Monday, 5 May 2014

Review: Snow-Kissed by Laura Florand

Snow-Kissed (Snow Queen #1)
Snow-Kissed (Snow-Queen #1) by Laura Florand
Publication date: September 1st 2013
My rating: 5 stars
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 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18269829-snow-kissed

Florand takes us to a snow-kissed Christmas cabin for this heart-wrenching tale of love, loss, forgiveness—and hope. After the utter destruction of her marriage and her happiness, Kai knew it was better to shut herself away from the world than to hurt and be hurt. Holed up in her mountain cabin, she planned to spend her Christmas alone. Until her not-quite-ex-husband shows up as the first flakes start to fall. Now should she send him back out into the cold? Or can she be brave enough to let this winter snow bind them back together?

(A novella of 34,000 words. Approx. 130 pages.)


My Thoughts:
Laura Florand continues to astound me with her utterly gorgeous writing.  Snow-Kissed was perfection!

To be honest I was a little scared to read Snow-Kissed when I found out it was about a marriage in crisis. I don’t like to be bogged down by depressing stories and what could be more depressing than a rocky marriage?  Well I had nothing to worry about because this story was uplifting, and one of the best second chance romances I’ve ever read.

Kai and Kurt haven’t laid eyes on each other for a year and a half.  After suffering through three miscarriages Kai was devastated and broken, angry and hurt, and she took all of it out on Kurt.  She left and retreated to his mother’s mountain cabin shutting herself off from everyone.  After the haze of  heartbreak over the miscarriages faded a little, Kai realizes she destroyed the best thing in her life, her marriage. Or so she thinks.

When Kurt shows up at the cabin, emotions Kai thought she had a handle on break wide open: love, longing, sadness, and fear.  Fear to hope and want the impossible: Kurt’s love and forgiveness, because in Kai’s mind she deserves neither.

I could relate to both Kurt and Kai, but I think Kurt captured my heart just a little more. He was so hurt by Kai, and also by the miscarriages, yet he never gave up.

“Kai. What did you think it meant, when I said I loved you? That love was just this bright, happy thing?”
She hesitated and shrugged a little, opening her hands. Kind of, yes. Wasn’t that what it was? Brightness and happiness? Or at least what it was supposed to be? 
His hand curved around her face. “So did I, maybe,” he said quietly. “But when it wasn’t so bright or happy—that didn’t mean I wanted to let it go.”

This story brought out a range of emotions in just a short amount of pages.  It realistically captured the struggles of a marriage, and it was heartbreaking the pain these two went through.  Some parts brought tears to my eyes.  But Kai and Kurt’s are at a point where they are ready to work at repairing the damage, and that filled my heart with joy.

After being apart for a year and a half, they can’t keep their hands of each other.  As with all of Laura Florand’s stories, Snow-Kissed was sensual and sizzling!  All the pent up longing and hurt felt by both Kai and Kurt bubbles up and made for some intensely passionate scenes. 

This was a beautiful story of love, forgiveness, and healing all in mere 123 pages.  Every page was so entirely lovely! 

Check out Laura's pick for Kurt on her Facebook page. Perfect!

I can’t wait to pick up the next book in this series, Sun-Kissed!  It centers on Kurt’s mom, Anne, a woman who reminds me of Martha Stewart, and Mack Corey a character from Laura Florand’s Amour et Chocolat series.
 


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16 comments:

Keertana said...

Wasn't this novella just heart-breaking? I thoroughly enjoyed it, though, and Kurt and Kai have quite a large cameo in the next novel which is nice to see. I'm looking forward to your thoughts on Sun-Kissed, Rachel! :)

Brandie said...

Lovely review, Rachel! I'm so glad to see that you loved this one, too. It is one of the best books I've read and I'm really excited to read more by this author!

Anonymous said...

I know Andrea loved this book too and I'm happy to see you enjoyed it as well, Rachel. It sounds like for a short book, it packs a lot of emotions. I already love the sound of Kurt from your review. I need to try something by this author soon.
Lovely review!

Joy said...

Ack, Rachel. You need to stop enticing me with these books! I need to read this now. It seems like every time I visit you ladies, I'm adding books to my pile. Lol.

I seriously love the sound of this. <3

Melissa (i swim for oceans) said...

Oh, wow. This sounds like an intense and emotional read - not what I'd expect from such a slim novel. I'm not sure I could come to terms with the emotions within the pages, but it's something I'd be interested to try! Lovely review, Rachel!

Jenny said...

I need to read this author Rachel! I can't believe I haven't yet with how much you clearly love her, so I need to get on that. Normally second chance relationship books aren't my thing - they don't seem to have the same tension for me as the brand new relationships, but this one clearly does and my heart already goes out to both of them just from reading your review. Adding to the list!

Faye M. said...

Awww, this sounds so utterly sweet. I love it when a book shows marriage in a positive light like this, when it shows to the readers that we all deserve second chances, that we don't have to destroy something so beautiful just because of a few grimes. With the amount of divorces we see today, this is an uncommon sight I'd warmly welcome. Great review!

Faye at The Social Potato Reviews

Carina Olsen said...

Amazing review Rachel :D I'm glad you loved this book. <3 I think the cover is gorgeous. And ohh. Love the quote :D Thank you for sharing. <3

Mary @ BookSwarm said...

This author just as an amazing way with words, doesn't she?!? I've only read one of her books and it was so gorgeous. This one definitely sounds dramatic -- it's pretty amazing what can be accomplished within such a short amount of time.

brandileigh2003 said...

Her writing sounds amazing and the sound of their sensual scenes are hot!

Amanda said...

I should give another of one Florand's books a go. I liked reading The Chocolate Thief well enough, but I didn't love it the way so many readers seem to love it, including you. Maybe I should give another one of her series a try instead and see how this goes? I'm definitely curious after reading your glowing review - and it's a retelling of The Snow Queen apparently (retellings are always a positive thing in my book!).

Unknown said...

I am so thrilled you loved Snow-Kissed, Rachel. I finished Sun-Kissed last night and cannot stop thinking about it. It's so different from this, but equally as amazing. And you get Kai and Kurt! Oh, and Mack Corey will shock you!
Great review!

Melliane said...

It sounds like a very intense and very interesting book. I don't read a lot of books on this topic so I love how the author did it there. Thanks for the lovely review.

Unknown said...

wow yea, sounds very intense and emotional. Second gorgeous review of this, going to have to look it up.

Glass said...

Emotional read? Short? But written perfectly? Hmm... You think I'd like it - I have issues with novellas, they always feel unfinished, but if this one is that good, I might give it a go.

Lauren @ Love is not a triangle said...

This review is making me tear up! I tend to avoid books like this as well, but you make this one sound very worth the read and so moving! I can't wait to read more of this author.

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