A WARM HEART IN WINTER is a holiday novel by J.R. Ward set in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world and is a charming and relatively quick peek at Blay and Quin's mating ceremony.

I adore Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood books! Blessed with a plethora of snarky dialogue and highly entertaining descriptions, this series is stuffed chock full of reading goodness. It’s still a little disorienting to me that the evil the BDB has been fighting for decades (and for most of the series) has shifted from the Lessers, but the brothers remain just as badass as they have always been. Their elite fighting force is so competently yummy to immerse myself in. I do love me some great competence porn.

Quinn and Blay have survived so many challenges to become a strong mated couple, but Ward, in her classic fashion, once again heaps tragedies on their heads. Quinn and Blay must figure out how to rely on each other as well as their family and friends to get through their current challenges. I always appreciate how Ward surrounds each couple with such stellar demonstrations of care and support.  The payoff at the end of this series of disasters is the culmination of Blay and Quinn’s relationship in the cherished mating ceremony.  And oooooh, is it satisfactory to watch them get there. Ward always makes her characters work for their Happily Ever After, and A WARM HEART IN WINTER is no exception, but I finished this book with a happy smile on my face.