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Winter Magic #2
Sogni d'inverno
Cosa succede se un giocatore viene… giocato?
L’attore Dylan Thomas Frasier, conosciuto come tra i più grandi playboy di Hollywood, è famoso per sedurre indistintamente sia uomini che donne. È anche mezzo innamorato dei suoi due migliori amici. Che, sfortunatamente, si amano tantissimo l’un l’altro, lasciando lui in disparte. Quando Ben propone una vacanza allungata per Natale in un resort modellato su una delle sue serie tv anni ’80 preferite, Dylan accetta seppure con riluttanza. Certo, il suo cuore si rompe pezzo a pezzo ogni volta che li vede insieme, ma si tratta di una vacanza alle Bahamas. Quanto brutto potrà essere?
All’inizio il resort appare come ogni altro del suo genere. E Dylan ha tutte le intenzioni di abbronzarsi, andare a letto con chiunque e mettersi alla ricerca del regista più richiesto di Hollywood, anche se non necessariamente in questo ordine. Però poi incontra Connor, un istruttore di tennis che ancora soffre tantissimo per la recente fine della sua ultima relazione. Connor sa benissimo con chi ha a che fare, e per questo rifiuta ogni tentativo di approccio da parte sua. In lui Dylan vede semplicemente una nuova conquista, ma l’isola tropicale su cui si trovano non è banale come sembra. Ha la propria magia, e sta per rendere le cose davvero molto interessanti.
L’attore Dylan Thomas Frasier, conosciuto come tra i più grandi playboy di Hollywood, è famoso per sedurre indistintamente sia uomini che donne. È anche mezzo innamorato dei suoi due migliori amici. Che, sfortunatamente, si amano tantissimo l’un l’altro, lasciando lui in disparte. Quando Ben propone una vacanza allungata per Natale in un resort modellato su una delle sue serie tv anni ’80 preferite, Dylan accetta seppure con riluttanza. Certo, il suo cuore si rompe pezzo a pezzo ogni volta che li vede insieme, ma si tratta di una vacanza alle Bahamas. Quanto brutto potrà essere?
All’inizio il resort appare come ogni altro del suo genere. E Dylan ha tutte le intenzioni di abbronzarsi, andare a letto con chiunque e mettersi alla ricerca del regista più richiesto di Hollywood, anche se non necessariamente in questo ordine. Però poi incontra Connor, un istruttore di tennis che ancora soffre tantissimo per la recente fine della sua ultima relazione. Connor sa benissimo con chi ha a che fare, e per questo rifiuta ogni tentativo di approccio da parte sua. In lui Dylan vede semplicemente una nuova conquista, ma l’isola tropicale su cui si trovano non è banale come sembra. Ha la propria magia, e sta per rendere le cose davvero molto interessanti.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 28, 2022
34 people are currently reading
277 people want to read
About the author
Marie Sexton
71 books2,225 followersMarie Sexton lives in Colorado. She’s a fan of just about anything that involves muscular young men piling on top of each other. In particular, she loves the Denver Broncos and enjoys going to the games with her husband. Her imaginary friends often tag along. Marie has one daughter, two cats, and one dog, all of whom seem bent on destroying what remains of her sanity. She loves them anyway.
The absolute best way to stay up-to-date on my books is by joining my FB group. You can view livestreams about Oestend, Coda, and the Heretic Doms Club. I also give away books on a regular basis. NO DRAMA ALLOWED!!
Or, you might want to check out these pages:
Coda: Which book do I read first?
Find a book by trope or heat level.
Visit my website/blog at http://www.MarieSexton.net
The absolute best way to stay up-to-date on my books is by joining my FB group. You can view livestreams about Oestend, Coda, and the Heretic Doms Club. I also give away books on a regular basis. NO DRAMA ALLOWED!!
Or, you might want to check out these pages:
Coda: Which book do I read first?
Find a book by trope or heat level.
Visit my website/blog at http://www.MarieSexton.net
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
December 13, 2022
After absolutely loving "Winter Oranges", this one didn't work quite as well for me.
Don't get me wrong, I loved catching up with Ben and Jason two years on, seeing they were still happy and going strong, but Dylan never interested me that much in the first book.
It could've been just me, but I was reading and reading and reading, then looked and saw that I was still only 25% in. Then the same again and I was at 50%. The same kept happening until the last 5'ish chapters, so the story felt suuuuuuuuuuper long, leaving me extremely ready for it to be over and to move on to my next read.
I adored the original book's premise of the snow globe and Ben kind of ghost-like, but as I'd never been a huge fan of the Fantasy Island television series back in the day, I found myself much less engaged.
As far as the characters went:
-- I didn't find Dylan to be very likeable, as he hopped from bed partner to bed partner to avoid spending any time in his own company.
-- Connor was sort of boring, because he was intentionally holding back a lot of personal details, which were revealed as a twist toward the end, but I'd figured out early on.
-- Jason seemed uncharacteristically, bordering on unkindly, snarky and snide toward Dylan, never missing a chance to snipe at him, which I felt he needed to lay off on.
-- Ben was just as excitable and exuberant as ever, in addition to being super-supportive when Dylan needed it the most.
I did like the "Ghost of Christmas Future"-type dreams in the book, which scared the MC's shitless and helped them both with some much-needed motivation for personal growth.
It wasn't a bad story, not at all; however, there was just something about the book that felt Too. Motherfucking. Long, which oddly didn't feel like a pacing issue to me.
I'd rate it at around 3.5 stars and still recommend it, largely because... B-E-N !!! 😁
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December 2, 2022
Oof ... I have so many damn feelings about this book.
Winter Oranges is one of my favorite M/M romance novels of all time. I reread it recently and fell in love with Jason and Ben (especially Ben!) all over again.
Honestly, the best thing about Winter Dreams was seeing Ben and Jason living their happily ever after. Ben is as curious and enthusiastic as ever, finding joy in every moment, and Jason thinks Ben hung the moon and stars. Ben stole every scene he was in, and I wanted to bask in that happiness.
Dylan seemed like an intruder in his own story. I didn't like Dylan in the first book and, until the very end, I didn't like him here either.
Dylan's drinking, drug abuse, and parade of sexual partners (men and women alike) are symptoms of his deep shame and damaged self-esteem due to a traumatic incident in his past. He seeks validation from others because he's terrified of being alone with his demons.
Dylan's love interest is Connor, who is a rather flat character. He likes to work out, and he won't let Dylan seduce him, but Connor doesn't evolve throughout the story.
One of my main issues, besides not bonding with either MC, was the revelation about Connor toward the end. Smart readers will know immediately that Connor is hiding something. I guessed his secret, but why was that "twist" even there? Why couldn't Connor just be a tennis instructor?
The first half dragged to the point I was tempted to DNF, but the pacing picked up around the halfway point.
Winter Dreams is not an easy, feel-good holiday story; despite the tropical island setting, it's dark and depressing. Dylan's vivid dreams shook me to the core.
All the stars for Ben and Jason, but even though the epilogue was quite lovely, this book didn't wow me. I'm a sad panda.
Winter Oranges is one of my favorite M/M romance novels of all time. I reread it recently and fell in love with Jason and Ben (especially Ben!) all over again.
Honestly, the best thing about Winter Dreams was seeing Ben and Jason living their happily ever after. Ben is as curious and enthusiastic as ever, finding joy in every moment, and Jason thinks Ben hung the moon and stars. Ben stole every scene he was in, and I wanted to bask in that happiness.
Dylan seemed like an intruder in his own story. I didn't like Dylan in the first book and, until the very end, I didn't like him here either.
Dylan's drinking, drug abuse, and parade of sexual partners (men and women alike) are symptoms of his deep shame and damaged self-esteem due to a traumatic incident in his past. He seeks validation from others because he's terrified of being alone with his demons.
Dylan's love interest is Connor, who is a rather flat character. He likes to work out, and he won't let Dylan seduce him, but Connor doesn't evolve throughout the story.
One of my main issues, besides not bonding with either MC, was the revelation about Connor toward the end. Smart readers will know immediately that Connor is hiding something. I guessed his secret, but why was that "twist" even there? Why couldn't Connor just be a tennis instructor?
The first half dragged to the point I was tempted to DNF, but the pacing picked up around the halfway point.
Winter Dreams is not an easy, feel-good holiday story; despite the tropical island setting, it's dark and depressing. Dylan's vivid dreams shook me to the core.
All the stars for Ben and Jason, but even though the epilogue was quite lovely, this book didn't wow me. I'm a sad panda.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2023
4.25 stars ...
Hmmm ... I have some words. Don't usually waste time, beyond a rating, on reviews that no one pays any attention to or cares about, if they bother to read it ... but I feel compelled to say some words here.
Full disclosure, ngl, I didn't expect to enjoy this book after disliking Dylan SO much in the first book ('Winter Oranges') but color me pleasantly surprised. Not *quite* as enjoyable as that story (I mean, the whole snow globe thing ... amiright?!? 😮), but thisclose! 😁
Pretty much always there are reasons why people behave the way they do. In the first book, we are given no clues as to the why Dylan is the way he is ... therefore we are meant to dislike him and we do. In this story, we discover his backstory and the "why" is detailed. As those details were revealed, I discovered I had much more in common with Dylan and, more importantly, his psyche, than I ever would have guessed . His character arc from beginning to end is wonderful, imo. All along he recognizes his fundamental flaws (and he's painfully honest up front with his "conquests" that they are nothing more than that 🤷♂️) and they haunt him deeply.
I liked our other protagonist, Connor, from the get-go. He, too, is flawed ... which we discover in detail during the last 15% ... but I admit that, if I were in his shoes, I would almost certainly have behaved in the same manner, if not worse. I completely understand his actions ... again based on his backstory reveal.
Connor knows from the beginning all about Dylan's history and reputation ... and he is having exactly none of it 🤨. He is precisely what Dylan needs to "get woke"! As Dylan himself ultimately says, "He makes me want to be a better person". By the end, Connor does and Dylan is. From the moment he meets Connor, Dylan is constantly faced with temptations yet somehow battles through them ... excruciatingly at times. He really is trying! 😖😫😩 He gets "professional" help ... a wonderfully enlightening scene! ... and is even willing (though reluctantly) to completely walk away from his career, if necessary.
Yes, these characters have flaws ... which (*gasp*) makes them real. They deserve their happy ever after. ❤️🥰❤️
Hmmm ... I have some words. Don't usually waste time, beyond a rating, on reviews that no one pays any attention to or cares about, if they bother to read it ... but I feel compelled to say some words here.
Full disclosure, ngl, I didn't expect to enjoy this book after disliking Dylan SO much in the first book ('Winter Oranges') but color me pleasantly surprised. Not *quite* as enjoyable as that story (I mean, the whole snow globe thing ... amiright?!? 😮), but thisclose! 😁
Pretty much always there are reasons why people behave the way they do. In the first book, we are given no clues as to the why Dylan is the way he is ... therefore we are meant to dislike him and we do. In this story, we discover his backstory and the "why" is detailed. As those details were revealed, I discovered I had much more in common with Dylan and, more importantly, his psyche, than I ever would have guessed . His character arc from beginning to end is wonderful, imo. All along he recognizes his fundamental flaws (and he's painfully honest up front with his "conquests" that they are nothing more than that 🤷♂️) and they haunt him deeply.
I liked our other protagonist, Connor, from the get-go. He, too, is flawed ... which we discover in detail during the last 15% ... but I admit that, if I were in his shoes, I would almost certainly have behaved in the same manner, if not worse. I completely understand his actions ... again based on his backstory reveal.
Connor knows from the beginning all about Dylan's history and reputation ... and he is having exactly none of it 🤨. He is precisely what Dylan needs to "get woke"! As Dylan himself ultimately says, "He makes me want to be a better person". By the end, Connor does and Dylan is. From the moment he meets Connor, Dylan is constantly faced with temptations yet somehow battles through them ... excruciatingly at times. He really is trying! 😖😫😩 He gets "professional" help ... a wonderfully enlightening scene! ... and is even willing (though reluctantly) to completely walk away from his career, if necessary.
Yes, these characters have flaws ... which (*gasp*) makes them real. They deserve their happy ever after. ❤️🥰❤️
November 29, 2022
3.5 stars
Dylan goes on a trip to an island with Ben and Jason. They plan to spend the Christmas Holiday together. Dylan loves Ben and Jason but part of him is jealous of what they share together. However, Dylan intends to ignore those feelings and be the guy who enjoys seducing people while having some fun. He plans to do seduce as many people as he call on this trip while also look for JP Frederick, a movie director.
Well those are his initial plans but it seems the island has different plans for him. Along the way he meets Connor a sweet guy who does not succumb to his seduction methods. There is something about Connor that intrigues Dylan. Instead of spending his time seducing others he spends it all with Connor. Connor stirs emotions in Dylan but there is underlying fear in Dylan that feels him with doubt.
Dylan wants Connor but doesn't trust himself. Will Dylan figure out what he needs to do in order to lead the life he wants or will he continue down the path of destruction?
Overall a solid and entertaining read. I liked Dylan and Connor together. I liked that there was still a magical aspect to the story like the previous book. I loved that Ben and Jason are still happy together and we get to spend some time with them. Most of all I love that Dylan found his own HEA.
Dylan goes on a trip to an island with Ben and Jason. They plan to spend the Christmas Holiday together. Dylan loves Ben and Jason but part of him is jealous of what they share together. However, Dylan intends to ignore those feelings and be the guy who enjoys seducing people while having some fun. He plans to do seduce as many people as he call on this trip while also look for JP Frederick, a movie director.
Well those are his initial plans but it seems the island has different plans for him. Along the way he meets Connor a sweet guy who does not succumb to his seduction methods. There is something about Connor that intrigues Dylan. Instead of spending his time seducing others he spends it all with Connor. Connor stirs emotions in Dylan but there is underlying fear in Dylan that feels him with doubt.
Dylan wants Connor but doesn't trust himself. Will Dylan figure out what he needs to do in order to lead the life he wants or will he continue down the path of destruction?
Overall a solid and entertaining read. I liked Dylan and Connor together. I liked that there was still a magical aspect to the story like the previous book. I loved that Ben and Jason are still happy together and we get to spend some time with them. Most of all I love that Dylan found his own HEA.
December 1, 2023
I can only give this one 2.5 generous stars. It was a letdown after reading the first Winter Magic book in the series. Unlikable MC’s who lied and/or cheated their way through the story and a reveal at the end that was predictable and unsatisfying. Ben (from the previous book) was the only one who kept things interesting.
December 1, 2023
Ugh!
I knew what was coming at the end and still totally hated it! 🤬 Neither Dylan or Connor deserve the happy ending they got. I was tempted to give this one star but I just love Ben so much that I’m giving him a star of his own. The author’s writing is good. I’ll probably try a different book of her’s at some point, but I just didn’t like 3 of the 4 main characters in this series. 2 stars… 1 star for the main story and 1 star just for sweet adorable Ben. 🥰
I knew what was coming at the end and still totally hated it! 🤬 Neither Dylan or Connor deserve the happy ending they got. I was tempted to give this one star but I just love Ben so much that I’m giving him a star of his own. The author’s writing is good. I’ll probably try a different book of her’s at some point, but I just didn’t like 3 of the 4 main characters in this series. 2 stars… 1 star for the main story and 1 star just for sweet adorable Ben. 🥰
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2022
I've given this an A- at AAR, so 4.5 stars rounded up.
Back in 2020, I chose Marie Sexton’s Winter Orangesas my read for that year’s December prompt in the TBR Challenge, and really enjoyed it. It’s an unusual and charming story, a gorgeous slow-burn romance with a magical twist, and I was delighted to see that the author was writing a sequel. Often, sequels turn out to be disappointing, but I’m happy to report that Winter Dreams is even better than Winter Oranges. It’s a beautifully developed redemption story (and I’m a sucker for those!) combined with a touch of fantasy and another fabulous and emotionally satisfying slow-burn romance.
While it’s probably not essential to have read Winter Oranges before this, I strongly recommend doing so. For one thing, it’s a great read, and for another, you’ll get more detailed insight into the central relationships and character backgrounds. Please be aware that there are spoilers for that book in this review.
Actor Dylan Fraser has a reputation as one of Hollywood’s biggest playboys. Relationships aren’t for him and he’s never made a secret of that – even with the only lover he ever returned to, his best friend Jason Walker. Even though Dylan knew Jason was in love with him and no matter that he knew how cruel it was, Dylan couldn’t bring himself to stay away. But two years later, things are very different. Jason is now blisfully happy with Ben (Winter Oranges is their love story), and although Dylan adores them both – is even a little in love with both of them – and knows Ben is more right for Jason than he ever was, he can’t help feeling like the odd man out, or wondering about what might have been if he’d been capable of fidelity.
When the story opens, Dylan, Jason and Ben are en route to a luxury holiday island resort in the Bahamas called Fantasy Island, like the classic eighties TV show of the same name. It is, according to the brochure, a “place where all your fantasies come true.” Jason snidely suggests Dylan’s fantasy is to fuck his way through all the guests before the month is out; laughingly, Dylan agrees, although he knows that deep down, his fantasy would be to stop being himself and become Jason or Ben for the rest of his life, which would be so much better than being him. He ruthlessly suppresses the knowledge that he’s envious of what they’ve found in each other, and knowing it’s not something he’ll ever have, he figures he might as well not bother trying to find it and continues to live up to his flagrantly promiscuous reputation.
Within hours of arriving, Dylan has made a start on his ‘fuck everyone on the island’ quest, but after only a few days of having all the sex he wants, he starts to feel bored and on edge. He decides it’s time to get started on the other reason he came to the island – to track down a big-name movie director who winters there and charm – or fuck, whatever is needed – his way into his latest movie.
After a workout at the gym, Dylan heads to the nearby café for lunch and his interest is snagged by a guy sitting alone at another table. Dylan wanders over to ask him if he can buy him a drink, but the guy throws Dylan off his stride when he asks if his uncle has put Dylan up to trying to pick him up. Dylan has no idea who this uncle is and says so; the guy – Connor – relaxes a bit and lets Dylan buy that drink. As they’re chatting and Connor makes it clear that he’s not going to have sex with him, Dylan realises that he actually wants to spend time with the other man, even if it is just for the thrill of the chase. Connor suggests a game of tennis later that afternoon – still adamant that he’s not going to be seduced – and Dylan becomes even more determined to ‘woo’ Connor into bed.
The tennis match is followed by dinner, which leads to more conversation and to Connor opening up to Dylan about his recent break-up with a guy he thought he loved, but who turned out to be using him to get ahead. After dinner, Dylan gets to walk Connor back to his bungalow – but that’s where the night ends, after a chaste kiss to the forehead. More not-dates – tennis and dinner, sightseeing and dinner – follow, and Dylan realises he’s started not to care that sex isn’t on the table; he’s enjoying being with Connor and enjoying everything about him – he’s fun to be with, he’s sexy and intriguing – and Dylan is not at all interested in being with anyone else. Startled, he realises he could actually be falling for Connor – he wakes up every morning wanting to see him and hates saying goodnigh every evening – but he’s terrified, too. He’s not cut out for monogamy – he knows what he is and how he operates, and is sure it’s only a matter of time before he screws it all up.
The slow-burn romance is beautifully done here; the growing connection between Dylan and Connor is superbly written, and although Dylan’s is the sole PoV, his perspective is so rich and perceptive that I never once felt there was anything lacking. Connor is a great foil for him, level-headed where Dylan is impulsive, quieter and introspective where Dylan is outgoing – and they’re good for one another, Dylan encouraging Connor to come out of his shell a little, and Connor helping Dylan to see himself a little differently.
Dylan wasn’t a particularly likeable character in Winter Oranges, selfishly hurting Jason over and over, so the author set herself quite the challenge to redeem him and make him the hero of his own story. She rises to that challenge admirably, however, slowly peeling away layer after layer of Dylan’s character to reveal the real man beneath the party-boy exterior he uses to deter anyone from getting close, and the unacknowledged and untreated trauma in his past that has informed so much of the man he has become. That man is incredibly complex – so very self-aware yet stuck in a never-ending spiral of self-loathing and unable to see a way out – and Ms. Sexton does a fantastic job of showing us that he’s far more than the smooth seducer of reputation, and that beneath it all, he’s in a pretty bad place. No spoilers, but it’s made clear that Dylan’s road to breaking the cycle he’s fallen into is not going to be easy, and that it’s an ongoing process – which felt very realistic.
The fantasy element in Winter Dreams is perhaps less prominent than in its predecessor, but it packs quite the emotional punch. Ben has correctly defined the premise of the old TV show as “be careful what you wish for”, with the characters’ fantasies taking them down paths they hadn’t considered and then having to stay the course to get their just reward. It seems this Fantasy Island is doing the same thing as, in dreams, Dylan and Connor are shown possible futures, ways their lives could turn out depending on the choices they make. I absolutely loved this device; it’s clever and impactful but doesn’t overwhelm the story or have the feel of some kind of deus ex machina; the romance develops organically and is very much character-driven.
While all this is going on, the author also takes time to bring some closure to the relationship between Dylan and Jason – or rather, to one particular phase of their relationship and move it into the next one. Despite his avowed rejection of romantic love, there’s no question that Dylan was in love with Jason and that he just refused to see it. Now, he’s filled with regrets, and even though he is happy that Jason has found love with Ben, he’s a bit jealous, too, and there’s a sense that Jason is not especially happy in their friendship. I was so pleased to see that friendship being repaired and becoming stronger and deeper; as Dylan finds love with Connor, he’s able to see his love for Jason and Ben for what it truly is, a real and true friendship that will last forever. And on a side note, I loved Dylan choosing Ben to help him at the end; for all his faults, one of Dylan’s better qualities is his desire to make other people feel good about themselves, and he knew that showing his trust in Ben would would make a huge difference to his (Ben’s) self-esteem.
Winter Dreams exceeded my expectations all round. All the relationships in the story are beautifully written and the central romance is passionate and full of chemistry with a deeply satisfying emotional connection at its core. Looking at my ‘read’ shelf on Goodreads, I see this is only the second book by Marie Sexton I’ve read – something I clearly need to rectify! In the meantime however, this one goes on to my keeper shelf, and is very highly recommended.
Back in 2020, I chose Marie Sexton’s Winter Orangesas my read for that year’s December prompt in the TBR Challenge, and really enjoyed it. It’s an unusual and charming story, a gorgeous slow-burn romance with a magical twist, and I was delighted to see that the author was writing a sequel. Often, sequels turn out to be disappointing, but I’m happy to report that Winter Dreams is even better than Winter Oranges. It’s a beautifully developed redemption story (and I’m a sucker for those!) combined with a touch of fantasy and another fabulous and emotionally satisfying slow-burn romance.
While it’s probably not essential to have read Winter Oranges before this, I strongly recommend doing so. For one thing, it’s a great read, and for another, you’ll get more detailed insight into the central relationships and character backgrounds. Please be aware that there are spoilers for that book in this review.
Actor Dylan Fraser has a reputation as one of Hollywood’s biggest playboys. Relationships aren’t for him and he’s never made a secret of that – even with the only lover he ever returned to, his best friend Jason Walker. Even though Dylan knew Jason was in love with him and no matter that he knew how cruel it was, Dylan couldn’t bring himself to stay away. But two years later, things are very different. Jason is now blisfully happy with Ben (Winter Oranges is their love story), and although Dylan adores them both – is even a little in love with both of them – and knows Ben is more right for Jason than he ever was, he can’t help feeling like the odd man out, or wondering about what might have been if he’d been capable of fidelity.
When the story opens, Dylan, Jason and Ben are en route to a luxury holiday island resort in the Bahamas called Fantasy Island, like the classic eighties TV show of the same name. It is, according to the brochure, a “place where all your fantasies come true.” Jason snidely suggests Dylan’s fantasy is to fuck his way through all the guests before the month is out; laughingly, Dylan agrees, although he knows that deep down, his fantasy would be to stop being himself and become Jason or Ben for the rest of his life, which would be so much better than being him. He ruthlessly suppresses the knowledge that he’s envious of what they’ve found in each other, and knowing it’s not something he’ll ever have, he figures he might as well not bother trying to find it and continues to live up to his flagrantly promiscuous reputation.
Within hours of arriving, Dylan has made a start on his ‘fuck everyone on the island’ quest, but after only a few days of having all the sex he wants, he starts to feel bored and on edge. He decides it’s time to get started on the other reason he came to the island – to track down a big-name movie director who winters there and charm – or fuck, whatever is needed – his way into his latest movie.
After a workout at the gym, Dylan heads to the nearby café for lunch and his interest is snagged by a guy sitting alone at another table. Dylan wanders over to ask him if he can buy him a drink, but the guy throws Dylan off his stride when he asks if his uncle has put Dylan up to trying to pick him up. Dylan has no idea who this uncle is and says so; the guy – Connor – relaxes a bit and lets Dylan buy that drink. As they’re chatting and Connor makes it clear that he’s not going to have sex with him, Dylan realises that he actually wants to spend time with the other man, even if it is just for the thrill of the chase. Connor suggests a game of tennis later that afternoon – still adamant that he’s not going to be seduced – and Dylan becomes even more determined to ‘woo’ Connor into bed.
The tennis match is followed by dinner, which leads to more conversation and to Connor opening up to Dylan about his recent break-up with a guy he thought he loved, but who turned out to be using him to get ahead. After dinner, Dylan gets to walk Connor back to his bungalow – but that’s where the night ends, after a chaste kiss to the forehead. More not-dates – tennis and dinner, sightseeing and dinner – follow, and Dylan realises he’s started not to care that sex isn’t on the table; he’s enjoying being with Connor and enjoying everything about him – he’s fun to be with, he’s sexy and intriguing – and Dylan is not at all interested in being with anyone else. Startled, he realises he could actually be falling for Connor – he wakes up every morning wanting to see him and hates saying goodnigh every evening – but he’s terrified, too. He’s not cut out for monogamy – he knows what he is and how he operates, and is sure it’s only a matter of time before he screws it all up.
The slow-burn romance is beautifully done here; the growing connection between Dylan and Connor is superbly written, and although Dylan’s is the sole PoV, his perspective is so rich and perceptive that I never once felt there was anything lacking. Connor is a great foil for him, level-headed where Dylan is impulsive, quieter and introspective where Dylan is outgoing – and they’re good for one another, Dylan encouraging Connor to come out of his shell a little, and Connor helping Dylan to see himself a little differently.
Dylan wasn’t a particularly likeable character in Winter Oranges, selfishly hurting Jason over and over, so the author set herself quite the challenge to redeem him and make him the hero of his own story. She rises to that challenge admirably, however, slowly peeling away layer after layer of Dylan’s character to reveal the real man beneath the party-boy exterior he uses to deter anyone from getting close, and the unacknowledged and untreated trauma in his past that has informed so much of the man he has become. That man is incredibly complex – so very self-aware yet stuck in a never-ending spiral of self-loathing and unable to see a way out – and Ms. Sexton does a fantastic job of showing us that he’s far more than the smooth seducer of reputation, and that beneath it all, he’s in a pretty bad place. No spoilers, but it’s made clear that Dylan’s road to breaking the cycle he’s fallen into is not going to be easy, and that it’s an ongoing process – which felt very realistic.
The fantasy element in Winter Dreams is perhaps less prominent than in its predecessor, but it packs quite the emotional punch. Ben has correctly defined the premise of the old TV show as “be careful what you wish for”, with the characters’ fantasies taking them down paths they hadn’t considered and then having to stay the course to get their just reward. It seems this Fantasy Island is doing the same thing as, in dreams, Dylan and Connor are shown possible futures, ways their lives could turn out depending on the choices they make. I absolutely loved this device; it’s clever and impactful but doesn’t overwhelm the story or have the feel of some kind of deus ex machina; the romance develops organically and is very much character-driven.
While all this is going on, the author also takes time to bring some closure to the relationship between Dylan and Jason – or rather, to one particular phase of their relationship and move it into the next one. Despite his avowed rejection of romantic love, there’s no question that Dylan was in love with Jason and that he just refused to see it. Now, he’s filled with regrets, and even though he is happy that Jason has found love with Ben, he’s a bit jealous, too, and there’s a sense that Jason is not especially happy in their friendship. I was so pleased to see that friendship being repaired and becoming stronger and deeper; as Dylan finds love with Connor, he’s able to see his love for Jason and Ben for what it truly is, a real and true friendship that will last forever. And on a side note, I loved Dylan choosing Ben to help him at the end; for all his faults, one of Dylan’s better qualities is his desire to make other people feel good about themselves, and he knew that showing his trust in Ben would would make a huge difference to his (Ben’s) self-esteem.
Winter Dreams exceeded my expectations all round. All the relationships in the story are beautifully written and the central romance is passionate and full of chemistry with a deeply satisfying emotional connection at its core. Looking at my ‘read’ shelf on Goodreads, I see this is only the second book by Marie Sexton I’ve read – something I clearly need to rectify! In the meantime however, this one goes on to my keeper shelf, and is very highly recommended.
December 15, 2022
First off, thank you to the lovely elf who gifted this to me.
Secondly, while I didn't much like Dylan in the first book, I really felt for him in this one. And I quite possibly like this book better than the first one, which was a 5 star read for me. The eventual reveal of who Connor really is wasn't a huge surprise to me. And while I'm not entirely sure that Dylan's sex addiction and his inability to be alone with himself is based on trauma in his teen years, it felt reasonable enough. I loved the use of the dreams being possible futures. And oh my, the epilogue - perfection.
Thirdly, I utterly and completely adore Ben.
That is all.
Secondly, while I didn't much like Dylan in the first book, I really felt for him in this one. And I quite possibly like this book better than the first one, which was a 5 star read for me. The eventual reveal of who Connor really is wasn't a huge surprise to me. And while I'm not entirely sure that Dylan's sex addiction and his inability to be alone with himself is based on trauma in his teen years, it felt reasonable enough. I loved the use of the dreams being possible futures. And oh my, the epilogue - perfection.
Thirdly, I utterly and completely adore Ben.
That is all.
December 28, 2022
RECENSIONE A CURA DI EVELYNE
“Sogni d’inverno” è il secondo volume della serie “Winter Magic” di Marie Sexton. Sicuramente molti di voi avranno già letto “Arance d’inverno”, la storia di Ben e Jason, che introduce il personaggio di Dylan. Anche se non avrei mai immaginato di ritrovare questi personaggi in una nuova storia, così diversa dalla prima, sono rimasta contenta di poter leggere ancora una volta un’opera di questa autrice.
Ho sempre amato lo stile di Marie Sexton e questo volume non è certo da meno rispetto ai precedenti. Ogni particolare viene raccontato e il lettore ha la possibilità di creare l’intera linea temporale trascorsa tra il primo incontro e l’inizio della vita fuori dall’isola di Dylan e Connor.
In alcuni momenti il ritmo è diventato fin troppo lento, forse perché la storia, con le sue sfumature fantasy solo a tratti, creava un’atmosfera magica che aveva bisogno di essere rappresentata maggiormente. Se di solito apprezzo il fantasy in ogni sua forma, in questo caso sono rimasta dubbiosa nei confronti di “Fantasilandia” e di come la relazione tra Dylan e Connor viene influenzata. Un’idea senza dubbio carina e simpatica, ma che ha forzato non poco le loro azioni.
Continua sul nostro blog!
“Sogni d’inverno” è il secondo volume della serie “Winter Magic” di Marie Sexton. Sicuramente molti di voi avranno già letto “Arance d’inverno”, la storia di Ben e Jason, che introduce il personaggio di Dylan. Anche se non avrei mai immaginato di ritrovare questi personaggi in una nuova storia, così diversa dalla prima, sono rimasta contenta di poter leggere ancora una volta un’opera di questa autrice.
Ho sempre amato lo stile di Marie Sexton e questo volume non è certo da meno rispetto ai precedenti. Ogni particolare viene raccontato e il lettore ha la possibilità di creare l’intera linea temporale trascorsa tra il primo incontro e l’inizio della vita fuori dall’isola di Dylan e Connor.
In alcuni momenti il ritmo è diventato fin troppo lento, forse perché la storia, con le sue sfumature fantasy solo a tratti, creava un’atmosfera magica che aveva bisogno di essere rappresentata maggiormente. Se di solito apprezzo il fantasy in ogni sua forma, in questo caso sono rimasta dubbiosa nei confronti di “Fantasilandia” e di come la relazione tra Dylan e Connor viene influenzata. Un’idea senza dubbio carina e simpatica, ma che ha forzato non poco le loro azioni.
Continua sul nostro blog!
December 1, 2022
DNF at 50%
I loved Winter Oranges, I gave it five stars.
I was super excited when I received the ARC for this copy to read.
Alas, too much expectations sometimes hit you back in the face.
That happened to me while reading about Dylan. I didn't remember him at first, then I went back fast reading Winter Oranges.
Ooh, that Dylan... I remembered him!
It started really good in the beginning, and I can feel Dylan's regrets and sadness of being a third wheel.
But then he met Connor, and it went downhill after that.
The story was dragged and very slow, and I got bored fast.
I can't take myself to finished it, my mood was just flat.
I really wanted to like this book, but I can't. Sorry.
December 4, 2022
4.5 stars but rounding it to 5 because I loved that ending!!!!
Before reading this book you really need to read Winter Oranges. It’s a beautiful story and you have to get Jason and Ben’s story or you won’t fully enjoy this one.
I enjoyed this book and the “magical” theme. It’s not a strong magic of any kind, not like Winter Oranges, but it fits well here. The weird twist about Connor was a bit off and was going to lower my rating but then that epilogue happened and I had the biggest smile on my face.
I loved revisiting with Jason and especially Ben. He’s the sweetest and I loved how they were worked into this story. Dylan could’ve come off as a big ass but he was a great character with so much more depth to him. Connor is only seen through Dylan’s eyes but I still liked the way they fit together.
This was a story that was beautiful but also enjoyable and I’m happy Marie Sexton decided to write Dylan’s story.
Before reading this book you really need to read Winter Oranges. It’s a beautiful story and you have to get Jason and Ben’s story or you won’t fully enjoy this one.
I enjoyed this book and the “magical” theme. It’s not a strong magic of any kind, not like Winter Oranges, but it fits well here. The weird twist about Connor was a bit off and was going to lower my rating but then that epilogue happened and I had the biggest smile on my face.
I loved revisiting with Jason and especially Ben. He’s the sweetest and I loved how they were worked into this story. Dylan could’ve come off as a big ass but he was a great character with so much more depth to him. Connor is only seen through Dylan’s eyes but I still liked the way they fit together.
This was a story that was beautiful but also enjoyable and I’m happy Marie Sexton decided to write Dylan’s story.
December 5, 2022
This was so well written. I did not expect to come out of this book loving Dylan so much. I started the book not liking him based on his actions in Winter Magic, but by the end I loved him more than Jason and Ben—thanks to Sexton’s writing and characterization. Dylan really goes through the wringer in this book and his journey and evolution are very moving and very satisfying. I appreciate that Sexton didn’t try to rewrite the Dylan we met in the first book but managed to take those traits and illuminate an endearing and very lovable character.
The book deals with some heavy issues and had me in tears in a couple spots.
I love that this book is completely different from the first book. The characters and the presence of magic connect the two books but the plot is completely original compared to Winter Magic. The magic is much more subtle in this book and that’s perfect because this keeps the focus on Dylan and his character growth.
Jason and Ben are well used and Sexton does an excellent job making them integral to the plot while keeping it decidedly Dylan’s story.
The twist near the end took me by surprise. And the reveal in the epilogue was a very sweet touch. I love Ben so much.
Nick J. Russo does another fantastic job as the audiobook narrator. He really brings Dylan and Ben and Jason to life.
All in all, a wonderful place to leave these characters.
The book deals with some heavy issues and had me in tears in a couple spots.
I love that this book is completely different from the first book. The characters and the presence of magic connect the two books but the plot is completely original compared to Winter Magic. The magic is much more subtle in this book and that’s perfect because this keeps the focus on Dylan and his character growth.
Jason and Ben are well used and Sexton does an excellent job making them integral to the plot while keeping it decidedly Dylan’s story.
The twist near the end took me by surprise. And the reveal in the epilogue was a very sweet touch. I love Ben so much.
Nick J. Russo does another fantastic job as the audiobook narrator. He really brings Dylan and Ben and Jason to life.
All in all, a wonderful place to leave these characters.
January 9, 2026
2022: 5.0
2023: 4.5
2025: 4.0
Average: 4.5
2022: Holy wow this was soooo emotional. The ghost of Christmas Future has nothing on this island. The characters are messy and kind of awful, but they struggle and do the work to be better. I hated Dylan in the first one, and I still didn’t like the choices he made in this one but seeing his struggle as the island tested him and understanding his trauma made him real. It was raw and ugly and really beautiful. I love that they had to fight tooth and nail for their happy ending and no one got a free pass for bad behavior.
2023: 4.5
2025: 4.0
Average: 4.5
2022: Holy wow this was soooo emotional. The ghost of Christmas Future has nothing on this island. The characters are messy and kind of awful, but they struggle and do the work to be better. I hated Dylan in the first one, and I still didn’t like the choices he made in this one but seeing his struggle as the island tested him and understanding his trauma made him real. It was raw and ugly and really beautiful. I love that they had to fight tooth and nail for their happy ending and no one got a free pass for bad behavior.
December 30, 2022
5 stars for the narration
I reviewed the e-version of this when it came out - that review is HERE so I won't repeat myself. Nick J. Russo's excellent narration takes the story to a new level; his characterisations of the central characters are excellent (his Ben is so cute!), he creates a real warmth and camaraderie between them all, and really enhances the emotional connection in the romance.
Highly recommended.
I reviewed the e-version of this when it came out - that review is HERE so I won't repeat myself. Nick J. Russo's excellent narration takes the story to a new level; his characterisations of the central characters are excellent (his Ben is so cute!), he creates a real warmth and camaraderie between them all, and really enhances the emotional connection in the romance.
Highly recommended.
January 11, 2023
RECENSIONE DI SILVIA M.
Quando anni fa lessi Arance d’inverno, lo classificai come uno tra i più bei mm mai letti. Lo trovai originale, emozionante, sofferto. In poche parole stupendo.
Appena saputo, perciò, che ci sarebbe stato il seguito, ne sono stata sia estremamente entusiasta che un po’ diffidente. Sarebbe stato possibile eguagliare la bellezza del primo e arrivarci vicino?
Nonostante nel primo ho sicuramente detestato Dylan, in questo, la magnifica penna della Sexton, ci trascina dentro la sua mente e lo trasforma in una persona piena di fragilità e insicurezze che non puoi fare a meno di amare.
A Dylan piace il sesso, tantissimo, e non riesce proprio a resistere alla tentazione quando gli si presenta l’occasione. E fidatevi sono veramente tante. Ha deluso Jason quando si frequentavano, odiava farlo, ma l’impulso è più forte di lui, non resiste. Quello che più mi ha colpita in questo libro, è come la Sexton sia riuscita a rendere quasi giustificabili le azioni diversamente ignobili di Dylan. La sua introspezione è così ben delineata e profonda che è in grado di farvi cogliere tutte le minime sfumature. Da lettrice, ho capito il perché dei suoi tradimenti e l’ho anche giustificato, cosa che nella vita reale non farei mai.
Venendo alla trama, Dylan, Jason e Ben fanno un viaggio, raggiungono una magnifica isola e vogliono soggiornarci un mese. Dylan ama ancora Jason, ma adora anche Ben e vederli assieme lo rende sia felice che infinitamente triste. Vorrebbe avere quello che hanno loro, vorrebbe essere al loro posto. Quello che non sa è che l’isola è un po’ magica e ascolta i desideri delle persone. Cosa che non sempre è positiva.
Ho amato tutto di questo libro, come il rapporto profondamente indissolubile di Ben e Jason, che si amano immensamente. Rivederli mi ha resa felice.
Ho davvero apprezzato anche il rapporto tra Dylan e i due amici, sempre pronti ad aiutarlo nei momenti bui, nonostante le pecche caratteriali e di come abbia in passato fatto soffrire Jason.
In tutta questa bellezza c’è un un’unica eccezione che so che vi farà storcere il naso, ed è il secondo protagonista, Connor. Lui è si importante per Dylan, ma in realtà mi è parsa più una figura in disparte, una comparsa che serviva all’unico scopo di dare a Dylan una persona da amare. Di lui non leggiamo il POV e la caratterizzazione è poco approfondita. Non mi è nemmeno piaciuto caratterialmente. Insomma una voragine di diversità rispetto a quanto ho amato Ben.
Ma questo non ha in minima parte inficiato la bellezza di questo libro, che non è solo una storia d’amore, bensì di grande rinascita e di profonda amicizia. Come già detto è il secondo libro di una serie, la coppia è un’altra ma consiglio vivamente di leggere prima arance d’inverno perché i protagonisti sono molto presenti e ci sono tantissimi riferimenti al primo libro.
5 stelle
La copia Arc è stata gentilmente offerta dalla Casa Editrice
Recensione sul blog:
https://leletturedianya.altervista.or...
Quando anni fa lessi Arance d’inverno, lo classificai come uno tra i più bei mm mai letti. Lo trovai originale, emozionante, sofferto. In poche parole stupendo.
Appena saputo, perciò, che ci sarebbe stato il seguito, ne sono stata sia estremamente entusiasta che un po’ diffidente. Sarebbe stato possibile eguagliare la bellezza del primo e arrivarci vicino?
Nonostante nel primo ho sicuramente detestato Dylan, in questo, la magnifica penna della Sexton, ci trascina dentro la sua mente e lo trasforma in una persona piena di fragilità e insicurezze che non puoi fare a meno di amare.
A Dylan piace il sesso, tantissimo, e non riesce proprio a resistere alla tentazione quando gli si presenta l’occasione. E fidatevi sono veramente tante. Ha deluso Jason quando si frequentavano, odiava farlo, ma l’impulso è più forte di lui, non resiste. Quello che più mi ha colpita in questo libro, è come la Sexton sia riuscita a rendere quasi giustificabili le azioni diversamente ignobili di Dylan. La sua introspezione è così ben delineata e profonda che è in grado di farvi cogliere tutte le minime sfumature. Da lettrice, ho capito il perché dei suoi tradimenti e l’ho anche giustificato, cosa che nella vita reale non farei mai.
Venendo alla trama, Dylan, Jason e Ben fanno un viaggio, raggiungono una magnifica isola e vogliono soggiornarci un mese. Dylan ama ancora Jason, ma adora anche Ben e vederli assieme lo rende sia felice che infinitamente triste. Vorrebbe avere quello che hanno loro, vorrebbe essere al loro posto. Quello che non sa è che l’isola è un po’ magica e ascolta i desideri delle persone. Cosa che non sempre è positiva.
Ho amato tutto di questo libro, come il rapporto profondamente indissolubile di Ben e Jason, che si amano immensamente. Rivederli mi ha resa felice.
Ho davvero apprezzato anche il rapporto tra Dylan e i due amici, sempre pronti ad aiutarlo nei momenti bui, nonostante le pecche caratteriali e di come abbia in passato fatto soffrire Jason.
In tutta questa bellezza c’è un un’unica eccezione che so che vi farà storcere il naso, ed è il secondo protagonista, Connor. Lui è si importante per Dylan, ma in realtà mi è parsa più una figura in disparte, una comparsa che serviva all’unico scopo di dare a Dylan una persona da amare. Di lui non leggiamo il POV e la caratterizzazione è poco approfondita. Non mi è nemmeno piaciuto caratterialmente. Insomma una voragine di diversità rispetto a quanto ho amato Ben.
Ma questo non ha in minima parte inficiato la bellezza di questo libro, che non è solo una storia d’amore, bensì di grande rinascita e di profonda amicizia. Come già detto è il secondo libro di una serie, la coppia è un’altra ma consiglio vivamente di leggere prima arance d’inverno perché i protagonisti sono molto presenti e ci sono tantissimi riferimenti al primo libro.
5 stelle
La copia Arc è stata gentilmente offerta dalla Casa Editrice
Recensione sul blog:
https://leletturedianya.altervista.or...
January 30, 2024
5 Stars🎧Narrated Nick J Russo
A beautifully narrated story by Mr Russo as he brings out every characters personality just perfectly in the audio. A story of Dylan’s journey into discovering love, maybe for the first time as he meets Connor sitting alone having a drink.
Dylan, 31 years old, was in love with his best friend, Jason but he's now in a relationship with Ben. The three were off on a vacation on a Fantasy Island, and Ben proves his adorable self in this as he was in book one with his bubbly personality.
Dylan was an actor who was Bisexual and a big flirt with any gender with hookups. He loves a good challenge as he encounters one with Connor as Connor sets the boundaries not wanting to be another notch in the bed post. Yeah, Dylan being a famous actor has a reputation which is known as a ladies man.
Connor was determined not to give in to Dylan’s hook up attempts, but eventually they line up a tennis match and they becomes friends and later a bit more as feelings happen.
Connor’s Uncle is mentioned a lot in this which becomes a intrigue of who he was. Connor doesn’t give much away about himself to Dylan.
This only has Dylan’s POV in the story for a fast insta-connection romance story spanning over 4 weeks. Lots of sexy scenes involved as the couple get closer along with dramas, humor especially with Ben and much more in the story for an HEA ending. This is recommended to be read in order to understand the characters and their stories how they meet up.
A beautifully narrated story by Mr Russo as he brings out every characters personality just perfectly in the audio. A story of Dylan’s journey into discovering love, maybe for the first time as he meets Connor sitting alone having a drink.
Dylan, 31 years old, was in love with his best friend, Jason but he's now in a relationship with Ben. The three were off on a vacation on a Fantasy Island, and Ben proves his adorable self in this as he was in book one with his bubbly personality.
Dylan was an actor who was Bisexual and a big flirt with any gender with hookups. He loves a good challenge as he encounters one with Connor as Connor sets the boundaries not wanting to be another notch in the bed post. Yeah, Dylan being a famous actor has a reputation which is known as a ladies man.
Connor was determined not to give in to Dylan’s hook up attempts, but eventually they line up a tennis match and they becomes friends and later a bit more as feelings happen.
Connor’s Uncle is mentioned a lot in this which becomes a intrigue of who he was. Connor doesn’t give much away about himself to Dylan.
This only has Dylan’s POV in the story for a fast insta-connection romance story spanning over 4 weeks. Lots of sexy scenes involved as the couple get closer along with dramas, humor especially with Ben and much more in the story for an HEA ending. This is recommended to be read in order to understand the characters and their stories how they meet up.
January 21, 2023
I never thought we'd get a sequel to Winter Oranges, one of my all time favorite books! And I'm so happy we did!
(Really, I'm so happy we got to see Ben in all his adorable-ness again, seriously, what a cutie)
Dylan was Jason's best friends and FWB in Winter Oranges, and now it's his time to find his HEA. I really loved his connection with Connor, how smartly written their dialogue and interactions were.
You definitely need to have read Winter Oranges first, as Dylan and Jason are throughout this book, and understanding how he treated Jason is pretty important to understanding where he is today and how Dylan wants to be going forward.
I absolutely loved the little bit of magic thrown into this book. It's sweet, romantic, and gives Dylan a great HEA.
(Really, I'm so happy we got to see Ben in all his adorable-ness again, seriously, what a cutie)
Dylan was Jason's best friends and FWB in Winter Oranges, and now it's his time to find his HEA. I really loved his connection with Connor, how smartly written their dialogue and interactions were.
You definitely need to have read Winter Oranges first, as Dylan and Jason are throughout this book, and understanding how he treated Jason is pretty important to understanding where he is today and how Dylan wants to be going forward.
I absolutely loved the little bit of magic thrown into this book. It's sweet, romantic, and gives Dylan a great HEA.
January 9, 2023
Iris Brown - per RFS
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“Si dice che la follia corrisponda al voler fare sempre la stessa cosa aspettandosi ogni volta un risultato diverso. Deve essere vero. Dio solo sa se non è stata la follia a dirmi di partecipare a questa vacanza. Per quale motivo, altrimenti, dovrei voler trascorrere i prossimi trentuno giorni in compagnia di Jason e Ben sapendo che il risultato non sarà nient’altro che un gran mal di testa? Li adoro entrambi così tanto che fa quasi male. Essere spettatore del loro amore per me equivale a sentire il cuore che va lentamente in pezzi ogni momento di più, eppure non posso neanche sopportare l’idea di saperli lontani.”
Sono trascorsi due anni dagli avvenimenti narrati nel primo libro di questa serie, Arance d’Inverno, in cui la magica apparizione di Beun nella vita di Jason ha stravolto, scosso e sconvolto anche l’esistenza di Dylan, migliore amico e, all’epoca, anche qualcosa di più, di Jason. Dylan, così esuberante, sicuro di sé, casinista, attore di successo a cui basta un sorriso perché uomini e donne cadano tra le sue braccia, guarda i suoi due amici con invidia e gelosia. Ogni sguardo colmo d’amore, ogni smanceria sdolcinata, ogni gesto romantico che Jason e Ben si scambiano, contribuiscono a creare un’altra fenditura al suo cuore. Eppure lui non può fare a meno di stare con loro, anche se significa desiderare di essere uno dei due per poter fare parte di quella bolla d’amore in cui vivono e che brama e invidia così tanto, per quanto non lo ammetterebbe mai. Decide di partire con loro per una lunga vacanza natalizia alle Bahamas, in un resort dal nome promettente, forse, di “Fantasilandia”. Per Dylan è difficile passare tanto tempo con i due innamorati, perché Jason è stato l’unico che abbia mai contato davvero, l’unico che abbia amato.
“Il mio cuore si strugge d’amore. Devo resistere all’impulso di baciarlo. Ricordo fin troppo bene il modo in cui ci muovevamo insieme sul letto. Adoro Ben. E odio il fatto di ritrovarmi a sperare che se ne vada, ma in questo preciso momento darei qualsiasi cosa per avere Jason tutto per me.”
Dylan non può trascorrere tutto il tempo con i due piccioncini e, per lui, ogni occasione è buona per una nuova conquista che lo porti, per qualche ora, in un paradiso effimero e fugace. L’incontro che scalfirà la sua sicurezza è con Connor, istruttore di tennis che è il suo esatto opposto: riservato, restio a farsi avvicinare, cauto. Così cauto da tenerlo a distanza, da non cadergli subito tra le braccia, come fanno tutti gli altri.
“Lo voglio più di quanto possa immaginare, eppure questo corteggiamento infinito tra noi è più eccitante di una qualsiasi altra facile scopata. Adoro perdere contro di lui a tennis. Adoro il nostro continuo battibeccare. Adoro che sappia esattamente chi sono e che faccia di tutto per mettermi in discussione. Niente di ciò che lo riguarda è semplice, ed è proprio questo a renderlo divertente.”
Un corteggiamento in piena regola, totalmente agli antipodi rispetto al solito modus operandi di Dylan ma che lo intriga, lo affascina e lo coinvolge come non era mai accaduto. Non pensavo di affezionarmi così tanto a un personaggio tanto sopra le righe, irriverente, irritante e promiscuo come Dylan; un ragazzo però con un cuore che ha così tanto bisogno di essere colmato dell’amore della persona giusta. Se Ben è “adorabile”, Jason è “concreto e dolce”, lui è Dylan, semplicemente impossibile da definire. Scrittura brillante, divertente, tagliante, a volte, ma piena di calore e colore. Le scene d’amore sono molto passionali, fatte di chimica e tenerezza, di momenti hot ma anche di dedizione per l’altro. Avrei preferito leggere la storia con i Pov alternati dei due protagonisti, invece del solo racconto di Dylan ma, mi è piaciuto molto seguire il suo cammino, il suo cambiamento e il coraggio di mettersi in discussione. Tra sogni incredibili, che mostrano una realtà diversa, o meglio un “poteva andare così”, quel pizzico di magia (dopotutto Ben ha due secoli ed è stato rinchiuso in una palla di vetro), l’amicizia indissolubile che lega Dylan a Jason e Ben, e i tanti momenti ricchi di passione, questo romanzo è stato una lettura davvero piacevole.
.
“Si dice che la follia corrisponda al voler fare sempre la stessa cosa aspettandosi ogni volta un risultato diverso. Deve essere vero. Dio solo sa se non è stata la follia a dirmi di partecipare a questa vacanza. Per quale motivo, altrimenti, dovrei voler trascorrere i prossimi trentuno giorni in compagnia di Jason e Ben sapendo che il risultato non sarà nient’altro che un gran mal di testa? Li adoro entrambi così tanto che fa quasi male. Essere spettatore del loro amore per me equivale a sentire il cuore che va lentamente in pezzi ogni momento di più, eppure non posso neanche sopportare l’idea di saperli lontani.”
Sono trascorsi due anni dagli avvenimenti narrati nel primo libro di questa serie, Arance d’Inverno, in cui la magica apparizione di Beun nella vita di Jason ha stravolto, scosso e sconvolto anche l’esistenza di Dylan, migliore amico e, all’epoca, anche qualcosa di più, di Jason. Dylan, così esuberante, sicuro di sé, casinista, attore di successo a cui basta un sorriso perché uomini e donne cadano tra le sue braccia, guarda i suoi due amici con invidia e gelosia. Ogni sguardo colmo d’amore, ogni smanceria sdolcinata, ogni gesto romantico che Jason e Ben si scambiano, contribuiscono a creare un’altra fenditura al suo cuore. Eppure lui non può fare a meno di stare con loro, anche se significa desiderare di essere uno dei due per poter fare parte di quella bolla d’amore in cui vivono e che brama e invidia così tanto, per quanto non lo ammetterebbe mai. Decide di partire con loro per una lunga vacanza natalizia alle Bahamas, in un resort dal nome promettente, forse, di “Fantasilandia”. Per Dylan è difficile passare tanto tempo con i due innamorati, perché Jason è stato l’unico che abbia mai contato davvero, l’unico che abbia amato.
“Il mio cuore si strugge d’amore. Devo resistere all’impulso di baciarlo. Ricordo fin troppo bene il modo in cui ci muovevamo insieme sul letto. Adoro Ben. E odio il fatto di ritrovarmi a sperare che se ne vada, ma in questo preciso momento darei qualsiasi cosa per avere Jason tutto per me.”
Dylan non può trascorrere tutto il tempo con i due piccioncini e, per lui, ogni occasione è buona per una nuova conquista che lo porti, per qualche ora, in un paradiso effimero e fugace. L’incontro che scalfirà la sua sicurezza è con Connor, istruttore di tennis che è il suo esatto opposto: riservato, restio a farsi avvicinare, cauto. Così cauto da tenerlo a distanza, da non cadergli subito tra le braccia, come fanno tutti gli altri.
“Lo voglio più di quanto possa immaginare, eppure questo corteggiamento infinito tra noi è più eccitante di una qualsiasi altra facile scopata. Adoro perdere contro di lui a tennis. Adoro il nostro continuo battibeccare. Adoro che sappia esattamente chi sono e che faccia di tutto per mettermi in discussione. Niente di ciò che lo riguarda è semplice, ed è proprio questo a renderlo divertente.”
Un corteggiamento in piena regola, totalmente agli antipodi rispetto al solito modus operandi di Dylan ma che lo intriga, lo affascina e lo coinvolge come non era mai accaduto. Non pensavo di affezionarmi così tanto a un personaggio tanto sopra le righe, irriverente, irritante e promiscuo come Dylan; un ragazzo però con un cuore che ha così tanto bisogno di essere colmato dell’amore della persona giusta. Se Ben è “adorabile”, Jason è “concreto e dolce”, lui è Dylan, semplicemente impossibile da definire. Scrittura brillante, divertente, tagliante, a volte, ma piena di calore e colore. Le scene d’amore sono molto passionali, fatte di chimica e tenerezza, di momenti hot ma anche di dedizione per l’altro. Avrei preferito leggere la storia con i Pov alternati dei due protagonisti, invece del solo racconto di Dylan ma, mi è piaciuto molto seguire il suo cammino, il suo cambiamento e il coraggio di mettersi in discussione. Tra sogni incredibili, che mostrano una realtà diversa, o meglio un “poteva andare così”, quel pizzico di magia (dopotutto Ben ha due secoli ed è stato rinchiuso in una palla di vetro), l’amicizia indissolubile che lega Dylan a Jason e Ben, e i tanti momenti ricchi di passione, questo romanzo è stato una lettura davvero piacevole.
Read
December 3, 2022Sorry, can't read anymore about Dylan and his slutty ways. Didn't really like him in Winter Oranges, and my opinion hasn't changed since then. Such a shame.
November 29, 2022
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
Winter Dreams was the surprise book of the year for me as its predecessor, Winter Oranges, was released back in 2015. The first book was magical and featured Jason and Ben, with Dylan as Jason’s friend with benefits. I remembered so much about Jason and Ben and less about Dylan, but I got quickly reacquainted with him in this new book. While this is Dylan’s story, Jason and Ben are central figures here as well and I felt it did help to have the entire backstory from Winter Oranges.
I liked Dylan’s first-person narrative right from the start, as he tells it like he sees it. Dylan is a player. He knows this and he loves seduction, but not just the easy ones; he loves the challenges as well. We get more insight into Dylan’s relationship with Jason and how their time together and then their time apart has affected Dylan. We also get more insight into Dylan and the challenges he has faced that make him the way he is.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
Winter Dreams was the surprise book of the year for me as its predecessor, Winter Oranges, was released back in 2015. The first book was magical and featured Jason and Ben, with Dylan as Jason’s friend with benefits. I remembered so much about Jason and Ben and less about Dylan, but I got quickly reacquainted with him in this new book. While this is Dylan’s story, Jason and Ben are central figures here as well and I felt it did help to have the entire backstory from Winter Oranges.
I liked Dylan’s first-person narrative right from the start, as he tells it like he sees it. Dylan is a player. He knows this and he loves seduction, but not just the easy ones; he loves the challenges as well. We get more insight into Dylan’s relationship with Jason and how their time together and then their time apart has affected Dylan. We also get more insight into Dylan and the challenges he has faced that make him the way he is.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
December 8, 2022
I thought the first book was amazing, and then I bawled my eyes out during this one. How? How is it so painful and so GOOD??
...Anyway, review to come soon once I can, y'know, see through the tears.
Okay, I'm back. Even though my heart is STILL broken for Dylan. *ugly cry* Going into this, I really didn't know how Marie Sexton was possibly going to resolve Dylan being in love with his best friends, when Jason and Ben are clearly in a deeply monogamous, closed type of relationship. I was so pleased with the way so many different kinds of love are depicted in this book, and how your perception of love can change as well.
I think I loved Ben even more in this book than in Winter Oranges. His relationship with Jason is basically cotton candy in this book - so sweet and yet I just - can't - stop.
Dylan is a much harder character to love, both in the first book when he's introduced and in this one where he's the main character. As someone who is also deeply scarred and struggles with self-esteem and the cycle of shame>bad coping mechanism>more shame>repeat for infinity, I really felt for Dylan and was rooting for him to get his sh*t together. There are moments where he wants so badly to be this person that he's so sure he's not, and every single one of them breaks my heart. And then despite ugly crying several times, I still found myself grinning like a loon and laughing at the banter between Connor and Dylan. They're just so GOOD.
I did sort of see the "big reveal" plot twist coming from basically the beginning - but this book is so good I didn't even care.
This is the second book in the Winter Magic series, and while the main romantic arc is contained within this book, you really do need to read the first book, Winter Oranges, to know what the heck is going on here. Please read in order. ;)
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are unbiased and my own.
Like this review?
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter
...Anyway, review to come soon once I can, y'know, see through the tears.
Okay, I'm back. Even though my heart is STILL broken for Dylan. *ugly cry* Going into this, I really didn't know how Marie Sexton was possibly going to resolve Dylan being in love with his best friends, when Jason and Ben are clearly in a deeply monogamous, closed type of relationship. I was so pleased with the way so many different kinds of love are depicted in this book, and how your perception of love can change as well.
I think I loved Ben even more in this book than in Winter Oranges. His relationship with Jason is basically cotton candy in this book - so sweet and yet I just - can't - stop.
Dylan is a much harder character to love, both in the first book when he's introduced and in this one where he's the main character. As someone who is also deeply scarred and struggles with self-esteem and the cycle of shame>bad coping mechanism>more shame>repeat for infinity, I really felt for Dylan and was rooting for him to get his sh*t together. There are moments where he wants so badly to be this person that he's so sure he's not, and every single one of them breaks my heart. And then despite ugly crying several times, I still found myself grinning like a loon and laughing at the banter between Connor and Dylan. They're just so GOOD.
I did sort of see the "big reveal" plot twist coming from basically the beginning - but this book is so good I didn't even care.
This is the second book in the Winter Magic series, and while the main romantic arc is contained within this book, you really do need to read the first book, Winter Oranges, to know what the heck is going on here. Please read in order. ;)
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are unbiased and my own.
Like this review?
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter
February 17, 2024
I'm going to be brutally honest. Marie Sexton's Winter Dreams wasn't what a was hoping for. It's probably my own fault because I rarely read blurbs, but I thought this was a continuation of Winter Oranges which was so incredibly sweet and creative and unique. Come on... if you look at the cover for both books it does look like they're both about Jason and Ben.
The characters from that book do feature in Winter Dreams, but it's mostly centered around the spoiled playboy ex f-buddy of Jason's, Dylan. Grrr - Hollywood brats behaving badly but learning how to love again. Ah well.
The audio version is nicely performed by Nick J. Russo, so that was lucky.
The characters from that book do feature in Winter Dreams, but it's mostly centered around the spoiled playboy ex f-buddy of Jason's, Dylan. Grrr - Hollywood brats behaving badly but learning how to love again. Ah well.
The audio version is nicely performed by Nick J. Russo, so that was lucky.
December 2, 2022
I absolutely LOVED this book! It was certainly a page-turner for me! I simply devoured the story so much!!!! I hadn’t read “Winter Oranges” which is the first book in the “Winter Magic” series. I would recommend that you read “Winter Oranges” first before reading “Winter Dreams” although it can be a standalone book. This story is a “Fantasy Island at Christmastime” type of story. The covers for the series are simply wonderful and colorful!
The story focuses on Dylan, a star who was on break between filming a series along with his friends, Jason & Benjamin (the MCs from Winter Oranges) who he was secretly in love with. They all decided to vacation at an island for a month during Christmastime. When Dylan found that a director of a movie series that he wanted to star in, was staying on the island as well, he made it his mission to locate him. While on the island, there were different people (men and women) who wanted to have some hot “fun” in the sack with him in which he obliged in the beginning. However, one day while searching for the director, he saw this guy sitting alone at a table. He decided to strike up a conversation and found out his name was Connor who’s a tennis player and was teaching tennis on the island. Dylan, being a player in bed decided not to “play” but become friends since Connor had just broken up with his boyfriend. That’s where I’m going to stop and have you pick up the book to read to find out how it went. Such a wonderful reading!!!
The story focuses on Dylan, a star who was on break between filming a series along with his friends, Jason & Benjamin (the MCs from Winter Oranges) who he was secretly in love with. They all decided to vacation at an island for a month during Christmastime. When Dylan found that a director of a movie series that he wanted to star in, was staying on the island as well, he made it his mission to locate him. While on the island, there were different people (men and women) who wanted to have some hot “fun” in the sack with him in which he obliged in the beginning. However, one day while searching for the director, he saw this guy sitting alone at a table. He decided to strike up a conversation and found out his name was Connor who’s a tennis player and was teaching tennis on the island. Dylan, being a player in bed decided not to “play” but become friends since Connor had just broken up with his boyfriend. That’s where I’m going to stop and have you pick up the book to read to find out how it went. Such a wonderful reading!!!
December 20, 2022
Not as good as the first book - largely because this one features the annoying (IMO) Dylan (not very sympathetic secondary from Winter Oranges). Ben steals every scene he's in. Things got a little tedious with all the random hook-ups for bisexual Dylan in the first third, and the Fantasy Island analogies started to wear a little past the mid-way point. I didn't warm to either Dylan or Connor in the end, hence - some judicious fast-forwarding towards the end. 2.5 stars barely rounded up to 3.
April 21, 2023
Was not nearly as big a fan of this story as book one. The MCs didn’t interest me as much and the constant push and pull of their relationship was exhausting. The magical realism piece was not as intriguing as book one although I enjoyed the Fantasy Island references. Didn’t like how the author portrayed Ben here, or maybe it was Nick Russo’s interpretation, but he seemed overdone and immature in a way he didn’t in book one. It was disappointing. Nonetheless it was fun to spend time w him and Jason again.
January 9, 2023
Recensione a cura di Dragonfly per Feel the Book
Voto 4,5
Siete pronti per immergervi nella magia? No, non proprio la magia del Natale, ma una sorta di magia che influenzerà le scelte dei nostri amici o almeno ci proverà.
Se avete letto Arance d’inverno, primo libro di questa serie, saprete già chi sono i personaggi che andremo a conoscere, ma se così non fosse non preoccupatevi, riuscirete a seguire tutto senza intoppi, anche se poi sarete presi dalla curiosità e andrete a comprarvi il primo libro, io almeno l’ho fatto.
Dunque entriamo nel vivo di questa storia che vi farà sognare e vi regalerà momenti di stupore, allegria e ansia. Iniziamo con il conoscere quelli che sono i personaggi principali della storia: Dylan e Connor.
Dylan, un attore conosciuto per le sue innumerevoli scappatelle, non si fa mancare nulla: uomini o donne, purché stimolino il suo interesse, sono il suo terreno di caccia. È un amante generoso ma evita l’amore: dice che non fa per lui, però segretamente invidia il meraviglioso rapporto tra i suoi migliori amici Ben e Jason, i protagonisti del libro precedente. Jason e Dylan si conoscono da ragazzini, hanno condiviso tutto, anche il letto, e quando Ben ha fatto il suo ingresso in scena la loro amicizia ha dovuto superare ogni difficoltà. Dylan adora Ben e spesso sogna di avere ciò che hanno loro, ma attenzione a ciò che desideriamo, non sappiamo chi sta ascoltando…
I nostri tre amici decidono di trascorrere le vacanze di Natale su un’isola delle Bahamas e qui ciò che sembrano semplici riflessioni tra i tre, durante il soggiorno, influenzeranno gli eventi. Dylan vuole abbronzarsi, incontrare il maggior numero di persone con cui divertirsi e magari incontrare un regista famoso che possa dargli l’occasione del salto di qualità.
Connor è sull’isola per due motivi: uno allontanarsi da un fidanzato che ha scoperto essere uno stronzo, e due lavorare per suo zio. Non vuole nessun legame, ma quando incontra Dylan le sue decisioni potrebbero vacillare; dopo la scottatura però decide di vivere l’incontro andandoci piano, anche se resistere al carisma di Dylan sarà difficile. Per una serie di equivoci, Dylan crede che Connor sia un insegnante di tennis e questi non fa nulla per correggerlo. Tra i due inizierà un gioco di seduzione che lentamente li porterà a un livello superiore, tanto che Dylan si troverà suo malgrado a comportarsi in modo diverso dal solito e scoprirà che in fondo non gli dispiace, ma sappiamo che l’isola nasconde qualche segreto e le vite dei due subiranno molti scossoni.
Paura e incapacità di vedersi per quello che si è realmente metteranno a rischio la loro amicizia e il loro rapporto; scopriremo che dietro un sorriso spesso si celano un dolore e paure che hanno contaminato tutta la vita di Dylan, e che la spavalderia di Connor nel resistere al corteggiamento non è altro che paura di essere ferito nuovamente.
L’autrice ci trasporta in questo magico mondo e ci guida attraverso i sentimenti, le paure e i desideri, facendoli percepire in modo intenso. Seguiremo l’evolversi della storia tra i due protagonisti vivendo le loro emozioni, scopriremo come l’isola li pone di fronte alle loro paure e come loro cercheranno di affrontarle; in tutto questo non mancherà l’entusiasmo di Ben, che saprà conquistarvi e che sarà fondamentale per sentire la magia.
Mi sono innamorata di tutti e quattro e ho acquistato subito la storia di Ben e Jason, perché la Sexton è riuscita a sorprendermi e regalarmi intense emozioni.
Se siete pronti per eliminare ogni limite alla vostra mente, buttatevi e sognate, perché i sogni possono regalarci tanta felicità.
Editing a cura di Cleo
Voto 4,5
Siete pronti per immergervi nella magia? No, non proprio la magia del Natale, ma una sorta di magia che influenzerà le scelte dei nostri amici o almeno ci proverà.
Se avete letto Arance d’inverno, primo libro di questa serie, saprete già chi sono i personaggi che andremo a conoscere, ma se così non fosse non preoccupatevi, riuscirete a seguire tutto senza intoppi, anche se poi sarete presi dalla curiosità e andrete a comprarvi il primo libro, io almeno l’ho fatto.
Dunque entriamo nel vivo di questa storia che vi farà sognare e vi regalerà momenti di stupore, allegria e ansia. Iniziamo con il conoscere quelli che sono i personaggi principali della storia: Dylan e Connor.
Dylan, un attore conosciuto per le sue innumerevoli scappatelle, non si fa mancare nulla: uomini o donne, purché stimolino il suo interesse, sono il suo terreno di caccia. È un amante generoso ma evita l’amore: dice che non fa per lui, però segretamente invidia il meraviglioso rapporto tra i suoi migliori amici Ben e Jason, i protagonisti del libro precedente. Jason e Dylan si conoscono da ragazzini, hanno condiviso tutto, anche il letto, e quando Ben ha fatto il suo ingresso in scena la loro amicizia ha dovuto superare ogni difficoltà. Dylan adora Ben e spesso sogna di avere ciò che hanno loro, ma attenzione a ciò che desideriamo, non sappiamo chi sta ascoltando…
I nostri tre amici decidono di trascorrere le vacanze di Natale su un’isola delle Bahamas e qui ciò che sembrano semplici riflessioni tra i tre, durante il soggiorno, influenzeranno gli eventi. Dylan vuole abbronzarsi, incontrare il maggior numero di persone con cui divertirsi e magari incontrare un regista famoso che possa dargli l’occasione del salto di qualità.
Connor è sull’isola per due motivi: uno allontanarsi da un fidanzato che ha scoperto essere uno stronzo, e due lavorare per suo zio. Non vuole nessun legame, ma quando incontra Dylan le sue decisioni potrebbero vacillare; dopo la scottatura però decide di vivere l’incontro andandoci piano, anche se resistere al carisma di Dylan sarà difficile. Per una serie di equivoci, Dylan crede che Connor sia un insegnante di tennis e questi non fa nulla per correggerlo. Tra i due inizierà un gioco di seduzione che lentamente li porterà a un livello superiore, tanto che Dylan si troverà suo malgrado a comportarsi in modo diverso dal solito e scoprirà che in fondo non gli dispiace, ma sappiamo che l’isola nasconde qualche segreto e le vite dei due subiranno molti scossoni.
Paura e incapacità di vedersi per quello che si è realmente metteranno a rischio la loro amicizia e il loro rapporto; scopriremo che dietro un sorriso spesso si celano un dolore e paure che hanno contaminato tutta la vita di Dylan, e che la spavalderia di Connor nel resistere al corteggiamento non è altro che paura di essere ferito nuovamente.
L’autrice ci trasporta in questo magico mondo e ci guida attraverso i sentimenti, le paure e i desideri, facendoli percepire in modo intenso. Seguiremo l’evolversi della storia tra i due protagonisti vivendo le loro emozioni, scopriremo come l’isola li pone di fronte alle loro paure e come loro cercheranno di affrontarle; in tutto questo non mancherà l’entusiasmo di Ben, che saprà conquistarvi e che sarà fondamentale per sentire la magia.
Mi sono innamorata di tutti e quattro e ho acquistato subito la storia di Ben e Jason, perché la Sexton è riuscita a sorprendermi e regalarmi intense emozioni.
Se siete pronti per eliminare ogni limite alla vostra mente, buttatevi e sognate, perché i sogni possono regalarci tanta felicità.
Editing a cura di Cleo
December 9, 2022
I enjoyed this one, but didn't love it. I appreciated the subtle supernatural twist here in theory, but in practice, it mostly left me feeling frustrated and like the characters were being manipulated. I can see why the "bad" vision served as a catalyst for Dylan to start tackling the root of his issues, but it felt unnecessarily cruel to me. I also didn't love how Jason came across in this one--he felt a lot harsher and more judgemental than he did in the first book. Connor was fine, but as a love interest he was pretty flat and uninteresting, and while I can appreciate the (obvious) twist at the end to show Connor hasn't been perfect, the scheme he cooked up with his uncle was pretty gross and wasn't totally addressed to my satisfaction. Fine holiday read, but not my fav.
November 29, 2022
Oh my god, I loved this book so much. You MUST read the previous book first, which I also HIGHLY recommend & I also loved, in order to truly get full enjoyment, but if you've already read that (or once you do read it), you MUST, MUST MUST read this book. I felt SO many feelings during this book. I was completely swept up in the story, the characters and how much I wanted that happy ending. It has so much sweetness, so much love, a good healthy dose of humor, not a bad amount of heat, but to be honest, also serious pathos & darkness at times. Despite the magic inherent in the story, there is realism that was definitely appreciated. Life isn't always fluffy and easy for these characters and they need more than magic to make their dreams reality. But again, there is sweetness and humor to balance it out. I did have a goofy smile on my face pretty often.
There is one warning I should give, as much as I feel like this is a fantastic book that I personally loved and totally recommend. There ought to be a trigger warning for suicide of a loved one. I can't say more than that because of spoilers, but really, if that's a really serious trigger issue, there is something similar in this book. Also minor trigger for substance abuse & slight for sexual coercion.
I was provided with an ARC of the ebook by Gay Romance Reviews (GRR). But, to my surprise, an audiobook edition was released before I had a chance to (admittedly rather last minute), read said ebook. And because I absolutely could not resist the audio, I decided to go ahead & purchase that. So I'm providing a little bonus review for that. Nick J. Russo did an EXCELLENT job of performing this book. He brought these characters to life and I'm sure that added to my experience of so many emotions as I binged through it in about a day, only stopping when necessary.
While I cannot imagine a need for a third book, I feel like I love these characters so much that I kind of wish for an excuse to see more of them.
There is one warning I should give, as much as I feel like this is a fantastic book that I personally loved and totally recommend. There ought to be a trigger warning for suicide of a loved one. I can't say more than that because of spoilers, but really, if that's a really serious trigger issue, there is something similar in this book. Also minor trigger for substance abuse & slight for sexual coercion.
I was provided with an ARC of the ebook by Gay Romance Reviews (GRR). But, to my surprise, an audiobook edition was released before I had a chance to (admittedly rather last minute), read said ebook. And because I absolutely could not resist the audio, I decided to go ahead & purchase that. So I'm providing a little bonus review for that. Nick J. Russo did an EXCELLENT job of performing this book. He brought these characters to life and I'm sure that added to my experience of so many emotions as I binged through it in about a day, only stopping when necessary.
While I cannot imagine a need for a third book, I feel like I love these characters so much that I kind of wish for an excuse to see more of them.
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