Snow, steam, and a second chance.Reluctant socialite Kai has thirty-five days before his family starts shooting the next season of their reality TV show, revealing a life he’d rather keep private—and one that feels increasingly scripted. Desperately needing a break, Kai escapes to his childhood best friend Hiro Asada’s inn in rural Japan. He finds peace in the thousand-year-old hot springs, but … springs, but his yearning for Hiro resurfaces at the worst time: Hiro is about to inherit the inn, and his parents expect him to marry within the year.
Hiro’s traditional family loves him for who he is, but they can’t imagine two men running the inn. Meanwhile, Kai has a TV contract his lawyer insists can’t be broken. Hiro and Kai need to think outside the box—and solve their problems before Christmas Day, when Kai’s show shoots its annual holiday special.
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I really think was a 4.5stars for me. The difference in the culture was a big plus that kept me intrigued and engrossed in Hiro and Kai’s story. The storyline was was beautiful and brilliantly written. I give the author praise for making understand the cultural differences and issues that had been holding these two back and apart. The characters themselves had great depth but also a light playfulness that came across in their interactions. This was a great read, and I cant wait for more from this author.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Deeply unsatisfied with his life but feeling immense guilt for his dissatisfaction, Kai seeks escape. It’s a good thing his best friend is exactly what his soul needs to find peace and rest. But Hiro isn’t just his best friend, he’s also the love of his life. For one month he can hold his attraction at bay to find solace, right? Well when that solace combines with finding the place your home was always meant to be, all that’s left is for his love to be returned. Good thing Hiro has a couple secrets of his own to share.
These men. Seriously. They were adorable together with a friendship that was so very real, so very warm. I loved that their evolution was slower with less sexy time in the beginning and middle because the important part of the story was the relationship, but more than that, it was coming to terms with what their individual happiness looked like. Kai needed to find within himself the stability and love necessary to accept what was on offer from the Asada family. Hiro needed to stop being resentful of his family and appreciate what Kai was doing for him and to find his own solutions to his romantic dilemma.
It certainly helped that Obaa-chan was the freaking amazing woman she is because she pretty much paved the path for their forever happiness. Her story was a little bit of a side story yet immensely important to Kai and Hiro’s fate. I loved her so hard right from the very start. She was the star of the story for me.
The exact right person made the big romantic overtures. If it was someone else it wouldn’t have felt as real as it turned out. Each character played their role, but sometimes when authors create a slightly more dominant partner whether in attitude, higher self-confidence, or more self-assured, it follows that they would be the ones instigating the big things, the big changes that direct the relationship. While that was a little present here, it flipped by the end so the person who needed to do the asking was the one who did it. It was adorably sweet and absolutely perfect for the couple. I don’t know if I could have loved their moment more than I did.
The epilogue was presented in a bit of a unique way and I have to say that it was an interesting way to go about it. It fit even though it wasn’t all sappiness or steam. The drama that provided the main conflict was addressed in an organic way, that it wasn’t too simple nor to complex, and that the solution fit the overall feel of the story. There weren’t any extra bits of drama added in to make things more intense and nothing else was thrown in that could have detracted from the story. Overall I was happy to have loved this story. It’s definitely going on my re-read shelf.
What a beautiful story! Kai and Hiro have been best friends forever, but have been secretly attracted to each other. It’s been a long journey for them and they are perfect together. Wonderful characters and a beautiful story. You will not be disappointed reading.
An excellent debut novel. This had an excellent sense of place (I want to visit an inn like that), and the most perfect couple who you couldn’t help but root for.
It was charming and sweet and a little heartbreaking at times.
I will definitely look out for more by this author.
Highly recommended
Kai hates his life in front of “reality” cameras that follow him and his mom around for their reality show. He’s been carrying a torch for his childhood bestie forever, so when he figures out a way to escape the cameras, he heads straight to Japan where Hiro runs a traditional Japanese inn. Hiro’s straight, though, and expected by his parents to marry a woman who will help him run the family business. Except is he really straight? Perhaps he and Kai are more alike than Kai had realized.
I loved The Winter Quarters! Kai and Hiro are such a wonderful couple and I loved watching them navigate the waters of tradition, an evolving friendship, and falling in love. I will be on the lookout for much more from this author now.
The chemistry between Kai and Hiro was undeniable and pulled me right into the book from page one. I read this in one sitting and couldn’t put it down. The setting was gorgeous and the family fun, but I just had to know how Kai and Hiro’s love would unfold.
I’ll admit – it initially gave me strong Yuri on Ice vibes, but that’s only because of the Japanese inn. So really it’s completely different!
I highly recommend this book. In my opinion, it’s a classic romance. A little angsty, a lot of longing, unconditional love, and hot hot hot chemistry. (Bonus: the dirty talk! It did not disappoint.) After reading so many books set in the US, England and Australia, it was nice to read about a different country and it’s culture.
I think this is a stand-alone, but it would be a fantastic start to a series all about Kai and Hiro! I’d love to see more of their life as a happily married couple.
I highly recommend this! I’m not always a fan of the type of angst in the book, but this book was so well written and the chemistry is there from the start, so I didn’t mind it at all!
This book was so sweet and made me feel so good!
Kai and Hiro have been friends for allof their lives and secretly in love with each others for many years. Their life circumstances seem to conspire against them being together, but true love always wins. There are some moments in the book that are as over the top as you may expect from Kai’s reality show.
This was a huge cultural shock for me: I have always been fascinated by Japanese culture, but I don’t know much about it, so I had to look up many terms, but I really loved it!
Amazing! That’s the only word coming to mind. From the very first pages, the tension and all emotions between Kai and Hiro were so close to the surface, it was ming boggling.
The story placed in beautiful surroundings, which author has presented perfectly without overwhelming the book with long descriptions. You get the feel of the land but the main focus is on the MCs. And what a focus it is! Loved the feelings, loved the ups and downs!
The Winter Quarters by Anna Veriani is a contemporary holiday m/m romance that has me feeling all these feels. Two friends who discover a mutual love burns between them, face the obstacles that come when your true love lives such a drastically different life so far from you. Can their lives merge? what sacrifices will they make? Watching them worry, fight, lose faith, grasp hope…. I felt them, felt for them. Kai and Hiro are beautiful together and I needed them to get to a Happily Ever After. This story had drama, emotion, suspense and love.