling for warmth, to name a few. So, basically, my top searched AO3 tags.
The messy polycule dynamics of Rory's partners are so real 😅. I feel like I've met this triad/quad/ V in real life and had to hear about all their drama second hand through the poly community grapevine. So many configurations, it makes your head spin, but that's pretty realistic, in my experience.
One thing to note, there are a lot of southern turns of phrases like, "I might could extend my stay" and various double negatives thrown into the dialog (inner and external). They may take people who aren't familiar with a southern accent out of the story, but it does give the MC, Rory, a district narrative voice. Took a bit for me to get used to, as a Northern gal, but it makes sense for the character.
Mild spoiler: One thing I really hoped for and was left wanting, was if Rory ever got closure with his family. I want to know if they remain unrepentant assholes forever or if they come around and accept him for who he is. Maybe it's more realistic to the queer experience that we, like Rory, are left waiting and hoping, but I think some closure there, one way or another, would really have rounded out the HEA. Maybe it leaves room for a sequel? 😊
Excited to read more from this author!

[Anna Copp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed this book so let's start with the pros. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the different LGBTQ+ representation and this is the first book I have read that had any focus on people who identified as trans and agender as well as aroace. So I was able to learn some new terms and questions to ask anyone if they ever came out to me as such - "what does that look like for you?" I also enjoyed the general premise of the story and was actually ok with it not being a standard version of HEA. I thought our MCs were fun and I loved Gina and Alex.

On to the issues with the book. I felt like the book gave kind of a negative spin on poly situations if you had never read a book with that. Although it did highlight the need for good communication - which Rory did not have enough of with his partners it seemed (which is where I felt like it could be seen as a negative light). Rory did not ask enough questions of Sanzhar in terms of what different aspects of their identity meant for them (I'm using they/them since I don't remember if it explicitly said what pronouns were preferred - which is also an issue). I will point out that I am a baby bisexual and monogamous so maybe this is a good representation but I feel like Rory asking more questions would have been helpful for both the story and anyone that this might be their introduction to this kind of book.

I also wish we would have gotten more interaction with Rory's polycule which couldn't really be done for this to stay a novella but I think making this a full-length novel to be able to include them and more communication would have made the story work better and bumped it up to a higher rating.

Overall, I would recommend it as a fun LGBTQ+ novella but not as a romance necessarily. I think the story had promise but just needed more clarification in certain areas.
3.5/5 stars here

I received this as an ARC

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute Concept

2.5 Stars

This was an interesting concept, I like the idea of work rivals stuck together is a dome over the holidays. I also really loved all the representation in this book with the main characters. I think that the main relationship between Rory and Sanzhar was very sweet and I liked the pacing for how little time the book covered. It might just be because I’m unfamiliar with polycules but it felt like Rory’s relationships with his other partners weren’t very solid. I didn’t get any emotional connection between any of them and they were barely mentioned because of how short the story was. I liked that the author was trying to include a new type of relationship I wasn’t familiar with but it was more confusing for me and I felt like I was missing context and I wasn’t sure how it all fit together. It also might be because I just wrote an assignment on it but having the Asian male lead be short, nerdy, and asexual made me do a double take and might’ve dampened my enjoyment a bit. But I thought the concept was really fun and I loved Rory realizing that Sanzhar wasn’t terrible and Sanzhar standing up for Rory. I would’ve love to see Rory more angry because the beginning was frustrating but overall the relationship between the two main characters was nice.

[Florencia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet read that kept me engaged and made me feel it was shorter than it actually was.

I had a bit of a hard time connecting with the characters, with their chirpy personalities and politeness (Rory´s "oh my stars!" orked me a bit, not gonna lie). I think the concept of the book as a whole was good, but the execution struggled with trying to bite more than it could chew. Certain topics, such as Rory's polycule and Sanzhar's gender identity ended up feeling a bit messy, and like they could not be translated in a seamless way to the text.

Unlike other people, I was not that bothered by the absence of a clear HEA, I think the characters were very obviously happy at the time and I loved that for them, even if in my opinion their ending didn't fit that much with the boundaries they had expressed earlier.

Overall, it is a sweet idea and I am glad I read it, I just feel it could have used being a full-length book that could address and expand on some of the less-travelled topics it dared touch, even if only superficially.

I received an arc in exchange for an honest review, I want to thank the author for the opportunity!

[Dan Furey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glimmer in the Dark is a fantastic cozy romance novella, featuring a trans polyamorous man and an asexual agender person getting together over the winter solstice. The characterization is delightful, and DuBois's writing is hilarious and poignant in equal measure. Location plays a major role in the story, and having personally experienced all the regions involved, I can attest to DuBois's accuracy. Their vivid descriptions of both the landscapes and the characters are wonderful. Some of the characters' discussion of their individual queer experiences comes off a tad dry, but I think that's largely due to the language involved; having been involved in similar conversations, DuBois perfectly captures that experience.

Despite being someone who prefers their romance both extraterrestial and devoid of maleness, I cannot recommend Glimmer in the Dark enough. It's a quick, wholesome read, and it's just the thing for a cozy winter night.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really thought this was a sweet and charming little holiday novella. It still packs a punch with emotions, as holidays are hard for Rory and he is currently going through it in a myriad of ways (a number of them due to his own non-communication issues), but overall I think it's mostly sweet especially as Sanzhar and Rory start to redefine what they mean to each other. *Note, this is not a traditional HEA by any stretch and is largely not a romance. Though, I think that it is a HEA for the characters and their romantic/sexual identities as they are not looking for the typical relationship.

I liked DuBois writing tremendously and felt it really brought the settings and characters to life. The whole hot springs scene was amazing. I would happily read a little extended epilogue to see some more resolution (meeting the polycule, the polycule discussing what's currently going on, the new job, etc)!

[Jem Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a little slow to warm up to Rory, but everything settled into place soon enough and I'm very glad I kept reading.

The setting really makes this - I'm stuck with images of the glistening snow, and wolves in the dark, and the power of being seen by someone who is really looking. Dubois gives us the majesty of winter and the cosiness of coming together and finding kindness and connection in unexpected places, even against the background of more mundane and real-life inconveniences and disappointments.

For me, this was swimming in romance, kick-your-feet sweet moments, and some serious heat that still remained respectful of Sanzhar's ace and aro identity. The messiness of polyamory is explored, but this story isn't about fitting into a polycule - it's about making a connection with someone who truly gets you, and being open to making it work in a way that doesn't demand self-compromise.

I view this as a solid HFN that is perfect for the two characters, and I loved it.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

A winter novella (it takes place around the time of the solstice), Glimmer in the Dark follows Rory, a bisexual trans man who is part of a polycule. Dealing with family disowning him after transitioning, a fracturing polycule, and discrimination at work, he books a last minute trip to Alaska. There is his co-worker Sanzhar at the overbooked lodge. I appreciate the diverse gender and sexuality presented in this short book as it is not often seen in books. Unfortunately the focus on that diversity kind of took away from the developing relationship that the book focuses on for me. I did like the fun take on the one bed trope with the northern lights as a backdrop.

I received an advanced copy for free, and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mayras mini book reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was able to read this book ahead of its release date thanks to the author

Spice level 2

Recommend to someone looking for a cozy winter slow burn with LGBTQ+ Rep

I want to start off by saying that this book slow burned so good. Sanzhar and Roy connect so effortlessly and naturally. The author did an amazing job of describing the Alaskan setting. It made me wish I was staying in a warm dome or relaxing in the hot springs . The “will they won’t they” through this slow burn had me. I was mentally shouting “kiss already!”. Don’t even get me started on Alex and his impeccable timing.
The spice is perfect for the MCs . I 100% agree with Sanzhar and his priorities once things got started. Let the man do his thing.

[Kamiye · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was a cute read.

The workplace "horrors" are so real, it's frightening, Bill being the as***** that he is, it's too real for comfort. So, kudos to the author.

I do love a book with loads of different relationships represented in it, so yay!

The rivals-to-lovers was fun, and Sanzhar is the sweetest.

I don't understand much of the polyamorous relationship, so that was a bit puzzling for me. A bit more on this aspect would have been great, and also a good way to kind of "educate" people about it.

This was my fist book by this author and I will be keeping an eye open for new releases in the future.

Got this one from KU (December 2025)

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glimmer in the Dark is like a combination of a satisfying Reddit post and that one fanfic that gets your favorite trope exactly right.

Both MCs are adorable, and I appreciate that their HEA didn't require them to change their identities or relationship preferences. I love the way they make each other better.

Dubois packs a lot of character development into a book the perfect length to read on your plane ride home.

The only additional scene I would like have seen is some kind of confrontation with their crummy boss. Otherwise, this is a perfect winter read!

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an arc on exchange for an honest review

and my honest review is that I'M CRYING, I wish that this was longer, I fell in love with rory and sanzhar, especially with sanzhar because mhmmm, he's such a dork and sweetheart and so is rory. I really can't recommend this enough, get it for the holidays and have the same magical afternoon I had living a weekend with rory and sanzhar. I must say that it took a bit to kick off, slow burn aside, but once you get hooked there's not off that hook. 4.25 stars!

[Heidi H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully diverse story that will warm your heart. Life isn't always kind for Rory and he makes an impulsive decision to go see the Aurora Borealis. He doesn't realize his life is about to change. This sweet man is so relatable on a lot of levels. And his relationship with Sanzhar is beautifully written and developed. If you need a heartwarming tale just in time for Solstice, get this book! Open door spice level 3/5.

[Adelaide · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.25 stars!

This was my first book by Cozy Dubois, and it certainly will not be my last. I had the pleasure of going to a book fair with my friend, and we got to meet Cozy.

Please read this charming novella! It will make you feel all the feelings. Books have a funny way of showing up when you need them the most. This book reminded me that a found family is the same as blood family. And in some cases is even more.

[McKenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice wintertime novella with lots of potential! ❄️

I enjoyed the premise, and found the MCs to be relatable and entertaining.

Ultimately I was left wanting a bit more, especially in regards to Rory’s polycule. It was clear that there was tension and conversations that needed to be had, but we never actually got to see those happen. And especially with the addition of Sanzhar into Rory’s life, it seemed like a rather large missing piece. I wasn’t really ever sure what their future would look like, which may have been an intentional choice by the author, but personally I’m always seeking a happy, clear conclusion.

I also understand criticism about this not really being a rivals-to-lovers situation since the “rivalry” seemed entirely one-sided and ended very quickly after one genuine conversation.

But this story adds some much-needed points of view to the romance genre, and is worth a read if the tropes & blurb catch your interest.

*Thanks to the author for gifting me this eARC*

[T.M. Kirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a beautiful romance story with so much inclusion, representation, and discussion of non-traditional relationship and gender types. Despite some of the difficulties the MCs faced, you can't help but feel the beauty of being "seen." The HEA is a bit different than most romances, but I definitely recommend this one!

[C.T. Whistle · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was scrumptiously cosy and I actually liked how open ended the relationship ended up being. I would happily read a part 2 and see how things play out at the New Year’s party 🎉

Thank you to the author for the arc ♥️

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

so cute

Gah! This book is so cute and sweet! Two people finding each other exactly when and where they need to, and finding exactly what they need in each other. Lovely.

[Tyler Zinsli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and how they treated each other.

[Misty Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review!
So glad to have received and advance copy 🤗

Adorable cozy holiday romance with trans and ace representation 💖 Rory is southern as sweet tea. Sanzhar is affectionate as can be. They make the best of the unexpected situation of their vacation and become something much more than friends. The setting is perfect for developing a relationship. Cold winter nights are exceptional for cuddling. What a sweet little novella.

[Andrea (Hammock and Read) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun take on a one bed queer winter romance, set in Alaska with Minnesota tech coworkers. Rory is a bisexual white trans man MC who is also part of a polycule. Sanzhar just got a new project that should have gone to Rory, but thanks to their horrible boss it didn’t go that way. Rory runs away to Alaska to see the Northern Lights but one thing after another goes wrong just as Sanzhar walks in asking for tea, who lets Rory stay with them. This is full of great reps of diversity as Sanzhar is asexual, aromantic, and agender. We get an idea of the ploycule via texts but not as much as could have been but worked for a novella.
This is a quick - fast paced workplace - one bed (dome) romance that is perfect for a plane trip home or afternoon read!