thebumblegirl's review against another edition
4.0
Frozen Heart is a well-written short story that I would consider as an adult dystopian romance. It takes place in the "'Ice Ages" were the lands have permanently frozen over, humans are scarce and everything must be rationed and modified by the government, called the Affinity. The "Green Age" was long ago, that stories of a time were the lands were full of green grass, crops, animals and people were free to choose where they wanted to live and who they wanted to marry, are told and passed on as though they were fairytales.
Cressenda is one of the few lucky ones that was born out of love. Her parents taught her how to survive in the cold harsh weather away from the Affinity, they knew that one day she would be on her own. At a very early age, their prediction came true. For ten years, Cressenda took care of herself and her two sled dogs. Living a full days worth away from the nearest compound, she knows how to take care of her little family, their home, how to stay as healthy as possible and how to navigate the weather and mountains in order to get to the trade for supplies when she is running low.
On one of her runs, she runs into some trouble and meets Beckett - one of the guards to the Affinity. When he checks her identification, Cressenda knows that he is about to discover that she is an Outsider, she must decide quickly how to get away or she will be arrested. But luckily for her, a surprise snowstorm hits and Beckett offers to take her in until it passes over.
Much to my surprise, there is a lot more to Beckett than I gave him credit for. And the electricity between Beckett and Cressenda can start forest fires.
I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed with the ending - I felt like it was a bit to abrupt for me, almost like a cliffhanger! I want more! I need to know what happens... hopefully there will be a part two to this.
It is definitely a great quick read to satisfy anyone who is in the mood for a quick romance.
Cressenda is one of the few lucky ones that was born out of love. Her parents taught her how to survive in the cold harsh weather away from the Affinity, they knew that one day she would be on her own. At a very early age, their prediction came true. For ten years, Cressenda took care of herself and her two sled dogs. Living a full days worth away from the nearest compound, she knows how to take care of her little family, their home, how to stay as healthy as possible and how to navigate the weather and mountains in order to get to the trade for supplies when she is running low.
On one of her runs, she runs into some trouble and meets Beckett - one of the guards to the Affinity. When he checks her identification, Cressenda knows that he is about to discover that she is an Outsider, she must decide quickly how to get away or she will be arrested. But luckily for her, a surprise snowstorm hits and Beckett offers to take her in until it passes over.
Much to my surprise, there is a lot more to Beckett than I gave him credit for. And the electricity between Beckett and Cressenda can start forest fires.
I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed with the ending - I felt like it was a bit to abrupt for me, almost like a cliffhanger! I want more! I need to know what happens... hopefully there will be a part two to this.
It is definitely a great quick read to satisfy anyone who is in the mood for a quick romance.
avoraciousreader68's review
5.0
Cressenda lives with her two sled dogs, Tonk and Tilo, out in the icy wilderness far from the Collective. She’s an Outlier, a Missing Person and if she’s caught (Reaped) she’ll be sent back to the Collective to a work camp and Matched against her will. For ten years, ever since her parents were Reaped when she was 16, she’s been on her own. Surviving. Every trip to the Trade Path in the Collective runs the risk of getting caught, but she has to get supplies every few months and it’s time to make another trip. How much longer will her luck hold out?
I was sucked into this story right from the start. It’s a short well-written dystopian story about a strong woman and a strong man in an impossible hopeless situation. The world building is excellent without wading through a lot prose. Sparse yet effective wording made me feel as if I was right there living in that desolate world. So much so that it was a shock when the story ended and I found myself sitting in my office chair, feet up on my desk, A/C and fans running to beat the 100º heat and wondering why I wasn’t traveling on a sled behind Tonk and Tilo speeding off into my future.
I will most definitely read more by Annabelle Blume. Bring it on!
*The publisher provided this story to me for review. Please see disclaimer page on my blog.
I was sucked into this story right from the start. It’s a short well-written dystopian story about a strong woman and a strong man in an impossible hopeless situation. The world building is excellent without wading through a lot prose. Sparse yet effective wording made me feel as if I was right there living in that desolate world. So much so that it was a shock when the story ended and I found myself sitting in my office chair, feet up on my desk, A/C and fans running to beat the 100º heat and wondering why I wasn’t traveling on a sled behind Tonk and Tilo speeding off into my future.
I will most definitely read more by Annabelle Blume. Bring it on!
*The publisher provided this story to me for review. Please see disclaimer page on my blog.
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