While It Was Snowing
Author: Julia London
Reviewer: Jen
Rating: B+
What I’m Talking About:
Amy Casey needs some time away from her life… her two teenage boys, her brother, her job, and the ex who wants to reignite their relationship. Wanting to reconnect with her love of painting to see if she can make a career switch, she and her dog head out of town to her best friend’s family luxury rental for two whole weeks. Meanwhile, pro golfer Harrison Neely is taking a two week vacation to clear his head. He was injured a year ago in a car accident and hasn’t played since. He is an “old man” in a young man’s game and isn’t sure he wants to continue. And of course… they happen to both be in the same condo for the same two weeks.
Julia London scores one for the forced proximity trope with While It Was Snowing. Amy and Harrison take the mixup in stride, knowing there is plenty of space for both of them, and they end up enjoying each other’s company. Both at a midlife crossroads, they find commonality in their situations. And there is the simmering attraction that they cannot resist. But things go sideways when life (her family, his career) keeping showing up during their supposed vacation.
While It Was Snowing feels like a Hallmark romance for real life and more mature characters. The story is filled with a lot of silly family antics. It is a lot and was overwhelming for this reader, but it’s all needed to accurately portray Amy’s life. The story is shared via both MC’s POVs, but I feel Amy’s story is a bit stronger. Perhaps because I related more with her, or more likely because her life is more in your face and his was more in the mind. I like that neither really has to give up anything in order to be together and that they don’t play games. Their issues are realistic without being fatal.
At times Amy’s life was so real and relatable, I cried on her behalf. The life choices Harrison must make are difficult. Finding one another helped ground them while setting them free. I love that they make it work, the whole big mess.
My Rating: B+ Liked It A Lot
Jen
About the Book:
All Amy Casey wants for Christmas is to paint. She needs five new paintings for the holiday show at her local art gallery, but between her two teenage sons, her needy ex-husband, and her overbearing parents, she hardly has any time for herself. Luckily, her best friend has the perfect a vacant family lake house in North Texas, all hers for two weeks of distraction-free painting. Or so she thought.
Turns out professional golfer Harrison Neely also rented the lake house so he can spend the holidays rehabbing the injury that has put his career—and life—on hold. Despite the booking snafu, both Amy and Harrison (along with Amy’s old blind dog and the army of child-sized nutcrackers residing in the living room) agree to share the festive lodging.
When an impending snowstorm has the two cozying up by the fire, sparks fly in more ways than one, and they open up to each other, unwrapping secrets and stories they’ve never shared before. But Harrison is expected back on the tournament circuit after the holidays, and Amy’s family needs her. As their departure date looms and her family and his manager press them for answers, they’ll have to decide if this December to remember has been a fun holiday fling, or if they’ve found a Christmas miracle at true love.
Release Date: October 28, 2025
Publisher: Berkley
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format(s): paperback (320 pages), e-book, audiobook
Book Source: NetGalley