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

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

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

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

I really really enjoyed reading this and I'll definitely keep an eye out for Isabelle Adler's work. I really loved her characters in this book and her writing! ( )

This is a murder mystery taking place in small town Vermont in the middle of winter. Declan, a well-known but declining writer running from NYC to try to get his next best seller out, is a bit of a snob. He spent his summers with his family at this cabin but now that both his parents have passed, the cabin is left to him and his sister and is Declan's last place to go with his money and fame running low.
Declan wasn't a character I really cared for and couldn't relate with. The central relationship was also a bit of an insta-romance with a small town cop-not-cop (with the writer jumping on recent anti-police rhetoric that hardly felt realistic for a small Vermont town). I found myself much more interested in solving the murder and felt Declan's self-insert into the investigation and the town's business was more annoying than helpful. I think Adler was going for a "Castle" (the TV show) type set-up but it fell flat.
There's also no more than a few stolen kisses in the entire book which made Declan's constant knobslobbering frustrating in the end.
This book might be interesting to readers just dipping their toe into M/M and interested in murder mystery plots, but those looking for a more intense experience will be disappointed. ( )

dnf @53%
I tried and tried but It just couldn't hold my attention. Boring and too obvious small town mystery. I didn't care about the MC and his subtle pining after the town's deputy. :/