OMG I NEED MORE PLZ GIMME ME MORE BEST FRIEND’S BROTHER SIMPS ❤️🥵

God, I love Ali Hazelwood’s mind. I’ve said this so many times, but she could write ANYTHING (grocery list, to-do list, SCRIBBLES idc!!!) and I read it and eat it up 😋😅 and this lil novella was certainly no exception.

Spicy was spicin and was like 3-3.5/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️

(Thank you, Brilliance Publishing | Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.)

This was my favorite story out of the collection. Marc was Jamie’s best friends brother growing up. He had a huge crush on her and she always liked him but they have some history. Trapped together in a snow story before Christmas, the reader will get some insights into their pasts and when and how everything went wrong.

This was a cute second chance friends to lovers story that I really bought into because of their history. This was also my first Ali Hazelwood book but it made me interested to see what her other stories that are STEM based romances might look like.

Narration:

Vivienne LaRue did a fantastic job at capturing both Jamie and Marc’s voice and really making me care about the characters. She brought the story home for me and I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed

All newly minted pediatrician Jamie Malek wants is to borrow a roasting pan for Christmas dinner. Unfortunately, that requires her to interact with Marc—her best friend’s troublemaking brother, who’s now a tech billionaire. He’s the one who got away. She’s the one who broke his heart. Outside, a howling blizzard. Inside, a crackling fire. Suddenly, being snowbound with the man she never expected to see again might not be such a bad way to spend a winter’s night.

Aww, this was such a sweet novella! Most short stories don’t work for me because they don’t spend enough time exploring the background and characters to pull me in. But this one did!

Jamie and Marc’s story managed to be short and sweet, without feeling like an insta love. I commend Ali’s writing skill to be able to pack years of longing and pining into a short story and make it believable.

I loved the audiobook as well. The performance and production quality were top notch. Perfect for a quick holiday listen in between catchups and gatherings. And being a part of the Under the Mistletoe collection, you could check out the other stories too.

This was adorable. This is my first Ally Hazelwood, but she’s gained popularity very quickly and I see why. This book takes place mostly in California and northern Chicago. This is about two people who grew up together. One’s been in love with their entire life and the other had to come to the realization that this beautiful man is more than her best friend’s little brother, but the love of her life. This was a heartfelt short story that made a great lazy morning.

I LOVE Ali Hazelwood. She is an auto-buy author for me, and while I did enjoy this one, there were a lot of plot holes that bugged me. Loved the narrators though!

This was a short and sweet novella that seemed to combine all of my favorite tropes! I love the backstory of childhood friends/best friend’s brother and an unrequited crush. The flashbacks to their childhood to tell their story really worked well for me. I found myself smiling almost the entire time I listened! The narration, of course, was also great!

I have really enjoyed Ali Hazelwood’s novels in the past. This was my first novella read from her, but it definitely won’t be the last! This was a fantastic snowed-in holiday romance novella!

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I had a lot of fun with Cruel Winter With You. It begins in the present but flashes back to when Marc was born. Marc is Jamie's best friend's little brother. Little stories and memorable events over their lives where they spend a fair amount of time together over the years build the relationship.

Jamie and Marc had each other's back as children, until high school. Even as they went to college and pursued demanding careers they kept in touch. Now they get stuck at Marc's parent's home when she goes to borrow a pan and a storm hits.

I really enjoyed the story and connected emotionally to the characters and their stories. The truth made things so much better.

Narration:
The narrator was new to me. I was very comfortable with the performance and voices for the characters. I listened at my normal 1.5x speed.

Cruel Winter With You is the perfect holiday treat, combining all the cozy vibes of a snowstorm with the sizzling chemistry of a childhood friends-to-lovers romance. Ali Hazelwood delivers a short, sweet, and spicy novella that checks all the right boxes: best friend’s brother, age gap, second chance romance, forced proximity, and, of course, holiday magic. If you’re a fan of any of these tropes, you’re in for a heartwarming ride.

The MMC is the ultimate green flag—completely devoted, patient, and willing to wait for years, even after being rejected multiple times. Honestly, where can I find a man like this? He’s down bad in the best way possible, and it makes their love story all the more swoon-worthy. The cozy blizzard setting, combined with their shared history and undeniable chemistry, creates a perfect backdrop for a romantic reunion.

It’s a quick, feel-good read that’s perfect for curling up with a blanket on a winter night. Whether you’re new to Ali Hazelwood or a longtime fan, this novella is a delightful addition to her lineup. Here’s hoping the rest of the series brings just as much charm and holiday romance magic!

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for this ALC!

I love a good Christmas story and this was pretty cute. I wish it would have felt more “Christmas-y”, because of the flashbacks to the past that was 50 % of the story.

I also didn’t love the MMC, he felt too pushy at times but I’m a sucker for childhood friends to lovers. Not my favorite by this author, but I did enjoy enough to finish listening.

The only reason Jamie goes to to the door is to borrow a roasting pan for Christmas dinner. She most certainly does not want to go inside, spend time with her BFF's annoying younger brother turned hot tech billionaire, and rehash how she maybe broke his heart. But when the snowstorm gets worse, and the house loses power, Marc and Jamie are forced to confront their feelings for each other--be it anger, hate, love, or lust.

Gosh, Hazelwood has done it again. I don't know how she manages to pack so much depth and history and story into a tiny little novella package. But just like she did for Loathe to Love You, she did. And with this one's Christmas theme, it's even better. I have no complains; I loved it. The narrator did an excellent job, as well, in voicing our protagonist's thoughts and the conversations with other characters.

Thanks Amazon for my ALC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

Star Rating: 4/5 ⭐
Heat Rating: 3/5 🌶️
Audiobook: 4/5 🎧

What to Expect:
- Holiday Novella
- Second Chance Romance
- Best Friend's Brother
- Childhood Friends to Lovers
- Forced Proximity
- Past & Present

Cruel Winter with You is a super cute holiday novella. In under 75 pages (two hours of audio), we get the heartwarming story of Jamie and Marc, childhood friends turned lovers. These two have amazing chemistry and great banter. It's clear they were always meant to be together. I loved the characters, the pinning, and the steam. Surprisingly, this is my first read by Ali Hazelwood, and I loved getting a taste of the author's writing. The narrator, Vivienne LaRue, did a wonderful job with this story and really brought the characters to life.

Thanks to Ali Hazelwood, Brilliance Publishing, and NetGalley for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own.

This ended up being muah least favorite Ali book. I was able to listen to the audiobook and I found myself zoning out an in a hurry to finish. This was upsetting considering it was so short. The ending was cute but absolutely nothing special.

3.5⭐️

My favourite part of this novella was the hero, Marc. I absolutely love an obsessed main male character who will stop at nothing to get the girl. Childhood friends to lovers is my catnip! So much mutual pining! The miscommunication was a little frustrating, jamie in particular. I would have loved more Christmas vibes, and of course if it was full length, but the author did a great job of developing the characters and their history/romance for a novella. I need to read more Ali Hazelwood because I’ve enjoyed the heroes in both books I’ve read from her so far!

🎧I listened to the audio narrated by Vivienne LaRue and she did a great job. So great that I almost didn’t miss having a male narrator, though I do tend to prefer duet or dual narration.

*Thank you to Brillance Audio and NetGalley for the ALC! All opinions are my own*

Over all so cute. I loveeeed the pining and how the story all came together. I will say I have questions over whether Ali has ever met a 2.5yr old and if I thought too hard about their childhood relationship I bordered on ick, but adult them I adored.

Unfortunately did not hit for me :(
I typically love Ali Hazelwood's books but this one was a bit too cringy. Both of the main characters frustrated me, and the reason behind the conflict/miscommunication was annoying and seemed unrealistic (the voicemail thing - iykyk). Also, for a Christmas novella, definitely wasn't Christmas-y enough!

4⭐️ | 2.5🌶️

WHAT TO EXPECT:

• Snowed in
• Childhood friends to lovers
• He falls first
• Sister’s best friend
• Missed opportunities
• Flashbacks from past


REVIEW:

If you’re looking for a quick yet heartfelt holiday listen, Cruel Winter With You by Ali Hazelwood will sweep you up in no time!

For a novella under 70pages/2hrs, it packs a serious punch, delivering a full story experience that left me both satisfied and wanting more! Vivienne LaRue’s narration is quite captivating and guarantees to keep the listeners hooked.

Jamie, the FMC, finds herself stuck during a power outage with her estranged childhood friend, Marc—a setup that sparks a delightful mix of tension, nostalgia, and charm.

This novella shines with Hazelwood’s signature flair, complete with swoon-worthy ‘he falls first’ energy. Marc’s quiet, patient love for Jamie and his open-hearted honesty make him irresistible. He’s raw, sees Jamie for who she truly is, and stands by her, waiting for her to see it too. Jamie, hesitant to open herself up, creates a perfect push & pull dynamic that is simply addictive.

Though set with light wintery vibes, this story can be enjoyed year-round, but there’s something special about cozying up with it during the holiday season. It’s a classic friends to lovers journey wrapped up in forced proximity, with just enough emotional depth. My only complaint? I wish it was longer—Hazelwood has a knack for creating characters you want to linger with!

Thank you to Amazon Original Stories and Brilliance Audio for the eARC.

Cruel Winter With You had the trademarked Ali Hazelwood MMC, the one that is so in love with the FMC and it’s evident to literally everyone in the world but her. That is one of the many facets of my kryptonite. I loved that Marc was basically in love with Jamie from birth and that his feelings never wavered. I listened to this one as an audiobook as well, and I loved the cadence the narrator gave to the characters. I felt their emotions while listening.

The true example of friends to lovers and I adored this story!
Jamie's best friend has a younger brother, by 2 years... she has known him since he was a baby! They always had a connection, but over the years, Marc kept a secret. He was truly and completely in love with Jamie. His sister told her once, but Jamie blew it off, ahhh puppy love, she thought. MANY years later, a snowstorm led them back together, and the forced proximity set them on fire.
The words that Marc spoke, his confession to Jamie had me gushing. It was the cutest and sweetest. The spice at the end was perfection! Cutest, fast read!

Honest review - I don't believe Ali wrote this. It's so terrible. The banter and flirting is terrible. His nickname for her is "Butt Paper"!?
The FMC was WAY too excited when the love interest turned 18 (because he was legal now and she is older than him)... gross.

I got the ick so many times for such a short story.

This was insanely good!!!! There wasn’t a single moment it felt like a short story. The relationship was so well flushed out. So believable! So good! I loved Two Can Play, but I was left wanting more! This was half the length & left me completely satisfied.

Be prepared for a man so unbelievably down bad & who’s known exactly what(who) he wants since he was 6. I am still grinning so big because of this man

Narration was incredible.