ARC Review: Let it Snow by Heidi Cullinan

Let it Snow is truly a comfort read, and I know I’ll be cuddling up with it again very soon~ Under the Covers

Oh, what an amazing book Let it Snow is and it is THE perfect read for a cold, snowy night whilst curled up by the fire so clear your calendar and make sure you have no place to go so you can do just that.

Frankie Blackburn is trying to drive away from a blizzard in Minnesota when his GPS gets him lost, so that instead of heading home to Minneapolis he finds himself in the northern small town Logan, Minnesota. An accident on the highway has him seeking shelter to  prevent himself from freezing to death in the blizzard. Luckily, he finds an empty cabin and hunkers down for the night he comes to realise though that the cabin is home to three bears. No, not those kind of bears…but the other kind – big, burly, hairy gay men who also happen to be lumberjacks. They are the antithesis to everything that Frankie is – a hairstylist who is a sassy and chic twink.

Due to the expected snowfall from the blizzard, the bears – Paul, Arthur, and Marcus – take Frankie in to keep him safe for the duration of the storm. Paul and Arthur are happy to do so; Marcus, on the other hand, is gruff and grouchy, and Frankie believes that Marcus is exactly the type of person that he’s always feared. Frankie’s outward appearance and the way he carries himself makes it very clear that he is gay and he avoids all possibilities of running into large, masculine men for fear of being bullied and beaten. At first, Frankie thinks that Marcus might be this type of person. He is shocked to find out Marcus is actually gay as well. And in fact, each of them is exactly the type of person that they are normally attracted to. Still, though, Marcus’ grouchiness towards Frankie continues unexplained, until Frankie takes the bull by the horns and confronts Marcus and his sullen behavior. What happens next is enough to melt away the blizzard drifts building outside the cabin (and the nearby barn).

Wow – just wow! That is a perfect way to sum up Let it Snow. Cullinan has penned a fabulous winter story with amazing characters – both the main characters as well as the peripheral ones. One of the things that I loved most about Let it Snow was how there was a build up for Frankie and Marcus’ relationship. The sexual tension between them escalates at a great pace – not too fast, not too slow, but juuuuust right – and then it becomes so thick, it is nearly tangible. It is great to see how Frankie finally pushes aside his fear of being hated and rejected and stands up for himself and confronts his fear – and Marcus – head on. Besides the fact that Frankie is completely endearing from the first paragraph in the book, seeing him take this huge step for himself makes him even more lovable. Marcus, on the other hand, is a complete grouch – almost to the point where you just want to slap him. Almost. Because even through his gruff and grouchy display, it is clearly evident that he is a very caring person who experiences a lot of feeling even when he doesn’t necessarily want to. He just tries to hide that part of himself. Fortunately, he’s not too good at doing so.

Once these men get together, watch out! Their sexy time is incredibly passionate and hot – more than enough to keep them warm on those cold winter nights. So much so, I’m surprised they didn’t burn down the cabin. More than that, though, their time together is affectionate, sweet, and caring – there is so much more to them than just lust and physical attraction.

During the time that Frankie is snowbound in Logan, he and Marcus develop a very sweet relationship, even though they are opposites in just about every sense of the word, they work together perfectly. Marcus truly loves taking care of Frankie, and Frankie takes some big steps out of his shell of fear with the support that Marcus provides him. Individually, they both still have to work through their inner demons, though. For Marcus, he fears being badly hurt like he was in his previous relationship. For Frankie, his lack of confidence and fears of rejection and being bullied are often crippling for him. Luckily, they are able to establish a strong foundation for a relationship even in the short time that they have together.

In addition to Frankie and Marcus, Cullinan writes fabulous supporting characters as well. Paul and Arthur have their problems, but they are good men who help Frankie and Marcus when there is a need. They are incredibly supportive, thoughtful and kind, but they tell it like it is when needed as well. And Marcus’ mom is just a dear. Battling Alzheimer’s, Marcus makes sure to visit her every day, and Frankie is happy to help provide her with the one thing that she constantly worries about – doing her hair and helping her look nice.

I cannot recommend this book enough, I am a total sucker for all the elements that Cullinan has in Let it Snow – obstacles to overcome, personal and relationship growth, serious chemistry, hot and passionate sex and when it all boils down to it, a completely sweet, and heart melting story.Let it Snow is truly a comfort read, and I know I’ll be cuddling up with it again very soon.

*ARC provided by publisher

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[about-author author=”Heidi Cullinan”]