Annie Romano returns to Fairhaven, Washington, to raise her 5-year-old daughter. She’s starting a business as a personal chef, but it’s taking time and effort to build a clientele and she finds she needs another job to make ends meet for Emma. Back in high school she worked part time at Jameson’s Bakery, so she stops in there to see the owner, her elderly friend, Irene, and ask for a job. It’s clear Irene can’t afford another employee, though, and before the conversation gets going too far, Irene has a heart attack on the spot.
Annie has no choice but to call Irene’s grandson, Alex, who lives in San Francisco. Annie had a secret crush on Alex back in the day, and she really doesn’t want to see him again–not with Emma, the proof of some poor choices she’s made. But Alex is focused on his grandmother and offers Annie a job as a live in caretaker and chef for Irene. Annie is desperate (and loves both Irene and Alex) so agrees.
Torn between needing to return to SF and find out if the rumors about hotel mergers are true–and what affect they’d have on his job–and his desire to care for his grandmother, Alex lingers in Fairhaven and begins to see Annie for who she is. But it takes a little girl who craves a daddy and some matchmaking from Irene and her friends to bring these matters of the heart to the forefront.
Is this not a gorgeous cover for a Christmas romance novel? Every time I saw this cover I knew I wanted to read this book. I also love the title, Snowflake Sweethearts, so when the author offered a few giveaways on her Facebook page, I popped my name on the list and was delighted to win a digital copy.
I fully expected to enjoy this novel, and I did. What I didn’t expect was to read it all in one sitting, but once I’d opened the file, I just sort of kept going. It’s not that the story was riveting in a suspenseful way, just that the warm emotions evoked first by the cover were equally present in the novel. If you’re looking for a sweet Christmas read, I recommend this book.
Carrie Turansky is the award-winning author of ten inspirational romance novels and novellas. She has been a finalist for the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, The ACFW Genesis, and winner of the ACFW Carol Award, the Crystal Globe Award and the International Digital Award. She has been a member of American Christian Fiction Writers since 2000. She lives in central New Jersey with her husband, Scott, who is a pastor, author, speaker and counselor. They have five young adult children. Carrie and her family served in Kenya as missionaries, giving them a passion for what God is doing around the world. Carrie leads women’s ministry at her church and, when she is not writing, she enjoys gardening, reading, flower arranging, and cooking for friends and Family.
I received a digital copy of this novel from the author for the purposes of review. Opinions are mine alone.
Hi Valerie, thanks for taking time to read and review Snowflake Sweethearts. Glad you enjoyed the story enough to read it on your computer screen, and in one sitting! I hope readers will also be captured by the cover and want to read Annie and Alex’s story. I appreciate your thoughtful review! It means even more coming from a fellow author.
Blessings and happy reading and writing!
Carrie