A review by sovexedtofind
A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Definitely a slow-burn. Not just in the romance that it's building up to, but in the plot as well. It took over a hundred pages to get the story moving along as a lot of it was about the main character's reflection or assumptions on what was going on around her. Still, what I appreciated is that while it follows some tropes (arranged marriage, slow-burn romance, Cinderella treatment), the main character doesn't have the same annoying traits that American iterations of the genre have: the bookish, quiet girl who's suddenly bratty and confrontational with her handsome, stoic would-be lover. The relationship progress seems believable. I'm going to keep reading the series because of that, but also because the world-building is interesting enough to keep me invested in where the story is going.