Will she find him? This is the question that follows Susan throughout this fun Christmas story. Susan has spent 40 years waiting for her her Kris Kringle. So when she meets a mysterious man wearing a Santa hat at a holiday run her friends set out to find the mysterious Santa. Will she find him?

I am a huge Viola Shipman fan, However while reading “A wish for Winter”, I kept thinking this is a bit too sugary and unrealistic for my liking. Then towards the end, I reminded myself that this was a Christmas book, and was meant to be uplifting and envoke thoughts of faith and remind us of all our family and friends who no longer spend Christmas and other holidays with us. Which then made me think of my recently passed Dad, who loved Christmas and bringing family and friends together for the holidays. “A Wish for Winter”, reminded me to appreciate the family we have now and to honor and remember the family no longer with us. Thank you Viola Shipman.

Santa hats off to Viola Shipman for gifting us with the Christmas present of A Wish for Winter! It’s a warm, humorous, romantic story that shows us what is really important not just at the holidays but every day.

Susan Norcross, a self-described Single Kringle, manages her bookstore in Northern Michigan and dreams of finding love. She’s almost forty and most of the men she’s dated in her small town have been, for want of a better word, unsuitable. UnSantasuitable, for Christmas traditions run deep in the Norcross family. So when she meets a costumed Santa at the annual Santa Run, she thinks she may have found her true love. They plan to meet after the race. He stands her up, she goes home and vows never to date again. Her friend Holly has other ideas and uses social media to search for the phantom Santa. Hilarity ensues during the year that follows.

I won’t tell you what happens to Susan and her search. But I will tell you that she realizes that family and friends mean the most to her and that “I am safe and loved. The only thing any of us truly wish for in this world. And I realize I always have been.” 5 stars.

Thank you to Graydon House and NetGalley for the ARC.
I am a huge Viola Shipman fan, so I was excited to get the ARC for this book.
Susan, the main character, has had some deep loss in her life, and even though she has family and friends, she has chosen to make her own way in life. At 40, she is a Single Kringle, and through a missed meet-up with a handsome Santa, she is thrown into a social media-backed search for the ONE. Susan has a bit of a struggle here, though, because she is happy in her life as a single woman. She runs her own business (a bookstore, of course), owns her own home, and connects with her community.
Although I felt the story was a bit long and repetitious at times, I did enjoy it. It was a great Christmas story to get the season started!

Some heartbreaks can keep us so frozen in time that we can never really move on, always wanting to play the what if game, never wanting to let go of the love, good memories, and yes, even the guilt. Some are unable to give themselves the permission to leave it all behind and start anew.

This is the case for Susan Norcross. She lost both her parents in a car accident when she was a young teenager. She blames herself. Not the person who hit them. Everything in her life is based on what they would have done or what she thinks they would have wanted her to do. Now turning forty the same age her mother was when she died, she begins to feel her life start to slip away, just as her mother’s did. Although she was raised by her grandparents and has true friends who know her pain and try to help her, she still can’t help but listen to that internal voice. Her mom’s and dad’s.

Now, she manages her family’s very popular bookstore called Sleigh By the Bay which indeed is an homage to all things Christmas all the time, even with her grandparents dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus. Both her parents and grandparents met and fell in love while dressed in Santa suits, so the name of the store is totally appropriate! Susan is still waiting for her Santa to arrive. Unfortunately, she thinks her Santa may not be coming down her fireplace anytime soon! She can’t help but feel sad because the thinks she will never experience what her parents and grandparents had.

Her best friend Holly has a different take on the problem. She thinks Susan needs to get out there and mingle with Kringle. Don’t wait for him to come to you, you go and make it happen! And that’s just what Holly convinces Susan to do. She reluctantly agrees to go on a Santa Run where everyone is dressed as Santas for a good cause. And she meets a Santa! But can only see his eyes. They agree to meet after the race. He never shows up. Typical Susan luck. End of story…or is it?

Holly devises a plan in which though mathematics she promises to find Susan’s Santa for her. At this point, Susan just wants to be left alone, but she knows Holly will never let this go. Susan agrees and what she learns is so much for than just finding someone who is wearing a Santa suit. She begins to see with the help of those around her what her life has been like and what it used to be. She learns you can let go of the pain and sorrow and still keep those happy memories alive and treasure them.

You can also begin to create new memories, for yourself and all those around you. Will Susan get her Santa ending? Well, sometimes when you least expect it, miracles happen right under your red reindeer nose!

A Wish for Winter is another Shipman masterpiece. It has all the pieces to make a beautifully made story. Love, sorrow, forgiveness, and friendship intertwined.

Thank you #NetGalley #GraydonHouse #ViolaShipman #AWishforWinter for the advanced copy.

A Wish for Winter is Viola Shipman's latest Christmas-themed novel, and it mostly reads as a rom-com filled with holiday festivity, and not only during Christmas time...

Who is Susan's mysterious Santa Claus (a.k.a. the Single Kringle)? And will her friends be able to find him before next Christmas?

When the novel started off with a really horrible date at a place similar to Chuck E. Cheese, I knew I was going to love it. (Regardless of that fact that I always love Viola's novels!)

The story mainly takes place at a cozy sounding independent bookstore in Petoskey, Michigan. However, Chicago is featured occasionally. I love Susan's friends and how they always support her, even when they are causing mischief and mayhem. I especially loved Noah and would totally hang out with him in real life. Susan's grandparents are so amazing too. This is just a sweet and cute story about romance, friendship, family, and forgiveness. Viola also handles grief in such a thoughtful and sensitive way.

I wish some parts hadn't been included as foreshadowing, as I was able to figure some things out because of that. I read an advanced copy, so I hope the timing issues got ironed out, as I was doing the math in my head while reading and certain timelines wouldn't have been possible. Neither of these issues detracted from my overall enjoyment.

A Wish for Winter is now available and it will definitely get you into a holiday mood! (Even if you don't celebrate Christmas...)

Movie casting suggestions:
Susan: Alice Eve
Holly: Bethany Joy Lenz
Noah: Jordan Doww
Leah: Kimberly Williams-Paisley
Jamie: Ryan Hansen
Micah: Clive Standen
Tristan: Michiel Huisman

Susan lives and breathes Christmas. Her parents and grandparents have portrayed Santa and Mrs. Claus at their family owned bookstore for many years. When Susan’s parents are killed in an accident, she has a very difficult time moving forward in her own life. She dubs herself the “Single Kringle” in a poem she wrote for school many years ago. She wants the same love her parents and grandparents share, but doesn’t know how to open herself up to that kind of love. Will Susan find her own Santa to love forever?

This is my first Viola Shipman book. I have many customers and friends who automatically buy these books when they are released so I had to give Shipman a try! I will say that there were so many cheesy parts that made me laugh and roll my eyes. However, at the end of the book I realized that this was just a feel good book that is perfect for the cold days of winter. Sometimes we all just need to feel that warm, fuzzy feeling from a book!

A Wish for Winter is the tenth book by Viola Shipman. Generations of the Norcross family of Petoskey, Michigan had shown that Santa was woven into their DNA, going back to Captain Santa and the Christmas trees that still wash to shore. And the fact that both her grandmother and mother had met their husbands while he was playing the Santa role made it an even stronger legacy to live up to. But Susan Norcross had reached her 40th birthday, the same age as her mother was when her parents lost their lives in a tragic accident, without even one Santa sighting.

While running a Santa marathon with her best friend Holly in Chicago, and dressed as Mrs. Claus, Susan does seem to make such a connection with a Santa lookalike, even plans to meet up after the race, but then he is a no show. Susan feels that there isn’t such a connection for her and once again retreats to her family owned bookstore in Petoskey. However, Holly, her friends from the bookstore, and her grandparents take on the task of finding Susan’s Santa from the race, and much to Susan’s chagrin, the story and photos go viral, creating a storm that rages for the next year.

In a poignant, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, tale of finding a special person while finally discovering oneself, Viola Shipman has once again penned a lovely story of heart and healing. With strong and lovely characters, a winter wonderland setting, and a circuitous plot, I truly enjoyed this story and I do recommend it!

Another heartfelt holiday women's fiction book featuring Susan, a woman about to turn 40 who lost her parents at a young age from a drunk driver and has never found the love of her life. The owner of her parent's small town Michigan bookstore, Sleigh by the Sea, Susan loves her job but wishes she might find someone to share her life with. When she has a magical moment with a man during a holiday Santa run, she spends the rest of the year trying to find him with the help of her friends and grandparents. Full of heart, friendship, grief and forgiveness, this book will give you all the feels I've come to love and expect from a Viola Shipman book. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This was good on audio too and included a nice author's note at the end plus a bonus short story.

This book is about all the simple wishes we want in life, especially the wish of finding love without getting hurt in the process. It’s hopeful, heartwarming, funny and shines light on the beauty/ magic of the Christmas season. I was transported right to the small community of Petoskey, Michigan and the cozy bookshop Susan, the main character, owns and adores. I loved Susan’s journey of finding love later in life, she’s 40 years old, and her quest to search for her Santa just like her mom and grandmother did.

Read if you like:
-Uplifting Christmas books
-Pure Michigan
-All things books
-Finding love later in life
-Meddling friends
-Dating stories

A Wish for Winter is a hopeful, heartwarming story of family, friendship, personal growth, and love. In many ways, it reads like a coming of age story even though the main protagonist is almost forty. I enjoyed Susan's journey. It's a leisurely, seasonal path that plays out over the course of an entire year. At times it felt a bit repetitive and sluggish, leaving me wishing either the story would speed up or the time frame be condensed. But I have to admit that when I reached the end of the book, I was glad the author had taken his time with these characters. There are no quick fixes, no miraculous recoveries. Susan needs each of those seasons and the personal growth they bring to achieve the clarity, healing, and happiness she seeks.

There's plenty of humor in Susan's dating adventures but Shipman nicely balances that with a depth of emotion that tugged at my heart. Her grandparents are the kind we all wish we had, her friends have her back, always, and her community wants only the best for her. Plus, she runs a bookshop! Her numerous Santa dates bring a few duds, a few new friends, and the possibility of one who is destined to jingle her bells for a lifetime.

As much as A Wish for Winter is about Susan and her family and friends, it's also very much a love letter to its setting. I grew up in Michigan and this book filled me with joyful memories of the pleasures to found there in all four seasons. It evoked the fun of summer boating on the lake, the majestic, colorful display of autumn leaves, the floral reawakening of spring, the beautiful, almost spiritual reverence of that first, silent, pristine, snowfall of the season and much, much more.

If you enjoy novels by Susan Mallery, Robyn Carr, and Sarah Morgan, you may want to give this book a try. It was my first Viola Shipman story. It won't be my last.

*ARC received for fair and unbiased review

Happy, Beautiful Pub Day!
A Wish For Winter
By: Viola Shipman
Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House

❄️🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟❄️
A five star Winter Read, this book captured my heart. I’ve grown to expect that from Shipman’s books. This one is a fresh and vibrant tale, yet timeless and full of tradition.

I was transported to the small community of Petoskey, Michigan with main character Susan for the winter, and what a beautiful journey it was. Bundle up and settle in for the Michigan atmosphere, love, and family that Shipman exquisitely gives us.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House for the advance reader’s copy. My review is my own.

Susan is approaching middle age fast and she is still struggling with the loss of her parents when she was a teenager. She was raised by her grandparents and they are still a major part of her life. But, they are aging and she just can’t face losing someone else. As 40 approaches, Susan realizes she has not met the man of her dreams. Even though she owns a successful book store, Susan knows something is missing from her life. And her quirky friends are going to help remedy this situation.

Viola shipman has recently become one of my go to authors. This book hit the Christmas spot! I loved Susan and her friends. And I know some of you will roll your eyes, but there are a lot of profound statements in this novel. It is not one of your cheesy Christmas romances. This story has a lot to say and Viola Shipman says it well!

Need a heartwarming, Christmas novel…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Don't we all want to find our Single Kringle?

Viola Shipman's new Christmas novel is magical. It is the perfect holiday story to bring in the cheer this year.
The story captured my attention from the beginning when Susan Norcross who is a forty -year- old single woman seeking a Santa of her own. Running in the annual Santa run, she meets who she thinks is the man of her dreams, but he gets lost in the crowd. The rest of the story continues with the search of Single Kringle with the help of her best friend and family. Since they don't know his name or what he looks like, Holly puts the dilemma on social media creating chaos for Susan throughout the rest of the story. Bad dates and good dates bring laughter and hope, but not her Kringle. She is grappling with the loss of her parents since that is when she lost them years ago around Christmas when she was 14 years old. Her mother was also 40 when she passed, which leaves Susan questioning her life and future at this time of life.
Viola Shipman's books never disappoint. They always make you reflect on your own life and what is really important. This story is about loss, grief, forgiveness (of yourself and others), and it's about hope. It tugs at the heartstrings while bringing laughter, tears, and joy for all the love of ourselves, family and friends. I highly recommend this wonderful Christmas story that could be shared with generations to come.
Thanks to Netgally for the advanced copy of this perfect holiday read.

#NetGalley
#HarlequinTradePublishing
#ViolaShipman

Master storyteller, Viola Shipman returns following The Edge of Summer with his charming, lyrical, and cozy holiday Christmas gem —A WINTER WISH.

A fun search for a soulmate dressed like Santa in this Hallmark-like romance, a small-town tale for some holiday magic and Christmas miracles.

Susan Norcross is single, approaching age 40, and feels like time is running out. She owns a flourishing bookshop in a small Petoskey, Michigan town but is lonely and would like her own Santa.

Her late mother and living grandmother met their husbands while the men were in Santa costumes, and Susan is sure she'll meet her perfect match under similar circumstances. Her parent's death affected her greatly when she was only 14.

After encouragement from her best friend, Holly, she signs up to participate in Chicago's Santa Run. Will she find some eligible bachelors among the costumed runners?

She finds him, but then he disappears. How will she find him? Is he lost forever? A lucky mother's angel pin.

Holly turns to social media to track down the mystery man, creating a list of three possible candidates—Jamie, Micah, and Tristan. Will one of them be her soulmate? Will the "Single Kringle" find her Santa?

Heartwarming and witty, this book was much fun. Shipman knows how to create beautiful settings with charming characters and nostalgic memories of places, events, and family. From holiday traditions to bookstores, books, and the love of reading are always a treat.

A gem to treasure about hope, loss, love, family, friendship, and the beauty and magic of Christmas. Simple wishes. A beautiful love letter to Michigan filled with miracles and wishes you never dreamed of or expected.

It is also about the celebration of books. Books save us; bookstores are our heart, soul, and community. For fans of Catherine Ryan Hyde, Susan Mallery, and Sherryl Woods.

If you have yet to read this Author, I highly recommend all his books-both, both summer, and winter (which I have read and anxiously await the next). I loved the Personal Letter from the Author.

"A Wish for Winter is a novel about believing and having faith in yourself and others. It's a novel about forgiveness of yourself and others. It's a book about that critical moment when we go from child to adult, too often in the blink of an eye, and how that can change us forever."
—Viola Shipman, A WISH FOR WINTER

Cannot wait for his summer book to come in June 2023!

Thank you to Graydon House and NetGalley for an e-ARC to read, review, and enjoy!

Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Nov 15, 2022
Nov 2022 Must-Read Books

A Wish for Winter is pure Viola Shipman. Susan lost her parents many years ago, but still misses them keenly. She also is wondering if she will ever meet her Santa Claus as,part of the family tradition. The search lasts all year long.
I loved all the music, movie, and tv show references sprinkled through out the text.
I loved all the book talk and how books play such an influential role in people’s loves. I liked the references to Pure Michigan because I love those commercials.
Shipman displays his love for Michigan in this book and I learned a lot about the state. The engaging cast of support characters were sweet and so interfering, especially Holly and Noah.
This may have missed the editing process, but there was flashback to 1951 and Elvis tickets were mentioned and Blue Christmas played. Elvis didn’t come on the scene until 1954 and Blue Christmas was released in 1957.

This is a good book. The main character is Susan Norcross. She runs a bookstore with her grandparents. Her parents died by a drunk driver. Both her grandmother and mother met their husbands when they were dressed as Santa. It is a done deal for Susan to meet her future husband while dressed as a Santa. She goes to Chicago to run in a race and meets a Santa. Instant attraction between them. They get separated and plan to meet up after but it doesn’t happen. Over the next year it is a quest for Susan to find him. In the end she does find him and they fall in love.

Tis the season for Christmas books and this was a nice start. Family, friends, loss, love, smiles and tears. This book has it all. As with all books by this author, his love of Michigan, Christmas and Family come shining thru.

Susan is a very likable character at a crossroad in her life. She is facing a big birthday, wishing things could be like they were, running her bookstore (I only wish there was a bookstore just like it around me). She has a core group of friends and family, but something is missing. She’s looking for her happily ever after, exactly like her parents and grandparents. The ending felt rushed and predictable, but it didn’t take away the good feeling intended.

Thanks to Viola Shipman, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

I was so happy to get this book!
I am now a Viola Shipman fan!
This story was so good that I couldn't put it down! It was so worth the wait!
I loved everything about this book. It will definitely get you in the Christmas mood.
As always in a book there some moments that will make you frown, laugh ,hope and love. All these things are why I love to read.
Add a bookshop to the mix and it makes it a perfect read!
This book was no exception. I finished this book in one afternoon.
I didn't want to "come" home. I loved being swept away with wonderful characters like Susan Norcross
5.stars for making me happy and I highly recommend!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

A Wish for Winter by Viola Shipman aka Wade Rouse, is a captivating story of loss, family and love. Bookshop owner Susan Norcoss is having quite a year when a missed encounter at a Santa race has all social media searching for her mystery man that got away. Now she’s dating and hoping that one of them will be the Kringle she’s been looking for. With good friends and her grandparents encouraging her to give it a chance, she ventures on a journey to forgiveness and self-discovery.

I absolutely adored this story from beginning to end. Both Susan’s parents and grandparents found their true love when he was dressed as Santa. She’s had a bad record in dating until she has that moment at the Santa race. Now with the help of her best friend Holly, a social media influencer, she’s dating 3 possible candidates and hoping maybe someone be The One. At the same time, she’s 40 years old and it is hitting her harder this year since this was the age when her mother died. She lost her parents at a young age and her life has somewhat been defined by this loss. Now’s she wondering if she’ll have someone to share her life with and can she move pass the hurt and guilt she has over it. She didn’t want to take this journey alone and encouraged her friends to take a leap with her as well. Her employees are her friends and they have some light and funny moments when they are all together. There were light moments and insightful ones which made the story meaningful for me. I thought it flowed well and I didn’t want it to end.

The author has written a captivating story that takes the main character on a path of soul searching and finding love along the way. A highlight for me is that the author showcases his home state of Michigan. I would love to see the beauty he describes in his winter scenes, especially the blue ice on the shoreline of Petoskey, Michigan. A Wish for Winter is a story of hope and shouldn’t be missed. It's perfect for the holiday season.