Embers of Winter

by Kat Sinclair

Wren considers himself little more than a wreck of a man. His life has been a colossal mess for as long as he can remember, and in the past two months, he’s caught his boyfriend cheating with another alpha, relapsed, and then found out about his estranged mother’s death. While he should feel relieved that the monster who ruined his life is dead, her shadow lingers in the form of the childhood home he inherited. Wren is forced to return to the remote mountain town he escaped as a teenager and go through her belongings, unsure if this experience will transform or break him completely.

Russell is content with his slow, quiet life as the owner of a general store high up on the mountain. After returning from the army, he’s accepted that his life is going to be simple and insignificant, the same as people have always described him. But the gentle giant realizes he may not be as content with solitude as he thought when a blizzard traps a troubled city alpha in his store, and changes both their lives forever.

Embers of Winter is a non-shifter, M/M omegaverse standalone romance novel set in Kat Sinclair’s venusverse. It’s an angsty story featuring explicit adult scenes, mentions of parental abuse and other serious topics that might trigger certain readers. A complete list of CWs can be found at the beginning of the book or (most detailed) on the author’s website.

282 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication March 3, 2026

About the author

Born and raised in Czech Republic, Kat is a chronic overthinker who writes character-driven gay (M/M) stories with just enough spice and angst. Besides falling in love with fictional people, Kat enjoys spending time with animals, gaming, doing DIY projects, and getting stronger in the gym.

More stories can be found under the pen names of RIPLEY SINCLAIR for fantasy, urban fantasy, and straight romance & QUINN SINCLAIR for sapphic W/W romance (coming soon).

To be kept up to date on the latest and future releases, gain access to various sneak peeks, and to read the exclusive bonus chapters, join Kat Sinclair's free Substack Newsletter at: katsinclair.substack.com

Reviews

[Julie Underhill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Embers of Winter by Kat Sinclair is an angst filled story in the Venusverse about an Alpha who has struggled with childhood trauma and an Omega who has seen the world but returned home and their journey to finding love. Wren Compton, an Alpha, grew up in the mountains near Silverpine with just his mother. She was a reclusive woman who didn’t interact with those around her and she relied on Wren to see to her needs, including some unthinkable ones which led to severe trauma for him. When he was going to tell others what had happened she convinced him that no one would believe him so he ran away to the city and never looked back. But the trauma and everything that happened stayed with him and left him depressed and filled with anxiety, even though he sought treatment and counselling, and eventually led to drug addiction because that seemed to be the only thing that let him forget. He had done somewhat well but recently relapsed after his boyfriend left him saying he wasn’t a good Alpha. He lived with his best friend Dex, a Beta, who worried about him. When his mother died, he thought it would set him free but it didn’t. He had to deal with her house so decided to go there to take what he wanted from it and then sell it. Dex wasn’t sure it was a good idea, but he said he would only be gone for 2 days and then return. However, when he got there, he couldn’t make himself go inside because of the memories so he stayed in his car where it was cold because it was winter. He finally got the courage to enter and hurriedly went through what he could in the main rooms but when he got to his mother’s room it gave him a major panic attack so he left and found himself at the general store in a snowstorm. Russell, and Omega, was the manager as his parents had bought it and run it until they died and then his Aunt Elmira took it over. When that happened, he couldn’t take it any more and enlisted in the army, did two tours of duty in some rough places, and after almost dying knew he had to get out so he was honorable discharged and returned to take over the store. He enjoyed his quiet life but was also lonely. He was a tall and muscular which was unusual for an Omega. When he sees Wren he can tell something is wrong and tells him not to leave but go back to his house because a blizzard is hitting them and is supposed to last for days. But Wren can’t go back to the house so he runs to his car and ends up stuck by a tree where Russell drags him back to his cabin. He realizes he can’t leave so he stays. They slowly get to know each other with Wren showing his anxiety by not being able to talk but he writes on his phone and Russell slowly starts seeing who he is. When he is calm, they talk and then share a bed to sleep, but Wren is going into his rut and Russell’s almond scented pheromones are getting to him and making him even more on edge. He saw something in the store that he wanted, and Russell wears the key to where it is stored so he seduces him to get it, not realizing how much he would enjoy their hot love scene. But Russell catches him and his whole story comes out. Russell is very understanding of what happened, supports him, and even forgives him and they live in a beautiful bubble for the remainder of the storm. But when it ends Wren goes back to the city and because of what Russell has done for him and what he means to him he promises that he will get clean and start living a better life. They both want to stay together but also know that this is what Wren needs. After a few weeks Russell realizes that something isn’t quite right and a visit by Aunt Elmira makes him go to the mountain doctor and he finds out the result of all the hot love scenes with Wren, but he doesn’t say anything to him because he knows he needs to heal and coming back wouldn’t do that. But all Wren has been thinking about is getting better so he can go back to Russell and when he thinks he’s ready he does and gets quite the surprise. Luckily they and realize they want to be together and because he’s stronger they can work it out. I really enjoyed this book. There are so many feelings in it that have to be worked through and it is very hard for both men. Wren is a mess when he arrives and being at his house makes it worse. Russell saw trauma when he was in the army but he has worked through it, even though he does have flashbacks. He is kind and caring and shows all of this to Wren. As they get to know each other, he makes Wren want to get better. There was some heartbreak when he returned to the city, but he knew he wanted to be with Russell and made that happen, even though he got a big surprise. I highly recommend this book, especially if you like angsty stories about two men, one who has had severe trauma and addiction in his life, and the other who is kind and caring and how they help each other to find love and be together.

[Sandy Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I enjoy most about this talented relatively new author’s work is the authenticity of character development and organic world building. Contemporary setting, but “venusverse” the author’s version of omegaverse, and I really enjoy her style and voice.

Each character here made me emotional and mushy, then horrified and angry at different times, but they felt viscerally real, and so reluctantly, angry as I might have been, I had to admire the emotions evoked. Kat Sinclair, you immersed me and made me forget about the real world as I read this story.

Packed with emotional minefields and lived trauma, yet somehow remarkably sweet and poignant, Embers of Winter held my attention and kept me flipping pages.

Wren, an alpha, has challenges. Recovering from a recent relapse in his opioid addiction, after a meltdown due to walking in on his omega partner cheating on him in their bed, he now faces returning to the isolated mountain hometown he fled as a teen to settle his reviled mother’s estate.

Russell, an unusually large and bulky omega, runs a general store just down the mountain from Wren’s mother’s house.

Wren can hardly bear to set foot in his childhood house, due to the abuse he lived through there. TW for incest, and it does come up a time or two when relevant, including during intimacy between the MCs.

When a blizzard strands Wren, Rus offers Wren shelter in his cozy apartment above the store…where there’s only one bed…and close proximity brings on Wren’s rut and then Rus’s heat.

There’s so much more to it though. Growing awareness, kindness, Wren’s mental fragility leading him to make one of those gut-wrenching, addiction-driven heart-breaking terrible choices, Rus’s gentle strength and quiet acceptance…beautiful chemistry between them…Rus supporting Wren in facing the most horrifying thing to ever happen to him, was a lot to get through but also rewarding and beautiful.

Lest he sound too perfect, Rus also makes a choice I could not respect and that diminished him for me, but one that is a typical Thing in romance. It amps up the stakes and conflict, but, I’ll never be comfortable with someone who is (MAJOR spoiler)pregnant deciding to keep that information from the other responsible party, when that other party is a decent human being. It’s a matter of consent. Rus taking away Wren’s choice to know about the pregnancy and be part of their children’s development, and possibly their entire future, rather than having an adult conversation about it…and putting if off to the point that he admitted he might never have told him…I was really, really angry about that. And Wren might never have known, had he not, MAJOR SPOILER, shown up unexpectedly 5 months into the pregnancy. I’m still salty about it.

NGL, I struggle reading about addiction. It’s not a trigger, I just don’t find it entertaining in the escapist sensibility I seek in romance. But, far as this layperson can tell, it’s handled respectfully and honestly here, and I admired the skill even though it was painful to read. It messed with my head and emotions in a strong-book way. I did feel we were missing a beat or two on page for Wren once he’s at home; we don't see his initial reunion with his friend Dex and how he works to get to a solid place with his sobriety; we're just already there.

The ending felt abrupt, like they were still in a fragile, though solid and hopeful, place, and I would have loved to have an epilogue to show them happy in the future.

Overall, this book got my emotions in a chokehold.

HEA, hurt-comfort, omegaverse, alpha-omega pairing, rut and heat, strangers stranded in a storm to lovers/forced proximity, only one bed. Gentle giant omega; prickly closed-off alpha. Mpreg. Mind the TWs for addiction (still struggling) and incest (in the past). NO OM action or drama; while there are several months separation, neither is with anyone else during that time or at any other in the present. Totally safe for me. Highly recommended when you want to hurt and then heal.

My thanks to BookSirens and the author for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.

[Carol (§CoverLoverGirl§) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Venusverse Romance)

I knew that Wren’s story was going to be a sad tale of his childhood and that he hated coming back to his old home high in the mountains following the death of his mother. He’d sworn never to return, but he needed to meet the Real Estate guy and get the property on the market and head back to the city. His current lifestyle following the breakup with his boyfriend Felix has him living on edge again and has him wanting his next fix. But he heads off next morning to the cabin for a couple of days anyway.

Arriving at his destination in the mountains just as a snowy blizzard is gathering force, he stops at a small store for supplies and comes face to face with Russell, a guy about the same age, mid twenties, but twice the size of Wren. (His name is very apt). Their sensory abilities recognise each other’s pheromones, Wren is Alpha and despite Russell’s Quarterback size, he is an Omega.

When Wren discovers the condition of his old home, he rushes in, grabs a few bits of his own childhood that he wanted. He doesn’t touch anything else in that house and he sleeps in his car, nearly freezing to death. Russell is very upset to see the state of Wren when he comes back into the shop ext morning and he takes him up to the heat and comfort of his apartment over the shop. He saves Wren’s life and they are stuck indoors for days while the blizzard rages outside.

Wren slowly begin to thaw towards Russ who is such a kindhearted soul to everyone in the small mountain side community. It’s isolation fits their religious beliefs as Dualis and their weird practices. Wren is such a mess and didn’t draw me in until a few chapters later when we read of the horrors that occurred in his home. You learn to sympathise and understand why he is the way he is. It was a big shock to me and I stopped reading for a bit in horror and disbelief.

Later when he discovers that Russell also has a locked cabinet containing drugs and medicines in the store and that he wears the key around his neck, his addict’s instincts has him planning a way to get what he wants.

Momentous happenings take place and kindhearted Russell struggles to deal with them and his emotions. Wren is so regretful and when the blizzard comes to an end he knows he has to get back to the city and attend his meetings and therapist asap.

I’ll avoid spoilers and suggest getting a copy when it launches in a day or so where you can discover some more surprises that Wren did not see coming.

After my initial ‘shock’ I did like the story of Wren and Russell despite their being confined to the small room upstairs in the cabin. It is an intensive read at times and I enjoyed the setting in the beautiful mountain scenery. Russell is the sweetheart star of this book, the way he attends to Wren’s care and needs highlights what a lovable generous person he is, even in the face of Wren’s behaviour.

I received a free ARC copy and I’m voluntarily leaving my honest review of ‘Embers of Winter’. There are explanatory notes given at the front of this story explaining the physical differences between Alphas, Omegas and Betas and their ‘roles’ in their community.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book. I was hooked pretty early on and it just kept getting better and better. The only thing stopping me from finishing it yesterday was the need to go to sleep so I'd be able to function at work today. With that said, I received an early copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.

The characters are incredibly well done. I really felt like I could feel their feelings… emotional rollercoaster, for sure, but definitely worth it. The lows were low, but the highs were, well, I guess the highs were high enough to defy gravity. Yep. That good. I was definitely feeling all the feelings.

I don't remember the last time I liked a book quite this much. I generally choose to read books I'm drawn toward, ones I'm pretty sure I'll like or that I'll learn something from, and this, of course, was one of those books. While I was first drawn in by the cover, it was the blurb that ensnared me, and I'm glad it did.

Before "Embers of Winter," I'd never read anything by this author. Heck, I haven't even read the first books in this series and if you knew me, you'd know how massively out of character that is for me. I have an obsessive need to read books IN the order they appear in a series, even if they can be read as standalones. This time, I couldn't bring myself to wait the very short time it probably would have taken for me to read the books before it. I had to read this one now, first. So, I did, and again, I'm glad I did.

This book has an well-done storyline with multiple threads, several of which can be triggering, but the story is impactful. There are also a lot of thrilling, suspenseful-like moments, but not the scary, horror kind. In the end, and if you haven't felt this before you may not know what I mean, but in the end it felt like being emotionally cleansed.

The characters are well-rounded and easy to love, even when they're not. The sex scenes? Off the charts sizzling! Like seriously, super sizzle. The dialogue flows really well after you get past chapter one, or it may have been chapter two, I can't remember now.

And I must mention the handy little "this is the world you'll be entering" sort of primer that came before the story even began. I found it really helpful, as the rules for omega/alpha worlds can be very different from one author to the other. It was a great backgrounder.

My only warning would be to those who haven't disarmed their triggers yet because there's at least one in here that can be gut-punching if you haven't already healed from similar trauma. With that said, for me, it was worth the moments of discomfort because, as I said earlier, it felt emotionally cleansing in the end. Beautiful in a raw and real sort of way.

Okay, so, for me, I now need to go back and read the other books in this series and then check out what other books this author might have for me to demolish.

[Tab_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ 2-3🌶️
MOOD: emotional, hopeful
TROPES: forced proximity, hurt/comfort
GENRES: omegaverse, lgbtq+ romance
FAV QUOTE: But there's no harm in givin' a few animals a second chance. Everyone deserves a second chance.

MAIN CHARACTERS: Wren Compton and Russell (I didn't catch a last name)

THE GOOD: This is a good read. It does have heavier themes but finds a good balance. I also enjoyed the flip of expectations of traditional Alpha/Omega roles - it's not so far outsides of what is usual but was a nice take/change. Rus is patient with Wren where it seems most of the other people in his life aren't - even something as simple as letting him type on his phone to give him a chance to communicate. Wren might be a little bit of a mess but shows Rus that he doesn't need to be alone or lonely. While I would say the story is a medium pace, I devoured the book in 2 days. I think this is the first Kat Sinclair book I've read and this is the first book in the Venusverse I've read even though it's book 4. So I can say that it is in fact a standalone and I appreciated the Venusverse summary in the beginning of the book even though I have read Omegaverse before.
THE NEUTRAL: The ending feels a little abrupt. It's fine as far as lenght and the chapter that the story ends at but the actually last few paragraphs feel a little wishy-washy to me and like an unfinished thought.
THE MEH: There is a moment, that would spoiler-ish, but the characters are intimate and psychology is brought it and in just does not feel like the time or the place. Like, yes, this is a thing you should talk about - but maybe not when knots are involved.

CW: (based on the author's list) explicit adult scenes, trauma, child abuse/SA (past), drug abuse, mental health struggles, suicidal ideation, mentions of parental death, mentions of suicide
DISCLAIMER: I received an advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Bianca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars

I really loved this book and had such a hard time putting it down.

This was my first time reading this author’s work and I was genuinely impressed. Even though this is the fourth book in the series and I have not read the others yet, it works perfectly well as a true standalone. I never felt lost or like I was missing important context.

The Venusverse outline at the beginning was so appreciated. Omegaverse stories often vary slightly from author to author, so having that clear explanation of the universe and the ABO dynamics made everything so much easier to settle into. It really helped me understand the world from the start.

I absolutely loved Rus and Wren. They feel so different from other alphas and omegas I have read about, and that uniqueness was incredibly refreshing. Despite everything they go through, both together and separately, their connection feels solid from the beginning. There is something very natural about the way they support each other and quietly bring out the best in one another.

They were so sweet. Even with the more painful undertones in the story, the book never felt bleak or overly dark.

My only issue was the ending. It felt a little too quick for me, and I would have loved something more, maybe an epilogue set in the near or distant future. I just wanted to see them fully step into their happily ever after.

Overall, this was a solidly enjoyable read and I am very keen to dive into the rest of the Venusverse.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sara Irons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wren has been a mess for most of his life. He has suffered trauma that no one should ever have to suffer.

When Wren meets Russell, life takes on a different turn that possibly puts on the right path.

There are many triggers within this story so please read the trigger warnings on the beginning of the story before actually reading. There are also some steamy parts so therefore this book has an 18+ rating. The characters are done very well and the world building pulls you into their world.

I do wish there had been an epilogue at the end because it feels like a very open ended story. So it would have been nice to get a bit of closure.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jenya Cro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written hurt/comfort omegaverse story. Russ and Wrens story was heartbreaking and heartwarming, two very different characters both with trauma snowed in together with one bed and a fireplace. I thoroughly enjoyed the character and relationship progression though the story and Russ was a complete sweetheart.

This book has some very dark themes so please read the trigger warnings before reading, but if you are okay with them I highly recommend this book.

I received this book as an ARC copy but it is a completely honest review.

[Cory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confession: between downloading this book and opening it up to read it, I completely forgot what it was about so I was going in completely blind. That made me nervous, but this book was SO GOOD.
It's omegaverse with mpreg, but that is completely secondary to the story of hurt and healing. My heart hurt so much for Wren, and Rus was the absolute best. The scene with the bed and the fire? I cried AND almost cheered out loud.
This book deals with some very heavy subject matter, but it does so with sensitivity.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect winter time read! I loved this, the forced proximity, the new take on Alpha/Omega physicality (who doesn’t look a thicc man). I’m a fan of the venusverse series for this very reason, it adds something new, gritty and interesting to the genre. Rus was my favourite, he was such a sweetheart but I can honestly say there wasn’t a character I disliked. Overall, this was another stellar addition to Kat Sinclair’s Venusverse series 💜

Check it out if you like;
❄️Healing from Trauma
🐦‍⬛Forced proximity (snow storms)
💙Alpha/Omega
❄️ HEA
🐦‍⬛Heat Cycles

[Sooin Teran · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review
4/5 ⭐️
3.5/5 🌶️

Beautiful story ever!!!!
I love recovering stories with this kind of happy ending.

Russ is such a teddy bear

Wren is perfectly damaged for Russ pure heart. Their love is so pure and innocent.

The plot in the book is so good, the characters are very well described. The story is clearly written and well executed. Perfect amount of spice.

I recommend this book 10000%

I’ll put this author in my tbr.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it did a great job of addressing some really deep and serious issues. I do think the book could’ve been about 30-40 pages longer, as I felt there were a few things that weren’t completely resolved. Other than that, great book, totally recommend.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Annette✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4,5 stars ⭐️

Review to come

[Gina Roma · Rating 5 out of 5]

RTC love love loveee It!!!!