The Winter War

Back in January, I reviewed The Broken Dawn, the first book in The Silver Throne series by Aurora Chatsworth. The second book, The Winter War, releases tomorrow, and I was fortunate enough to receive an advance reader copy for review.

The series is a gay historical romance set in a fictionalized, pre–World War II Sweden, following the forbidden love story between Crown Prince Harald and Jakob Eliasberg, his former fellow cadet. As many of you know, I am a military historian, but I’ll admit that my prior knowledge of Sweden during World War II was fairly limited—I mostly knew it as a neutral country. In graduate school, I wrote about Spanish neutrality during both World Wars, so I understand how complex and morally ambiguous “neutrality” can be. Rarely is it absolute—just look at the United States before formally entering either war.

To say I was intrigued by the first book would be an understatement. I loved it. I was especially impressed by Chatsworth’s research and historical awareness. Even within a fictionalized setting, many of the events and circumstances mirror reality, and she remains grounded in historical truth at the level of detail.

The real-life Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union provides the backdrop for this second installment, and Jakob finds himself in the midst of it—ironically, because it is safer than remaining at the mercy of the Swedish queen.

Crown Prince Harald expected to spend his life in the shadows, until his brother’s tragic death thrust him into the spotlight. With his father dying and his mother threatening everything he holds dear, Harald must outmaneuver the deadly politics of the royal court while Finland burns—and the man he loves fights for his life on the battlefield.

Jakob Eliasberg has found purpose on the frozen front lines of Finland, fighting alongside the ragtag forces of the Finnish army against the Soviet invasion. But even war cannot silence his longing for Harald, the prince who sacrificed everything to protect him from the queen’s wrath. Miles from Stockholm, Jakob fights not only for survival, but to become a man worthy of standing beside the future king of Sweden.

Separated by distance and the weight of a crown, Harald and Jakob wage their own battles—one in the halls of power, the other in the snow-covered forests of a besieged nation. With Swedish neutrality hanging in the balance and enemies closing in from all sides, they will discover that the greatest act of love is refusing to let go.

The Winter War continues the story begun in The Broken Dawn, but it does so in a markedly different way. Where the first novel centered on the burgeoning relationship between Harald and Jakob—two men from vastly different social worlds whose love felt immediate and undeniable—this installment explores what happens when that relationship is tested by distance, danger, and duty.

Much of their connection unfolds through letters, coded and careful, across great distances. The tone shifts accordingly. This is a story of separation—of longing, endurance, and emotional resilience. Both Harald and Jakob face dangers and hardships far beyond anything seen in the first book. Yet despite their physical absence from one another, the romance never diminishes. If anything, it deepens.

Chatsworth writes this beautifully. The emotional weight of their separation is palpable, and the historical backdrop adds a constant sense of urgency. As with the first book, the level of historical detail is impressive. It’s clear that Chatsworth has done her research and has a genuine interest in the period.

I will note that the advance reader copy contained some editing inconsistencies and minor errors. However, given that the book was still in the final stages of editing when I read it, I feel confident these issues will be corrected in the published version. No book is ever entirely free of errors—even those with the most experienced editorial teams—but these do little to detract from the overall reading experience.

Looking ahead, the third book in the trilogy, The Silver Duke, is set for release in October, and I’m eager to see where the story goes next. Too often, historical fiction makes me roll my eyes at glaring inaccuracies, but the best authors immerse themselves in their chosen era—understanding its language, culture, and limitations. Chatsworth clearly does the work, and it shows.

For me, the mark of a truly good historical novel is that it sends me down a research rabbit hole—and this one did exactly that. I found myself reading more about Swedish neutrality and the Winter War simply because I wanted to better understand the world she created.

If you haven’t read The Broken Dawn, what are you waiting for? And if you have, then you’re likely already counting down the hours until The Winter War. Either way, I can’t recommend this series enough. 

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.