I was hoping for a cozy Christmas Hallmark movie of a book and instead this was just a mess.
Both MCs are dealing with grief over the death of a loved one, the FMC's mom passed 20 years ago when she was 11, and MMC's wife died one year ago. Further, our FMC thinks she has a Christmas curse or jinx because bad things happen when she makes a Christmas wish, first her mom's death, then her fiancé leaves her, and then her art gallery closes, all around Christmastime.

As our MCs dance around each other not a paragraph goes by that we aren't reminded of one of the above. I am all for characters working through stuff and growing but this was just annoying and needed more editing. For as little as happened the book could have been a solid 100 pages shorter. It made dialogue scenes particularly frustrating because full paragraphs of (repetitive) internal thought would occur between simple conversations.

Things I noted in the book:
Our FMC packed a lot of outfits for her short trip home, all of which were told in detail.
She hated Christmas but kept showing up and participating in Christmas events (this was typically witnessed from our MMC's POV, and didn't mesh with the FMC's proclaimed hatred of the season).
The MMC's family is super weird and pushy, his wife has only been gone one year and they repeatedly say how worried they are about him not moving on yet (like sorry, what?)

This was a miss for me. Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thankyou to the publishers and NetGallery for allowing me to review this book. This was a lovely read with so many cute Christmas parts throughout it.

Really enjoyed reading and really well written!

Overall I enjoyed this - the first half in particular but then I lost interest a bit - the characters seemed to become much less interesting. It was a nice Christmas read though.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a very cute book. I loved the Christmas parts cause I’m a huge Christmas girlie. The characters were very well written I felt like I was with them walking around. But it didn’t fully meet my full Christmas joy. But I will look forward to more books by this author.

a wonderful cozy holiday read from Lacey Baker. This will be a re-read for the holidays with cup of cocoa

Okay first of all I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read this amazing story. I dont normally read holiday books especially when it’s not even Christmas yet. I can tell you I loved this book. This book was a sweet fluffy romance but wow the emotions. This book made you feel all the emotions that Ella and Seth felt. I felt like I was watching a great Hallmark movie while reading this book.

Now this book is about Ella an art curator who just lost her job as the place was closing. She feels like it is once again the Christmas jinx that strikes again. Ella used to believe in Christmas wishes until she lost her mother when she was still a young child. When she left school, she made sure she left the small town as quickly as possible but now she has to go back to the small sleepy community of Bellepoint, Pennsylvania. Ella has decided to go back to her aunt’s home while she plans to start job hunting but while there, she gets roped into planning the town’s Christmas tree auction. Side by side with her very first love Seth Hamil.

Seth knows that home is where the heart is and for him it has always been the small community. He has been married and widowed. He would like to keep his wife’s memory alive and that is starting with the Christmas tree auction. Seth would not let Ella easily dismiss his wife’s memory. He decided to work together and compromise but still made sure to keep the feel of Christmas. Seth has decided to teach Ella what Christmas feeling is all about. Soon they found out that they still have feelings for each other even though they never actually dated in the past.

I could feel the chemistry between Ella and Seth from the beginning. I felt like I could relate to these characters, and I always love reading books with small town settings. I really hope there would be a sequel maybe with Seth’s sister. I would totally reread this book and I tell you now to go get yourself a copy when you can and start reading!

My first read by this author and won't be my last I loved the hometown feel of the story and anything that has to do with Christmas sign me up!! Great book!

I'm always on the lookout for sweet and heartwarming Christmas reads, and I was looking forward to this contemporary from a new to me author. The cover is downright gorgeous, the synopsis sounded adorable, and I couldn't wait to dive right in.

While I did end up appreciating how heartwarming and clean this story is, unfortunately it didn't end up being quite what I was expecting. While it's full of many of the fun elements that usually contribute to a wonderful Christmas story, the slow paced writing style had me struggling to truly engage with the story. Likewise, I felt for the characters and the grief they were both trying their best to put behind them, but I had a hard time connecting to either of them as they were written in a way that came across almost as standoffish to the reader.

Overall, the romance is cute, the setting is adorable, there's at least a small faith element included which I always appreciate, but the story as a whole just felt like it was missing something. I spent the majority of the story waiting for something to happen, and I felt like it never actually did in the end.

A cute Christmas story, but it's probably not one I'd ever find myself wanting to reread.

Final Rating: 3/5.

I'd recommend this one to anyone looking for a clean and heartwarming Christmas read this holiday season.



Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to advance read and review this title!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.

Snow Place Like Home by Lacey Baker invites us to experience a heartwarming holiday tale that beautifully captures the magic of the season, the power of second chances.
The story follows Ella Wilson, a woman who has deliberately distanced herself from her hometown and the holiday season due to a series of painful memories. Ella's past includes the loss of her mother and a broken engagement, which have led her to associate the holiday season with heartache. However, circumstances lead her back home for the holidays, and she finds herself unexpectedly involved in planning the town's Christmas tree auction, alongside her first love, Seth Hamil.

Lacey Baker crafts a tale that beautifully explores the themes of love, healing, and finding joy in unexpected places. Through Ella and Seth's journey, readers witness the transformation of two individuals who are brought back together by fate. The setting of Bellepoint, Pennsylvania, is vividly depicted, painting a picturesque backdrop for the unfolding events.
In conclusion, "Snow Place Like Home" is a delightful and touching holiday read that exudes warmth, charm, and a sense of wonder.

I requested a copy of this book after meeting the author at a book signing. The signing was at a grand opening for a Hallmark store so I figured the book would be clean with a moral undertone and family focus. I wasn’t disappointed with this story about Ella and Seth. I liked that Seth is a music teacher. Ella has lost her love of the holidays but there’s no better place than home to rekindle that love.

Snow Place Like Home deals with grief, love and the holidays. Ella lost her mother and ever since the holidays haven't been great for her. When she's forced to go home for the holiday she has to come face to face with the past she left behind. This book was not for me. It's well written but grief and the holidays are something I didn't care to read about. I do think a lot of people will like it.

Ella Wilson is not a fan of the Christmas season. The worst things seem to happen to her and she has come to view the season as jinxed with bad luck. To reinforce her opinion, the art gallery she manages is closing, and she enters the holidays without a job. When the aunt who raised her invites her to come home for Christmas, Ella figures she has nothing to lose. Little does she realize that her world will be turned upside down when she runs into her high school crush, Seth Hamil. Will Ella and Seth be able to put past sorrows behind them and start fresh? Find out in this uplifting holiday story,

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this ARC of Snow Place Like Home by Lacey Baker. It was a cute, christmas romance novel. I enjoy Hallmark movies! This book definitely made me feel like I was "watching" one! Ella loses her mom and loses her interest in Christmas. She continues to keep herself busy by burying herself in her work. Her Aunt finally talks her into visiting back home. Throughout the book, she finds ways to begin healing. Seth, one of the other main characters, loses his wife. He also deals with the guilt by learning how to cope with his teaching, with his dog, and he also tries to keep his wife's memory alive by continuing the fundraiser she started. The two wind up working together to plan the town's Christmas Tree Auction. We learn that Seth was Ella's first love. I could totally see this book being turned into a Hallmark movie!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the chance to read this novel in return for this review. After finishing this book I was not surprised to see the author has had movies made on the Hallmark Channel and I can see this one becoming a Christmas movie too.

I enjoyed the growth of both the main characters and the descriptions of their family, friends and their Christian faith. It is well written and you feel like you are part of this lovely small town,

I also can see a sequel following the male main character’s sister and best friends beginning a romance too

Read in the heat of the summer, I didn’t know how badly I needed this refreshing cup of winter cozy. I appreciated the sweet story that conquered heavy themes of grief at the holidays, something so many of us struggle with in one form or another. I could feel the chemistry between our main characters Ella and Seth and was rooting for them all the way through. This will be my Christmas book of the year and I look forward to gifting it to friends and family!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this eARC!

So by now reading my other posts it should be known I love a good holiday theme book. Also adding a love story to it well I’m in. I absolutely fell in love with the couple and their back story. I completely understand the sadness of loss of a parent close to the holidays and it just made me want to read more

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

If you like Hallmark Christmas stories then this book is for you. Girl loses mom, leaves big city for visit to aunt, and then gets involved in a Christmas jinx. This was a cute quick read that will get you into the Hallmark movie watching Christmas spirit.

In "Snow Place Like Home" by Lacey Baker, readers are invited into a heartwarming Christmas tale that beautifully captures the essence of love, loss, and the magic of the holiday season. The story follows Ella Wilson, a city-dwelling art curator with a penchant for avoiding her hometown and the painful memories it holds, particularly during the festive season. However, circumstances change when she is tasked with co-organizing the town's Christmas tree auction alongside her first love, Seth Hamil.
The narrative deftly navigates the clash between Ella's big-city ideas and Seth's steadfast traditional approach to the holiday festivities. As they work together and slowly find common ground, the story becomes a canvas for exploring themes that resonate deeply with readers: love that never truly fades, the challenges of coping with loss, and the soul-stirring discovery of the genuine meaning behind Christmas.
Baker's characters are wonderfully relatable, each with their quirks and imperfections that make them feel like old friends. Ella's journey of personal growth and healing is particularly touching, as she confronts the memories that have held her captive for so long. Seth's unwavering belief in the beauty of tradition adds a layer of authenticity to the story's exploration of contrasting viewpoints.
While the novel's intention to evoke emotion is evident, some readers might find themselves grappling with the writing style and the pacing, which at times can feel slow. However, these moments are often eclipsed by the genuine charm of the characters and the unexpected situations that arise.
This is a charming Christmas novel that radiates with the warmth of the holiday season. Lacey Baker's evocative storytelling, combined with relatable characters and an exploration of themes that touch the heart, make this a delightful choice for those seeking a festive read that reminds us of the power of love, forgiveness, and the true spirit of Christmas.
Thank you, Net Galley and Thomas Nelson Fiction, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I could feel the pain of Ella, Christmas had become hard, but was so glad she aquiesced to going home to her aunt.

This is a story that is filled with faith, long friendships, and building new relationships. I loved how this young woman was rather tricked into using her talents, and thus earning some well needed funds for her town.

We are also given a young man, he is still very much hurting from the loss of his wife, and is coping with his teaching and his dog! These two know each other after attending school together, but they never figured to be working together for the good of the town!

I loved how all of this works out, maybe not how you expect, and yes, there are surprises, but this is a sweet Christmas read!

Be ready for some beautiful Christmas decorations, some healing, and some sweet romance!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc.

This was a hallmark movie in a book. Ella doesn’t enjoy Christmas since losing her mom. She busies herself in her work in the city. When she loses her job and goes home to visit her Aunt for the holidays, she begins to process her grief and the ‘Christmas Jinx’ while seeing an old flame again.