Hearts Entangled In Winter's Fury (Haunted Darkness Of Our Ruin trilogy) MAIN EDITION BOOK 1

by Donna Kessler

THIS IS MAIN EDITION AND WILL BE THE ONLY PUBLISHED EDITION OF HEARTS ENTANGLED IN WINTER'S FURY FROM HERE ON.

He is her enemy, the beginning of her ruin. She is his maddening obsession, and he is haunted by her. Together, they collide in a cosmic explosion, a blurred canvas of fury and passion.

Two souls are bound by a history of hatred that runs as deep as the scars it left behind. Amelia and Caiden, once childhood enemies, have spent years wrestling with the demons of their shared past. She, burdened by trauma that shadows her every step; he, a vessel of his father's rage, reflecting a bitterness that has festered far too long.

7 years after graduation, their paths cross once more during a wilderness retreat in Colorado, igniting an eruptive mix of resentment and unresolved tension. But when a sudden accident leaves them stranded in the unforgiving wild, survival demands an unlikely alliance. In a landscape where nature is as harsh as their memories, they must confront not only the physical challenges of the terrain but also the emotional turmoil that has haunted them for years. In doing so, they risk being ripped apart by the anger that consumes them.

Yet, amidst the heart-stopping perils of the wilderness, moments of vulnerability begin to unravel the walls they’ve built. Through heated confrontations and unexpected revelations, they discover an unsettling truth: love and hatred are often two sides of the same coin.

This is a slow burn dark romance, childhood enemies to lovers. BOOK 1 in trilogy. It is psychological, emotional, trauma-heavy, explicit mature scenes and language, angsty, aching, and gut-wrenchingly heartbreaking. Themes of rage, dark obsession, hate, parental addiction, grief, survival, trauma. HEAVY inner conflict as well as occasional explicit spice.

This series portrays the ugly pain of being human. How we make mistakes, break down, make the wrong choice, give into things like destruction, anger, revenge, darkness, desire, self-sabotage, ache.
It is enemies to friends to lovers. But, it is emotionally raw, dark, painful, angsty, tense, psychological and will tug and tear at your heart. Read with caution. It portrays how we can become conditioned to feel a certain way, how it is rooted in our bones from childhood, and how it is a long painful struggle to pull ourselves out of that conditioned state, to come back to our core self.
For Amelia and Caiden, it is a slow burn process. They must learn to heal from deep rooted wounds and conditioned mindsets learned from their parents in order for them to overcome their long standing hatred for each other. They will either let their hatred and anger crumble into ashes, or it will tear them apart. Their slow burn progress will span out over three books.
Their hatred is real, it’s raw, it’s powerful and all-consuming.
Their eventual passion for each other is on the same level. Old hatred and new passion will clash, they must decide which one will win.
This book is the first in the series. It has three parts. Part one is during high school in senior year, highlighting the breaking point of their hatred, anger, grief and need for revenge. Part two is in Caiden’s first person pov, conveying his side of it and the abusive conditioning that led to him being hateful, violent and filled with rage. Part three is in the present, seven years later. Continuing in Amelia and Caiden’s first person pov.

700 pages, Paperback

First published May 25, 2025

About the author

Hi! I'm a 25 year old reader and writer. I started getting into reading when I was 7. Started writing when I was 9. I enjoy dark romance, horror, poetry, psychological reads and emotional/angsty romances. (the darker, the better.)
Other hobbies: painting, hiking, photography. I have a dog, I enjoy psychology and history.

I am author of HEARTS ENTANGLED IN WINTER'S FURY.
(NEW REVIEWERS: EDITION PUBLISHED IN 2025 IS NO LONGER RELEVANT. PLEASE REVIEW NEW EDITION BEING PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 16TH 2026)

Reviews

[Soha Amer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hearts Entangled in Winter’s Fury – Review

Hearts Entangled in Winter’s Fury is a deeply emotional and gripping enemies-to-lovers romance that blends raw vulnerability with intense passion and survival drama. The story follows Amelia and Caiden, whose shared past is steeped in pain, resentment, and unresolved tension. Years after graduation, a chance reunion at a wilderness retreat in Colorado reignites old wounds—and forces them into an impossible situation when they’re left stranded in unforgiving terrain together. 

What truly sets this book apart is the way it explores the thin line between hatred and love. Kessler doesn’t shy away from the emotional scars that haunt both characters; instead, she uses the brutal landscape as a mirror for their internal struggles. Amelia’s trauma and Caiden’s bitterness are balanced with moments of vulnerability that feel honest and powerful. 

As they battle the elements and their own demons, the chemistry between them shifts from antagonistic to achingly real. The pacing blends high-stakes danger with quiet, tender moments that allow their connection to deepen organically. This duality—fire and frost, passion and pain—makes the story feel cinematic and emotionally resonant. 

Filled with lyrical prose and heart-tugging character growth, Hearts Entangled in Winter’s Fury is a compelling redemption romance that proves sometimes the fiercest loves come from the deepest wounds.

[Tabitha Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book wrecked me in the best ways. It is very dark so please check the trigger warnings! To be completely honest, I didn’t think this book was for me at first. Every time I walked away from it, I found myself thinking of the characters and replaying what I had read. I was hooked. This is so much deeper than “dark romance.” I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with more complex characters. In part 1, I loathed Caiden. I couldn’t understand how he could be redeemed in any capacity. Then came part 2 and I cried over this fictional man and the horrors that his dad unleashed on him. It made perfect sense. I had a love hate relationship with both characters in part 3 but they were exactly what the other needed to keep them sane during the traumatic events. I never saw the kidnapping coming! That was a crazy twist. After reading nonstop smut with little plot (which I also love) it’s refreshing to read something with so much depth. I love this book and cannot wait for book 2!

[Brianne Hersey · Rating 5 out of 5]

im going to start off by saying this book put me through the ringer with all the emotions I went through while reading.

if you're looking for a book that will break you, then definitely read this. its so well written that I felt all the emotions and I wanted to reach through the book and get revenge for the main characters.

[Danielle Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book follows the emotional and toxic relationship between Amelia and Caiden. This heart wrenching story of abuse and neglect is so well constructed and not overdone. There are a lot of twists and turns in this story that I did not see coming. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series

[Olivia Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC READER REVIEW
I just finished Hearts Entangled in Winter’s Fury and I’m honestly still sitting in that post-book haze where you feel wrung out but you also can’t stop thinking about certain scenes. My heart breaks for Amelia and Caiden.
What surprised me most is how much of this book is about damage and survival, not just romance. Amelia’s POV has this trapped, braced-for-impact feeling that made me instantly protective of her. And Caiden… Caiden is complicated in the way dark romance characters should be. He’s not written to be easily lovable. He’s written to be dangerous, conditioned, angry, and obsessed in a way that’s unsettling, and the book doesn’t pretend that’s romantic perfection. It’s messy. It’s uncomfortable at times. It’s also very hard to look away from.
And then when the story shifts and you get more of what’s going on underneath him? It didn’t hit me as an excuse, it hit me as context. Like, oh. That’s why he’s like this. Not “forgive him,” just “this is the monster-making machine that built him.” That made the entire dynamic feel darker, sadder, and way more layered than I expected going in. You start to see how a person becomes an angry hateful mess, and how hard it is to stop being one when that is all you have ever been.

The atmosphere is also a huge part of why this worked for me. The book feels cold. Not just because of the title/winter vibe, but because the tone has this constant sense of dread, like something bad is always circling. It’s one of those reads where you keep going because you need to know what happens, but you’re also like: I don’t know if this is going to hurt me or heal me.
The story is split into three parts. It starts in senior year, when everything feels angry and breakable. Then we get Caiden’s POV, which genuinely matters because it changes how you read so many earlier moments. After that it jumps to the present, seven years later, where the consequences feel intense, the tension is burning, and the past is not something they can outrun.
The enemies to lovers in this is not cute. It feels like war between the two characters. Probably one of the best contemporary enemies to lovers I’ve ever read! So many become lovers right away or forgive too soon, this book is not it! It takes a long time for them to even start acknowledging their attraction for each other, and the forgiveness especially on Amelia’s part is a messy kind because of how much happened in the past with her and Caiden.
Seven years later, the tension is not the teenage kind. It is the kind that comes from history, from things that happened and cannot be taken back, and from attraction that feels like a problem neither of them wants to admit to. There are times the writing leans into that push and pull of instinct, boundaries, memory, shame, and want.
What I appreciated is that the chemistry does not show up as instant forgiveness. It’s not soft. It’s not “awww.” It’s that vibe of I hate you / I don’t trust you / I need you / I don’t need you and it builds in a way that actually makes sense for two people with a past that tragic. There were parts that made me pause mid-page because I could feel the mess coming.

This book is lyrical in a dark way. There is a lot of vivid sensory detail, a lot of emotion on the page, and a constant winter-heavy, grief-heavy atmosphere. It is angsty and psychological. It’s not just about smut, though there were some spicy scenes, it really went in depth to the emotions, relationship and backstories.

Please read the content warnings
I cannot say this enough. Check the trigger warnings. This book includes heavy themes like parental addiction and abuse, sexual assault that Amelia experiences with a minor character (though there aren’t “gory triggering details”, the author wrote it in a way where you truly feel Amelia’s emotion, without the icky specific details of it)
It’s definitely a dark romance, especially because of the dark things the characters go through!

I’ll definitely keep an eye out for book 2! Because it feels like a real slow burn, not in a “will they hold hands” way, but in a “can these two people crawl out of what shaped them without destroying each other” way. I finished it feeling like I just watched the first part of a long storm roll in.
If you want dark romance enemies to lovers that feels emotionally raw, heavy on trauma and resentments, childhood wounds and fueled by tension that could either turn into love or burn everything down, this delivers. Just go in informed, not blind.
The author said this would emotionally wreck its readers and leave us wanting more. It truly did that.
There were times I hated Amelia and loved Caiden. There were times I hated Caiden and loved Amelia. There were times i hated both and then loved both. But in the end, you truly feel connected with both characters and to their emotions and dynamic. They both go through so much and at the end of the day, I can validate how they acted at times in the book.
Their action and dialogue is super realistic to their trauma and emotional scars they’ve endured.
I applaud the author for writing such an emotional and dark masterpiece.
This book was very emotional in a dark way. I’ll admit I even cried during a few scenes. I can’t wait for more!

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am mind blown. I tore through this book. I felt so much at once. This was one of those reads that pulls you into the characters’ heads and does not let you stay comfortable. It is heavy, emotional, and messy in a way that felt intentional, not performative.

The plot centers on Amelia trying to keep herself together while grief is eating at her from the inside out, and the town, the school, and her own memories all keep pressing on the pain. The way her loss is written hit me, not just as backstory, but as something that shows up in her choices, her reactions, the way she talks to herself, the way she tries to act fine when she is clearly not. And then there is Caiden. Their history is not cute. The rage and hate is bitter and personal, and I appreciated that the story does not soften it to make it easier to ship them. I spent a good chunk of this book muttering “you asshole” at him, which is exactly how it should feel when enemies actually means enemies. He definitely redeemed himself though.
There were some things in part 2 that were definitely heavy and made me wonder why the author included it, but I’m glad I kept reading. I see now what the author meant in her “for readers” note: That emotions like hate, rage, grief, trauma can make someone make self destructive and bad mistakes. It’s what makes us human and that’s what this book is all about. The pain and suffering of being human.

What made it work for me is how the tension is not just attraction. It is resentment, guilt, fear, pride, and that awful push and pull where you want to run and also cannot stop looking. Some of the strongest scenes were the moments where you can feel a shift even when neither of them wants to admit it, the moments where Amelia’s voice cracks internally but she still keeps going, the moments where Caiden’s mask slips for half a second and you realize there is something uglier underneath than simple cruelty. I also loved the side dynamics, especially how other relationships in Amelia’s orbit add pressure and stakes instead of feeling like filler. Like Lillian. That side story was tragic. But I get why it felt necessary to add it in

The author advertised this book as slow burn dark romance childhood enemies to lovers and she definitely delivered. Not quite like a lot of dark romances I’ve read where it’s all smut and kinky stuff but it goes more in depth into dark experiences.
They don’t even become lovers by the end of book 1, which I loved. Though in part 1, there are a few hateful spice scenes between Amelia and Caiden, but I don’t think it took away from the slow burn! I saw another reviewer mention that too but I can understand why the author felt it was necessary to include it. Those scenes felt more like hate and rage rather than love. Seems like that’s what the author meant, how we are built to make mistakes and fall into things that we know are harmful. (Like Amelia learning bad habits from her drug addict mother)
There’s a line that I loved a lot and I feel truly explained Amelia’s questionable actions:

“ I was the architect of my own corruption. I watched the world burn and then poured accelerant on the ashes, desperate for a heat that could cauterize the wound where Lillian had been.
I’d let Caiden touch me. Let him use me, even for a second, and it was a humiliation so vast it eclipsed even the grave.
I wish it were simpler. We give in too easily to the things that are poison, chasing the need to feel better, to forget the pain. Even if that thing we give into would inevitably destroy us. Even if, on some level of subconsciousness, we hate the thing we are falling into.
When the fire fades, that’s all we have left, the darkness and the ache.
I had been gutted and hollowed and left to marinate in my own rot, and in the end, there was nothing but this: The stillness after a disaster, the silence that rings in the skull when the sirens are gone and all the screaming has burned itself out.”

Poor Amelia goes through so much. But Caiden goes through a lot too, and we see why he does the things that he does in part 2 during his pov. She told me in her arc email that everything would eventually make sense and it certainly did! Though, some things were very tragic and hard to take in when I initially read it. Caiden did some questionable actions in part 1 that made me almost stop reading. But his backstory helped me understand

It is dark and intense, and it does not pretend healing is quick or clean. Can’t wait for the second book! Amelia and Caiden deserve their happy ending

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most emotional and complex dark romances I have read (other than the edge of darkness trilogy). I couldn’t stop reading, I was completely absorbed into Caiden and Amelia’s story and their emotions. Their relationship is truly heartbreaking and darkly tragic. Caiden grows up with an alcoholic abusive father and learns to be filled with violence, hatred and cruelty from a young age. Because of a sinful secret between their families, it is literally beaten into him that Amelia is to be hated. I did not like Caiden in part 1 mainly due to how cruel he could be, but by part 2 I knew I found my new fictional book boyfriend. Caiden wants to be good and loved but all he knows is violence, so he is cruel to the one girl who he once held affection for. And Amelia’s life is so heartbreaking too. I cried for them. She grows up with a drug addict mother and no father since he abandoned them. She endures abuse from her mother, she feels isolated and numb and angry, and endures Caiden's cruelty. But there’s also some sort of connection between them. A sort of hunger that’s overruled by hate and rage. I could see that in the few minor spicy scenes in part 1. They hate each other so much to where it mimics the passion, but it’s a raging passion.
It got even better by part 3. Amelia and Caiden are stranded in the wilderness together in the present time. I am glad the author included their backstory in senior year in part 1, and caidens backstory chapters in part 2 because their relationship and hatred made more sense once I got to part 3.
I was not disappointed with the tension. There was so much tension, bickering, resentment, hatred etc. between them. The author didn’t lie when she said it was slow burn.
I loveeee a good enemies to lovers where they don’t become lovers right away. Amelia and Caiden made sure their hatred was clear. But those moments in the wilderness where Caiden protects Amelia?? My heart! 😫😫
Caiden, despite his conditioned hatred, knows he needs to keep her alive and help her even though he himself is exhausted and terrified. They come together in a beautiful slow burn way. There’s lack of trust at first and Amelia really fights Caiden on everything he says and does. But they slowly start realizing that they need each other, and that shift felt so earned. It is not instant forgiveness, not insta-love, not even close. It is messy, suspicious, and sometimes they are still saying the cruelest things while their actions start telling the truth first. The survival aspect had me stressed. The cold, the hunger, the fear, the way exhaustion strips them down to their rawest selves. And watching Caiden fight his own nature, fight what he was taught, fight that ugly voice in his head that says she is the enemy, just to keep her breathing? That hit me right in the chest. Amelia is not a weak FMC either. She is furious, stubborn, and traumatized in a way that makes her sharp around the edges, and I loved that she doesn’t just melt because he has a protective moment. She makes him prove it.

The author did such a good job with the “fine line between hate and hunger” theme, because you can feel how they confuse it, fear it, crave it, and resent it all at once. It is brilliantly dark because it does not sugarcoat how trauma warps people, how conditioning sinks into your bones, and how love does not magically undo years of damage. The pacing worked for me because every part added something that mattered. Part 1 shows the breaking point, part 2 makes you understand the monster that was made, and part 3 is where everything collides and you finally see the connection under all that ruin.
I also really appreciated that this book is dark because dark things happen, not because it is trying to be edgy for shock value. It is heavy and emotional and there are scenes that are hard to read, so absolutely check trigger warnings if you need to, but if you can handle dark romance with real pain behind it, this one delivers. By the end, I was fully wrecked in the best way. I had that feeling like I had lived inside their misery and their tiny moments of softness felt like oxygen. Five stars, no question. Caiden and Amelia are the kind of couple that hurts to read about because you want to reach through the pages and save them, but you also cannot look away. I am obsessed and I need the next book immediately. Best dark romance ever. The characters are so incredibly complex everything is perfectly in depth. Her prose is insanely good too. Dark, vivid and soo moving. Like poetry and fiction blended together.

[Lucy Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc reader review 📖

I just finished Hearts Entangled in Winter’s Fury and I am so pleased with how this book was written. It is so heavy and dark, much darker than I expected it to be. There are dark themes relating to trauma, abuse, grief, suicide, anger and so on. It follows two characters who have both been broken and damaged by tragedy and trauma. Amelia and Caiden grew up as childhood enemies. Both conditioned to hate each other, to believe that they are each other’s enemy. I love how the author tied everything together in each part so I could fully understand their hatred, inner conflict and background. It made the “enemies” part so much more intense and emotional for me.

Part 1 resembled Amelia’s “breaking point” taking place in senior year. It highlights her broken family home with a drug addict mother and constantly dealing with Caiden, a cruel boy who has taken an interest in making her life miserable. Their hate is incredibly raw and authentic. The author doesn’t soften any of it, and because of that, the emotions hit harder. You can feel how grief and neglect rot into anger, and how anger turns into self-destruction, even when you know it is going to cost them.

Part 2 switching into Caiden’s POV was exactly what I needed because it adds so much context to his behavior and the abusive conditioning that shaped him. I understood him more, and it made the push and pull between them feel painfully real instead of forced.

And Part 3, set in the present seven years later, completely escalates the tension and stakes. Watching them get stripped down to survival, old wounds, and the raw truth of what they have always been to each other had me glued to the pages. The relationship is messy, consuming, and complicated in the best way. Also, if you are going into this expecting a neat enemies-to-lovers wrap-up, do not. This is a true slow burn and they do not become lovers by the end of book one. I knew that going into it, but was still sad to have to wait until book 2 for more!

Please check the trigger warnings before reading because this book does not hold back. I’m genuinely so excited to continue this series and I already need book two in my hands. It is the right amount of dark, aching, emotional and deeply psychological. Though, there were a lot of pages, I personally was not turned off by it. In fact, I made me even more pulled into the complexities of their story and relationship. I was immersed into the minds and emotions of Amelia and Caiden, so much to where I truly wept during some scenes. The way she wrote this story had emotionally wrecked me completely. Also I like how they stayed enemies for a long while in book. It was so well written and I could really feel their hatred and anger towards each other. And the tension they had while stranded in the Colorado wilderness together.
Her writing is some of the most beautifully dark prose I’ve seen, she pulls you into their story and inner turmoil.
The dark romance part is only half of the book, the other half revolves around the wounds, tragedy and trauma of these two characters who are pulled apart then forcibly pulled together. It’s how they eventually realize they are what the other needs out there in the wild despite their old wounds and long-standing hatred

[Veiled In Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is everything you wouldn’t expect in a good way.
The way Donna captured the hate that you never see in a book, or the chemistry that you think is going to make this story turn but hits you in the gut with the hatred that you feel during scenes. Donna captures emotions within her writing that I went through and couldn’t put into words myself. She had me reflecting my trauma as a teen.

Amelia is innocent and yet powerful, standing up for herself and her family. Even though her mother is no good and her sister is a dropout. The way she had only one person she could lean on but also that person was friends with her enemy from childhood. I saw myself in Amelia due to her relationship with her mother of being told I was one thing even if not true, I felt hate for her moms character and I saw myself living through her eyes (Which is a first for me)

Caiden was conditioned to hurt this poor girl due to his own damn father’s life. Caiden just as innocent, endured hatred and abuse from his father from fucking up his whole and own life with someone close to Amelia. Caiden having to hurt this poor girl day after day and the going home to live his own nightmare to make his father happy.

You see them battle through their own journeys together and separate, you want to root for them when they have their moments together but then you want to scream for Amelia to get away but then you get captured into their beautiful realization that their chemistry together is burning but so is their lives around them.

Again, this story is not an easy read… be aware of hateful, tragic and hard moments that will make you question this story and question it after you are finished with it days later, but that’s what makes it such a good read.

(My words exactly to this beautiful writer)
** “Oh I’m just speechless, what I’m thinking and what I want to write is all over but that’s what made me love this book!!”**

[Persie · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, thank you to the Author, Donna Kessler, for giving me the opportunity to ARC read her book!

This book was one that I equally couldn't put down, but when I did, I wanted to pick it right back up. Its full of depression, grief, childhood trauma and more. It really shows what some kids go through in their lives, and that not everyone's life is as grand as it looks from the outside. Even the people with the kindest smiles, have their breaking point, and that's what we saw with our FMC Amelia.

SPOILERS INCOMING:

Her home life was less than great. Her dad left at a young age, and her mom turned to drugs. But at least she had her sister right? She had and off and on relationship with her sister, where together, they tried to deal with their pain (and their mother) until Caiden ruined even that.

Our MMC Caiden, had an equally, if not worse home life. His mom left at a young age as well, and his father was less than a father. After getting to part two, and seeing how bad his dad really got, I understood why he was the way he was. Did I like it? No. But I understood.

Part 3 was everything I think I needed in this book. While both characters drove me a little nuts with their "I hate you, NO i hate you", I think they were exactly what the other needed in order to get through the traumatic events both of them had experienced. And don't even get me started on that twist because WOW I did not see that coming.

This book was in fact a SLOW burn (and the characters aren't even truly together yet). I cannot wait for book two and to see where these two go. Thank you again to the author!

[Christy Haworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review – Unbiased Opinion

I received an eARC of Hearts Entangled in Winter’s Fury by Donna Kessler, and this review reflects my honest and unbiased thoughts.

This book is undeniably intense. It tackles a wide range of heavy and potentially triggering themes, including addiction, abuse, bullying, violence, and trauma. Readers should absolutely check trigger warnings before diving in, as the emotional weight is significant and unrelenting. The story follows two characters whose shared history is rooted in pain, resentment, and deeply flawed home lives, and much of the book explores how unresolved trauma shapes who we become.

For me, the pacing and structure were challenging. At 79 chapters, the book felt overly long and often disjointed, almost as if several separate stories were woven together into one. There were moments that felt powerful in isolation, but as a whole, the narrative struggled to feel cohesive. Additionally, the prose leaned very heavily into description, sometimes to the point where it felt forced rather than natural, which pulled me out of the story more than once.

Ultimately, this book was simply too much for me. While I can see how it may resonate with readers who enjoy very dark, emotionally heavy stories with complex character dynamics, it wasn’t a book I personally connected with. If I were someone who DNF’d books easily, this likely would have been one I set aside. That said, others may appreciate the rawness and ambition of the story, even if it didn’t work for me.

[Megan Towers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that this book was a very emotional read for me! I didn’t just LOVE it, it also tore my heart into pieces! I felt so much pain and sadness for Amelia and Caiden. I felt like I could actually feel their pain through their story. I had times where I would need to put it down before picking it back up. That’s how emotional this was for me. Their abuse, trauma, and pain felt very real to me. You feel so much emotion towards Amelia and Caiden’s parents. Anger, disgust, hate. But then you also feel that way towards both of them. In the way they treat each other, and their internal words about the other. This ends up being a trauma bond like no other!

For me, Donna is an excellent author! The way she describes thoughts and feelings, and environments is incredible! So much detail! I could actually see everything in my mind and create it. I felt like I was in the story with Amelia and Caiden.


I found myself holding my breath waiting in anticipation for what was to come next. So much anguish and hope. These characters in this book will stick with me for a long time. Their story will continue to stay with me. If you love a slow burn, then this is for you! I will wait with so little patience for their story to continue. I can’t wait! Pick this one up, you’re in for a wild emotional ride!!!!

I will note something of importance! PLEASE check your trigger warnings before reading! It Your mental health is of the utmost importance! This story is not for everyone. It is dark, cruel, raw, and full of pain and trauma. Proceed with caution.

[Destiny R · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is raw, real, and completely heart-wrenching. I couldn’t put it down. Out of all the books I’ve read, this one made me feel the most. It pulled at every heartstring and refused to let go.

If you love dark romance that breaks you before slowly putting you back together, this series will be your next obsession.

The story is drenched in grief, childhood trauma, guilt, and survival. It’s packed with revenge and the kind of pain that sits heavy in your chest long after you close the book. Every emotion feels sharp and intentional.

Amelia and Caiden’s journey—from enemies ➝ reluctant allies ➝ lovers—is anything but easy. This is a true slow burn built on years of resentment, damage, and wounds that run deep. Their tension is constant, layered with history and hurt. They have to decide whether they’ll keep destroying each other or let that fire turn into something unforgettable.

One thing that did frustrate me slightly was Amelia’s reaction when they were first stranded in the forest. I completely understand not wanting to be stuck with the person who made your childhood miserable—but when that same person saves your life multiple times, a simple thank you wouldn’t have hurt. That said, the irritation didn’t take away from how gripping the story was.

This book is angsty, brutal, and beautifully human. It hurts in all the right ways—and the emotional payoff makes every bit of it worth it.

[Amelia Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is real, raw, and will pull at your heart strings. I couldn’t put it down!! I’ve read a lot of books but this one made me feel the most.

The one thing I will say that did irritate me was Amelia whining when they first ended up stranded in the forest. I can understand not wanting to be lost in the woods with the person who made your life h*** as a child but when that person quite literally saves your life on multiple occasions, you can at least utter a thank you.

My favorite part would have to be Caiden. Yes you could call him an a**hole for tormenting Amelia but he does get a slight reprieve because his father instilled the hatred in him from the age of 4. His yearning for Amelia even when he believes that he doesn’t deserve her, truly heart wrenching. But regardless of the hatred and the loathing, he makes a promise to himself that even if he doesn’t survive the kidnapper, Amelia will.

Overall this book is a masterpiece and I will be eagerly and impatiently waiting for the second book!!

[Jayden McIntosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me so much longer than I wanted to finish this book, but sadly life and adult responsibilities, do not always play in favor of my most favorite pastime. Hearts Entangled in Winters Fury was full of hatred and bitterness from the very beginning, it kept you on edge, wanting to know what was happening next. It made me absolutely hate Caiden in the beginning, but once you get to his POV, you realize that you completely misjudged him! This book broke me in the best way possible, and I can’t wait to see where Caiden and Amelia’s story goes in the next book, and I really hope these characters get the redemption that they both deserve. They have endured and struggled with so much, and with Donna’s writing style, you feel every little bit of pain, fear, sadness, and struggle that these characters feel as well! So if you want a book that that’s going to fully destroy you, I 100% recommend this book!

[Milena · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is written extremely well. I could feel the emotions of the characters as I was reading. The hatred between Amelia and Caiden was palpable. The author expressed the angst and emotions in a way that I was sucked into the story and read about 300 pages in one evening. Even while Amelia hated Caiden, I could tell that there was a powerful pull between them. There truly is a thin line between love and hate.
The story is dark. Please pay attention to the trigger warnings.
I felt for both characters after getting into their heads. It was really difficult to read about Caiden’s childhood and his father’s treatment (heed the trigger warnings).
I questioned some of Amelia’s actions when it came to Caiden’s friend, but they did make sense in the context of what had happened with her sister.
Overall, the book kept attention and I’d be looking forward to reading the next installment.
I was given an Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Samantha blankenship · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚📚ARC REVIEW 📚📚

Holy meatballs! This book took me on a journey. I cannot stress enough to check your trigger warnings on this one. It is a true enemies-to-lovers story; however, they do not become lovers in the first book. The tension this book built was absolutely insane. Honestly, the writing style might not be for everyone, but I absolutely ate it up.

This is easily a 5 star read for me. I often see the description “enemies to lovers” and end up disappointed, but this book truly captivated me with its raw emotion and character development…especially between the FMC and MMC. They have an intense history and have genuinely been conditioned to hate each other in the worst ways. But love and hate are a fine line, and it’s clear that once some pressure is applied, it becomes hard for them to distinguish between the two, no matter how much they deny it.
Again CHECK THE TRIGGERS…and be aware the author has a pretty unique writing style and the book is long but I honestly feel like it gives the details and backstory I crave when it comes to a good series ❤️

The ending absolutely killed me, though….it felt so unresolved. I need book two ASAP 😭

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review!! I was given the opportunity to read this and I am soooo glad I did. Part 1 had me thinking Caiden was awful for all of the things he was putting Amelia through. Part 2 once I got to Caiden’s POV…. My heart shattered. The things he had to endure as a child at the hands of a man who was supposed to protect him. In his mind treating her terribly and hating her was his salvation, his only hope of survival. Part 3 what happened in this part shocked me!!! I was not expecting the plot twist. I thought they would be found fairly quickly and then out of nowhere they are locked in a basement with a twisted serial killer. I absolutely cannot wait to see how their stories unfold in the next book.

[Brooke Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good book! However, definitely read tour trigger warnings. With that being said: you will cry, laugh, and be mad! This book is a slow burn but it is definitely worth it. The author had so much details in the book! It was like I was right there with Caiden and Amelia. Between them being in high school together to not seeing each other for 7 years. It was like fate brought them together for a trip with her best friends soon to be husband- because her high school bully is coming with them. They spend some quality time together but the still do not know want to fall for each other... yet.

[Shanna McKee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn’t put this down! If you’re into dark romance that breaks you before it mends you, this series is your next obsession.

It’s drenched in grief and childhood trauma. Packed with revenge, survival, and the kind of pain that sits heavy in your chest.

Amelia and Caiden are enemies ➝ friends ➝ lovers, but nothing about their journey is easy. This is a true slow burn, built on years of hatred, damage, and wounds that run deep. They’ll have to decide if they keep destroying each other or let that fire become something unforgettable.

Raw. Angsty. Brutal. Beautifully human.

[Misty Byrd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recieved this as an ARC.
Overall I felt like this was a great read. It is really dark, so make sure you pay attention to the trigger warnings. I took a star off because there were some parts of the book that drug on too long. I feel like this would be an excellent read with some parts condensed. I found myself skimming past multiple parts. I think that would help with the pacing. It will tear you up emotionally. Don't settle in to much with thinking you know what is going on...this author is good at completely flipping things around on you.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ARC review⭐️


Oh my god this book was such a rollercoaster I loved every minute of!

This book absolutely hit so much I wasn’t expecting. The romance was absolutely a slow burn, but somehow so tense throughout, even with the events that we went through with them. The story also showed more than just romance. It was dark and heavy, so definitely check the trigger warnings! I’m so happy I got to be an ARC reader for this, and I CANNOT wait for the next book😍