Good Morning Bookish Friends :)
I hope you're all doing well, and I want to thank you all for joining me for another book review here on The Preppy Book Princess.
As it gets closer and closer to Christmas, it seems only fitting to share book reviews of some fun Christmas reads with you all.
The one I'm going to share today is especially exciting, as not only is it a Christmas story, but it's also a sort of sequel to The Secrets of Paper and Ink, which I read and reviewed earlier this year, and I loved it.
It was extra exciting to get to read another book set within the same community as the first was, and I loved getting to revisit some favorite characters, and be introduced to some new ones as well.
Like a Winter Snow by Lindsay Harrel:
Source: Bought For Myself
Publication Date: October 29th, 2019
Genre: Christian Fiction/Christmas Novella
Series: Port Willis
Synopsis:
Cozy up with this charming and uplifting romance all about unexpected love, true friendship, and family loyalty. Set during a Christmas-time wedding among the falling snow, this sweet story will warm your heart.
Women’s counselor Joy Beckman has always been a friend and helper to all. That’s why she’s given up everything to be with her parents as her mother suffers through Alzheimer’s. Joy may not have a thriving career or a love life at the moment, but she’s doing what she does best—taking care of others. And even though it’s difficult, she knows it’s where she is supposed to be.
But life throws a curveball when she has to leave her parents temporarily to travel to Cornwall, England, for the December wedding of her best friend. While there, Joy helps Sophia tackle her last-minute to-do list, and in the process, finally meets a man who turns her head—and her heart. The only problem? He lives in snowy London, and her life is with her parents back in sunny Florida.
She tries to resist Oliver Lincoln’s charms, but it’s harder than it should be. With her heart torn in two, Joy is forced to choose between a life she knows she’s meant for and the one she didn’t see coming.
Fall in love with this enchanting romance that’s sure to delight fans of Rachel Hauck and Melissa Tagg. Even if you have not read The Secrets of Paper and Ink (where the quaint village of Port Willis was first born), you can fully enjoy this heartwarming holiday novella.
(synopsis from goodreads)
My Review:
Over the last few years, Lindsay Harrel has become a new favorite author of mine. My favorite book of hers to date is The Secrets of Paper and Ink, which I had read at the start of the year. When I found out she was writing a follow up novella, also set in Port Willis, I couldn't wait to read it, and I pre ordered it pretty much as soon as it was an option too. However, I was still a little nervous before reading this one. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not a fan of the insta-love trope, and with the short timeline of this one, I was worried it wasn't going to work for me. I honestly shouldn't have worried though, as once again, Lindsay Harrel has written a fantastic story that draws readers in, and keeps them glued to the page as the heartwarming story unfolds.
I was excited to get another glimpse into Sophia and William's story, and also Ginny and Steven's, but I was ill prepared for just how much I was going to enjoy Joy's story as well. Joy has always tried to do everything she can for everyone else, but in the process she's neglected herself, and she's still single in her early forties. She's also stepped back from her career to help care for her mother who's been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and she's not sure she wants the path that God seems to be putting her on. Her life takes a complete turnaround though, when she heads to Port Willis for her best friend's wedding, and comes into contact with one of the groomsmen, Oliver. He's the first guy who's made her feel anything in a very long time, but she's not sure her or her heart are ready to take that leap.
I couldn't have honestly enjoyed this little novella more if I tried. It reads authentically and realistically, and I love how Lindsay Harrel never shies away from writing about difficult topics, in this one Alzheimer's being at the front and center. Port Willis seems like a magical, whimsical little town, and it was the perfect setting for a holiday novella. Joy and Oliver's relationship does seem a little fast, but I enjoyed the fact that this is represented realistically, and not in a way that made it feel truly like insta love.
In our current day and age, where more and more heroines are being written as being capable of doing everything, I kind of liked the fact that Joy is shown she's not able to do everything without the help of our Heavenly Father and the friends and family who love her and surround her. This vulnerability in her character was refreshing, and was definitely a stand out part of the story for me.
Once again, Lindsay Harrel has proven why she's one of my new favorite authors, and I highly recommend picking this one up, especially if you also loved The Secrets of Paper and Ink.
Final Rating: 4/5
Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a great rest of your day :)
This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The photo does not belong to me, and all rights to the respective owners.
I hope you're all doing well, and I want to thank you all for joining me for another book review here on The Preppy Book Princess.
As it gets closer and closer to Christmas, it seems only fitting to share book reviews of some fun Christmas reads with you all.
The one I'm going to share today is especially exciting, as not only is it a Christmas story, but it's also a sort of sequel to The Secrets of Paper and Ink, which I read and reviewed earlier this year, and I loved it.
It was extra exciting to get to read another book set within the same community as the first was, and I loved getting to revisit some favorite characters, and be introduced to some new ones as well.
Like a Winter Snow by Lindsay Harrel:
Source: Bought For Myself
Publication Date: October 29th, 2019
Genre: Christian Fiction/Christmas Novella
Series: Port Willis
Synopsis:
Cozy up with this charming and uplifting romance all about unexpected love, true friendship, and family loyalty. Set during a Christmas-time wedding among the falling snow, this sweet story will warm your heart.
Women’s counselor Joy Beckman has always been a friend and helper to all. That’s why she’s given up everything to be with her parents as her mother suffers through Alzheimer’s. Joy may not have a thriving career or a love life at the moment, but she’s doing what she does best—taking care of others. And even though it’s difficult, she knows it’s where she is supposed to be.
But life throws a curveball when she has to leave her parents temporarily to travel to Cornwall, England, for the December wedding of her best friend. While there, Joy helps Sophia tackle her last-minute to-do list, and in the process, finally meets a man who turns her head—and her heart. The only problem? He lives in snowy London, and her life is with her parents back in sunny Florida.
She tries to resist Oliver Lincoln’s charms, but it’s harder than it should be. With her heart torn in two, Joy is forced to choose between a life she knows she’s meant for and the one she didn’t see coming.
Fall in love with this enchanting romance that’s sure to delight fans of Rachel Hauck and Melissa Tagg. Even if you have not read The Secrets of Paper and Ink (where the quaint village of Port Willis was first born), you can fully enjoy this heartwarming holiday novella.
(synopsis from goodreads)
My Review:
Over the last few years, Lindsay Harrel has become a new favorite author of mine. My favorite book of hers to date is The Secrets of Paper and Ink, which I had read at the start of the year. When I found out she was writing a follow up novella, also set in Port Willis, I couldn't wait to read it, and I pre ordered it pretty much as soon as it was an option too. However, I was still a little nervous before reading this one. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not a fan of the insta-love trope, and with the short timeline of this one, I was worried it wasn't going to work for me. I honestly shouldn't have worried though, as once again, Lindsay Harrel has written a fantastic story that draws readers in, and keeps them glued to the page as the heartwarming story unfolds.
I was excited to get another glimpse into Sophia and William's story, and also Ginny and Steven's, but I was ill prepared for just how much I was going to enjoy Joy's story as well. Joy has always tried to do everything she can for everyone else, but in the process she's neglected herself, and she's still single in her early forties. She's also stepped back from her career to help care for her mother who's been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and she's not sure she wants the path that God seems to be putting her on. Her life takes a complete turnaround though, when she heads to Port Willis for her best friend's wedding, and comes into contact with one of the groomsmen, Oliver. He's the first guy who's made her feel anything in a very long time, but she's not sure her or her heart are ready to take that leap.
I couldn't have honestly enjoyed this little novella more if I tried. It reads authentically and realistically, and I love how Lindsay Harrel never shies away from writing about difficult topics, in this one Alzheimer's being at the front and center. Port Willis seems like a magical, whimsical little town, and it was the perfect setting for a holiday novella. Joy and Oliver's relationship does seem a little fast, but I enjoyed the fact that this is represented realistically, and not in a way that made it feel truly like insta love.
In our current day and age, where more and more heroines are being written as being capable of doing everything, I kind of liked the fact that Joy is shown she's not able to do everything without the help of our Heavenly Father and the friends and family who love her and surround her. This vulnerability in her character was refreshing, and was definitely a stand out part of the story for me.
Once again, Lindsay Harrel has proven why she's one of my new favorite authors, and I highly recommend picking this one up, especially if you also loved The Secrets of Paper and Ink.
Final Rating: 4/5
Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a great rest of your day :)
This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The photo does not belong to me, and all rights to the respective owners.
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