I'm super late with this review.
This book was a could not put down book! The beginning had me rolling my eyes a bit, without giving away anything....it just happened so fast! Once I got past the past that seemed unrealistic to me, I was drawn into this story. Other the protagonist being so naive, I thoroughly enjoyed the story.
Thanks so much to netgalley, the publisher and author for this great read.

"Dead of Winter" by Suzanne Hoos is an absolute force in the realm of psychological thrillers! From the very first chapter, I was swept away into the life of Tori Hamilton, a single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when she marries the enigmatic Joshua Winters—a preacher whose charm initially captivates her heart. What unfolds is an edge-of-your-seat tale of love, deception, and survival that kept me riveted until the final page.
Tori’s journey from bustling New York City to the isolation of Joshua's grand mansion in Maine is poignant and relatable. Tori is a character who is both relatable and complex, embodying the struggles of a mother trying to provide the best for her daughter, Ricki. However, as secrets begin to unravel, Tori’s naivety becomes her biggest hurdle. I found myself rooting for her, hoping she would navigate the treacherous waters of her new life before it was too late.
Joshua, initially portrayed as the charming husband, transforms into a controlling figure that sends chills down your spine. The tension escalates beautifully as the plot thickens with unexpected twists and shocking revelations about Joshua's past—each moment more gripping than the last. The stakes are raised dramatically as Tori becomes embroiled in a murder investigation, and the suspense builds to a breathtaking climax that had me gasping for breath.
"Dead of Winter" is a captivating read that intertwines emotional depth with psychological intrigue. Hoos has an undeniable talent for creating intense atmospheres and relatable characters, which kept me engrossed from start to finish. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who loves a thrilling, well-crafted narrative that showcases the struggle for freedom against overwhelming odds. I am excited to delve into more of Suzanne Hoos's works, as her storytelling has left a lasting impression on me.

Suzanne Hoos's *Dead of Winter: A Romance Thriller* seamlessly combines steamy romance with heart-pounding suspense in a gripping narrative. Hoos’s well-crafted plot and dynamic characters keep readers engaged, balancing intense drama with compelling romantic elements. The novel's thrilling twists and passionate romance make it an exhilarating and memorable read.

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into Hoos’ romantic thriller, but I should have known that I would absolutely love it. At this point, if they asked me if I would like to read their grocery list, I would say, “I adore groceries,” and read happily. 10/10, I utterly loved it.

Dead of Winter by Suzanne Hoos was a gripping story that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Single mother Tori was struggling with her daughter - that is until Joshua shows up and sweeps her off her feet. In what seems like a matter of minutes they are getting married and that's when all the red flags show up and Tori has to get herself and Rikki out of the relationship unharmed.

As mentioned this story kept me on the edge of my seat with dynamic characters and a fast paced storyline. There were also many plot twists to keep the story fresh so it wasn't easy to guess what was coming next.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers, and the author for the opportunity to review Dead of Winter

I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting. The downfall was that I requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before the book was archived. If I can find this somewhere for a reasonable price, I will try to get it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. Unfortunately it was not for me!! It was a hot mess and I had to give up at 40%.

Tori Hamilton is a single mom in New York City working as a production assistant for a religious TV network when she meets Joshua Winters who is a guest speaker on the show, Winters is a charismatic, well liked preacher who is known for his powerful, motivating sermons. Winters sweeps Tori off her feet in a whirlwind romance, Within 2 weeks they are married and getting settled in his mansion in Maine. Tori begrudgingly leaves the city to start a new life in Maine with her new husband and 5 year old daughter Ricki. Right off the bat something feels off about her new home and surroundings in Maine. From the way the house staff look at her, her husband being controlling and possessive, and the secrets she keeps finding out about at every turn; Tori is unsettled and constantly second guesses if she made the right decision marrying Joshua and bringing her child to Maine. Soon Tori finds herself as a suspect in a murder investigation, Joshua continues to become unhinged, and strange things keep happening that come to a head in an explosive finale that leaves Tori fighting for her life.

Suzanne Hoos wrote a thrilling novel that kept me on the edge of my seat. I devoured this book in a day and could not sleep until I knew what happened between Joshua and Tori. This plot kept me engaged from the very first page until the last sentence. The characters were so well developed. At times I felt Tori was naive and made dumb decisions concerning hers and her daughter’s safety, but she was a likable character that I hoped would find her happy ending. I liked Joshua at first, but as he became increasingly more volatile and controlling towards Tori and secrets of his past life began to pour out, I was ready for Tori and Rikki to get away from him. The plot was a little out there by the end concerning Joshua’s relationship and obsession with Emily, but it was a well written plot that I will recommend to my peers and fellow readers. Solid 4 star read.

I found this book to be predictable and the storyline wasn’t very convincing. I had a hard time getting through it. You definitely could tell the main character, Tori, was waking into a train wreck of a relationship with her new husband.

This was so hard for me to get through. Red flag after red flag was ignored. Abuse disguised as romance. I wish I would have DNF’d.

I read about 40% of Dead of Winter before I had to stopped. While billed as a romance thriller, this is actually a story of thinly veiled abuse. Tori is naive, especially for a mother. Her ability to ignore her and her daughter's uncomfortable feelings is unmatched. The only likeable character in this mess was poor little Rikki. As a mom myself, this book made me feel physically ill. This should be billed maybe as a psychological thriller or domestic suspense. I will not be leaving a public review since I was unable to finish.

A poorly executed mash-up of Rebecca and Jane Eyre.
I struggled with the first few chapters because of the poor writing and absence of character development. The too-stupid-to-live female protagonist excelled herself in these opening chapters but I persevered as I wanted to see how Reverand Winters, the creepy love interest, could possibly get any worse.
I did read the book to the end, so there were elements of it that had potential but it definitely needs to be revised and rewritten with help from a good editor.

When she meets, falls in love and marries the man of her dreams in such a short time, Victoria "Tori" ignores the warnings and follows her heart, bringing her young daughter and moving to a small town in rural Maine. Her new husband is a TV Reverend of some reknown who swept her off her feet. It's not long before Tori begins to find cracks in her happily ever after when she finds her husband's history is not as rosy as she assumed.
This book reminded me so much of the Victoria Holt and Dorothy Eden books I read when younger. Suzanne Hoos has given me a great afternoon and evening of reading.

I needed a really good romantic thriller to get into, and this one definitely serve that purpose. The concepts and plot of this book had me intrigued with the TV star component. This was thrilling, suspenseful, and a page turner. I really enjoyed it!

"Dead of Winter" by Suzanne Hoos promises a gripping and suspenseful tale of love, deception, and survival. The description sets the stage for a compelling narrative that explores the complexities of human relationships and the dark secrets that can lurk beneath the surface.

Victoria Hamilton, a single mother struggling to make ends meet, is thrust into the world of the charismatic Reverend Joshua Winters when they meet on a religious cable program. Their instant attraction quickly evolves into a passionate relationship, leading to marriage and a move to Joshua's secluded home in Maine. At first, Tori believes that her life and her daughter Rikki's future are on an upswing.

However, as the story unfolds, it becomes evident that Joshua harbors a need for control that begins to erode Tori's love for him. The revelation of Joshua's past, including whispers of his first wife and deceased daughter, adds layers of mystery and suspense to the narrative.

Suzanne Hoos appears to have crafted a tale that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, with unexpected twists and dark secrets that gradually come to light. Tori's journey to uncover the truth and protect her daughter from the shadows of her husband's past promises a thrilling and emotionally charged reading experience.

"Dead of Winter" seems like a book that will immerse readers in a web of intrigue and suspense, making it an intriguing choice for those who enjoy psychological thrillers with a touch of mystery and romance.

Tori meets Reverend Joshua through her work, and they immediately fall into a whirlwind romance, followed by a quick marriage. Tori & her daughter Rikki move to rural Maine with Joshua. Tori ignores every single red flag that Joshua displays, and they are many. Almost immediately, he is controlling, violent, and all around just a total bad person. Tori discovers that things are not how they seem in Joshua’s home. She does one stupid thing after another before everything culminates in a battle Royale.

Thank you to Wicked House Publishing & NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I had a horrible time getting through this. It was quite a boring disaster. Everything about it made me want to just stop reading.

I had a difficult time with this story. Maybe because I knew about Joshua’s controlling behaviour but there were so many red flags which Tori ignored that I got unbearably frustrated with her. I ended up skimming most of the book because I knew that while Tori questioned Joshua’s vacillating behaviours, she still stuck around. It is also quite steamy since sex was one way that Joshua convinced Tori that he loved her. What was interesting was how similar behaviours without the evil intent are deemed as romantic. “The rich guy sweeps the struggling single mother off her feet to a country estate via private jet.” It was like reading a traditional romance through a distorted mirror or an upside down world.

This is the very first book of mine of the author and she didn’t disappoint me. Tori is a naive to think that Joshua is the one for her. He is controlling and a dominating man at that. They get married after meeting like…. 48 hours. Then she realizes step by step that she can’t get out of the marriage. Tori was so naive it was frustrating at times and I wanted to punch her. But the book was very well written.

I think the beginning is a little ridiculous....but maybe people who read romance books will like it. I read primarily thriller/Mystery so romance isn't something I'm into and maybe I shoulda realized when it said romance thriller.

Normally books I read have romance sprinkled through out. But I loved the idea of a love story going wrong. And I loved the cover. I just don't think there's a way you can fall in love after a couple of hours and a couple of humps. 🙄 She just seems stupid the entire time in the beginning and he's a raging prick....this needs red flag confetti....the only thing that saves this is the second half. The second half of this is good. Has all the thriller elements that I normally look for...excitement, kidnapping, murder, ew secrets, blackmail. Even the ending finish with a satisfactory element.