Winterblaze

AudioBook Review: Stars: Overall 5 Narration: 5 Story 5 Poppy and Winston have been married for fourteen years, without many hitches. Well, a big one if you count lying (by omission) about your true nature and the fact that you aren’t simply the owner of a bookshop. At the end of Moonglow, Winston was attacked and nearly killed, and now Poppy’s secrets are coming out and her marriage is in jeopardy. Winston won’t look, talk or stay longer in the same room with her than is absolutely necessary –and the camaraderie, their trust and the partnership that has sustained her in her life full of secrets is fractured. There are many things to attend to as a member of SOS (Society for Suppression of Supernaturals) she’s got plenty on her plate. But that all goes south when she receives information that a demon is hunting for her husband, and she’s determined that no further harm will come to him. On discovering the secrets his wife had concealed, Winston took leave from his work with the police and headed off to the south of France for a holiday and to regroup, deciding on his next move Both he and Poppy are remembering their relationship through a series of flashbacks which show just how well suited (and sweet) they are – but Poppy is unwilling to leave him in danger, without giving their marriage another try. So off she heads to France in the company of Mary Chase, who will soon be facing off (and partnering with) Win’s valet Jack. While the threats to Winston are important, this really is a story of connections and repairing them, with twists, turns and revelations galore for both Poppy and Win – as well as some serious tension from dangers known and unknown: even as the story manages to feel solidly romantic and intimate throughout. Callihan managed to create an emotional intimacy that fairly burns with longing and desire, and even with things feeling near hopeless, the story twists to open up new possibilities and options. Best if explored in order, this story was my favorite of the three so far with the stories finding a way to interconnect, open new horizons and provide more information on the world and our characters. Moira Quirk again narrates this story and manages to present each character with a sense of knowing who they are and allowing listeners those little audible clues that point to emotional states, longing and even fears. With true joy and wonder expressed in the flashbacks from their early days in their relationship, to the sense of knowing one another, the fierce protectiveness and even the budding back and forth between Mary and Jack, the listen presents the story with a sense of ‘awareness’ that allows important moments to speak for themselves, bringing a fuller recognition of the elements that will be needed as the story progresses. I received an AudioBook copy of the title from Hachette Audio for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.