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Hearts of the Anemoi #1
North of Need
While attempting to escape the agonizing memories she associates with Christmas, twenty-nine-year-old widow Megan Snow builds a snow family outside the mountain cabin she once shared with her husband-and collapses in tears against the snowman at the sight of what she'll never have. Called to life by the power of Megan's tears, snow god Owen Winters appears unconscious on her doorstep in the midst of a raging blizzard. As she nurses him to health, Owen finds unexpected solace in her company and unimagined pleasure in the warmth of her body, and vows to win her heart for a chance at humanity. Megan is drawn to Owen's mismatched eyes, otherworldly masculinity, and enthusiasm for the littlest things, and her heart opens enough to believe he's a Christmas miracle. But this miracle comes with an expiration-before the snow melts and the temperature rises, Megan must let go of her widow's grief and learn to trust love again, or she'll lose Owen forever.
263 pages, Paperback
First published October 29, 2011
276 people are currently reading
3528 people want to read
About the author
Laura Kaye
79 books7,514 followersLaura Kaye is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary and erotic romance and romantic suspense, including the Hard Ink, Raven Riders, Blasphemy, Heroes, and Hearts of the Anemoi series. Laura's hot, heartfelt stories are all about the universal desire for a place to belong. Laura grew up amidst family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses, cementing her life-long fascination with storytelling and the supernatural. Laura also writes historical fiction as Laura Kamoie, and lives in Maryland with her husband and two daughters, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 419 reviews
December 10, 2014
3 Not What I Expected Stars
There will definitely be huge SPOILERS
I have to admit that after reading the BLURB and seeing the hunk on the cover I expected this to be some kind of Alpha, Immortal Warrior PNR. There is nothing in the premise to suggest it but come on, you see a half naked guy in the cover, you read the words PNR and Greek Gods and your next thoughts are "When are the daggers coming out?". That's what I get for not reading reviews before I pick up a book, because this book was completely romance-focused, had zero action and while the guy was sweet he wasn't exactly Alpha material. So I don't know if my completely average rating(3) is a reflection of the book or of the fact that it wasn't what I expected going in.
The book is cute and sweet and a little cheesy, which is usually not a problem with me but this time I was a tiny bit bored. There was the PNR angle but it really read more like Chick Lit, what with the heroine trying to get over her husband's death and the guy being there for her all cute and understanding. There were a few glitches though.
1) The whole "Your dead husband sent me so you can be happy again and get over his death" angle was creepy. Listening the voice of your dead husband urging you to "love" a new guy is freaking CREEPY!
2) The insta-love was HEAVY. The hero was in love with the heroine practically from the moment he met her and the heroine was in love with him about two hours later.
3) There were way to many "Oh"s. "Oh, Owen", "Oh, Megan", "Oh, Angel", etc...
4) The snowman coming to life thing was kind of fun but I couldn't help picturing this guy every time I thought of Owen:
Still the book was cute and I would've have overlooked all of that because I'm all for fluff but I expected more action and when that didn't come I wanted the book to move a little faster, which it didn't.
There are pros though. Boreas was awesome(I want a Winter God for a Grandpa too), the epilogue was sweet and fun and Owen's child-like enthusiasm in everything was adorable. I did like Owen a lot, in "cute, goofy" guy kind of way.
All in all, sweet and fun but nothing remarkable.
There will definitely be huge SPOILERS
I have to admit that after reading the BLURB and seeing the hunk on the cover I expected this to be some kind of Alpha, Immortal Warrior PNR. There is nothing in the premise to suggest it but come on, you see a half naked guy in the cover, you read the words PNR and Greek Gods and your next thoughts are "When are the daggers coming out?". That's what I get for not reading reviews before I pick up a book, because this book was completely romance-focused, had zero action and while the guy was sweet he wasn't exactly Alpha material. So I don't know if my completely average rating(3) is a reflection of the book or of the fact that it wasn't what I expected going in.
The book is cute and sweet and a little cheesy, which is usually not a problem with me but this time I was a tiny bit bored. There was the PNR angle but it really read more like Chick Lit, what with the heroine trying to get over her husband's death and the guy being there for her all cute and understanding. There were a few glitches though.
1) The whole "Your dead husband sent me so you can be happy again and get over his death" angle was creepy. Listening the voice of your dead husband urging you to "love" a new guy is freaking CREEPY!
2) The insta-love was HEAVY. The hero was in love with the heroine practically from the moment he met her and the heroine was in love with him about two hours later.
3) There were way to many "Oh"s. "Oh, Owen", "Oh, Megan", "Oh, Angel", etc...
4) The snowman coming to life thing was kind of fun but I couldn't help picturing this guy every time I thought of Owen:
Still the book was cute and I would've have overlooked all of that because I'm all for fluff but I expected more action and when that didn't come I wanted the book to move a little faster, which it didn't.
There are pros though. Boreas was awesome(I want a Winter God for a Grandpa too), the epilogue was sweet and fun and Owen's child-like enthusiasm in everything was adorable. I did like Owen a lot, in "cute, goofy" guy kind of way.
All in all, sweet and fun but nothing remarkable.
August 26, 2016
A cute, sexy romance perfect for the holidays. But something that happens with Owen that makes me go hmm...
The heroine Megan is mourning the death of her beloved husband after 2 years. To stop from becoming too depressed on the anniversary of his death, she makes a snowman. The snowman transforms into the hero, Owen, who is also a god. But, if Owen gets too overheated, his body parts will vanish. So this is where I ask, when his peen is having fun with Megan's hoo haa, which is toasty warm, wouldn't his peen disappear also?
Inquiring minds want to know...
The heroine Megan is mourning the death of her beloved husband after 2 years. To stop from becoming too depressed on the anniversary of his death, she makes a snowman. The snowman transforms into the hero, Owen, who is also a god. But, if Owen gets too overheated, his body parts will vanish. So this is where I ask, when his peen is having fun with Megan's hoo haa, which is toasty warm, wouldn't his peen disappear also?
Inquiring minds want to know...
November 26, 2011
North of Need had me at the cover. I don't think a woman alive would argue that the man isn't hot. But what kept me eagerly clicking the button on my kindle, so emotionally tied to the story and needing to see what happens next, was Laura Kaye's amazing characters.
Megan has to be one of the best-written protagonists I've seen in a long time. The story really only has two characters . . . she talks on the phone with a few family members and friends, and later in the story a couple other characters make brief appearances, but the heart and majority of this story centers on Megan and Owen. And in the beginning, it's just Megan.
In my opinion, to ask your readers to hang out with only one person and want to keep turning the pages--without the lovely distraction various minor characters can bring--you have to have a main character who is relatable, lovable, endearing, and have at least a touch of wit . . . which in this story could've been difficult since Megan was so heartbroken in the beginning. But in the talented hands of Laura Kaye, I didn't even realize until the story was over how few characters there were. I *wanted* to hang out with Megan. I wanted to be her friend. And when Owen appeared on the scene, I completely rooted for her to risk her heart again.
Owen was an awesome love interest. Sexy, strong, compassionate, with just a touch of innocence, he swept me off my feet right along with Megan. The mystical, paranormal elements he added to the story were fun and fresh, and oh, my goodness, was he HOT!!
I will NEVER look at ice cream the same way.
In fact, I got so wrapped up in this story that I started craving whatever they were eating, which granted was often ice cream, but then I had a mad need for chicken salad sandwiches, and of course, snowballs.
You want steamy? North of Need and Laura Kaye have your back.
You want romance? Yep, it's here.
You want a story that transports you, makes you smile, laugh, and feel all warm and fuzzy? This is a must.
And with Christmas right around the corner, there is no book more perfect to buy for yourself, or for a friend. AND then, while are you are at it, check out book two, West of Want . . . I DARE you not to drool over that cover!
Megan has to be one of the best-written protagonists I've seen in a long time. The story really only has two characters . . . she talks on the phone with a few family members and friends, and later in the story a couple other characters make brief appearances, but the heart and majority of this story centers on Megan and Owen. And in the beginning, it's just Megan.
In my opinion, to ask your readers to hang out with only one person and want to keep turning the pages--without the lovely distraction various minor characters can bring--you have to have a main character who is relatable, lovable, endearing, and have at least a touch of wit . . . which in this story could've been difficult since Megan was so heartbroken in the beginning. But in the talented hands of Laura Kaye, I didn't even realize until the story was over how few characters there were. I *wanted* to hang out with Megan. I wanted to be her friend. And when Owen appeared on the scene, I completely rooted for her to risk her heart again.
Owen was an awesome love interest. Sexy, strong, compassionate, with just a touch of innocence, he swept me off my feet right along with Megan. The mystical, paranormal elements he added to the story were fun and fresh, and oh, my goodness, was he HOT!!
I will NEVER look at ice cream the same way.
In fact, I got so wrapped up in this story that I started craving whatever they were eating, which granted was often ice cream, but then I had a mad need for chicken salad sandwiches, and of course, snowballs.
You want steamy? North of Need and Laura Kaye have your back.
You want romance? Yep, it's here.
You want a story that transports you, makes you smile, laugh, and feel all warm and fuzzy? This is a must.
And with Christmas right around the corner, there is no book more perfect to buy for yourself, or for a friend. AND then, while are you are at it, check out book two, West of Want . . . I DARE you not to drool over that cover!
December 19, 2024
It was not a bad book but unfortunately I wasn't really that invested in the couple. It had very interesting magical elements and I lived the whole Snowman thing. But I wasn't in any rush I need to find out how the book ended.
April 10, 2014
4.5 - Snowflake, Snowman & Teddy Stars.
Imagine yourself waking up on Christmas morning, you slip downstairs, and find a present under the tree, you have no idea who sent it or where it came from, but when you open it, imagine to your surprise that it is that one thing you have been secretly lusting after, but haven’t told anyone that you actually wanted... North of Need is just that, an unexpected and totally remarkable gift.
This isn’t a review as such, just a few quotes and images to show how much I loved Owen and Megan’s Story, and my continued Fan-girling for the awesomeness that is Laura Kaye.
Owen – Want me. Need me. Love me. Your love will hold me here, with you. Forever.
Owen - See me. Believe in me.
Straight onto West of Want!
Imagine yourself waking up on Christmas morning, you slip downstairs, and find a present under the tree, you have no idea who sent it or where it came from, but when you open it, imagine to your surprise that it is that one thing you have been secretly lusting after, but haven’t told anyone that you actually wanted... North of Need is just that, an unexpected and totally remarkable gift.
This isn’t a review as such, just a few quotes and images to show how much I loved Owen and Megan’s Story, and my continued Fan-girling for the awesomeness that is Laura Kaye.
Owen – Want me. Need me. Love me. Your love will hold me here, with you. Forever.
Owen - See me. Believe in me.
Straight onto West of Want!
December 15, 2019
This was a really good Christmas romance read.
Megan has been a grieving widow for 2 years. Spending Christmas at the cabin she shared with her husband (who died on Christmas night). Owen is the snowman she makes while trying to distract herself from her grieft. Breaking down and sobbing, her tears bring him to life.
Is the snowman come to life as a sexy hot guy cheesy? Yes. Did I know how this would end before reading it, Yes. So why 4 stars? Because Laura Kaye writes good characters. Megan is likeable and her story believable. Anyone who's known loss can relate. Besides who wouldn't want a hottie showing up on thier door, making them forget their pain and loss for a few days? Laura Kaye also writes good steamy scenes!
If you're looking for an adult Chritmas romance pick this one up!
I also recommend her Raven Riders MC series.
Megan has been a grieving widow for 2 years. Spending Christmas at the cabin she shared with her husband (who died on Christmas night). Owen is the snowman she makes while trying to distract herself from her grieft. Breaking down and sobbing, her tears bring him to life.
Is the snowman come to life as a sexy hot guy cheesy? Yes. Did I know how this would end before reading it, Yes. So why 4 stars? Because Laura Kaye writes good characters. Megan is likeable and her story believable. Anyone who's known loss can relate. Besides who wouldn't want a hottie showing up on thier door, making them forget their pain and loss for a few days? Laura Kaye also writes good steamy scenes!
If you're looking for an adult Chritmas romance pick this one up!
I also recommend her Raven Riders MC series.
April 17, 2020
No one else but Laura Kaye could make this cheesy, adorable mess so much darn fun. This was like Christmas in April.
June 15, 2012
3.5 Stars
"I know what this sounds like, Megan, but I was sent here. For you." He released a deep breath. "A Christmas gift, of sorts."
This is exactly what Megan Snow needs after grieving the death of her husband, for the last two years (heck I wouldn't mind this kind of gift either!). Megan is keeping up tradition by spending Christmas in a cabin out in the snowy woods, just like she always did with her late husband. Megan can't stop thinking on what she may never feel again: true love and companionship. To get her mind off her grief she tries to busy herself by making a snowman. This turns into making a snowman, snow-woman, and snow-child. When Megan realizes she's made a family, she breaks down into tears, thinking of all she lost, and may never experience. However, little does she know that her tears and silent pleas do not go unnoticed. Someone has heard, and plans to bring Megan happiness and peace. One hunky Owen Winters coming up! Owen show up a Megan's door at night, passed out with no boots or coat, in the middle of a snow storm. Megan can't leave this man outside to the elements and drags him into her cabin. She quickly notices that he is gorgeous. He looks like a god (hee hee) in the flesh. Little does she know!! Can Megan unlock her heart and accept that she can fall for someone again without getting hurt, again? Can Owen convince her in time to love him before time runs out on his human existence?
This was a very sweet story with a fairy-tale quality to it. To enjoy this tale, you must suspend some of your belief in reality and just go with it. This takes place over the span of four days, a week maybe, so immediate attraction must take place for this story to work. I was fine with this because it fit the story. Plus, haven't you ever been immediately, powerfully and intensely attracted to someone? I have. Not sure that I could fall in love so soon, but definitely in lust! Let me tell you, there is definitely time for lust in this story! Laura Kaye is a master at writing nice and steamy scenes! I'll never think of peach ice cream or snow cones in the same way again! Here's a little teaser for you:
He stifled a groan when she licked her lips and he added another attribute to his newfound favorite dessert: dangerous. Because it made him want to throw his peach ice cream away in favor of tasting it from her tongue. He looked down into his bowl and decided to save the peach for last. So he could savor the same flavor coating the inside of her mouth…….The thought that this was what she tasted like, right now….He had to shift in his seat.
*Fans self*!!
So, anyhow…. I had fun reading this with my favorite ladies: Laura, Bethany, Sara, and Brandie. Thanks for the laughs and gossip!!
"I know what this sounds like, Megan, but I was sent here. For you." He released a deep breath. "A Christmas gift, of sorts."
This is exactly what Megan Snow needs after grieving the death of her husband, for the last two years (heck I wouldn't mind this kind of gift either!). Megan is keeping up tradition by spending Christmas in a cabin out in the snowy woods, just like she always did with her late husband. Megan can't stop thinking on what she may never feel again: true love and companionship. To get her mind off her grief she tries to busy herself by making a snowman. This turns into making a snowman, snow-woman, and snow-child. When Megan realizes she's made a family, she breaks down into tears, thinking of all she lost, and may never experience. However, little does she know that her tears and silent pleas do not go unnoticed. Someone has heard, and plans to bring Megan happiness and peace. One hunky Owen Winters coming up! Owen show up a Megan's door at night, passed out with no boots or coat, in the middle of a snow storm. Megan can't leave this man outside to the elements and drags him into her cabin. She quickly notices that he is gorgeous. He looks like a god (hee hee) in the flesh. Little does she know!! Can Megan unlock her heart and accept that she can fall for someone again without getting hurt, again? Can Owen convince her in time to love him before time runs out on his human existence?
This was a very sweet story with a fairy-tale quality to it. To enjoy this tale, you must suspend some of your belief in reality and just go with it. This takes place over the span of four days, a week maybe, so immediate attraction must take place for this story to work. I was fine with this because it fit the story. Plus, haven't you ever been immediately, powerfully and intensely attracted to someone? I have. Not sure that I could fall in love so soon, but definitely in lust! Let me tell you, there is definitely time for lust in this story! Laura Kaye is a master at writing nice and steamy scenes! I'll never think of peach ice cream or snow cones in the same way again! Here's a little teaser for you:
He stifled a groan when she licked her lips and he added another attribute to his newfound favorite dessert: dangerous. Because it made him want to throw his peach ice cream away in favor of tasting it from her tongue. He looked down into his bowl and decided to save the peach for last. So he could savor the same flavor coating the inside of her mouth…….The thought that this was what she tasted like, right now….He had to shift in his seat.
*Fans self*!!
So, anyhow…. I had fun reading this with my favorite ladies: Laura, Bethany, Sara, and Brandie. Thanks for the laughs and gossip!!
Read
September 24, 2018I had initially given this a Goodreads rating of "liked it", but after I was made aware of some things I've decided to remove my previous ratings for this author and put the original reviews under a spoiler tag. I will not be reading anything further by this author.
February 21, 2013
3.75
Fun read for BW's birthday book.
I feel the need to go outside and make a snowman. Only problem is we don't have any snow here.
Snowman
+ hot guy 
= 
Fun read for BW's birthday book.
I feel the need to go outside and make a snowman. Only problem is we don't have any snow here.
Snowman
+ hot guy = 
November 25, 2011
Megan Snow, still grieving the loss of her husband two years ago (on Christmas day) in a car accident, heads to the mountain cabin she and John shared to spend the anniversary of his death in solitude. She heads outside, deciding she needs the physical activity to stop her mind from remembering John and how his death was her fault.
In the middle of a blizzard, she builds a snow family. A snowman with mismatched eyes, a black knit cap and John's old flannel shirt. Next she builds a snow woman and the child. But it's the snowman that calls to her broken heart. Seeing John's things on the snowman, she breaks down clinging to the snowman.
It's Megan's grief that sends Snow God, Owen, to help her. But she also is his chance at humanity. If he can get Megan to admit her love for him, before the snow melts, then he'll be able to stay with her forever. But for Owen, winning over Megan must be done is days instead of the weeks he thought he had. He'll charm her, woo her and worship her body like it's never been worshiped before. But can he show Megan that she should give up her grief and start living life again?
Laura Kaye is fast becoming one of those authors that I will immediately buy. Why? Because she creates characters that you can immediately connect with.
Megan was a broken woman. Her grief seemed to leap off the electronic pages at you. She blamed herself for her husband's death (since he ran out to get her the missing eggnog) and couldn't seem to get past the fact that he was gone. So it was a little surprising when she immediately reacted to Owen. Sure he had the body of a Greek God, but I think innately her soul was drawn to it's match in our her the Snow God.
Owen knew his soul purpose with Megan was to get her to love him in order to obtain is humanity. But he was drawn to Megan and almost immediately realized that she was the one for him. He choose the harder path in winning her heart. He made her laugh, he put her first and made sure she knew that she was the most important to him and she always would be.
A heartwarming story that will remind you how important it is to say "I love you" to those you love.
In the middle of a blizzard, she builds a snow family. A snowman with mismatched eyes, a black knit cap and John's old flannel shirt. Next she builds a snow woman and the child. But it's the snowman that calls to her broken heart. Seeing John's things on the snowman, she breaks down clinging to the snowman.
It's Megan's grief that sends Snow God, Owen, to help her. But she also is his chance at humanity. If he can get Megan to admit her love for him, before the snow melts, then he'll be able to stay with her forever. But for Owen, winning over Megan must be done is days instead of the weeks he thought he had. He'll charm her, woo her and worship her body like it's never been worshiped before. But can he show Megan that she should give up her grief and start living life again?
Laura Kaye is fast becoming one of those authors that I will immediately buy. Why? Because she creates characters that you can immediately connect with.
Megan was a broken woman. Her grief seemed to leap off the electronic pages at you. She blamed herself for her husband's death (since he ran out to get her the missing eggnog) and couldn't seem to get past the fact that he was gone. So it was a little surprising when she immediately reacted to Owen. Sure he had the body of a Greek God, but I think innately her soul was drawn to it's match in our her the Snow God.
Owen knew his soul purpose with Megan was to get her to love him in order to obtain is humanity. But he was drawn to Megan and almost immediately realized that she was the one for him. He choose the harder path in winning her heart. He made her laugh, he put her first and made sure she knew that she was the most important to him and she always would be.
A heartwarming story that will remind you how important it is to say "I love you" to those you love.
January 9, 2013
This was a beautiful sweet story. It wasn't hard to guess what was going on, it wasn't even hard to guess what was going to happen in the end. It was a sweet romance through and through and I loved it.
Owen was an entirely different kind of hero than what we get now a days. Gentlemen, caring, his words You needed me and I am here for you have not been read by me coming from a mans mouth in a long time. He was patient and really was there for her.
Anyway if you want a change of scene and are after a little sweet romance with a bit of a paranormal twist, give North of Need a go.
Owen was an entirely different kind of hero than what we get now a days. Gentlemen, caring, his words You needed me and I am here for you have not been read by me coming from a mans mouth in a long time. He was patient and really was there for her.
Anyway if you want a change of scene and are after a little sweet romance with a bit of a paranormal twist, give North of Need a go.
December 9, 2014
Buddy read with Jo
I didn't know what to rate it, but in the end I really loved the epilogue so 4* it is :)
I didn't know what to rate it, but in the end I really loved the epilogue so 4* it is :)
July 10, 2017
Rated between 3.5-4 stars
December 13, 2017
If you have ever been sitting by your Christmas tree, drinking eggnog and listening to Christmas music like “Frosty the Snowman” and thought, “This song would make a great paranormal romance novel” - then this is the book for you.
Our heroine Megan is a widow, spending Christmas alone in a cabin, thinking about how her husband died on Christmas in a car accident getting her eggnog.
And that’s why you shouldn’t drink eggnog - also it’s disgusting.
She builds a snowman family, as one does, and then realizes she’s all alone and cries on the snowman. And little does she know that her tears will bring the snowman to life.
He goes by Owen Winters, although I called him Frosty the whole time and will continue to do so. Frosty is a god of winter, sent by Megan’s husband to help her move on. He’s super sexy of course.
Oh yeah...
Frosty is silly and funny and sweet, as one would expect from a snowman come to life who only eats ice cream. This was a straightforward romance with little drama. It’s funny and free if you want a silly book to read around the holidays.
Our heroine Megan is a widow, spending Christmas alone in a cabin, thinking about how her husband died on Christmas in a car accident getting her eggnog.
And that’s why you shouldn’t drink eggnog - also it’s disgusting.
She builds a snowman family, as one does, and then realizes she’s all alone and cries on the snowman. And little does she know that her tears will bring the snowman to life.
He goes by Owen Winters, although I called him Frosty the whole time and will continue to do so. Frosty is a god of winter, sent by Megan’s husband to help her move on. He’s super sexy of course.
Oh yeah...
Frosty is silly and funny and sweet, as one would expect from a snowman come to life who only eats ice cream. This was a straightforward romance with little drama. It’s funny and free if you want a silly book to read around the holidays.
April 10, 2012
Originally published at http://www.readingreality.net/2012/04...
Humans have personified the great forces of nature since mankind (and womankind) first created fire. The winds howling outside of those early cave-dwellings must have seemed like gods...and so some of the world's most fascinating and enduring myths were born.
Zephyrus, the west wind, Eurus the East Wind and Notus, the South Wind are three of these, but the greatest and most feared is Boreas, the North Wind. Boreas is feared because the North Wind brings Winter.
In North of Need, the first of Laura Kaye's Hearts of the Anemoi series, Megan Snow has gone north to face the heart of winter alone. Megan believes that she needs to face Christmas, and the second anniversary of her young husband's death, alone. Alone in the isolated cabin where they shared their love, and their all too few Christmases.
Out of a need to escape the confines of the cabin, the walls that are closing in, Megan goes out into the snow and builds a snow man, and a snow woman, and last, a snow child. Finished, she stares at her handiwork, and realizes what she has unconsciously done. She's built a vision in snow of what she can never have in real life--the Snow Family. Her husband is dead and she is alone.
Megan breaks down and sobs, wrapping her arms around the snowman, her tears fusing her to its solid snow body. Tearing herself away leaves a snow burn on her cheek.
Stumbling into the cabin after her emotional storm, Megan crashes into sleep as a blizzard descends on the isolated area. She wakes to find a man on her doorstep. She doesn't want to give up her grief-stricken isolation, but the man will freeze to death before he reaches the next cabin, if he can even find another shelter in the white-out. She must take the stranger in, and hope for the best.
What she finds even more strange is that the man on her doorstep has no shoes, but is wearing the clothes that she used to "dress" the snowman.
Owen Winters is the snowman. And he will be again, if Megan doesn't grab this chance at love. Owen is one of the Anemoi, one of those primal forces, an agent of the North Wind. And he has one precious chance, a few brief days, to convince Megan to fall in love with him.
The West Wind is coming, bringing the thaw. When the snow thaws, Owen will be gone, unless Megan can commit to him first. But love in the face of death is the one thing that Megan fears above all. She's loved and lost before, and she's not in the least bit sure it's better than never having loved at all.
Will Megan's heart thaw first, or will the snow?
Escape Rating A: Now I understand what all the fuss was about! Besides the face that the use of Greek mythology was awesome (Boreas hasn't been this much fun since he was used as Bigby Wolf's father in Fables) the metaphor of winter for grief was done just right. It's a trope that can easily be overplayed, but Kaye went just far enough, and then turned it on its head by having Owen and Megan have so much fun in their winter sports. For Owen, wintertime equals playtime, and he makes Megan see it too.
Owen has a much harder time getting Megan to trust him, especially when he starts by understandably not revealing his true nature. But his courtship, and the building of their frienship, is what makes the story so incredibly good. It helps that the romance part of this paranormal romance is both sweet and hot.
West of Want, book 2 of Hearts of the Anemoi, is coming on July 10, 2012. Book 3, South of Surrender, not until December, 2012. For the grand finale, East of Ecstasy, I'm going to have to wait until April 2013. Just in time for my next birthday.
Humans have personified the great forces of nature since mankind (and womankind) first created fire. The winds howling outside of those early cave-dwellings must have seemed like gods...and so some of the world's most fascinating and enduring myths were born.
Zephyrus, the west wind, Eurus the East Wind and Notus, the South Wind are three of these, but the greatest and most feared is Boreas, the North Wind. Boreas is feared because the North Wind brings Winter.
In North of Need, the first of Laura Kaye's Hearts of the Anemoi series, Megan Snow has gone north to face the heart of winter alone. Megan believes that she needs to face Christmas, and the second anniversary of her young husband's death, alone. Alone in the isolated cabin where they shared their love, and their all too few Christmases.
Out of a need to escape the confines of the cabin, the walls that are closing in, Megan goes out into the snow and builds a snow man, and a snow woman, and last, a snow child. Finished, she stares at her handiwork, and realizes what she has unconsciously done. She's built a vision in snow of what she can never have in real life--the Snow Family. Her husband is dead and she is alone.
Megan breaks down and sobs, wrapping her arms around the snowman, her tears fusing her to its solid snow body. Tearing herself away leaves a snow burn on her cheek.
Stumbling into the cabin after her emotional storm, Megan crashes into sleep as a blizzard descends on the isolated area. She wakes to find a man on her doorstep. She doesn't want to give up her grief-stricken isolation, but the man will freeze to death before he reaches the next cabin, if he can even find another shelter in the white-out. She must take the stranger in, and hope for the best.
What she finds even more strange is that the man on her doorstep has no shoes, but is wearing the clothes that she used to "dress" the snowman.
Owen Winters is the snowman. And he will be again, if Megan doesn't grab this chance at love. Owen is one of the Anemoi, one of those primal forces, an agent of the North Wind. And he has one precious chance, a few brief days, to convince Megan to fall in love with him.
The West Wind is coming, bringing the thaw. When the snow thaws, Owen will be gone, unless Megan can commit to him first. But love in the face of death is the one thing that Megan fears above all. She's loved and lost before, and she's not in the least bit sure it's better than never having loved at all.
Will Megan's heart thaw first, or will the snow?
Escape Rating A: Now I understand what all the fuss was about! Besides the face that the use of Greek mythology was awesome (Boreas hasn't been this much fun since he was used as Bigby Wolf's father in Fables) the metaphor of winter for grief was done just right. It's a trope that can easily be overplayed, but Kaye went just far enough, and then turned it on its head by having Owen and Megan have so much fun in their winter sports. For Owen, wintertime equals playtime, and he makes Megan see it too.
Owen has a much harder time getting Megan to trust him, especially when he starts by understandably not revealing his true nature. But his courtship, and the building of their frienship, is what makes the story so incredibly good. It helps that the romance part of this paranormal romance is both sweet and hot.
West of Want, book 2 of Hearts of the Anemoi, is coming on July 10, 2012. Book 3, South of Surrender, not until December, 2012. For the grand finale, East of Ecstasy, I'm going to have to wait until April 2013. Just in time for my next birthday.
March 12, 2012
Megan is still struggling to cope after the death of her husband so rather than face Christmas with her family and friends she follows their tradition and heads off to the isolated cabin they own in the mountains. Trying to take her mind off her grief she builds a snow family but the reminder of what will never be just makes her feel worse. When Owen appears on her doorstep in the middle of a blizzard she isn't able to leave him outside to freeze and reluctantly allows him into her cabin. What she doesn't realise is that Owen is a snow god who was brought to life by her tears and wants to help mend her broken heart. Can own win her love before the snow melts and he is forced to leave her forever?
OK I'll admit it - the main reason I wanted to read this story was the cover. Come on, I dare any woman to look at that cover and not want to get to know Owen! I hadn't read anything by Laura Kaye before but North of Need was a fantastic paranormal romance and I'll definitely be picking up the rest of this series (and I'm planning on working my way through her back list too). If you're looking for a steamy read to chase away the winter blues then North of Need is perfect but I'll warn you now it will leave you wanting to build a snowman in the hope of nabbing your very own snow god. You might want to stock up on ice cream before you get started too because I doubt you'll make it through the whole book without caving in and eating a tub full!
I'm not always a big fan of stories that only really have two characters (Megan does speak on the phone to a few people and we are introduced to a couple of others towards the end of the book for most of the book it is just Megan and Owen). It can be difficult to keep my interest without the interactions that friends and family can bring to the story and I have to really like the leads to want to spend so much time with them. In this case it worked really well though and it really allowed us to get to know Megan and Owen. Owen swept me off my feet right alongside Megan and I was desperate to see them both get a happy ending.
Megan was a great character, she is heartbroken and misses her husband desperately but at the same time she is still going about her life just getting through one day at a time. She could have been quite a depressing character to spend time with but I didn't find that at all, I felt for her but I respected her too and I wanted to see her move forwards in her life. I don't even have the words to describe Owen - he is gorgeous but also such a sweetheart, strong, sexy, dynamite in bed but at the same time a little bit innocent and infectiously enthusiastic about everyday things. He was definitely one of my favourite heroes for a while!
I loved the fact that North of Need is a bit different from your usual paranormal romance, the actual romance had more depth to it because of Megan's loss and the way Owen pulls her out of her grief. They are a fantastic couple who I would be happy to spend more time with and I'm sure I'll be re-reading the book again in the future. I enjoyed the mythology that the author has used around the different gods but I would have liked a bit more information about that side of things. As this is the first book in the series I'm confident that we'll discover more later on though and I'm looking forward to that. I can't wait to get my hands on West of Want and am pleased that the release dates for the whole series are fairly close together (the next 3 books are all due for release within the year).
OK I'll admit it - the main reason I wanted to read this story was the cover. Come on, I dare any woman to look at that cover and not want to get to know Owen! I hadn't read anything by Laura Kaye before but North of Need was a fantastic paranormal romance and I'll definitely be picking up the rest of this series (and I'm planning on working my way through her back list too). If you're looking for a steamy read to chase away the winter blues then North of Need is perfect but I'll warn you now it will leave you wanting to build a snowman in the hope of nabbing your very own snow god. You might want to stock up on ice cream before you get started too because I doubt you'll make it through the whole book without caving in and eating a tub full!
I'm not always a big fan of stories that only really have two characters (Megan does speak on the phone to a few people and we are introduced to a couple of others towards the end of the book for most of the book it is just Megan and Owen). It can be difficult to keep my interest without the interactions that friends and family can bring to the story and I have to really like the leads to want to spend so much time with them. In this case it worked really well though and it really allowed us to get to know Megan and Owen. Owen swept me off my feet right alongside Megan and I was desperate to see them both get a happy ending.
Megan was a great character, she is heartbroken and misses her husband desperately but at the same time she is still going about her life just getting through one day at a time. She could have been quite a depressing character to spend time with but I didn't find that at all, I felt for her but I respected her too and I wanted to see her move forwards in her life. I don't even have the words to describe Owen - he is gorgeous but also such a sweetheart, strong, sexy, dynamite in bed but at the same time a little bit innocent and infectiously enthusiastic about everyday things. He was definitely one of my favourite heroes for a while!
I loved the fact that North of Need is a bit different from your usual paranormal romance, the actual romance had more depth to it because of Megan's loss and the way Owen pulls her out of her grief. They are a fantastic couple who I would be happy to spend more time with and I'm sure I'll be re-reading the book again in the future. I enjoyed the mythology that the author has used around the different gods but I would have liked a bit more information about that side of things. As this is the first book in the series I'm confident that we'll discover more later on though and I'm looking forward to that. I can't wait to get my hands on West of Want and am pleased that the release dates for the whole series are fairly close together (the next 3 books are all due for release within the year).
September 22, 2013
I give this two stars.
It's still an okayish read but the storyline is boring and... come on, let's face it. There's no wow factor here (now I'm talking like one of the judges in Great British Menu). It's dull, it doesn't spark, ignites me or give me any depth of emotion.
Before I start, Ladies. A little warning here. Don't fuck a snowman.It's...unhealthy. And hella weird.
unless if its in a shape of Jon Snow of course.
Anyway, when I found out this story is about a snowman from Megan's porch transforming into a hot, male stud. I was skeptical. A frikkin snowman, seriously? Now I shall never look at snowmen the same ever again. Whenever I think of snowmen, this came up:
^ Now that is MY snowman. So reading this i was like, yeah okay.
Moving on.
It was pretty interesting to see the heroine as a widow. It's kinda rare to see widows as heroines so I was hoping this would be something different than the crappy, teenage angst and the overload crap of hormones. So it was okay...read it read it read it..until...
Fucking Megan Snow ruined everything. I knew that bitch was too good to be true!
Her behaviour pisses me off!
Owen Winters clearly stated to Megan that he LOVES her and if she doesn't love him back, then he will melt. Like literally melt into a doggy puddle. And this Megan obviously is a very very lonely chick hence she didn't mind fucking a snowman, so i would have thought that she would jump straight into his arms and declare her undying love!
But what did she do?
SHE FECKIN RUN AWAY!
Him being hurt for her- wasn't this precisely what she feared most?
Uh, yeah newsflash. YOU ARE HURTING HIM. By rejecting him. So too late thinking that you don't wanna hurt him, lady. Because if you don't confess your fucking undying love to him, he's gonna die into a puddle. Megan Snow, your logic is full of shit.
Fine. Fine. Fine. Focusing on the internal repition, she bit back the threatening tears.
Why the fuck are you even crying?! He loves you, damnit! Why the fucking tears? You said you were lonely so he came for you. And then you left him because you can't stand seeing him hurt?
OMG seriously man... this is going in circles. I'm getting a major migraine. Like seriously major.
And it gets BETTER!
Knowing that he's a guy that can't stand heat, otherwise he'll melt, she locked him out of the house where the sun was frikkin beaming down. And duh, he was frantically trying to get into the house to seek for shade.
Yeah, you screwed up.
Anyway, I read it whilst gritting my teeth. My brain cells are probably eroding from this literature.
Sayonara, author.
November 1, 2011
Grade: B+
When I first saw the premise of this book, I thought to myself, now this, THIS, sounds cool! Finally, something different and interesting. I like to read contemporary romance every now and again, and North of Need was a little Contemporary meets a little magic.
The story that Laura Kaye crafted was very emotional. Megan Snow, our Heroine is in the midst of grief that is two years in the making. Her husband John was killed in a car accident on Christmas {Eve} while going for Egg Nog. Megan feels responsible, and she cannot move past what happened. The story takes place at the cabin her and John shared every Christmas. Only this Christmas John has a surprise for her.
Owen Winters is an elemental God of Winter. That does sound a bit redundant, sorry, but it’s the truth at any rate. His last name is winters and he is a Winter God, so moving on. After a petition heard by the elder Gods of Anemoi, Owen signs on to bring happiness into Megan’s life. So he begins watching her from the wind, learning about her, and he finds himself attracted to both her joy and her grief.
Wallowing in said grief, she spends Christmas making a snow family out in the yard, and falls at the foot of the snow man and cries herself to sleep. When she wakes up and traipses back to the house, she is in a fog. Until she hears a sound on the porch, and looks out to see a man in a heap on her doorstep wearing only a flannel shirt and pants. No shirt or shoes. It can’t be more than twenty degrees outside, so she makes the decision to aid this mysterious man.
What can I say about Owen. He was perfect. He was custom made to be whatever Megan needed. He was thoughful, funny, attentive, good in bed, happy, sweet and playful. He didn’t have any flaws. Which after reading this book, bothers me a little, but while I was reading it made sense.
Megan is a good person who is going through a tough time. I really felt for Megan, and the love her and John shared must have been pretty special for him to petition Gods to send someone to her and make her happy.
This novel was well written and captivating. Both the grief and joy leap off the pages, and Owen and Megan both find solace in each other. There is not a lot of conflict in North of Need, but when it does happen it’s powerful.
I really enjoyed North of Need and I can’t wait to see who will be next in the series.
When I first saw the premise of this book, I thought to myself, now this, THIS, sounds cool! Finally, something different and interesting. I like to read contemporary romance every now and again, and North of Need was a little Contemporary meets a little magic.
The story that Laura Kaye crafted was very emotional. Megan Snow, our Heroine is in the midst of grief that is two years in the making. Her husband John was killed in a car accident on Christmas {Eve} while going for Egg Nog. Megan feels responsible, and she cannot move past what happened. The story takes place at the cabin her and John shared every Christmas. Only this Christmas John has a surprise for her.
Owen Winters is an elemental God of Winter. That does sound a bit redundant, sorry, but it’s the truth at any rate. His last name is winters and he is a Winter God, so moving on. After a petition heard by the elder Gods of Anemoi, Owen signs on to bring happiness into Megan’s life. So he begins watching her from the wind, learning about her, and he finds himself attracted to both her joy and her grief.
Wallowing in said grief, she spends Christmas making a snow family out in the yard, and falls at the foot of the snow man and cries herself to sleep. When she wakes up and traipses back to the house, she is in a fog. Until she hears a sound on the porch, and looks out to see a man in a heap on her doorstep wearing only a flannel shirt and pants. No shirt or shoes. It can’t be more than twenty degrees outside, so she makes the decision to aid this mysterious man.
What can I say about Owen. He was perfect. He was custom made to be whatever Megan needed. He was thoughful, funny, attentive, good in bed, happy, sweet and playful. He didn’t have any flaws. Which after reading this book, bothers me a little, but while I was reading it made sense.
Megan is a good person who is going through a tough time. I really felt for Megan, and the love her and John shared must have been pretty special for him to petition Gods to send someone to her and make her happy.
This novel was well written and captivating. Both the grief and joy leap off the pages, and Owen and Megan both find solace in each other. There is not a lot of conflict in North of Need, but when it does happen it’s powerful.
I really enjoyed North of Need and I can’t wait to see who will be next in the series.
April 14, 2017
4.5 FABULOUS STARS
I chose this book to read with the girls as my birthday read. Since my birthday is 6 days before Christmas, I was looking for something that was well...Christmasy, duh!? The cover instantly grabbed me. I read through the synopsis and thought...hmmmm, this could be interesting. Widow builds snowman. Widow cries on said snowman, while mourning dead husband. Snowman comes to life in the form of a super, duper hot and sexy Snow God, disguised as a human to win her love. Yep...totally up my alley! I'm in! And so I set off on my little journey....
The chemistry between Owen and Megan is HOT. The little things that Owen does for her to prove just how much he loves her are so very sweet. At one point he removes the scar from her cheek she gets from crying and hugging the snowman the night she created him.
“Instead of an ugly scratch of a scar, he'd given her a beautiful piece of himself. A snowflake. Small and discreet, noticeable if you knew to look, but otherwise really just for her. A gift.”
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Chemistry is not enough for these too, unfortunately. They have time and the elements fighting against them. Owen as just a few days to prove to Megan that he truly loves her and is deserving of her love in return or all will be lost. Megan has to let him into her heart in order for them to both gain their happiness.
I am so very happy that I came across this book in goodreads! I loved reading it. This was my first Laura Kaye book and it will not be my last! Her writing was smooth, and caused me to feel with the characters. Her world building had depth, as well. I felt even chilled to the bone in the snow. :o) Hmmmm, maybe Owen was hanging around... haha Bottom line, this is a great book. It was a super cute, super hot sexy Christmas read! I mean, how can you go wrong with a super hot sexy snowman!?
I chose this book to read with the girls as my birthday read. Since my birthday is 6 days before Christmas, I was looking for something that was well...Christmasy, duh!? The cover instantly grabbed me. I read through the synopsis and thought...hmmmm, this could be interesting. Widow builds snowman. Widow cries on said snowman, while mourning dead husband. Snowman comes to life in the form of a super, duper hot and sexy Snow God, disguised as a human to win her love. Yep...totally up my alley! I'm in! And so I set off on my little journey....
The chemistry between Owen and Megan is HOT. The little things that Owen does for her to prove just how much he loves her are so very sweet. At one point he removes the scar from her cheek she gets from crying and hugging the snowman the night she created him.
“Instead of an ugly scratch of a scar, he'd given her a beautiful piece of himself. A snowflake. Small and discreet, noticeable if you knew to look, but otherwise really just for her. A gift.”
[image error]
Chemistry is not enough for these too, unfortunately. They have time and the elements fighting against them. Owen as just a few days to prove to Megan that he truly loves her and is deserving of her love in return or all will be lost. Megan has to let him into her heart in order for them to both gain their happiness.
I am so very happy that I came across this book in goodreads! I loved reading it. This was my first Laura Kaye book and it will not be my last! Her writing was smooth, and caused me to feel with the characters. Her world building had depth, as well. I felt even chilled to the bone in the snow. :o) Hmmmm, maybe Owen was hanging around... haha Bottom line, this is a great book. It was a super cute, super hot sexy Christmas read! I mean, how can you go wrong with a super hot sexy snowman!?
December 20, 2011
North of Need is an exciting and fresh new paranormal romance that captured my heart and kept me glued to the pages!
It has been exactly two years since Megan Snow suffered the loss of her husband on that cold Christmas night; guilt ridden and grief stricken she escapes to their snowy cabin to celebrate this year’s Christmas alone. When she’s overcome by painful memories though, Megan ventures into the coming blizzard to make a snow family, a family she believes she will never have now. Using two mismatched button eyes and her husband’s old shirt she dresses the snowman and breaks down for all she’s lost, her tears becoming lost in the snowman’s icy body. But with her tears, Megan unknowingly creates life giving the snow God, Owen Winters, form.
Made corporal by Megan’s pain, Owen is given the chance to bring happiness into her life and teach Megan to live again. After centuries of being in only his elemental form, he craves the love and comfort that only Megan and her humanity can provide. But Owen must woo her into loving him by the end of winter or he’ll be sent back to the Godly realm and loose her forever, and when one elemental God’s temper lets loose Owens time grows even shorter. Can Owen teach Megan to trust in love again before the snow melts, or will her grief blind her to the possibility of second chances?
Wow, I don’t think that I can put my feelings on this magical novel into proper words! When North of Need first came to my attention I didn’t put too much interest into it, thinking it was just a different and somewhat corny twist on an old childhood favorite, Frosty the Snowman. But after seeing several of my book blogging buddies rave about it and then checking out Laura Kaye and some of her posts on North of Need my interest was piqued. Now I’m mad at myself for waiting so long to grab it up, fiddlesticks! lol
The mythical aspects of North of Need made for a unique and enchanting storyline that instantly intrigued; and with Laura Kaye’s smooth writing style I quickly became immersed within her characters’ worlds, forgetting the outside. Too good to put down for more than a moment, I resented every interruption and am still thinking about it days later! Heart wrenching emotion and devastating loss was neatly balanced with a soul consuming love, sensuality and life altering decisions. The characters of Owen and Megan though are what will leave a lasting impression on readers. These two are easy to connect with and will capture your heart right from the beginning. Separately they’re amazing but together they are phenomenal; each well developed with a passion that is palpable from the pages. They connect well and their chemistry is believable, not just lovers they are supportive friends as well. Their relationship is highly sensual and compelling; I just can’t say enough good things about this couple. And Owen himself; sweet, sexy and those mismatched eyes *shiver* I’m wishing I lived somewhere where it snows so I can make a snowman! Maybe if I visualize it and hope enough, he’ll turn into my very own fetching snow God! A girl can fantasize, right? ;)
I know it may seem like North of Need is just one big tear-jerking rollercoaster but it was fun as well, with lots of laughter and life to it. It really reminds the reader to appreciate everyday and hold tight to those you love.
I’m very interested in the mythology Laura has created here and the elemental Gods fighting for power over the seasons. In the beginning the foreign terms confused me but it didn’t take away from the story and now I’d like to learn more about the rest of the ‘Anemoi’, Gods and demi-gods, featured. I’m counting down the days until the second book now, West of Want, March can’t come soon enough!
Don’t let the Christmas/Winter setting fool you; any time of year is the perfect time to lose yourself in this fantastic romance. A superb start to a promising new series!
It has been exactly two years since Megan Snow suffered the loss of her husband on that cold Christmas night; guilt ridden and grief stricken she escapes to their snowy cabin to celebrate this year’s Christmas alone. When she’s overcome by painful memories though, Megan ventures into the coming blizzard to make a snow family, a family she believes she will never have now. Using two mismatched button eyes and her husband’s old shirt she dresses the snowman and breaks down for all she’s lost, her tears becoming lost in the snowman’s icy body. But with her tears, Megan unknowingly creates life giving the snow God, Owen Winters, form.
Made corporal by Megan’s pain, Owen is given the chance to bring happiness into her life and teach Megan to live again. After centuries of being in only his elemental form, he craves the love and comfort that only Megan and her humanity can provide. But Owen must woo her into loving him by the end of winter or he’ll be sent back to the Godly realm and loose her forever, and when one elemental God’s temper lets loose Owens time grows even shorter. Can Owen teach Megan to trust in love again before the snow melts, or will her grief blind her to the possibility of second chances?
Wow, I don’t think that I can put my feelings on this magical novel into proper words! When North of Need first came to my attention I didn’t put too much interest into it, thinking it was just a different and somewhat corny twist on an old childhood favorite, Frosty the Snowman. But after seeing several of my book blogging buddies rave about it and then checking out Laura Kaye and some of her posts on North of Need my interest was piqued. Now I’m mad at myself for waiting so long to grab it up, fiddlesticks! lol
The mythical aspects of North of Need made for a unique and enchanting storyline that instantly intrigued; and with Laura Kaye’s smooth writing style I quickly became immersed within her characters’ worlds, forgetting the outside. Too good to put down for more than a moment, I resented every interruption and am still thinking about it days later! Heart wrenching emotion and devastating loss was neatly balanced with a soul consuming love, sensuality and life altering decisions. The characters of Owen and Megan though are what will leave a lasting impression on readers. These two are easy to connect with and will capture your heart right from the beginning. Separately they’re amazing but together they are phenomenal; each well developed with a passion that is palpable from the pages. They connect well and their chemistry is believable, not just lovers they are supportive friends as well. Their relationship is highly sensual and compelling; I just can’t say enough good things about this couple. And Owen himself; sweet, sexy and those mismatched eyes *shiver* I’m wishing I lived somewhere where it snows so I can make a snowman! Maybe if I visualize it and hope enough, he’ll turn into my very own fetching snow God! A girl can fantasize, right? ;)
I know it may seem like North of Need is just one big tear-jerking rollercoaster but it was fun as well, with lots of laughter and life to it. It really reminds the reader to appreciate everyday and hold tight to those you love.
I’m very interested in the mythology Laura has created here and the elemental Gods fighting for power over the seasons. In the beginning the foreign terms confused me but it didn’t take away from the story and now I’d like to learn more about the rest of the ‘Anemoi’, Gods and demi-gods, featured. I’m counting down the days until the second book now, West of Want, March can’t come soon enough!
Don’t let the Christmas/Winter setting fool you; any time of year is the perfect time to lose yourself in this fantastic romance. A superb start to a promising new series!
January 25, 2012
My Thoughts:
Alright, my one sided love affair with Laura Kaye's leading men is well known, as is my serious case of hero worship with the author herself. She's warm, funny, and incredibly smart; and she hasn't served me with papers regarding my stalkerish tendencies.
Anywho, I love her and I adore her writing. I pre-ordered my paperback of North of Need back in October for its November 1st release - my birthday is on November 3rd, and decided it was a sign from the gods that it was meant to be mine - That and I have loved everything else she's written, so it was time to make room on my shelves. I have read it a total of 4 times since I bought it.That Man keeps quirking an eyebrow at me and saying "You read that one already, didn't you?". I merely scowl at him (don't worry, he's used to it) and scathingly say "Yeah, SO?"
NoN brings us to present day Maryland on Christmas Eve. Young widow Megan Snow is struggling to deal with guilt and grief after the sudden death of her beloved husband two years ago. With a little divine intervention and a freak snow storm, Megan learns to let go and find a little magic, which brings us to....Owen Winters. Owen is a snow god, one of the Anemoi, and this is his second chance too. With Megan, he learns to feel and love again, after centuries of being in elemental form. The pair are on a wild ride of with fun, laughter, hot sex, and visceral emotions that tug at your heart strings. I'm talking ugly cry, y'all.
Now, as you know, we don't get a whole lot of cold weather down here, so one of my favorite parts of NoN is the description of snow - it's so vivid its practically tactile and I love that. That same quality also applies to the emotions of the main characters. I find that to be true in all throughout Miz Kaye's writing, whether it's a widow and a snow god, two strangers in an defunct elevator or the vampire next door - there is so much heart in there. It just feels so real. There is also plenty of fun and humor threaded all throughout.
And since this our After Dark section, we can talk about sexy. H.O.T. Owen is sweet, hot, and very attentive. It's warm enough in the Deep South, lady! My temperature ratcheted up quite a bit, but don't mistake my use of hot for raunchy. It's tastefully done which in my opinion makes it even hotter. North of Need is a must have, guys and dolls.
Alright, my one sided love affair with Laura Kaye's leading men is well known, as is my serious case of hero worship with the author herself. She's warm, funny, and incredibly smart; and she hasn't served me with papers regarding my stalkerish tendencies.
Anywho, I love her and I adore her writing. I pre-ordered my paperback of North of Need back in October for its November 1st release - my birthday is on November 3rd, and decided it was a sign from the gods that it was meant to be mine - That and I have loved everything else she's written, so it was time to make room on my shelves. I have read it a total of 4 times since I bought it.That Man keeps quirking an eyebrow at me and saying "You read that one already, didn't you?". I merely scowl at him (don't worry, he's used to it) and scathingly say "Yeah, SO?"
NoN brings us to present day Maryland on Christmas Eve. Young widow Megan Snow is struggling to deal with guilt and grief after the sudden death of her beloved husband two years ago. With a little divine intervention and a freak snow storm, Megan learns to let go and find a little magic, which brings us to....Owen Winters. Owen is a snow god, one of the Anemoi, and this is his second chance too. With Megan, he learns to feel and love again, after centuries of being in elemental form. The pair are on a wild ride of with fun, laughter, hot sex, and visceral emotions that tug at your heart strings. I'm talking ugly cry, y'all.
Now, as you know, we don't get a whole lot of cold weather down here, so one of my favorite parts of NoN is the description of snow - it's so vivid its practically tactile and I love that. That same quality also applies to the emotions of the main characters. I find that to be true in all throughout Miz Kaye's writing, whether it's a widow and a snow god, two strangers in an defunct elevator or the vampire next door - there is so much heart in there. It just feels so real. There is also plenty of fun and humor threaded all throughout.
And since this our After Dark section, we can talk about sexy. H.O.T. Owen is sweet, hot, and very attentive. It's warm enough in the Deep South, lady! My temperature ratcheted up quite a bit, but don't mistake my use of hot for raunchy. It's tastefully done which in my opinion makes it even hotter. North of Need is a must have, guys and dolls.
November 3, 2011
My Review:
Now this is a book that I can get behind. I truly loved this book with it's sense of magic and whimsy for two people that have had enough heartache to last a lifetime. This is the romance between Megan Snow and Owen Winters. Megan lost her husband two years ago in a tragic car accident and her life has been filled with grief ever since. They had a mountain cabin where they spent every Christmas and she has maintained that tradition to honor his memory. Owen is a Snow God, who was betrayed and has since lived his life in a virtual void of unhappiness.
In a rush of grief, Megan goes on a snowman making frenzy. As she realizes that she has made a whole family: man, woman, and child, the grief overwhelms her that she will never have that and she finds herself clinging to the snowman crying. The next morning, Owen shows up at her door and it soon becomes apparent that he is the snowman.
To give you a little insight as to why I love this book so much, let me share a tiny excerpt:
"John Snow," he said.
"Wait. Are you telling me-"
"The Snows were the product between a winter god and a human. Generations ago. He wasn't aware of it. In life."
"John was a god?" Boy, he must've gotten a kick out of that! "Don't let it go to your head, mister," she called out to the room. Megan's face warmed under Owen's adoring gaze.
"John wasn't a god. But his lineage caught the pantheon's attention. When his soul pleaded for assistance, we couldn't ignore blooded kin."
"And he wanted-"
"Happiness. For you. That's all he needs to find peace."
Megan gasped. Her eyes stung. Oh, John.
So, you can see why I love this book right? It's about Christmas magic and about the Snow family who are related to the gods. You did know my last name is Snow, right?? hehe!
But honestly, this is just one of those books that is fun and magical and full of whimsy. Owen is an amazing hero. If only it were so simple as to build a snowman to get a guy like this. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. It would be perfect to read during the next snowstorm or through the holiday season curled up under a warm quilt.
Now this is a book that I can get behind. I truly loved this book with it's sense of magic and whimsy for two people that have had enough heartache to last a lifetime. This is the romance between Megan Snow and Owen Winters. Megan lost her husband two years ago in a tragic car accident and her life has been filled with grief ever since. They had a mountain cabin where they spent every Christmas and she has maintained that tradition to honor his memory. Owen is a Snow God, who was betrayed and has since lived his life in a virtual void of unhappiness.
In a rush of grief, Megan goes on a snowman making frenzy. As she realizes that she has made a whole family: man, woman, and child, the grief overwhelms her that she will never have that and she finds herself clinging to the snowman crying. The next morning, Owen shows up at her door and it soon becomes apparent that he is the snowman.
To give you a little insight as to why I love this book so much, let me share a tiny excerpt:
"John Snow," he said.
"Wait. Are you telling me-"
"The Snows were the product between a winter god and a human. Generations ago. He wasn't aware of it. In life."
"John was a god?" Boy, he must've gotten a kick out of that! "Don't let it go to your head, mister," she called out to the room. Megan's face warmed under Owen's adoring gaze.
"John wasn't a god. But his lineage caught the pantheon's attention. When his soul pleaded for assistance, we couldn't ignore blooded kin."
"And he wanted-"
"Happiness. For you. That's all he needs to find peace."
Megan gasped. Her eyes stung. Oh, John.
So, you can see why I love this book right? It's about Christmas magic and about the Snow family who are related to the gods. You did know my last name is Snow, right?? hehe!
But honestly, this is just one of those books that is fun and magical and full of whimsy. Owen is an amazing hero. If only it were so simple as to build a snowman to get a guy like this. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. It would be perfect to read during the next snowstorm or through the holiday season curled up under a warm quilt.
January 28, 2016
I enjoyed this book, but I didn't love it. The premise of how Owen came into Megan's life was really cute and I liked both characters, but somehow it felt too easy. Megan's so desperately in love with her dead husband she's been mourning him for two years, and yet Owen shows up and suddenly everything's different in less than a week? Not to say I wasn't happy to see her moving on, it just cases of insta-love like this always bug me a little bit.
I loved the way Owen's powers were displayed and his limitations really made him more believable for me. Yes please, build me an igloo! I really enjoyed that he wasn't all powerful. He was very sweet with Megan. I think part of what took this story down a bit for me was that we really don't know much about Megan other than her history with her husband. Because she's all alone at the cabin her interactions with friends and family are minimal at best. I would have liked to see everyone interacting together to get more of a sense of who she is as a person.
Still this is really great quality of writing and I enjoyed the story as I was reading it. I just didn't really fall in love with the characters where I'm just loving them to pieces. I'd look to another book eventually I think. I'm curious how the rest of the series shapes up.
I loved the way Owen's powers were displayed and his limitations really made him more believable for me. Yes please, build me an igloo! I really enjoyed that he wasn't all powerful. He was very sweet with Megan. I think part of what took this story down a bit for me was that we really don't know much about Megan other than her history with her husband. Because she's all alone at the cabin her interactions with friends and family are minimal at best. I would have liked to see everyone interacting together to get more of a sense of who she is as a person.
Still this is really great quality of writing and I enjoyed the story as I was reading it. I just didn't really fall in love with the characters where I'm just loving them to pieces. I'd look to another book eventually I think. I'm curious how the rest of the series shapes up.
November 4, 2011
NORTH OF NEED (HEARTS OF ANEMOI) by Laura Kaye is an exciting fantasy romance set in the Appalachian Mountains. It is the first in a new series Hearts of Anemoi. It is the story of Megan Snow,a young widow of two years and Owen Winters,immortial,one of the four Greek Anemoi,and a snowman. It has Christmas magic,snowman,death of a husband,grief, global warming,environmental issues,romance,love,hot sex,second chances,the four Greek Anemoi(Wind Gods),snow,ice,wind(especially the North Wind),and a bit of magic. This is a faced paced story where Frosty the Snowman meets the widow Megan Snow.It is a fun,but serious story that is heartfelt and full of life's unexpected twists and turns,such as an unexpected pregnancy and a chance at second love.A must read for any paranormal,fantasy,romance, readers who enjoy a fast story that will have you turning pages from the beginning to the end. "North of Need" is a wonderful fantasy Christmas story where if "you only believe" anything can happen.Received for review from the publisher.Details can be found at Entangled Publishing and My Book Addiction Reviews.
November 25, 2011
I am considering this my first holiday book of 2011. It was just what I needed. It was sweet, smexy and had a happy ending (Of course) I enjoyed the characters and although everything moved quickly, it worked. If you read romance or PNR on a regular basis you will see where the story is going but it does not make the trip any less enjoyable.
The only thing in the book that left a nagging thought was an incident that occurred, was mentioned again but not resolved. It left me thinking "what was the point of this being emphasized with no resolution unless it is continued in future books?" Of course I have my suspicions but maybe that was the authors point. (not a cliff hanger just a small enticing mystery)
Over all I thought this was a very enjoyable holiday read and I am looking forward to more in this series.
The only thing in the book that left a nagging thought was an incident that occurred, was mentioned again but not resolved. It left me thinking "what was the point of this being emphasized with no resolution unless it is continued in future books?" Of course I have my suspicions but maybe that was the authors point. (not a cliff hanger just a small enticing mystery)
Over all I thought this was a very enjoyable holiday read and I am looking forward to more in this series.
May 18, 2012
I really enjoyed this story. I first got an introduction too Laura Kaye by reading Hearts in Darkness. Kaye has am interesting way of sharing a romantic story with. a sweet and heartwarming trust. I loved Owen...I'd like to build me my very own snowman right now :).
December 11, 2017
I really wanted to like this book but it was too far fetched even for a paranormal romance.
Spoilers ahead....
Basically, the husband of h died in a car accident 2 years prior on Christmas Day. She still pines for him. While crying over a snowman, said snowman comes to life. Snowman has 4 days to make h fall in love with him so he can remain human-ish or else melt away like Olaf in “Frozen”
From here on, it gets REALLY stupid. I won’t give away all the details but side characters appear and disappear (literally and figuratively) at random, magical acts happen frequently, and the main characters go at it like rabbits in heat. Did I mention that the snowman’s name is Owen Winters and her name is Megan Snow? Yeah...
The reason I gave this 2 stars instead of one is that the story has a heartwarming feel. Although none of it is believable, it was good to read a story with relatively low angst. I liked the sweet times they shared. Building igloos, sharing ice cream, skiing, laughing, and teasing each other brought moments of reality to a totally unrealistic situation. I’m not sure if it was the story itself or the fact that I’m reading this in December that makes it somewhat entertaining but I did enjoy several parts of this book.
Spoilers ahead....
Basically, the husband of h died in a car accident 2 years prior on Christmas Day. She still pines for him. While crying over a snowman, said snowman comes to life. Snowman has 4 days to make h fall in love with him so he can remain human-ish or else melt away like Olaf in “Frozen”
From here on, it gets REALLY stupid. I won’t give away all the details but side characters appear and disappear (literally and figuratively) at random, magical acts happen frequently, and the main characters go at it like rabbits in heat. Did I mention that the snowman’s name is Owen Winters and her name is Megan Snow? Yeah...
The reason I gave this 2 stars instead of one is that the story has a heartwarming feel. Although none of it is believable, it was good to read a story with relatively low angst. I liked the sweet times they shared. Building igloos, sharing ice cream, skiing, laughing, and teasing each other brought moments of reality to a totally unrealistic situation. I’m not sure if it was the story itself or the fact that I’m reading this in December that makes it somewhat entertaining but I did enjoy several parts of this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2020
First of all I love that the characters in this series all have last names that coincide in someway with the time of year the story takes place and what type of god we are dealing with. Kudos for that.
The book takes place 2yrs since the death of Megan's husband on Christmas day. She has went to their cabin to grieve and to feel closer to him. While there Megan experiences something she least expects after building a snow family.
Thanks to John's (Megan's late husband) entreaty to the gods, she has been sent a gift in Owen. John want her to move on and be happy, so he petitions the gods for help. Which is granted and Owen goes to her.
In order for them to be together Owen must spend time wooing Megan.
These two had a lot of chemistry and the scenes are hot. I also appreciated the emotional aspect, because her grief felt real, and even though she didn't know Owen long the kinship and love that grows between them felt real.
The book takes place 2yrs since the death of Megan's husband on Christmas day. She has went to their cabin to grieve and to feel closer to him. While there Megan experiences something she least expects after building a snow family.
Thanks to John's (Megan's late husband) entreaty to the gods, she has been sent a gift in Owen. John want her to move on and be happy, so he petitions the gods for help. Which is granted and Owen goes to her.
In order for them to be together Owen must spend time wooing Megan.
These two had a lot of chemistry and the scenes are hot. I also appreciated the emotional aspect, because her grief felt real, and even though she didn't know Owen long the kinship and love that grows between them felt real.
December 16, 2018
3-1/2 *s
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