sweet, short novella about a woman and her best friend’s brother getting snowed in together near Christmas.

I liked the setting for this book, the snowy mountains, and the growth the main character has in the relationship with her parents and career.

The pacing of the romance itself was too fast for me, and underdeveloped change from antagonistic to being in love- especially given the time frame and on page interactions.

Overall I’d give this a 2.5/3stars, and would recommend to someone looking for a sweet and quick wintry novella.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc.

Elena, a newly graduated resident, wants a relaxing break after finishing her training but unexpectedly falls for Nate, her best friend’s older brother. Nate is the easygoing owner of a lodge and is very different from her serious, work-focused personality. When they get snowed in together, Nate shows her how to enjoy life and the holiday spirit. As they spend time together, they feel a surprising connection, making her wonder if she can choose love over her career goals.

Great storyline but sadly not very well written, which is a shame.

I shall be sharing my review across other sites in the coming days

Read if you like: clean sweet holiday romance, best friends brother, forced proximity, snowed in, opposites attract, one cabin, enemies to lovers

Nate and Elaina are very different people. While Nate is described as charming, fun and adventurous, I didn’t actually see any of that. He didn’t seem charming or fun when he was constantly calling Elaina names (real mature 🙄) and always had an issue with her.

I felt that both MCs were undeveloped, they lacked depth and their dialogue was super simplistic. They went from 0 to 100 with their hostility to friendliness and it just wasn’t believable at all.

While the premise is cute, the book was a miss for me. I just wasn’t enjoying the writing or dialogue but I think if you like the tropes maybe give this book a go.

Elaina had just finished her residency and needed a place to relax to make a decision about what she wanted to do, work in a hospital, doctors without borders or the new edge medical emergency building. Her best friend Luna offered her a place to go to a ski resort owned by her brother. He and Elaina never got along. Luna ended up sending her to the family cabin. She got there in a blizzard where Nate ended up picking her up out of the snow. They were snowed in together and they got a long surprisingly well. Did some happen between them? Elaina learned a lot of things about winter activities and really enjoyed herself. They were finally able to to make it to the lodge but continued to stay in the cabin. She finally found the time to make a decision and you might be surprised what she decided. THIS IS A VERY GOOD CHRISTMAS READ

This is an easy, cozy and light hearted read perfect for reading during the long winter nights. This is a cute romance read but predictable and lacks depth and detail, in my opinion it was too short. I liked the style of the writing but would have enjoyed more romance throughout the book rather than just at the end.

Finding Me In The Storm is by a new-to-me author, Hazel Belle. It jumps right into the story of Elaina lost in the snow, thinking she is going to a resort when she is actually going to her best friend’s brother’s cabin. It was easy to see before the first chapter ended that some matchmaking was happening with neither of the characters having any idea. As for the characters, I liked Nate more than Elaina at the beginning. The dialogue is witty and sassy for most of the story, but the beginning has a bit of snark to it. However, I wouldn’t be in the best frame of mind either if dragging a suitcase deep in snow.

A clean small town (stuck in a cabin for a while) romance that was entertaining, funny at times and romantic. A great read for when you want to experience snow, but none is to be found. However, I am still wondering why Elaine didn’t check the weather before starting out on this adventure. Still, it wouldn’t have turned out as it did if she had.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for providing an advanced digital copy.

Finding Me In The Storm is a short, best friend's brother and forced-proximity romance set in a snowed-in ski lodge. The premise was right up my alley, but unfortunately, it fell short.

The quick transition from hostility to friendliness soon after Elaina's arrival at the lodge felt too rushed. For characters with a long-standing mutual distaste for each other, the shift in tone, from snarky remarks to a more friendly dynamic, happened within hours, which felt unrealistic and abrupt.

I also found that the story lacked the depth and detail that could have enriched the characters and plot. Despite these shortcomings, it's still a charming, light Christmas read. If you're a fan of meddling best friends, forced proximity, and snowy adventures, this sweet holiday romance is worth checking out!

this is a cute, lovely, quick read! I added both the characters and their enemies to lovers story over a couple days stranded together in a storm. I just love this trope and found this story so lovely and comforting! perfect for a cool dad winter night looking food a comforting, cozy story!

thank you for the free arc !

Hazel Belle, can we meet for hot cocoa, and talk about how incredibly adorable this book is?!? I absolutely loved the setting- the most perfect winter wonderland, and the most darling main characters. Their journey together was just pulling all the heartstrings. This book needs to be on everyones TBR for this winter. Wonderfully done!

At the start, the dialogue was really rough. It needed a good edit as it was stilted and unnatural. Luckily if you give it a bit, things improved significantly. A nice story and the dialogue became much more natural.

Finding Me in the Storm sets up an intriguing forced-proximity romance with a promising setup: snowed in with your best friend’s brother. The premise delivers on its tension with fast-paced events and the potential for a slow-burn romance, but unfortunately, it falls short in several key areas.

The biggest issue I had was the lack of depth. The story never fully explores the complex emotions and dynamics that arise from being stuck together in a storm. It felt like the plot was moving too quickly without giving the characters enough time to develop in a meaningful way. There were some emotional moments, but they didn't quite scratch the surface or feel earned.

The abrupt shift from hostility to friendly banter within an hour felt unrealistic, making it hard to invest in the relationship’s evolution. For a slow-burn romance, the connection lacked the steady build-up I was hoping for.

Lastly, the main character faces a major career decision with a 24-hour deadline, yet remains at the cabin for another 48 hours without resolving this critical plot point. It left me feeling like the story was dangling in unfinished territory.

While the setting and forced proximity trope had potential, Finding Me in the Storm ultimately left me disappointed, with missed opportunities for emotional depth and character development.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The storyline of this novel was entertaining, but the writing style was not a match for me. The description (“a clean, sweet romance”) caught my attention, and it did deliver as advertised. However, the relationship between the 28-year-old doctor and the businessman ten years her senior felt more a kin to a YA novel than adult fiction. The dialogue was simplistic and often described as “teasing,” evoking “giggles” from the protagonists. Overall, I could not get past the unrealistic portrayals of the main characters.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

If you're looking for a cozy, feel-good holiday romance, this book is exactly what you need! Nate and Elaina’s story is the perfect blend of Christmas magic, best friend's brother, and sweet romance. I loved the whole shared home situation they got thrown into —so many cute, heart-fluttering, love inducing moments! Their romance moves fast but in the best way possible, making it a quick read that will warm your heart without any spicy distractions. It’s just straight-up romance with all the holiday charm and a happily ever after that will leave you smiling. It's definitely one to snuggle up with during the winter season!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to receive an ARC.

I really liked this fun and comfy cozy read! It was so cute and perfect to read on a cold snowy day, cuddled up in blankets sipping hot coco. I loved the descriptive writing of the author, and how likeable the characters were. I enjoyed this a lot!



Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!