With Love, from Cold World is one of those books that I fell in love with almost immediately. I fell so hard and fast for Asa and being able to see through both of their eyes gives this romance a fantastic perspective. This is another winner from Alicia Thompson! Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Summary
Lauren Fox is the bookkeeper for Cold World, a tourist destination that’s always a winter wonderland despite being located in humid Orlando, Florida. Sure, it’s ranked way below any of the trademarked amusement parks and maybe foot traffic could be better. But it’s a fun place to work, even if “fun” isn’t exactly Lauren’s middle name.
Her coworker Asa Williamson, on the other hand, is all about finding ways to enliven his days at Cold World–whether that means organizing the Secret Santa or teasing Lauren. When the owner asks Lauren and Asa to propose something (anything, really) to raise more revenue, their rivalry heats up as they compete to come up with the best idea. But the situation is more dire than they thought, and it might take these polar opposites working together to save the day. If Asa thought Lauren didn’t know how to enjoy herself, he’s surprised by how much he enjoys spending time together. And if Lauren thought Asa wasn’t serious about anything, she’s surprised by how seriously he seems to take her.
As Lauren and Asa work to save their beloved wintery spot, they realize the real attraction might be the heat generating between them.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
With Love, from Cold World is a book I thoroughly loved from beginning to end. With a workplace rivals to romance – the tension! – Thompson’s sophomore book is about seeing someone. The joy and fulfillment we get from being with someone who supports us and sees us for who we are. For Lauren, she’s grown so used to her isolation and is experiencing this deep longing for a sense of place, of belonging, of a soft place to land. Through each other, they find that this life of uncertainty, cruelty from others, and difficult days can be made a little less lonely together.
There’s a delightful sense of tension, of amazing banter, and the characters jump off the page. We witness them from the beginning with their weariness all the way to seeing them open up to each other. They realize that everything they thought they knew, just might not be true. That they cannot just solve their problems by trying to be someone else. We can become so focused on who we think someone is, we miss who they actually are.
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With Love, from Cold World is steamy, but it also made me cry. There’s such a relatable sense of fear of vulnerability, of openness. The banter is chef’s kiss so this book truly touches all of these human emotions within the span of its pages. This romance is one of those that I want to recommend to everyone and immediately re-read. Find With Love, from Cold World on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.