MC Simon's 5* Review of Snow in July by @KimHeadlee YA paranormal historical romance #MFRWAuthor

Here is what one of many reviewers is saying about Snow in July, my first foray into paranormal historical romance, reblogged from MC Simon Writes:

"A direct descendent of 20th century Russian nobility and married with a descendent of the 7th-century proto-Viking king of the Swedish colony in Russia… my mind was hooked by Kim Iverson Headlee, long before reading her first book.

When I had the chance to read Snow in July, the hook became a powerful harpoon. I felt this from the very first moment and while starting to read the book, I realized that it would unfold deeper and deeper. The author possesses the gift to keep you locked in with her book in your hands, while your eyes move inside its pages, left to right, up and down from the first page to the last one; all along Kim Iverson Headlee gives your heart an adrenaline boost.

The book starts describing the two main characters, Alain and Kendra who, for political reasons, were meant to marry each other. Before their first meeting, both of them had their fears and reasons to reject the marriage, but were incapable to refuse the King’s order.

Alain was thinking, “Marriage meant making more vows… vows to love and honor and protect. Vows too easily broken”.

Kendra promised to herself that she will find happiness “but it would never be in the arms of a man whose race was responsible for her brother’s death”.

I have to admit that the author succeeded to give me a bundle of feelings to cross, while reading Snow in July, from cover to cover.

I started admiring Alain’s reasons and my heart ached for any experience that he had, which made him think the way he did. At the same time, seeing Kendra’s reason, I almost hated her anticipating that all the conflict in this book will be based on her promise.

And… yes… it was in this way… many times I was against Kendra but that was not all. The author possess the ability to play with the reader’s mind, so I found myself so hooked by the book, almost fascinated by the way in which the events were advancing. The second I relaxed thinking I was reading a calm portion of the story, the next moment something unexpected would arise and my heart would start to race again.

I recommend this book to any reader who wants to feel something while reading. The bucket of feelings you find yourself trapped in, makes the reading act with curiosity. For not even one moment was I wearied. The plot, the characters, the twisted situations, everything succeeded to make me read without a break.

The fact that Kendra was “wishing yet again for the gift their mother was rumored to have possessed, the ability to heal with a simple touch”, made the action even more interesting for me. Being passionate of this aspect of life, called by some people “paranormal”, made me pay special attention to the moments when the author described and included this kind of action. Not giving all the details about such a healing procedure, the author managed to hook the reader even further. But… who needs details when one’s heart will anyhow understand what it is all about? This, only for the reason that Kim Iverson Headlee, really knows to dose any information; she knows how, when, what and how much to give, so it make things attractive but without giving it all away.

A scene that greatly involved my brain and heart in the action was the one in which Alain is saving Kendra after her abduction. I knew that he was supposed to succeed but… my heart raced a great deal while Kendra herself tried to escape, being afraid that she will mess up everything.

However, what I loved even more inside Snow in July, were in fact the secondary characters. I am that kind of reader who usually finds herself attached to the protagonists, but the author made me love many other characters here. I will mention only a few: Ruaud, Alain’s friend for so many reasons which can’t be counted here; Alain’s and Kendra’s brothers, who were gone in other worlds since the beginning of the action, but still so very present until the last act; Snake, Kendra’s predator who succeeded to melt my heart even if he was one of the bad guys in the book. I will stop the list here, adding only that because of these secondary characters, Snow in July is that kind of book which I want to read twice, being sure that not even than will I be able to grasp all the details behind the words.

My eyes were full of tears and joy, I was smiling and I was sad, my heart raced a lot while following the action step by step. The author really knows how to play with your adrenaline level. I even hated the author when she left me in deep frustration on Alain’s and Kendra’s first kiss. I liked what was described so much, that when it stopped I had the feeling that I was robbed by something that never happened and I didn’t even know what it could be.

To make things short, because I am sure the reader will enjoy reading the book more than my words here, I will conclude by saying that…

I totally recommend the book to anyone who wants to dig inside a medieval romance, placed in a moment in time when many twisted events happen, where the protagonists and secondary characters provide you contradictory feelings, using any phase between a good laugh and a deep cry, all being described with a mix of old and new English, French and Saxon words.
I recommend this book for all these reasons and maybe for others more.

The book left me with a huge desire to find all about the Glastonbury thorn’s secret. The moment after I turned over the last page, I was running to discover the secret behind the words “to heal the pain, you must endure the thorn”. Whether you can find or not what I was talking about… I will let the reader in you discover it, after Kim Iverson Headlee’s words will have touched your heart." —MC Simon, MC Simon Writes

MC was not a member of Kim's All-Stars Street Team when she wrote this review back in October—in fact, the group didn't start up until December—but she is now, and I'm very thankful for her support and the support of all the other members. If you love this book or other novels of mine, I invite you to join the All-Stars and receive exclusive peeks at my works in progress, mentions in my forthcoming books, and more!


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