A review by leelah
The Other Side of Winter by G.B. Gordon

2.0

I discovered [b:Santuario|15849760|Santuario (Santuario, #1)|G.B. Gordon|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1345988753s/15849760.jpg|21596010] last year around QRM and I was pleasantly surprised by clever mash of several genres author managed to wave into quirky story that ended up being quite original.

The Other Side of Winter didn't quite live up to expectations I had after reading Santuario. After I gave it some thought, I would say, it all comes down to what you liked about first book and wanted to see in second.

-for me, absolutely that best thing about first book was setting. Santuario is set in precarious times: impending annexation of Santuario created a special tension and everyone is restless- those in charge and little people alike. In some way, I thought of joint investigation Alex and Bengt conducted as a micro picture, a mini test-run on how will Santuarians and Skanians fair in future. It's a clash of two very different cultures, social beliefs and from what we could see,vast economical disparity. It's interesting stuff and I was looking forward of seeing how was all that handled and especially, how it was perceived on other side, Skanian.
Well.
Indeed book opens one year later, which is... believable period of time it would take for annexation to actually happen. Alex was among first batch of Santuarians to cross borders and his experience gave me some answers, but not the bigger picture I wanted to see. :\ To be clear, Gordon didn't waste too much space on explaining in first book as well, but there was a very clever subtlety in exposition that gave me everything I wanted to know (like news article from the beginning of Santuario). This book not just that it lacked the same subtlety, but I felt like it was considerably dumbed-down; like author decided to get rid of everything even remotely complex. For example, when showing Skanian culture, author just used Scandinavian names, demography and cliches tied to them, instead of going with something original; something imagined.

-mystery took the center place in first book and, since I am fan of genre, I enjoyed it great deal. Here it was firmly in the background and I would say, served more as tool to forward romance plot (to put Alex and Bengt in the same room when they are fighting). Potentially interesting case, but Bengt's investigation skills leave a lot to be desired. I can understand he was lost in Santuario where officials are not doing their jobs and there are no records, but not in Hentavik. This is his turf, I would expect more of him. This is somewhat tied to Alex- I had troubles with Alex's character in book #2, because he was cop in Santuario and I felt like he was pushed into mental frame of college kid here. There is no clear connection to guy we met in Santuario...except when he conveniently comes to make progress in Bengt's case and reminds me that. yeah, he used to be a cop. :\ Conveniently, because of already mentioned romance plot. The laziest part of book, imo.

-romance takes central stage. On one hand, I am glad it does because Alex & Bengt's relationship was underdeveloped in book #1 and considering the way things were left- we needed to see them as a couple. On other hand, it's the kind of romance I hate reading about- lack of communication and/or miscommunication happens and everything can be handled with one honest conversation. It was so far removed from guys they were in first book that it actually made me question what I thought of romance plot in book #1- it made me doubt in possibility of hea for Alex and Bengt I firmly believed in and not because they had some obstacles- that's to be expected- but because in book #2 they are people who are strangers and who can't talk to each other. For example, the scene that frustrated me the most was this:

Spoiler

Bengt says Alex to check if he likes car he plans to purchase for him because it's complicated for him to drive him everywhere. Alex is offended because he doesn't want to take his money and he throws a tantrum. When Bengt goes out, Alex picks his things and leaves apartment.
He calls his friend and says: "It finally happened! Bengt was fed up with me and he threw me out!"
I mean, this is juvenile thinking and it didn't happen! I was baffled just how he manged to construct "he threw me out" from was perspired.

Like I said, THE worst kind of romance. (-_-)
Sex was plentiful and scorching hot, though.

So, if you want to read this book because you are interested in their relationship, you will get that.
I expected something in line with first book,so this one didn't work for me. :(