Novel & Cerita 52 Book Club 2023: February Mini Challenge - Set In Winter

Kail flinched, and before long, he took her to his bed and held her quietly. They listened to each other’s heartbeats as their souls became one. They had an unbelievably peaceful time. Looking out the giant window, they watched the snowfall. It was a beautiful scene as the snow danced in the wind like diamonds. It was so peaceful and lovely that it felt surreal. In the room was the burning fire in the fireplace and the shelves were filled with books. Solveig’s song was playing romantically. Silje asked, “You have a lot of mystery books. Did you read Karin Fossum’s newest novel?”

Growing from the right base. She leaned against him. He rested his hand over hers. The fire shifted softly in the hearth. The house settled around them. December. The second year. Recognition. The knowing without the discovering. The thing established. The thing continuing. Outside, beneath the winter sky, the oak held its shape. Inside, the house held theirs. And both seemed likely to continue doing so for a very long time.

He lets out a frustrated sound and tips his head back, his lips moving dramatically as he silently prays for strength to deal with me. I've seen that look enough to know what it is. "Only the first night of book club is at the store. We take turns rotating every week to people's houses. They took pity on us and let us do it together." He says, showing me his sheet of paper showing what week people signed up for. I have one as well, but I just folded it and shoved it into my book not realizing what it was. "Shit, so what does that even mean?" I ask and Everett shrugs.

This book will be full of adventures and mystery. Later in winter 2023, I would also like to do another book bearing the title: Buck Off Alpha – She’s Mine! So I’ll be here. See you soon! Love always, O’Chantal. ^~^

The words lodged in Aria’s chest like a pebble in a shoe. She forced her smile wider. “Yeah,” she said. “Happily ever after.” Lena finished her makeup. “Come on,” she said, grabbing her bag. “We’re going to be late.” - - - The café was already humming when they arrived. The evening rush had thinned but not disappeared. Mia sighed when she saw them. “Finally!” she said, subtly pointing. “We’ve got a book club in the corner, they asked for five cinnamon buns and three lattes. One with sugar, two without.”

Her actions reveal her resolute decision, leaving Jax puzzled about Audrey's sudden departure. Audrey arrives at the "Midnight Club" and scans the surroundings, searching for Luke. The club is still in the process of being prepared for the night, with workers sweeping the floors. She spots Luke engaged in conversation with the staff members at the bar. Determined, she strides towards him and directly announces her intention, "I am leaving."

Mia says fanning her face. Oh yeah, somehow in the past two weeks us girls have been getting together on Fridays to discuss our book of the week, kind of like a book club I suppose? Tonight we’re at Steph and Julian’s house while X and Julian are downstairs playing pool. “Fuck me that was such a hot chapter!” Alina squeals and then takes a big gulp from her glass of wine. “I’m telling you guys, you need to role-play that scene! Julian and I did last night,” Steph beams.

The snow crunched under Felicia’s boots as she stepped out of the rental car, the cold biting at her cheeks while the promise of heat waited inside. The cabin sat alone on the ridge, dark timber against blinding white, smoke already curling from the stone chimney like an invitation. December 22nd. Two weeks of nothing but quiet, her best friend had said. A gift to reset. Felicia’s laugh had been brittle when she’d accepted the keys—reset from what? The breakup still stung, but more than that, her body felt restless, electric, like a wire stripped bare and humming.

Walls made of politeness and distance and the careful avoidance of anything that might lead to hurt. Oliver didn’t try to tear the walls down. He just… sat beside them. Quietly. Patiently. Until one day, I found myself opening the door. After a book club meeting in early November. We’d been discussing a novel about a woman who leaves her husband and starts over in a small town. The conversation had been heated—Lena loved it, Jenna hated it, Carlos had cried three times—and by the end, I was exhausted. I lingered after everyone left, helping Martha stack chairs.

“She was the one who wanted to back off.” “I asked about you, Lilith,” he said exasperatedly. “Think about yourself for once?” “Not like I’m suffering because of it,” I said pointedly. “My name hasn’t been in the papers for a while.” “I guess that’s a good sign,” he agreed. “What about the club? My assistant’s been getting some responses.” “So did Lyra and I,” I nodded. “I think we should have a welcome event soon.” “That sounds great,” he said. “Somewhere around the holiday season? A lot of us go on a break during that time of the year.”