Publication Date: 01st Nov 2023
Genre: Christmas Romance
4.3 Stars
One Liner: Adorable
Megan is the black sheep of the family and the village when she ran away from her wedding to Issac five years ago. However, she has to attend the family Christmas dinner that year. With Issac being engaged and Megan’s love life nowhere in sight, she isn’t sure if going home would do her any good.
Christian likes Christmas and his family, but he is fed up with being the odd one out while everyone has a partner to love. Well, he is fine, but maybe he is not fine, either.
Megan and Christian bump into each other (literally) in a pub in Dublin. As childhood school friends, they recognize each other and chat up. Of course, this gives them a plan to solve their Christmas problem – why not fake-date each other for a while and make both families happy?
But then, we all know how risky this is! And with the festive magic in the air, the duo might find what they want.
The story comes in the first-person POV of Megan and Christian in alternate chapters. Though standalone, it should be read after Holiday Romance.
My Thoughts:
After enjoying the author’s previous two books (Holiday Romance and Matchmaker), I was excited to read this one. And the book doesn’t disappoint. It occurs a couple of years after Holiday Romance and has the couple (Molly and Andrew) play an active part. Zoe also waltzes in and out, adding her trademark sparkle to the story.
The first-person POV for both characters makes it a little hard to track in some scenes. Though their voices are distinct, things get confusing at times.
Christian is such a darling. Undoubtedly the best book boyfriend if you want one (or more). He is compassionate, understanding, patient, caring, attentive, supportive, thoughtful… the list goes on (and oh, those washboard abs).
Megan stands equal, though it seems like he is the one giving more than her. Since she is the ‘villain’ in the town for breaking Issac’s heart, she does have more to deal with than him. Her actions/ reactions make sense and align with her character arc.
No third-act breakup or miscommunication. Both of them are mature enough to acknowledge their feelings when the time comes. They communicate well, too. It’s endearing to see them trusting each other and sharing their vulnerabilities. Their relationship progresses and strengthens as they get to know each other more.
As always, the book has a healthy dose of humor – some chuckles, some laugh-out-loud moments, and some ‘silly’ smiles. Even the scenes with high drama have a touch of humor to lighten the situation without taking the focus away from it. I love how easy and natural the humor reads.
It feels good to revisit characters from Holiday Romance. This can easily be a longer series. After all, we have at least two more potential candidates to find their true love. Let’s hope there will be one next year.
The Christmas theme seamlessly blends with the plot, and the setting is a flavor enhancer. The snow, family, food, last-minute rushing, gifts, music, and whatnot decorate the story.
Megan’s love for knitting is more than just a character quirk. It is a part of her and is integral to the plot throughout. Angry knitting is indeed a thing. ;)
Ignore the title, though. That event doesn’t occur until the last quarter of the book.
To summarize, Snowed In is a delightful Christmas book about love, acceptance, standing up for oneself, family bonding, and food. The pacing is slow, but it never gets dull.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the eARC.
#NetGalley #SnowedIn
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