From the publisher:
‘Tis the season for a little white lie…
Christmas has always been single mom Holly Goodwin Moore’s favorite time of year. The twinkly lights on the tree, the cookies in the oven, the snow on the ground. But she’s just not feeling it this year. The wedding in her ex’s family is almost here, her daughter, Lydia, is bursting at the seams to be a flower girl…and Holly couldn’t be dreading it more. She told a little white lie about having a new boyfriend as her plus-one, hoping to save face. She needs a date for the wedding…and she needs it now.
Ryan Caldwell wants to be free this holiday season. So even he isn’t sure how he landed in Shelter Springs, looking after his niece, Audrey, with his estranged father down the road. But when he meets Holly, she makes him want to belong for the very first time. So they make a deal: he’ll be her date if she’ll help him give Audrey a true Christmas to remember while her mom is away.
This holiday season, escape to Shelter Springs for a heartwarming story of unexpected romance, festive charm, and the joy of finding love where you least expect it. Perfect for fans of Jill Shalvis and Susan Mallery.
Holly is a single mom raising her daughter, Lydia—who has Down syndrome—in the charming small town of Shelter Springs, Idaho. Her husband walked out years ago, unable to handle parenting a neurodivergent child, and he’s since remarried and started a new family.
Holly’s best friend is battling alcohol and drug addiction, and when her brother Ryan—a naval helicopter pilot sidelined by an injury and temporarily on desk duty—returns home, it feels like the right moment for her to enter rehab. Ryan agrees to look after his teenage niece, Audrey, during that time. Audrey normally watches Lydia after school while Holly works, so when Ryan steps in, he and Holly meet. Their connection is immediate and undeniable, even though neither is looking for romance.
When Lydia is asked to be the flower girl in Holly’s ex-husband’s sister’s wedding, Holly is invited too—and she desperately needs a plus-one. Her twin sister, Hannah, suggests the perfect solution: ask Ryan. Meanwhile, Ryan wants Audrey to have a wonderful Christmas despite her mom’s absence, but he could use some help with the holiday magic. It’s the ideal trade: he’ll be Holly’s date, and she’ll help him create a warm, festive Christmas for his niece.
As Ryan and Holly spend more time together, their bond grows stronger, and Ryan’s tenderness toward Lydia is especially moving. With Christmas charm woven through every moment, this sweet, heartwarming romance is a true seasonal delight. I love RaeAnne Thayne’s books—especially her holiday stories—and this one is another uplifting read sure to fill anyone with the joy of the season.
12/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
SNOW KISSED by RaeAnne Thayne. Canary Street Press (October 7, 2025). ISBN: 978-1335013170. 320p.
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