"This book actually showed us how love and tragic go hand in hand and that love can actually be more powerful than any other emotion. We loved the cover, we loved the writing style, and we adored the characters. We fell in love, really hard."
- Diva's Book Blog
"This novel is intricately detailed and wonderfully written! Opening with a heartbreaking scene, I was immediately drawn to the story of Aleksender and his Sofia. Of course, as the story moved on, other enchanting characters helped to make this poignant book complete.
The author has blended historical facts with fiction skillfully, and presented several narratives flawlessly. I was impressed how well Ms. Demeter implemented Oscar Wilde’s tale “The Nightingale and the Rose”; it feels as though they were meant to be published together. I admire this creative approach, because of its foreboding nature, not in spite of it. It’s beautiful! I loved it!"
- Romancebookworm's Reviews
"A riveting story of love and courage in the aftermath of a brutal war, the author brilliantly juxtaposes the hazing splendor of French nobility and the impassioned elegance of two people in love, despite all the world’s oppositions."
- Buried Under Romance
“I absolutely love this book. THE FROST OF SPRINGTIME shows how love and tragedy go hand-in-hand and that love can actually be more powerful than anything. I have found that most books do not hit this point right on the nail like this one does. It’s a historical romance and let me just tell you this is one book I couldn’t put down. I also loved how detailed the novel is.”
- Magic Within the Pages
"In a sea of historical romance, The Frost of Springtime is in fact, far more historical than most others of its genre. The wistful loveliness of the setting paints a picture of a crying France, blending in with the dynamic romance perfectly. Or rather, it does not merely blend in the background as much as glitters like the brightest jewel, shining with a vibrancy that makes one want to relieve the halcyon days of grand old Paris. I was captivated by the setting, the lush writing of Rachel Demeter, and the subtle expressiveness of the characters, which all compelled me to research more of the historical background, of the 1871 Paris Commune, through which this story is made more infinitely dearer.
But perhaps it is the characters that shine the brightest in this story. Alek is like an early existentialist, an intelligent, liberal thinker who decries his vicomte title, his aristocratic responsibilities, and his loveless marriage for his lineage. Central to this story is the theme of identity and freedom; Alek torn between two worlds; he is bound to his chateau, his title, and his wife, yet he craves freedom – to live, to enjoy, and to love, all of which Sofia represents in her life and role as a ballerina.
This is, ultimately, a rather complex novel. The thoughts and motivations of the secondary characters are given ample space to develop, and the closure provided for the novel’s many questions is very well done. I am astonished at this being Rachel Demeter’s debut work, for in form and style, it is very much a tour de force. A riveting story of love and courage in the aftermath of a brutal war, the author brilliantly juxtaposes the hazing splendor of French nobility and the impassioned elegance of two people in love, despite all the world’s oppositions. The title is, in a sense, a representation of change: the beginning of a new spring with La Belle Époque and the transition into a new era, for the world and our protagonists."
- Mary Chen at Buried Under Romance