Winter Longing by Tricia Mills - Review

Synopsis via goodreads -

A plane crash in Alaska takes Winter’s first love away forever . . .

When Winter’s boyfriend is killed in a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness, she’s robbed of the future she’d only just allowed herself to believe might be hers. Winter and Spencer had been destined for one
another. And after his death, Spencer’s presence continues to haunt her.

But when her next-door neighbor becomes an unlikely friend, Winter begins to accept all that she can’t change. Can she open herself to a new future . . . and a possible new love?

What can I say? What can I offer you my valued readers to convince you that this is one book that you MUST pick up? Winter Longing offers remarkably real characters, with a beautiful love story...but it's so much more than that.

Winter Longing looks at grief, and what it must be like to be a teen just about to embark on, what can only be described as, the love of a life time, only to have that love tragically taken, the night after it's first declared. Winter is a senior in high school, with 2 best friends, (Spencer and Lindsay) whom she has loved since 2nd grade. They are "the trio" – always together, always joking, always having fun the way best friends do.

It isn't until Winter gets up the courage, to ask Spencer to a dance at school "The Snow Ball," that she also reveals her feelings for him. Spencer is elated, and Winter discovers that it's not only her who's been harboring a secret crush – Spencer's just been waiting for her to admit it!

Sadly, the next day Winter's world turns upside down when Spencer is lost to her forever... The grief that takes over Winter's life, is exactly as one might expect. She's devastated, questioning, scared but most of all a feeling of great sense of loss taking over her life, after all she not only lost a boy friend, she's also lost one of her best friends. She goes though the motions of the day's, seeks comfort in the worn away messages Spencer left in books they had loved, together. All the while trying to make herself believe it's true.

Enter Jesse, a "popular" boy whom Winter has never been close to, and certainly never been friends with. The most contact Winter has ever had with him is in the occasional meal her family shared with his, or the occasional run-in at the mailbox. But when he starts to take an interest in Winter, a friendship grows. Jesse offers her a chance to be real, but not judged – he gently pushes her to move on, but never expects more than she can give.

Winter grapples with her doubts, and struggles with her feelings – can she possibly let someone else into her life again, is love really worth such a huge risk?

Tricia Mills offers a powerful story of first loves, loss, coming of age and friendship with Winter Longing – which I can only say was spectacular!

I was not sure what to expect – though I figured it would be about love and loss – I never imagined I would feel as I did, connect with the characters the way I did. Tricia, melded words into strong characters, real situations with poignant thoughts and dramatic flash backs, which drew me into the story all the more. I was drawn to finish, craving the ending more than I craved food – but never wanting it to end, never wanting to see the last word on the last page, because somehow I felt like the spell that Tricia had created would suddenly end, and I would not be ready.

However, I was wrong, the ending was perfect...just the way the rest of the book had been, though I do wish I could venture back into the story again – I feel content with the ending, which brought a smile to my face and a confidence to my spirit that love really might just be what can concur all! Even if you have to brave heartbreak to get there, first.

Bottom Line – I laughed (yes I LAUGHED!), I cried, and most of all I rooted for Winter! This book carries with it a beautiful story, one I am honored to give 5++ mushrooms to. If Winter Longing is any indication of the talent that Tricia Mills has to offer the world, all I can say is that she better be ready for an amazing ride to the top of the pile! I surely will be picking up anything else she writes, and have already ordered Tricia's other book, Heartbreak River. All I can say now is that I can not wait till August gets here so this book can make it's way to my favorites shelf!