DRC Review: Winter’s Chill by Morgan L. Busse
- Story Eater
- Aug 1
- 3 min read
Release date: 5 August 2025
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: Fighter. Emissary. Long-Lost Daughter.
Brighid has one mission as she returns to the to warn her people of the oath that binds them. But the mountains are treacherous, and snow comes early, leaving her on death’s doorstep—until she has an unexpected encounter that not only reveals a secret about her past, but also brings new allies into her life.
Meanwhile, the healer Kaeden must come to terms with the awakening of his Eldaran power. With winter approaching and the war on hold, he ventures to the White City to uncover his heritage. As he walks the ancient halls of his people’s birthplace, he discovers not all adversaries are across the battle line. He must navigate political opponents while searching for a way to stop those of his kind who have turned to the darkness.
Yet even the bitterness of winter cannot keep Brighid and Kaeden apart. A connection has been forged between them, and their bond might be the one thing that could save the Nordic people and end the war.
Review
Busse’s one of my favorites. I started with a gateway book to the Busseverse, Secrets in the Mist, which I (of course) got in a Phoenix Crate—because I generally LOVE all of the books/authors I discover through that box—and from there, I’m just making my way down the good ol’ Busse Backlist. With a few intermittent breaks to check out what she’s got coming soon, of course. Winter’s Chill was in no way a swayback second book. I think I may have liked it even better than Winter’s Maiden, which is not to say in any way that I didn’t like Winter’s Maiden very much at all. I loved it. I loved Winter’s Chill even more. I also love bears.
I’ve only read a small sampling of authors who can pen romance with such magnetism without any explicit content. Busse fits in that cadre of writers. Love built on a firm foundation of knowing the intrinsic individual really strikes me as the most romantic. Brighid and Kaeden don’t have to touch to develop a strong connection and really get to know one another deeply. They also do not spend all of their time giving each other lusty looks. Despite tragic backstories for each of the characters, they don’t develop toxic habits and still maintain a sense of honor and dignity as human beings while still navigating through their respective circumstances. Their relationship develops in a genuinely healthy way and then proceeds with the stomach flutters; the burn really is slow for them and not simply looks of lust and physical attraction labeled as such.
More than a great romance, Winter’s Chill also sports great fantasy world building other than just generic Nordic "vibes" for the reader. The Eldarans are curious beings, and though I suspect I know where their inspiration may have come from, I won’t project and will just sit back, enjoy what unfolds, and wait until the end to see if I'm correct.
Readers who love uplifting books with un-hokey content will definitely enjoy this series. The subject matter is not light by any means, but it definitely portrays a brighter outlook while simultaneously dealing with heavy subjects.
My thanks to the author and Enclave Publishing for the DRC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.
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