Thanks for the ARC, Netgalley and Author Jenny Sandiford. This book was true in-depth storytelling I felt like I was on the snowy adventure with them the characters felt realistic. I love that she went on the hunt for her mother at any cost. I am a lover of tea, cozy vibes and books that take my imagination on a ride. It reminded me of the movie Frozen and I’m not mad about it. I enjoyed the slow burn of romance between Elsie and Kit as the book continued. This was my first cozy magical fantasy book experience and it did not disappoint.

ARC Review: Winterfrost Market by Jenny Sandiford

This review is 100% my own and is my honest opinion.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🚫🌶️

I loved the vibes of this book with the traditional Christmas markets, the tea shops and all together cozy vibes.

The way the author portrays fae is unique and made the book feel more like a fairytale. The mix of vampires, witches, dwarves and fae was so fun and definitely made the book stand out.

I loved Elsie as a FMC and felt like i could relate to her when it came to her close family relationship and also her love of tea lol. I love that she accepted others and was open minded when it came to magic.

Kit was my favourite character in the book and as the MMC he was amazing. I loved seeing his growth, sacrifice and his love for Elsie. He was selfless, funny and adorable which i loved.

I would have loved to have seen more of Kit's brother, Anders, as i feel his story was one of the most interesting in the book.

I devoured this book however there were a few aspects I didn't like. In the first 1/3 of the book I felt the dialogue was forced and I didn't like the abbreviation of words which reminded me of pirates, this thankfully didn't continue through the book and made it much more enjoyable. I also felt the ending fell slight short, I wish got to see more of a spectacle of Midwinter and then in the very end with Kit and Elsie finally settled.

I did enjoy this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves clean romance, Christmas markets and books that feel like fairytales.

This is a cosy fantasy, with tea, dogs, Fae and a bit of romance.

Parts of this I really enjoyed. The world of Winter Haven is lovely and I'd have loved more time there. At times it felt like there were too many types of creatures (Fae, vampires, witches....) as they all came with descriptions. Elsie was afraid of everything and asked lots of questions so you found out how the world works.

The plots ended up feeling rushed - with Elsie trying to find her mother, Kit trying to help her but also figure out how to finish the quest for his father all at the same ball. It felt like details were missing - the crystal amplifiers were mentioned as having effects then Kit's arm was covered in blood?! What did the special spice even do?!! Suddenly at the end, Elsie remembers about Fae agreements like she hasn't been just talking to loads of Fae without thinking.

I was enjoying the story and it felt oldy-worldy (and I enjoyed the magic of showers and lights) and then every now and then the characters started swearing and it pulled me out of the world. I wasn't expecting it from the tone rather than objecting to it. It wasn't often so it was a surprise each time.

I don't know if I enjoyed the book overall. I suspect I only finished it because I got it from NetGalley to review. There were elements I enjoyed - I might try book 2 to find out more about Midwinter Haven (the bit I enjoyed).

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for a chance to read this book! I’ll be honest I wasn’t expecting much but this book had me hooked. Cozy winter vibes? A mystery and Fae it had it all. I want to move to midwinter haven. I am hoping there will be more to Kit and Elsies story with more secrets and courtly business 🤞❤️

This is a light and cozy fantasy romance perfect for a cold winter day. The characters are endearing and it’s refreshing with a MMC that likes sketching and birdwatching, and who doesn’t have the most awesome magical abilities anyone has ever seen 😆

The flow of the story is good but dialogue could sometimes get a little stiff and short. I got in to the story right away and it was really easy to read. I feel like the story was a little bit shallow and things went a little too easy, but it still managed to hold my interest. I would’ve loved to get more page time for Anders though. I’m not sure if this is a standalone or the first in a series, but if there’s a second book coming I’m hoping Anders will be the MMC.

This is the perfect book if you want a cozy fantasy adventure for a cold winter day. Get your self a cup of tea and get lost in Winterfrost market.

Thank you NetGalley and Jennie Sandiford for an eARC of this book.

For me there is a delicate balance in Cozy Fantasy.
I need enough world building that the story can been seen in my mind - but not so much the reading becomes a chore.
It also needs to be cozy and comforting - without being a drag and slow.
Few books meets these high demands that I set for them - yet when they do it is magical, which is what we have here - magic.
I loved the world built, the mystery and the quest, the magic and the romance. I loved it all, and stayed up late into the night to read the last third of the story.
A lovely read for a snowy winter day.

This was so cozy and lovely. I really loved Kit and Elsie and their adventure together. The characters were so lovely and the World is so beautiful. I loved reading about it. I only gave four stars because sometimes Elsie annoyed me so much. All the times she was mad at Kit felt so unreasonable at some points.

3.5 Stars
One Liner: Sweet enough but needs more

The Winterfrost Market is famous for its Midwinter celebrations. Elsie, her sister, and their mother set up their cozy traveling tea house in the town. However, Elsie’s mom goes north to Midwinter Haven for some rare spices. The place is filled with fae, vampires, witches, elves, and other magical creatures, deemed dangerous by humans. When she doesn’t return, Elsie worries and decides to search for her. She hires a grumpy tracker to take her northward.
Kit isn’t really a tracker but he sure knows his way to Midwinter Haven. However, he has his own reasons for letting Elsie accompany him. As a few secrets come out, Elsie and Kit may have to decide what they want, while trying to find more about her mother.
The story comes in Elsie and Kit’s third-person POVs.

My Thoughts:
Well, cozy fantasies are a thing now, and the cover is adorable. Naturally, I had to grab this one. Though the stakes seem a bit high, the overall vibe is cozy and easy.
The premise is great. We have intrigue, adventure, danger, royals, magic, and whatnot! However, there isn’t enough detail to make the setting come alive as it should.
I appreciate the inclusion of a map at the beginning. It was helpful. But a map doesn’t negate the need for better world-building. While we get basic details, the writing relies on the assumption that readers would know what it means. This may not work for everyone.
The dual POV certainly helps since we get both backstories in parallel. However, many elements are missing. It’s all surface-level, so there isn’t enough emotion to fully connect with the characters' feelings or to support their actions.
The pacing is great. However, this is an advantage and disadvantage. The story flows fast, which keeps the tempo steady. Yet, we don’t have the time to immerse into the setting or empathize with the varied emotions the characters feel.
Though the book is the first in the series and a standalone, it needed to be longer and more detailed. (It still is standalone but with missing elements).
It’s a bit of insta-love if we consider the timeline. Since the banter isn’t great, the ‘love’ aspect doesn’t really shine. The lack of steam (this is a clean romance) works in its favor.
The side characters are quite cool. I hope they’ll be more fleshed out (along with the world-building) in the coming books. Taking time with the descriptions and dialogues might be helpful.

To summarize, Winterfrost Market is a decent and enjoyable read if you want something light and magical. It should be a good palate cleanser between heavy reads. Can pretty much finish the book in a single sitting.
Thank you, NetGalley, Velikor Publishing, and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

When I saw this book’s description on NetGalley, it sounded like just the type of cozy fantasy that I would enjoy, and that is exactly what it turned out to be! I loved the cozy winter atmosphere, the descriptive scenery, the whimsical characters, and the slow (but not boring) plot. At times adventurous and at times sweet, this is just the thing to read curled up with a blanket, and of course a cup of tea.

If you like Heather Fawcett’s Emily Wilde series, you will almost definitely like this book! It’s got a very similar feel to it, without the focus of academia.

The book was a huge warm hug as the seasons start to turn colder. I really loved it. It was so incredibly cute and cozy. Grab a blanket, a brew and huddle up. I highly recommend especially if you just want to disappear into a book that’s so easy to read and so beautifully written.

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley for allowing me to read this book on their site. This title followed the journey of Elsie, a young maiden who co owns a tea shop with her mom and sister, and Kit, a handsome man who is actually a fae in disguise. When Elsie’s mother goes missing on a trip to Midwinter Haven for some spices, Elsie hires Kit to take her there so she can find out where her mother has disappeared to.

The author’s lush descriptions paint a vivid picture of the winter landscape, making the reader feel the crisp air and see the shimmering snowflakes. The characters are well-developed, each bringing unique traits and motivations that enrich the narrative. The themes of friendship, love, and the importance of embracing one’s true self resonate throughout the story.

While the plot may follow familiar fantasy tropes, the enchanting prose and the charming interactions between mortals and fae elevate it to a delightful read. The pacing is gentle, perfect for curling up by the fire with a warm drink in hand.

Overall, "A Whisper of Frost" is a heartwarming tale that captures the essence of winter magic and the beauty of unlikely friendships. It’s a cozy escape for anyone seeking a touch of enchantment during the chilly season.

This is a hug in a book; it feels like being curled up in a comfy chair with your favorite blanket in front of a fire. Just, you know, with fae and witches and vampires and magic. Elsie's mom went off to find some secret ingredients for their famous tea up in Midwinter Haven and hasn't returned. Elsie decides that she needs to go find her mom and, after asking around, hears that there may be a tracker that could help her out. Kit, the "tracker" (he's not one if you ask him), has some secrets and no desire to bring Elsie with him back up to Midwinter Haven. Circumstances of course predicated that Elsie go with Kit. I really enjoyed this cozy book - there's a hint of romance but no spice but has a good plot that kept me engaged. I would recommend to someone looking for a little bit of magic and a heap of cozy fall/winter vibes.

3.25 stars because there’s just too much between whole numbers. Review may contain spoilers.

Okay, let’s start with I did really like this, it was a quick, easy and engaging read. It just wasn’t epic. It was an adorable cozy Christmas-esque read but the story and characters were quite predictable and pretty one dimensional. Everything was very surface level, exactly what you expect from a cozy little fantasy rom-com but there was potential to do more.

I really appreciated the folksy-fae, it’s nice to see fae that aren’t 6’6” sex gods sometimes. Not that I doubt Kit’s passion of course. I found it utterly adorable that Kit thought he was being stealthy and sly about his identity the entire time and literally everyone was like nope, we know. I wish we could have had more quest Kit, I want to read about that fight with the dwarfs and how he got the blood gate ruby. It almost felt like I was starting in book 2 of a series when it came to Kit.

Elsie I’m not entirely sold on, she was perfectly fine but felt a bit too naive for a 22 year old who grew up in a world full of magical races, who travelled extensively and who dealt with the tragic disappearance of her father. Even if humans as a society have isolated themselves (or been isolated by the others, we don’t really know), to be so utterly clueless about other races (fae, elves, witches, vampires, werewolves, dwarfs) is weird to me. Humans are just one of at least 7 races, so presumably the minority in population size, so I guess their utter terror of the others and their superstitious beliefs are somewhat believable? I’m just not buying it because who would want to live without magic when there is tons of magic in the world?!?

This was very trope-heavy and as I said quite predictable. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a fluffy enjoyable story. I did start to roll my eyes a bit at all the insta-love between Kit and Elsie. I mean, the whole story takes place over what, a week and a half? I did love the little surprise identity reveal at the end though! I want more about that! I do feel like I am more invested in the side characters than the main characters unfortunately. But I assume that we’ll get some more stories about Winterfrost in the future so maybe we’ll get to know them more.

Also, I hope it wasn’t just me that was confused at first. The book is Winterfrost Market, but most of the story takes place in another market town, Midwinter Haven. And it ended with our main characters moving to and settling in Midwinter Haven. Midwinter Haven, as a progressive and integrated society also seems like a much more interesting place than bigoted human village Winterfrost… so why the name? This probably bothers me more than it should.

3.5⭐ for me,

Thank you for accepting me for this ARC read. This book feels very much like a hallmark movie in a fantasy setting, perfect reading for the winter.

For me it fell a little bit short, although it was a cosy and easy read, it felt like the characters were written a bit poorly. The side characters are simply there for background and lack depth, and the main characters are trying so hard to tell you that they are so smart and intuitive that they take away from the tension and romance side of the story.

Still an enjoyable read, and would still recommend, but could do with another round of editing to fully polish the manuscript.

I loved this!

When I realised where this story was going I wasn't sure how it would fit into a relatively short book without feeling super rushed but as I read on I just fell into the rhythm of it and it was so good!

I loved Kit and Elsie together and if anything ever happens to Pepper I will riot!

This is such a joy to read and will be especially magical when Winter fully sets in.

Love, adventure, betrayal, family... This book has it all and I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to read it!

The book was incredibly sweet. It is perfect for the upcoming winter and I'll totally read it again. I just need it in my bookshelf.
At best you read this book with a cup of tea in one hand and the book in the other, while being warmed in a cuddly blanket. I'd recommend it to everyone who is looking for a light novel, and just wants to stop thinking and worrying for a moment.

This book is a nice cozy, fantasy with a splash of romance where we follow Elise who takes part in helping her family’s traveling tea shop. Things took a turn when Elise mother doesn’t return from her very own journey to Midwinter Haven, where it’s known to be run with many magical creatures. Just like any daughter would, Elise would gladly to whatever it may take to get her mother back. Elise makes her way with Kit who is utterly knowledgeable about Midwinter Haven to get her mother. Just like what you may think, she realizes that the rumors she heard about Midwinter Haven may not actually be true and that there is good in the magic.

Firstly, this was so good that I finished it pretty quickly for someone who is a full time student and parent. I will say this will immediately grab your attention and you just like myself might not want to put it down! One thing for sure, that is making this more of a four star rating and not a five star is that I wanted more world-building, what do we get is enough but I think it could of benefited from having a bit more. A little more backstory’s on the town, the family etc would also be so much better. I just want to say that if you’re looking for a nice cozy, book to read this season, pick up this book!

Publication Date: October 24, 2024.

Review Posted on Instagram @ deeplychaosreads

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing Co-Op and Jenny Sanford for providing me with an Arc in exchange for an honest review.

A cozy wintertime read! And a super easy fantasy to follow along with. Kit and Elsie had great chemistry together, and their first meeting was the cutest little meet cute! Pepper was one of my favorite characters and added an element of silliness and delight to the book (as only a dog can). The fantasy/magical element and the world as a whole was fun to read about and was explained well but wasn't overly complex or difficult to follow. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

Winterfrost Market is a delightful fantasy that draws you in right from the start with its enchanting premise: Elsie runs her family's charming traveling tea house, but when her mother goes missing, she sets off on a quest to find her and bring her back from Midwinter Haven. She’s joined by Kit, a curious tracker, and his lovable dog Pepper, making for a captivating trio.

From the very first sentence, I knew this book was my kind of story. It’s whimsical and heartwarming, with plenty of moments that made me smile and giggle. It had everything I look for in a fantasy, and the cozy atmosphere just made it even better. The magical winter setting was perfect for the holidays!

Elsie was a wonderful character to follow—always open to new experiences and brave enough to confront things she'd been taught to fear. I loved tagging along with her and Kit on their journey to Midwinter Haven, meeting new friends, and watching their relationship grow from uncertainty to a heartwarming bond.

Some of my favourite aspects of the book? Elsie's talent for crafting the finest teas at Tia’s Traveling Teas, her family’s delightful tea house, was truly captivating. The winter wonderland setting was a dream come true, complete with magical creatures and fae. And Kit’s secret identity as a fae prince added an exciting twist. The vivid descriptions of Winterfrost Market transported me there, surrounded by the warmth, enticing aromas, and bustling stalls. The Midwinter celebration was beautifully depicted, and Elsie's nickname, "Tea Leaf", given by her mother, was simply adorable.

The blend of magic, adventure, action, and a touch of romance made this book an absolute joy to read—I couldn’t put it down. If you’re looking for a cozy and magical read, definitely add Winterfrost Market to your TBR list!

I uploaded my review to Goodreads and Amazon.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Jenny Sandiford for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Winterfrost Market coming out October 24, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I was excited to receive this book! I love cozy novels a lot. They’re usually mysteries, so I loved that this was a cozy fantasy. I really love seasonal themed books, so the winter market sounded like a really perfect, cozy setting. I would’ve loved to see a little more of the fairytale creatures, but I think a lot of the story was focused on Elsie, her mother and Kit. I loved it though. Elsie was a really strong character and I also loved Kit. There were a lot of secrets. I’m excited to check out the next book!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy fantasies!