Whiteout by Gracie Williams 
Genres: Dark Romance, Erotic, Mystery, ThrillerAfter being blindsided with a divorce, Ivy Anderson plans a Christmas getaway far away from reminders of her past. As the host of a popular murder mystery podcast, she throws herself into her work as a distraction. Intrigued by the tales of the haunting Christmas legends of Hemlock Hollow and their possible connection to a string of missing women, Ivy sets out to uncover the secrets hidden in the secluded mountain town. But as the secrets unravel, she realizes that some legends may hold more truth than she ever imagined.
When Ivy finds herself stranded in a blizzard, her salvation comes in the form of Kris Kincaid, a rugged local with deep roots in the very secrets Ivy seeks to uncover. As the storm rages outside, their chemistry ignites, drawing them into a dangerous dance woven with desire and dark secrets. But as Ivy delves deeper into Kris’s world- one teetering on the edge between myth and madness- she must confront the unsettling truth that the legends of Hemlock Hollow may be more real than she ever dared to believe.
This book is just what I wanted.
I didn’t know it was what I wanted until the last page.
The world of thrillers and horror is no mystery to me, I’ve never read one with such a dark romance twist to it though.
My mind is very confused as to whether I love this or not🤔
I’m going to go with yes.🤔
Having read other works by Gracie, I can attest for her ability to suck readers in for an emotional journey.
I don’t think I could live without her writing now.
I’ve been corrupted.
I went from being an avid fantasy/sci-fi and horror fan, to having a little thing for dark &
spicy romance.
It all started with her previous books. The Rebel Sons MC series.
Before I dove into that first book, I had little interest in anything other than fantasy.
Now i actively check for trigger warnings to see if I would be interested in a book.
Alas, Gracies works are really the only ones I can stand of the dark romance type.
I’m always looking for new contenders though, check my forbidden tropes list to see if it meets my reading profile, before recommending it to me.
Anyhoo, Whiteout is Gracies latest gritty, compelling and deeply dark and twisty offering.
As a stand-alone novella, it moves at a fast pace, throwing you into the dark crevices of her mind.
I LOVE a dark & twisty author. This book came out before christmas, so it was an exciting and thrilling read for my Christmas reading list. it was definitely a whirlwind read that destroys your preconceived christmas joy ideation.
I will NEVER look at candy canes the same way again.
EVER.
That is what makes it so good. I want to be left stunned and confused by a dark & twisty read.
It is oddly satisfying with a touch of cover yours eyes and cringe moments.
Whiteout, although a novella, packs a serious punch in its brief page count.
I read it in one sitting and I can confirm it’s psychological pearl clutcher with a deeply burning desire to test what a readers comfort zone is. Full of delicious trigger warnings that readers will love, a darkly satisfying presence, steeped in folklore, piles of intriguing mystery, plus all the smut you can ask for.
It delivers far more than a brief read.
I am going to check my cupboards for proverbial boogeymen now.
Whiteout has left me in utter confusion, yet deeply satisfied. The buildup and then finishing on a note that makes me beg for more.
I’m gutted it isn’t a series!
Some of the trigger warnings in this story.. well, I just completely glossed over them tbh, who reads them properly anyway?
Me. I will always check them now, probably just so I can prepare myself for the ultimate destruction that will befall me.
What I would have liked a warning for:
Christmassy kink that makes my eyes pop out and my jaw drop.
What we got:
Physical violence, knife violence, death/murder, drugging, explicit language, sexual content, torture, kidnapping, non-consent on page, no HEA, MMC with untreated mental health issues.
I enjoyed the worldbuilding here a lot, a snowy mountain cabin, in a small secluded town that is rumoured to be a mystery spot for ‘the huntsman’: A disturbing being doling out tricks and treats to those who ‘deserve’ it like he’s jolly ol’ Saint Nick.
We get a look into the surrounding kitschy town dynamics, they live in a state of denial. Having a severe avoidance of the truth being told to outsiders.
Although it’s not specifically explained, I feel perhaps that being afraid of local legends and dubious situations occurring in their midst, with the huntsman presence looming over them. That though the huntsman remains anonymous, suspected by those around, the true identity is known enough to fear him anyway. That’s just my POV of course.
I certainly wouldn’t want to visit anywhere that turns it back on newcomers, not confessing suspicions, ultimately leading them to their ‘punishments’ or demise.
The story boils down to a fine truth. A severe mental incapacity to separate oneself from their inner demons, will have catastrophic outcomes.
Untreated mental health in males is often overlooked.
Side note: Mental health is a finicky thing and I thought it was captured exceptionally well. It felt like something I, being mentally ill myself, could have only imagined in my darkest times and darkest dreams..
The multi POV, was very interesting, normally short stories are toldi n one point, with more time needed to establish multiple characters story arcs. Whiteout somehow managed to introduce us to several deeply thought out characters. We then see the intense in-depth motivations of the face behind the mask. One that is unexpected and earth shattering.
I do love a big reveal scene.
The buildup to the twists that arose were juicy. I didn’t feel cheated by the character swapping as I’ve done many times before. The writing gave just enough to sate us, yet create even more intrigue as we go forth. Balancing the chapters completely, while giving us the undertone of the characters mind sets.
“He had a few problems”.
Her voice holds a hint of sadness, but I’m not interested in her past. I have plans for her future.
“Problems?” I am curious what she considers problems.
“He had a problem keeping his dick out of his secretary”
Absolute quality use of infidelity humour and relatable to many. 😂
This book is a thrilling read intended for mature audiences.
A darkly satisfying plot with a huge dollop of smut.
