Kiss of Snow

Psy-Changeling #10

by Nalini Singh

NYT bestselling author Nalini Singh’s exhilarating world of shapeshifters and psychics is “paranormal romance at its best” (Publishers Weekly). Now comes the story of an alpha wolf named Hawke used to getting exactly what he wants—and of the only woman who dares tangle with him.

Since the moment of her defection from the PsyNet and into the SnowDancer wolf pack, Sienna Lauren has had one weakness. Hawke. Alpha and dangerous, he compels her to madness.

Hawke is used to walking alone, having lost the woman who would’ve been his mate long ago. But Sienna fascinates the primal heart of him, even as he tells himself she is far too young to handle the wild fury of the wolf.

Then Sienna changes the rules and suddenly, there is no more distance, only the most intimate of battles between two people who were never meant to meet. Yet as they strip away each other’s secrets in a storm of raw emotion, they must also ready themselves for a far more vicious fight . . .

A deadly enemy is out to destroy SnowDancer, striking at everything they hold dear, but it is Sienna’s darkest secret that may yet savage the pack that is her home . . . and the alpha who is its heartbeat . . .

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Shapeshifters, Urban Fantasy, Adult

433 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 31, 2011

About the author

I've been writing as long as I can remember and all of my stories always held a thread of romance (even when I was writing about a prince who could shoot lasers out of his eyes). I love creating unique characters, love giving them happy endings and I even love the voices in my head. There's no other job I would rather be doing. In September 2002, when I got the call that Silhouette Desire wanted to buy my first book, Desert Warrior, it was a dream come true. I hope to continue living the dream until I keel over of old age on my keyboard.


I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated every month).

So far, I've worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer's mill.

Reviews

[Dina · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, let me say that I'm completely biased when it comes to Hawke, so don't expect this to be a sensible and impartial "review". ;)



Hawke alone deserves 5 stars, and I'll just be honest and say that I'd love this book even if the plot was utter crap - which it isn't, of course.

I became obsessed feel in love with Hawke the moment I met him in Slave to Sensation, the first book in the series:

Hawke was muscular and he was lethal. A predator to the core. His eyes were the same icy blue whether he was in wolf or human form, his hair a thick silver-gold that had nothing to do with age. It echoed his pelt. Of all the changelings Lucas knew, it was Hawke who resembled his beast the most in humanity.



Lucas, the hero in that book, was yummylicious on his own way, no question about it, but it was Hawke who grabbed my heart then. I'd been anxiously waiting to read his book ever since, but I knew it would take some time before he was ready...

Sascha took a breath and let her eyes flutter shut. (...) The wolf's emotions struck cold terror into her heart. She'd never felt such pure, unadulterated rage. Dark and violent, it was a scar across his soul. Hawke could function, could rule, but this man would never love, not so long as he was blinded by the red veil of blood and death.

Cold, dangerous, ruthless, tortured... Is it any wonder I fell hard and fast for him? *sighs*

Sienna was introduced in that book too and I immediately sensed she would become a major player in the series, even though she only had a few lines. I didn't see any sexual spark between Hawke and her - thank the gods, because she was only seventeen back then - but it was clear that he let her get away with more than he normally would.



The tension between them became more evident in Visions of Heat, the following book in the series, and I began to wonder what Ms. Singh had in store for them. Hawke's description of Sienna was almost like a declaration of love:

"Sienna's so damn much trouble, I'm starting to think the brat's a she-wolf in bloody disguise."

Aww, comparing her to a she-wolf... High compliment coming from a wolf, don't you think? ;)

The tension escalated in Caressed By Ice and I had no more doubts about their pairing.

Sienna could make Hawke lose his cool faster than any other man or woman in the den. (...) Hawke's face darkened. "Keep that damn brat away from me — she's more trouble than a pack of rabid cats."

Yup, it was true love, LOL.

Naturally, Ms. Singh had to throw another major obstacle in their way...

"Can I ask you something?"
Hawke rubbed a hand over Brenna's back. "Go on."
"Why haven’t you taken a mate?"
(...)
Hawke didn't respond for a long time. "She was two years old when we met. I was seven. I knew she was my best friend straight away. As I got older, I also knew she would grow up to become my mate."
Brenna didn't want him to continue, a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"She fit me in a way no one else ever will. And she died when she was five and I was ten."
A single tear rolled down her face. She wished anything that she could turn back time and save that life, because mating was a one-shot deal. Hawke had found the woman who was meant for him. That didn't happen twice.

No, no, no! What kind of future Hawke and Sienna could have if she was never to be his mate, the one and only woman in the world meant for him? Oh, the pain!

Ms. Singh, who must be a sadist (I say that with love, LOL), did nothing to soothe my poor nerves in Mine to Possess, as neither Hawke nor Sienna made a single appearance in that book. Big bummer!

Fortunately, Hawke and I didn't have to stay apart for long, as he was back on the scene in Hostage to Pleasure. Sienna was still MIA, but one particular dialogue between Lucas and Sacha made me perk up and smile like a ninny:

"That damn wolf. He sent you a present last week."
Sascha smiled at the thought of Hawke's flirting. The SnowDancer alpha did it only to jerk Lucas' chain. "I never saw any present. What was it?"
"How the hell should I know? I stomped on it and threw it into the deepest crevice I could find." Lucas smirked. "Then I called him to ask how Sienna was doing."
She burst out laughing. "Wicked, wicked man." Everyone knew Sienna Lauren was the short fuse on Hawke's temper. The Psy teenager appeared to have made it her mission in life to get on his last nerve. "What did he say?"
"That she's planning a party for her eighteenth birthday." The laughter in Lucas's tone told her exactly what Hawke had sounded like as he shared that tidbit.

Woohoo! Sienna was turning eighteen and Hawke wouldn't be able to hold her at arm's length anymore. But what about the darn mating bond they could never share? Oh, the agony!

As expected, a eighteen-year-old Sienna proved to be dangerous - but not only to Hawke. A Cardinal Psy with undisclosed powerful abilities, her conditioning and shields were crumbling, putting everything and everyone around her in danger.

"I'm the horror in the closet, Sascha, the nightmare even Psy hide from."
"Your uncle has extremely powerful abilities — he's learned to control them. So will you."
"I’m not like Uncle Judd. I'm worse. You know it and so do I. One slip and boom, I take out the entire den."
Sascha held the girl closer, disbelieving. Cardinal Psy with furious combat abilities were beyond deadly. Sienna could possibly take out the SnowDancer den if she lost her grip on her powers. "You've been trying to manage it?"
"I shut up everything inside. Everything. I thought if I could hold it, just hold it, it would be fine. But it's not."
"Why?" she asked. "Why are you losing control this badly?"
The answer, when it came, broke Sascha's heart.
"Hawke." It was an almost soundless whisper.

So, another obstacle was thrown on Hawke and Sienna's way... As a Psy with a strong and virulent ability, she couldn't exist without Silence. But she couldn't hold on her conditioning and be around Hawke at the same time either. Darn! Wasn't the impossibility of a mating bond between Hawke and Sienna bad enough? *pouts*

To my dismay, Branded by Fire ended with Hawke and Sienna apart. It looked like their story was over, especially after she started hanging around with a gorgeous, loyal, charming DarkRiver cat. Hmmm...

Once again, the sadist in Ms. Singh kept me on the verge of a breakdown when neither Hawke nor Sienna made an appearance in the following book, Blaze of Memory. They weren't even mentioned! That was cruel! I needed to know if they were really over, if Sienna had found a new lover, and if Hawke was free to be mine. Mine!

Bonds of Justice seemed to cement their separation. They were still MIA, but at least they were mentioned:

"Kit would be the better choice for Sienna," Lucas said in a quiet tone that did nothing to hide the depth of his concern for everyone involved. "Hawke isn't going to be easy on any woman he takes as his own. And the fact is, he lost the girl who would've been his mate as a child. I don't know if his wolf will allow him to accept another female on that level."

As much as I wanted Hawke to be mine, I can't say I was happy with that. Despite all the obstacles, I still wanted Hawke and Sienna together, but I began to wonder if Ms. Singh was laying the ground to introduce a plot twist - like, Hawke's mate's unexpected "resurrection"... :-/

Silly, silly me! Play of Passion put things back in place again. Hawke and Sienna were definitely meant to be together, yay! The stubborn man was still trying to fight the unwavering pull, but his wolf was tired of waiting and ready to claim what he saw as his:

(...) he surrendered to the wild hunger within and headed out for a run in wolf form.
He'd barely cleared the doorway when he caught a scent that instantly ruffled his fur the wrong way. She smelled like autumn fire and some rich, exotic spice. Far too potent a scent for someone so young, someone from whom he should keep his distance. Instead, he drew the spice-laced air into his lungs and ran at a ground-devouring lope that brought him to a small rise from where he could watch his prey.
(...)
He should step back, should move in the opposite direction.
He should.
He turned and angled down through the trees until he appeared on the path beside her instead. Jerking back in surprise, Sienna stared at him with wide eyes. When he did nothing but wait for her, she continued on the trail, shooting him small looks filled with suspicion until it became clear he was intent only on keeping her company.
Then her stride relaxed, and they walked.
In silence.

Sweet!!! Call me crazy, but I can't resist a stalking hero, LOL. And as soon as I finished reading Play of Passion, I started counting the days until the release of my beloved Hawke's book. Oh, the anticipation! Four and a half years, that's how long I had to wait for it. What if it didn't fulfill my sky-high expectations? I'd die! (I'm such a drama queen, LOL.)

Then, to my surprise and utter joy, I was able to get an early copy of this coveted gem, Kiss of Snow. Finally! I'd finally get the answers to the questions that had been plaguing me... Would Hawke be able to claim Sienna as his mate or would they have to settle for a "regular" relationship? ... What would happen when she was no longer able to keep her destructive Psy abilities under control? ... How would the Psy Council's dissolution affect the world? ... Would there be anything left after the Pure Psy unleashed their massive attack on the changeling packs? ... Did the book answer all those questions? Well, you know I can't won't tell you. ;) But I'll let you know this: the series is definitely not over and I can't wait to see what will happen next.

As with almost all the books in this series, there isn't much I can say here about the continuing story arc that started in Slave to Sensation without giving away spoilers, so I'll keep this short. Unlike some of the previous books, Kiss of Snow showed that the Psy weren't as "weak" as the Changelings (and I) had thought. By "weak", I mean that as much as the Psy had been presented as ruthless and deadly before, I'd never fully felt a real threat to the Changelings. That changed in this book, as it was shown that the Psy could take down the Changelings. Plotwise, Kiss of Snow marks the end of the original story arc of the series. I'm sure all the major players we've met over the years will still be around in the next books, but the series' main focus is likely to change after the latest developments in the Psy-Changeling war.

Considering Hawke and Sienna's history, Kiss of Snow is filled with sexual tension. They had been dancing around each other for a long time, and it was time to set things right. Hawke, the man and the wolf, had reached the breaking point. He still tried to convince himself to let Sienna go, thinking she deserved better than a man who couldn't give her the mating bond, but the thought of seeing her with another man was enough to drive him insane. He couldn't let her go, not after he claimed skin privileges...

"You want to dance?" Husky words that stroked along her skin like the softest fur.
She nodded.
"Then we dance." Reaching out, he switched on the vehicle's sound system and input a selection before stepping out.
Her door opened as a slow, smoky ballad began to play. "Come."
Not sure this wasn't all a dream, she placed her hand in his and, fighting the wild rush of sensation engentlered by his touch and his scent, allowed him to tug her around to the front of the vehicle. "Arms around my neck."
The command released her voice. "I thought you weren't being alpha here."
"I'm not." Oh.
As she raised her arms, she realized her boots gave her enough height to cup his nape with one hand, while she placed the other on the muscled warmth of his shoulder. When he shifted position so that his jaw rubbed against her temple, her heart began to thud fast as a jackhammer.
Teeth nipped at her ear.
She jumped.
"Pay attention." A rumbling growl.
(...)
"Sienna." A deep murmur against her skin, his lips brushing her temple. "This can't be. You know that."
"No," she said. "Not tonight." She wanted to dance with him, be a woman in the arms of a man who made every part of her awaken in a hunger she'd never expected to feel and who, for this magical moment, was hers.
His jaw, heavy with stubble, rubbed against her temple again as he shifted his hold to press her closer. Then, as the music played, as the night grew softer and quieter, they danced.



Oh Hawke, you romantic beast! Call me "baby", chase me, bite me, mark me... You've ruined me for other men!

As for Sienna, her maturity came as no surprise to me. She was "only" nineteen, but she was no teenager. Sure, she had a couple of hissy fits that could be labeled teen-ish, but she was mostly old beyond her years, due to the life she'd had before her defection from the PsyNet. So the age issue - Hawke was thirty-four - was never a problem to me. She was strong, level-headed, unafraid to go after what she wanted - and willing to cut loose if that was proven to be out of her reach. She was done hanging around Hawke and waiting for him, so he either claimed her or stopped acting possessive about her. Good for her! If only she had more time before her deadly Psy ability took over...

Sienna unleashed:



Now, I have to say that I could have done with a little less sexual tension. Hawke and Sienna were on the verge of going for the ultimate skin privilege only to be interrupted so many freaking times, I was pulling my hair in frustation when they finally managed to go through with it. Halfway through the book, I began to worry about his health. Thankfully, dying from blue balls is only a myth, or he'd have perished on the spot. ;)

Besides the two main storylines (Hawke and Sienna's relationship and the Psy-Changeling war), there was also a surprising (to me) and sweet secondary romance between Walker, Sienna's uncle, and Lara, the SnowDancer healer, that made reading this book even more enjoyable. I liked both of them and was very happy to see them together.

And for those die-hard fans like me, who have been following this series since the beginning, you'll be glad to know that all the heroes and heroines from the previous books had their share in Kiss of Snow. A few of them were only mentioned, but most shared some scenes with Hawke and/or Sienna. Lucas and Sascha's participation was special and I was thrilled for them. And for those who love Judd, well, get ready for a smoking hot scene with the Man of Ice. Yowza!

Last but not least, let me tell you how much I loved the final scene in the book:

"What's your full name?"
Hawke's wolf flashed in his eyes, the ice blue glittering with the same amusement that had his cheeks creasing. "What brought that on?"
"I refuse to be in the dark. Tell."
Leaning down, he nipped at her jaw, a quick, affectionate bite that had her jerking. "No distracting me, I want to know."
Another small bite before he whispered it in her ear.
She blinked.
"No."
He growled, but it was playful. "Don't you like it?"
"It's beautiful, you know it is." Perfect for him.
(...)
"What about me?" she asked. "Do I take your last name?"
"Do you want to?" A tilt of his head, the wolf watchful but not demanding.
She considered the question with care, thinking of who she'd been, who she was now.
"Yes," she said at last, "but I'd like to keep mine, too. It's a part of me."
Lips against her own, a wolf's kiss. "That works fine for me... Sienna Lauren Snow."

I think I'll have to change my last name too. Dina Snow. Yeah, I like the sound of that. ;)

Considering how much I had anticipated this book and how high my expectations were, I'm glad to say I was more than satisfied with it. Ha, what an understatement! I loved it! Loved. It! It wasn't perfect and I thought Ms. Singh could have handled a couple of things differently, but that didn't dampen the enjoyment of this read.

Final verdict: It's a keeper!

Note: As I was writing this, I was aware that it was nothing like a review should be. It was just my gushing, incoherent and deranged collection of thoughts on Hawke, my favorite shifter ever. What can I say? I had to pay hommage to him and I hope I did him justice.

[Blacky *Romance Addict* · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started my re-read and have only one thing in my mind for this:





This book just blew my mind

Bye Bye brain

After waiting through 9 books to get to this one (yes, freaking 9 , freaking (although fantastic) books) I have to say - IT DIDN'T DISSAPOINT!

Kiss of Snow is one of the best books I've read (not just this year :P ) it deserves atleast a 100 of these guys



After dancing around each other for the last nine books (nine!!), Hawke has reached the limits of his self-restraint, and Sienna's control over her abilities is virtually non-existent when she's around him. She's no longer a teenager defected from the Psy, she's a member of the wolf pack and trained as a soldier. What few know, is that she's the most powerful Psy that ever existed. A X-Psy, rarity in itself, she's a cardinal, with powers beyond measure. Hawke is the wolf pack's alpha. And when I say alpha, you can imagine the most alpha male you've ever read and multiply with a 100 He is intense, his inner wolf is almost always at the surface, wild, posessive and sexy as freaking hell! The chemistry between them was bursting all over, and when he finally decided to go for it (finally, finally), oh boy, that caused my total meltdown



They are both strong personalities, Hawke, of course, being alpha, and Sienna, being trained as a child to be the perfect killing machine. They fight all the time and flirt all the time and the sex scenes HOT! Amazingly HOT!



Those two aside, I loved all the other litte stories in here, Sascha had her baby, Walker and Lara had a lovely romance, we get to see almost every couple from the previous books, Judd having a slightly bigger role here (did I mention I just love him <3 ), and The Ghost helped him with Sienna!!! Who the hell is that guy???



So, this was such a great book, from page one I was like this , mixed with stupid sensless giggling and grinning and clutching my e-reader and basically acting like a crazed teenager hahahahah I guess the anticipation got to me



Some of my favorite scenes:
...- Sienna asking Hawke not to touch her
- when Hawke went to the bar to pick them up, oh how he went wild
- Hawke and Sienna dancing by the car I think this one's my favorite, just beautiful
- their "play" in the forest, when she set traps for him
- the second time Hawke went to the bar oh I couldn't stop laughing at that one XD
- the strip-poker
- the sex in the cabin one of the best sex scenes I've ever read! Just wow!
- when he finds her in the forest after she runs away
- the ending, in the battle, when Hawke stopped her



A fabulous book, I really don't know if anything will top it, this was just perfect! I'm looking forward to #11, I heard there was going to be more Hawke and Sienna in that one, and the plots revolving around packs - I simply love them

[Jessica's Totally Over The Top Book Obsession · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 a little confused Stars




************Spoilers***************************

I have been looking forward to Hawke and Sienna book since book one. Annnnd I was not disappointed. I knew going into this book that Hawke's "mate" died when they were children and so he is not suppose to be able to mate again. As wolves only get one mate. So my only problem with this book was the confusion over Hawke and Sienna's mating. I was prepared for Hawke to just love her or for him to figure out that Rissa wasn't really his mate. I was looking forward to finding out which scenario it was going to be, but instead Nalini Singh's just kinda glossed over it. Sienna and Hawke did mate, but he still talked about Rissa like she was his mate so wtf? Was Rissa his mate and because she was too young and they didn't claim each other he got a do over?? Did I miss something as I was listening to the audiobook?(that could totally be the case as I had a house full of kids and I had to keep pulling my earbuds out to yell stop picking your nose, or kicking your sister, or breathing your brother's air lol) I totally felt Hawke and Sienna's love for each other, but the unanswered question about the whole mating and the following confusing left me feeling annoyed. Overall I still loved this book.

[Giorgia Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

If it was any other couple I would say it was a good story and a great addition and give it 4/5 stars.
But this book and Heart of Obsidian are the ones I’ve been waiting for - this one in particular because of how many glimpses we got of Hawke and Sienna since book 1.
It was building and building and building towards something which ultimately left me disappointed.

Why am I dissatisfied? Well, Hawke didn’t give me all the good vibes I was waiting for.
What do I mean by that? - I didn’t always like how he related to Sienna. I feel like the age gap was overused to create conflict. Hawke accepted the age difference until he could use it as a weapon to put her down for her inexperience or to “protect” her and keep her away from danger. I don’t like how condescending this man was - I didn’t feel like there was an even playing field in that relationship. I don’t know why but I got the ick in so many instances.

Sienna was and is one of the most dangerous and powerful Psy in existence. She lived through being Ming’s protégé and through Silence. She lived through the fear of knowing she could die any minute due to her power. She lived through her mother’s death and her PsyNet defection (not knowing if she was gonna live through it - again). She lived and adapted to a whole new way of life among the wolves after that - and all those things were done in her 17 years of life.

Hawke on the other hand lost his parents - yes he did - it was tragic and sad. But he had an entire den of people who deeply loved and cared for him.

I’m sorry but why do we feel so sorry for men when they go through trauma and give them so many excuses and passes but when it’s a women who goes through 10 times worse we underplay it. Her power is not acknowledged in the same way and her strength is just a given. I wanted him and everyone else to worship at Sienna’s altar by the end of the book (ok I’m speaking figuratively/ but also maybe not really)

How many times did I read about Hawke’s power and alpha vibes and how scary and dominating he is - while Sienna is a freaking Goddess but we focused so much on her age as if that denies her life experiences which make her older than someone who had lived 50 years …

I’m gonna make a parallel here between Lucas and Sasha and Hawke and Sienna - just to say that in their book I wasn’t their biggest fan or anything like that - but as we got glimpses of them through the rest of the series - I just have to give Lucas all the props - he is amazing in how he supports and acknowledges Sasha’s skills, her power and how they are very much equal in absolutely everything. All that without losing one bit of his alpha ness. I have finished all the books at this point (including Trinity) and whenever we get glimpses of Hawke and Sienna I just wanna skip them because the ick doesn’t go away - the vibe and their dynamic doesn’t change.

[Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read: 9/24/15...Just as good Every. Single. Time...

10 MILLION EPICALLY FUCKING AWESOME STARS.



Holy shit this was good.

And thank FUCK.



Because I had been lusting, pining, and rendered almost UN-functionable during the wait and build up for this books release.

So much so, in fact, that I was worried that my too high expectations would doom the book to failure.

But silly me, I should have known Nalini Singh would blow me away as usual.



Seriously, she is the alpha-PNR goddess.

I LOVED everything about this book, especially since there had been so much build up between Sienna and Hawk up to this point. These two rocked my world and I have probably re-read this book at least 5+ times since its initial release.



And YES.

Yes I AM going to show as many pictures as possible of my Sienna and my Hawk getting jiggy with it together.

Because HOT.

My Hawk:

***Drumroll please...***

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My main man Taylor Kinney.





*
*
*

I mean Jesus effi'n Christ.

How hot is this fool?

*
*
*



Seriously, it's ri-goddamn-diculous.

And my Sienna...

*
*
*





Purty lady.

But seriously though, how awesome are these two?













Perfection I tell you.



Sorry.



Can't.



Stop.

[Jilly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unpopular opinion alert: after waiting forever for Hawke's book, this disappointed me.


actually, I never said I was sorry. Don't put words in my mouth, you lunatic!

Anyway, why didn't I like it?
First, there was a secondary love story going on between two of the possibly most boring beings on the planet. Their story was like watching paint dry. And, not the fun kind of watching paint dry. Plain white wall paint.

Secondly, it had a creepy feel to it, in a pedo-bear way.


yes, PedoBear, I mentioned your name. Now go away! You're creeping me out!

Hawke was at least 30+ - maybe even older because his hair has silver streaks in it, and Sienna was 19. Over and over again, the book tries to justify the age difference by saying how she is older than her age. Grown up too quickly, etc... Because of her great powers.
Ummm, no. She's still a 19 yr old virgin that this old guy is aggressively pursuing to take as his "lover". Eww. Just ewww.

All I can think of is that Saturday Night Live skit.

I'm grossed out and laughing at the same time!

And, Hawke is super aggressive with her. He tells her that he is going to take her as his lover and then asks her if she is scared. When she says "no", he tells her that she should be. Really? He tells this young inexperienced girl that she should be afraid of sex with him? That's his pick-up line?



I did, however, like that this psy war that we have been waiting for, like forever, finally had some action. And, I liked Sienna.
Other than that... kind of a let-down.

I need a break from this series for a bit. Too much alpha-male overload at the moment. Anyone have any recommendations of something with an actual decent & nice guy?

[KristenReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+++++ BLOWN-AWAY STARS!!!

OH MY GOODNESS! THIS BOOK–THIS AMAZINGLY, BRILLIANTLY, FANTASTICALLY WRITTEN BOOK BLEW ME AWAY. To say I'm on a book high would be an understatement!!!

Oh, how I LOVED every single minute spent reading this story. It was everything, EVERYTHING I knew it would be, and MORE. I hesitate to say much about this AMAZING book because I don't want to accidentally give spoilers that could ruin the experience for potential readers. And honestly, by this point in the series, the overall plot arc is so complicated and intense my words wouldn't make sense to anyone who has not read these books.

What I will say, shout, and scream (hehe) is that Kiss of Snow, its main couple, and their beautiful love story is PURE GOLD.

[Pilar · Rating 5 out of 5]

6-1-11~I'm replacing my old review with this one, as promised, b/c this one contains spoilers for the book.

A little background…I picked up Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changling series on a whim back in 2006 with Slave to Sensation…and when I was finished with that book, I was immediately drawn to Hawke’s story and my fervent hope that eventually A) it’d get written soon and B) his HEA was Sienna Lauren who was 16 at the time. Each subsequent book after that I read hoping for bits and pieces of Hawke’s story and wanting to know what Sienna was up to. Suffice it to say, this was my most anticipated read of like, forever.

Cut to 2011.

Ms. Singh was kind enough to send me an ARC (which I found out I would be getting during my birthday week—which was the best birthday present of ever) and I literally devoured this book when it came in the mail.

Kiss of Snow is amazing. It’s amazing, intriguing, and delicious. There’s a lot that goes on in this book, and so many storylines are finished and begun that I can see why Ms. Singh said that it was going to be longer than her others in this series. It will be on my re-read shelf forever. I’ve re-read it about 20 times already…and it never gets old. NEVER.

Hawke is the alpha of the SnowDancer wolf pack…a position he’s held since he was 15 when all of the adults in the pack were betrayed by a trusted member of the pack and subsequently destroyed from within. It’s something that has haunted the pack ever since, and is one of the reasons why Hawke is so protective of not only the pack hierarchy but in maintaining pack honor and loyalty. He loves his pack with a ferocity that is almost overwhelming in nature…he’d do anything for them…and they’d do anything for him.

He also lost the girl that would have been his mate when he was 10. It’s unusual for anyone to discover their mate that early (he was 7 at the time) and he lost her 3 years later. It devastated him as a child and he’s convinced himself that he’ll never mate. Ever.

Imagine his surprise when he realizes that he’s inexorably drawn to one Sienna Lauren, a Psy defector who entered his pack with her family 3 years ago. He’s tried to keep her at a distance…and so far it’s worked. Until now.

Sienna is an X-Psy…the only one that she knows of in existence. Not only that…she’s a cardinal X-Psy…something that, as far as she knows, has never existed before. She considers SnowDancer her extended family, and is as ferociously protective of them as she is of her immediate family. Her attraction to Hawke threatens to overwhelm the shields that she desperately needs to contain her abilities. That doesn’t mean, however, that she doesn’t push his buttons, push him, whenever the mood strikes her, trying to get him to see her as she so fervently wants him to.

What she hadn’t realized until now…he does see her. He always has. That’s been the problem.

The dance between the two takes up two thirds of the book. The attraction between them is palpable and obvious…but the conflict comes from them actually having to learn to understand each other, and learn each other so that they can become the true alpha pair that SnowDancer needs.

Nalini always writes awesome alpha male characters, and Hawke is the alpha of all alphas in this book. He’s a force to be reckoned with. He’s confident in his position as alpha, in his physical abilities and in his physical attractiveness. He loves his pack, and would do anything for them…while at the same time, he’s demanding of those around him, and uses his dominance to ruthless effect. It is this very dominance that is the main reason why, as mentioned early on in the book, any female would have to have brass balls to take him on.

Sienna Lauren has them…and more. She’s had to live with and learn to control her formidable abilities since she was very young, a discipline that has affected her profoundly…and yet she has still been able to keep the core of who she is true. She’s fiercely loyal to those that she considers her own, and her love for her immediate family, and the SnowDancer wolf pack (whom she considers an extended family) is palpable, and a driving force behind a lot of her actions concerning her abilities. She’s funny and quick, and while she may be young, the things that she’s had to go through in her life has shaped the woman she’s become, and she’s stronger for it. A strength she needs when she finally decides to pit the force of her personality against that of Hawke’s. Reading how well the two of them compliment each other, in both public and private scenarios, is a joy.

One of the main conflicts between Sienna and Hawke, aside from the age issue (which was handled really well early in the book) is Sienna’s desire for the mating bond, and Hawke’s belief in his inability to give it to her. How this conflict was wrapped up was extremely satisfying for me, since it had been an ongoing debate between a friend and I for the past year.

What was even more fun to read about is Hawke teaching Sienna to play. Aside from the huge sexual attraction between them…Sienna has never played before, since at an early age, the destructiveness of her abilities has been drilled into her…and she’s never been able to be anything but an adult. The parts where Hawke and Sienna are just hanging out and enjoying each other’s company are some of the best parts of the book, especially since there is a war that is about to explode between the two strongest changeling packs, SnowDancer and DarkRiver, and the Pure Psy zealots under Henry Scott. With SnowDancer being the largest of the two changeling packs, that’s where most of the strategic strikes against changelings occur. And boy are the strikes devastating. The war is most definitely on. It is not tied up as completely as I would have liked, or even expected, but it is finished in a way that completes the arc while also allowing for other stories in this universe to continue.

There are some really great moments in the book too, that have nothing to do with Hawke and Sienna, and everything to do with the love of the pack for their alpha. They understand the sacrifices that he’s had to make to be the leader that they need, and they’re grateful and love him for it. I don’t often verbally “Aww!” while reading books, but there is a scene later in the book between the pack and their alpha that definitely made me verbally “Aww!”.

Both Judd and Brenna make significant appearances in this book, and Judd’s just as awesome as usual. He’s still one of my most favorite heroes in the Psy/Changeling universe outside of Hawke, and he had some really great moments with both Hawke and Sienna. The poignant moments that he had with his mate, Brenna, were great, and really spoke to the depth of love those two share. Lucas and Sascha are also in the book quite a bit, with both of them helping both Hawke and Sienna learn to understand each other, fight against the Psy and Henry Scott...and most importantly...the baby is finally born!

We also get to see more of Kit, whom I’d been pretty indifferent to in past books. Seeing him through Sienna’s eyes makes me interested in his story. There’s also quite a bit with Walker and Lara (who get an emotional side romance as well), Nikita and Kaleb, the Ghost, Vaughn, Riley, Indigo and Andrew. I would have loved to see more Vasic…but you can’t have everything…and there is plenty in this book that made up for it. The Arrow Squad has always intrigued me, and where they end up falling in this war on Silence still remains to be seen.


We even get a flashback scene to that very first meeting between Hawke and Sienna! I LOVED THAT. Seriously…I had been wanting something like that for years…right along with a hint at the shenanigans that happened around Sienna’s 18th birthday party…and we got that too! This book hit every note that I could possibly want it to hit…and a few more.

Overall, the love story between Hawke and Sienna is an emotional one, and by the time they both come out on the other side, they truly are the alpha pair that I envisioned all those years ago when I read StS, and I noticed Sienna noticing Hawke…and Hawke noticing back.

To sum up this book in 2 words…Awesome Sauce. This book is awesome sauce.

[Sophia Triad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hawke Snow (SnowDancer Alpha) and Sienna Lauren (Psy)

“Except I never had a prayer when it came to you. You’re in my every breath and every thought, intertwined so deep inside me that love’s not a strong enough word—you have my devotion, your name branded on my soul, my wolf yours to command. A hundred years? It’ll never be enough. I want eternity.”
Tears, slow and quiet, ran down Sienna’s cheeks.
He wasn’t finished. “You have the power to tear me to pieces, to wound me so deep and true that I’ll never recover.”

I am super happy with the story of the imposing and dominant Alpha and the much younger but powerful psy girl. Their story was building since several books until now. In the previous books Hawke was always trying to avoid Sienna and Sienna always seemed to want something from Hawke.

Their book starts in the same manner. Sienna now is an adult who is playful and happy, she likes having a good time, she has good friends and she is more balanced with her powers. Moreover she likes teasing Hawke secretly hoping that at some point he will “break".
Hawke tries to resist by running away all the time and by punishing Sienna all the time for little things, while he has vowed to stay faithful to the ghost of his intended mate. He never succeeds to get her Sienna of his head. The funny thing is that everyone has realised his feelings. Some even tease him without taking into account that he is a scary Alpha wolf.

I loved the fact that Hawke and Sienna dance and play around each other. It is like they have started a mating dance without realising it.

The problems that they need to face are two (except the memory of a dead girl of course):
1. Enemies who want to destroy the Snowdancer pack and who keep attacking
2. The finite of Sienna’s life. As her powers grow stronger, Sienna does not have much time left.

But Hawke will never let her go.
“Ah baby, you know I do what I want.” Rubbing his chin on her hair, he squeezed her hip. “Man and wolf, we both adore you. No way am I letting you go after the hell you’ve put me through over the years.”

Besides the story of Hawke and Sienna, there is also the secondary story of Walker (Psy and Sienna's uncle) and Lara (changeling and pack's healer) in this book, which I also found fascinating.
“Who do you belong to, Lara?” he asked quietly.
“You.” It was a whisper. “Only you.”

[Corina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update 2025:

The last time I read this book was during the summer of 2018, back when frappuccinos were my constant companions and re-reading favorites felt like catching up with old friends. Fast forward to now: after diving into the changeling novella Declaration of Courtship, I felt an irresistible pull to revisit this gem—and wow, it reminded me exactly why I fell head over heels for this series in the first place!

This series isn’t just a collection of books for me; it’s a cornerstone of my English reading journey. Back in the late 2000s, when it was first recommended to me, it completely transformed my reading tastes. One moment I was devouring Johanna Lindsey, Nora Roberts, and Sandra Brown, and the next, I was swept into the thrilling world of paranormal romance (PNR). It was like stepping into a brand-new dimension—eye-opening, exciting, and totally addictive!

Re-reading Kiss of Snow felt like coming home, only thing missing a frappuccino, and falling in love with this world all over again. Let’s dive into why this book is everything—and more!

✵ ✦ ✷ ✫ ✷ ✦ ✧ ✵ ✧ ✵ ✦ ✷ ✫ ✷ ✦ ✧ ✵ ✧ ✵ ✦ ✷ ✫ ✷ ✦ ✧ ✵ ✧ ✵

This is, without a doubt, the BEST book in the Psy-Changeling series.
It deserves six stars!

Kiss of Snow was everything I dreamed it would be—and so much more.

After nine books of anticipation, Hawke and Sienna finally got their HEA.
Nalini Singh kept us waiting, but it was worth every moment. The anticipation was excruciating, but the payoff was beyond amazing.

After countless teasers, hints, and whispers, Hawke finally confronted his inner struggles, overcame his doubts, and listened to his wolf. He pursued what he truly wanted: Sienna. As the pack alpha, this was no easy decision, and his struggles were raw and deeply felt. The age gap between them posed a significant challenge in his mind—a chasm he hesitated to cross. But Sienna, mature beyond her years, shattered that barrier with remarkable determination.

I couldn’t help but cheer for her!
Sienna was extraordinary—strong, grounded, and fiercely aware of what she wanted. She faced every obstacle with courage and resolve, ready to conquer whatever life threw her way.

The sexual tension between Hawke and Sienna was utterly explosive. Their journey to finding happiness together was as agonizing as it was rewarding. Both needed time to embrace the truth that they were essential to each other’s joy and completeness. Together, they fit perfectly—Hawke could simply be himself, and Sienna could let go without fear. They complemented each other in every way, filling the gaps in each other’s lives and becoming whole.

Kiss of Snow is the pinnacle of Nalini Singh’s work, and as a bonus, Hawke and Sienna’s story continues in Tangle of Need. One and a half books devoted to this incredible couple—how perfect is that?

[chan ☆]

interestingly enough i am thinking i might give this series a chance... but i am DNFing this book. because i see hints of goodness here for sure but i am having a hard time with the world (since i haven't read the other books).

so maybe a happy lil discovery. on pause for now.

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite Quote: “You sure you want to play with the wolf, baby?”

Favorite Quote #2: The crowd was chanting, “kiss, kiss, kiss” when Hawke walked inside.

That was when Sienna learned the meaning of the term alpha.

Favorite Quote #3: "Scared?" Hawke’s smile held no humor. "You should be baby." Then he kissed her and it was no tender exploration, no playful tease. This was the kiss of a man who knew precisely what he wanted.

Hawke, alpha of the SnowDancer pack and Sienna, a Psy that has found refuge with the SnowDancers have been dancing around each other for some time now. They both might have acted on their lust for each other but Sienna is just now 19. Sienna is also an extremely powerful X Psy – if her powers get out of control, she can decimate everything around her. Now living outside of Silence, no one knows exactly what is going to happen to her. Her powers are extremely volatile. She may be the only X cardinal ever born. No X-Psy has lives past their 25th birthday. And that was within Silence.

Hawke can’t deny the attraction, but he lost his mate when he was very young. Knowing a wolf only mates once, he doesn’t know if Sienna can handle the demands his wolf would place upon her. But as he says – Pack is life, and Pack knows these two are meant for each other. With their support (and threats from Sienna’s uncle) these two take a chance.

Meanwhile, the Psy Council is disintegrating. Sides are being taken, betrayals are in progress. There are those who want a race of Pure Psy – where Silence is law. While a civil war is on the horizon and some want to take the shifters down with them.

Kiss of Snow is one of my most highly anticipated books of 2011. I fell in love with Hawke many books ago, and we finally get his story with Sienna. First let me say I love how Nalini writes her shifters. So sexy, sensual and physical. And Hawke does not disappoint. Some of the things that come out of his mouth melted me into a puddle of goo. He calls Sienna “baby” a lot and it’s hot. He has to learn to walk the line between being Sienna’s alpha and her lover. He is of course alpha down to his core, and Sienna soon learns playing with his wolf is more fun than she ever thought. They play games, they dance around one another and in the end, they have a beautiful relationship.

While the sexual tension is off the wall, halfway through the book, maybe even a little farther I was ready for it to progress to more than just tension. There are so many “almost” moments – they almost kiss, they almost embrace, they almost get physical. But Hawke’s phone rings, or Psy attack, or someone interrupts them. At a certain point it became a little frustrating and distracting. But by the end of the book I was able to look back on their moments together with fondness.

Sienna is a X-Psy, and kind of in the dark with how to control her powers and what her eventual outcome will be. At a young age, she was taken from her home to be Ming’s protégé. She went into silence by the age of nine. There is a lot of unknown for her out in the “real world.” There is rumor of an elusive journal written in the 70’s that might give her some answers, and this plays in well in the book. I think Nalini Singh does a nice job portraying Sienna – she has inner strength and confidence, but when her power flares up she really loses all control.

I have been disappointed in the past few books with how the Psy war has progressed – or how it has not progressed. In Kiss of Snow I think that storyline has a little more meat. I still want more – maybe just more from the Psy’s point of view. But at least in this one, the Psy mean business and it felt more like they are a threat to the shifters.

Walker Lauren, Sienna’s uncle has a really nice romance in this one with Lara, the SnowDancer healer. I really liked both of them and thought their romance brought a lot to this story. We also get a lot with Judd, Sienna’s other uncle since he is so close with Sienna and helps her with her volatile powers. Oh Judd – you sexy former Psy. He has some great lines and one in particular very smexy scene. It’s so nice we get an intimate glimpse into some of the characters that have already had their book.

Sascha and Lucas have a storyline that will make you smile. I really enjoy the relationship the Cats now have with the wolves. It feels like a brotherly relationship with good natured bickering – very entertaining to read.

For such an anticipated book, Kiss of Snow delivers. I even think this one can be read as a stand alone. You might be a bit confused on the Psy war, but overall I think it would read well on it’s own. Of course, this entire series is great, and I recommend it to everyone.

Rating: B+

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ stars – Paranormal Romance

WOWZA! The most anticipated installment in the phenomenal Psy-Changeling series definitely delivers the goods and lives up to the hype. It’s an intense, passionate, and emotional epic romance with smoldering sensuality and thrilling action that is pure tribute to Hawke fanatics. It satisfied my super high expectations and then some. I was completely and utterly captivated by every word from beginning to end, and my only complaint is that I didn’t want it to be over. I loved it, loved it, loved it!

Hawke in all his alpha, growly glory is a sexy, magnificent thing to behold. I want to take a big bite out of him, and have him bite me (all over!) in return. YUM! Don’t get me wrong...I love Hawke and Sienna together and think they’re an amazing, unforgettable Romancelandia couple. But I still want to be Hawke’s mate and have his wolf babies. *sighs and swoons* Oh wait, I’m already mated to Lucas. I guess I’ll have to beg settle for being the center of a wolf/panther sandwich. *naughty girl grin*

Hot
Alpha
Wolf
Kiss me for
Eternity!!!!

My favorite quotes:

She came to, to find a very satisfied wolf at her side. He was drawing patterns on the sweat-sheened skin of her navel with his finger. “How was dessert?” she asked, her throat a husky reminder that she’d screamed at the end. A flash of teeth. “I plan to go back for seconds in a bit.” She sucked in a breath. “Bad wolf.” Sliding down his hand, he tugged at her damp curls. “Hungry wolf.” Right then, Sienna knew she was sunk. Absolutely and gloriously.

“You’re in my every breath and every thought, intertwined so deep inside me that love’s not a strong enough word—you have my devotion, your name branded on my soul, my wolf yours to command. A hundred years? It’ll never be enough. I want eternity.”

“You have the power to tear me to pieces, to wound me so deep and true that I’ll never recover.”

Hawke in his majestically beautiful wolf form (note the “Kiss of Snow” on his nose):



My Hawke (Eric Dane):







Sienna (note the ruby red hair and cardinal-like eyes):



Sienna (alternate):

[Denisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
Unpopular opinion here!


I've been waiting to read this one for a long time now! And what I found is well... rather disappointing.
I was expecting a lot from Hawk. Or well, a lot more than this. Sienna wasn't too bad, but I still wanted more from her.


I really didn't feel any chemistry between them and their story was of no particular interest. I was more excited about the background plot than about their love thingie. It's the only reason I gave this story 2.5 stars (3 GR ones), because the overall plot was damn exciting!

Maybe I had too high expectations, but it's all Singh's fault! If this series had sucked, then my expectations would have been lower. But I really really wanted Hawk's story! And then I get this...


Even more, their age difference was a bit strange to me. Ok, not the age difference, but the way he treats her. It just feels weird... From all these stories, he is like 40ish and she's 19. And a virgin. And yeah, she had the troubling past and she was more mature and blah blah blah, but she's a 19-year-old virgin. She should have been treated a bit differently.


Ah well, at least the plot was fun. And it did make me a bit curious to see what's next, so all in all, it was still a good book. Not a great one, but good nonetheless.

[Alex is The Romance Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kiss of Snow is book #10 in Nalini Singh’s stunning the Psy-Changeling Series. I have been waiting for a very long time for Hawke’s story, every since he was introduced in Slave to Sensation, the 1st book in the Series. Somehow I had always hoped that he would get together with Sienna Lauren…..and yes, after 9 books, I finally got my wish.

This is their story. And what a beautiful one it was. Kiss of Snow is one of my favorite books in this series and there’s only one word I can describe what Hawke and Sienna’s path to finding their HEA…………

What made this book and this story so special for me:

Hawke: I fell in love with this character from the very first time we were introduced. Pure alpha male, sexy and passionate who takes his responsibilities as leader of the SnowDancer pack seriously. How he fights the attraction and feelings for Sienna, using every reason imaginable why he should not even think that him and Sienna together is a good thing for her.

Sienna: We have seen her developing from a teenager, when she and her family arrived at the SnowDance world. She’s had to grow fast and being a strong Psy, and at the age of nineteen, is stronger, independent, mature than most women of her age. There was so much more to her beneath that delicate and young person. She has always had feeling for Hawke and is totally sure that she’s meant to be with him. I loved her maturity and how she fought for Hawke. Wanting him to see the person she now was……how she dealt with his stubbornness when it came to her….

The development of Hawke and Sienna’s relationship: The two have been dancing around each other since they first met, with Hawke fighting his feeling for her and the obstacles he believes stand in their way to being together. Their journey together is so emotional and so beautiful to watch as they overcome the obstacles in their path to being together.

The depth of Hawke’s feelings for Sienna are absolutely touching. And seeing him opening up to her and admitting how deep and everlasting his love is for her is so damn beautiful……

Their chemistry, their banter and watching them finally giving in to their feelings was an emotional and incredible moment. The gentleness, care and softness Hawke showed Sienna when they first make love made it one of the most sensual and beautiful scenes ever.

Another thing I so enjoyed was seeing the playful side of Hawke……okay, I had seen that playfulness in the previous books, but in this book…..took it to another level. Sweet …Adorable …..Irresistible……Sexy…..

The world building: The continuation of the battle for power and scheming between the Psy Council makes me wonder where it’s going to lead to next. Loved learning more about the DarkRiver pack and their world.

Loved characters: Love how the author weaves the lives of the characters we have come to life into each book.

Loved seeing the continuation and new surprises in Lucas and Sasha’s lives.

So excited to have been able to get a bit on Walker Lauren and SnowDancer’s healer, Lara and can’t wait for their

Arrow Aden – I am so looking forward to getting to know more about this character.

Kiss of Snow is one of the favorite books in this series. It was more exciting and fantastic than what I had hoped for. Romance, everlasting love, wonderful characters, fast paced, twists and turns and more.

This is one series I can more than recommend to every PNR lovers and even if you have never read paranormal romance….try this one. You will not be disappointed.

My favorite quote:

[Sammy Loves Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You have the power to tear me to pieces. To wound me so deep and true that I'll never recover."

Hawke



“Man and wolf, we both adore you. No way am I letting you go after the hell you’ve put me through over the years.”


Sienna


This series is just so freaking good! I've been waiting on Sienna and Hawke for so long. But Sienna was too young and he was the alpha of the pack. Nalini pulled this off with perfection..without it feeling creepy in any way.

“No more dancing with any male but me. No more time to learn who you are before you have to hold that personality against mine. No more freedom to explore your sensuality before I own it.”


I also loved that Sienna never bowed down to or was in awe of Hawke. She came at him as an equal /mate would.


“He'd been so angry at her -always pushing his buttons, that girl. But then he'd taken her into his arms, and all that anger had blazed into a darker, hotly possessive need that had urged him to bend his head, bite down on the throbbing pulse in her neck, leave a mark.”

Oh...I also get lady boners for strong heroines. Did I mention all that Power Sienna wields?!! Damn!!!



"Except I never had a prayer when it came to you. You’re in my every breath and every thought, intertwined so deep inside me that love’s not a strong enough word—you have my devotion, your name branded on my soul, my wolf yours to command. A hundred years? It’ll never be enough. I want eternity."

[Choko · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 4.35 ***

A buddy read with Jo and Angela at BB&B.

A wonderful book about how the Psy X Sienna tamed the Wolf Alpha Hawke. We have been waiting and hoping for those two to eventually figure out they are made for each other for many, many books already! And we all knew it would be hard, painful, emotional, sexy as hell, sizzling, a battle of the sexes, memorable, and ooooo so satisfying once it arrived! Nalini did not disappoint:-) It was all of those things and much more!!! I couldn't get enough of those two together, while still loving all the updates we got on our other favorite couples. We even got to have our first baby Cat-Psy and Nikita became the hottest grandma in the world!!!

I love the characters, but even more I love the world building. We got some attacks by the bad guys of the Psy Council against the packs and San Francisco over all. Sienna, being the bad ass X Psy she is, got to kick butt and take names!!! She went out in a Blaze of Glory for real!!! Bad ass, as I said. But she needed every one of those blazing molecules of hers in order to get the wild and untamed Wolf to settle down and pay attention. He didn't make it easy on her. The stubborn, strong, smart and beautiful head of the Snow Dancer Pack was having some issues with the age difference between him and the beautiful soldier and tried to deny the overwhelming attraction between them... A good thing Sienna was just as strong and stubborn as him and was ready for the mating dance:-)

I am really enjoying this series and even more so the buddy reads with my sisters at BB&B!!! They make an already great series even more fun! Thank you, ladies!!!

I would recommend this to all PNR or just plain Romance fans and warn you all, there are just enough sexy times to make it a Parental Advisory read.

I wish you all Happy Reading and may you always find joy in the pages of a good book!!!

[εllε · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've lost count how many times I've read this book. Of course it's my favorite in the series. It's Hawke! Hawke! HAWKE!!

I don't know why I've not reviewed this. Better late than never.

When I started to read the Psy-Changeling series, I knew it would become one of my favorites. It began with Lucas's story and that really captivated me. Hawke and Sienna were mentioned continuously as the series progressed. Seeing glimpses of them from time to time, in every book, the anticipation for their own books was 100x intensified.

Due to their age difference (ca 14 years), I never thought that these two would end up together. So, my shock when I learned that book 10 was about Hawke AND Sienna was off the charts. ONE BOOK, not two! I've never been so happy in my life. It was the best moment Ever.



Hawke is the Alpha of the SnowDancer pack and his obligations to the pack security and welfare keep him occupied, so he has little or no leisure time. He has lost his mate since he was young, and since the Changelings mate only once and for life, he believes that he'll never have that consuming happiness that Changeling mates have when they mate their true and only mate.



(I know Tom Hardy is hardly blond, but since the first time I read the book, I could picture Hawke as him, their personalities are so similar. Sometimes serious, sometimes funny, always authoritative, intimidating, playful and of course HOT and good-looking.)

Sienna is a Cardinal Psy living with her family in the SnowDance territory since their defection from the Psy-Net. She is young and she wants to live her life free from restrictions and fears. But her designation makes her the most dangerous Psy on the Net and she is like a ticking time bomb ready to explode. Powerful emotions are a serious trigger for disasters. But this doesn't stop her to grow feelings for her Alpha.



Hawke sees Sienna only as a child and he is convinced that he could never reciprocate her feelings. Sienna, with her black Cardinal eyes and red hair is not some damsel in distress, though inexperienced in this field. With her courage and determination, she changes the rules and throws Hawke totally off balance.

"Take me or leave me the fuck alone!"

Their mating dance is the most GLORIOUS one in the history of the mating dances between a shifter and his mate. Their chemistry is so powerful and they are so magnificent together. I loved every single page about these two. I loved seeing Hawke trying to intimidate Sienna, their interplays were so HAWT!

“No more dancing with any male but me. No more time to learn who you are before you have to hold that personality against mine. No more freedom to explore your sensuality before I own it.”
......................................

“You are in my every breath and every thought, intertwined so deep inside me that love´s not a strong enough word. You have my devotion, your name branded on my soul, my wolf yours to command. A hundred years? It will never be enough. I want eternity.”




Even the secondary characters were so awesome in this book. I loved Walter and Judd (of course!), how protective they are of Sienna.

Kit is the character whose book I'm anticipating soooo much. He'll be the best Alpha one day and I hope his mate is strong like Sienna.

I love this world Nalini has created. Everything is so unique and extraordinary. No matter how many books there'll be in this series, Hawke and Sienna will always be my favorite couple.

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking a long break between reading all the books in this series is highly advised. I was on a reading marathon and read only books in this series but after awhile (after 9 books or so) I didn't feel the 'special' and unique vibe that this stories bring. So I took a month-ish break from them and what would you know, now that I've picked up this series again, I get the hype around them and I'm so happy that I'm finally able to enjoy them as much as I did when I first started this series.

The first 20% or so wasn't my favourite part of this story. There was too much drama from the ow and om and the Council and...yeah. Since this story takes a lot of your nerves away, be warned. If you want insta-love and quick mating bonds, forget it. This book is so far away from that, it's not even funny. You get some 'love action' around 80%, so it's gonna take awhile to get there. Hawke sure knows how to make a girl frustrated with his play of push and pull and Sienna knows how to make him go mad. They are an unusual pair but at the end they are jsut what the other needs. I liked that they showed their more playful side in this story, since we didn't get to see that in the previous books. But I felt like something was still missing. I don't know what but there was just that one something that would made the story more enjoyable. Maybe I needed more easiness and not just this heavy feeling of doom from those two characters.

Thankfully you still get to see the other characters from previous books and Sasha finally has her baby girl, so cute!. I loved that we got to see how their stories evolve and continue in each new book. Also, not only you get Sienna and Hawke's story, nope, you also get Lara and Walker's too! That was so great, I loved it! I think the best part was the last 20%. Ahhh, love is definitely in the air by then. ;)

As per usual you get some action, some new questions that are answered and some that are yet to be, you also get great romance and above all, you finally get some more Kaleb. Yes! I cannot wait to re-read his book. Seriously, he's the only reason I'm reading this series. My first read book in this series was him (I know, what the heck) and I immediately feel in love with him. So now I have to read all the others, so I can get the full picture. Don't get me wrong, I love this whole series, but he definitely takes the cake.

[Katie(babs) · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the most anticipated books this year is Kiss of Snow (book #10) by Nalini Singh. Nalini has come a long way with her Psy-Changeling series. I can still remember the first time I picked up Slave to Sensation back in 2006, knowing I found an author I’d stick with for life. Nalini is an incredibly talented author, and if you’re not reading her books, you’re missing out on something special.

I read Kiss of Snow a few months ago and was on the fence whether or not I should review it. The reason is there are some things I enjoyed reading, while there were other things I found lacking. Kiss of Snow, from the overwhelming amount of reviews posted, is where everyone is head of heels in love with this book. It seems I’m in the minority here. Honestly, it’s hard to review Kiss of Snow because not only have I met Nalini and chatted with her in emails, but as I said before, I’ve enjoyed the majority of what she’s written. Kiss of Snow was missing something for me as a reader. At one point I had to put the book down and read something else, and then come back to it. I think my problem lies with expectation. This happens from time to time and Kiss of Snow is a perfect example of this.

Kiss of Snow is what the Psy-Changeling fans have been waiting for, especially those who adore Sienna, the young X-Psy refugee, and her love for Hawke, the uber alpha wolf of the SnowDancer pack. These two have been dancing around each other since the moment they met. Hawke’s desire for Sienna has grown to the point where he’s consumed with jealousy and incredible frustration. (The man has a serious case of mega blue balls) Hawke keeps his feeling bottled up inside because he feels Sienna is too young and fragile to take him on. (Sienna is 19 and Hawke is almost 30) Plus Hawke is dedicated to the memory of his mate he lost when he was very young. Very young is the key thing here as in Hawke and the girl he loved never connected on a level together as a grown man and woman. Because of this he feels he can’t mate with any other woman, most of all a Psy, like Sienna.

Sienna is tortured in every single way. We’ve seen this many times with past Psy heroines. She has the ability to be a true unemotional killer, a weapon much like her Uncle Judd once was. But Sienna is not cold and distant, or in control as everyone around her thinks her to be. Sienna is slowly breaking down inside and can barely keep up her defenses because of Hawke. She wants Hawke desperately and longs to be the one he turns to for intimacy.

These two can hardly be around each other without acting out. The way things have been between Sienna and Hawke has come to an end and new beginning is in store for them. Sienna decides to throw herself in Hawke’s face by acting as if she doesn’t need him. She goes off with her Changeling friends to bars and clubs, while Hawke broods and smolders, his inner beast fighting to break free to claim Sienna as his own. And then finally Hawke can’t take it anymore. All bets are off. Hawke unleashes his snarling wolf and Sienna no longer has a chance because Hawke is finished with the games and wants to play on his terms.

Sienna and Hawke’s passion for one another is combustible. Hawke doesn’t pounce on Sienna right away, but courts her with deadly precision. It’s like he’s going off to war. Sienna wants Hawke in all his forms, but is scared because of what lies inside her. These two take a long time to come together. Kiss of Snow is one big buildup of foreplay where I was frustrated alongside these two. But when they throw all caution aside, their love scenes will scorch your eyeballs when they finally share their bodies with one another.

The majority of the plot is dedicated to Sienna and Hawke, but we do see another, tender side with Sienna’s, innocent in the ways of intimacy, Uncle Walker and the SnowDancer healer, Lara. These two are the complete opposites from their counterparts and their interactions were lovely, so much so I was more interested in them at one point. Also Judd has a great deal of interaction, including Sasha and Lucas, whose happily ever after is in full force. These two are still my all-time favorite couple in the series and I was so happy to see them and their growing family.

With all these wonderful characters and their relationships, you’d think Kiss of Snow would be a perfect novel. It wasn’t for me. I found Kiss of Snow to be more surface reading if anything, the depth was lacking and the focus was off. Many sections were shortened and there wasn’t much action overall. There was a great deal of talking and internal musing, mainly from Sienna and Hawke. I was disappointed how Sienna’s relationship with Kit was played out. I felt that was as cop out, a way to get Kit out of the way so everything could be concentrated on Sienna and Hawke. I was expecting much more with Kit and Sienna, for him to be the catalyst to push Hawke into claiming Sienna, but their relationship was cut off abruptly.

The last fifty pages are explosive. If only this could have been occurred from the very beginning. There’s a secondary story with Judd, his Arrows and a big surprise thanks to the Ghost that you won’t see coming. I have a good idea the Ghost could be one of two characters, one who is obvious, the other way under the radar, and if Nalini decides to go with the one readers least expects, you can bet it will be shocking to the max.

There’s been a great deal of discussion about books being subjective, and for me Kiss of Snow is a perfect example. I realize I’m in the small minority with Kiss of Snow, and although I was less than astounded by what I read, I’m still very much dedicated to this series. Nalini has created a world and a group of characters I’ll never forget. I just wish Kiss of Snow had been that book I couldn’t stop thinking about. Unfortunately it wasn’t. I do look forward to even more Psy-Changeling books in the future and wait with baited breath for her announcement about Kaleb and his book. *gets downs on knees that Kaleb gets his own book*

You should all keep in mind that Kaleb is mine.

If you’re a diehard fan of Sienna and Hawke you’ll want to have babies with this book and will most likely re-read it many times until the next Psy-Changeling book is released.

[Astrid - The Bookish Sweet Tooth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hawke and Sienna are my favorites along with Lucas and Sascha. I loved Hawke, he was frustrating and sexy and bossy in equal measures. And Sienna was perfection - this is the kind of heroine I adore. She was strong and held her own with the man who would not accept orders from anyone else.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread in January 2021.


I have been waiting to read this book since the beginning of the series. I had to read 9 books before finally being able to get my hands on this baby and I do not regret it. At all.

What.A.Ride.

Kiss of Snow was everything I wanted it to be. Everything. Hawke and Sienna were perfect for each other and their story was beautiful. Oh my god, did I swoon. Seriously, Hawke is so deliciously hot and so freaking dominant, I want one for myself. Sienna is one lucky lady! She's not too bad herself, I absolutely loved her. She's so young (okay, she's my age) and yet so strong, determined and mature. Sienna is one of my favorite heroine, for sure.

I loved the age difference between them, it didn't feel too much or creepy, for them it felt right. The sexual tension was phenomenal and the sex scenes were hawt.

At the beginning, they were getting interrupted every five minutes (it pissed me off) but it got better after a while.

In all seriousness, their relationship was beautiful, it was beautifully written and I truly think Nalini did a spectacular job with them. The scene toward the end, you know, when they go into the lake? Holy shitoly, I cried. Not cool, Nalini. Not cool!

I loved the secondary characters, as usual.
• Sascha and Lucas finally have their baby, so so so so sweet.
• Nikita has potential, I'm sure of it. I felt for the councilor.
• Kaleb, scary and powerful Kaleb...I know his story is approaching fast but I'm not so sure about him yet.
• Aden and Vasic, gimme more.

• Kit had me laughing more than once, I would love to read more of him.
• Judd darling and Brenna. So much love for them.

And of course, Walker and Lara! I didn't expect that but I was pleasantly surprised. Walker is one hot motherfucker. The Lauren family kicks ass.

Taking the paperweight she'd knocked off her desk out of his pocket, he put it in her hands. “It's fixed. As long as you don't mind more than a few scars.”
Tears in her eyes, she pursed her lips, shook her head . . . and held the paperweight to her heart. “I love you, Walker.”

The plot was intense. A war is coming and it's coming fast. I cannot wait to read the next book(s). I'm sure Nalini isn't done with her surprises.

Anyway, I loved this book. Loved it. I am such a huge fan of this series. Hawke and Sienna will always have a special little place in my heart, I hope they have lots and lots of babies.

“You're in my every breath and every thought, intertwined so deep inside me that love's not a strong enough word—you have my devotion, your name branded on my soul, my wolf yours to command. A hundred years? It'll never be enough. I want eternity.”

[Lana Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it was one of my favourites from the entire series so far. After Brenna and Judd I guess. Because Sienna rocked!! She was such an awesome heroine, I sooo loved her development!! Hawke was fine, sure, but all my praise goes to this young woman who was not only super badass, but also smart and just simply fabulous. And I loved them together.
Oh, and the little revelation at the end, why the book is called what it's called? It melted my heart a little.

It feels like I should maybe write more about it, but that's all my mind can come up with at this point as I've already finished #12. This series is phenomenal.

[Felicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mean, this was a good romance book guys. I'd been waiting for the Hawke/Sienna pair-up for a while, and I just really enjoyed the dynamic between them, Hawke always reminded me of Robert Redford a bit in my mind so you know...good stuff.

The sub-plot between Walker and whatserface was OK (yeah I forgot her name so clearly had an impact haha), but the world plot with the Psy attacks and Ghost, that stuff stays interesting. That's why I like these books. They're TOTAL lady porn romance books, but the sci-fi/paranormal world the author has built gives you enough plot to really keep you into it. Or me at least. Definitely one of the best in the series I've read for a while. Oh Nalini, I JUST CANT QUIT YOU!

[Bubu]

No rating.

When will I ever learn?

I'm old enough to know that too many drinks will lead to a massive hang-over the next day. Besides, I'm not 20 any longer and can't attend class at 8 in the morning, still hammered. I'm old enough to know that speeding is stupid and dangerous. I'm old enough to - hopefully - know that indulging too much in anything is rarely good.

How come, then, I can't seem to learn that binge reading is never a good idea? Bloody book addiction. At the best of times, I am left empty and saddened because I just finished a beautiful series of books (see Courtney Milan), or utterly frustrated with an author who seems to be taking the piss (see J.R. Ward).

I won't be rating this one. I can't say I was overwhelmed with the series but I kept going for Sienna and Hawke's story. I already felt burned out by the time I finally reached this book but kept hoping that it would be worth it.

To rate it, would be unfair and would most likely not really reflect my thoughts. I'll just take a break and read this book again later - and I will because there's still The Ghost and Kaleb. And I truly want to read Kaleb's story.

Will somebody please teach me how not to binge-read?

[iaaaaa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, look, I realize this is a pretty low star rating, but please bear with me.

This is gonna be a long one:

I really really REALLY love Nalini Singh. I've loved this series since Slave to Sensation, I love the characters, I love the writing, the challenges that each person is faced with - I could go on and on about how much I love anything Nalini Singh has written, okay? Hell, I have 5 star ratings for basically all the books before this one!!! Singh is an amazing storyteller!

BUT, I have to say I was absolutely disappointed with this book. And for several reasons:

#1: SIENNA IS NINETEEN.

Allow me to repeat that:

SIENNA IS FUCKING NINETEEN YEARS OLD.

I am nineteen years old, and I think that's why this touched something deep within me. Because, yeah this is fiction, whatever, but there's just something wrong about setting a nineteen y/o with a 40+ year old man. ESPECIALLY when she pines after him for basically the whole god damn book. Like yeah, sure, Hawke has his moments where he's like "I love Sienna" and "pines" after her BUT the difference is HE DOES HIS BEST TO AVOID THE WHOLE SITUATION. I am sick and tired of books where the girl/woman is obviously much younger than the guy, obviously inexperienced with anything regarding to life, trying to win the affection of the brooding man who tries his hardest to stay away. I felt ill reading Sienna's POV in regard to Hawke, because she is still a child!!!!!

Which kind of leads into the next point-

#2: I don't give a rats ass that Sienna comes from a background where she had to "grow up" before everyone else. CLEARLY, throughout the whole book her childish antics prove that she's still a fucking child. I am so TIRED of constantly coming across stories where the author tries to justify the age of a teenage girl getting into a relationship with a grown ass man by saying "but she had to grow up because her circumstances permitted her to". It's lazy, and it's an ugly excuse!!!! SIENNA IS STILL A CHILD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#3: HAWKE WAS DRIVING ME FUCKIN NUTS WITH HIS EMOTIONAL WHIPLASH!!!!!! One minute it was, "I can't be with Sienna". The next it was, "I want to be with Sienna". Then, "But I can't truly bond with her because my true mate died". THEN, "but I won't allow anyone else to have her". AND THE WHOLE CYCLE WOULD START OVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And the scenes where they'd be groping each other, and then HE'D FUCKIN SAY "we shouldn't be doing this" LIKE COME THE FUCK ON!!!!

#4: His whole hang up about "my true mate died, what I have with Sienna will never work" made me want to throttle him. I'm serious, I was seeing red anytime he talked about his "true mate". Because it's so so SO cruel to say, "my true mate died Sienna, I can't truly bond with you" and yet still chase after her. Who does that?! Who openly says, "we can't truly be together" while also saying, "but hey, I'm still going to chase after you and make sure nobody else can claim you."

Especially because, as I've mentioned before, Sienna tries throughout the whole book to get his attention, but he's so stuck on his past mate that it just complicated everything. I have my fucking pride, Sienna, don't you? Why would you stay hung up on a guy who OBVIOUSLY isn't willing to put aside the past for you????????? And god, my heart ached and ached for Sienna because she just kept willingly jumping into the fire. If "true love" means constantly having to burn yourself for someone who tries their hardest to not want you - I don't want anything to do with love. I mean it.

I mean *sigh* it wasn't the worst book I've ever read, but seriously, I had to skip so much of it because I was usually super heated about Hawke's bullshit about his "true mate" or Sienna's methods on getting him to notice her. Singh had done a really great job of building up these two's pairing through the other books, that this was just so.... disappointing. I just felt like if Sienna had been older, more experienced, it would've come together more effectively. Like I totally could've bought into the whole "you can't be my true mate" a lot more if Sienna was at least 21. But I was so distracted with all the little details that were obviously muted so not to bring attention to themselves that it was hard to get through the book. The ending was very very predictable as well, I guessed it without even opening the book.

Anyways, definitely wouldn't recommend. I'm still trying to get over the emotional rollercoaster my body just went through trying to read this. Thank GOD I didn't spend money on this, I would've regretted it heavily, I know it.

[Camila (previously the opinionated Catruler) · Rating 5 out of 5]

First read (March 29 - 31, 2013)
Second read (September 30 - October 4, 2013)
Third read (February 7 - 9, 2014)

At some point I lost count. Too many times. Way too many. As in, I can quote most scenes too many.

[QueenB · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book Friday. Now it's Monday and I'm still an incoherent schmuck. I have been wrecked, y'all.
I want to read more books about Hawke and Sienna. I feel like their story could go on and on and never get old or boring. It makes me wish they had their own series like Elena and Raphael do in the Guild Hunter series :P

For all who worried about Sienna's character in this one, let me assure you, she rocks. She is strong, stubborn, feisty, wise, intelligent, fiercely loyal and she loves with every fiber of her being. Few of the previous heroines in this series have had to accept the facts that Sienna does with such grace and strength in this one. I loved her.

Hawke is so passionate, possessive, tender and fierce. He was breathtaking.

Fans of this series will not be disappointed.

Full review to be posted on my blog closer to release date.
ETA: Review is now up at my blog

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah, Hawke and Sienna’s book… It has been the most anticipated release of the series for me. All that tension between them and the curiosity of how they would end up together (with him already having had a mate) has made for a very long wait. While this book didn’t exactly rock my world the way I thought it would, it is still definitely worth the wait.

I really enjoyed Sienna in this book. She got tired of the games and she took a stand. She didn’t make unreasonable demands of Hawke, but she let him know that she wouldn’t accept the hot and cold attitude anymore. He either wanted to give them a shot or he needed to back off and stop giving people the impression that she was his territory. I really appreciated that because I want the characters I care about to have enough self respect to value themselves and not look foolish by hanging on after they are ignored time and again. Besides, it was fun to see Hawke’s wolf side come out whenever she confronted him with the fact she wasn’t his.

Speaking of Hawke, he seemed different from his previous self, but one of my favorite things about the new him was his playfulness. I loved that his wolf took control so frequently and that he wanted to play with Sienna so much. His excitement over chasing her while she tried to trap him was adorable. One of my favorite moments between them was when he still didn’t think they could be together, but they slow danced in the dark when they were all alone, anyway. It was so sad and romantic to watch them cling to the only moment they might have together.

I really liked the way Sienna handled the previous mate thing. I would have been very upset if Sienna had been portrayed as angry and upset about that situation. I wouldn’t have minded her being sad and a little upset that she wouldn’t have the same connection with him, but I would have found her incredibly small and mean-spirited to try to insert her drama into his happy memory. I found the end resolution a little too convenient, but I can’t say I didn’t see it coming. I was also happy that we finally got to hear what really happened to Hawke’s parents and to his mate.

I loved that we got to see more page time with Sascha and Lucas. They have continued to draw my attention from the first book, so it was great to get more development with them. We also get more details on the state of the Psy Council and even get some face time with Nikita and Anthony. I was very pleased with what we learned about Nikita and am looking forward to more tidbits about that in the future. We also get more details about the Ghost and I’m still dying for confirmation of who he is. Soon, maybe?

I was surprised to find that there was a secondary romance in this book as well, but I loved getting a further look into Walker and into the Laurens family background before they defected. Who knew that Walker could be so compelling? He’s always been the quiet rock of the family who seems to stick to the background. It was great to see him finally step forward and shine.

While I did like most of the book—as mentioned—I found myself disappointed with Sienna and Hawke. If this had been a book just about them I probably would have rated it lower, but there was quite a bit going on and the large focus on other plot threads brought my enjoyment up.

One of my biggest let downs of the book was how the past tension that Sienna and Hawke dealt with seemed to disappear and be replaced with other issues. In the past Sienna struggled with controlling her powers while in close contact with Hawke. She even contemplated returning to Silence if she couldn’t find a solution. But that was a non-issue in this book. She has control and the only worry she has about her power is what it’ll do to her in the long run. I found this quite disappointing. I guess it’s easier to set up a romance if you fix Sienna’s power control problem between books... It would have been nice if this issue had been dealt with in the book, though. I thought it had been built up in all the past books for a reason. :(

Also, in the past Hawke had been charming and playful with Sascha, but he had some real issues going on under the surface. He has issues with the Psy and he was still carrying around a lot of anger and hate. He seemed colder and harder in the past books whereas he was almost as laid back as Drew in this one. Excluding his alpha dominance tendencies, of course. I found myself confused by their different issues and personalities.

Other than that I also got irritated with the constant interrupted sex scenes. At first I didn't mind—although I was a little crushed that the first hot scene got interrupted—but then it started to happen again and again and it felt like things were needlessly drawn out and that the scenes started to become repeats of each other. Speaking of that, although I did believe their romance and I did enjoy them together I found that too much of their growth revolved around sex. I just felt like there was way more of that then there had been in any of the previous books.

One other thing that bugged me was that Sienna came to the pack when she was a teenager and became friends with other Changelings. I had a hard time believing that she would be so naive and retiring about sex. The other Psy I could understand, they had been stuck in the Net where it wasn't done, but even virgin-Judd knew about it. Sienna just seemed too innocent about it all to be believable. I guess I just wanted more of an equal relationship in the bedroom instead of Sienna just taking whatever her gave her.

I'm not disputing that he was good at sex--or that it wasn't hot (especially the biting ;P)--but it almost seemed at times that it was being done to her instead of with her. I know that one argument from other people disputing this irritation will be that it was because she was a virgin. But that only flies for me in a historical where that info wasn't prevalent for girls in day to day life. The Changelings are not shy about sex and I doubt Sienna would be different than many other teenagers of today who are very knowledgeable about it even if they haven't felt the sensations themselves.

While I didn’t enjoy Hawke and Sienna’s relationship as much as I thought I would, there were still a lot of things to love about this book. If you’re a fan of this series you’ll definitely want to pick this one up as soon as possible. And if you haven’t read these and you’re not a fan yet…well, why haven’t you started? :P

Favorite Quote:

And he was focused on her to the exclusion of all else.

She wet dry lips, saw his eyes follow the movement. "Stop it."

A faint smile that made every tiny hair on her body rise in quivering attention. "How fast can you run?" A wolf's question.

"I'm not running from you." She held her ground.

"We'll see."

Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen.

[Valentina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I'll be in the minority here, but I can't lie - I didn't like the book. No, that is a lie. I liked the book, but I hated the romance. I didn't like Hawke with Sienna. I didn't like him at all here, and thought that she would have been better of with anyone else than him.

Now I've read all the Psy/Changeling books one after another as fast I could because not only I enjoyed the romances, but the world Nalini S. had created fascinated me. So there was no doubt in my mind if I was going to read Kiss of Snow. I knew I would. Even if (for some reason) I didn't want to.

Hawke was an amazing side character in other books, but not like with Kaleb, or Vasic (where I can't wait to start reading their stories), I didn't get that desire with him.
And when I started to... from page 1 he turned me against him.

“Be quiet,” he snapped. “If you open your mouth again without permission, I’m putting both of you in the pen with the two-year-olds.”

I don't care that nothing romantic was going on with Hawke and Sienna at that moment, and I don't care that he is the alpha. IT DOES NOT GIVE HIM THE RIGHT TO SPEAK TO HER THAT WAY!
Worse, he continued this even when they started the romance.
He was constantly shutting her down by using his alpha status, and even when he said he was not the alpha now, he was still talking with her like with someone less than him.

“Throwing a tantrum, Sienna?” Ruthless words, that caressing tone suddenly a blade. “I thought you’d retired the spoiled brat act.”

The author tried to convince me that Sienna was capable of standing her ground against Hawke, but the truth is, no matter how she sometimes tried, the end result was what Hawke wanted.
One of the reasons why this was so, was because of the age difference. ~15 years difference is a big one. And it showed. No matter how hard the author tried to convince me that it didn't matter, that Sienna was mature for her age because of the way she grew up - I just didn't buy it.
She was not his equal even when he tried to listen to her. Her lower status and age made it so that she was almost always left behind the closed door when Hawke needed to speak with Riley of someone else whom he respected.
And while I do understand those reasons, the thing is - there cant be a partnership in the romance if the gulf between the two is that big. They are not on the equal footing. And that does not a romance make, but something perverted and almost ugly.

“Scared?” Hawke’s smile held no humor. “You should be, baby.”
Yeah... I don't find this funny either.

It was as if at first when he was trying to convince himself he shouldn't want her he still kept her on a leash. He wasn't taking her, but he damned sure made sure that no one else would too. And then, when he finally began his pursuit, seeing her (always) as a prey, he was asserting his will over her.
She tried to stand her ground on a few occasions, but in the end... his word was final. Worse still, she sometimes believed that he didn't force the outcome but that she wanted it like that. So, while she might be mature for her age when it comes to war and strategy, when it comes to romantic relationship - she is very naïve and immature. And the age difference DOES count.

A trembling breath. “May I touch you?”

“May I ask about her?” A quiet, unexpected question.
If she feels this unsure to ask a personal question what kind of personal relationship is that? ... Because she knows that what she can get is this...
Eyes gone night-glow, dangerous and merciless. “Enough, Sienna.”

“What does this mean?” He curled a strand of ruby red around his finger. “It means you have to learn to deal with me.” There was no going back. Not from this. - it's like it's a one way street where she has to deal and he only dictates. Oh yeah, a beautiful romance!

I would have loved to see her with Kit, or Riordan, or any other but Hawke. At least none of them would have treated like a child when the reaction was not to his liking.

“Pretending to be Silent, baby? Too late for that.”
Flame, dangerous and hypnotic, crawled over the black of her eyes. “Would you prefer I act the part of a hysterical female so you can write me off?”
He gripped the edge of his desk. “Careful.”
“Why?” A look that might as well have come from a pissed-off female wolf. “I’m not the one who seems unable to separate work and pleasure.”
“Feeling bratty tonight, are you?” It satisfied some deep part of him that he’d gotten her riled up so fast—he would never allow or accept distance from his woman.
“Don’t.” An unexpectedly serious response. “Don’t lessen my opinions by calling me a brat. And you know, don’t call me baby either.”
“If you think you can ‘handle’ me, Sienna,” he said as the animal prowled to the surface of his mind, “you’re looking at the wrong wolf.”

But that's what he does, he lessens her opinion by calling her a brat, or saying she is throwing a tantrum, or something else. No matter how she reacts, he puts in into question. And then they try to convince me that age is not an issue.
Hawke could never be with her and her friends (he is their alpha), and she is not equal in his friend circle - these disparities are very important. But what is more important, and is the second reason why I felt this inequality between them (that it ruined the romance for me) - he was simply a bastard.
I'm not opposed to domineering alphas in romance stories. Lucas is domineering enough. Sascha bends to his (sometimes ridiculous wishes), For example if he is feeling in certain way and does not want for her to go anywhere (and I'm not even talking about going someplace with bodyguards), she is not going. But he still talks to her. He considers her opinions. He takes her to the meetings, even if he holds her behind him. Sascha is a partner. Sienna is NOT!
And that's the end.

The only reason I gave this book 3 stars was because of all the side stories. I loved Lara's story. And I loved all the other small things that were in this book. But I did not like Hawke and Sienna story. I even skipped most of the intimate parts because not only they were boring, I just couldn't get into it. I kept picturing a 34 year old guy with a 19 year old naïve virgin, and it disgusted me.

And I'm very sad about this. Because Nalini has become one of my favorite authors.
Hopefully the next one will be better. I know she can deliver.

p.s.
And what's with everyone building the cabin?
Every one of them had threatened Hawke if he so much as touches her. Judd. Riley. Drew. Indigo. And now, suddenly, they are building a shack for them to consummate. ???