The Secret of Snow by Viola Shipman ~ a Review

by MK French 

Sonny Dunes is replaced by a virtual meteorologist at her Southern California job, and the only station willing to give the fifty-year-old a chance is back in Michigan. Now she's stuck moving back in with her mother, dealing with winter, facing grief over her dead sister, addressing the people she left behind years ago, and the college frenemy who is now her boss. As she tries to throw herself into this new job, she sees hope for her future with an upbeat widower. Someone is trying to undermine this new life, leaving her to face who she used to be and who she wants to be next.

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); women's fiction

The Secret of Snow is a women's literary novel as much as it is a second chance romance. I don't know if meteorologists really have agents, but I was so angry on Sonny's behalf. I know there must be a reason for her to leave California, but an agent telling paparazzi to contact their clients directly would be a deal-breaker for me. Agents should work on behalf of clients, not throw them out there and set them up for failure. Maybe it's meant to represent how toxic Palm Springs was for Sonny, but I hated that. As well as her boss, who was a caricature of a rich, spoiled and privileged man shaking things up for the sake of shaking things up. The setup abruptly broke Sonny's complacency, and I found it stressful. Which absolutely means that I sank into Sonny's state of mind from the start. Great job, Viola!

Sonny really came into herself over the course of the novel. She gradually felt love and took it seriously, allowed herself to really bond with her mother, and even spoke with Lisa as a professional, and not just the weirdo she avoided back in college. Everyone has their own reasons for behaving the way that they do, and Sonny had to open herself to potential hurt in order to realize that. She wasn't the only one affected by her sister's death, and the memory of her sister had driven her not only physically far from Michigan, but emotionally as well. Once she starts feeling those negative emotions again and sees her mother's view of herself, things really started to click for her. I didn't expect the ending, but it was a wonderful fit for everyone. Sonny wasn't the only one that changed over the course of the novel, after all. It's only fitting that her hidden hopes for the future would affect them as well.

Buy The Secret of Snow at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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