The Winter King is the return of C.L. Wilson to epic fantasy after the end of her Tairen Soul series (Lord of the Fading Lands). We get a whole new world with The Winter King and I rather liked it. 
 Peace between the Summerlea and Wintercraig have been terrible ever since the Prince of Summerlea stole the Wintercraig's intended bride, took a valuble family relic, and killed his brother and heir. After three years of war Wynter Atrialan can finally claim victory over Summerlea. He and his men are ready to head for home, but first Summerlea must surrender to Wynter's terms in order for the battle to finally be over. 
 Wynter will take to bride one of Summerlea's "seasons" i.e. daughters. He will get her to bear him an heir within a year or he will put her to the Mercy of the Mountains and claim another season. The Summer King thinks he'll be able to pull one over on Wynter by giving over his fourth daughter. A daughter the Summer King does not care for and keeps hidden from the outside world. Figuring he can kill two birds with one stone so to speak. 
 Khamsin has come to terms with her father's hatred. It still hurts, but she knows he will never change his mind about her. Even though she's not excited to marry the Winter King she sees it as an opportunity to get out of the prison she's lived in her whole life. What she doesn't expect is to be thrust into an entirely different prison when she's taken to Wintercraig. There she is looked upon with distrust and suspicion. Despite their chemistry and attraction towards one another Wynter too keeps his distance. One day she hopes for the love and acceptance that's been kept from her. 
 The Winter King is packed full of everything that makes a fantasy epic. There is court intrigue, betrayals, fights with mythical creatures, etc. It was one of those stories that once I started, I didn't want to put down, but I also wanted to prolong the reading experience as much as possible. I found this one to be a bit more accessible than her Tairen Soul series. The main focus of The Winter King was Wynter and Khamsin and their building a relationship whereas the Tairen Soul series eventually broke off to emcompass many different characters and their storylines. 
 I liked seeing the progression of Wynter and Khamsin's relationship. There is obvious chemistry right away between the two, but they have to break down their own barriers and vulnerabilities in order to fully accept one another. They have to learn trust. It was interesting seeing their path. 
 While much of the story was a little predictable, I found that this didn't diminish how much I enjoyed it. I was happy that Wynter and Khamsin's story was tied up at the end, and I believe the next book will follow a different hero / heroine and be set in the same world. I'm interested to see who C.L. Wilson chooses next. 
 If you're looking for a very romantic epic fantasy, this is the book for you!