by Rachel Hauck
First published 2011
Edith Miller has abandoned Christmas in Snowflake, Minnesota. Five years have passed since her son died in the war, taking her holiday spirit with him. She gladly gives away her Christmas decorations to Stella Hanson, the town's new teacher. Edith sees no point in celebrating anymore. Then the worst blizzard in decades strikes. Stella and four other travelers find themselves stranded at Edith's house, seeking shelter from the storm. The group includes strangers carrying their own heartbreak and disappointments. As snow piles against the windows and the wind howls outside, these five unexpected guests fill Edith's quiet home with voices and stories. The fire crackles in the hearth. Christmas lights cast a warm glow. Slowly, the barriers around Edith's frozen heart begin to thaw. She discovers that opening her door to others might lead her back to joy she thought she had lost forever. Sometimes the season's magic arrives not through grand gestures, but through simple human connection during the coldest, darkest nights.
Genres: romance, christmas, family-life, contemporary
Vibes: cozy, emotional-atmospheric, intimate
Tropes: found-family, second-chance-romance
Setting: Snowflake, Minnesota
Period: 5 years after war
315 pages · ebook · Summerside
Content warnings: death