Review - - An Affair in Winter

An Affair in Winter
By Jess Michaels
Publisher: The Passionate Pen
Release Date: July 12, 2016
 

 

Widow Rosalinde Wilde is on her way to her beloved sister’s wedding when an unexpected storm waylays her at an overcrowded inn. There she meets a tempting stranger who sweeps her into a night of unforgettable passion. 

Grayson Danford never expected a night with the irresistible Mrs. Wilde, but she was a welcome distraction from the unpleasant duty of breaking up his brother’s impending nuptials. He’s shocked when he discovers his passionate lover is none other than the sister of his brother's intended. 

Now Rosalinde and Gray will butt heads, even as their simmering desire for each other threatens to boil over. Who will win? And who might lose it all? 



Jess Michaels kicks off her new historical romance series with a sensual, appealing tale of stranded strangers who indulge in a night of nameless passion only to find themselves on opposite sides of an upcoming wedding the next day. I have to say, I really enjoyed this story. Gray and Rosalinde have an immediate physical connection that refuses to stay in the shadows even though their minds tell them they shouldn't do anything about it once they discover the obstacle of Rosalinde's sister's betrothal to Gray's brother. They both have their sibling's best interests at heart and valid reasons for their feelings about the upcoming wedding. A widow, Rosalinde still believes in love and marriage, even though her own was not ideal and wants only happiness for her sister. She also has very good reasons for wanting to remove her sister from their grandfather's controlling thumb. Gray, on the other hand, has watched both of his siblings suffer through the heartbreak of bad relationships and wants to protect them from repeating their mistakes. He views Rosalinde's sister as a scheming, social climber and tries his best to remove his brother from her clutches.

Watching Gray and Rosalinde push their agendas while (unsuccessfully) battling their mutual attraction at the same time is a delight. Both characters are well developed and likable - their banter, a delight and their mutual attraction, emotional and steamy. I found myself cheering for them, both individually and as a couple and wondering how Michaels was going to bring everything (for them and their siblings) to a satisfactory conclusion. Never fear. She does just that and in a very satisfying manner, giving one couple a happy-ever-after and setting the stage for the next book in the series. I'm already fully invested in all of these characters and looking forward to each of their books. Next up is the September 6th release of book two, A Spring Deception. Count me in! 

~PJ