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Winter Break
Some cages don't close around you all at once.
Since I was twelve years old, I’ve lived under the control of Hearth and Vine, an isolated community in rural Wisconsin. I’m a pariah, a horrible warning to other women of what happens if you aren’t obedient. After years of being a servant and
prisoner, the dream of escape feels impossible until I’m assigned to work with Troy.
Troy doesn’t see me as inferior or damaged. We spend our time working together and hiding the way we feel about each other from the rest of the collective. Together, we make a plan to escape, but it goes horribly wrong, leaving me alone and lost in a raging blizzard.
Stranded and out of options, I accept shelter from a kind man named Alex at a secluded farmhouse. At first, Alex seems safe, but as the snow traps us, my mistake becomes clear.
If I’m going to save the man I love, I have to survive the man now holding me captive.
Winter Break is a standalone romantic thriller.
Since I was twelve years old, I’ve lived under the control of Hearth and Vine, an isolated community in rural Wisconsin. I’m a pariah, a horrible warning to other women of what happens if you aren’t obedient. After years of being a servant and
prisoner, the dream of escape feels impossible until I’m assigned to work with Troy.
Troy doesn’t see me as inferior or damaged. We spend our time working together and hiding the way we feel about each other from the rest of the collective. Together, we make a plan to escape, but it goes horribly wrong, leaving me alone and lost in a raging blizzard.
Stranded and out of options, I accept shelter from a kind man named Alex at a secluded farmhouse. At first, Alex seems safe, but as the snow traps us, my mistake becomes clear.
If I’m going to save the man I love, I have to survive the man now holding me captive.
Winter Break is a standalone romantic thriller.
298 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 13, 2026
About the author
S.M. Shade
43 books1,709 followersS.M. Shade writes spicy romantic comedies and steamy contemporary romances with relatable characters. Whether it's a good laugh or a good cry, she likes to grab you by your emotions and make you feel.
An unashamed Croc enthusiast and poetry nerd, she can usually be found listening to Indie Rock on repeat and watching birds.
An unashamed Croc enthusiast and poetry nerd, she can usually be found listening to Indie Rock on repeat and watching birds.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
September 16, 2026
*4.5* This story stressed me out for a majority of the reading, but I also loved it!
This author is a hit or miss. The rockstar story Duplicity and post apocalyptic The Last Woman were a hit, some of the others, not so much. However, this story was done so well.
“Play our song, sweetheart.”
Despite the depressing intensity of a cult backdrop, this story ends with a happily ever after.
The story begins when Sybil’s mother joins the Guardians of His Natural Order when Sybil is 12. She is immediately separated from her mother, and forced to comply with the rules of the cult.
Sybil is such a wonderfully drawn character. She is full of innocence, inner strength, and even though she is consistently beaten down, she never fails to look for the positive.
My hair blows off into the grass where a sparrow picks up a lock and flies away with it. A part of me will be in its nest. Nature uses everything. That means I must have some purpose, no matter what they think.
Tropes/themes:
Romantic thriller
1990s era
Cult upbringing
Friendship then love
H not a virgin, (not a manwhore)
h is a virgin
True love wins
HEA
Going to add more random thoughts and spoilers behind the spoiler tag. Please don’t click this if you want to go into the story blind, it will completely ruin the story for you!
SPOILERS BELOW:
🛑
I love that this author continues to try new things. I really admire the talent it takes to weave a love story in this way. I recommend this one for anyone who likes stories with a twist, stories with a heavy cult plot and wonderful characters.
This is a true love romance through and through. And even though it’s bumpy, I promise you, it does have an HEA.
“I love you,” he says fiercely. “You are my entire heart. Do you know that?”
*TW:
Cult mind behavior
Beatings with a belt
Public humiliation
Head shaving
Captivity
Starvation
Drug use
Attempted rape
All these years later, we still can’t escape the things that were done to us when we were young. Does everyone spend the rest of their lives battling their childhood?
This author is a hit or miss. The rockstar story Duplicity and post apocalyptic The Last Woman were a hit, some of the others, not so much. However, this story was done so well.
“Play our song, sweetheart.”
Despite the depressing intensity of a cult backdrop, this story ends with a happily ever after.
The story begins when Sybil’s mother joins the Guardians of His Natural Order when Sybil is 12. She is immediately separated from her mother, and forced to comply with the rules of the cult.
Sybil is such a wonderfully drawn character. She is full of innocence, inner strength, and even though she is consistently beaten down, she never fails to look for the positive.
My hair blows off into the grass where a sparrow picks up a lock and flies away with it. A part of me will be in its nest. Nature uses everything. That means I must have some purpose, no matter what they think.
Tropes/themes:
Romantic thriller
1990s era
Cult upbringing
Friendship then love
H not a virgin, (not a manwhore)
h is a virgin
True love wins
HEA
Going to add more random thoughts and spoilers behind the spoiler tag. Please don’t click this if you want to go into the story blind, it will completely ruin the story for you!
SPOILERS BELOW:
🛑
I love that this author continues to try new things. I really admire the talent it takes to weave a love story in this way. I recommend this one for anyone who likes stories with a twist, stories with a heavy cult plot and wonderful characters.
This is a true love romance through and through. And even though it’s bumpy, I promise you, it does have an HEA.
“I love you,” he says fiercely. “You are my entire heart. Do you know that?”
*TW:
Cult mind behavior
Beatings with a belt
Public humiliation
Head shaving
Captivity
Starvation
Drug use
Attempted rape
All these years later, we still can’t escape the things that were done to us when we were young. Does everyone spend the rest of their lives battling their childhood?
September 28, 2026
I’m speechless with this story! It’s so beautiful and sad!
It’s worth reading!
It’s worth reading!
September 14, 2026
A rollercoaster ride
Whew!
This is quite a page turner! It deals with the darker side of things surrounding indoctrination into a cult, and the dangers of fighting against the people in charge.
Part one was so heartbreaking and I really worried for Sybil's safety! Her isolation was rough, but at least her friendship with Troy brought her a bit of happiness. Lots of things kept me flipping pages and I was thrilled when part two began.
Yeah, then part two was a different kind of panic (on Sybil's behalf) when a snowstorm strands her with Alex. She knows she's not safe until she gets back on the road, but that's proving to be a challenge.
I really enjoy this author's creativity. She always delivers engaging and pulse-pounding drama with her characters, and while Sybil and Troy do have a HEA, they go through he!l to find it.
This was easy to read, I finished in one sitting, and recommend this book and any of her other works - absolutely worth your time to read more.
I cannot wait for the next new release from this talented author.
Whew!
This is quite a page turner! It deals with the darker side of things surrounding indoctrination into a cult, and the dangers of fighting against the people in charge.
Part one was so heartbreaking and I really worried for Sybil's safety! Her isolation was rough, but at least her friendship with Troy brought her a bit of happiness. Lots of things kept me flipping pages and I was thrilled when part two began.
Yeah, then part two was a different kind of panic (on Sybil's behalf) when a snowstorm strands her with Alex. She knows she's not safe until she gets back on the road, but that's proving to be a challenge.
I really enjoy this author's creativity. She always delivers engaging and pulse-pounding drama with her characters, and while Sybil and Troy do have a HEA, they go through he!l to find it.
This was easy to read, I finished in one sitting, and recommend this book and any of her other works - absolutely worth your time to read more.
I cannot wait for the next new release from this talented author.
September 22, 2026
5+ 🌟 Shockingly Suspenseful ride with the most crazy TWIST and a Sweet love
🔖 Romantic Suspense
🔖 Thriller with Crazy TWIST
🔖 Taken into a Cult
🔖 Love that grows stronger
🔖 A Brave Girl
🔖 The sweetest hero
🔖 Fight for Survival
💕 🅵🅰🆅🅾🆄🆁🅸🆃🅴 🆀🆄🅾🆃🅴🆂 💕
𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝑰 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆, 𝒏𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌.
“𝑩𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒖𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑰’𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”
𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆.
🅼🆈 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂:
Oh my goodness... What a maddeningly AMAZING ride this one is and I absolutely gobbled it up.
Forget Sleep and eating, this rollercoaster ride had me in its clutches right from the first page and when I wasn't even expecting it, dropped the CRAZIEST AND MOST SHOCKING TWIST, that had me wide eyed, staring at the pages for a long time, thinking HOW THE HECK DID THIS HAPPEN?!
We see Sybil, as a little girl being taken by her mother from everything familiar to her to a place that makes a complete slave out of her and not only takes away her freedom but also her humanity and all she has left with is her stubborn hope and will to survive.
I felt so much for poor Sybil, forcefully made to live a life and a truth that she doesn't believe and treated in such horrific ways.
I'm glad our author didn't make this ride darker because I'm not sure I would have survived watching her suffer any more.
If her life of slavery was not enough, when a ugly truth comes out with no fault of hers, sybil is now outcast and treated to more than the lowest level.
Her only saving grace and a breath of fresh air is Troy, another one from the community who's also against everything that's taught to them but he's a smart one who acts like he does, so that he can have his own plans and fly away from this place one day.
Troy and Sybil absolutely melted me and their bonding and sweet times together had my heart.
Especially when sybil finds herself working alongside him, they get all the more closer.
𝑰’𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒉𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅.”
The ride through the corn field, secret meetings in a barn, listening to the radio and bonding through songs, Troy taking her uphill in a hide out only for them to watch movies in a drive in theater, all of it melted me and it was beautiful watching them together finding a slice of quiet heaven in all the chaos.
But when that first twist happens, I WAS SO FREAKED OUT, beyond scared for what would happen.
Oh my ... I was seriously out of my mind, thinking how would they ever get out of this.
The unthinkable happens and then this thriller had me all the more intrigued when it suddenly changed pace and things and I was a bit confused, wondering why this setting and what would happen now.
When Sybil finds herself in a snowstorm, never did she expect what was waiting for her.
𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝑰’𝒎 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓.
BUT the TWIST SNEAKS UP ON YOU and really slapped me in the face with the most shocking turn and I actually LOVED LOVED the fact that I didn't for one second see this coming at all.
I want to scream and recommend this book to everyone because it not only has the sweetest love and bond and Sybil and Troy will melt you and make you feel so much but it is SUCH A BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN THRILLER that deserves to be read more for being so crazy AMAZING.
I instantly went and added more books by Ms. Shade to my TBR after reading this one because I need more of her writing and her amazing stories in my life.
Wow....what a maddeningly AMAZING rollercoaster ride. Abso-freaking-lutely loved loved this one.
🔖 Romantic Suspense
🔖 Thriller with Crazy TWIST
🔖 Taken into a Cult
🔖 Love that grows stronger
🔖 A Brave Girl
🔖 The sweetest hero
🔖 Fight for Survival
💕 🅵🅰🆅🅾🆄🆁🅸🆃🅴 🆀🆄🅾🆃🅴🆂 💕
𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝑰 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆, 𝒏𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌.
“𝑩𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒖𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑰’𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”
𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆.
🅼🆈 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂:
Oh my goodness... What a maddeningly AMAZING ride this one is and I absolutely gobbled it up.
Forget Sleep and eating, this rollercoaster ride had me in its clutches right from the first page and when I wasn't even expecting it, dropped the CRAZIEST AND MOST SHOCKING TWIST, that had me wide eyed, staring at the pages for a long time, thinking HOW THE HECK DID THIS HAPPEN?!
We see Sybil, as a little girl being taken by her mother from everything familiar to her to a place that makes a complete slave out of her and not only takes away her freedom but also her humanity and all she has left with is her stubborn hope and will to survive.
I felt so much for poor Sybil, forcefully made to live a life and a truth that she doesn't believe and treated in such horrific ways.
I'm glad our author didn't make this ride darker because I'm not sure I would have survived watching her suffer any more.
If her life of slavery was not enough, when a ugly truth comes out with no fault of hers, sybil is now outcast and treated to more than the lowest level.
Her only saving grace and a breath of fresh air is Troy, another one from the community who's also against everything that's taught to them but he's a smart one who acts like he does, so that he can have his own plans and fly away from this place one day.
Troy and Sybil absolutely melted me and their bonding and sweet times together had my heart.
Especially when sybil finds herself working alongside him, they get all the more closer.
𝑰’𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒉𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅.”
The ride through the corn field, secret meetings in a barn, listening to the radio and bonding through songs, Troy taking her uphill in a hide out only for them to watch movies in a drive in theater, all of it melted me and it was beautiful watching them together finding a slice of quiet heaven in all the chaos.
But when that first twist happens, I WAS SO FREAKED OUT, beyond scared for what would happen.
Oh my ... I was seriously out of my mind, thinking how would they ever get out of this.
The unthinkable happens and then this thriller had me all the more intrigued when it suddenly changed pace and things and I was a bit confused, wondering why this setting and what would happen now.
When Sybil finds herself in a snowstorm, never did she expect what was waiting for her.
𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝑰’𝒎 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓.
BUT the TWIST SNEAKS UP ON YOU and really slapped me in the face with the most shocking turn and I actually LOVED LOVED the fact that I didn't for one second see this coming at all.
I want to scream and recommend this book to everyone because it not only has the sweetest love and bond and Sybil and Troy will melt you and make you feel so much but it is SUCH A BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN THRILLER that deserves to be read more for being so crazy AMAZING.
I instantly went and added more books by Ms. Shade to my TBR after reading this one because I need more of her writing and her amazing stories in my life.
Wow....what a maddeningly AMAZING rollercoaster ride. Abso-freaking-lutely loved loved this one.
September 20, 2026
✯✯5 Sybil & Troy Filled Stars!!!✯✯
Since I was twelve years old, I’ve lived under the control of Hearth and Vine, an isolated community in rural Wisconsin. I’m a pariah, a horrible warning to other women of what happens if you aren’t obedient. After years of being a servant and prisoner, the dream of escape feels impossible until I’m assigned to work with Troy.
OMG…… S. M. Shade what are you doing to me!!!??? The very first book I read of hers was The Beekeeper and I wanted to smack myself silly for not reading her books before and I did the same thing when I finished this book.
From the very first page I was hooked and couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. If you are interested in books that have a cult theme and you watched The Handmaids Tale and liked it then I highly recommend you clear your schedule for the afternoon/evening Bc once you start reading this you’re not going to go anywhere until you know what happens to Sybil and Troy.
I honestly don’t wanna tell you anything other than to just go read it so I’ll give you a little bit of the story.
When Sybil was 12 years old, her mother took her to Hearth and Vine an isolated community and from that point on Sybil’s life was never the same. She was immediately separated from her mother and put into the dorm room for the daughters. She made two friends by the names of Jane and Troy, who remained her friends.
But when it was discovered that civil would never be able to have children, she was considered withered and she was to spend the rest of her days as a servant. Even though Jane got married, and her life was different than Sybil’s they still try to remain friends as much as possible.
When Sybil was told she was going to be working nights, and that Troy was to be her boss, she was excited because he was still her friend, even though nobody knew about it. They spent their nights doing their job and realizing that they both liked each other they started a secret relationship
But, when they’re caught, and in prison, they never thought that they would get a happily ever after until one night one chaos, erupted, and civil was able to escape. She told Troy that she would be back with help and he said that he would be there when she got back.
Just when Sybil thought that things could not get any worse, she got caught in a blizzard and ran into Alex who at first seemed nice until she realized that she escaped one prison just to end up in another. But, she swore she would do whatever it took to get help and get to Troy.
I started this book and read the first 60% and cannot believe how good it was and then I ended up with the worst migraine and couldn’t pick up my Kindle for a few days, but all I kept thinking about was what was gonna happen next to Sybil and that’s when you know you’re reading a good book. When you have to put it down and yet all you’re doing is thinking about what happened next and when I was able to pick it up OMG just when I thought I knew what was gonna happen. Turned out to instead of going straight down the road. It was like boom. I had to bust a quick U-turn, I didn’t know what was next.
There has been a very few books that I’ve read that I have said that I could see this being a movie and this is definitely a book that I would love to see made into a movie
S. M. Shade has done it to me two books in a row and it’s definitely going on my must read Author list for sure!!! I’m excited to see what she releases next.
Since I was twelve years old, I’ve lived under the control of Hearth and Vine, an isolated community in rural Wisconsin. I’m a pariah, a horrible warning to other women of what happens if you aren’t obedient. After years of being a servant and prisoner, the dream of escape feels impossible until I’m assigned to work with Troy.
OMG…… S. M. Shade what are you doing to me!!!??? The very first book I read of hers was The Beekeeper and I wanted to smack myself silly for not reading her books before and I did the same thing when I finished this book.
From the very first page I was hooked and couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. If you are interested in books that have a cult theme and you watched The Handmaids Tale and liked it then I highly recommend you clear your schedule for the afternoon/evening Bc once you start reading this you’re not going to go anywhere until you know what happens to Sybil and Troy.
I honestly don’t wanna tell you anything other than to just go read it so I’ll give you a little bit of the story.
When Sybil was 12 years old, her mother took her to Hearth and Vine an isolated community and from that point on Sybil’s life was never the same. She was immediately separated from her mother and put into the dorm room for the daughters. She made two friends by the names of Jane and Troy, who remained her friends.
But when it was discovered that civil would never be able to have children, she was considered withered and she was to spend the rest of her days as a servant. Even though Jane got married, and her life was different than Sybil’s they still try to remain friends as much as possible.
When Sybil was told she was going to be working nights, and that Troy was to be her boss, she was excited because he was still her friend, even though nobody knew about it. They spent their nights doing their job and realizing that they both liked each other they started a secret relationship
But, when they’re caught, and in prison, they never thought that they would get a happily ever after until one night one chaos, erupted, and civil was able to escape. She told Troy that she would be back with help and he said that he would be there when she got back.
Just when Sybil thought that things could not get any worse, she got caught in a blizzard and ran into Alex who at first seemed nice until she realized that she escaped one prison just to end up in another. But, she swore she would do whatever it took to get help and get to Troy.
I started this book and read the first 60% and cannot believe how good it was and then I ended up with the worst migraine and couldn’t pick up my Kindle for a few days, but all I kept thinking about was what was gonna happen next to Sybil and that’s when you know you’re reading a good book. When you have to put it down and yet all you’re doing is thinking about what happened next and when I was able to pick it up OMG just when I thought I knew what was gonna happen. Turned out to instead of going straight down the road. It was like boom. I had to bust a quick U-turn, I didn’t know what was next.
There has been a very few books that I’ve read that I have said that I could see this being a movie and this is definitely a book that I would love to see made into a movie
S. M. Shade has done it to me two books in a row and it’s definitely going on my must read Author list for sure!!! I’m excited to see what she releases next.
September 19, 2026
This needs to be a movie!
Hooked right from the beginning, speculating and wondering what was going on. The author developed the characters without it being too wordy and this is really a work of art how the author put it together. I absolutely loved getting got with the at this one point that I never saw coming!! I was very excited to not be able to 100% guess what was happening 😂 I wish this was a movie. This feels like it would be the most epic romance movie. The ending line is perfect! I kept swiping though before I was like wtf 100%?? Because no matter how perfect an ending, this book was so good I needed more!
The author set things up so well I felt major anxiety even in moments where things were probably fine because I just knew something was coming so when something DID happen I wasn’t expecting it because I had just chilled out a bit like ok maybe things are ok. I love how the FMC reacted to things. There were heartbreaking moments that I cried with and victorious moments I cheered the FMC on through. I love the attention to detail the author gives to every scene that is done with so much care that it has the perfect amount of giving us what we need without making things wordy. If you like reads where you’re literally talking to the characters trying to help them help themselves this is definitely the book for you!
Hooked right from the beginning, speculating and wondering what was going on. The author developed the characters without it being too wordy and this is really a work of art how the author put it together. I absolutely loved getting got with the at this one point that I never saw coming!! I was very excited to not be able to 100% guess what was happening 😂 I wish this was a movie. This feels like it would be the most epic romance movie. The ending line is perfect! I kept swiping though before I was like wtf 100%?? Because no matter how perfect an ending, this book was so good I needed more!
The author set things up so well I felt major anxiety even in moments where things were probably fine because I just knew something was coming so when something DID happen I wasn’t expecting it because I had just chilled out a bit like ok maybe things are ok. I love how the FMC reacted to things. There were heartbreaking moments that I cried with and victorious moments I cheered the FMC on through. I love the attention to detail the author gives to every scene that is done with so much care that it has the perfect amount of giving us what we need without making things wordy. If you like reads where you’re literally talking to the characters trying to help them help themselves this is definitely the book for you!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Have you started a book sure you knew the plot, only to realize you were off the mark? I did. This book threw me for a loop and took me on a journey. I was invested in Sybil's story from the first chapter. I thought I knew her. I pegged her for a weak woman, a victim of her parent's choices.
I accepted my position and absolved to keep reading. Turns out, I was wrong. Sybil faces so much in this story, and in my opinion, she is one of the strongest female characters I've read in a very long time.
This author can do funny, snark, absolute ridiculous comedic scenarios with aplomb. She rocks in her suspense and dark romance elements. Why? Because she knows how to balance absolutely abysmal settings with characters that can still laugh, find hope and sometimes triumph. Her characters are relatable. They make you feel that it's absolutely OK to be not OK with a crappy situation.
Without plot spoiling I will close with this - absolute masterful storyline. Fantastic story setup. Relatable, annoying and also sometimes loveable points to her characters. All in one emotionally rich story. Fantastic.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I accepted my position and absolved to keep reading. Turns out, I was wrong. Sybil faces so much in this story, and in my opinion, she is one of the strongest female characters I've read in a very long time.
This author can do funny, snark, absolute ridiculous comedic scenarios with aplomb. She rocks in her suspense and dark romance elements. Why? Because she knows how to balance absolutely abysmal settings with characters that can still laugh, find hope and sometimes triumph. Her characters are relatable. They make you feel that it's absolutely OK to be not OK with a crappy situation.
Without plot spoiling I will close with this - absolute masterful storyline. Fantastic story setup. Relatable, annoying and also sometimes loveable points to her characters. All in one emotionally rich story. Fantastic.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
5++ Stars ... This is my #1 pick for 2026!
I started this book on a rainy afternoon and just couldn’t stop reading ... I was totally captivated! My family had to fend for themselves for supper and I didn’t stop reading till I was done. I haven’t done that in a long time.
Oh, the characters in this book ... they were written with such care that you couldn't help but love some ... and hate others. When Sybil is eleven years old, her mother takes her to the Hearth and Vine Community and her life will never be close to the same again. After a month or so, she makes two friends, Troy and Jane, but things change dramatically as they get older. My heart went out to Sybil! She was a fighter and endured the unbearable … no matter what it cost her. Troy was her salvation and he made life at Hearth and Vines tolerable … until it wasn’t. I'm normally good at guessing how a book proceeds, but not this book ... it has an ending I never saw coming. To say I was in shock is an understatement ... I had to wait a day to let this book sink in, before I could give my thoughts on it. I don't want to say anything more, to wreck it for others. JUST READ IT!
I received an ARC courtesy of the author.
I started this book on a rainy afternoon and just couldn’t stop reading ... I was totally captivated! My family had to fend for themselves for supper and I didn’t stop reading till I was done. I haven’t done that in a long time.
Oh, the characters in this book ... they were written with such care that you couldn't help but love some ... and hate others. When Sybil is eleven years old, her mother takes her to the Hearth and Vine Community and her life will never be close to the same again. After a month or so, she makes two friends, Troy and Jane, but things change dramatically as they get older. My heart went out to Sybil! She was a fighter and endured the unbearable … no matter what it cost her. Troy was her salvation and he made life at Hearth and Vines tolerable … until it wasn’t. I'm normally good at guessing how a book proceeds, but not this book ... it has an ending I never saw coming. To say I was in shock is an understatement ... I had to wait a day to let this book sink in, before I could give my thoughts on it. I don't want to say anything more, to wreck it for others. JUST READ IT!
I received an ARC courtesy of the author.
September 14, 2026
I’m not going to lie this book has some twists and turns. Check your triggers for sure. Sybil and Troy are endgame they will rip your heart out. I put this book down and couldn’t leave it alone. It was pushing my limits on some of the triggers but I couldn’t forget about it. It had me so invested in the first chapter that I just had to push through. You know it’s that good when you can’t stop thinking about it. When you sit and talk yourself up and deal with your own trauma just to finish it. I’m glad I did. I laughed I cried I mean sobbed in some points. It’s not as spicy as a lot of her books but the banter is still there. It literally had me in a chokehold. I finished the book and couldn’t stop thinking about it. My triggers that I struggled with the most is anything that happens to kids. They are being raised in a cult so I’ll let your imagination take over. But their love just keeps staying strong. They literally are in it for the long haul and they get the happy ending they deserve.
October 9, 2026
*PLEASE READ THE TRIGGERS*
This book was intense, to say the least. It starts with a girl whose mother, to be honest, was crazy. The mother moves them into a cult, and Sybil has no idea what is going on. She's been ripped from everything she's known and every life she understands. Now she's under the thumb of some psycho people I would have wanted to strangle. I worried about her health and safety throughout the story. But her strength will break you, too. She is outcast for something she has no control over, and the hate and the disgusting people just try to break her. But she won't let them. When she goes on a job with Troy, they become closer friends. His view of the cult is very different, but he plays by the rules. When things go BOOM, I will tell you, your breath will stop. There were so many jump-scare moments that had my heart racing. This is a must-read thriller you won't be able to put down.
This book was intense, to say the least. It starts with a girl whose mother, to be honest, was crazy. The mother moves them into a cult, and Sybil has no idea what is going on. She's been ripped from everything she's known and every life she understands. Now she's under the thumb of some psycho people I would have wanted to strangle. I worried about her health and safety throughout the story. But her strength will break you, too. She is outcast for something she has no control over, and the hate and the disgusting people just try to break her. But she won't let them. When she goes on a job with Troy, they become closer friends. His view of the cult is very different, but he plays by the rules. When things go BOOM, I will tell you, your breath will stop. There were so many jump-scare moments that had my heart racing. This is a must-read thriller you won't be able to put down.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Hands down my favorite book of 2026! I DEVOURED this book. I can’t remember the last time I read a book from start to finish in one sitting. When I tell you that this was my read of the year, I’m not even exaggerating. All the feels were felt in this read and I’m still not over it.
S.M. Shade absolutely has the ability to write rom-com, I’ve actually never laughed harder than I do in her books. She can write a wtf moment better than most. This book, though. I don’t know if I can adequately put into words. I actually gasped at one point. I was floored. I was shook. I cried, I was angry. I truly felt so many emotions. And when a story makes you feel so much, I can’t help but give it the accolades it deserves. For me, this is my top read of 2026, hands down. 10 out of 10, 5 stars. And just going to leave it at this, “Play our song, sweetheart.”
S.M. Shade absolutely has the ability to write rom-com, I’ve actually never laughed harder than I do in her books. She can write a wtf moment better than most. This book, though. I don’t know if I can adequately put into words. I actually gasped at one point. I was floored. I was shook. I cried, I was angry. I truly felt so many emotions. And when a story makes you feel so much, I can’t help but give it the accolades it deserves. For me, this is my top read of 2026, hands down. 10 out of 10, 5 stars. And just going to leave it at this, “Play our song, sweetheart.”
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was in a big book slump until SM Shade sent me this fantastic book to read. If I could give it more than 5 stars I absolutely would!!! This book was a heartbreaking story about a girl who gets dragged into a cult by her mother and has to face unbearable horrors. She meets someone who doesn’t agree with what’s going on but can they escape and survive? The twists and turns in this book were fantastic and I’m super thankful I got to read this awesome book early. Can’t wait to read more of your work SM Shade!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC for an honest review.
Definitely in my top reads of 2026! If I could have rated this higher, I would have! Now I'm trying to figure out how to write this review without spoiling anything and it's hard because I just want to scream at y'all to read this book! S.M. Shade has done it again! This deals with some heavy content, but it is so worth the rage reading you will probably be doing! Sybil and Troy are fighters and survivors! And when you get to the meaning behind the title......🤯!! What can I say other than I loved this book!
Definitely in my top reads of 2026! If I could have rated this higher, I would have! Now I'm trying to figure out how to write this review without spoiling anything and it's hard because I just want to scream at y'all to read this book! S.M. Shade has done it again! This deals with some heavy content, but it is so worth the rage reading you will probably be doing! Sybil and Troy are fighters and survivors! And when you get to the meaning behind the title......🤯!! What can I say other than I loved this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2026
You think you know what is going to happen, but you do not. This story had the best "oh S*&t!" moment I've read in a long time! Sybil and Troy grow up in a cult and planned their get away until it all goes wrong. In the middle of a snow storm, Sybil is alone and trying to find away to save them both. She ends up stranded in a driveway she meets Alex. Alex is nice enough to let her stay until the snow stops and she can get her car out. Or is he?
This story was so good and is the perfect example of what I ready everything that SM Shade puts out! 10 out of 10 recommend!!
This story was so good and is the perfect example of what I ready everything that SM Shade puts out! 10 out of 10 recommend!!
September 16, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So I finished the ARC of Winter Break by the ever amazing @authorsmshade last night and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since.
I had to stay up late to finish it because there was no way I was putting it down.
Did I find myself sobbing in the early hours of the morning? Yes I did but that twist!!! And the ENDING!!!! 😭😭
Perfect way to start my September reads 🥰
#romanticthriller #romance #thriller #romancebooks #arcreads
So I finished the ARC of Winter Break by the ever amazing @authorsmshade last night and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since.
I had to stay up late to finish it because there was no way I was putting it down.
Did I find myself sobbing in the early hours of the morning? Yes I did but that twist!!! And the ENDING!!!! 😭😭
Perfect way to start my September reads 🥰
#romanticthriller #romance #thriller #romancebooks #arcreads
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ah she got me! I'm sure there's people that will read this and say I figured out what was going to happen. Well I was not one of those people and I was like wtf is going on, I had to go back and reread the page to make sure I was understanding it right. This was a great love story on the back of a majorly messed up world and I loved it! Highly recommend if you love some good twists!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I am never disappointed when I am reading SM shades books. This was no exception except the usual funny banter and hilarious stories was different this time . She wrote a book that had me on the edge of my seat as we live through the trauma of a living in a cult and I was on the edge of my seat as we learned if the main characters would escape or would they be doomed. Best read of 2026!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC of this book from the author and I don’t even have words right now except OMG! Is it bad I have a hit list going for some of these stewards? Are the in safe hands guys available? (IYKYK🤭). Seriously, the connection between Troy and Sybil is as sweet as it is heart breaking. I did not see the final twist coming AT ALL. I give Winterbreak all the stars!
September 23, 2026
4.2
It was heading towards a 5-star read until the end. I really enjoyed Part one, like wow, this is great enjoyed it. Part Two took the rating down for me. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone so I won't elaborate but what ashame. I loved her last two suspense books. 5 star goodness but this one just fell short for me in the execution.
It was heading towards a 5-star read until the end. I really enjoyed Part one, like wow, this is great enjoyed it. Part Two took the rating down for me. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone so I won't elaborate but what ashame. I loved her last two suspense books. 5 star goodness but this one just fell short for me in the execution.
October 15, 2026
Consider me officially destroyed.
I should have known better, but I walked straight into the trap anyway! This author has an unmatched ability to ruin my sleep schedule and completely shatter my heart.
Winter Break delivers every bit of tension, heartbreak, and pure brilliance that keeps me crawling back for more. Unputdownable from page one.
5 stars aren't enough!
I should have known better, but I walked straight into the trap anyway! This author has an unmatched ability to ruin my sleep schedule and completely shatter my heart.
Winter Break delivers every bit of tension, heartbreak, and pure brilliance that keeps me crawling back for more. Unputdownable from page one.
5 stars aren't enough!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2026
Wow, what an amazing story. If I could give this more than 5 ⭐ I would. Hands down the best book of the year for me. From the very start the characters and the tension kept me gripped and the twist near the end was mind-blowing. I highly recommend this book.
September 18, 2026
I finished this in one sitting, it's been awhile since a book has grabbed me from beginning to end where I just couldn't put it down.
I absolutely love her writing, S.M has been a one click author for me for awhile now. I love everything she writes and this was no exception.
I absolutely love her writing, S.M has been a one click author for me for awhile now. I love everything she writes and this was no exception.
September 27, 2026
I absolutely could not put this down! It completely consumed me and I finished it in a handful of hours. Sybil is an incredibly beautiful character and Troy is such a great man. I hope everyone reads this and that it gets the recognition that it deserves!
September 30, 2026
I was on the edge of my seat for most of this book!
The twists and turns had me in a chokehold from the start.
SM Shade is one of my favourite authors, and whilst some of her books are on the darker side, this was the darkest yet and I loved it!
The twists and turns had me in a chokehold from the start.
SM Shade is one of my favourite authors, and whilst some of her books are on the darker side, this was the darkest yet and I loved it!
September 3, 2026
Oh my Goodness! I can’t believe what I just read! S.M. Shade I’m not sure I will be able to move on from this!
September 16, 2026
Wow! I could not put this book down. It has all the feels. S.M. really knocked it out of the park with this one.
September 19, 2026
I read this in one day. It was absolutely fantastic. I could not put it down!
September 21, 2026
so so starts out strong, gets confusing and at the end a strong nope
September 21, 2026
Wickedly good!
September 23, 2026
This book had me hooked from the first few pages. I did not see the twist coming, very cleverly done!
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