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The Winter Veil Trilogy #1
Crown of Frost
Touch her and die. That's the rule.
Isolde Alcott has worn her curse like armor for three years. The winter veil keeps everyone at arm's length, which is exactly where she needs them. As leader of the mortal rebellion, she's spent a decade planning to kill the vampire king who murdered her mother. She doesn't need softness. She doesn't need touch. She just needs him dead.
But ancient magic doesn't care what she needs.
When a coronation spell marks Isolde as the fated queen of Tiberian Holt, the very monster she's sworn to destroy, she's dragged into the Palace of Shadow with a countdown carved into her bones. Forty days to marry him. Forty days to consummate a bond she didn't choose. And if she refuses? Both realms collapse into nothing.
The magic is cruel in its it can sense pretense. She can't just endure his touch. She has to want it. And every day she resists, someone she loves dies in their sleep.
Touch him and betray everything she believes. Don't touch him, and watch her family die one by one.
Tiberian is nothing like she expected. His secrets run deeper than his sins, and his hands are gentle where they should be brutal. The mate bond pulls her closer with every passing night, and her traitorous body is starting to answer.
But some truths can shatter a woman more completely than any curse. And the proof she finds about her mother's death?
It will either save her or break her beyond repair.
Enemies-to-lovers. Forced proximity. Touch her and die... unless you're the one man she's sworn to kill.
🌙 For readers who enemies-to-lovers, angst, forced proximity, devotion, dark vampire kings, heroines who rise from victim to goddess, and found family.
Isolde Alcott has worn her curse like armor for three years. The winter veil keeps everyone at arm's length, which is exactly where she needs them. As leader of the mortal rebellion, she's spent a decade planning to kill the vampire king who murdered her mother. She doesn't need softness. She doesn't need touch. She just needs him dead.
But ancient magic doesn't care what she needs.
When a coronation spell marks Isolde as the fated queen of Tiberian Holt, the very monster she's sworn to destroy, she's dragged into the Palace of Shadow with a countdown carved into her bones. Forty days to marry him. Forty days to consummate a bond she didn't choose. And if she refuses? Both realms collapse into nothing.
The magic is cruel in its it can sense pretense. She can't just endure his touch. She has to want it. And every day she resists, someone she loves dies in their sleep.
Touch him and betray everything she believes. Don't touch him, and watch her family die one by one.
Tiberian is nothing like she expected. His secrets run deeper than his sins, and his hands are gentle where they should be brutal. The mate bond pulls her closer with every passing night, and her traitorous body is starting to answer.
But some truths can shatter a woman more completely than any curse. And the proof she finds about her mother's death?
It will either save her or break her beyond repair.
Enemies-to-lovers. Forced proximity. Touch her and die... unless you're the one man she's sworn to kill.
🌙 For readers who enemies-to-lovers, angst, forced proximity, devotion, dark vampire kings, heroines who rise from victim to goddess, and found family.
559 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 22, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 18, 2026
This book made one of the most unintentionally surreal narrative decisions I've ever encountered: Characters start referencing chapters.
Actual chapters.
“The ice storm in chapter eight,” he said quietly..."
What.
And then:
“Back in chapter twelve, in the Blood Gardens, when you said I could trust you with the broken parts. Is this what you were offering?"
WUT.
This book forced me to take a break.
Not from romantasy.
From reading.
And the worst part is: I was obsessed with the concept.
Girl out for revenge. Vampire king. Fated bond. Blood feuds. Entire families wiped out.
“They’d taken her mother, her father, her childhood. She’d taken their soldiers, their security, their sleep.”
Yes! That’s a 'strap in, this is going to hurt' setup.
Long story short: the realm has been queenless for 10 years. Spell is cast. Mark appears on our vengeful FMC, Isolde. It's under her clothes so no one can see it. Tiberian, vampire king, has the same mark. Also covered by his clothing. Therefore, marriage because the realm requires a queen.
I have questions.
Why is a queen necessary?
And why is the chosen candidate (the ONLY candidate) a human rebel leader currently imprisoned for killing 50 vampires?
Why is everyone okay with romantasy Cotton Hill presiding over them??
Is no one quietly regretting being born in this kingdom?
It's like everyone's collectively like, “This plan don’t make a lick of sense, but we’re doin’ it anyway.”
Then the confidently incorrect and violently inconsistent timeline arrives.
The bond between Isolde and Tiberian must be consummated within 40 days (page 15) or the realm collapses.
Okay. We're establishing stakes. Great.
Then it becomes 5 days (page 74). Except 35 days have not passed. It's been more like 2 and a half.
Then they have 10 days until consummation (page 81).
Then 3 days (page 153).
Then suddenly they have a month to go (page 225).
Then 23 days have passed since the spell (page 316).
Then 14 days until sexy time (page 325).
And I stopped tracking it because the book had clearly stopped believing in time as a concept.
And then we get to repetition.
The word trauma, or variations of it, appears 103 times. She also processes that trauma 211 times.
She's traumatised. She's processing. Shes processing trauma. She's traumatised while processing.
And since this is romantasy, you'd expect the romance to step up and carry the book.
It doesn’t.
There’s not even spice to break the stagnation. Not even a little tension or pining.
And then chapter 9 opens with: “She was naked in Tiberian’s arms.” 😭
The imagery loops like a broken record.
“Gold and silver light tangling together, creating patterns that looked like frost and shadow” (age 323)
“gold and silver light creating patterns that looked like frost and shadow merged” (page 353)
“An intricate design of frost and shadow” (page 13)
“Frost and shadow still swirling around them” (page 342)
It's like someone repeating the same story four different ways because they forgot they already told it.
By the end, I wasn’t invested in whether Isolde and Tiberian completed their bond. I think they did? I dunno. I just wanted it to be over 😩
Actual chapters.
“The ice storm in chapter eight,” he said quietly..."
What.
And then:
“Back in chapter twelve, in the Blood Gardens, when you said I could trust you with the broken parts. Is this what you were offering?"
WUT.
This book forced me to take a break.
Not from romantasy.
From reading.
And the worst part is: I was obsessed with the concept.
Girl out for revenge. Vampire king. Fated bond. Blood feuds. Entire families wiped out.
“They’d taken her mother, her father, her childhood. She’d taken their soldiers, their security, their sleep.”
Yes! That’s a 'strap in, this is going to hurt' setup.
Long story short: the realm has been queenless for 10 years. Spell is cast. Mark appears on our vengeful FMC, Isolde. It's under her clothes so no one can see it. Tiberian, vampire king, has the same mark. Also covered by his clothing. Therefore, marriage because the realm requires a queen.
I have questions.
Why is a queen necessary?
And why is the chosen candidate (the ONLY candidate) a human rebel leader currently imprisoned for killing 50 vampires?
Why is everyone okay with romantasy Cotton Hill presiding over them??
Is no one quietly regretting being born in this kingdom?
It's like everyone's collectively like, “This plan don’t make a lick of sense, but we’re doin’ it anyway.”
Then the confidently incorrect and violently inconsistent timeline arrives.
The bond between Isolde and Tiberian must be consummated within 40 days (page 15) or the realm collapses.
Okay. We're establishing stakes. Great.
Then it becomes 5 days (page 74). Except 35 days have not passed. It's been more like 2 and a half.
Then they have 10 days until consummation (page 81).
Then 3 days (page 153).
Then suddenly they have a month to go (page 225).
Then 23 days have passed since the spell (page 316).
Then 14 days until sexy time (page 325).
And I stopped tracking it because the book had clearly stopped believing in time as a concept.
And then we get to repetition.
The word trauma, or variations of it, appears 103 times. She also processes that trauma 211 times.
She's traumatised. She's processing. Shes processing trauma. She's traumatised while processing.
And since this is romantasy, you'd expect the romance to step up and carry the book.
It doesn’t.
There’s not even spice to break the stagnation. Not even a little tension or pining.
And then chapter 9 opens with: “She was naked in Tiberian’s arms.” 😭
The imagery loops like a broken record.
“Gold and silver light tangling together, creating patterns that looked like frost and shadow” (age 323)
“gold and silver light creating patterns that looked like frost and shadow merged” (page 353)
“An intricate design of frost and shadow” (page 13)
“Frost and shadow still swirling around them” (page 342)
It's like someone repeating the same story four different ways because they forgot they already told it.
By the end, I wasn’t invested in whether Isolde and Tiberian completed their bond. I think they did? I dunno. I just wanted it to be over 😩
March 11, 2026
Absolute waste of time. I wish i could give it no stars. DNF 💯. This has to be written by AI.
April 29, 2026
Horrible, horrible book
This is absolutely terrible. The same thing is repeated over and over again, almost verbatim. There are parts where they discuss things that happened in previous chapters and use, "(Insert event) that happened in chapter (insert chapter number)." I *never* post a review under 3 stars, but this.....this I wish I could zero stars. It, honestly, kind of comes off as AI hogwash. Don't do it. Trust me. It's horrible.
This is absolutely terrible. The same thing is repeated over and over again, almost verbatim. There are parts where they discuss things that happened in previous chapters and use, "(Insert event) that happened in chapter (insert chapter number)." I *never* post a review under 3 stars, but this.....this I wish I could zero stars. It, honestly, kind of comes off as AI hogwash. Don't do it. Trust me. It's horrible.
February 16, 2026
beginning of the book was great, but if feels like the rest of the book was not edited or beta read. I think the idea of this book is a good one but on execution it left something to be desired.
June 23, 2026
What was setup to be a great book right up my alley was lost in translation between outline, draft, proofing, and editing. How?When? Where? And Why? Do my beloved characters among the vast book universe start realizing they are in books and start referring to previous chapters specifically and especially in direct dialog. I rarely ever decide to not finish a series but I just can't please send it back to editing and produce me the book I knew it could have been.
February 4, 2026
I’m actually really upset this is the first book I have ever DNF’d… this actually started out super promising, even now I’m like “this could have been such a good story” BUT this author either didn’t have any proof reading or editing OR this is AI written because not only is it super repetitive but the time lines make no sense! In the beginning it says 40day to consummate the marriage or the realm collapses and in the mean time people that she loves will die until then, then the time line started getting a little funky in between meetings with the council just mistypes 2 days turns into 3 or a tomorrow meeting then states it’s in 2 days things I could look over but THEN I get to about 40% of the book and 10 days have passed, which means they’d have 30 days left or the whole realm collapses, right? NOPE the counsel decides they have 30 more days and they’ll reasses and then extend them time as necessary… this just completely broke the entire plot! I’m actually super annoyed because this book has sooo much promise but the time line being the entire plot then it being super off just completely ruins the entire book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2026
Everyone says it's Ai, but this amount of bad writing can only come from a person. The idea was great, I really wanted to know what happens but the repetition was deadly. So I won't be reading further because I need time to rationalize, I need time to figure out what I'm feeling without feeling everything, I need time to process, and maybe just maybe I might heal and figure it all out.
April 8, 2026
What on earth happened?? it was going so well!
DNF AT 22%
22% mark it just went down, yes it wasn’t shakespeare writing from the get go but how could it go so badly so quickly. I thought there would be more world building but there wasn’t. Seriously debating whether this was written by AI, it’s so sad as the premise was amazing but the execution was lacklustre.
DNF AT 22%
22% mark it just went down, yes it wasn’t shakespeare writing from the get go but how could it go so badly so quickly. I thought there would be more world building but there wasn’t. Seriously debating whether this was written by AI, it’s so sad as the premise was amazing but the execution was lacklustre.
April 8, 2026
this was painful to get through..
first off, this was way too long. So many things were over-described or repeated heavily extending the book for no need. There wasn't actually much to the plot, even if it wasn't so long, I would say that not much really happened in the book. It took place over such a short time and did not need to be stretched out as much as it was.
second, the same arguments, or points, or thoughts were displayed out the exact same ways multiple times in the story. they just kept having the same inner thoughts over and over again, it was so repetitive. Whilst they came to conclusions, the next time it was like the last time didn't even happen. For example, she repeatedly says she doesn't hate him, but it seems to be a whole new revelation to her each time she says it.
Finally, she is just irritating. She can't move on, can't see obvious conclusions or get over it, even when she learns that she was wrong, she doesn't do anything or even try to change.
Yeah, I just did not enjoy this. It was hard to read, and to be honest, at times I thought the plot was kind of gross, especially with how much it leaned into her really not wanting to do what she had to do, and yet she was forced to do it anyway. yeah no.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
first off, this was way too long. So many things were over-described or repeated heavily extending the book for no need. There wasn't actually much to the plot, even if it wasn't so long, I would say that not much really happened in the book. It took place over such a short time and did not need to be stretched out as much as it was.
second, the same arguments, or points, or thoughts were displayed out the exact same ways multiple times in the story. they just kept having the same inner thoughts over and over again, it was so repetitive. Whilst they came to conclusions, the next time it was like the last time didn't even happen. For example, she repeatedly says she doesn't hate him, but it seems to be a whole new revelation to her each time she says it.
Finally, she is just irritating. She can't move on, can't see obvious conclusions or get over it, even when she learns that she was wrong, she doesn't do anything or even try to change.
Yeah, I just did not enjoy this. It was hard to read, and to be honest, at times I thought the plot was kind of gross, especially with how much it leaned into her really not wanting to do what she had to do, and yet she was forced to do it anyway. yeah no.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 15, 2026
Isolde (FMC) is a human and she is fated to a vampire Tiberian (MMC). The problem is that she has to mate with him in order to seal their mate bound. Isolde refuses because how can she mate with someone whom she’s hated for years and killed her mom? Every day that passes that their bond is not sealed someone in their realm dies.
This book honestly started out super promising, but it ended up being super repetitive. Just repeating the same thing over and over and over again. Also, the time line made no sense. They have a deadline that they must mate before time runs out and the realm collapses. Part way through when they think time is running out the council gives them an extension…. How can they have an extension when there is a deadline? Also, every few pages it’s just repeats how Tiberian killed her mom and she detests him.
This book honestly started out super promising, but it ended up being super repetitive. Just repeating the same thing over and over and over again. Also, the time line made no sense. They have a deadline that they must mate before time runs out and the realm collapses. Part way through when they think time is running out the council gives them an extension…. How can they have an extension when there is a deadline? Also, every few pages it’s just repeats how Tiberian killed her mom and she detests him.
February 26, 2026
going in circles
The story goes in circles over and over. Facts change from one chapter to the next. The words “trauma” and “processing” are used so much that I started skipping paragraphs when I saw either word. Time lines change, conversations between Tiberius and Valencia, will repeat in the next chapter with Tiberius and Isolde, then in the next chapter with Isolde and someone else. Also locations change from one character to the next when it is supposed to be continuing from the last chapter (I.e in her room, then suddenly in a different room).
One chapter states she physically cannot kill him, but says otherwise later. In one chapter it states they cannot be apart or it will be agony, then says otherwise later.
With a good editor the story would be good.
The story goes in circles over and over. Facts change from one chapter to the next. The words “trauma” and “processing” are used so much that I started skipping paragraphs when I saw either word. Time lines change, conversations between Tiberius and Valencia, will repeat in the next chapter with Tiberius and Isolde, then in the next chapter with Isolde and someone else. Also locations change from one character to the next when it is supposed to be continuing from the last chapter (I.e in her room, then suddenly in a different room).
One chapter states she physically cannot kill him, but says otherwise later. In one chapter it states they cannot be apart or it will be agony, then says otherwise later.
With a good editor the story would be good.
February 17, 2026
I had high hopes for this one, but it failed. The whole book was repeating the same plot points, over & over. Every other piece of dialogue was repeating too.. “fear of.., fear of…, fear of” or “love should.., love should…, love should”. I don’t know how to describe it. 60% though I had to start skimming because I was reading the same thing. Also, enemies to lovers? Where was the “enemy” part? It just drops us into her capture with an explanation of “she hunts vampires” & he was all “what do you need” from the beginning.
Did Not Finish
July 1, 2026I honestly really wanted to like this book when I first started it, but there’s just a few things wrong with it that can’t be overlooked.
There’s phrases and sentences that are repeated more than 5x and that’s within the first 40% of the book only, I stopped keeping track.
Then it’s facts/details that change or are reassigned randomly to another character and deadlines that are supposed to be “cosmically enforced” that suddenly are extended because the council said so.
I think this book has a lot of potential, but it’s just not for me with the above.
There’s phrases and sentences that are repeated more than 5x and that’s within the first 40% of the book only, I stopped keeping track.
Then it’s facts/details that change or are reassigned randomly to another character and deadlines that are supposed to be “cosmically enforced” that suddenly are extended because the council said so.
I think this book has a lot of potential, but it’s just not for me with the above.
February 9, 2026
4 stars ⭐️
Isolde (FMC) is a human and she is fated to a vampire Tiberian (MMC). Only problem is that she has to mate with him in order to seal their mate bound. How can she do this when Tiberian killed Isolde’s mother. Every day that passes that their bond is not sealed someone in their realm dies. Tension is tight and the fate of the realms rest on Isolde’s hands. Definitely Recommend this paranormal romance
Isolde (FMC) is a human and she is fated to a vampire Tiberian (MMC). Only problem is that she has to mate with him in order to seal their mate bound. How can she do this when Tiberian killed Isolde’s mother. Every day that passes that their bond is not sealed someone in their realm dies. Tension is tight and the fate of the realms rest on Isolde’s hands. Definitely Recommend this paranormal romance
May 30, 2026
The biggest problem with Crown of Frost is that the FMC is perpetually stuck on the same obstacle—she never moves beyond it. Instead of evolving or overcoming, she just spirals back into the same doubts and mistakes, which drained all the momentum. By the time I put the book down, I realized I was just re-reading the same cycle of frustration—no growth, no payoff. Sadly, I couldn’t finish this one.
August 12, 2026
I choked through 30% of the book, which really just repeats the same 2 conversation lines over and over
"You killed my mom, so I'm required to keep hating you"
"I know, and you should keep hating me"
The same exact story plot happens like every chapter, and the "curse" that has been happening to the fmc since the beginning of the story is almost complete, still no explanation where it came from, and suddenly it's just her transforming into a vampire? I finally just had to stop reading
"You killed my mom, so I'm required to keep hating you"
"I know, and you should keep hating me"
The same exact story plot happens like every chapter, and the "curse" that has been happening to the fmc since the beginning of the story is almost complete, still no explanation where it came from, and suddenly it's just her transforming into a vampire? I finally just had to stop reading
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2026
DNF. I decided to DNF this book after about 10% of the way through because it was just too slow for me. I didn’t feel a connection with the characters and I didn’t feel a chemistry between them. I like something that’s a little less heavy with all the world building. I don’t know. I just wasn’t feeling it.
June 1, 2026
Was gonna stick it out but then realized it’s a trilogy and I just can’t. The reader is told the same things over and over again… like even in the span of a single chapter it’s redundant. I like the idea of the story but struggled with the writing… also the FMC’s name is weird and I kept saying it differently in my head every time I read it and that was getting annoying.
January 13, 2026
I thought the book started off great. It was intense and interesting, but 30% of the way through, it started to feel repetitive. Both main characters were basically saying and thinking similar things. I thought the book could have been shorter. This ends in a cliffhanger. 3.5 stars
April 11, 2026
Terribly written by AI. Constantly repeating itself and also contradicting. Referring back to things that happen in previous chapters by saying “…in chapter eight”. Such a shame as it had a promising premise.
March 6, 2026
DNF
it's like the author feels it necessary to say the same thing 3 or 5 different ways before moving to the next thing.
it's like the author feels it necessary to say the same thing 3 or 5 different ways before moving to the next thing.
May 23, 2026
falls flat
I wanted to like this book. However, it was confusing, repetitive, disjointed, and needs major editing. The story line is inconsistent.
I wanted to like this book. However, it was confusing, repetitive, disjointed, and needs major editing. The story line is inconsistent.
May 25, 2026
Horrible
I wish I could give 0 stars. Normally I would only give the stars but this one deserved a proper review. The female character is the most frustrating and selfish I have ever read. The progress in this book is myth slow. I had to skip to the end just to get to write a review. I do not recommend.
I wish I could give 0 stars. Normally I would only give the stars but this one deserved a proper review. The female character is the most frustrating and selfish I have ever read. The progress in this book is myth slow. I had to skip to the end just to get to write a review. I do not recommend.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews