North of Need (Hearts of the Anemoi, Book 1) (Heart of the Anemoi) [Paperback]

Laura Kaye (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2011 | Series: Heart of the Anemoi

North of Need is a GraveTells Fave, Book of the Month (December) & 5-STAR Gold Heart Winner! GraveTells also picked North of Need as their Top Read of 2011 (tied for 1st with Julie Kagawa's The Iron Knight), and Paranormal Book of the Year!

Sizzling Hot Book of the Year! at Sizzling Hot Book Reviews!

Nominated for EIGHT 2011 GraveTells Readers' Choice Awards: Favorite Book, Best Cover Art (Runner up!), Sexiest Story (Runner Up!), Most Compelling Hero, Most Kick-Ass Heroine, Favorite Author of 2011 (3rd!) & Breakout Author of 2011 (WON!)!

Romantic Times 4/4.5 STAR Rating: "This is a fascinating, magical tale of the way our loved ones can watch over us after they're gone. An interesting group of gods and their subjects are introduced. The ending is a delight."

North of Need is Paperback Dolls' Pick for THE romance for holiday gift-giving!
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"Sexy, emotional stories, powerful, evocative writing, a vivid and unique vision, and enough magic and mysticism to keep the most demanding reader satisfied, Laura Kaye delivers it all.  I love this series!"  ~Maggie Shayne, NY Times Bestselling Author

Her tears called a powerful snow god to life, but only her love can grant the humanity he craves...

Desperate to escape agonizing memories of Christmas past, twenty-nine-year-old widow Megan Snow builds a snow family outside the mountain cabin she once shared with her husband, realizing too late that she's recreated the very thing she'll never have.

Called to life by Megan's tears, snow god Owen Winters appears unconscious on her doorstep in the midst of a raging blizzard. As she nurses him to health, Owen finds unexpected solace in her company and unimagined pleasure in the warmth of her body, and vows to win her heart for a chance at humanity.

Megan is drawn to Owen's mismatched eyes, otherworldly masculinity, and enthusiasm for the littlest things. But this Christmas miracle comes with an expiration--before the snow melts and the temperature rises, Megan must let go of her widow's grief and learn to trust love again, or she'll lose Owen forever.
 
West of Want coming July 2012, South of Surrender coming December 2012, and East of Ecstasy coming April 2013!

Editorial Reviews

Review

Using ancient winter mythology as an allegory for grief, Kaye has written a sexy story that packs a powerful emotional punch. With a heroine you can root for and a hero who is a dream come true, NORTH OF NEED is pure winter magic and Kaye's sparkling talent warms the heart. ~Stephanie Draven, author of the MYTHICA series

The mythology in North of Need was fascinating. The best words I can use to describe this book are: warm and sexy....The love seeps out of the pages and right into your heart....I am in love with this book. ~A Bookworm's Haven

The magic combined with legend in this book creates a very sweet and emotional read....The paranormal elements in North of Need are quite unique and interesting. Paranormal readers, if you are looking for a good book to read, I recommend picking up North of Need. ~Book Savvy Babe

Finally, something different and interesting. I like to read contemporary romance every now and again, and North of Need was a little Contemporary meets a little magic....This novel was well written and captivating. Both the grief and joy leap off the pages. ~Bad Ass Book Reviews

About the Author

Voted Breakout Author of the Year in the 2011 GraveTells Readers' Choice Awards, Laura Kaye is the bestselling and award-winning author of over a half-dozen books. Hearts in Darkness is the EPIC eBook Award Winner for Best Novella, Forever Freed won the NJRW Golden Leaf Award for Best Paranormal of 2011 and is a finalist for two GDRWA Booksellers' Best Awards, and North of Need, the first book in the Hearts of the Anemoi series, was named GraveTells' Best Book of 2011 and won their 5-STAR Gold Heart Award, and won Sizzling Hot Read of the Year at Sizzling Hot Books. Laura grew up amidst family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses, cementing her life-long fascination with the supernatural. Though an avid fiction writer as a teenager, a career as a historian took her in other directions until recently. Now that Laura's inner muse has awakened, she's constantly creating new story ideas! Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

Product Details

• Paperback: 234 pages
• Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC (November 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1937044475
• ISBN-13: 978-1937044473
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (103 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,952,657 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Laura Kaye is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of a dozen books in contemporary and paranormal romance. Laura grew up amidst family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses, cementing her life-long fascination with storytelling and the supernatural. Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

Book Awards:
*HEARTS IN DARKNESS: EPIC eBook Award Winner for Best Novella of 2012, HOLT Medallion Award of Merit Winner for Best Romance Novella of 2012
*FOREVER FREED: NJRW Golden Leaf Award Winner for Best Paranormal of 2011, GDRW Booksellers' Best Award Finalist for Best First Book and Best Paranormal of 2012
*NORTH OF NEED: FF&P PRISM Award Winner for Best Light Paranormal Romance of 2012. Nominated for Cross Genre Novel of the Year and Erotic Romance Novel of the Year in the 2013 AAD Bookie Awards. Named GraveTells' Best Book of 2011, and voted Sizzling Hot Read of the Year at Sizzling Hot Books.
*WEST OF WANT: Winner of 3 2012 GraveTells' Readers Choice Awards: Favorite Heroine, Favorite Sidekick Character, Best Cover
*IN THE SERVICE OF THE KING: Winner of 4 2012 GraveTells' Readers Choice Awards: Most Outstanding Series, Favorite Novella, Sexiest Story, Hottest Couple

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars FABULOUS NEW PARANORMAL ROMANCE November 23, 2011

By READING, EATING & DREAMING

Format:Kindle Edition

North of Need was exactly what I was looking for. It's passionate, romantic, heartbreaking, original and exciting. Oh, and it's sexy too.

North of Need, the first book in The Hearts of the Anemoi series was about Owen and Megan. Owen is a god of winter, and Megan is a grieving widow. Her tears bring Owen to life, but he only has a limited time to earn her love and trust or he will turn back to snow. Megan has been a widow for two years, and she still mourns the loss of her late husband, John. John died tragically and unexpectedly; Megan associates love with loss. She feels herself falling for Owen, but she is scared to love again. She doesn't think she could handle losing another person she loves.

My biggest fear was that I would have trouble believing in the paranormal element of this novel, but I was very wrong. It was extremely easy to fall into Laura Kaye's magical world of gods, seasons, and magic.

The Hearts of Anemoi is a companion series. There will be four books, and they are each about a different seasonal god. I loved the writing style, the plot and the originality of this novel. I am looking forward to reading three more books with all these elements but also with new characters.

I gave North of Need by Laura Kaye 5 STARS. This novel made me cry and jump for joy. It's a wonderful paranormal romance novel, and I strongly recommend it.

-XOXO

READING, EATING AND DREAMING

FOR MORE REVIEWS CHECK OUT MY BLOG ON BLOGSPOT: READING, EATING & DREAMING I WAS BLAIR WALDORF

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet, Steamy Romance November 26, 2011

By R. Harris

Format:Paperback

North of Need had me at the cover. I don't think a woman alive would argue that the man isn't hot. But what kept me eagerly clicking the button on my kindle, so emotionally tied to the story and needing to see what happens next, was Laura Kaye's amazing characters.
Megan has to be one of the best-written protagonists I've seen in a long time. The story really only has two characters . . . she talks on the phone with a few family members and friends, and later in the story a couple other characters make brief appearances, but the heart and majority of this story centers on Megan and Owen. And in the beginning, it's just Megan.

In my opinion, to ask your readers to hang out with only one person and want to keep turning the pages--without the lovely distraction various minor characters can bring--you have to have a main character who is relatable, lovable, endearing, and have at least a touch of wit . . . which in this story could've been difficult since Megan was so heartbroken in the beginning. But in the talented hands of Laura Kaye, I didn't even realize until the story was over how few characters there were. I *wanted* to hang out with Megan. I wanted to be her friend. And when Owen appeared on the scene, I completely rooted for her to risk her heart again.

Owen was an awesome love interest. Sexy, strong, compassionate, with just a touch of innocence, he swept me off my feet right along with Megan. The mystical, paranormal elements he added to the story were fun and fresh, and oh, my goodness was he HOT!!

I will NEVER look at ice cream the same way.

In fact, I got so wrapped up in this story that I started craving whatever they were eating, which granted was often ice cream, but then I had a mad need for chicken salad sandwiches, and of course, snowballs.

You want steamy? North of Need and Laura Kaye have your back.

You want romance? Yep, it's here.

You want a story that transports you, makes you smile, laugh, and feel all warm and fuzzy? This is a must.

And with Christmas right around the corner, there is no book more perfect to buy for yourself, or for a friend. AND then, while are you are at it, check out book two, West of Want . . . I DARE you not to drool over that cover!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Damn Frosty and his hat, I'll take Owen in a loincloth December 3, 2011

By Blue Shedevil

Format:Paperback

Megan Snow was spending another Christmas alone in the isolated mountain cabin she used to share with his husband. Though he has been dead for two years, the grief is still fresh and stark. When she begins making snowmen outside, she realizes she has created a snow family and falls into tears mourning the loss of her dream. Awakened by the widow's tears, Owen Winter is called from his god realm to answer her plea. He didn't realize how much he missed being corporeal or the touch of a soft female. He is drawn to Megan, but with a warm front quickly approaching, his time with Megan may be far less than either want or need.

North of Need is like a steaming mug of hot cocoa after playing in the snow all day. It's dark, sweet and will absolutely raise your body temperature. I just loved this book. It is magnificently suited to the season, with it's messages of love, trust, hope and healing. The only villains to battle are the inner demons of fear and loneliness. Owen has his own past traumas to overcome, and as a god, he had a bit longer to work on his issues so he was ideal in helping Megan battle hers. Unfortunately time and climate change play a factor in his game plan. The reader is given a brief glimpse into the world of the Anemoi and the roles they each play. I was thrilled with this new and unique aspect to the paranormal, and even though this book is not classified as paranormal, it still fulfilled my craving for things not of this world.

Laura Kaye definitely brought out the big guns when plotting out the more amorous scenes in North of Need. The snow cone scene in the igloo, *sheesh* let's just say it's a good thing I wasn't reading this in public. And sneaky girl that she is, Laura even manages to work in a relevant message or two in this sweet story. Nicely done, Ms. Kaye. If you're looking for something that will help you wind down from the stress of the holidays and make your season a little brighter, you couldn't do better than this book. And the best part is that it's the beginning of a brand new series, which is a huge plus in my opinion. Starting a good new series like falling in love, it's exciting and fun. Just what I needed during this hectic time of year. I just got a little taste of these new gods and their world and I'm ready to feast on more of their tale.