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.

Short synopsis: Jamie gets stuck at her best friends house with her friends brother during a blizzard after going to retrieve a roasting pan.

My thoughts: What a fun little novella. I think Ali did a great job at helping the reader really get to know the characters and their history in such a short amount of time. There was tension and longing, and I could feel their chemistry.

As with all Ali Hazelwood books this has a bit of spice, but I wouldn’t say it was too overwhelming. The perfect little book to heat you up during a snowy night!

The audio on this was so fun! I thought the narrator did a great job at bringing the story to life!

Read if you love:
- Forced proximity
- Snowed in
- Best friends brother
- Women in stem

I really enjoyed this read!! It was cozy and nostalgic. I felt like it covered all the bases and didn’t leave much “unsaid”!! I loved Marc and could definitely relate to Jamie. There is technically the miscommunication trope, but *spoiler* it is resolved well!!!

Cruel Winter With You by Ali Hazelwood is a cozy yet emotionally rich holiday romance, part of Amazon's Under The Mistletoe series. All Jamie Malek wants is a roasting pan for Christmas, but borrowing one means facing Marc—the tech billionaire brother of her best friend and the man she once loved…and hurt.

Jamie, now a pediatrician, struggles with anxiety and the feeling of being unwanted—a lingering effect of her relationship with her father. Her mental health journey is beautifully depicted, and Marc’s patience and understanding provide the supportive partner dynamic I love in a romance. When a blizzard hits, leaving them snowed in together, a cozy evening by the fire turns into an opportunity to confront old feelings and regrets.

Through a game of “Truth or Drink,” Marc asks Jamie why she never gave him a chance. Her vulnerable confession—admitting her love and revealing a lost voicemail she left him after breaking his heart—makes for a heartfelt moment that’s both raw and tender.

Ali Hazelwood brought forward a meaningful romance that explores second chances, vulnerability, and the beauty of a partner who truly understands. This is a story of rekindling love amid the winter snow, and it’s perfect for readers looking for a holiday romance with depth and emotional resonance.

Rating: 4.75 out of 5

While this was a cute, festive and quick read, I didn’t fully connect with it. In the end, I did enjoy the forced proximity and friends to lovers aspect, and I was entertained.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A friends to lovers romance during a snowstorm! A rehash of how they two got there gave the romance a little depth. Short stories can be hit or miss for me, but I really felt the chemistry between the two. I can't wait to read the rest of the stories.

I'm always such a fan of listening to Vivienne LaRue. She brings such heart to anything she narrates and did a good job of ramping up the chemistry between Jamie and Marc. Such an entertaining listen.

Ali Hazelwood only needed a few chapters to make me cry. I loved this novella. The pinning, was top notch, with silly nicknames and time hops that flowed seamlessly through the story. I love novellas because they give you a chance to sample an author's work. I know I need to add more Ali to my holiday wishlist.

Thank you to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick and fun holiday romance! The banter and chemistry between these two was off the charts!

There was so much plot packed into this short 2 hour audiobook. I loved the childhood friends to enemies to lovers aspect the most!

The narrator Vivenne brought this characters to life in the best way!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advanced copy.

I am always obsessed with how Ali Hazelwood writes the yearning these men have for the FMC. Miscommunication trope is not my favorit BUT I always love how Ali goes about it. This was a fantastic novella with just enough romance, back story, character development and spice.

A perfect bite sized read for the Holidays!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced audio of this book in exchange for an honest review!

thank you netgalley, author ali hazlewood, narrator vivianne larue and brilliance publishing for this super fun novella.
there’s excellent anxiety representation, the best set up with childhood friends, a blizzard snowing them in and holiday magic. this was a delight to read and review.
so far my favorite christmas read this year.