This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will enjoy.

Book feature on my blog during my Christmas posts from late-November to December, as I ran out of time to review it before the archive date.

Daisy Forbes lives a privileged and luxurious life with her family in Eden Hall. Up until Christmas 1926, she's been a total daddy's girl, proudly displaying the snow globe he gave her throughout each festive period. But when she discovers he's hiding a secret double life from her, everything she has known begins to feel tarnished. Not only that, she becomes romantically entangled with three suitors vying for her affections. When her close companion Stephen announces he's leaving the country, Daisy begins to feel trapped in a world that feels increasingly claustrophobic - not unlike the world inside her prized snow globe.

Life at Eden Hall is turned upside down for the entire Forbes family, with many characters considering their options. By the time they regroup six months later it is clear that affections and loyalties have changed. Daisy is with the wrong man, but is it possible that the one she truly loves is even more unsuitable?

The Snow Globe has had many comparisons to Downton Abbey - and for good reason. It's so sumptuously descriptive that you can picture the elegance and finery as it leaps off the page at you. I'm a sucker for a period piece, and this inter-war era is so glamorous that I feel a bit jealous I'm not a part of it.

The novel has two stories woven through it, with both Daisy and her mother Mabel on parallel journeys of self-discovery. Daisy not only has to figure out what she wants in her romantic life but more interestingly (in my opinion) the book follows her coming of age as she starts to view her parents as human and flawed. I think we've all had that wake-up moment when we realised our parents weren't perfect, and this, for me, was a really interesting plotline.

I also really enjoyed Mabel's story. Her backstory was complex and heart-wrenching, and I loved seeing a strong female character following her heart entirely, putting herself first and completely blossoming. While in some ways Daisy did the same, she still came across as a somewhat insecure character who depends on others; Mabel experiences utter freedom and self-reliance which was wonderful to see.

The Snow Globe is part love story, part family drama, focusing on secrets, love, loss and forgiveness. This novel was beautifully written, with some extremely likeable supporting characters (Noonie, Daisy's grandmother and Iris, Daisy's older sister are particular highlights) and a story I found completely immersive. For me, this is the festive version of a holiday read - easy to read and relatable. It's enchanting, perfectly emotive and full of vivid imagery. This is a family that has to fall apart to fall back together, and their story will tug at your heartstrings.

This book, The Snow Globe by Judith Kinghorn wants to be a romantic novel about relationship, broken relationship, friendship, love during the Christmas Time, dreams, represented by a Christmas Snow Globe, in general the syntheses of perfection and of an imagine unchangeable although time goes by, and changes.

What could represent a Christmas Snow Globe metaphorically?

A Christmas Snow Globe could represents our most beautiful moments, instants of pure and great happiness. A protective, little space where there is warm and love and joy and everyone is safe because in that tiny little space nothing can goes wrong.
A protective magical place although in miniature.

I picked up The Snow Globe because it is a historical romantic novel and it starts in 1926 the year my dad was born.

I loved the dreaming characterization of Eden Hall the big house where family Forbes lives in.
Everything started when Agatha Christie the famous writers of so many crime books, the most important one Murder on the Orient Express (new movie with Johnny Depp, don't forget it!), disappear without leaving any trace.

The protagonists have all their own expectations and dreams for the arrival of Christmas just few days distant, that 1926. It was common a saying in family Forbes: ask for a lot of wishes so that some of them would come true.

But...Something during that Christmas won't go well, but completely wrong and the existence of the Forbes will change forever.

Daisy is the littlest daughter of Howard and she loves her dad so badly. She is just 18 years old and she doesn't know what to do.
Her family means a lot to her, she is sad, but everyone seem to have the best recipe for trying to go on and re-start the existence from the beginning.
Her mom, her dad, her sisters.
She meets Stephen during the search for the disappearance of Agatha Christie.

She was just 11 years when she firstly knew Stephen, the son of one of their helpers, and they immediately established a great friendship. The kind of friendship you won't never forget for all your life because it will mark your existence.
Now Daisy is in crisis and she finds in this old friend, with which she feels a great connection, some help and love.

All her past is turned upside down; people she trusted a lot "deluded" her putting her in confusion let's use this euphemism.

Daisy understands that Stephen is the right person for her, although there are in this case other serious problems because of their different social classes and background. We are in the 1920s when these thematic still felt a lot.

In this confusion other facts, Stephen for example will go away from her, will convince later Daisy of being realistic, accepting to marry someone else without love, but the girl is not convinced because her heart is still pulsing for Stephen.
Can a girl marry someone without regretting the person she loved the most?

Adorable romantic novel, perfect for these cold days and plenty of optimistic solutions, reconciliations and happy ends in the best tradition of the Christmas Season!


I thank NetGalley and Caneto for this wonderful eBook!

Anna Maria Polidori

The Snow Globe is set in Dec 1926 and summer 1927 in the English countryside, where a wealthy London manufacturer and his family reside. The youngest daughter, 19 year old Daisy, is the focus of this family story of love, loss, loneliness, misunderstandings, and forgiveness.

The story is told in third person and Daisy and her mother are the best developed characters. You can't but help visualising Downton Abbey with the country home, the Christmas celebration, the role of the servants, and even the fast life in London.

So if you enjoyed Downton then you will love The Snow Globe :-)

This is the fourth book I’ve read by Judith Kinghorn, so I had an idea of what to expect from it: an early twentieth century setting, a big house, a family with servants, their way of life changing as a result of the First World War. The Snow Globe does have all of these things, although the war aspect is not as strong as in The Last Summer or The Echo of Twilight.

The novel opens in December 1926. At Eden Hall in Surrey, the Forbes family are preparing to celebrate Christmas and eighteen-year-old Daisy has brought out her snow globe, a treasured gift from her father, Howard. She and her father have always had a close relationship and this makes it particularly upsetting when she overhears the servants saying that he has been having an affair. To make matters worse, her mother has just invited Howard’s mistress to spend Christmas with them. This creates a dilemma for Daisy. Does her mother know what has been going on – and if not, should she be told?

The discovery that her father may not be the man she has always believed him to be shakes Daisy’s confidence and makes it difficult for her to trust the other men in her life. There are three of them and they have each declared their love for Daisy over that same Christmas period: Stephen Jessop, the housekeeper’s adopted son and Daisy’s childhood friend; Valentine Vincent, the son of her father’s mistress; and Ben Gifford, who works for the family business. To give herself some time to think, Daisy goes to stay in London with her glamorous older sister Iris but eventually she will need to make a decision…will it be the right one?

I enjoyed The Snow Globe, but I found it very light compared to Judith Kinghorn’s other books. Although the book is set in the 1920s, there’s not a lot of history in it. Apart from the opening chapter, which discusses the disappearance of Agatha Christie, there are very few mentions of any other historical events or people of the time. However, it does still capture the feel of the 1920s very well, touching on the lives of those both upstairs and downstairs, class differences within society, attitudes towards marriage, and the changing roles of women.

I liked Daisy – although some of her actions seem a bit silly, it’s worth remembering that she is young and innocent and has just had her world torn apart. Her precious snow globe, which shows a miniature world encased in glass, could be seen as symbolising this: when the globe is shaken the illusion is destroyed and then, when things fall back into place, they are in a slightly different position than they were before. I also liked spending time with the servants, listening to their gossip and seeing life at Eden Hall through their eyes. The character who interested me most, though, was probably Mabel, Daisy’s mother. I found her reaction to the traumas in her life dignified and mature; she didn’t fall apart as some people would, but searched for the strength within herself to carry on.

There was enough happening in The Snow Globe to hold my interest from beginning to end, but it didn’t have the level of depth that I prefer in a novel. I would recommend it to fans of Downton Abbey or other ‘big house’ stories, but I think The Echo of Twilight would be a better choice to start with.

Had to DNF this one, it was not;t holding my interest at all!...sorry

I have to say I did find this a little slow to get into, but once I did I enjoyed it. It was a nice gentle love story. It was set in the 1920's and draws you in to the upstairs downstairs life of these times.

The Snow Globe is set in 1926 and reads like a Downton Abbey season. A family, a country estate, family secrets and secret wishes for a family.

Daisy, daughter of the big house thinks her father is wonderful but when she overhears that he has had a mistress for years her life suddenly feels very different. The treasured snow globe given to her by her him and put on display at Christmas becomes an object of loathing. Things escalate when her father's mistress is invited for Christmas dinner and three men make Daisy the object of their affection.

As Daisy's mother leaves for an extended European trip,Daisy,not wanting to be left with her father and deciding between the three men runs to her sister in London where more secrets are revealed to her.

If you're missing Downton Abbey then this book could be for you. The rich owners,the servants, the class system, adultery and of course,love are all there in this book.

A great read by Judith Kinghorn. This is the first of her books I have read. I don't know why she has escaped my notice as I love books set during the war as are hers. I better sort that out right now.

It is Christmas 1926 when Daisy Forbes life changes - she is happy living at home with her family at Eden Hall, their country mansion, when she discovers that the father that she idolizes has very definitely got feet made of clay.........he has been having an affair with an actress in London for years. Daisy is devastated and to make it worse Stephen who has been her best friend for years professes his love for her but tells her that he is going to live in New Zealand!

With two other suitors around she does no what to do and decides to opt for the safe life - after all she might not get another proposal - but is her heart really in it or is it Stephen that she really wants? Then she discovers a secret from years ago that makes it all impossible

An enjoyable story - fairly predictable but the characters were good and likeable and a few twists to keep your interest - perfect for curling up with on a winter's day

The Snow Globe is a lovely piece of escapism but slightly too sweet and romantic for my own personal taste. Whilst I enjoy historical fiction, I'm more inclined towards drama that prioritises the political and social context over the romance; The Snow Globe and I were therefore a mismatch. However, this doesn't mean I couldn't appreciate Judith Kinghorn's ability to work what was a reasonably complicated plot without confusing the reader or her impressive characters. I think the basic bones of this could make a great play or film - the cast would be really interesting and I think it has some good opportunities for comedy - but I did have some personal dislikes with the novel.

Unfortunately, the character I found most compelling was not the protagonist Daisy but her sister, Vera. The story focuses on Daisy's sweet and naive love story set in her rural family home whilst her sister, Vera, is living an exciting life in London as a much more exciting love story of her own unfolds. I felt cheated of the lack of insight into Vera's life, as well as of their Mother and Aunt's trip to Europe. Quite frankly, all the interesting action was happening anywhere the protagonist wasn't. The reader constantly gets a glimpse into the lives of more interesting women than the pretty (boring) protagonist, which is frustrating. (Full review on blog)

The Snow Globe starts in 1926, just before Christmas, when 18 year old Daisy Forbes gets out the snow globe that was a gift from her father, just as she does every Christmas. But this Christmas everything is about to change. Daisy is about to be pursued by three very different men and not only that, things are changing for her mother and father as well.

If you like your historical fiction without any time slip mysteries and just set in one era in the past then this is a perfect read. It captures the 1920s well, a time of upstairs and downstairs (although the lines are a bit blurred in this case) and parties, as well as the aftermath of World War I and the loss of so many men.

I did sometimes find Daisy a little silly but she was also young and naive. I liked Stephen, one of her suitors: the one she was closest to but the one most unlikely to succeed. I also thought Daisy’s mother, Mabel, was a well-written character. As is often the case with this kind of story, I really liked reading about the servants, how they lived and the gossip they shared.

I wouldn’t say The Snow Globe is a story with a huge amount of substance but it’s got love stories at its heart and is a light, gentle and pleasurable read. I found myself transported to 1920s Surrey and London and enjoyed my time there.

Our Review

Reading "The Snow Globe" brings visions of Downton Abbey to mind, the story sits within the historical fiction genre and is set in December 1926, with the Forbes family, who live in Eden Hall and preparations are being made for Christmas family gathering and seasonal celebrations.

The main character is eighteen year old Daisy Forbes, the youngest child of Mabel and Howard, and Daisy has always been a fathers daughter whom she has always admired. In the early part of the book, we learn that Daisy has this feeling things are about to change and a family upheaval is imminent. It isn't long before she discovers a shocking secret about her father. Daisy over hers the servants and learns her father has lived a very separate life in London with his lover. This leaves Daisy shattered, the one person she adores, provided her with security, and love, is no longer the honorable person she thought he was.

Stephen, the house keepers son and family chauffeur, is the one persons she knows she can turn to. They have both known each all their lives and have spent considerable time together. Their feelings have grown of the years from friendship, and through this story they develop to love. But Stephen isn't Daisy's only suitor..... in total their are *coughs* (we don't want to give too much away - no spoilers here) and through the story we see her receive a proposal and a declaration of love. Stephen, whom she has grown deeply in love with, is moving abroad, to start a new life, this coupled with her new knowledge of her fathers love affair and the prospect of her mother inviting her fathers lover to spend Christmas at Eden Hall finds Daisy confused. She is not sure who to turn to for advice, she has always been encouraged to settle down and marry, however not necessarily for love, maybe for necessity.

Everything becomes to much for Daisy, and she takes herself off to London to escape and find the answer. And just like her snow globe, if it is shaken once more she hopes the snow will settle in the right place and the answer will be clear.

Daisy decides to accept the hand of marriage to one of her suitors, and not long after Stephen comes back into her life. As my Nan would have said, you wait for one and then they all come along like buses! Yes, this book brought back many happy memories of conversations with my grandmother, over tea and toast. Daisy knows who her true feelings of love are with, but will fate work it's hand and bring them together..... *coughs again* no spoilers.


The characters are well written, it is very easy to get to know them and feel part of the story. I loved both Daisy and her mother Mabel, and both make this book great reading. Mabel challenges the norm and is set on proving love is worth fighting for.

One of the things I love most about book reviews is I gain the opportunity to read books that I may not ordinary have chosen to buy, this is one of those books. You may ask - why? The historical fiction gene isn't one that jumps out at me, but The Snow Globe makes for easy and compelling reading. One of those books, full of likable characters, family tales, secrets, touch of romance and I was compelled to read to the end, a real page turner. A must buy and read for a relaxing read leading up to Christmas.

Thank you to both Canelo and Judith Kinghorn for the advanced copy, I am certainly going to track down more of Judith's books.

*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

I was really intrigued by the blurb of this book and the cover is mysterious and interesting.

The story follows Daisy, who suddenly finds herself between three different men. One told her he loves her, the other proposed and the last one kissed her. Daisy is confused and leaves to stay with her sister. Daisy needs to make a decision. On top of that she is surrounded by her family at Eden Hall and family secrets get into the storyline as well.

I had to admit that I found it really hard to get into the story. There were a lot of characters and a lot of things came together, that was confusing for me.

The descriptions of the time and details in the atmosphere kept me in the book. This is really a point I liked a lot about this book.

It’s not an exciting page-turner, but the book has some special moments.

Review: This was an enchanting book and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Judith Kinghorn writes with a lot of death to her writing. This is the kind of book I have been waiting for, for a while. A story about a family and their trails and tribulations.

It was lovely written book with depth. The characters especially our heroine Daisy is very likeable. She has such confusing feelings and for a girl so young it is no wonder she flees. With a little mystery surrounding her love it makes the story very interesting.

I can't praise Judith enough for this book. It is delightful and the best bits for me was reading about Christmas and the preparation alongside all the family issues that occurs.

A truly wonderful book that I will come back to again and again.

From a young age Daisy absolutely adored her father, and we first see this close relationship from our introduction to the family home and their Christmas gathering. Indeed it is her father who gifted to Daisy the Snow Globe from the novel's title.

Relationships feature a great deal in this novel from Judith Kinghorn, and in the years following World War I the emphasis was more so on making lasting relationships, and subsequently this is when we first truly see feminism make itself known, just like it does here through one of Daisy's sisters.

A charming tale, The Snow Globe will appeal to the romantic historical fiction genre, and while it is not necessarily a book I would have been inclined to read originally, it was a nice little story to escape with at the end of a long day.

I received a copy of this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a sweeping family saga with Eden Hall at its core. Fans of Downton Abbey will adore the varying characters and their antics. I enjoyed reading about Agatha Christie’s disappearance which I didn’t know had happened in real life. A little googling and I learned so much.

The heart of the book is really about secrets and the repercussions they have on everyone around you. The ricocheting effect that happens when the secrets are revealed and how everyone copes.

I really enjoyed Daisy as a character, some of the women had that delicate nature but it fitted in with the time so it was believable. Sometimes a lot of characters spoke at the same time about different subjects. I think perhaps the author enjoyed this sort of scene which of course happens in real life. But in a book, it becomes somewhat confusing.

Overall I did enjoy the book and I recommend it to everyone who loves a good family saga.