Tuesday 4 December 2012

WinterHaven Sleigh Tour Book Review & Giveaway: Winter Longing by Tricia Mills


Today The Readers Den is excited to join the WinterHaven Sleigh Tour hosted by WinterHaven Books. This week we are posting our choice of a Winter Book Review: Winter Longing by Tricia Mills. To see who else is on the sleigh, go to WinterHaven Sleigh Tour for a list of participating blogs.  As part of the festivities WinterHaven Books is hosting an International giveaway that will include a SIGNED copy of Dash & Lily's Book of Dares and a copy of Let It Snow to four lucky winners.  Be sure to scroll down and enter in the rafflecopter below.  Good luck and happy holidays! 

So my choice for a Winter Review is: 
Winter LongingWinter Longing by Tricia Mills
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication date: April 12th 2010
My rating: 4 Stars

 
When Winter's boyfriend is killed in a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness, she's robbed of the future she'd only just allowed herself to believe might be hers. Winter and Spencer had been destined for one another. And after his death, Spencer's presence continues to haunt her.
But when her next-door neighbor becomes an unlikely friend, Winter begins to accept all that she can't change. Can she open herself to a new future . . . and a possible new love.

 Winter Longing is a story about love, grief, and the guilt that comes from moving on.  It was a beautiful bittersweet story in a beautiful setting, Alaska. 

Winter Craig’s dream has come true.  After crushing on her best friend, Spencer, for years, they’ve admitted their feelings and shared several dreamy kisses.  They’ve committed to each other, finally becoming girlfriend and boyfriend instead of just friends.  This has been long coming for both of them and throughout the story you have flashbacks of the evidence.  The euphoria is short lived when the next day Winter finds out that Spencer has died in a plane accident.  How can life be so cruel? 


However, whenever the grief is about to swallow her up, or she gets stuck in an awkward situation, Jesse, her next door neighbor and fellow classmate, comes to the rescue.  He always seems to be in the right place at the right time to step in.  How did Winter not notice that he was such a decent guy or that he was all kinds of gorgeous?  Two things were standing in the way: her obsessive love of Spencer and Jesse’s queen-bitch of a girlfriend, Patrice.  Patrice and Spencer are no longer in the picture but Winter can’t help but feel guilty over the way Jesse makes her feel.  How can she feel these things when
Spencer will never feel anything ever again?  Her growing feelings are ones she tries to stifle and stuff away. 

I had good feeling about this one when the author mentioned Northern Exposure, one of my all-time favorite TV series, in the dedication as inspiration for the Alaska setting, and this story did not disappoint.  So achy and lovely, we see bits of the romance between Spencer and Winter over the years in snippets and flashbacks.  My heart broke in several parts of this story.  But, just like Winter, I couldn’t resist the appeal of Jesse, the ultimate gentleman, and unlikely confidante for her. 

I expected Jesse to leave.  Instead, he scooted closer, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and planting a soft kiss on my head.  This time, the kiss might have been meant as comfort, but my heart fluttered that it might lead to more.

The brewing romance grows bit by bit, and a couple of times I wanted to shake Winter for putting Jesse off, but I could see why she did.   

Winter Longing is the perfect broody winter read, best done by the fire with a cup of cocoa or perhaps a glass of wine.  It’ll leave you with lifted spirits and warmth in your heart. 
 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

20 comments:

Zemira said...

WIsh Tricia Mills would write more books because this one and Heartbreak River were both great. It sucks that not a lot of people heard of her work.

Bea Tejano said...

Thanks for the wonderful giveaway!:) I love John Green and David Levithan:) Happy Holidays:)

Dragana M. said...

Love the cover. Sounds like a good book to snuggle in bed, drink hot chocolate and watch snow outside. :)

BTW. I am an email subscriber and I don't know why but email notification for this post was bugged - html code was visible and text was unreadable. Just wanted to let you know.

Amber said...

Great review, Rachel. This sounds like a touching story. Thanks for participating in the tour!

Blogger said...

awesome giveaway!! my email is kellee926@hotmail.com

Rachel said...

Oh, I'm sorry Dragana. Things with blogger and rafflecopter seem a bit wonky lately. I had a real time with this post. :/ You don't have problems viewing the actual post do you?

Jenny said...

Oh my gosh, here I am reading the first paragraph of your review going "this sounds so cute, yay for Winter and Spencer" and then BAM! He's dead. *sobs* I do love the sound of Jesse and their slowly built relationship though:) This does sound like the perfect read for when it's cold and snowy and I want a sweet romance to warm me up:)

Anonymous said...

This sounds like such a heart-breaking read, Rachel. :( I probably will cry in the first few pages itself. Jesse and Winter sound like wonderful characters and the romance seems very cute.
Lovely review, Rachel! :)

Tanja - Tanychy said...

Oh this sounds like an amazing book to read while you're at your cozy home and outside is snowing! :) I already imagine myself doing so :) Thanks for the giveaway :)

Unknown said...

Oh man. It's been ages since I read this book. But I remember it being one of those where the setting becomes a minor player in the novel. Lovely review, Rachel.

Amanda said...

Sounds beautiful. I've never heard of this book but it sounds really good!

Livvy said...

This all sounds very cute really. Great review Rachel. Not sure if it's my thing, but sweet and emotional and brilliant pick of quote! :)

Celine said...

I've never heard of Winter Longing before but it sounds like such a heart-breaking and emotional read! While it's summer here for me but I must add this book to my winter TBR pile ;)

Awesome review, Rachel ♥ So glad you enjoyed it!

Heidi@Rainy Day Ramblings said...

This is a new author for me, but this does sound like a nice achy breaky winter read. I am definitely going to go google this author!

Unknown said...

Can't wait for this book! Thank you for this giveaway:)

Rachel said...

Thanks for including us, Amber! :)

Anonymous said...

I was hooked instantly when you mentioned the beautiful setting of Alaska - I've been there once in my life, and I'll never forget how my surroundings took me breath away from the sheer beauty of it. And I love how this is a very poignant and 'tugging heart strings' sort of read. Gorgeous review, Rachel. :)

Anonymous said...

This sounds heartbreakingly wonderful. Definitely going to consider adding this to my to be read list.

Jennifer said...

Awesome review, Rachel. This looks like a beautiful story. Added this to my TBR. Thanks so much for sharing :)

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for the review and the giveaway. :)

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