A Winter Admirer

A Nymph Solstice Romance #2

by Gigi Rivers

An MM fantasy winter holiday novella.

A shy botanist. His secret admirer. Could it be the mountain nymph he pines for?

Edwin knows he is ordinary, plain, and dull. He usually looks forward to the winter solstice, but this year he will be spending the long winter nights alone.

When Edwin discovers a solstice gift from a secret admirer on his doorstep, he wonders if it could be from the mountain nymph, Sinoe with his gentle manner, striking white hair, and silver eyes. But what could boring, bookish Edwin possibly offer the stunning mountain nymph?

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, Romance, Paranormal, Christmas, Holiday, Queer

120 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 24, 2022

About the author

Gigi spent her childhood daydreaming and living inside the imaginary worlds in her mind. As an author, she now shares these worlds with her readers.

Born and raised in Australia, she now resides in Berlin, Germany. She is mixed race, being half-Filipino and part Welsh. She is a traveller, potter, gym enthusiast, nature and animal lover, an avid consumer of stories, and now, a writer.

Gigi writes mm fantasy romance. Her debut series is A Naiad Romance.

Reviews

[Drusilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very, very simple story. And extremely sweet. Edwin is hurt and bullied and incredibly lonely. Oh, that hurt.
But he has a wonderful soul, and I really like his enthusiasm for plants... Plants are just better than people ☺️
Sinoe is absolutely perfect for him, even if the two of them act a little silly at first. It was lovely to see how they grew closer.

Her letters weren’t getting lost. She just hadn’t written to him in months. But then, what use did she have for a son who didn’t fit into the city? A son who suited the dull, boring village that she hated? 🥺🌳🥺

Sinoe reached out his hand and tucked an errant strand of Edwin’s hair behind his ear. He then pulled Edwin’s woollen cap down a little further. For a second, Edwin could almost swear that he saw desire in Sinoe’s eyes. 🫠🌳🫠

They lay wrapped in each other, Sinoe still buried inside Edwin. Harsh breaths filled the room. Edwin was covered in semen and sweat. Sinoe was starting to get heavy. Still, Edwin never wanted to move. He never wanted this moment to end. ☺️🌳☺️

So, I think this would work as a standalone, but you'll understand it better if you've read the first book, even though the history of humans and nymphs is retold here.

[Vanessa GLP · Rating 3 out of 5]

Way more cute than the first one🥰

[Hanna W · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*ARC Review*

Yessss I had the chance to read an ARC of the second book of the nymph solstice Romance series.
And I liked it nearly as much as the first. 🥳
The story is rather short and light but the author still managed to covey everything.
The characters were great written. I really adored Edwin and felt with him. Not going to lie I actually cried a little. But that just shows what a good writing style the author has.

I thought the ending could have been a little more elaborated but nevertheless I really enjoyed this book.
Can’t wait to read the next one!

[I received an digital arc and this is my honest opinion]

[❀ Jess ( Semi hiatus ) · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️
What a sad turn of events.

This is the 5th story I’ve read from this author.
I started with A Winter Courtship and fell in love with this little fantasy world of humans coexisting with nymphs and the winter solstice festivities/traditions.

The writing was simplistic but it didn’t take away from the cuteness so of course I was hooked and it became my new obsession.

As one does with new obsessions-I quickly wanted to read this author’s backlog, cos I started at book 4 🙄

So I’ve read the Naiad Romance Books 1&2
Nymph Solstice Romance 1,2 & 4.
. . .

This one seemed the most up my alley from the blurb, a shy botanist with self esteem issues and a gentle mountain nymph who admired him.

Unfortunately this one was told in Edwin’s POV only and I’m sure that contributed to how repetitive this felt.

Now, I’m not someone who expects a lot from novellas but this one just fell so flat. I wanted SInoe’s POV, he seemed so interesting, being a healer! I wanted better pacing for their feelings, bah 😭

This was the first story out of all the ones I have read that didn’t have a 3rd act breakup, it’s also the first to be done in singular POV.

I liked;
Spice came later on in the story.
Sinoe.
Talks about plants.

Disliked;
Singular POV.
Pacing.
Edwin’s repetitive thoughts.
Cruel characters just for the sake of being cruel and no one putting them in their place
. . .
Although this one wasn’t a hit for me I’ll probably continue to read the rest because it a low-stakes cozy world where I know what I’m in for and that’s comforting.


Please excuse my spelling and grammar mistakes, I never claimed to be good at writing reviews, they are just my stream of thoughts after reading a story. My ratings always reflect my enjoyment of the story. Just because it aligns or doesn’t align with my tastes does not mean it’ll be the same for you. Try reading it for yourself ! ❀

[~David~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was even sweeter than the last one! Slowburn with a touch of hurt/comfort and a heavier focus on building up to a romance rather than spice.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3.75 stars

A Winter Admirer is the second book in Gigi Rivers’ A Nymph Solstice Romance series. The books are shorter and take place in a small mountain village that nymphs share with humans. Edwin is introduced briefly in the first book, but his story does stand on its own. However, for full continuity, you could start with A Winter Romance.

The flow of this book is much like the first in the series with a human and nymph sparking together, but then not knowing how to move further along. The setting of these books is great, the overall idea is intriguing, and while I would like a little more polish to the heart of the story, I do look forward to returning to the village for at least one more winter solstice love story.

Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.

[Jacquie Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Winter Admirer is another sweet offering in the Nymph Solstice series. Slow burn with elements of hurt/comfort, it's an easy read that made me smile.
Each of these shorter reads are interconnected but can be read as standalones but I think you'd miss out in not reading the first one.
Edwin is a botanist and studies the forest. He's lonely and had been rejected before. The previous object of his affections is cruel to him. Then he meets Sinoe.
They take the time to get to know each other, Edwin not trusting that Sinoe could care for him.
Sweet HEA ending

[Janet Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Winter Admirer is the second novella in the A Nymph Solstice Romance series. Edwin is a botanist and is studying the forest. He meets Sinoe. Sinoe likes him, but Edwin has trouble accepting someone likes him. He’s been treated horribly in the past. I recently found this author and everything I’ve read, I’ve adored. A Winter Admirer left me smiling, it was a sweet, slow burn read. Overall, a fantastic addition to the series. Well written with pacing that hooked me.

[Fay MMBookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great story for the winter nymphs series with Edwin and Sinoe’s romance.

A good start as Edwin finally recives a letter from his parents he’d been waiting for after months.
There’s some mean old bullies in this who pick on Edwin that need a bit of their own medicine I think.
Edwin is lonely and only had his botany work with the forrest to keep him occupied along with Snowflake 🐇. Thats until he meets Sinoe, a mountain nymph and its clear Sinoe likes Edwin.
Poor Edwin he’d had a rough time in the romance department and didn’t trust what was happening between them.
Scenes progress with doubts of the relationship developing for Edwin.
A good ending for their story with an HEA. Mainly told with Edwin POVs, sexy scenes and adventures into the forest not the meantion more yummy solstice foods.

[Flick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edwin and Sinoe were so sweet together!

I am loving this series. I love the history to Ores and the relationship humans and Oreads had and hopefully will start to rekindle. Edwin was such a sweet character who had been poorly treated by a lot of people. I did wonder though whether he had more supporters than he realised. So often he was so hard on himself, taking what bullies said as truth and internalising their taunts that he couldn’t see that people did care and support him. Sinoe was adorable. I loved how gentle he was with Edwin and how patiently and steadily he showed his love and care. I can’t wait for the next book and I’m hoping there will be even more to come after that!

[Latecia Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

AWWWWWW...This slow burn romance was so sweet. I enjoyed Edwin and Sinoe journey through friendship and to lovers. Both had some insecurities but once they spoke their truth things just worked out perfectly...so sweet. I like how the first story intertwined with this one...hated those bullies which could have put a damper on their romance but just made their relationship stronger. This Winter Solstice are bringing lovers together...can't wait to see what's next.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[SophiaH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but surprisingly sweet and had me in tears at times. This story really got to me. I think everybody knows at least one person who has succeeded or at least tried to play mind games with you. Those people are despicable. I was wondering why nobody in this close nit community ever aid something about this couple tormenting poor Edwin but I suppose they were clever and usually only ever made fun of him where nobody saw. But also, then we wouldn't have this beautiful moment at the end. It was so sweet how they courted each other, and while I'm NOT a fan of miscommunication in this case it would actually make sense, especially if you were tormented for opening up one time. And aren't we all hesitant and not quick to speak when it comes to matters of the heart that could possible hurt or humiliate us?

I loved the couple taking their time with one another, building trust and get to know each other and those small hints and acts that showed that they listened and cared.

[Demetra Roussakis · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sweet sweet story. Told in Edwin’s point of view, it tells the story of meeting Sinoe, a mountain nymph , and how they connected. Edwin is a botanist who moved back from Bordertown to be closer to the mountains. Sinoe is a healer in his village. They spend time together walking through the forest and getting closer. Loved it and looking forward to the next one.

I received a copy of this book for my review.

[Rach Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow burn fluffy romance

I loved Edwin and Sinoe - what a cute little coupling. I love that Sinoe valued Edwin’s enthusiasm for plants and nature and that they shared that love together. I also loved the reappearance of solstice gifts from the previous book and how the gift was personalised for Edwin - so cute!

[P Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edwin was so sweet. I couldn’t stop smiling when he got all flustered and nervous around Sinoe. These two guys were cute tippy toeing around each other.

I really enjoyed this one - these two guys stole my heart.

*I voluntarily read this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else's*

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Edwin felt so alone for so long that when Sinoe showed up in his life he never knew how to feel about it. He was rejected and then bullied for years that his self-worth took a major hit, then his family basically left him behind and forgot about him. Sinoe has to show Edwin that he is important and precious. It's a short and sweet read as these two fumble around trying to interpret each others feelings for each other.

Verse: Yes
HEA: Yes

[DMCechak · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Did you know that oreads believe mistletoe is a symbol of fertility and virility?” “Really?” Sinoe stepped closer until he stood only a breath away. “It is why it is a custom to kiss beneath the mistletoe.”

Such sweet, sweet words that will have your heart beating merrily, as human Edwin and mountain nymph Sinoe find that together, they can heal the hurts that each have fostered longer than needed.

Gig Rivers’ second book, in her Nymph Solstice Romance series, A Winter Admirer, brings two hurting hearts, each with a dream of finding that one soul to complete their own, together to create a beautifully romantic tale. When a series of secret admirer Solstice gifts find their way to Edwin’s doorstep, the coldness in his heart starts to imagine that his dream of finding love may actually happen.

[Sharon L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow burn...

This is book 2 in a new series, A Nymph Solstice Romance, by Gigi Rivers. This is the second book I've read in this series and it was also a quick, sweet read like the first one.

This book had a lot slower pace and was a bit sad in a couple of places, that actually brought tears to my eyes. This story was definitely a slow burn. I had started to worry that these two characters were never going to get together.

There is a cameo appearance by the two main characters from book one, I would definitely have enjoyed more of them within this tail.

Possible trigger for some readers was some bullying of one the main characters who also suffers with low self esteem.

All in all, it was a great addition to this series.

[Katriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading about Edwin and Sinoe's story, watching Edwin slowly accept that Sinoe actually liked him was so endearing to me. My heart hurt for him and all he went through, I hate how his family treated him and how some of the people in his village (you know who I'm talking about) were so rude! They were so unkind to him.
I enjoyed reading about another species in this book, we got to learn more about oreads.

I also enjoyed reading about him being so passionate about plants and finding someone who loves those topics as much as he did. I'm really looking forward to reading the next book!

I highly recommend this series. I suggest starting with the first book but this can be read as a standalone.

[Angi · Rating 3 out of 5]

After loving the first book in this series this had me a little disappointed. First of the village wasn’t portrayed as wholesome as it was in the first book. Which made me a little sad. Also I didn’t knew that most Oreds actually don’t live in the village but in a valley, which I am also not the biggest fan of.
However the main reason I didn’t like this nearly as much as book one is that the two mcs didn’t really talk with each other. If they just really had a talk about what they think there would’ve have been any misunderstandings and they could have been together SO much sooner.
Therefore the story felt unnecessarily dragged out and I just didn’t enjoy it as much. I do however still have high hopes for the next book and definitely want to read that.

[SJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5. This was good, but not as good as the first book. I kept expecting a dual POV, but the story is told through Edwin. He and Sinoe did not communicate like Aryn and Sero in the previous story. Edwin’s non existent self esteem led to some misunderstanding between these MCs. This dragged on a bit too long along with the constant ridicule and harassment of Edwin from a village couple. I kept waiting for someone to call them on it and no one did. The strength of the writing is in the growing relationship of the human Edwin and the mountain nymph Sinoe, along with the detailed winter nature scenes. They were careful and gentle with each other and eventually the misunderstandings were settled for a nice HEA.

[Trish Skywalker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edwin has been living by himself in his cozy cabin, studying plants and their uses. His family is in the big city, but Edwin never felt at home there. But the cold winter nights do get lonely, and after his family left and he was rejected by the man who he admired, Edwin can’t imagine anyone returning his affection.
Then he meets Sinoe, a beautiful mountain nymph who he’s instantly attracted to. Not knowing if Sinoe feels the same way, Edwin is guarded about his feelings. He’s grateful just to have this wonderful nymph as his friend.
As they spend more time together, Edwin’s feelings grow but he remains scared of rejection. But Sinoe is willing to put in the work to woo this adorable botanist.

[Likes2Explore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect short MM Romance read for Winter Solstice :)

I won this book as a prize from a contest. I was able to choose 1 of the book of this series and the blurb of this one spoke to me the most. I am a shy nature girl myself so I related to Edwin's character. I also loved that this takes place during Winter Solstice.

If you are looking for a seasonal story that is not Christmas based than this might catch your fancy.

This is a sweet short read. The Romance builds up with a HEA.

Oh and sign up for the newsletter and you will receive a lovely epilogue along with all the author's other bonus material :)

[Angela Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this was my first Gigi Rivers book so it was fun to reread it when I got more of the series. Sweet, shy Edwin doesn’t fit in with his family and has a lot of self doubt due to some guys in the village tearing him down constantly. So when he sees what could possibly be gifts from a secret admirer he is really unsure it’s true. And poor Sinoe. He gets such contradicting reactions from Edwin as he is trying to show how much he likes him. Now some of the misunderstandings are from different cultures ways of showing interest, and some comes from Edwin’s doubts. But they eventually figure things out and I loved how much they accept each other. Love them.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edwin and Sinoe meet by chance in the forest near Edwin’s village, but it’s the start of something magical for both of them.

As someone who struggles with confidence and is often alone I saw myself in Edwin and empathized with how ostracized he felt within his village and even his own family.

Sinoe was so incredibly sweet and patient with Edwin, coaxing him into seeing that he was worth it all along.

Super cute, quick read, with a well thought out story and a relatable protagonist - can’t wait to read the next story in the series.

[K-Me · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am huge fan of the way Gigi writes her fantasy romances! She fits character development and vivid imagery into perfectly paced novellas! This one in particular was an especially cute and touching romance. Edwin feels like there is nothing special about him or his life and he is so insecure. Sinoe is so shy and slowly tries to win Edwin's heart and trust. I cried some happy tears as they formed a bond. Seeing the way Sinoe cared for Edwin and watching Edwin open up and accept it made my heart happy!

[Nina Diab · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! This series has such beauty and charm to it that I can't get enough of them! I loved the first one, but I love this one even more. Sinoe and Edwin were so sweet together, though both were unsure of themselves in regards to the other, and could otherwise have been together sooner. The entire story is told from Edwin's point of view, so his loneliness, insecurities, and demons stain his interactions, but I thought he was so sweet- I wanted to wrap him up tight- or was waiting for Sinoe to do so. I couldn't put it down. 5 stars.

[Maria771 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Edwin and Sinoe. It is the 2nd book in the A Nymph Solstice Romance series. Please read the trigger warnings. The more books I read by Gigi Rivers, the more I love these books. I absolutely love Edwin and Sinoe. It is a beautifully written slow burn love story. I love the sweetness and gentleness between the two of them. You are taken on a wonderful journey with these books and I can't wait to see what is next. Definitely recommended.

I received this book as an Arc and I am happily reviewing it voluntarily.

[Valorraine Dattan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Gigi Rivers' Niad books, and I am so thrilled to read about oreads now! I love the world she has built, and her characters. Edwin and Sinoe feel so realistic, with understandable quirks, fears, joys, and desires. Sinoe is so compassionate and patient with Edwin while he deals with his insecurities, and they navigate their cultural differences with respect. I really enjoyed their love story, and Edwin becoming a stronger person with Sinoe's nurturing affection and understanding. I will 100% be revisiting these books in the future!

[Patdbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

a warm beautiful Christmas tale, like the hit chocolate

Another beautiful Christmas treat from Gigi Rivers. its a story set in a magical world filled with hope. Edwin the botanist loner in the village feels do worthless after a love rejection and in essence being abandoned by his family. he believes he us not worth anything. that is until Sinoe, the nymph appears on the scene. it's not plain sailing for both men but through to the nature if this sweet book there is a Hit HEA. Read it and enjoy.