REVIEW: Snowed In for Christmas by Sarah Morgan

In Snowed In for Christmas by Sarah Morgan, Glenda Miller couldn’t be more delighted that her three grown children: Ross, Alice, and Clemmie, are coming home to Scotland for the holidays. As she and her mother-in-law Nanna Jean get the lodge ready, she hopes they can remember to keep their opinions to a minimum this year–unlike last Christmas when they let it be known they were hoping the Miller siblings would all soon settle down. But things get off to a chaotic start right away this year. The snowstorm of the century is bearing down on the Highlands just as Glenda’s family is trekking home from London. And then there’s Lucy Clarke who shows up on their doorstep unexpectedly. Miscommunication abounds. And as the storm begins in earnest while they all attempt to sort their lives out, it appears the Millers will have another person at their table for Christmas.

‘You never knew how life was going to turn out, she thought. And you couldn’t predict what would happen for your children. All you could do was offer support, and trust that they’d make the right choices. The right choices for them.’

Ross, Alice, and Clemmie made a bargain together before heading up to their family home: they’ll jump in and change the subject should their mother or Nanna Jean start to meddle in their personal affairs. Sounds like a solid plan. But with Ross showing up late and Alice not thinking what bringing her boyfriend home will mean, plus Clemmie acting out of sorts, it all blows up on the first day back in Scotland. The addition of Lucy is just one more person at the Miller’s house with a dilemma on her hands. She might be dreading the holiday, missing her grandmother terribly even two years after her passing, but she’ll do anything to secure the future of the marketing agency she works for. And if that means showing up at Christmas to the Miller’s lodge, so be it.

‘She’d thought that the magic of Christmas had gone forever, but maybe she’d been wrong about that. Maybe here, surrounded by the sparkle and warmth that was the Miller family, she might rediscover it.’

It just wouldn’t seem like the holidays without a new Sarah Morgan Christmas book. And what a fun, madcap, heartwarming tale Snowed in for Christmas was–which had (in my humble opinion) the ultimate winter setting: the gorgeous Scottish Highlands.

“To family and to friends–” she smiled at Lucy as she said it “–and to being snowed in for Christmas.”
They all raised their glasses one more time.
“Snowed in for Christmas!”

It goes without saying that Sarah Morgan is a wildly talented writer. And Snowed in for Christmas was exactly what I needed to get fully into the holiday spirit. Not only did it have a great setting and absolutely love characters you’ll want to spend time with, but it also had several interesting threads to the plot that all ended up getting wrapped into a nice big bow by the end. But not before every single member of the Miller family–as well as a few others–had their lives turned upside down in the best of ways.

I enjoy family-centric novels with multiple viewpoints and Sarah Morgan somehow always manages to seamlessly weave in the POVs in a way that is easy to follow, giving each character a distinct, unique voice. This time we got to “hear” from Lucy, Alice, Clemmie, and Glenda. And oh didn’t I love them all! We had Lucy who was working hard to keep the company she worked for afloat by trying to sign on Ross’s company while she was avoiding the holidays, which were a somber time since losing her grandmother two years ago. Workaholic Alice was waffling on a big decision in her personal life and didn’t feel like she could open up to anyone about it. Clemmie was making a big–and shocking–personal decision she didn’t think her family would understand. And Glenda felt like everything was in disarray and that she was failing her (grown) children.

As much fun as I had with getting to know all the ladies and their love interests–or potential love interests in a couple of cases–it was feisty but lovable Nanna Jean who stole every scene she was in. She was insightful, delightfully inquisitive, a tad manipulative (in a loving way), and comically outspoken. And I totally aspire to be her when I’m in my 80s. *grins*

QOTD: If you could choose anywhere in the world to be snowed in, where would it be?

Book Info:

Publication: Published September 20th 2022 | HQN Books |

“Morgan is a masterful storyteller…. For fans of Jojo Moyes, Taylor Jenkins Reid, and Stacey Ballis. —Booklist

What happens if the only Christmas celebration you want to attend is one you haven’t been invited to? USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan delights with this hilarious and heartwarming Christmas cracker of a novel!

A family gathering

This Christmas the Miller siblings have one goal—to avoid their well-meaning family’s endless stream of prying questions. Ross, Alice and Clemmie have secrets that they don’t intend to share, and they are relying on each other to deflect attention.

An uninvited guest

Lucy Clarke is facing a Christmas alone and the prospect of losing her job. Unless she can win a major piece of business from Ross Miller, the season promises to be anything but festive. She’ll just deliver her proposal to his family home and then leave. After all, she wouldn’t want to intrude on the Miller family’s perfect Christmas.

A Christmas to remember

When Lucy appears on the Miller family’s snow-covered Highland doorstep, she’s mistaken for Ross’s girlfriend. By the time the confusion is cleared up, they’re snowed in—she can’t leave, even if she wants to! But does she want to? As secrets spill out like presents from an overstuffed stocking and the chemistry between her and Ross ignites, this is going to be either Lucy’s worst Christmas ever or the best mistake of her life.