Book Review: A Winter Affair

4 out of 10 for A Winter Affair by Minna Howard

With a recent divorce and empty nest Eloise Brandon is facing Christmas alone until a harried phone call from her godfather changes everything.

Accepting his challenge, Eloise finds herself en-route to Verbier and to her godfathers chalet in the beautiful Swiss Alps to help cater for some seriously rich, high rolling guests.

What ensues makes it a Christmas to remember. A heady alpine mixture of old friends, ex-husbands, mega-rich, super demanding guests, a dishevelled proprietor and Bert the dog.

Source: Goodreads 

I was sent a review copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know where to start. I am still so confused about this. What sort of story was this supposed to be?

I feel like a part of it was accidentally deleted during publishing....
In any case, it was definitely too rushed.

The book seems to exist out of a long build up, filled with stuff that felt more like background details rather than actual content.

The ending, if you could even call it that, was rushed and lacked sophistication. It was such a disappointment to read chapter after chapter and wondering when the story would actually pick, only for it to finish before it could.

I mean, the flirting hadn't even begun yet and all of a sudden they're in love?

Maybe I missed it? I definitely didn't find it and I'm pretty sure it wasn't in between the lines either.

I mean, I could've forgiven it if the rest of the story wasn't so....bland.

Eloise wasn't a great main character for me either. Constantly second guessing, doubting and overreacting. Most of all, constantly repeating herself to the point where I rolled my eyes at her! The same old issues over and over again until they became a bore to read!

It's not like it's an unrealistic character, I'm sure there's plenty of people out there (myself included), but that's the thing...she was too realistic.

We need our female protagonists to show strength.

But Eloise, whenever she did act and proved resilience, strength, growth, character and an actual spine, she immediately retreated back putting herself down.

Fru.stra.ting!

It was a cute cover and a promising title but that's all it was.