Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: A Winter Awakening
SERIES: A Nymph Solstice Romance
AUTHOR: Gigi Rivers
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 167 pages
RELEASE DATE: December 6, 2023
BLURB:
An MM fantasy winter holiday novella.
A naïve human virgin lost in the mountains. An older nymph who swoops in and rescues him.
Gael fled on his wedding day when he realised he couldn’t marry the bride. He should have recognised it sooner, but he’s always been such a bumble-headed fool. Now he is fleeing on horseback. He gets lost and injured and takes shelter in a cave. He fears that his rash decision might cost him his life.
Thankfully, the mountain nymph Orteo rescues Gael. Gael doesn’t know what he’d do without Orteo looking after him. He’s so lucky to have the older, experienced nymph as a friend.
However, Orteo yearns for more than just friendship from the young human. But is Gael too naive to recognise what is possible between them?
Each book in the A Nymph Solstice Romance series contains an HEA with no cliffhangers and can be read as a standalone.
REVIEW:
Gael has run away from his wedding. He’s been engaged to his fiance since he was a child. The week before the wedding he realizes that he can’t go through with it, so he bolts on his horse through the forest. He gets lost and finally comes up some Oreads around a fire. Gael asks for direction to the closest village and lodging. He hasn’t eaten and he’s cold and he has nothing but the clothes on this back and his horse – and money. They tell him to follow the trail to the village. He’s freezing and he manages to get off the path. He jumps off his horse and hurts his ankle badly. He’s able to crawl into a cave with a firepit and Daisy, his horse is keeping him a little warm, but he has no idea how to start a fire.
Orteo, a mountain nymph who gave him directions follows his trail and find him half frozen in the cave. He starts a fire and realizes the Gael needs help – his ankle may be broken! He offers to go get a healer, but Gael is terrified of being alone. He’s been pampered at Castle Evermore and he has no idea how to do anything for himself. Orteo stays the night offering food and then gets the healer in the morning. ]
Getting Gael back to Ores isn’t that hard with the horse. There is a cabin that is empty for the winter, so Gael has a place to recover and rest. Orteo takes care of him. Gael really admires and appreciates Orteo. Orteo is a bit uncomfortable in town because his nephews are there. He left after his sister’s death as he was wracked with grief. Now he deals with guilt for leaving.
Gael has no idea what is going on He really likes Orteo, but it’s not until he accidentally sees something he shouldn’t that he realizes what these feelings really are. Orteo is sad when he thinks Gael only wants to be friends. He’s shocked when Gael asks for more 😉
This is another lovely fantasy story set in this Nymph world of the mountain village. There is a bit less courting/wooing with the solstice in this one. Gael is very naive and young and he’s clueless about most things. He feels bad and a coward for running away. Orteo feels that he doesn’t deserve happiness and love and he feels like he’s always letting everyone down. He really wants to not let Gael down though. This helps him work through his feelings about the past. He loves taking care of Gael and he wants to be worthy. They are very much in synch though when they get together. Both go through a lot and overcome their pasts to make a new life together. Recommended especially for fans of the series.
RATING: 
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