Everina Maxwell's Winter's Orbit did every single thing I expected it to do and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it ... The world and its politics are ably developed, but they are very much not the point. Jainan and Kiem’s relationship is spot-lit and center stage, every misstep and hesitation both building and delaying the reader’s satisfaction. I gulped the slow burn down, the lengthy and implausibly sustained misunderstandings ... One doesn’t fault a sonnet for having a rhyme scheme—and in a world so relentlessly uncertain, there’s a powerfully simple pleasure in the experience of a promise kept.

Queer romance, space opera, and political intrigue combine in Everina Maxwell’s 2021 novel, Winter’s Orbit for an immersive and sparkling adventure. Whether you’re here for the Star Trek fanfic vibes or the clever worldbuilding, Maxwell is sure to deliver—but it’s the combination of the two that makes Winter’s Orbit such a delight ... This romance does not come at the expense of fantastic worldbuilding. Winter’s Orbit has a deceptively simple premise that Maxwell cleverly spins out ... this gradual reveal of Winter’s Orbit’s staggeringly vast universe makes for delicious storytelling ... With fantastic side characters, sophisticated storytelling, and compelling readability—and even a hint of sexiness—Winter’s Orbit is not to be missed.

... an interesting history ... a very promising debut. Its characters are engaging and believable: not just Kiem and Jainan, but secondary figures ... Maxwell is deft at dropping hints about the wider world and political scene, so that even though the emotional core of this story is domestic, the bigger picture never quite fades from view. And there’s space in that bigger picture for plenty more stories ... Well-paced and deftly written, it’s one of the most enjoyable space (or planetary) opera romances that I’ve had the pleasure to read, and I look forward to seeing more of Maxwell’s work in the years to come.

Even though it was slow to start, Winter’s Orbit became an engrossing read ... I found that this book was easy to read but it was challenging for me to picture the world of Iskat in my mind; it would have been nice to have some more worldbuilding descriptions and/or some illustrations. I also found some of the names (people, places, technologies, etc.) and political elements to be confusing and hard to follow; I would have preferred less political details and more of a focus on Kiem and Jainan’s relationship and/or the murder investigation. I also found it frustrating that it took Kiem so long to uncover the truth about Jainan and Taam’s relationship ... I thought that the storyline was well organised, and the concept was unique ... This book was action-packed with hardly a dull moment and it had a satisfying ending; it made sense, but it left some plot lines open for a potential sequel.

This queer science fiction romance astounds not only through its believable, multilayered character development, but also in the eons of intergalactic political and cultural history that Maxwell weaves into a 400-page novel ... Winter’s Orbit fits into the romance genre just as much as it does science fiction, and its central relationship develops and flourishes in a world devoid of homophobia ... With its dark, dry humor and its unforgettable depictions of bereavement, heartbreak and new love, Winter’s Orbit is hopefully the start of much more to come from Everina Maxwell.

Is there a romance plot more audacious than the fake-dating scenario? ... In her debut novel Winter's Orbit, Everina Maxwell rockets this surefire premise into space ... While the novel's background is densely populated by supporting characters, they mostly feel underdeveloped ... The marriage between love story and space opera is strongest in the smaller, human moments ... The utilization of a heavily-foreshadowed technology for a poignant sequence of reverse-gaslighting. The intergalactic conspiracy to which Winter's Orbit builds is less gripping than Kiem and Jainan's rise to power couple. But when these sensitive boys figure out what actually makes their match work, that's when sparks fly.

... a tender romance propelled through a sprawling space opera. This is a husbands-to-friends-to-lovers romance, a slowburn that features a lot of pining-while-married, but it’s also about healing from abuse, and an emerging disillusionment with the very empire that’s given you everything you’ve ever known. Ultimately, it’s about two partners brought together by circumstance who fall in love by bringing out the best in each other, and falling for the complete versions of the other person. I appreciate that their relationship is never the central conflict --- that they get to fall in love while unearthing a political conspiracy and navigate the fallout together. The central conflict between them is miscommunication, but only because each thinks the other doesn’t want him. Kiem and Jainan hold each other’s hearts so carefully and tenderly, each finding himself unworthy of the other ... explores the process of working one’s way out of internalized victim blaming with sensitivity. It shows the scope and depth of trauma: how it spirals, how it reshapes a person, how it affects everything they do, and how they manage themselves in other relationships. It also clearly expresses that survivors of domestic abuse are worthy of love ... This novel is queer in the very fabric of its making, and it feels quite fitting for a space opera ... Exciting, cathartic and desperately romantic, Winter's Orbit is a tenderly healing joy. I look forward to Maxwell’s next book.

Maxwell’s debut combines romance and thrills in a unique package. The narrative swaps between Kiem and Jainan, each with their own strong personalities, and quickly grows in urgency. Romantic tension volleys back and forth between the two leads, proving just as compelling as the political machinations. Winter’s Orbit is soft on science fiction but heavy on world building.

While the story contains themes of emotional and physical abuse in relationships, it brings a galaxy of gender and sexual choice, balancing the dark with light ... Maxwell's delightful debut will please science fiction and romance readers alike, telling a slow burn of a relationship fraught with high stakes and action.

Maxwell’s plot elegantly combines clan politics, galactic power struggles, and marriage dynamics, though the delicate handling of abuse and trauma—enabled by Kiem’s un-self-conscious sweetness in his relationship with the skittish Jainan—gives way to heavy-handed melodrama in the story’s climax. Despite the soapy conclusion, this exciting adventure is sure to win Maxwell many fans.