WHERE WINTER FINDS YOU is a Christmas-themed story set in J.R. Ward’s “Black Dagger Brotherhood” world of vampires. Although it’s about paranormal beings, WHERE WINTER FINDS YOU is very much so a classic Christmas story about family, hope, second chances, and true love. WHERE WINTER FINDS YOU is a long-awaited follow-up to J.R. Ward’s previous book THE SHADOWS. In THE SHADOWS, vampire Trez Latimer finds love, experiences true joy briefly, and then loses it when his mate Selena dies. The sense of tragedy and anguish was extremely palpable for fans of the “Black Dagger Brotherhood” series, and this book comes as a balm to the soul of fans who were disquieted after reading THE SHADOWS.

At the opening of this story, Trez is at a colossal low point in his life. His grief has left him stuck in a seemingly endless depression, and on the brink of suicide. Finding Therese working at the restaurant he and his brother own is like a Christmas miracle. I like that J.R. Ward makes things a little more complicated than that. Whenever I’ve read a story about reincarnation or soul-swapping, the more fascinating ones leave the main characters in a bit of an ethical dilemma. Finding Therese rejuvenates Trez and gives meaning to his life again, but what if Therese isn’t actually his former mate reincarnated? And, even if she is, what about Therese and her autonomy? Does Trez love Therese for who she is, or simply because he believes her to be Selena reincarnated? These questions are thought provoking and lead to an intriguing story of love that was lost and then found.

WHERE WINTER FINDS YOU is an intriguing Christmas tale about haunted souls, angels, and true love’s survival. I loved the philosophical element to this love story and the heroine. Therese is a multifaceted and realistically flawed yet likable character who stands up for herself. J.R. Ward does a good job of balancing the romantic fantasy with the drama and great storytelling. I eagerly await J.R. Ward’s next book.