Generally I read these fluffy romances, especially holiday ones as palate cleansers and never expect to be wow-ed or really love a story. But this one really hit all the marks for me. I loved the weaving of the story and while you knew at times where it was headed, the journey to that point was quite lovely.
Noelle and Sam meet when they are stranded on the highway in the middle of a snow storm overnight. They have that instant chemistry that is like lightning in a bottle but they both have their lives and go back to them when the snow is cleared. Noelle is a thirty something with a dream that she just can’t seem to reach with all of the obligations in her life. Her best friend’s death and her mother’s illness have her dealing with mental health issues and have just slowed her momentum. Sam seems to have it all together but is a bit of a mystery. I generally don’t love a female protagonist who can’t seem to get her stuff together but in this case, she was really trying and had viable reasons why things weren’t working out for her. Both have relationship baggage and so despite the sparks they feel every time they happen to cross each other’s path (more frequently than you’d imagine for two strangers) they don’t act on them.
The author does a fabulous job of demonstrating how fate works in both Noelle and Sam’s lives. I really loved that the secondary characters were so well fleshed out and had strong arcs as well. Sam was finally a real swoon-worthy beau who was morally sound and kind. Mental illness was dealt with in such a thorough way and was portrayed honestly with healthy solutions offered and taken. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Again could have done without the epilogue, but I’m starting to think that is just me…
Thanks to Netgalley for access to this novel. All opinions above are my own.
This is a second chance author for me. I did not enjoy Dear Emmie Blue. What’s an author that you gave a second chance and changed your opinion?
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