In The Winter Woods by Isabelle Adler, at it's simplest, is a cozy murder mystery with a little bit of romance, otherwise known as a-book-with-all-my-favorite-tropes! I genuinely enjoyed every minute of reading this book, specifically the atmosphere Adler created in each scene. I almost felt like I was at the Maplewood Christmas Festival, I can picture it so clearly. Throughout the book Declan and Curtis are really just getting to know each other, quick to acknowledge their attraction but are denied the chance to go further because of the murders happening. I don't know if this will become a series but I am ready to get to know these characters a little more. A true comfort  read for me.

Declan Kensington, a crime thriller writer, going to a cabin to find some inspiration and in the end stumbling in a mystery, sign me up for this!

The whole story is set in Maplewood,  a small town where everybody knows everybody, so when Declan Kensington arrives he quickly becomes the talk of the moment and when a mysterious murder happens right next his cottage, he becomes the prime suspect.

The story unfolds in a good way, however a few things bothered me, but the most one that stood out was Declan going to Porter’s house right after the night of the murder, even though he claims to know a lot about investigation because of his book series. So how could he not think that just maybe someone from the police would be looking the house?

But besides that I really enjoyed the book and really liked Curtis and Declan relationship.

In The Winter Woods has a amazing writing that just flows throughout the whole book and that makes it perfect to perfect to read in a day! 

Thank you NetGalley, Isabelle Adler and NineStar Press for the opportunity to read an review an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Cozy mystery by Isabelle Adler. The arc is traditional: mystery writer moves to remote location and stumbles onto a murder. A town of quirky locals, including the bisexual law enforcement officer love interest. Around the midway point Adler throws in some nice twists which sets this one apart.

Isabelle Adler writes so nicely, and the book flows well - in fact I had a hard time putting it down. Hopefully, if this becomes a series Adler will continue to change up the plotlines, and keep it moving in a new and unique direction.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book*

A former bestselling author travels to his childhood's cabin in the woods because he is broke and badly needs another books that sells well. Receiving threatening letters, a murderer on the loose and a hot policeman wasn't what he was expecting, but now he's involved and trying to find the killer himself.

I am no major crime novel fan, but this was sweet, maybe because it was very gay and I started reading it in winter and it takes place in winter. So sweet and snug and entertaining, lacked depth, but GAY. I liked that.

2.5-3 Stars

christmas, mlm romance and a murder mystery is what you can look forward to in this read. 

in the read you can expect an awkward lovable character called Declan and a cute commissioner Curtis. 

Declan is an author who’s feeling like his work has been lacking lately which makes him take a trip to a family cabin in a small town. there he meets declan who is investigating a small town murder. that’s how our mc’s meet. 

the book has amazing small town side characters who keep the book interesting. the author isabelle hits it on the head with this one. it’s a great and fun festive read

I absolutely adored this book! I am always on the lookout for queer mysteries, and In the Winter Woods did not disappoint! The cozy mystery vibes are strong with this one.

The writing style reminded me of Josh Lanyon's and that style... takes me a bit to get used to. I still don't know whether I like it or not, so I wasn't sure about this book either.
But as it turns out - the book wasn't too bad or cliched. Actually, it was a very pretty Christmas read and I enjoyed having a sweet little murder mystery. And the fact that there was no sex scene in this book. Otherwhise... It was a nice read, but I don't think I'll be reading it a second time.

I received a free ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick and easy read, which held my attention. Some of the twists felt a little obvious though, and nothing about it surprised me.

TWs: blood, dead bodies, violence, verbal abuse, guns, police shown in a positive light

You know how they say not to judge a book by it's cover? This is one of those times. I requested this because I thought the cover was gorgeous and the idea of a holiday murder mystery romance sounded perfect for me. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case, partially due to me clowning (we'll get to that in a minute), partially due to the actual book itself. That's not to say that this book was awful, I just feel like it was a bit misleading and then fell short of what it had promised.

In the Winter Woods follows Declan, a broke and washed up author in desperate need of new inspiration for his now dying action series, as he returns to the small town where his family used to spend their summers when he was a child. Of course, like all writers, he manages to avoid writing altogether, distracted by the threatening letters he begins receiving and then the murder of his neighbor. As tensions rise in the town, so does his attraction to Curtis, the detective (??? law enforcer?? ex-cop?? We'll get to this later too) trying to solve the case.

To start off, I do want to say that I enjoyed the mystery aspect of this book. It was why I decided to finish reading it, and  while it wasn't anything special, I liked the way the clues didn't make it super obvious who the culprit was until the ending. There was a nice long list of suspects for a book this length too, but it didn't feel overcrowded or distracting from the mystery itself. The characters did do a bunch of seriously stupid things to further the plot, but I think I've been watching so much b-grade horror lately that I expected it to be honest.
Now, onto the less enjoyable parts. I'm just going to put it bluntly: if you're looking for a romance novel, or a mystery with a side of romance, don't pick this up. Adler was going for the latter, but unfortunately it fell really flat and didn't work at all for me. Declan and Curtis never felt like they were fully developed, which made it almost impossible to connect well with either of them, let alone believe that they could see something in each other to end up in insta love. Literally, the two had barely interacted or known each other and only a few chapters in Declan was already fantasizing about their futures together. By the time they had known one another for six days (approximately 80% of the way into the book) Declan is trying to figure out if he should continue his (previously) massively successful career or move to the small murder town to date a man he barely knows and has mostly spoken to about death threats and murder being committed around him. It reminded me of the wonderful and very Tired™ man I met at a party last year who looked me dead in the eye and said that if I ever listen to advice to listen to this: 'Never, ever move to a small town in the middle of nowhere for a boy. It's never worth it.' In other words, the romance aspect which made up about half the novel was really underwhelming and unbelievable.

Now, there was one other thing that was really off-putting for me, which is that Curtis is a cop. I was a clown and didn't realize that that was the case when I requested it, so knowing that was on me, I tried to ignore it and not dock stars for it. However, I am SO confused as to what his job actually was. It felt like Adler had written him as a cop and then decided to try to change it last minute to make it more "acceptable" after the large call for police reform and disbandment this past year. But since the story already evolved around him being an officer, she tried to give the town some sort of unknown law enforcement instead and called him a "public safety officer"(quoted from my e-arc). He was literally just a cop, he used to work as one in LA, he ran around investigating things and interrogating people, and then decided to carry around a gun, despite the fact that he wasn't authorized to shoot anyone since he isn't a real police officer. Which means he's carrying a personal firearm around to shoot people. I'd have much rather had Adler just call him a cop like he was instead of trying to force a change and come across as trying to be politically correct when it obviously was an afterthought.

Overall this isn't the worst thing I've read this year, the writing was accessible and the mystery was enough to pull me along. Unfortunately, the other parts of the book, romance and character development wise, were really lacking for me. Unless it's something you were dying to read, I'd skip this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and NineStar Press for an eARC of this title.

I have never read a cozy mystery before. I have, however, watched a number of cozy mystery movies. I didn’t know what to expect from this book and though the plot was very similar to the movies I had seen, in terms of format and themes, it was incredibly interesting and gripping.

I honestly loved the main character, Declan. The whole idea of a mystery writer getting stuck in the middle of a murder case just screams some great moments. I mean, I loved how he was so into it and interested. I also really loved that this was a queer mystery. It was incredibly lovely to see. I really enjoyed the relationship development between Declan and Curtis.

This story was great and honestly I can see myself looking into some more cozy mysteries. I would absolutely love to read more from Declan and Curtis if that was ever an option.

Rating: 3.5/5

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC copy of In the Winter Woods.  I had not read a book by the author Isabelle Adler before and I really enjoyed In the Winter Woods.  It is the story of Curtis, a successful writer of a mystery series, who is in a writer's slump.  His editor hints that the mystery series may have run its course and he should try a new genre.  He escapes Manhattan to live in his family's cabin in Vermont.  His parents have passed and no one has been to the cabin in years.  The cabin is near the small town of Maplewood.  Curtis quickly learns that small town life is quite different than Manhattan and that people know more know about what he's doing than he is used to.  A threatening note to Curtis to leave Maplewood along with a neighbor's brutal murder puts Curtis in the middle of his own mystery series.  He befriends the local detective but they have to try to keep their friendship private as best they can.  Curtis soon learns that there is more to the small town of Maplewood than he ever imagined.  The story is set at Christmas time, but it is not a heavily-themed Christmas story.  In the Winter Woods was a refreshing story with some nice twists and turns.  I will definitely read more books by Isabelle Adler.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. 
This is a very sweet and quick holiday read with just the right amount of mystery. The storyline was well thought out and I liked Declan and Curtis. Personally I would have liked a few more moments with just the two of them. This is a cute romance with no steam, so perfect for someone that wants a bit of fluff and a murder mystery in the holiday season.

An engaging little mystery set on the shores of Lake Champlain! A cozy winter tale to read on a quiet day in. The mystery was interesting without being super gruesome, and the developing romance very sweet. 

I did find the book to be a little overwritten and thesaurus-y, and the dialogue clunky, but it didn't usually distract me from the plot.

I was recently made aware that 'cozy mystery' was a genre, and I feel betrayed by all of my friends who never told me this vital piece of information. I love whodunnit type stories, but I also love romance and family relationships being present, as well as a cozy ambiance in the story. This subgenre contains all of that, and I am looking forward to exploring it more. 

This book is set at christmas time in a lakeside cabin in a small town. When someone is murdered, our main character, Declan, newcomer to the town, is cast as a main suspect. The local Public Safety Commissioner, Curtis, is put on the case and as they spend more time with each other, Declan and Curtis' chemistry grows. 

In the Winter Woods is my third novel by Isabelle Adler, an author who I have loved reading in the past. This is quite different to the rest, the only main similarity being that an m/m romance is at the forefront. I was expecting more focus on the romantic relationship, and a bit more steaminess considering my experience with her works- so was a little let down in that regard. However, I can acknowledge that for some, that will be a positive!

The atmosphere was definitely well done. It felt distinctly like a small town, and the winter setting was also at the forefront. Considering I read this in the peak of summer here in the Southern Hemisphere, I am impressed the Adler got me to feel the snowy weather and setting as well as she did. 

However, for a cozy mystery- I didn't really love the mystery that much. I didn't necessarily find it predictable, but I just wasn't engaged with it all that much. I found myself more invested with the characters than the plot. I also found some actions taken by the characters (*cough* Declan *cough*) to be plain stupid for no reason other than furthering the plot. 

Overall, I was satisfied with the conclusion of the story and how all the elements came together. I adored the aesthetic, and felt that the book really shined in that respect. However I would have preferred to see more of the romance, and have a more well rounded mystery. 

Thank you to NineStar Press for this ARC

Release Date: 14 December 2020

I thought this would be more romance than mystery but it was the opposite. That turned out to be what kept me reading because a focus on this romantic relationship wouldn’t have kept my interest. It tracked from strangers and some attraction to questioning if he should give up his life and move to the woods for a relationship that didn’t even exist. 

If you’re looking for a quick and cozy small town mystery read, this might be for you!

I’m afraid that I DNF’d In the Winter Woods at 61%. Although I was enjoying the writing and the atmosphere, I was unconvinced by both the central mystery plot and the development of the romance. The former relied on several characters doing very foolish things that didn’t seem to otherwise fit with their personalities. The latter was both slow and insta, which I didn’t think was possible, and the chemistry between the two leads felt inconsistent. Overall, not for me. But I will certainly read more by Isabelle Adler, given how much I liked her style.

3.5 stars.  For the most part I enjoyed the mystery and trying to figure who is trying to run Declan off.  I never felt like he was in any real danger, even when a dead body shows up.  I didn’t have the killer figured out and even after we find out who it was nothing jumped out at me that made me think I should have known it was them.  I like the small town feel and how everyone is everyone else’s business.  What I didn’t get, at all, was the romance.  These two don’t really get together until the end.  I would have liked more of the MC’s together, together.   There were some sweet moments between the two, but it just wasn’t enough for me.

I liked this more as a cozy mystery than a romance.

It hits the mark as a cozy. You’ve got an amateur detective—in this case an author of mystery novels with a bad case of writer’s block—in a small town who becomes embroiled in a murder (two, actually) and decides to try to figure out who done it himself. Declan isn’t exactly a whiz at detection, but the author does a great job giving him reasonable suspects. I wasn’t sure who the murderer was until the big reveal at the end of the story.

While the mystery worked for me, the romance didn’t succeed as well. It’s not that I didn’t like Curtis the handsome (sort of) cop or that I didn’t buy them as a potential couple. They just didn’t spend enough time together that I really believed that they had the feelings they said they did by the end of the story. I kind of wish this was developed as a cozy series, where the relationship between the lead and the love interest grows over several books.

If you’re in the mood for a Christmas cozy, though, this would be a good choice.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

In the Winter Woods by Isabelle Adler was quite a fun book to enjoy during this season. I received this e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book tells the story of Declan Kensington, who used to be a bestseller author, but whose books are selling less and less and money is getting tight, so he decides to move temporarily to his late parents' cabin in the woods up on Lake Champlain, in Vermont - the only place he could afford.

Once settled, he meets Maplewood's people, including the handsome Public Safety Commissioner, Curtis Monroe. On his first night, Declan receives a note with a threat for him to leave town, and a day later a dead body appears outside his neighbor's cabin.

I usually don't read cozy mysteries, but maybe I should. This was so warm and loving (even with the dead bodies?), keeping me slightly on the edge of my seat. I LOVED getting to know Maplewood's citizens and I came to really like Declan and shipping his developing connection with Monroe. The plot twists, although some a bit predictable, had just the right timing and added A LOT to the history.

I really really enjoyed reading this and I'll definitely keep an eye out for Isabelle Adler's work. I really loved her characters in this book and her writing! If someone's looking for a light yet fun reading, I really recommend this one.

I think this book had so much potential, I loved the setting and it was a perfect book to read these months. But, the plot and the development of the characters' relationship leaves much to be desired.

For me there is nothing more fun than having a policeman helping out in a small town, it's a cliché that I like. And although I loved the storytelling very much (seriously, the author writes very beautifully) I felt that this was insta-love and that is a no-no for me.

Declan and Curtis get off to a tense start, but when they do a "clean slate" out of nowhere they are drawn to each other. But not in a "that guy's handsome" sense, but in a "woah, I feel a legendary spiritual connection" sense. And nope, I don't usually like that. 

But, if you don't mind insta-love, you shouldn't have a problem with the book because the crime case is entertaining anyway, the town very pretty, and the narrative engaging.