REVIEW: While It Was Snowing by by Julia London

While It Was Snowing by by Julia London: Two strangers thrown together into a holiday situation that’s awkward from the start — and immediately captivating.

Amy Casey arrives at a quiet lake house craving solitude, paintbrush in hand and zero expectations. Harrison Neely shows up needing rest, rehab, and a break from the pressure of being a professional athlete. Neither planned on company… and neither is thrilled to find themselves sharing the space. What follows is a holiday setup brimming with charged proximity and that delicious tension that comes from being stuck together when romance wasn’t on the agenda.

WHILE IT WAS SNOWING completely worked for me — it’s tender, warm, and grounded in small, heartfelt moments that make the characters feel real. It’s about two people who feel a little stuck, a little worn down, and unsure what comes next. Julia London leans into the small moments: shared conversations by the fire, vulnerability that sneaks in when defenses drop, and the comfort of being seen without needing to explain yourself. It felt real in the best way.

The spark between Amy and Harrison crackles in all the little ways. Amy’s sharp wit and independent streak play perfectly against Harrison’s laid-back charm, and their playful banter quickly becomes the heartbeat of the story. Every shared room, late-night conversation, and accidental close moment carries a little extra weight — the kind that makes you lean in, anticipating what’s coming next. Their chemistry is a slow burn of playful banter, quiet moments that feel electric, and the delicious realization that what began as a holiday inconvenience might just be the start of something neither wants to let go.

Themes:

• Finding yourself again
• Healing during the holidays
• Life after disappointment
• Emotional honesty
• Unexpected connection

Tropes

• Holiday forced proximity
• Shared lake house
• Creative FMC
• Injured athlete MMC
• Flirty banter + slow-burn heat
• Cozy dog moments

WHILE IT WAS SNOWING is warm, charming, and full of chemistry — a holiday romance that feels perfectly balanced between cozy comfort and swoony tension.

QOTD: Do you love holiday romances with subtle tension and flirty banter — or do you want full-on festive fireworks?

Book Info:

Published: October 28, 2025 | Berkley

Under the mistletoe, a single mom and a professional athlete realize they have more in common than the lake house they unexpectedly have to share for the holidays, in this heartwarming romance from New York Times bestselling author Julia London.

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.