Through the Snow Globe by Annie Rains - Book Review

Publication Date: 22nd August 2023

Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction, Romance, Time Loop (Groundhog Day)

4 Stars 

One Liner: Heartwarming 

Diana Merriam is exhausted. Her fiancé Linus has been hit by a car three weeks before Christmas and is in a coma. She may be good at her job as a physical therapist, but the promotion seems elusive. Her relationship with her best friend, Rochelle, is strained. Nothing seems to be going Diana’s way. 

When she finds a snow globe in Linus’ wardrobe, she knows it is his Christmas gift to her. A night before Christmas, Diana wishes for another chance to do better. This changes the course of her life, putting her in an endless time loop. Each time Diana has to re-live the same horrible day, she sees things she missed before. What does the universe want Diana to realize? Can she find what she needs? Will Christmas bring a miracle for her? 

The story comes from Diana’s third-person POV. 

What I Like:

A book with a time loop needs to have an engaging plot, as the same day will be repeated multiple times. This one handles the concept well. Every repeat is similar yet different. The conversations that sound similar and robotic are intentional to show Diana’s thought process. 

Linus is a super adorable guy. There’s very little fault in him, which doesn’t make Diana look good at times, but he is who he is. He comes from an emotionally healthy family, and it shows. 

Rochelle has a good presence, though she could have had a deeper character arc. Still, she does well within the limitations. The other characters, like Maria and Addy, have a realistic portrayal and are relatable. 

Little Dustin is a good addition, and his presence is revealed in bits and pieces. He is a sweet little kid who deserves a happy family to love him. I wouldn’t have minded more of him. 

The small-town setting doesn’t really come alive in this one. However, I like how the weather changes (incidentally, it doesn’t snow in Snow Haven) are used in the time loop, almost like foreshadowing. 

I think Diana’s character is done well for the majority of the book. I’ve noticed some reviews not liking her. But that is the point of the plot. Diana thinks she is professional, polite, efficient, and independent. She is always compact and has her walls up because that’s the only way she knows to live. She doesn’t realize it comes across as cold and unemotional instead of as someone always in control of themselves. The time loop is for her to understand this difference and know she can be confident yet friendly with others. 

In one of the repeats, Diana gets angry and frustrated. This is a great addition as it aptly shows her emotional state. This anger stems from helplessness and is justified from her POV. 

And we have an epilogue. The epilogue is sweet but just right and ends the book on a happy note. Snow Haven is beautiful again, and why not? 

What Could Have Been Better for Me: 

With stories that need to show tangible changes in a character, the process has to be seamless and relatable. While the book achieves this to a certain point, it feels jerky at a crucial moment. The shift in Diana’s thought process has to be more detailed and emotional. Her breakdown scene could have been repeated if necessary. 

There’s a character, William (Diana’s co-worker), mentioned multiple times but has zero presence in the book. At least with Diana’a grandma Denny and estranged mom, we know why they are needed and how they shaped her life. But poor William is a boogeyman (scapegoat), and not having him anywhere in the book throughout feels like a disservice. At least make him say hello to someone. 

I’m all for happy endings. I sure don’t need ‘realistic’ endings in Christmas books with second chances. However, things here are a little too sweet, and with Diana’s change not coming as strongly as it should, the sweetness feels excessive. A more controlled approach might have worked better (at least for me). Also, even Diana isn’t aware of certain developments, so the whole thing feels a bit strange too. 

To summarize, Through the Snow Globe is a heartwarming story of second chances, understanding one’s priorities, and learning to express emotions healthily. 

This is a clean romance.  

Thank you, NetGalley and Canelo, for the eARC.  

#NetGalley #ThroughtheSnowGlobe