Published: December 3, 2020
Kindle Edition
I revived a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Clara Reese is a new writer, and she published her debut book in 2019. She writes empowering characters and bold love stories. Her character’s journey is far from a storybook, and they face trial and tribulation, but Clara doesn’t hold back when it comes to creating incredible romance arcs.

“No, I’m saying that you shouldn’t say that you’re trying to be an actress,” Sasha corrected. “You make it sound like you haven’t been putting in the work. You are an actress, my dear, even if the world has yet to appreciate you.”

Mary is a struggling actress, or she would be struggling if she were landing any auditions. She gives her performances everything she has inside of her, and yet it still isn’t enough. Perhaps the cost is too high to tackle the glitzy lights of Hollywood. Adriana is a force to be reckoned with. She has dominated her career because she is a staunch negotiator, and she is not afraid to make sacrifices to achieve her goals. She is a young self-made billionaire, and maintaining that status may break her.

When Adriana’s girlfriend breaks up with her right before a trip to Adriana’s hometown for Christmas and her sister’s wedding, Adriana is slightly panicked. She isn’t sure how she wants to proceed, but she knows she does not want to go home alone. Not when her family is expecting to meet her girlfriend.

This is the first book from Clara Reese I’ve read. When I was looking for ARCs, I chose this one because the blurb sounded like a sweet love story. Boy, did I get more than I bargained for.

This is my first lesbian romance novel, so I don’t have anything to compare it to. However, I appreciate how Clara Reese writes her characters. Nothing stereotypical, nothing disrespectful. She writes strong, smart, independent characters who aren’t afraid to go after what they want.

It may be a man’s world- but Clara Reese gives us stories that prove romance is deeper than steamy scenes. The build-up in this book was lovely. It moved along at a pace that held my attention but wasn’t so fast-paced that the story felt rushed.

I enjoyed the way the relationship evolved between Adriana and Mary. The respect, the humor, the sweet moments all lead to a happy ending that we deserved. The steamy scenes were well done, and I think Clara Reese did her audience justice. The representation was lovely. I will read Clara Reese again.

Find Christmas with the Ice Queen by Clara Reese on Amazon. This title is available on Kindle Unlimited.