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Snowbound
An insanely hot, dark & taboo new stalker romance from USA Today bestselling author, Jane Henry,
I ran to the woods to disappear.
No food. No sleep. No hope.
Just a broken heart, a bottle of wine, and a marriage in shambles.
Then the gifts started showing up.
Firewood stacked neatly outside the door. Homemade food in the fridge and a note with all-too familiar handwriting.
He never knocked. Never spoke.
Just…watched.
Until the night I ventured too far…and he came to save me.
Now he says I belong to him.
That he’s waited years for me.
That no one—not my cheating ex, not my family, not the rules of the world—will take me from him again.
Because Owen isn’t a stranger.
He’s my stepbrother.
My forbidden first crush.
The boy they warned me about now grown into a man who knows exactly how to break me open... and make me beg for more.
This Christmas, I’m not getting jingle bells or candy canes. I’m getting dragged to bed, kissed breathless, and taken under the tree.
And I’ve never wanted anything more.
This is a dark, taboo, obsessive, stepbrother romance with intense heat, twisted love, and a very happy, very filthy ending. If you like possessive men and holiday spice, unwrap this one carefully.
No food. No sleep. No hope.
Just a broken heart, a bottle of wine, and a marriage in shambles.
Then the gifts started showing up.
Firewood stacked neatly outside the door. Homemade food in the fridge and a note with all-too familiar handwriting.
He never knocked. Never spoke.
Just…watched.
Until the night I ventured too far…and he came to save me.
Now he says I belong to him.
That he’s waited years for me.
That no one—not my cheating ex, not my family, not the rules of the world—will take me from him again.
Because Owen isn’t a stranger.
He’s my stepbrother.
My forbidden first crush.
The boy they warned me about now grown into a man who knows exactly how to break me open... and make me beg for more.
This Christmas, I’m not getting jingle bells or candy canes. I’m getting dragged to bed, kissed breathless, and taken under the tree.
And I’ve never wanted anything more.
This is a dark, taboo, obsessive, stepbrother romance with intense heat, twisted love, and a very happy, very filthy ending. If you like possessive men and holiday spice, unwrap this one carefully.
244 pages, Hardcover
Published October 31, 2025
665 people are currently reading
478 people want to read
About the author
Jane Henry
114 books2,711 followersFueled by dark chocolate and even darker coffee, USA Today bestselling author Jane Henry writes what she loves to read – character-driven, unputdownable romance featuring dominant alpha males and the powerful heroines who bring them to their knees. She’s believed in the power of love and romance since Belle won over the beast, and finally decided to write love stories of her own.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 282 reviews
December 9, 2025
I'm going to be transparent. This is my first Jane Henry read so I am unsure if this book is an accurate depiction of their writing. But I had a hard time getting into this one and I am unsure if it's a me thing or if I just don't vibe with their writing style.
This book was a really quick read, but why did it take me so long to finish it? I found myself getting bored while reading. I just feel like the plot was there but the execution was choppy. And like I mentioned, I am unsure if it's just Jane's writing style. There were many moments where I felt like the conversation/scene was all of the place which made it hard for me to want to follow and want to pay attention. Like the conversation seemed very immature and at times incomplete. Like they would be having a conversation about one thing and the next thing that a came out of one of their mouths did not pertain to the conversation at present.
I will also say, I wonder if my problem was that I just didn't vibe with the characters. I felt like there was no actual chemistry. For two people who pined and yearned for each other for years, I didn't feel that through the pages. It was just a stepbrother who was stalking and obsessed with her, which when we found that information out, it felt rushed. Like there was more time of their weird interactions in the cabin that they were "snowed in" in then an actual plot. Like the plot that could have been there took place in the last 20% and felt really rushed. But then there were also a lot of things that felt incomplete.
So I just don't know how I feel about this. I feel like I need to give Jane another shot as this could be a me problem with me not connecting with the characters and their immature and purely physical relationship. And like I said, I just had a problem with how this was written with some sentences that made me scratch my head and say huh? 🤔
But as always, reading is subjective and you may love this one! I will be reading another one of Jane Henry's book to see if her writing is for me as I have other books of hers on my TBR.
This book was a really quick read, but why did it take me so long to finish it? I found myself getting bored while reading. I just feel like the plot was there but the execution was choppy. And like I mentioned, I am unsure if it's just Jane's writing style. There were many moments where I felt like the conversation/scene was all of the place which made it hard for me to want to follow and want to pay attention. Like the conversation seemed very immature and at times incomplete. Like they would be having a conversation about one thing and the next thing that a came out of one of their mouths did not pertain to the conversation at present.
I will also say, I wonder if my problem was that I just didn't vibe with the characters. I felt like there was no actual chemistry. For two people who pined and yearned for each other for years, I didn't feel that through the pages. It was just a stepbrother who was stalking and obsessed with her, which when we found that information out, it felt rushed. Like there was more time of their weird interactions in the cabin that they were "snowed in" in then an actual plot. Like the plot that could have been there took place in the last 20% and felt really rushed. But then there were also a lot of things that felt incomplete.
So I just don't know how I feel about this. I feel like I need to give Jane another shot as this could be a me problem with me not connecting with the characters and their immature and purely physical relationship. And like I said, I just had a problem with how this was written with some sentences that made me scratch my head and say huh? 🤔
But as always, reading is subjective and you may love this one! I will be reading another one of Jane Henry's book to see if her writing is for me as I have other books of hers on my TBR.
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November 8, 2025Available now!
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Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: http://bit.ly/48fBnJg
Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/4m6YQzO
January 1, 2026
[My reviews are generally for me/my memory and can therefore contain spoilers. They're typically not here to provide you with a reason to read or not read something.]
As I had yet to read anything wintery/Christmas-y this season, when I came across this a few days before the new year, I decided to give it a shot.
I have no issue with the stepsibling thing generally, unless they legit grew up together from childhood. They were like 16 and 17 when their parents got married in this case.
This could have (and should have) been like 100 pages shorter. They just kept doing the same thing over and over. Some small interaction or sex scene, and then Emma is sitting in front of the fire. Small interaction/sex scene, Emma is sitting in front of the fire. Insert some random memory of them as teens pining for each other. Emma is sitting in front of the fire.
I was so bored halfway through and just plowed through the end so I wasn't DNFing yet another book on NYE.
The late-story reveals didn't feel like reveals because I thought they were obvious, but Emma somehow spent her teen years and until this point not realizing her stepbrother and stepfather were in the Irish mob??? How?
They were both just kind of bland and the short flashbacks didn't do anything to show me why they were into each other for so long.
As I had yet to read anything wintery/Christmas-y this season, when I came across this a few days before the new year, I decided to give it a shot.
I have no issue with the stepsibling thing generally, unless they legit grew up together from childhood. They were like 16 and 17 when their parents got married in this case.
This could have (and should have) been like 100 pages shorter. They just kept doing the same thing over and over. Some small interaction or sex scene, and then Emma is sitting in front of the fire. Small interaction/sex scene, Emma is sitting in front of the fire. Insert some random memory of them as teens pining for each other. Emma is sitting in front of the fire.
I was so bored halfway through and just plowed through the end so I wasn't DNFing yet another book on NYE.
The late-story reveals didn't feel like reveals because I thought they were obvious, but Emma somehow spent her teen years and until this point not realizing her stepbrother and stepfather were in the Irish mob??? How?
They were both just kind of bland and the short flashbacks didn't do anything to show me why they were into each other for so long.
November 10, 2025
As with others from this talented author, it was easy to fall into this storyline. I always enjoy the over-the-top obsessiveness of this author's men, and Owen is no different. He has been biding his time, and orchestrating what he feels is best for Emma. Even if Emma isn't completely aware of, or willing to agree that his methods get results! She cannot deny her long-standing feelings for him, and finally being honest about them allows for an intense connection, isolated from the world.
My time in this book passed too quickly, as the chapters flowed so well together, and the intensity and steamy chemistry absolutely roared off the pages. It is all that we expect from Jane - and I really enjoyed this one. This has a tie in to Zoya's story, as Owen works for the Undertaker... IYKYK.
Once done here, please visit her catalog for other unforgettable and addictive reads.
I received an ARC (thank you) and happily leave my thoughts.
My time in this book passed too quickly, as the chapters flowed so well together, and the intensity and steamy chemistry absolutely roared off the pages. It is all that we expect from Jane - and I really enjoyed this one. This has a tie in to Zoya's story, as Owen works for the Undertaker... IYKYK.
Once done here, please visit her catalog for other unforgettable and addictive reads.
I received an ARC (thank you) and happily leave my thoughts.
November 8, 2025
Maybe I am not so opposed to the step-sibling trope as I thought I was.
3.75 stars but leaning towards 4
This book felt like being trapped in a snowstorm with every emotion you have tried to hide. The air was cold, but the story burns quietly beneath the surface. It is all about the unspoken looks, the tension that lingers between words, and the kind of slow-blooming connection that hurts in the best way. Which honestly, was exactly what I was looking for!
The atmosphere is beautifully written. It was still, intimate, and full of quiet ache. What I loved most is that it was not just a romance. It was a story about distance, restraint, and finding warmth in someone who feels both familiar and forbidden. Which I usually find rare in taboo romances.
Owen was broody, protective, and deeply conflicted in a way that makes you want to shake him and hold him at the same time. All the hugs coming his way! The heroine is soft but resilient. Together, they carry this push and pull that keeps you hooked, even when everything around them feels frozen.
The pacing is deliberate, the tension steady, and the emotions heavy in that slow-burn way that seeps under your skin. It is not a dramatic story, but it makes you feel. It makes you pause. Although I didn’t have to but I sort of rushed through the story, for no reason other than my own time management skills. I usually find myself rushing through books that I fear might give me the ick, and so I wasn’t as invested in the characters as I would like. They did not possess me but surely did intrigue me.
If you like snowed-in settings, longing that never quite settles, and the kind of love that feels both wrong and right all at once, Snowbound is worth a read.
Thank you ValentinePR and Jane for the ARC 🤍
3.75 stars but leaning towards 4
This book felt like being trapped in a snowstorm with every emotion you have tried to hide. The air was cold, but the story burns quietly beneath the surface. It is all about the unspoken looks, the tension that lingers between words, and the kind of slow-blooming connection that hurts in the best way. Which honestly, was exactly what I was looking for!
The atmosphere is beautifully written. It was still, intimate, and full of quiet ache. What I loved most is that it was not just a romance. It was a story about distance, restraint, and finding warmth in someone who feels both familiar and forbidden. Which I usually find rare in taboo romances.
Owen was broody, protective, and deeply conflicted in a way that makes you want to shake him and hold him at the same time. All the hugs coming his way! The heroine is soft but resilient. Together, they carry this push and pull that keeps you hooked, even when everything around them feels frozen.
The pacing is deliberate, the tension steady, and the emotions heavy in that slow-burn way that seeps under your skin. It is not a dramatic story, but it makes you feel. It makes you pause. Although I didn’t have to but I sort of rushed through the story, for no reason other than my own time management skills. I usually find myself rushing through books that I fear might give me the ick, and so I wasn’t as invested in the characters as I would like. They did not possess me but surely did intrigue me.
If you like snowed-in settings, longing that never quite settles, and the kind of love that feels both wrong and right all at once, Snowbound is worth a read.
Thank you ValentinePR and Jane for the ARC 🤍
November 7, 2025
I devoured this short read despite my best efforts to savor it. My poor hand was aching from swiping the pages of my Kindle so quickly!
This stand-alone Christmas-themed romance by Ms. Henry is told from dual points of view and includes flashbacks. Usually, I relate more to one character than another, but in this book, I found myself emotionally invested in both Owen and Emma’s relationship. They were believable, relatable, and truly deserved happiness despite the guilt heaped on them by their parents. Their connection shone through as they shared their hopes, dreams, intimacy, and fears with each other.
Acting on impulse, Emma books an isolated cabin after discovering her marriage is in tatters due to her cheating husband. She’s also a romance author struggling with writer’s block, because one must experience love to write about it. Emma wasn’t prepared for the isolation, nor for the mysterious gifts that began appearing at her door, including Owen himself.
Owen has had Emma in his sights for years. She’s his stepsister, and their parents forbade any romantic connection—but now it’s his turn to pounce. He lavishes her with gifts and finds unique ways to reignite her writing spark. I loved how protective, possessive, and dominant Owen was, and admired how he encouraged Emma to make her own choice about their future once he revealed Al about himself.
This is an entertaining, well-written story packed with excitement and heat. The sexual tension was off the charts—and I’ll never look at a candy cane the same way again
This stand-alone Christmas-themed romance by Ms. Henry is told from dual points of view and includes flashbacks. Usually, I relate more to one character than another, but in this book, I found myself emotionally invested in both Owen and Emma’s relationship. They were believable, relatable, and truly deserved happiness despite the guilt heaped on them by their parents. Their connection shone through as they shared their hopes, dreams, intimacy, and fears with each other.
Acting on impulse, Emma books an isolated cabin after discovering her marriage is in tatters due to her cheating husband. She’s also a romance author struggling with writer’s block, because one must experience love to write about it. Emma wasn’t prepared for the isolation, nor for the mysterious gifts that began appearing at her door, including Owen himself.
Owen has had Emma in his sights for years. She’s his stepsister, and their parents forbade any romantic connection—but now it’s his turn to pounce. He lavishes her with gifts and finds unique ways to reignite her writing spark. I loved how protective, possessive, and dominant Owen was, and admired how he encouraged Emma to make her own choice about their future once he revealed Al about himself.
This is an entertaining, well-written story packed with excitement and heat. The sexual tension was off the charts—and I’ll never look at a candy cane the same way again
November 8, 2025
Christmas in a secluded cabin in the woods…it could go one of two ways 🤭
𝒞𝒽𝑜𝒸𝑜𝓁𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝒹𝑜𝑒𝓈𝓃’𝓉 𝓁𝒾𝑒. 𝒞𝒽𝑜𝒸𝑜𝓁𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝒹𝑜𝑒𝓈𝓃’𝓉 𝒻^*𝓀 𝒶 𝓈𝓉𝓇𝒶𝓃𝑔𝑒𝓇 𝒾𝓃 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝒷𝑒𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝑜𝓃𝑒’𝓈 𝓈𝓁𝓊𝓉𝓉𝓎 𝓅𝒶𝓃𝓉𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝒻𝒾𝓃𝒹. 𝒞𝒽𝑜𝒸𝑜𝓁𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝒾𝓈 𝓁𝑜𝓎𝒶𝓁.
Emma, having left her husband with divorce papers sets off to a cabin in order to finish writing her book. Things start happening that she can’t explain from the start, until she stupidly locks herself out of the cabin. Her aid comes in the form of her step-brother, who saves her. From here their past and future relationship is brought to the fore.
"𝐸𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑔𝑒𝓉𝓈 𝐼’𝓂 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒," 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒽𝒾𝓈𝓅𝑒𝓇𝑒𝒹. "𝒰𝓃𝓉𝒾𝓁 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔."
It’s a very smutmas read, with memory recalls from both, lots of feelings, a little angst, a heap of love and a HEA 🎄
𝒞𝒽𝑜𝒸𝑜𝓁𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝒹𝑜𝑒𝓈𝓃’𝓉 𝓁𝒾𝑒. 𝒞𝒽𝑜𝒸𝑜𝓁𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝒹𝑜𝑒𝓈𝓃’𝓉 𝒻^*𝓀 𝒶 𝓈𝓉𝓇𝒶𝓃𝑔𝑒𝓇 𝒾𝓃 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝒷𝑒𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝑜𝓃𝑒’𝓈 𝓈𝓁𝓊𝓉𝓉𝓎 𝓅𝒶𝓃𝓉𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝒻𝒾𝓃𝒹. 𝒞𝒽𝑜𝒸𝑜𝓁𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝒾𝓈 𝓁𝑜𝓎𝒶𝓁.
Emma, having left her husband with divorce papers sets off to a cabin in order to finish writing her book. Things start happening that she can’t explain from the start, until she stupidly locks herself out of the cabin. Her aid comes in the form of her step-brother, who saves her. From here their past and future relationship is brought to the fore.
"𝐸𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑔𝑒𝓉𝓈 𝐼’𝓂 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒," 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒽𝒾𝓈𝓅𝑒𝓇𝑒𝒹. "𝒰𝓃𝓉𝒾𝓁 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔."
It’s a very smutmas read, with memory recalls from both, lots of feelings, a little angst, a heap of love and a HEA 🎄
Read
November 6, 2025If you like a spicy-dark-stepbrother-holiday romance....this is for you.
This is an "ick" of mine that I'm trying to get over. I wanted to have an open mind and give it a try. :) And.....its still not my thing. LoL!
But that's ok! With that being said the writing and story was great. The spice was spicing! 😉😝
***I won't be giving a star rating. I wouldn't want it to affect the rating since it was personally not for me. That's not fair to the author!!!***
This is an "ick" of mine that I'm trying to get over. I wanted to have an open mind and give it a try. :) And.....its still not my thing. LoL!
But that's ok! With that being said the writing and story was great. The spice was spicing! 😉😝
***I won't be giving a star rating. I wouldn't want it to affect the rating since it was personally not for me. That's not fair to the author!!!***
December 3, 2025
Once I saw they were stepsiblings, I knew I had to read it cause im sucker for stepsiblings, especially a man like Owen.
Emma was treated so badly by her mom and calling her sick for having a crush and thoughts of him it made me so mad at her mother, like chill out lady . I just didn't like how she spoke to Emma and Owen's father. I couldn't stand him at all .
Jake is trash. I stand by that!!!!
I love how Owen always protected her and kept an eye on her even from afar he just perfect in my eyes .
The way he talked the way he knew little details of she liked and what made her feel seen and wanted.
Their memories were sexy and cute in different ways.
I loved how possessive he was. god, it was delicious.
The coupons she made omg I loved that.
I love a good stepsibling romance as long as it keeps my attention, and Owen Callahan kept me hooked through it all.
[ “Christ, look at you,” he grits out. “On your knees, love. Wrapped in Christmas ribbon. Mouth full of cock.” ]
Emma was treated so badly by her mom and calling her sick for having a crush and thoughts of him it made me so mad at her mother, like chill out lady . I just didn't like how she spoke to Emma and Owen's father. I couldn't stand him at all .
Jake is trash. I stand by that!!!!
I love how Owen always protected her and kept an eye on her even from afar he just perfect in my eyes .
The way he talked the way he knew little details of she liked and what made her feel seen and wanted.
Their memories were sexy and cute in different ways.
I loved how possessive he was. god, it was delicious.
The coupons she made omg I loved that.
I love a good stepsibling romance as long as it keeps my attention, and Owen Callahan kept me hooked through it all.
[ “Christ, look at you,” he grits out. “On your knees, love. Wrapped in Christmas ribbon. Mouth full of cock.” ]
November 15, 2025
✨Arc Review✨
1.5⭐️
First of all I want to thank you for the opportunity to receive this arc. Unfortunately this wasn’t for me, I struggled to connect with the characters and there wasn’t much story aside from their physical relationship. I was expecting more but it didn’t came and that’s okay, not every book is for everyone.
1.5⭐️
First of all I want to thank you for the opportunity to receive this arc. Unfortunately this wasn’t for me, I struggled to connect with the characters and there wasn’t much story aside from their physical relationship. I was expecting more but it didn’t came and that’s okay, not every book is for everyone.
November 16, 2025
Snowbound
~Jane Henry
Snowbound takes you straight into the icy quiet of a mountain cabin - and into the unraveling heart of Emma, a romance author whose world has just blown apart thanks to a cheating husband. When she escapes to a secluded retreat to clear her head, she quickly realizes she’s more cut off than she bargained for: barely any cell service, no vehicle, and the creeping awareness that she is not as alone as she thought.
Groceries start appearing in the fridge. Firewood shows up on the porch. A note in familiar handwriting sends her pulse racing. Add in flickers of movement just at the edge of her vision and a sudden power outage that plunges her into complete isolation, and you’ve got the perfect setup for panic. When she finally braves the brutal cold in search of help, the wilderness nearly takes her down - until someone shows up to rescue her. But is he her salvation… or another danger she didn’t see coming?
Henry delivers what I can only describe as a full-blown psychological spicy romance - I'm coining the phrase psychomance for this one. You’ve got the tension, the edge, the slow-burn dread of a thriller wrapped in obsessive, stalker-ish intensity and genuine emotional heat. For a novella, the characters feel surprisingly well-built; their motives are clear, their wounds are real, and the story doesn’t shy away from exploring vulnerability, trauma, and the messy path to healing… and maybe rediscovering love along the way.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, I couldn’t help but wish this had been a full-length novel. With more room to deepen the suspense and let the spice simmer, this easily could’ve hit that solid 5-star mark for me.
All that said - if you’re craving a quick, intense read packed with emotion, atmosphere, and plenty of heat, Snowbound deserves a spot on your TBR. Curl up, settle in, and let it take you for a snowy, seductive spin.
Thank you to Valentine PR and Jane Henry for allowing me to Alpha/Beta/ARC for Snowbound. As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition. I have not been promised any compensation, current or future, by the author or publisher for a fair and honest review.
~Jane Henry
Snowbound takes you straight into the icy quiet of a mountain cabin - and into the unraveling heart of Emma, a romance author whose world has just blown apart thanks to a cheating husband. When she escapes to a secluded retreat to clear her head, she quickly realizes she’s more cut off than she bargained for: barely any cell service, no vehicle, and the creeping awareness that she is not as alone as she thought.
Groceries start appearing in the fridge. Firewood shows up on the porch. A note in familiar handwriting sends her pulse racing. Add in flickers of movement just at the edge of her vision and a sudden power outage that plunges her into complete isolation, and you’ve got the perfect setup for panic. When she finally braves the brutal cold in search of help, the wilderness nearly takes her down - until someone shows up to rescue her. But is he her salvation… or another danger she didn’t see coming?
Henry delivers what I can only describe as a full-blown psychological spicy romance - I'm coining the phrase psychomance for this one. You’ve got the tension, the edge, the slow-burn dread of a thriller wrapped in obsessive, stalker-ish intensity and genuine emotional heat. For a novella, the characters feel surprisingly well-built; their motives are clear, their wounds are real, and the story doesn’t shy away from exploring vulnerability, trauma, and the messy path to healing… and maybe rediscovering love along the way.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, I couldn’t help but wish this had been a full-length novel. With more room to deepen the suspense and let the spice simmer, this easily could’ve hit that solid 5-star mark for me.
All that said - if you’re craving a quick, intense read packed with emotion, atmosphere, and plenty of heat, Snowbound deserves a spot on your TBR. Curl up, settle in, and let it take you for a snowy, seductive spin.
Thank you to Valentine PR and Jane Henry for allowing me to Alpha/Beta/ARC for Snowbound. As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition. I have not been promised any compensation, current or future, by the author or publisher for a fair and honest review.
November 7, 2025
I’m a huge Jane Henry fan and was so excited to read her new dark, standalone holiday sta@lker romance. It did not disappoint and is now one of my favorite spicy holiday reads!
What’s it about?
After finding out that her husband has been cheating on her for years, Emma, a writer with writer’s block, escapes to an isolated mountain cabin to focus on her writing and forget her crumbling marriage. Unprepared, she arrives without food or supplies, but miraculously she finds gifts—from food to firewood that will help her survive being snowed in. She wonders why the handwriting on the note with her food looks familiar… and when she accidentally gets herself lost in the woods, Owen, her sort of step brother, arrives to save her—and claim her as his own.
My Thoughts…
I absolutely loved Owen and Emma’s characters and their story. The flashbacks to their time living together as step-siblings is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Emma’s need to be taking care of and Owen’s obsession with protecting her set the stage for a forbidden, super spicy twisted romance that also pulls on your heartstrings.
Emma’s brokenness and low self esteem needs Owen’s uplifting praise—and is so relatable when you’ve had your trust betrayed and your marriage destroyed. Owen’s brooding, only nice to her nature made me completely fall for him! Although Emma wants to be his ‘good girl’, she feels so safe with Owen, she’s willing to find out what punishments he will deliver if she doesn’t behave. I mean what writer wouldn’t want his ‘punishments’🔥 for not meeting their daily word count or woman wouldn’t love his creative use of garland and candy canes?!👀 The way he cares for her and creates the perfect Christmas with all her favorites in mind actually had me tearing up and cemented his place on my top MMC list.
If you’re looking for a spicy, dark holiday romance with a HEA, a morally grey MC and all the cozy holiday feels, I cannot recommend this book enough. I will be reading it again closer to Christmas to experience all its spice and Christmas goodness again.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
What’s it about?
After finding out that her husband has been cheating on her for years, Emma, a writer with writer’s block, escapes to an isolated mountain cabin to focus on her writing and forget her crumbling marriage. Unprepared, she arrives without food or supplies, but miraculously she finds gifts—from food to firewood that will help her survive being snowed in. She wonders why the handwriting on the note with her food looks familiar… and when she accidentally gets herself lost in the woods, Owen, her sort of step brother, arrives to save her—and claim her as his own.
My Thoughts…
I absolutely loved Owen and Emma’s characters and their story. The flashbacks to their time living together as step-siblings is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Emma’s need to be taking care of and Owen’s obsession with protecting her set the stage for a forbidden, super spicy twisted romance that also pulls on your heartstrings.
Emma’s brokenness and low self esteem needs Owen’s uplifting praise—and is so relatable when you’ve had your trust betrayed and your marriage destroyed. Owen’s brooding, only nice to her nature made me completely fall for him! Although Emma wants to be his ‘good girl’, she feels so safe with Owen, she’s willing to find out what punishments he will deliver if she doesn’t behave. I mean what writer wouldn’t want his ‘punishments’🔥 for not meeting their daily word count or woman wouldn’t love his creative use of garland and candy canes?!👀 The way he cares for her and creates the perfect Christmas with all her favorites in mind actually had me tearing up and cemented his place on my top MMC list.
If you’re looking for a spicy, dark holiday romance with a HEA, a morally grey MC and all the cozy holiday feels, I cannot recommend this book enough. I will be reading it again closer to Christmas to experience all its spice and Christmas goodness again.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
November 14, 2025
3.5 rounded up. A little sweeter than I prefer my dark romances but good for those who like both sweet & sour 🤪
----
Thanks to Jane and the team at Valentine PR for letting me read Snowbound early!
Emma & her stepbrother Owen haven’t been in contact in years, mainly because his dad and her mom didn’t like the way they used to look at each other after they got married. So when Emma escapes her marriage to a secluded cabin to sort her thoughts and try to get some writing done, she is surprised to find out she’s not alone - Owen is there.
They’re not teenagers anymore, no need to live by their parent’s rules. It’s time to cash in on all that pent up attraction the step-siblings have pushed down over the years. As the days go by and the two reconnect, Emma learns more about herself, her family, and her husband - and is shocked and endangered by the revelations.
Jane Henry brings us a sweet taboo little Christmas-adjacent novella. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a Christmas book, as Christmas is the time of year but not the focus. Still a great read for winter / the holiday season (as there are some spicy decoration scenes!).
As someone who really doesn’t care for instalove, novellas can be tough. I thought the premise of this was handled perfectly to get me in the mindset of why these two care so much about each other in less than 200 pages. The reconnection and past obsession, with the familial ties, made it make sense for me and I felt that was a clever move. Jane also delivered a complete story, it wasn’t just spice. There was a plot, some good insight into the characters and a solid storyline that made the whole scenario make sense, and a solid ending. That can be so hard to do with romance novellas. That said - the spice was also good, well-balanced with the story and well-written.
One thing that I wasn’t crazy about was how sweet it was, as a whole. Yes he’s a mob guy, yes he’s hurt people, and we do get glimpses of that dangerous side of him when the conflict comes into play, but overall it’s just a very sweet story that didn’t feel nearly as dark as I expected it to. The instalove/reconnection could play a role in that, since I tend to read more enemies to lovers, and part of the ‘dark’ is the MMC being a complete jerk to everyone until he’s not. Overall I thought Emma and Owen were good characters. I would love to know more about Owen’s past and his involvement in the mob. He almost felt like a character who would absolutely prefer not to be in a violent lifestyle, but just has to be so that could be interesting to explore.
----
Thanks to Jane and the team at Valentine PR for letting me read Snowbound early!
Emma & her stepbrother Owen haven’t been in contact in years, mainly because his dad and her mom didn’t like the way they used to look at each other after they got married. So when Emma escapes her marriage to a secluded cabin to sort her thoughts and try to get some writing done, she is surprised to find out she’s not alone - Owen is there.
They’re not teenagers anymore, no need to live by their parent’s rules. It’s time to cash in on all that pent up attraction the step-siblings have pushed down over the years. As the days go by and the two reconnect, Emma learns more about herself, her family, and her husband - and is shocked and endangered by the revelations.
Jane Henry brings us a sweet taboo little Christmas-adjacent novella. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a Christmas book, as Christmas is the time of year but not the focus. Still a great read for winter / the holiday season (as there are some spicy decoration scenes!).
As someone who really doesn’t care for instalove, novellas can be tough. I thought the premise of this was handled perfectly to get me in the mindset of why these two care so much about each other in less than 200 pages. The reconnection and past obsession, with the familial ties, made it make sense for me and I felt that was a clever move. Jane also delivered a complete story, it wasn’t just spice. There was a plot, some good insight into the characters and a solid storyline that made the whole scenario make sense, and a solid ending. That can be so hard to do with romance novellas. That said - the spice was also good, well-balanced with the story and well-written.
One thing that I wasn’t crazy about was how sweet it was, as a whole. Yes he’s a mob guy, yes he’s hurt people, and we do get glimpses of that dangerous side of him when the conflict comes into play, but overall it’s just a very sweet story that didn’t feel nearly as dark as I expected it to. The instalove/reconnection could play a role in that, since I tend to read more enemies to lovers, and part of the ‘dark’ is the MMC being a complete jerk to everyone until he’s not. Overall I thought Emma and Owen were good characters. I would love to know more about Owen’s past and his involvement in the mob. He almost felt like a character who would absolutely prefer not to be in a violent lifestyle, but just has to be so that could be interesting to explore.
November 10, 2025
*M/F
*Contemporary
*Dual-1st-PoV
*Forbidden Romance
*Holiday themed
*MildDark Elements
*Stepbrother
*Mafia
*Snowed in
*Flashbacks
*Fast Burn
*Standalone
Christmas brings stepbrother wishes 😝🎄
Well our FMC Emma has found herself alone in a cabin Christmas week due to rightly leaving her cheating ex behind ! She’s seeking a retreat to find herself again and finish her book - little does she know her teenage crush, who happens to be her stepbrother, is about to make an appearance and provide all the inspiration she needs 🌶️🔥 rejuvenate always had a connection but without their parents breathing down their necks it’s allowed to fully bloom 😜
There’s everything Emma could ever want in the cabin it’s been catered to her every whim, and Owen is responsible- she learns of the lengths he’ll go to to demonstrate his obsession 😍 there is some plot on there (namely her ex, the past, and Owen’s mafia role) but it is heavily focused on the smut! The only thing is I would have liked a bit of variety to the smut, for instance he mentions about wanting her 🍑 but there’s no play, or some temperature play with snow/candles etc (feels like cabin would have been ideal place) it’s a quite similar each time, it’s still hawt though! Overall satisfying read.
*Contemporary
*Dual-1st-PoV
*Forbidden Romance
*Holiday themed
*MildDark Elements
*Stepbrother
*Mafia
*Snowed in
*Flashbacks
*Fast Burn
*Standalone
Christmas brings stepbrother wishes 😝🎄
Well our FMC Emma has found herself alone in a cabin Christmas week due to rightly leaving her cheating ex behind ! She’s seeking a retreat to find herself again and finish her book - little does she know her teenage crush, who happens to be her stepbrother, is about to make an appearance and provide all the inspiration she needs 🌶️🔥 rejuvenate always had a connection but without their parents breathing down their necks it’s allowed to fully bloom 😜
There’s everything Emma could ever want in the cabin it’s been catered to her every whim, and Owen is responsible- she learns of the lengths he’ll go to to demonstrate his obsession 😍 there is some plot on there (namely her ex, the past, and Owen’s mafia role) but it is heavily focused on the smut! The only thing is I would have liked a bit of variety to the smut, for instance he mentions about wanting her 🍑 but there’s no play, or some temperature play with snow/candles etc (feels like cabin would have been ideal place) it’s a quite similar each time, it’s still hawt though! Overall satisfying read.
November 3, 2025
It is November so that means my Christmas reads are well and truly underway and Snowbound is definitely a great one to add to your holiday reads list.
This book follows Emma who escapes to a cabin to get her thoughts together after she catches her husband cheating. Emma thought she would spend her days developing and writing her story but her writers block just wouldn’t budge until the ghost of her past, her step brother Owen shows up on her doorstep. These two had been running circles around each other for years in terms of their feelings but they were never truly able to act upon them until now.
Now her step brother Owen, works for the McCarthy clan and if you read Unrequited you would understand this is Seamus’s group. Owen had everything planned perfectly- when he realised Emma booked a retreat to the cabin he set everything up from food to firewood and he had just one goal in mind to make Emma his after loving her for years.
This book is fact paced and spicy. Owen worships the ground Emma has walked on for years and he is determined to make his feelings ever so clear. Jane loves to write an obsessed and possessive MMC and that much is ever so clear here in terms of Owen.
Thank you to VPR who provided this e-arc for my honest thoughts 💭
This book follows Emma who escapes to a cabin to get her thoughts together after she catches her husband cheating. Emma thought she would spend her days developing and writing her story but her writers block just wouldn’t budge until the ghost of her past, her step brother Owen shows up on her doorstep. These two had been running circles around each other for years in terms of their feelings but they were never truly able to act upon them until now.
Now her step brother Owen, works for the McCarthy clan and if you read Unrequited you would understand this is Seamus’s group. Owen had everything planned perfectly- when he realised Emma booked a retreat to the cabin he set everything up from food to firewood and he had just one goal in mind to make Emma his after loving her for years.
This book is fact paced and spicy. Owen worships the ground Emma has walked on for years and he is determined to make his feelings ever so clear. Jane loves to write an obsessed and possessive MMC and that much is ever so clear here in terms of Owen.
Thank you to VPR who provided this e-arc for my honest thoughts 💭
November 3, 2025
As always, Jane Henry delivers. Snowbound is everything you didn’t know you needed in a Christmas story dark, forbidden, and utterly captivating. It’s packed with sizzling spice and that rugged edge we crave from our mafia men the ones who love fiercely, protect endlessly, and reveal their sweetest, most vulnerable sides only to the women who own their hearts.
If you’ve been living in the Jane Henry universe, especially following her latest series, you’ll catch some familiar names woven throughout this story a detail I absolutely adored. There’s just something magical about interconnected worlds that collide when you least expect it.
When it comes to writing, Jane Henry can do no wrong. Her stories always flow effortlessly, her pacing is spot-on, and her vivid descriptions bring every scene to life. Snowbound is a dark, decadent holiday romance that will leave you wanting to unwrap every page.
If you’ve been living in the Jane Henry universe, especially following her latest series, you’ll catch some familiar names woven throughout this story a detail I absolutely adored. There’s just something magical about interconnected worlds that collide when you least expect it.
When it comes to writing, Jane Henry can do no wrong. Her stories always flow effortlessly, her pacing is spot-on, and her vivid descriptions bring every scene to life. Snowbound is a dark, decadent holiday romance that will leave you wanting to unwrap every page.
November 7, 2025
This is one of my favorite tropes.
Emma runs away to the woods. She needed to get away. Her heart is broken, and her marriage is in shambles.
She forgot to bring any supplies with her, but soon enough, there is freshly chopped wood outside her door, food in the fridge, and a handwritten note with familiar handwriting.
Owen never knocked. He watched, and when she ventured too far from her cabin, he came to her rescue.
Now he says that she belongs to him. He waited years for her, and no one will take her from him.
This Christmas, she's not getting jingle bells or candy canes; she's getting dragged to bed and kissed breathless.
Thanks so much to the author and ValentinePR for this ARC to review.
Emma runs away to the woods. She needed to get away. Her heart is broken, and her marriage is in shambles.
She forgot to bring any supplies with her, but soon enough, there is freshly chopped wood outside her door, food in the fridge, and a handwritten note with familiar handwriting.
Owen never knocked. He watched, and when she ventured too far from her cabin, he came to her rescue.
Now he says that she belongs to him. He waited years for her, and no one will take her from him.
This Christmas, she's not getting jingle bells or candy canes; she's getting dragged to bed and kissed breathless.
Thanks so much to the author and ValentinePR for this ARC to review.
November 17, 2025
This is an absolutely yummy, dark twisted stepbrother romance. And I loved it! Emma is devastated to find out her husband is a cheater so she flees to a remote cabin in the woods. Only to find that strange yet sweet gifts start appearing that are meant for her. She recognizes the handwriting on the notes. It's her stepbrother Owen. He's been st@lking her from the shadows and when he finally reveals himself. All bets are off. He's never letting her go. And I'm not sure she wants him to. I loved the thrilling tab00 nature of this story. I'm always down for a st@lker or a step-sibling romance. This was hot and spicy and I definitely recommend reading this book.
November 8, 2025
I was torn between 3.5 or 4 stars, so for the sake of the author, I’ll round up to 4.
I did like the story and I don’t mind the dark, taboo topics discussed in the book. However, I wish there was a lot more spoken about Owen’s work. I wish we could’ve seen him in Ireland surrounded by the mafia, making big decisions. I just felt there wasn’t enough for me.
Overall, it was a good, short novel and I would recommend it if you’re a little freaky 🤣
Thank you Jane Henry and Valentine PR for the e-arc!
I did like the story and I don’t mind the dark, taboo topics discussed in the book. However, I wish there was a lot more spoken about Owen’s work. I wish we could’ve seen him in Ireland surrounded by the mafia, making big decisions. I just felt there wasn’t enough for me.
Overall, it was a good, short novel and I would recommend it if you’re a little freaky 🤣
Thank you Jane Henry and Valentine PR for the e-arc!
November 6, 2025
A short & spicy read.
Who needs hand cuffs & vibrators when you have garland & candy canes 🎄🎅🏼
Locked up in a snowed in cabin, Emma finds herself face to face with her childhood love. HER STEPBROTHER. 🥵 little does she know the trip she’s about to go on.
Merry feckin Christmas to her, I’m jealous 😂😜
Who needs hand cuffs & vibrators when you have garland & candy canes 🎄🎅🏼
Locked up in a snowed in cabin, Emma finds herself face to face with her childhood love. HER STEPBROTHER. 🥵 little does she know the trip she’s about to go on.
Merry feckin Christmas to her, I’m jealous 😂😜
November 9, 2025
Snowbound by Jane Henry is a dark, steamy, and addictive holiday romance that blends forbidden love with intense emotion. The story follows a woman hiding away after heartbreak, only to be secretly cared for—and then claimed—by her stepbrother, Owen. The atmosphere is tense, wintry, and sensual, perfectly matching the story’s obsessive, possessive love. Henry’s writing pulls you in with its mix of danger, passion, and vulnerability.
November 8, 2025
OMG what. Did. I. Just. Read!? YES PLEASE! This story was so freaking hot! I think the snow melted in the North Pole. I have no words for how spicy, and smutty, and yummy this was. So this review will be short and sweet. Dayum. Her step brother took care of her in so many ways. HOT!
Thank you for allowing me to ARC read this very delicious sweet read.
Thank you for allowing me to ARC read this very delicious sweet read.
December 25, 2025
2.5 stars
A snowed in with the stalker/stepbrother romance. It was hot at the beginning, but the plot felt like it happened off-page?! All the cabin sex was hot, but I need more story tension so I got kind of bored by the end. YMMV!
(Catching up on reviews of December reads, so thoughts will be scattered.)
A snowed in with the stalker/stepbrother romance. It was hot at the beginning, but the plot felt like it happened off-page?! All the cabin sex was hot, but I need more story tension so I got kind of bored by the end. YMMV!
(Catching up on reviews of December reads, so thoughts will be scattered.)
November 6, 2025
Dreams of Him
Emma’s always loved Owen. She had vivid, aching dreams about him. But he was her step-brother. They said it was taboo, dirty, forbidden. Now, he’s found her, rescued her, and he’ll consume her. And she wants nothing else but to be in his arms forever!
Emma’s always loved Owen. She had vivid, aching dreams about him. But he was her step-brother. They said it was taboo, dirty, forbidden. Now, he’s found her, rescued her, and he’ll consume her. And she wants nothing else but to be in his arms forever!
November 30, 2025
Taboo romance? Check! Captor/caltive? Check! Christmas Spirit? Check! Snow Bound is a dark romance Christmas novel - perfect for fans of Alta Hensley and Rina Kent. She gets snowed it and wood and food mysterious appear. Should she be worried? Yes and no! 💯
December 3, 2025
ARC review
Let me preface this by saying that not every book is for everyone and that’s ok!
Personally, I felt like it had too much spice for the plot it wanted to have so the storyline got left behind a bit and ended up being rushed 🫣
Let me preface this by saying that not every book is for everyone and that’s ok!
Personally, I felt like it had too much spice for the plot it wanted to have so the storyline got left behind a bit and ended up being rushed 🫣
November 15, 2025
Snowbound is a spellbinding and addicting holiday romance perfect for the season. This is the kind of story you will want to curl up near a fireplace and devour in one setting! Jane Henry certainly knows how to treat a girl just right and gift a delicious story such as this. The characters Emma and Owen are a sexy magnetic duo that can’t seem to stay away from each other. Man oh man Owen has some interesting ways to eliminate writers block….. Simply exquisite! I was definitely locked into this story from start to finish. The obsession was not only real for the characters, but for me as well! Thank you VPR PR and Jane Henry for this ARC opportunity!
November 14, 2025
3.5/5 ⭐ Snowbound by Jane Henry, was a shorter Christmas story that follows Emma to a cabin in the middle of nowhere, where she finds she's being "stalked" by someone from her past.
I enjoyed the storyline, the characters and the spice. I love a good step-sibling trope and this one definitely hit it!
Overall I enjoyed the book, but I did find there were a lot of repetitive sentences and paragraphs that didn't necessarily need to be there. I think it slowed the flow of the story down a bit and I'm all for a good slow burn.
I enjoyed the storyline, the characters and the spice. I love a good step-sibling trope and this one definitely hit it!
Overall I enjoyed the book, but I did find there were a lot of repetitive sentences and paragraphs that didn't necessarily need to be there. I think it slowed the flow of the story down a bit and I'm all for a good slow burn.
December 27, 2025
1.5 ⭐
This was disappointing. The plot had potential but the execution left a lot to be desired. I felt like the plot was taken from two different novellas and cut up before being put together. The characters also didn't have much chemistry. The mafia aspect was so random and didn't flow well. Overall, this was just not very well-written.
This was disappointing. The plot had potential but the execution left a lot to be desired. I felt like the plot was taken from two different novellas and cut up before being put together. The characters also didn't have much chemistry. The mafia aspect was so random and didn't flow well. Overall, this was just not very well-written.
December 24, 2025
DNF I cannot force myself to read anymore. It’s just dull
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