Snowed In with Benefits by Misha Horne

Snowed In with Benefits Reviews

• 
  Nark

  ✦ i liked the beginning of this quite a lot actually. however, everything sadly just sort of fizzled out for me...
  
  ✦ the mcs got super emotionally attached and close to each other WAY too quickly. this book was just lacking some proper relationship development in my eyes. i wasn't even interested in the smut anymore, when i realized just how quickly everything was happening, which is shocking to say the least.
  
  ✦ i don't really have much else to say. tbh i did skim the last 80 pages or so, and i kinda just wanted to be done with this book asap, so bye!🔪
• 
  ivy

  It’s getting 5 ⭐️ because I’m coming off of a high on it right now.
  Started off slow and felt long but by 60% all of a sudden I realized “I’m really loving this”. That just crept up on me and I felt rewarded for sticking it out and like daaaamn Misha, those were some really strong writing chops in that last 25%.
  
  I loved the stereotypical bad boy rockstar MC and the sweet old Hollywood music royalty MC.
  Obviously, the stuck in a cozy cabin during a blizzard/forced proximity trope is a winner.
  Watching Austin and Marco go from complete annoyance of each other to ‘you are the most perfect person for me, you’re mine’ love was so satisfying.
  Spanking kink
  One of the hottest/feelziest kitchen, and bathtub scenes I’ve ever read.
  Super like-able supportive characters (dad and best friend)
  
  “Yeah. I’m good.” It wasn’t what I wanted to say, but somehow it wasn’t a lie. This long, quiet hallway felt safe and sleepy with a nostalgia I could almost reach in a life I couldn’t quite remember. I was wrapped in melancholy vibes and a longing so strong it hurt. But I felt surprisingly okay.”
• 
  Monique

  3,5 'snowy fairytale' stars
  
  

  “No one can make me do anything,” I somehow managed to say, and immediately wanted to hide my face, mortified and wishing I’d just said yes because what if I’d fucked it up and got nothing? But then he laughed. A hard, hot, exciting laugh.
  “Aren’t you a sassy little brat,” he murmured, and there it was. Admiration. Seduction.

  
  ❄️ Austin and Marco were perfect together
  ❄️ lots of fluffy and cute domestic moments
  ❄️ it made me feel like a marshmallow
  ❄️ great sexy and spanking scenes
  ❄️ just too few of them
  ❄️ the middle dragged a bit
  ❄️ nothing much happened actually
  ❄️ bonus epilogue available for newslatter subscribers
  
  

  “Fuck, that’s really good too,” I whispered. “You’d better hurry up.”
  “I should spank you till you come, smart ass,” he murmured against my neck, his breath hot just like the rest of him.
  “Next time. Later. So much,” I whispered, throwing out promises, wishes, needs, all my words fusing together until they all meant the same thing. “Please, Marco. Please.”

  
  
  ❄️ Bonus epilogue is a must!!!
  I know I had some issues with this story but I also want to read more about them 😄
  
  

  “You’re gonna be so sore when you ride my dick with this red ass,” he promised. “And you’re gonna love it so much . You deserve it, don’t you.”
• 
  ancientreader

  Something I admire about Misha Horne is that they're all in with the spanking. They have a flavor of kink they (apparently) very much like to write, and by gum they're going to write it! In that respect, you always know what you're going to get. Also, although domestic discipline isn't my thing, MH almost always makes it seem tasty to me; I think that's thanks to how they write the emotional dynamic. Have I ever read a Misha Horne in which the brat has his sharp edges filed off? Yay for brats staying pointy!
  
  I shied away from Snowed In with Benefits* for months, even though I reliably enjoy MH's books, because despite the March publication I smelled Jingle Bells Christmas Story on it, and I hate, really sincerely hate, the Jingle Bells Christmas Story conventions. Too bad for me, it took me all this time to get around to something I could've been heavy-breathing to months ago. Anyway.
  
  Marco (musician, rather retiring, prone to overthinking, suddenly in the celebrity spotlight and not liking it one bit) somewhat against his better judgment rescues Austin (musician, out-of-control attention-seeking mess) from being either run down by a horde of "journalists" or freezing to death in a blizzard; they wind up snowed in, Austin's phone drowns in the indoor pool, and feelings and sexytimes ensue. I am always impressed when a writer convinces me that two people who start off mutually hostile can end up not only hot for each other but also in love, so Misha Horne FTW here. As Austin's hangover clears up, he becomes less reflexively assholey and more aware of Marco's fundamental decency; Marco, for his part, discovers Austin's intelligence and bit by bit learns more about how the experience of celebrity is destroying him. MH writes dialogue exceptionally well, I think -- all the conversations here feel real and complicated, not only the ones between Marco and Austin but also those between Austin and his father, Austin and his best friend, Marco and his parents, and Marco and his poisonous agent.
  
  This almost goes without saying, but (as other reviewers have remarked) MH also has a gift for writing kink organically, so that it feels natural to the MCs and not as if it was authorially forced on them for the sake of, IDK, attracting a specific tranche of readers. Hm, come to think of it, this also might have something to do with why I like MH's flavor of domestic discipline so much: the people doing it always feel like real people who would really be drawn closer to each other in this particular way.
  
  I really only have one complaint, and it's the smirking. What. Is. It. With. Smirking. In. Romance. Novels. WHAT. Snowed In with Benefits has THIRTY-SEVEN instances of "smirk" and its variations. At least the eyebrows and lips don't spend all their time quirking, so there's that. Why is "smirk" so much more obtrusive and obnoxious than "smile"? I don't know exactly; maybe it's for something like the same reason that "said" tends to fade into the woodwork whereas the showier verbs of speech feel like being hit over the head with a (snow) shovel if they appear more than about twice per chapter? (And even if they're different showy verbs of speech!) Anyway: Misha Horne, if you're reading this, please lose the smirking, because by the end of the book I flinched every time it happened, and it's bad and wrong for one verb to get in the way of this sweet and sexy book.
  -----
  
  * This is some next-level, bring-joy-to-the-editor title capitalizing. "In" is correctly capitalized, even though it's short, because it's part of the idiomatic phrase "snowed in." "With" is correctly lowercased, even though it's four letters long, because it's a preposition. (This one's dealer's choice, though: it's technically correct to capitalize prepositions of four letters.) (Also, yes, I am well aware that this is some prescriptive bullshit. The rules about capitalization are like the rules of formal place-setting: they don't really matter, but if you know what they are then there's a specific delicious satisfaction in seeing them executed perfectly.)
• 
  Grace

  I really enjoyed this one!!
  
  Honestly, something about this author's writing really works for me, and I thought the characterizations and voice here--particularly for Austin--were both really great. Slow build with some excellent chemistry and super hot smut! It's on the long side, and while I didn't mind it at all and personally thought the pacing was fine, I did find myself a little unsatisfied with where the book ended. It was fine, but we get such a great start to their relationship, that I really wanted a chance to see them outside of this snowed-in weekend and how they made things work. This is an instance where I'd actually LOVE a sequel showing how this relationship can survive outside of the very unique situation it was fostered in.
  
  The kink dynamics were okay, though I would have personally loved if they'd explored more beyond just spanking. I was also a little unclear throughout just what, if any, age difference there was between them, and at times it seemed the author didn't even know, or that maybe it had changed at some point, because there are parts where it seemed like it was maybe just a couple of years, and parts where it seemed larger. Overall though I very much enjoyed and had a lot of fun reading. :D
• 
  Florence .

  RTC but I really enjoyed this one. My only issue with this one is that it’s over 400 pages and I have a really bad attention spawn so I felt like the book dragged in some places, but damn did I enjoy the story of this book, it just really worked for me.
  
  I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review
• 
  ~Nicole~

  Surprisingly good despite the light title-I though it was a “Chistmassy” novella but it’s a pretty good book, well written and with interesting characters and hot spanky times 😈. I enjoyed it.
• 
  Nelly S.

  “Seemed I really did have a type, and a very specific one. Explosively obnoxious, uber-celebrities, dripping with jaded fury, seething with narcissistic attitude, who looked like they hadn’t slept in weeks. Who were surly and bitter and adorable beyond all comprehension drowning in my way too long sweatpants. What was wrong with me?”
  
  “I just want to breathe with someone. And be quiet. And stupid. And be normal and nothing and just one version of myself instead of so many versions I forget who I am, and for someone to see it before it all stops mattering. I just want this.”
  
• 
  Jenny (Nyxie)

  I liked this book despite myself.
  
  
  The first few chapters - I really didn’t like Austin, and wasn’t terribly interested in what happened to him. And over 400 pages to read! I’m glad I kept with it, though. The relationship development felt so sweet and authentic, and the organic kink development (a Misha Horne specialty!) was great. Overall I enjoyed, although I still think it was a tad long.
  
  Tags: celebrity MCs, snowed in together, spanking kink, brat MC
• 
  Joseph Tonlet

  Interesting insight/commentary into our modern social media/information-at-our-fingertips society…something a good number of readers likely relate to on a rather personal level.
  
  Domestic discipline is one of my favorite tropes. However, I’m always a bit nervous about how an author will transition from two independent, adult men into one bending over/being bent over and taking a spanking from the other (particularly when it’s approached from a domestic discipline plot vs. a BDSM one). Not done well, it either comes off as totally cheesy/completely unbelievable, or downright cringeworthy. This author consistently gets it right…and it’s soooo damn enjoyable! #autobuy #spankdoneright
  
  Also, the short roleplay freebie, Consequences with Benefits, for newsletter subscribers, is fun and as sexy AF!
• 
  Carol (bookish_notes)

  I’m so sorry! This is a DNF. Maybe it’s just me, but I couldn’t get into this book at all. I’ve loved many other Misha Horne’s books, but this one felt off for some reason. I don’t think it’s just because I’m still longingly waiting and wishing for the baseball series to be completed, but no news on that front.
  
  I just found the writing here really hard to understand for some reason? The book starts off with Austin Ash’s POV and the way he thinks is just a barrage of double negatives. And it’s a LOT of commas and long sentences? I’m not a fan. It’s very hard to concentrate on the text. Maybe if the book were in audio, I could stick with it? But this book is LONG. I know the author said this book is ~no plot, just vibes~ and I guess it does feel that way. Sadly, I didn’t vibe with this story at all. I skimmed a bit through the book to see what happens, but I just don’t think this book is for me.
• 
  Courtney Bassett

  Spanky fun with feels
  
  I always love Misha’s books. I think she’s a fantastic writer, especially at depicting flawed characters who want to do better. There were several swoon-worthy romantic moments in this, alongside her signature domestic discipline (desperately wanted and needed by the recipient, mind you). She’s so good at letting you get into the characters’ heads and understanding their motivations and fears and hopes and everything else. I just really enjoyed this so much. ❤️
• 
  Lingovise

  It's Misha Horne... so of course, I was bound to love it. I'm such a huge fan of both her writing style and how well she scripts complicated and flawed characters. And this book was no exception in either of those... I think it was the execution that held it back for me. I love a seriously good slow burn, however, this one nearly overextends itself with its emphasis on slllloooow. There is a lot of lead-up in this one. Like a LOT. Which does beautiful things for the character development but often reads as repetitive. It takes eons for these guys to get out of their own way and for things to really get rolling. While you're waiting for Horne's prowess in domestic discipline to show itself you'll enjoy some fantastic chemistry but there wasn't enough pining or recognition to fully satisfy me. I would've enjoyed this book more if the beginning had been scaled back a bit in order to allow Austin and Marco more time to shine together in the end. It's a 4 star read, docked a full star for unnecessary length, some clumsy repetition, and not nearly enough spanky good times.
• 
  Smut Librarian

  These characters are complex and intriguing and made for a fascinating story with a depth I didn't expect. This is a much longer book than most of Misha's other works but that brings with it a richer connection and wider world to fall into. I really enjoyed the slow development of both characters as they learned more about each other by looking through the other's perspective. A great story.
• 
  Kim Stone

  Misha Horne is one of my favourite authors. This book is set in winter/snow time. The main characters are Austin, a musician addicted to his self importance in social media and Marco a musical star come actor from his parents fame. This book has some fun spanking but also some serious topics about getting mixed up in social media and all the cons involved. Strangers to lovers with a relationship forming not just sex. A great story and I can’t wait for more.
• 
  Joyfully Jay

  A
  Joyfully Jay review.
  
  4.25 stars
  
  Misha Horne bills this book as one with “no plot, just naughty vibe goodness” and while I’ll agree on the naughty vibes, this book had more plot and more character development than I was led to believe and that made it an all-around great read for me.
  
  Austin is a mess. He knows it and the media thrives on it. He wanted to be rich and famous so badly and now that he is, he has no idea how to manage it and no one is there to guide him as everyone wants to take advantage of him or expose him. Marco steps in when he thinks Austin is in real trouble and that leads to their story.
  
  The book takes place mostly at the cabin when they are snowed in. Austin is livid that he’s stranded, but Marco starts to see the need behind Austin’s tantrums and wants to be the one to guide him and be the one to dispense the consequences to keep Austin in line.
  
  Read Michelle's review in its entirety
  here.
  
• 
  Cleo

  4.5 stars / A-
  Not sure what to say about this mm forced proximity, slow burn, no plot just vibes, daddy kink romance - except that it really worked for me. If you like pushy brats and sexy spanking with a side helping of bantering, personal growth and comfort food, you’ll like this.
  
  This is my favorite Misha Horne book and I think it’s their best yet. It’s by far their most mainstream romance. In fact, it might be their first genuinely mainstream romance, instead of the weird (but fun) sort of hybrid between erotica and romance that Looking For Trouble and Pretty Boy are. I loved those books but wasn’t sure how to characterize them. They’re not erotica because, like, there’s no sex until 1/2 to 2/3 of the way through the book and the sex/ kink is limited to the main couple. But they’re so focused on the characters’ thoughts and feelings about kink and sex and spanking that they still kind of feel like erotic romance. Like if you took out all the references to kinky sex there wouldn’t be much story. And I definitely wouldn’t have read the whole damn things if I didn’t know the pay off would be worth it.
  
  But Snowed in with Benefits is different. It’s still kinky and smoking hot but there’s character and relationship development that doesn’t revolve around kink or sex. And it’s so emotionally satisfying. There is some domestic discipline in it, so it’s maybe not completely mainstream, but I thought it made sense for both characters.
• 
  Adaline

  This started slow and I was a bit unsure if I would like one of the characters but Horne somehow makes him sympathetic and understandable and I ended up really loving it.
  
  It’s a slow burn but in a very short time span, driven by character development. Similarly to other books by Horne, there is a kink aspect to the relationship that develops incredibly organically and it feels like an indispensable part of the couples dynamic.
  
  Forced proximity, one brat and one big snow storm. Disaster but in the best way.
• 
  Ariadna

  Actual rating is 3.5
  
  A book that was entertaining most of the time.
  
  What I liked:
  
  - Austin and Marco were interesting on their own; had a ton of chemistry when they were together. Out of the two, I gravitated more towards Austin cuz of his OTT, quick-witter personality. Marco had his charms too. He was more reserved, so it took me a bit longer to warm up to him. NGL, I thought that Marco was 10 yrs older than Austin based on his personality. In any case, it helped that the book had dual POV.
  
  - The book had some good observations abt celebrities in the age of social media. From being famous because of who your parents are (Marco) to craving attention to a dangerous level (Austin), there were some good points on the power, allure, and bad side of fame.
  
  What I didn't like:
  
  - FTR, I had a blast up to the 30% mark. There was a lot going on. However, once Austin and Marco settle at the house to ride out the snowstorm, the novel sort of...coasts along. Per the author themselves, this book was meant to be 'no plot, all vibes' and, well, goal achieved.
  
  It was a little frustrating since, despite the solid writing, I wanted some more action. Emotionally speaking, there were some peaks, but plotwise, there wasn't much happening.
  
  - This author is known for writing spicy romances that include a lot of spanking and some D/s dyanmics. Now, for a 427-page book, there was a grand total of 3 (yes, three) v. short spanking scenes. Which, like, hmmm.
  
  It could be argued that the tradeoff was having some long brat/brat tamer moments between Austin and Marco, but ehhhhh.
  
  - If you decide to pick up this book, get ready to suspend your disbelief since the bulk of the story happens over the course of 3, maybe 4, days. The MCs fall for each fast. TBH, I didn't notice the insta-love angle until the book itself pointed this out. YMMV. It didn't exactly annoy me, but I felt it necessary to lower rating.
  
  - That cover is hideous. Both of the models look NOTHING like the way Austin and Marco are described in the book. NGL, I almost didn't pick up the book because I disliked that cover so much, go figure.
  
  Trigger/Content warnings: Character has an alcohol addiction (he goes to rehab early in the book); mentions of past emotionally abusive relationship; on-page incident of a character who is drunk causing a scene in public; mention of harassment (not the MCs)
  
  TL;DR: A book that, in spite of its length, was a enjoyable and fast read. The MCs were v. likable; their intimate scenes were good too.
  
  OTOH, however, this book is too long (I'd have edited out abt 20% of it). Especially considering that the plot is barely there. Finally, there weren't enough spanking scenes. You can buy this book or read it on KU.
• 
  Sarah C

  This is my second Misha Horne book and it definitely will not be my last. Because I think I liked this one even better than the first one that I read - and I loved the first one that I read.
  
  This book epitomizes slow burn. It does a beautiful job with enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and with character development. And then, as a cherry on top of a book that seems sculpted to my likes, it doesn't do insta-love. They get an HEA, because a book in this genre without an HEA would be a let down, but it feels earned and its not immediate. Nor is it even really until the epilogue. What we are handed is, instead, the beginnings.
  
  So let's start with the most impressive part of this book: the characters.
  
  Austin and Marco are both so amazing. Even at his most annoying, Austin was basically being curled up and put into my pocket, petted on the head, and called my baby. Misha does a wonderful job of balancing out the broken parts of him with the cocky parts of him. His desire to be seen at all times and to keep up with his press, keep up with his brand, made me love him even more because we got to see underneath that veneer to the parts of him that just wanted to be SEEN and not just looked at.
  
  And Marco, he was the perfect balance to Austin. He was steady but had his own broken parts. He was conflicted over his career and the path that his life was taking. He helped Austin, because he's a genuinely good person, and even when he found himself regretting it at the beginning, he never treated Austin in any way other than kind - even when they were fighting.
  
  And the fighting? There was a lot of it. Except as the book went on, the fights felt more like foreplay, laying down kindling to what inevitably sparked between them. It takes a long time for anything physical to happen, but when it did, it felt like a long exhale. And god, it was beautiful.
  
  Despite being a Snowed In book, this book still managed to have some amazing side characters. Mainly Sienna and Austin's dad, but we got smaller roles with the hosts of Access, Austin's ex-boyfriend, Marco's parents, etc. And each of them, no matter how small the role, were vibrant as they came off the page. They held their part of the story and seemed incredibly real.
  
  And well its Misha Horne, so there's no need to state that this book was hot as hell and the domestic discipline scenes left my kindle smoking a little. Once we got to that part of the narrative, you might have needed to call the fire department they were so hot. But they were also incredibly balanced with character development, even in the hottest scenes, and I loved that.
  
  Snowed In With Benefits is a dual POV story of two men who don't know one another when they meet, get off on the wrong foot, but find something neither was searching for but both needed.
  
  ** DISCLAIMER: ARC provided by GRR. This is my honest and unbiased review. **
• 
  Iz

  If I could give this book six stars, I would.
  "Snowed In with Benefits" was precisely what I needed and everything I love in a book.
  Slow-burn, kinky deliciousness with a touch of heart-wrenching, punch-in-the-gut, emotional-face-whacking angst.
  I loved it, so damn much. And I'm really surprised too: I usually avoid celebrity-romances, because what the MCs usually go through, the fame and loss of privacy, it all makes me feel so sad, but GOD, this book? It was completely my jam.
  It has all the tropes and all the things I love. Hurt/comfort, bossy/bratty, oh-no-we're-snowed-in-together-what-shall-we-do (forced proximity is such an underrated trope!), uber-protectiveness, life-altering, earth-shattering surprise encounters and a boatload of feels (plus, lots and lots of spanking).
  I absolutely adored both MCs. Austin was an anxious ball of destructive energy, a walking-talking disaster and I loved him, and felt for him, so much: what he was put through, his insecurities and his fears, his bone-deep tiredness, just made me want to keep him safe from the world. And Marco? GOD, I swooned. He was perfect and flawed at the same time: anxious and uncertain in some ways, but confident and firm and bossy in others, and ugh, so swoonworthy. Book-boyfriend material at its finest. I LOVED how good at reading Austin he was, how he always took care of him and reassured him that his feelings, his needs and kinks, were absolutely valid. And I absolutely loved how protective he was of him. I'm weak: I can never resist a good ol' "I'll bury whoever hurts you" attitude and if you've read the book, you know what scene I'm talking about. *chef's kiss*
  
  The writing was SUBLIME and graceful and beautiful, and it made me cry more than once. The setting was, literally, what dreams are made of: an enormous house, packed with wine and junk food, in the mountains, buried under A LOT of snow, with Christmas lights and trees and quiet and a swoonworthy companion? Sign me up.
  
  This novel was gorgeous. A bit on the long-side, but I really adored the slow-burn feel of it: the two MCs had so much chemistry and the build-up from their first, explosive meeting to them, slowly but inevitably, falling for each other was just perfection. It made me sigh and laugh and swoon and fan myself with the nearest object, because whew, Misha Horne sure knows how to write kink: this is my first book of theirs, but it won't be my last. I'm already updating my TBR and my wallet won't thank me, but I'm pretty sure I hit the jackpot with their books.
  1000% recommended.
  
  Thank you GRR for the ARC. I received it in exchange for an honest review.
  
• 
  ReadingAddict

  Oh the characters in this book were amazing! I really loved this book and finished this in one sitting.
  
  Austin has a reputation. He is known for smashing hotel rooms and more. But at the same time he is a really good and famous musician.
  Marco has grown up in the spotlight. He switched from music to acting and was nominated for best kiss.
  Austin is trying to clean up his latest scandal and wants to make everyone forget what his Ex is publicly revealing about him.
  Marco does not like the spotlight and tries his best to stay clear of it. But when a snowstorm catches both of them off guard and throws them together alone in a cabin, can they forget the drunken kiss they shared?
  
  I loved the chemistry in this book and I loved how the characters were not perfect. I was rooting for them and was not disappointed in the end.
  
  *I received this book as an ARC. I chose to leave an honest review.*
• 
  Mariansen

  I’m not sure what I think of this book.. Some scenes are excellent and hot, just like I expected. But there’s to many things that bothers me a bit, but it might just be me or maybe this wasn’t the time for this book
  
  It takes to long to get to the romance part in my opinion. I like a slow burn, but then I need pining and longing… The beginning of the book was just to long. Snowed in at a cabin makes the premises look good, but it was just ok for me.
  
  The writing is great, and I sometimes got lost in the story. It was just a bit to much sometimes. To much thinking and descriptions, for me it took away the focus on the main characters relationship.
• 
  Heather MMRomanceReviewed

  Full review:
  
  https://www.mmromancereviewed.com/202...
• 
  Katherine

  Lots of pain and angst, but a seemingly opposites attract couple discover that their edges fit really well together. (In a spanking way, of course, this is a Misha Horne book.)
  
  KU
• 
  Ariel

  This was stunning! It's been a long while since I've read something as sexy and poetic as this.
• 
  Amy Weller

  In each other, they will find everything they need
  
  I loved this book! The story of Austin and Marco is full of drama, bickering, nasty ex’s and a whole lot of snow that will lead to a wonderful happy ending. Marco rescues Austin from the paparazzi after an awards show and it will lead to them being stranded together at Marco’s family cabin in a snow storm. The two start off bickering quite a bit but it is soon apparent that Austin needs what Marco can give him, a sense of safety and security. The two will grow closer while Marco tries to keep Austin from checking to see what the press is saying about the two of them after a picture taken gets taken out of context. The longer they spend together, the more their relationship develops as Marco continues to see the real Austin. In the end, the two will make the decision that trying a relationship in the public eye is totally worth it and it will be all they could ever want.
  
  I read an ARC copy of this book and am volunteering my honest review.