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emmagis's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
lezreadalot's review against another edition
4.0
“Do I want to know why you kissed me?”
Lia pressed her lips into a thin line. “You had it coming.”
I've had a few misses from Winter; this, thankfully, was another one of her hits. Such an entertaining enemies-to-lovers romance, with a lot of well-written banter and chemistry, taking place in a world of hotel executives, business deals, alliances and backstabbing.
Kai and Amelia were such great characters, both immediately vivid and so well-realised, and they worked so so well together. There was so much spark between them from the very first meeting, and Winter does a great job of writing realistic banter and back-and-forth. I was a little nervous, because I don't always like hidden identity plots, and both women are hiding things from the other in the beginning, and there's a lot to lose when things come out. But the book made it feel very high-stakes without devolving into silliness or melodrama. Things were deeply felt, but nothing was overblown. I loved reading about two women in their forties; they were mature and they acted that way. But obviously, there was still room for misunderstandings and eventual growth. I loved the themes of family and loyalty, and how not everything can always work out perfectly. (I actually wouldn't have minded if the ending had been... idk, less hopeful? But it was still really good.)
It's also notable that most of the plot in this only takes place over the course of a week or so, but it still felt very slow burn, and that's my favourite thing. I just feel like we really got to know Amelia and Kai. I loved all those early encounters and near misses and the really well-written chemistry. I loved that the overall story dealt with workers being treated unfairly, and even though I felt it could have gone a bit further and actually said something about wealth, I really liked the directions it went, the motivations of our characters. Winter doesn't ever write my ideal ice queens, but I think Amelia might be my favourite from her. And the side romance was so flipping adorable.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Angela Dawe; a complete dream. Her voice for Amelia was so swoony, and as usual, she knows how to really carry a story with whatever emotion is called for. This was a lot of fun; just a really solid romance.
soy_ahoy's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it, the characters are great and Winter delivers once again. This might be the only book I've read so far with an ice queen/ice queen pairing and the tension was amazing. I'll definitely get to each of Winter's novels in time because they just keep blowing me away.
bookish_alone's review against another edition
4.0
Lia's family can go die in a ditch btw. Kaida is the finest character in the whole book while Lia is a softie with a tough persona. The writing described everything, every event, instance, and incident elegantly, and loved the vibe of the book so much
riella_reads's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
aliu6's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars
Amelia Duxton is about to close the biggest deal of her career and acquire the luxurious Mayfair Palace for her family company, Hotel Duxton. Perhaps this will finally get her that CEO position she's always aimed for but fallen short of. But Kai Fisher, aka The Closer, has her own designs on the Mayfair—namely, acquiring it for Hotel Duxton's oldest competitor, Grand Millenium. When events bring both women to Vegas, sparks fly and tensions rise. Amelia and Kai will soon learn what happens when fire meets ice.
cw: homophobia (multiple mentions), classism (underlying theme), anti-blackness (brief mention)
This was really good but intense. (I say "but" because I've had a yearning for soft, fun stuff recently.) Definitely the quality read that Lee Winter always delivers.
The Characters: Amelia is ice, with a head for numbers and a no-nonsense attitude to the extreme. Kai is naturally charming but has lost herself in the game a bit. They're both extremely intelligent and good at what they do. The main side characters are their two right-hand women, who ground the two leading ladies and remind them what's really important. Other standouts include Amelia's precocious niece and an interesting hotel guest. Lee Winter writes realistic, well-rounded characters, and this book was no exception.
The Romance: Great chemistry! I could see why Kai was smitten from the beginning, and why Amelia eventually melted in the face of her charm. I will say, this was a flirtatious strangers-to-enemies-to-lovers romance, so there was a lot of fighting. It was engrossing for sure, but perhaps not the most relaxing. There was also a cute subplot romance, although it's not fleshed out much.
The Plot: In Winter's books, things are often not as they seem. So too in this one! The plot initially follows Kai's attempts to steal the deal from Amelia, but it becomes more in the end. Without spoiling too much, just know you're in for a wild ride with a satisfying end.
The Writing: Superb. Before reading this, I saw a review commenting on the dialogue, and I just wanna say, that reviewer was so right. The banter between Amelia and Kai is razor sharp and so well-written.
All in all, excellent. Get this book, especially if you have a weakness for powerful women in business attire.
Amelia Duxton is about to close the biggest deal of her career and acquire the luxurious Mayfair Palace for her family company, Hotel Duxton. Perhaps this will finally get her that CEO position she's always aimed for but fallen short of. But Kai Fisher, aka The Closer, has her own designs on the Mayfair—namely, acquiring it for Hotel Duxton's oldest competitor, Grand Millenium. When events bring both women to Vegas, sparks fly and tensions rise. Amelia and Kai will soon learn what happens when fire meets ice.
cw: homophobia (multiple mentions), classism (underlying theme), anti-blackness (brief mention)
This was really good but intense. (I say "but" because I've had a yearning for soft, fun stuff recently.) Definitely the quality read that Lee Winter always delivers.
The Characters: Amelia is ice, with a head for numbers and a no-nonsense attitude to the extreme. Kai is naturally charming but has lost herself in the game a bit. They're both extremely intelligent and good at what they do. The main side characters are their two right-hand women, who ground the two leading ladies and remind them what's really important. Other standouts include Amelia's precocious niece and an interesting hotel guest. Lee Winter writes realistic, well-rounded characters, and this book was no exception.
The Romance: Great chemistry! I could see why Kai was smitten from the beginning, and why Amelia eventually melted in the face of her charm. I will say, this was a flirtatious strangers-to-enemies-to-lovers romance, so there was a lot of fighting. It was engrossing for sure, but perhaps not the most relaxing. There was also a cute subplot romance, although it's not fleshed out much.
The Plot: In Winter's books, things are often not as they seem. So too in this one! The plot initially follows Kai's attempts to steal the deal from Amelia, but it becomes more in the end. Without spoiling too much, just know you're in for a wild ride with a satisfying end.
The Writing: Superb. Before reading this, I saw a review commenting on the dialogue, and I just wanna say, that reviewer was so right. The banter between Amelia and Kai is razor sharp and so well-written.
All in all, excellent. Get this book, especially if you have a weakness for powerful women in business attire.
rachelslacey's review against another edition
5.0
This one is definitely going on my all-time favorites list! Just absolute perfection! I couldn't put it down. Amelia Duxton definitely ticked all my "badass ice queen heroine who rocks a power suit" boxes, and the sexual tension between her and Kai? *chef's kiss* The plot was fast-paced and really kept me guessing, and there was even a secondary romance that really helped put this book over the top. Highly recommend!
nataschalovesreading's review against another edition
3.0
[Hörbuch] Wirklich mal eine gute LGBTQIA+ Geschichte für zwischendurch. Ich mag die Charaktere und generell das ganze Setting - könnte aus einer Netflix Seire sein. Trotzdem fehlt mir einiges. Vor allem Tiefe, ganz allgemein, nicht nur bei den Personen, sondern es werden auch ständig Themen (Diskrimierung, Rassismus, Sexismus,...) angeschnitten und nicht weiter gedacht. Das verlangt nach mehr Kontext. Und in fast allen Situationen - nicht unbedingt nur auf spicy scenes bezogen - fehlt es an Konsens, was mich irritiert hat. Nicht so, dass es grob fahrlässig wäre, aber doch so, dass ich mir dachte...wait a minute, she said no. Außerdem paar zu viele Klischees.
Alles in allem aber ein Buch mit einer Handlung, die über die Love Story hinausgeht und wirklich gut erzählt wird.
PS.: Der englische Titel ist viel besser.
Alles in allem aber ein Buch mit einer Handlung, die über die Love Story hinausgeht und wirklich gut erzählt wird.
PS.: Der englische Titel ist viel besser.
laconni4's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25