The Winter Court, 1
Ignoring the warnings of her village elders, Raven McArren ventures beyond the Veil on All Hallows’ Eve, becoming trapped in Faery. Cold and alone, Raven manages to survive the harsh eternal winter and the cruelty of the fae with no more than her wits and will to live.
But she’s not alone. She’s being watched by the winter prince, and he has an offer for her that she can’t refuse. In exchange for his protection, and safe passage out of Faery, she must give him an heir.
With no other choice, she accepts. Little does she know that the prince’s bed chamber and the politics of the Winter Court might prove just as dangerous as the wilds of Faery...
Be Warned: bondage, public orgy
Excerpt:
Heaving a sigh, I suppress a shiver. The festivities of Dol Mortagh are not meant for me. Turning my back on the bright lights and merriment of the village to return home, my evening suddenly takes an unexpected turn.
“Going somewhere, pretty bird?”
I gasp, my hand flying to my heart in shock as a fae of breathtaking and soul-stealing beauty stands before me, squarely blocking my path. “I-I…” I lick my lips, mind racing. This is no common fae. I know it in my bones. He looks like royalty. One of the High Fae. Bedecked in finery from head to toe, he wears jewels on his fingers so exquisitely ornate that I can’t even begin to guess at their value. And he is beautiful. So very heart-achingly beautiful. With long, gleaming silver hair like a waterfall of moonlight, sharp cheekbones, and eyes like deep blue ice—I imagine he could tempt even the godliest of mortals to sin.
“You are mortal,” he says, ignoring my stuttering attempt at communication. “So, why are you here? Faery is no place for your kind. You are far too soft to survive here. Our worlds are kept separate for a reason.”
“I am trapped,” I whisper, feeling stupid and ashamed. “I have been here since All Hallows’ Eve, and I do not know how to get home.”
The icy fae closes the distance between us, scenting my neck like a wild, primal animal. He gazes into my eyes with a frightening intensity, unnerving me further. “You cannot return until the Veil lifts next All Hallows’ Eve,” he says. “That is the better part of a year you will need to survive the cruelty of the outskirts of my realm.”
“Your realm?”
The fae smirks, his allure rolling off of him in cool, intoxicating waves that make me feel drunk. “I am Kyren,” he says elegantly, his lips perilously close to my own. “And I am the prince of the Winter Court.”
Despite my failing lucidity, my eyes widen in immediate understanding. “It is you,” I whisper as the stars begin to spin around me. It all makes sense now! “You have kept the wolves at bay … they are beholden to you.” A sleek, approving smile lets me know that I have figured out the truth. Then, without warning my legs give way, and I fall into the quixotic, icy oblivion of Kyren’s allure.
****
Softness and warmth welcome me as I awaken. I sit up hesitantly in a grand bed made of smooth, twisting ice enchanted into the likeness of branched trees with glittering crystal leaves.
“Good evening,” says Kyren, smiling at me from a frozen chair across the room.
I swallow my fear and beg my heart to be calm. “Where am I?” Stupid question.
“In my bedchamber,” he says with a seductive lilt to his voice.
An unexpected ache blooms between my thighs, hot and insistent. I catch the gasp that wants to escape behind my teeth and take a deep, steadying breath. “Why am I here?”
“I have a proposition for you,” he says simply, his eyes burning like blue stars. “Be my mistress for the next nine months, and in return I will keep you safe, fed, clothed, and in a manner of luxury the likes of which you have never known.”
My heart hammers in my chest, stubbornly refusing to be calm. “And when the nine months have passed?” I press.
“I will take you to the tear in the Veil on All Hallows’ Eve, and you will be free to leave Faery forever.”
I scrutinize the devastatingly beautiful fae prince with a wary gaze. “Is this a trick? It is said the fae never speak plainly, that you talk in riddles and tell half-truths. We mortals are warned from a young age never to enter into bargains with your kind because of it.”
“You mortals are a distrusting lot,” retorts Kyren with a languid smile. “But you are cannier than I gave you credit for, pretty bird. What is your name?”
“Never, ever, give your full name to the fae, or they will have control of you.” My grandmother’s wisdom echoes in my mind. Night terrors of stolen babes and missing souls flood back to me, heavy like an avalanche of snow. “You may call me Raven,” I answer as firmly as I’m able.
Kyren rises from his chair, sauntering across the chamber toward me with all the grace and confidence of a predator. “I desire a child, Raven,” he whispers. “And the child will remain here with me when you leave. Those are my terms.”
Eyes wide, my lips part, but I find myself speechless. Several breathless moments pass until I find my voice again. “And if I refuse?”
“I will let you free—back into Faery—to survive on your own. If you can.”
“I have already survived three months on my own,” I reply.
“Have you truly?”
I swallow the solid lump in my throat as I am reminded of the brutal truth of my situation. “You kept me safe this whole time.”
“Your efforts to get by have been most valiant; I will give you that. I wanted you to have a clear comparison in mind when I made my offer, so I thought it fitting to give you a thorough taste of what surviving on your own might be like,” he drawls. “But, yes, the shadow wolves answer to me. And were I to release you from my protection … well, I cannot help but wonder how well your humble ruin of a cottage might hold up against their hunger, then?”
“Are you threatening me?” I breathe, a flicker of cold fire burning in my chest.
“Hardly, my pretty bird. I am merely presenting you with a warning. Whether you choose to pay it any mind is entirely up to you.”
Glancing at the lavishly appointed royal chamber around me before settling on Kyren’s sharp-edged smile, I sigh. What choice do I have? “I accept,” I say, my heart desperately trying to escape its cage. Thankfully, unlike the fae, mortals can lie.
The winter prince’s smile is as delighted and cruel as it is unsettling. My insides squirm in response, and to my shame, the heat between my thighs only burns hotter. It is in this moment I realize that the confines of Kyren’s bedchamber might prove just as dangerous as the wilds of Faery. Dear God. What have I done?
—>>> Review Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars - Raven tries to survive in a “deadly game of cat and mouse” after finding herself stuck in Faery, and she has only one offer of help…from the deadly Prince of Winter Court. This was a a good start to the series, looking forward to reading the next installment!
I had a love/hate relationship with Smokey and Raven, but I really did enjoy watching them and their story evolve through the pages. If you enjoy a bit of dark, a bit of drama, some yummy steam, and all things MC, grab this one, settle in, and enjoy! 4 Stars!
Enjoyable read. First book I've read from this author, will look out for others. Raven crosses the veil between the mortal realm and the fae and finds the Winter Prince has his eye on her.
Raven is faced with an impossible task and yet the deliciousness of Kyren pulls her in. Welcome to the Winter Court, where passion reigns and subterfuge as it involves a fae court. Lots and lots of steamy scenes.
Ok that was a super quickly steamy book. I have to admit when they first meet it felt cringy, and I was concerned that this wouldn’t develop well. But I was so wrong, this was actually a little dark and sexy and I could have easily read a few hundred pages on this Winter Solstice book. I look forward to reading more.
Raven has crossed the veil into Faerie and caught the eye of Prince Kyren. But Faerie is a tremendous place, and the High Court even more so, will Raven survive to find a future with Kyren. The book was beautifully dark, and felt satisfying even with its short length. I really liked Raven and how she embraced the darkness and the light of her new existence. A thoroughly engaging little story.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review! Spoiler-free review: 2 of my favorite things combined into one short and sweet novel: fantasy and smut. This was a fun read and I really enjoyed it. Plus my favorite tropes? FORCED PROXIMITY AND FATED MATES BABY!! Without giving too much away, if you're in a book slump like I was this will pull you right out of it. 4.5 stars!!
This was a great way to start a series. The characters were endearing while the story line was engaging. I look forward to seeing what happens next.
This is a very enjoyable quick read. The characters and story are so well written that it holds your interest from start to finish.
This story is a sweet, steamy read with some dark themes. The is about Raven, who finds herself breaching the realm into Faery land. Little does she know she is being watched and protected by Kyren, the Winter Prince. Something in Raven pulls Kyren. These two are combustible. I like the story but wanted more. It is a quick and short read. I could have done without what happened after Kyren took the thrown. *I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.*
Faedra Rose is a new author to me and I really enjoyed Raven's Solstice. The descriptions were vivid and easy to visualize. It is a good story with romance, magic and some danger. I can't wait to read more!
It is the second book by this author that I have read, and I must say that I always find something that surprises me, there is a unique quality in her ideas and way of writing. Raven and Kyren's story is fast, spicy and enjoyable.
Short but complete but perhaps more an introduction than a saga, this book introduces a mortal human female stuck in Faery after slipping away from home to see if all she had heard about what lurked beyond the veil was true…or not. What she found was more and less than she thought and being stuck was definitely not a picnic. We meet Raven after she has managed to survive for three months on her own and though not doing well she was feeling she was a strong enough…until the winter prince arrives and she begins to question just how true it is that she did it ALL on her own. Prince Kyren’s offer was…intriguing…but also the only offer on the table if Rave REALY wanted to survive her stay in Faery. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the Winter Fae Kingdom, how the Kyren was cold to the touch as well as in other ways, hearing a bit about the origin of Faeries was new and a different version than I had heard before, and the ideas of survival, transformation and what might come after reading that last page of the story…were thought provoking. This is a new-to-me author that I would read again. Thank you to NetGalley and Evernight Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.
Certainly a fast-paced and thrilling story. I liked how the plot progressed and enjoyed the romance aspects. certainly fiery.
Nice story of raven finding love with the prince. And marrying him and having a son and becoming Queen. Well written. Cute romance story.
This story is short and to the point. If you're looking for a very quick read about fae this is the best option. When I originally requested an arc of this book, I enjoyed the summary and I was excited to read it. When my arc request was approved I then realized how short the book actually was. Reading the story it had all the aspects of a fae romance. A fae prince. A mortal woman in fae. Sex. Magic. All these aspects would make for an interesting story. Especially the part of the origins of the fae. However, since the story was less than 100 pages, I couldn't really get a sense of the plot. Sometimes people complain that there's too much random writing throughout the book and they can't grasp what the plot is. To me, this book presented the opposite, there wasn't enough writing. All the main ideas that were presented, show that this could be a very interesting story. Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Faedra Rose has created a delightful world and a love affair between a mortal and a fae. It's a well crafted fantasy world with a believable love story that includes enough drama to keep the story moving forward. As the actual winter solstice draws near, I enjoyed reading a fantasy book based on the event. It's my second title I've read by Faedra Rose and I will be reading more! The story is delightful, delicious and decadent, a perfect combination for a entertaining tale!
This is a fabulous book about the winter Fae and a mere mortal woman who gets swept away by its prince. The characters are both deep and beautiful while remaining dark and treacherous. The world building is exquisite especially the Winter Solstice and the events that follow.
Raven, a mortal, passes through a break in the veil to the Fae World of Winter Court. She tries to make it on her own until she can find her way out, but it's hard with everything frozen and her food limited to the berries and other scarce items she can find in the woods. On top of that, the wolves surround her. They haven't threatened her yet, but that could change at any time! If she can make it through to next All Hallows Even, she may be able to return to her mortal life. All she knows from stories her family and neighbors have told her is that the Fae are dangerous, and of those mortals that have returned were half mad. When the Prince of Winter Court rescues her from probable icy death, he offers her options to continue living. What will she do? What is the price to stay in the Fae realm or to return to mortal Earth? This is kind of a Beauty and the Beast short story take in a magical, icy world!
A fun and quick story that will pull you in and have you rooting for fate. I voluntarily read an advanced copy.
This is a short and sweet read. Perfect for when you are in between reading. Written from a dual point of view and in such a way to pull you in, the story explores the love between human Raven and the Fae King of the Winter Court. Laced with intrigue and romance, it is highly recommended for paranormal fans.
Definitely not what I expected. I really liked the concept of the way fae were created. I don't think I've ever heard that particular idea before and I thought it worked really well. This story is short and sweet. It moves really fast, right into a forever-after. I think with the unique concept, some really great stories could be written. Definitely an quick afternoon read, it pulls no punches and falls right into an HEA.
Raven wanders over into Faery on All Hallows Eve and has been hiding since. She thought she had been successful but in fact had been watched and protected by Kyren, The Winter Prince. She cannot return until the veil opens the following year and is given a bargain by Kyren. This is a short steamy novella that encapsulates everything in a full story. This is a good compact story.
This is a short spicy novella set in the Fae realm. It moves very quickly from Raven being trapped in the Fae realm to HEA with Kyren, the Winter Prince but they are fated mates which explains the Insta love. There are some dark themes and a little touch of violence but nothing over the top. I appreciate that the storyline moved well without being overly complicated for the length of the story. This is a good book for a quick afternoon read with a unique spin on the Fae and a HEA.
The first book in the Winter Court series. Raven McArren ventures beyond the Veil on All Hallows’ Eve, becoming trapped in Faery, she meets the winter prince Kyren's story. There is suspense, drama, danger, an evil King, twists, turns and romance. This short story is well written and held my interest throughout. I received a copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.
First time reader of Faedra Rose and it was a sinfully good read about a mortal's transformation into a fae. Kyren is the prince of Winter Court and he finds Raven has passed through the veil into his lands. Kyren has decided Raven shall be his in every way especially his queen of his people. Join the story to see how a mortal and fae become one as fate has destinated. Enjoy
Prince Kyren is not interested in Fae women because they are selfish and fickle. He wants human Raven but means to break his promise and keep her rather than eventually let her go. His plans of persuasion are sexy and full of Fae power. This is a very short story, almost an introduction to somewhere and some characters that you want to meet again. It is well written and great if you only have an hour or so to spend on a story. Enjoy!
