While it was Snowing
by Julia London
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: October 28, 2025
Reviewed by PJ
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 solution: 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: true love.
PJ's Thoughts:
So. Much. Fun. This book felt like it was written solely for my enjoyment. I laughed. I sighed. I cringed. I laughed some more. I cheered. I sighed and laughed at the same time.
Anyone who has lived with clueless teenagers (who can't find items right in front of them without their mom's help), dealt with a clueless ex who has discovered the grass really isn't greener on the younger side of the fence and wants to come home (not happening), or suffered loving but (again, clueless) extended family who don't seem to understand you have needs too (how many texts a day are too many and just how long is my unemployed brother going to be sleeping on my couch?) should be able to identify with Amy's line in the sand. This woman has reached a breaking point and needs her two weeks alone at her friend's family home. Too bad (or is it?) her friend's sister rented the house to Harrison for the same two weeks.
London taps into all the fun and chaos of this steamy, endearing, and hilarious forced proximity, adversaries-to-lovers romance. There's plenty of laughter but also satisfying emotional depth and character growth. Harrison (almost fifty, never married, no children, no pets) has devoted his entire life to golf but because of injury is now facing a professional crossroads. Could a personal crossroads be on the table as well? Amy (same age) has devoted her adult life to her family and is now wondering how she lost herself in the process and if it's too late to recapture her youthful dreams. She certainly isn't looking for a new romance but fate (and sisters who don't talk to each other) seem to have stepped in to steer both of them in that direction.
Both Amy and Harrison came to the lake seeking solitude. Neither expected to find the other. Harrison also did not expect to find an elderly, mostly blind dog who goes thud in the night (actually, around the clock). Amy wasn't surprised by the dog seeing as she's the one who brought her. And, by the way, that dog stole every single scene she was in...and she was in quite a few. They absolutely did not expect to be sharing their space with multiple uninvited guests who promise to stay out of their way but this is a rom-com and we all know how that goes. The menu is set for hilarity, frustration, holiday shenanigans, personal growth, surprises (so many surprises), sneaky romantic encounters, and, just maybe, a chance to fall in love and forge a new path...together.
While it was Snowing overflows with sparkling banter, impeccably-placed humor, emotional depth, slow-burn romance, and pure entertainment from start to finish. I loved it and plan to make it an annual holiday read.
Have you read Julia London?
Do you enjoy books with mature lead characters?
Do you have any annual holiday re-reads? What are they?
One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, November 9 will receive a print copy of While it was Snowing.
*U.S. only
*Must be 18
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