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Midsummer
Jenna had planned a trip of a lifetime for her and her boyfriend Travis. An opportunity to hike through northern Finland, witness the midnight sun during the summer solstice, f*ck like rabbits, and hopefully salvage their struggling relationship. But when Travis invites some of his friends without even telling her, the disappointments begin to pile on. Fed up and unsatisfied, Jenna turns to a midsummer ritual for guidance on finding her one true love. One that leads her away from the human midsummer festivities and into a fey celebration full of danger, magic, and just possibly, her one true love — a bearwoman?!
52 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 27, 2023
About the author
Alethea Faust
10 books389 followersAlethea Faust is an international bestselling author of kinky, queer, erotic epic fantasy. Things you can expect to find in their works are risk-aware consensual kink, hard BDSM, non-toxic masculinity, kind and emotionally mature adults, and a lot of butt stuff.
They also have a Patreon, where you can find exclusive stories in the Sex Wizards world as well as early access to future books in the series. Read more at https://www.patreon.com/aletheafaust
They can be found all across social media here: https://linktr.ee/aletheafaust
They also have a Patreon, where you can find exclusive stories in the Sex Wizards world as well as early access to future books in the series. Read more at https://www.patreon.com/aletheafaust
They can be found all across social media here: https://linktr.ee/aletheafaust
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
September 22, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ - quick erotic shifter insta-love fated mates story with a bit of extra spice
Currently free on Amazon during Stuff Your Kindle event 9/21-9/22/23
Currently free on Amazon during Stuff Your Kindle event 9/21-9/22/23
November 23, 2023
¿Qué puedo decir? Es un relato sobre cosas sexuales con mujeres que se convierten en osos y me ha parecido aburrido excepto por algunas escenas :D
May 28, 2023
I literally downloaded this at midnight and read it the second it became available. This book was short and sweet and so well written, I loved all the small details and descriptions that really built a beautiful image of the forest and the solstice celebration. The spice was perfection, give me all the spicy sapphic books please and thank you!
January 20, 2024
This was... interesting.
3 stars
2 on the spice scale
3 stars
2 on the spice scale
June 22, 2023
There is a lot going on in this book for only 52 pages! It’s a fluffy instalove popcorn novella, and I still enjoyed. But get this list:
- Finland back country hiking
- asshole boyfriend
- summer solstice festival
- fae court
- bear shifter
- kinky / exhibitionism
- MC’s first experience receiving oral
- Xena warrior princess MC
It was just … a lot. And the MCs didn’t even get together until more than halfway through the story. Still! Fun and short.
- Finland back country hiking
- asshole boyfriend
- summer solstice festival
- fae court
- bear shifter
- kinky / exhibitionism
- MC’s first experience receiving oral
- Xena warrior princess MC
It was just … a lot. And the MCs didn’t even get together until more than halfway through the story. Still! Fun and short.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2023
Alethea Faust stole my heart with the Sex Wizard series and when I saw she had a sapphic, bear shifter novella up for release, I was like YES PLEASE!
Read if you like:
🐻 Bear Shifters
🐻 Wlw (Women Lovin Women)
🐻 Stumbling into Immortal Revels
🐻 Revels= Orgies in the woods
🐻 🐱👅 (Lots of it)
🐻 Men suck
The plot: girl goes on trip with shitty bf, their relationship is on the rocks. She stumbles into an ancient Midsummer rite in the woods full of fae, mischief, magic and a bear shifter that is about to eat 🐱 like a champ. I loved the chemistry between Jenna and Bruinda. Of course in a novella you can't delve into the depths of a relationship, so Faust did a great job making me feel like they had something beyond chemistry in the sheets/fur/forest floor. This one is definitely spicy and mostly smut. But also sweet and full of longing for the person who will be your match. I do worry about their future living situation 🤣 but I'm glad to get this novella snapshot of spice where a girl and a bear shifter find love on Midsummer's Eve.
Thanks to the amazing Alethea and team for the ARC!
Read if you like:
🐻 Bear Shifters
🐻 Wlw (Women Lovin Women)
🐻 Stumbling into Immortal Revels
🐻 Revels= Orgies in the woods
🐻 🐱👅 (Lots of it)
🐻 Men suck
The plot: girl goes on trip with shitty bf, their relationship is on the rocks. She stumbles into an ancient Midsummer rite in the woods full of fae, mischief, magic and a bear shifter that is about to eat 🐱 like a champ. I loved the chemistry between Jenna and Bruinda. Of course in a novella you can't delve into the depths of a relationship, so Faust did a great job making me feel like they had something beyond chemistry in the sheets/fur/forest floor. This one is definitely spicy and mostly smut. But also sweet and full of longing for the person who will be your match. I do worry about their future living situation 🤣 but I'm glad to get this novella snapshot of spice where a girl and a bear shifter find love on Midsummer's Eve.
Thanks to the amazing Alethea and team for the ARC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2023
3.5/5
Big bear woman is a concept that I love dearly, but because I’m Particular™️ about dialogue in erotica and because I like a little more plot/less American plot, it’s a 3.5 star for me.
Perfectly decent.
Big bear woman is a concept that I love dearly, but because I’m Particular™️ about dialogue in erotica and because I like a little more plot/less American plot, it’s a 3.5 star for me.
Perfectly decent.
Read
June 3, 2023DNF @ 48%. Look… you can’t promise what this title promises, AND it’s 52 Kindle pages, and yet halfway through the story she’s only just meeting the bear lady?? This so far has been 48% boring complaining about her sucky boyfriend! I just don’t have the patience.
June 28, 2024
J’avoue que je n’ai pas été transporté par cette histoire. Mais je me rends compte que c’est ma faute, j’avais placé trop d’attente dans ce livre. Je m’attendais à une histoire bien travaillée, pas juste à une erotic novella.
On suit une jeune fille partie en Laponie avec son copain pour le festival du solstice d’été Midsummer (oui j’ai pensé au film d’horreur à chaque fois que quelqu’un disait le mot😂). Leur couple est au cap des trois ans et dont la flamme s’est éteinte mais où les deux sont trop têtus pour se rendre à l’évidence et continuent à s’acharner et à se faire du mal dans une fin de relation toxique.
Ils ne sont tout simplement plus sur la même longueur d’onde mais avec leur entêtement, ça se transforme en l’une de ces ruptures vraiment moches.
En réalité la seule chose qui dérange le personnage principal c’est qu’il n’y ai plus de passion 🔥 entre eux. Et c’est finalement tout ce qu’elle attend de l’ourse.
Avec qui elle trompe d’ailleurs allègrement son copain avant de lui dire froidement qu’elle se débarrasse de lui.
Extrait: “I came up to do you the courtesy of saying goodbye.” Travis freezes, his eyes narrowing. “What are you talking about?” “I’m tired of dragging this on, Travis,” I say. “And I think you’re tired of being dragged. So, I’m cutting you loose.”
Pardon mais si les genres avaient été inversés Jenna se ferait copieusement insulter de tous les noms, et à juste titre. Je n’aime pas du tout ce genre de double standard.
Après je sais bien qu’avec aussi peu de page il n’y a pas trop de place pour le développement. Mais quitte à choisir entre renoncer au développement du personnage/développement sentimental et autre chose, je choisirais plutôt de sacrifier une partie des moments hot, ou des disputes du couple, enfin de l’ex-couple.
Jenna réagit comme une princesse Disney
Elle tombe amoureuse de la première personne qui lui témoigne un peu de gentillesse… ou qui ne lui crache pas dessus. Ses standards sont extrêmement bas.
Par contre elle honore la longue lignée de damoiselle en détresse sans cervelle: elle pleure pour rentrer chez elle, l’ourse lui dit de se taire et de se faire discrète pour qu’elle puisse l’aider, et elle se met à brailler qu’elle n’est pas faible et qu’elle peut se débrouiller… deux secondes après "oh mince, toutes les créatures dangereuses me regarde".😒
En bref une déception pour moi.
On suit une jeune fille partie en Laponie avec son copain pour le festival du solstice d’été Midsummer (oui j’ai pensé au film d’horreur à chaque fois que quelqu’un disait le mot😂). Leur couple est au cap des trois ans et dont la flamme s’est éteinte mais où les deux sont trop têtus pour se rendre à l’évidence et continuent à s’acharner et à se faire du mal dans une fin de relation toxique.
Ils ne sont tout simplement plus sur la même longueur d’onde mais avec leur entêtement, ça se transforme en l’une de ces ruptures vraiment moches.
En réalité la seule chose qui dérange le personnage principal c’est qu’il n’y ai plus de passion 🔥 entre eux. Et c’est finalement tout ce qu’elle attend de l’ourse.
Avec qui elle trompe d’ailleurs allègrement son copain avant de lui dire froidement qu’elle se débarrasse de lui.
Extrait: “I came up to do you the courtesy of saying goodbye.” Travis freezes, his eyes narrowing. “What are you talking about?” “I’m tired of dragging this on, Travis,” I say. “And I think you’re tired of being dragged. So, I’m cutting you loose.”
Pardon mais si les genres avaient été inversés Jenna se ferait copieusement insulter de tous les noms, et à juste titre. Je n’aime pas du tout ce genre de double standard.
Après je sais bien qu’avec aussi peu de page il n’y a pas trop de place pour le développement. Mais quitte à choisir entre renoncer au développement du personnage/développement sentimental et autre chose, je choisirais plutôt de sacrifier une partie des moments hot, ou des disputes du couple, enfin de l’ex-couple.
Jenna réagit comme une princesse Disney
Elle tombe amoureuse de la première personne qui lui témoigne un peu de gentillesse… ou qui ne lui crache pas dessus. Ses standards sont extrêmement bas.
Par contre elle honore la longue lignée de damoiselle en détresse sans cervelle: elle pleure pour rentrer chez elle, l’ourse lui dit de se taire et de se faire discrète pour qu’elle puisse l’aider, et elle se met à brailler qu’elle n’est pas faible et qu’elle peut se débrouiller… deux secondes après "oh mince, toutes les créatures dangereuses me regarde".😒
En bref une déception pour moi.
May 28, 2023
Phenomenal FF
I don’t read many FF books and I’m sad I don’t because this was so good!
I felt a connection with the FMCs and how freeing everything seemed to be in the end. All the expectations and relationships that she thought she needed to maintain was no longer a burden and just being free and loved by someone who cares for you deeply without restrictions is beautiful.
This story was so beautifully written I am obsessed with it!
I don’t read many FF books and I’m sad I don’t because this was so good!
I felt a connection with the FMCs and how freeing everything seemed to be in the end. All the expectations and relationships that she thought she needed to maintain was no longer a burden and just being free and loved by someone who cares for you deeply without restrictions is beautiful.
This story was so beautifully written I am obsessed with it!
October 17, 2023
This was super short Sapphic romance with a bear shifter. This is only 52 pages, and I thought it spent too much time showing what a loser her boyfriend was. This guy was a loser who never gave her oral for the 3 years they were together. Just no.....
We didn't get to the fun and spicy bear stuff till the last third of the book.
🌶🌶
We didn't get to the fun and spicy bear stuff till the last third of the book.
🌶🌶
June 1, 2023
Short and sweet! And you are getting exactly what it says on the box. There was enough story there to carry things along, and it was interesting enough that I wouldn't mind seeing it fleshed out more at a later date. (Or just seeing more stories set in this universe.)
September 24, 2023
I don't usually gravitate towards shifter romances, but this was really fun. I love all about the Nordic countries, so the fact that this book is set in Finland grabbed my attention and I'm glad that I read it.
It was short, interesting, and h o t.
And the cover is kinda cute.
It was short, interesting, and h o t.
And the cover is kinda cute.
May 29, 2023
Delightfully easy binge read that was 🤌🏻 on the sapphic spice! Only wish there had been more.
May 24, 2023
Bears ftw ...
So, what do you do, if your boyfriend turns out to be the unsatisfying a$$ you suspected he was, invites his buddies to your camping holiday in Finland and gets drunk with them at the midsummer festival without you????
Naturally you walk into the woods and the middle of a secret fey celebration and find yourself a huge, sexy bear. And giiiiirl, is she sexy. The whole book is! Short but delicious.
It's my first FF (only) book but, yah, probably not the last one 😜
So, what do you do, if your boyfriend turns out to be the unsatisfying a$$ you suspected he was, invites his buddies to your camping holiday in Finland and gets drunk with them at the midsummer festival without you????
Naturally you walk into the woods and the middle of a secret fey celebration and find yourself a huge, sexy bear. And giiiiirl, is she sexy. The whole book is! Short but delicious.
It's my first FF (only) book but, yah, probably not the last one 😜
July 16, 2023
This was just okay for me.
It’s a spicy sapphic romance featuring a bear shifter (another reviewer said Xena Warrior Princess MC and that’s spot on!!) and a girl who is completely unsatisfied in a dead relationship.
It’s only 52 pages and I think for me too much time was spent on the build up and showing how much the boyfriend sucked that I felt like I didn’t get enough time with the girls together.
I like the concept though and it’s a quick read so I’d still recommend checking it out if the blurb appeals to you!
It’s a spicy sapphic romance featuring a bear shifter (another reviewer said Xena Warrior Princess MC and that’s spot on!!) and a girl who is completely unsatisfied in a dead relationship.
It’s only 52 pages and I think for me too much time was spent on the build up and showing how much the boyfriend sucked that I felt like I didn’t get enough time with the girls together.
I like the concept though and it’s a quick read so I’d still recommend checking it out if the blurb appeals to you!
May 20, 2023
*ARC review*
Who among us has not imagined going to a midsummers eve festival and stumbling upon a fae celebration? This is a delicious and delightful short story, a lovely way to spice up your lunch break. The author managed to get me invested in the narrator, dislike her awful boyfriend, fall for the love interest and do that *raises eyebrows and looks away briefly* face while reading the spice, all in very few pages. Also, a tall, muscly, female knight? Yes please! Alethea always brings in representation I don't see often in romance/spicy books and it's just one of the things I love about her writing. You should definitely read this! (And then go start her 'Sex Wizards' series)
Who among us has not imagined going to a midsummers eve festival and stumbling upon a fae celebration? This is a delicious and delightful short story, a lovely way to spice up your lunch break. The author managed to get me invested in the narrator, dislike her awful boyfriend, fall for the love interest and do that *raises eyebrows and looks away briefly* face while reading the spice, all in very few pages. Also, a tall, muscly, female knight? Yes please! Alethea always brings in representation I don't see often in romance/spicy books and it's just one of the things I love about her writing. You should definitely read this! (And then go start her 'Sex Wizards' series)
May 23, 2023
This story was something different for me, however I enjoyed it as much as everything else I have read by Alethea Faust.
Following Jennas journey, starting with what was meant to be a romantic trip but ended up being a disaster after Travis invited unwanted company, her unexpected meeting with a bear and all that follows.
A brilliant story, highly recommended.
Following Jennas journey, starting with what was meant to be a romantic trip but ended up being a disaster after Travis invited unwanted company, her unexpected meeting with a bear and all that follows.
A brilliant story, highly recommended.
May 19, 2023
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This story is short and sweet. The setting was absolutely magical and the spice was so well done. Not a single complaint comes to my mind.
This story is short and sweet. The setting was absolutely magical and the spice was so well done. Not a single complaint comes to my mind.
May 27, 2023
ARC REVIEW
This short story was so fun and unexpected, but I should have expected nothing less from Alethea! This was originally published in an anthology (F*** the Patriarchy I believe). I definitely recommend this FF, fated mates bear shifter soicy romance set in Finland!
This short story was so fun and unexpected, but I should have expected nothing less from Alethea! This was originally published in an anthology (F*** the Patriarchy I believe). I definitely recommend this FF, fated mates bear shifter soicy romance set in Finland!
August 20, 2023
Love every word written by Alethea Faust, and this short story is no exception!
Cute little supernatural queer romance with a slice of spice 😁
Cute little supernatural queer romance with a slice of spice 😁
June 19, 2023
I love a good lesbian shifter romance, and this one ✨AWESOME.✨ It was just what I needed to cure my little book slump. I loved it a lot and definitely recommend it if it’s your jam. ♥️
June 25, 2023
Overall Rating: 🥭🥭🥭🥭.5
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
A disastrous camping trip turns spicy
~or~ Jenna discovers being eaten by a bear isn’t such a bad thing… 😏
Midsummer is packed with gorgeous detail and heartfelt moments, and can be devoured in one sitting. I LOVE that it’s set in Finland (travelling via fiction is one of my favourite things). Right from the start, Jenna had my heart and empathy. I was intrigued by her initial run-in with the bear, and the signs pointing to where her fate might take her. I loved all the details of the fae revelry, and the entire encounter with Bruinda (love that name!) was 🔥🔥🔥
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
A disastrous camping trip turns spicy
~or~ Jenna discovers being eaten by a bear isn’t such a bad thing… 😏
Midsummer is packed with gorgeous detail and heartfelt moments, and can be devoured in one sitting. I LOVE that it’s set in Finland (travelling via fiction is one of my favourite things). Right from the start, Jenna had my heart and empathy. I was intrigued by her initial run-in with the bear, and the signs pointing to where her fate might take her. I loved all the details of the fae revelry, and the entire encounter with Bruinda (love that name!) was 🔥🔥🔥
May 19, 2023
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Midsummer is a short, sweet, fast-paced read. It's FF, fated mates, and instalove with a cozy nature setting.
I had a lot of fun reading this! Bruinda is a hottie and I wish we got more of her. I also really liked that Jenna's boyfriend Travis wasn't a COMPLETE jerk. He wasn't abusive and it wasn't some horrible, terrifying relationship that our FMC needed to escape from. He was just distant and really didn't love her all that much-- I don't see that very often in books. I definitely recommend picking this up!
Midsummer is a short, sweet, fast-paced read. It's FF, fated mates, and instalove with a cozy nature setting.
I had a lot of fun reading this! Bruinda is a hottie and I wish we got more of her. I also really liked that Jenna's boyfriend Travis wasn't a COMPLETE jerk. He wasn't abusive and it wasn't some horrible, terrifying relationship that our FMC needed to escape from. He was just distant and really didn't love her all that much-- I don't see that very often in books. I definitely recommend picking this up!
August 7, 2023
Novella, FF, CR, Fantasy, 1st Single POV
Jenna: Bi, Human, Early 20s
Bruinda: Bear Shifter, Tall and Muscular, Lesbian Nails, Fae Court Gaurd
Notes: Hiking and Camping Trip with Boyfriend (of 3 yrs) and Friends in Finland for Midsummer,
Sex Notes:
Jenna: Bi, Human, Early 20s
Bruinda: Bear Shifter, Tall and Muscular, Lesbian Nails, Fae Court Gaurd
Notes: Hiking and Camping Trip with Boyfriend (of 3 yrs) and Friends in Finland for Midsummer,
Sex Notes:
May 29, 2023
This book immediately pulled me out of my reading slump. Jenna is a vibrant,sweet character that I'd read a million more books about.
The tension and conflict in the story was SO effective that I was raging at my kindle!
And the spice. Ma'am I reread the spicy scenes twice in the hour after I finished the book.
The world needed more sapphic shifter representation and I hope the author continues to give us more from this rich, well-written world!
Absolutely will recommend!
The tension and conflict in the story was SO effective that I was raging at my kindle!
And the spice. Ma'am I reread the spicy scenes twice in the hour after I finished the book.
The world needed more sapphic shifter representation and I hope the author continues to give us more from this rich, well-written world!
Absolutely will recommend!
August 2, 2023
⭐️⭐️✨
tropes: chicaxchica y cambia-formas.
advertencias: contenido sexual e infidelidad (no entre las protagonistas)
Es una mini novela entonces no esperaba gran cosa, pero como siento que la historia si da para mas es decepcionante. O sea, la chica sigue un ritual y se encuentra con el amor de su vida que es una mujer oso, y aun así la historia no me pareció la gran cosa.
Solo lo recomiendo para pasar el rato porque es corto y fácil de leer.
tropes: chicaxchica y cambia-formas.
advertencias: contenido sexual e infidelidad (no entre las protagonistas)
Es una mini novela entonces no esperaba gran cosa, pero como siento que la historia si da para mas es decepcionante. O sea, la chica sigue un ritual y se encuentra con el amor de su vida que es una mujer oso, y aun así la historia no me pareció la gran cosa.
Solo lo recomiendo para pasar el rato porque es corto y fácil de leer.
October 1, 2023
3.5/5
This was so fucking weird but actually kinda fun to read. Like the premise was fucking insane and made no sense and I did laugh when it ended and she emerges from a cave and says I'm staying here to her BF and friends then her new gf/bear shifter chases them off after knowing each other for a total of 8 hours. And then she just stays in the woods in Finland 😅 still fun to read tho and the spice was really fun
This was so fucking weird but actually kinda fun to read. Like the premise was fucking insane and made no sense and I did laugh when it ended and she emerges from a cave and says I'm staying here to her BF and friends then her new gf/bear shifter chases them off after knowing each other for a total of 8 hours. And then she just stays in the woods in Finland 😅 still fun to read tho and the spice was really fun
May 8, 2024
Jess’s overall enjoyment: 5/5⭐️
Spice level: 3/5 🌶️
Angst level: 2/5 ❤️🩹
Plot: 2/5 🗺️
Writing: 4.25/5🖊️
I really enjoyed this novella. It was a great short story that had a mystical, natural, fairy-tale vibe. Also - I loved the characters and really disliked one in particular, just as it was written to be, which was fun. I love when I'm vibing with the characters as written.
This book has moments in it where the MC doesn't know what's going on, it's fantastical and scary for her - and I love how the author described those scenes. I felt like I was there.
There was spice in this book, and it had such a unique premise to the 'why' of it that it enhanced the spicy scenes.
Spice level: 3/5 🌶️
Angst level: 2/5 ❤️🩹
Plot: 2/5 🗺️
Writing: 4.25/5🖊️
I really enjoyed this novella. It was a great short story that had a mystical, natural, fairy-tale vibe. Also - I loved the characters and really disliked one in particular, just as it was written to be, which was fun. I love when I'm vibing with the characters as written.
This book has moments in it where the MC doesn't know what's going on, it's fantastical and scary for her - and I love how the author described those scenes. I felt like I was there.
There was spice in this book, and it had such a unique premise to the 'why' of it that it enhanced the spicy scenes.
January 22, 2024
Good for you Jenna!!
Having her boyfriend pull away slowly from Jenna was becoming to much for her even though they had a plan to fulfill. I personally think he was a coward and Jenna was the one with the guts!!
I'm glad she wondered off and found what was out there just and only for her!! She found her beau or should I say her bear? I enjoyed this short story.
ENJOY!
Having her boyfriend pull away slowly from Jenna was becoming to much for her even though they had a plan to fulfill. I personally think he was a coward and Jenna was the one with the guts!!
I'm glad she wondered off and found what was out there just and only for her!! She found her beau or should I say her bear? I enjoyed this short story.
ENJOY!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews