The Secret of Snow by Viola Shipman ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

"I believe we're on a journey here, that is filled with beauty and pain, happiness and horror, highs and lows. but it's a journey we must take because we never know the impact our lives and loves will have on others." (loc 1004)

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

October 2021; Graydon House; 978-1525899812
audio, ebook, print (320 pages); holiday

When I was growing up, summer always meant several trips from Detroit to Lake Michigan. I still go there every time I get a chance even though I live in NC. I've traveled all over the world and still believe that the eastern shore of Lake Michigan is one of the most beautiful places on earth. All of Viola Shipman's books are set in Michigan and show his love of the state. His new book is an homage to Michigan and Lake Michigan along with being a terrific story.

Sonny Dunes is a meteorologist in beautiful and warm Palm Springs, California. She has left winter and cold weather behind in Michigan where she grew up. Not only does she get fired from her job at the TV station but she's replaced by a robot! She makes things even worse with a drunken on-air tirade over her treatment by the young station manager. Of course, her tirade goes viral on social media. The only place willing to give her another chance is in Traverse City Michigan - her hometown. As she leaves sunny California to return to cold and dark Michigan, she isn't sure if she'll be able to recover her career. Things get even worse when she finds out that the station manager is an old frenemy from her college years. Sonny has a lot of bad memories in her home state - only the death of her sister who loved snow and a mother that she doesn't get along with. At her job, she faces a young weather girl who wants to be the chief meteorologist while she has to work really hard to make people forget her on-air breakdown. To gain viewers, she starts her new job doing reports from various events in Traverse City - sledding, ice fishing, and the ice sculpture contest. Along with the events, she meets the Chamber of Commerce director who wants to thaw her heart and help her learn to love snow again.

I have read and loved all of Viola Shipman's books but this one is my new favorite. The main character is a mature woman of 50, all of the characters are very believable and remind me of people that I've known in my life and of course, the beautiful setting in snowy, cold Michigan in a town that I love. This is the perfect book to read wrapped up in a warm blanket with a cup of tea! I plan to read it again in the winter.

Buy The Secret of Snow at Amazon

Susan Roberts lives in North Carolina with her husband of over 50 years.  She grew up in Michigan but now calls North Carolina home. She enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family. She reads almost anything (and the piles of books in her house prove that) but her favorite genres are Southern fiction, women's fiction, and historical fiction. Susan is a top 1% Goodreads Reviewer. You can connect with Susan on Facebook.

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