This year I decided to clear out my unread shelf, full of holiday romances I never got around to. I’m so glad I picked up Season of Love and gave it a chance, even though my last holiday read left me wanting more. My usual tastes tend to lean away from the pure fluff of many holiday reads, but Helena Greer has perfectly blended the lightness of a winter romance with a heavier grief. As much as Season of Love is about Miriam Blum’s ability to find love (both romantic and platonic) in the shadow of a negative relationship with her father, the tale is equally about grief and overcoming coping mechanisms that don’t quite work anymore.
The best part of Season of Love was the characterization. Each character felt real, with their own desires and flaws. I specifically appreciated Noelle’s intricacies. Instead of falling into the trap of a perfect love interest, Greer crafted one who had her share of difficulties in a character who still felt worthy of a romance novel. Both Noelle and Miriam make their share of mistakes and judgements in a time of emotional turmoil, yet care enough to apologize and change behavior. Greer encapsulated the reality of a real, adult relationship.
As in a real, adult relationship, Miriam is attracted to Noelle and isn’t shy about it. I greatly enjoyed the celebration of other body types. Noelle is a hot, fat butch and Miriam is into her because of it instead of despite it. Greer’s treatment of Noelle as a love interest was refreshing. There wasn’t even a hint of body shaming anywhere, from either perspective. I want more. More hot fat sapphics please!
Although Miriam and Noelle are up front and vocal about their attraction to one another (and all the dirty things they want to do to each other), this is a fade-to-black romance. I didn’t mind the emphasis of growing a healthy relationship over spice, but I do feel that I missed some of the yearning. Since Season of Love is a dual POV novel, readers miss out on the longing between the characters, the wondering whether the love interest is as equally invested as the main character. This is my favorite part of a romance, so I felt a little let down in that aspect. I see what Greer meant to do, bring life to Noelle’s inner life, but I couldn’t help but feel a bit bored when it was her turn to narrate a chapter. Not to mention, she kept referring to Miriam as a tiny elf, which I didn’t vibe with as a nickname. Thankfully, Noelle only narrates a few times, but I found myself skimming through her chapters to get through them faster. I would’ve preferred a single POV for this story.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked this book. I would absolutely read another Helena Greer novel, and might even decide to pick up the two companion pieces to Season of Love next. Stay cozy, everyone!
Trigger warnings for alcoholism, death of a loved one, emotional abuse (mentioned)
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