The Mountain: Endless Winter Book 2 Author Elisha Kemp

March 23, 2024

Book Review

5 out of 5 stars!

First and foremost! This series goes in order and ends on cliffhangers! This installment literally picks up right where book one leaves off maybe just a little before the ending of book one!

"I like all you guys a lot." - Lily

Lily was just looking for a break from life and the heavy expectations of her family and friends. She wasn't looking for anything long term but this season in Utah is proving her wrong. Life tends to throw you curve balls when you least expect it. Only for Lily she's thrown multiple at once!

How will the flat mates move forward after the statement Lily gave? She likes all of them?! ALL of them! Do the guys like her just as much if not more or was this just a winter fling? Lily is also standing at the crossroads as she realizes maybe she wants to teach snowboarding full time. Make a career out of it, but should she? Can she even afford that life?

". . .life is short. You get one chance to follow your dreams, to build the life you want to live. And the whole time, there's going to be people trying to change your path. People who would rather see you as a brick in whatever dream they're building for themselves, rather than the architect of your own." - Grandpa

Sorry, long quote but the above just really hit home and had me crying! Lily's still struggling with trying to get approval from her parents and it really hits close to my heart. She's already overwhelmed by her future and what path she should take but the parental drama only adds to the load. Telling yourself that you will walk your own path and make your own choices is at times easier said than done. Breaking old habits and thought patterns is a constant battle.

To top everything off Lily is unsure about how the guys will feel or take her confession. She knows the feelings of some of the guys and is a little confident but still most men don't like the idea of sharing their woman. Polyamorous relationships do happen, but not in Lily's small world. Toxic past experiences and negative context revolving around such relationships. But maybe just maybe this could be a thing if just until the end of the season. . .

"If anything, you're a fucking saint trying to date all of these assholes. None of us deserve you." - Eddie

What really draws me to Elisha's characters other than the amazing writing! Is just how organic the individual characters feel. The guys aren't instantly all for the polycule relationship and even the ones who are happy with it still struggle! Yes, this is a work of fiction, but it feels more real and believable! Everyone trying to understand their feelings and how they fit into this dynamic they're forming or have been forming. Different backgrounds and upbringings playing a part.

"Sex isn't what makes a relationship. You can love someone without sleeping with them." - Matty! (say it louder for those in the back)

Seth is our ace rep in this book, and I really love it! I admire and respect how Elisha wrote him and I just want to give the giant man a huge hug! He's so patient especially when it comes to Eddie and his no filter mouth. Explaining how he operates and feels toward sex and things that are more intimate. I was tearing up with a lot of the context revolving around my love and how the group felt about Seth. Healthy boundaries and communication being established! Not just for Seth but for multiple things.

I love all of the MMCs in this series and for different reasons! I was excited to get to know more about them and what made them who they are. I feel like in the third book we will get more background knowledge into a couple of the guys. I like how with each installment we bounce around with different POVs and focuses. Certain characters and their arcs being more prominent than others. I'm enjoying Lily's growth, and it just hits so close to home. I can relate to her in so many ways!

This read has so much COMFORT in it, I can't! A lot of healing arcs and found family realizations that had me crying. Yes, I teared up or cried a lot with this read, I couldn't help it! This series will make you feel an array of emotions, good and bad. Be mindful of the trigger warnings! This installment handles the aftermath of Tom and what he did or tried to do. Lily having to deal with the effects of the drug and people asking her what happened and how she wants to proceed. Elisha kept it respectful and wrote it well, but it still hurts and makes you angry.

We do also have a scene with an older bigot of a man. . . Being homophobic and making it very clear with his words and body language. Some racism as well. A suspenseful sequence of events that includes an avalanche because mother nature can be terrifying! One of the MCs having a past with cancer and unsure of the future. Another MC dealing with war PTSD. Language is prominent in this read, both English and non. Elisha including a glossary at the end of the book.

"I can teach you, if you want to learn." - Liam *smirk*

We have different burn rates in this series, whether burn rates with Lily or others within the group! MM action is present and there's a MM relationship within this polycule! Virgin MCs whether for the opposite gender or the same. There's talk of protection and how to be safe with one another. Age gaps all around, but all of the characters are legal adults! We have group fun, teaching moments, aftercare, sexual awakenings and so much more! Someone being the dominate one and helping to instruct the others and dial up the heat to a thousand! MF, MFMM, MFMMM, plus a voyeur!

I can continue to gush about this series and Elisha's writing all day! I loved seeing Lily teach snowboarding and with one student in particular! Seeing Lily get the support she needs from more people than just her guys is so heartwarming! This is another favorite series from Elisha Kemp for me! This book does end with a cliffhanger but a gentle one.

Enjoy this book with so much to offer and don't forget to give the author some stars and read the bonus scene!