Jenni's Reviews > An Affair in Winter

** spoiler alert ** An Affair in Winter is book 1 in Jess Michael's 'Seasons' 4 book series and I'm very much looking forward to book 2. This was a freebie to try the author, and so far I'm hooked.

Mrs. Rosalinde Wilde is a widow, traveling to her sister's wedding in the country. After a freak storm hits the area, her coach limps to the nearest inn where she must stay the night. After sharing a dinner table and a few hours conversation with a stranger in the overcrowded inn, a mutual attraction is evident and Gray is ready to pounce.

Respectful of this beautiful woman who has enchanted him, Gray reluctantly escorts her upstairs to her room to call it a night. But a tree branch from the storm has broken a window and littered glass everywhere in her room. Gray offers for her to share his room, promising to be gone before her maid appears in the morning. He also promises not to touch her unless she wants him to. Well, she does and then begins a night of passion that neither will forget. For Rosalinde, it is everything she always wanted but never had with her late husband. For Gray it was his first liaison in a few years, opting to forgo marriage or romantic entanglements to build his fortune. But when they part ways the next morning, both leave knowing that they will never meet again, yet treasuring the memories made.

Little do they realize that they are about to meet very soon, and under the most unexpected circumstances. While Rosalinde is staying with her sister, Celia, at her fiance's estate and trying to be supportive of their marriage of convenience, Gray is visiting his brother to talk him out of his impending marriage... to Celia. Rosalinde's sister is marrying a title at her grandfather's urging, and Gray's brother is marrying for her dowry. A simple marriage of convenience, yes, but it doesn't sit right with Gray or Rosalinde. Can Rosalinde convince Celia to hold out for a love match? Can Gray talk Lucien out of this marriage? Will an old flame make an appearance and throw a wrench into everything?

I really enjoyed this book and storm-related forced proximity is my catnip. This is an insta-lust trope, particularly where Gray is concerned, but I like the rapport they build over dinner and conversation. It is a bit far-fetched to think they didn't discuss their travel destination and put together their connection, but I liked that days later at the ball they asked and honestly admitted neither knew who the other truly was. Gray was on guard around Rosalinde since she was initially fighting for her sister's marriage to take place when Gray was not. Then later in the story Gray feels the marriage is best for Lucien, while Rosalinde feels Celia should hold out for a love match.

I really felt for Rosalinde and Celia and the horrible way they were treated by their grandfather. At the beginning when they meet, Gray tells Rosalinde she is exceptionally beautiful but she has a hard time digesting that. Sometimes readers roll their eyes when the beautiful girl demurs but she and her sister have been verbally abused for years by their grandfather. And when Gray sat down with Fitzgilbert and finally had a conversation with him, everything clicked and Gray sees exactly the kind of man he is, the man that Celia and Rosalinde fear. Armed with that knowledge, he sees Rosalinde in a much different light. Celia too. And some family secrets begin rising to the surface.

Gray and Rosalinde have a crazy chemistry and they can't get enough of each other. This is a steamy read, of course, but it was fun to watch both of them struggle to rein in their passion to keep their liaison a secret. But people have eyes and the burning glares and long stares don't go unnoticed. When an altercation with Fitzgilbert puts his true colors on display and threatens Rosalinde, it's Gray that comes to her aid, in more ways than one.

I really enjoyed this book and I've got book 2, which is Celia's story, on tap to read next. The only issue I had with this book was that it contained very little actual romance. Gray is deciding if he can do a romantic relationship, while Rosalinde knows she's fallen in love. She keeps it to herself because Gray clams up when talk of a possible future comes up. That was enough to convince Rosalinde that perhaps everything is one-sided, yet he shows her and tells her how much he wants her in other ways. He just can't seem to recognize his feelings. Oh Gray.

I liked the author's writing style and I thought she weaved a good story about two people who care so much for their siblings, they are willing to fight for them. Family loyalty is tight on both sides. In the midst of the drama is a hint of romance, that admittedly was weak, but totally hot in other ways.

I give this 4 stars. Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Steam is a 3.5 🔥🔥🔥 from me.