Blurb: Kim and Grant have been coupled up (but not married) for thirty years, living a fairly ordinary existence in Wisconsin, with their twins and jobs and the usual trivial issues of life. But facing an empty nest and professional upheaval has both of them questioning their lives together. Kim suggests wintering in Palm Springs to shake things up, and Grant reluctantly agrees. About halfway through their Snowbird adventure, Grant leaves on a hike - and doesn't return. This isn't the first time he has run when things have gotten hard, so Kim isn't sure whether his disappearance is intentional, or whether he's in serious trouble.

Mood Reader Guide: midlife couple / midlife crisis / self-reflection / Palm Springs / eccentric side characters / dealing with the past / slow pacing / desert hiking / Midwest sensibilities

Thoughts: Despite that blurb sounding like it could be the premise for an mystery-thriller story, The Snowbirds is actually a great work of general fiction, and the story of two people, their relationship, and midlife. (Which may not sound nearly as page-turning, but left me very satisfied.) The book travels through Kim and Grant's relationship, with chapters from the present day missing-Grant saga in Palm Springs to keep the mystery going. I loved how the author makes you understand Kim's point of view throughout the years, while also showing her flaws. The book is also really about the twists and turns that happen in your life, and how things don't usually turn out the way you expected, and whether that's a good or bad thing. Being a Wisconsin girl, I loved all the Madison and Wisconsin touches, and this book made me want to visit Palm Springs! There are a bunch of fun side characters in this book (Palm Springs setting seems to lend itself to that) that pop up throughout the story bringing comic relief and wisdom in equal parts. Another part I really enjoyed was the journal entries from Grant, allowing us a peak into his time spent in the desert.

Lines That Resonated:
"Our relationship felt like a Jenga tower that was built out of both love and resentment. One small insult, one uncomfortable truth spoken aloud, and we could precariously wobble and come crashing down."

"Everything but despair." as code for something strange

"His forthrightness made me wonder if he seemed different simply because he wasn't Midwestern."

"Not even at Packers game had I been so outnumbered." (Referencing being in a gay bar in Palm Springs as a woman.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A story of contrasts. A story of conflicts. And a story of pairs. Each pairing, be it a couple of people, or choices to be made, contained their own sets of polar opposites that needed to be faced and dealt with. All of this in a story about two people who go off to spend the winter in Palm Springs. Kim and Grant must face their own challenges along the way, both back home and while snowbirding in Palm Springs. Together for life, but never married which is one of several of the polemic battles that need addressing along the way. For the most part, these are some of the underlying stories.

The main plot involves a missing Grant who had gone off hiking along the desert trails. Though no one was sure of that because Grant had a history of wondering off during rough times. Along the way, Kim gets to know the neighbors, with their quirks and endearing characteristics. They make for some entertaining reading and add personality to the story. My personal favorite is Melody, Kim's ex-mother-in-law who is a wealthy socialite. Then there's 'the husbands', Thomas and Raul. As you can imagine, they added the zest and flames to perk things up. A few others add more detail and variety.

It did take me a while to really get into this book. Not sure if it was something about the story or if it was just me not being up for reading at the time. Granted, I really didn't take to some of the characters early on, especially the main ones, Kim and Grant, but things perked up when Melody and the others became more involved. I didn't fall in love with any of these characters, but some were entertaining. Occasionally, I got a bit fed up with the gist of the story, but then someone would flash their personality to make the story more interesting.

Everything then ties together nicely; albeit, in a very predictable manner. An interesting enough book for those who like to read and find simple romantic intrigue to be their cup of tea while dealing with a search and rescue mission on the side.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of the eBook in lui of a review.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy.

I thought I'd give Christina Clancy another try (I started but couldn't finish The Second Home), but The Snowbirds just didn't work for me. The premise--a couple thirty years into their "separate but together" relationship, relocates to a quirky community in Palm Springs. When Grant, one half of the couple, presumably goes missing when he's on a hike, Kim has to figure out whether he's truly lost or whether he's left her--sounded interesting enough. Quirky communities and slice of life stories can be really well told. Christina Clancy writes in a frictionless style that made it hard grip onto any character in a way that made me want to stick with the story. I found that I didn't really care about whether Grant had left or whether Kim would be distraught over it. There are just too many books out there to try and get through to push through one that left me apathetic.

I was absolutely drawn to this one by the cover! It is absolute perfection!

However, I wish the story was as great as the cover.

Soon I will be entering the "empty nest" stage of life, so I thought I'd be able to enjoy this mid-life story a bit more. But right off the bat, I found Kim somewhat annoying. Maybe it was the writing - it felt jumbled to me - that made think of her as such a ditz, but it distracted me and took away from my enjoyment of the story.

While I understand the back and forth switching between past and present, it somehow detracted from the main part of the book - Grant missing. That tension and build up was lacking so when it finally came to the execution of the entire plot, I felt underwhelmed.

The best part of the book: it made me want to visit Palm Desert!

This was too much of a slow burn for me and I could not get to the point where it clicked and grabbed my interest. I did not like Grant's character. While Fleishman was one of my favorite reads, which I saw this compared to, this was not for me.

The Snowbirds by Christina Clancy is a tender and thought-provoking exploration of a long-term relationship at a crossroads. Kim and Grant, together for thirty years but never married, are adjusting to major life changes—Grant’s forced retirement, the loss of his mother, and their twin daughters leaving home. Having lived apart for much of their partnership due to Grant’s work as a college professor, the couple now find themselves navigating full-time cohabitation. Their relationship’s fragility is evident, especially with Grant’s mental health challenges, which include a history of disappearing for days without explanation. When offered the use of a condo in Palm Springs for the winter, Kim jumps at the opportunity, and Grant reluctantly follows.

The vibrant and quirky Le Desert community in Palm Springs is richly depicted, filled with unique supporting characters who bring both levity and opportunities for growth. While Kim embraces her adventurous side, trying new activities and forging connections, Grant becomes increasingly engrossed in hiking the Palm Springs mountains. The first half of the novel felt a little slow for me, but it laid essential groundwork, painting a vivid picture of Kim and Grant’s individual struggles and the bleakness of their partnership.

Grant’s sudden disappearance during a hike shifts the narrative, raising the tension as Kim confronts her worst fears: is he truly lost, or has he left her for good? The discovery of Grant’s journal provides profound insight into his inner world, offering both Kim and the reader a deeper understanding of his perspective. Through this, Kim finds clarity about herself and their relationship, leading to moments of self-discovery and hope.

Final Thoughts:

Clancy masterfully balances humour and poignancy, exploring themes of midlife reinvention, the complexities of commitment, and the possibility of becoming the person we aspire to be. The Snowbirds is a touching and honest portrayal of love, resilience, and the power of being truly seen.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

Christina Clancy’s Snowbirds is a compelling novel about an unmarried couple in their 50s, who after 30 years find themselves at a crossroads in their relationship. In an effort to change things up and figure out where they stand in their relationship, Kim and Grant decide to spend a winter in Palm Springs. When Grant goes missing while hiking, Kim recalls the story of their past and how they got to this point in their lives.

This book took some time to fully capture my attention. However, the rich descriptions of Palm Springs and its history added an interesting layer that helped move the story along for me. A crew of memorable side characters also brought this story to life.

Since the story was told from Kim’s point of view, I got a good sense of her character and found her easy to relate to. Based on what we learn about Grant from her point of view, I found him to be pretty unlikable and was often expecting the worst from him. This definitely impacted how I viewed their relationship, especially as much of their back story focuses on him repeatedly running off when things got tough.

As I got to know his character more toward the end of the story, I was finally able see how much he cared for Kim and was happy with way the story came together in the end.

Thank you so much to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this book. Overall, I enjoyed it very much.

This book was much more serious than I was expecting. I did end up enjoying it, however. The main character was pretty unlikeable for most of the book but really redeems herself in the end. This goes back and forth from present day to the beginning of the main couple's relationship. I enjoyed learning about the family and seeing how it was all going to come together. The characters were well developed, and the settings were well described.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review,

After being together for over 30 years, Grant and Kim are at a crossroads in their relationship. Now that Grant is unemployed and Kim is on a sabbatical - Kim decides that she will take her ex husband up on his offer to move into his Palm Springs condo for the winter, far away from the snow and sub zero temperature of Madison, WI. After years of spending their weeks living apart because of Grant’s job, now the ever presence of Grant in the home has changed the dynamic of their relationship. Once the settle into Palm Springs Grant becomes obsessed with hiking and on New Years Day he gets lost in the mountains; during this time Kim relives their past and realizes how she feels about their future.

I honestly couldn’t bring myself to like either main character of this novel - Kim frustrated me because she allowed Grant to walk all over her and Grant was kind of a pompous ass. While their backstory (which we learn about after Grant goes missing) was interesting and kept my attention, I just couldn’t become invested in their relationship or care if they stayed together. Both were still oddly attached to their ex spouses and it didn’t seem like their relationship was a lasting and healthy one or a relationship I wanted to root for. I preferred all of the ancillary characters (the quirky neighbors in their condo and my favorite character being Kim’s ex mother in law) to the main ones and they kept me reading this one.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC to review

Thank you St. Martins Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This felt right up my alley starting off. A middle aged couple together 30 years - I was ready for something deep and emotional! Unfortunately these two characters were absolutely insufferable. You can tell they only stayed together because she ended up pregnant with twins a few weeks into their relationship. I just never believed it at all. Kim never wanted to "burden" Grant and Grant only cared about himself. I wish I enjoyed this more, but I didn't believe in their relationship.

The journals from Grant were nice to read and I liked his introspection - but it took a big event to make that happen. I did enjoy the different timelines though and watching those come together!

I love Christina Clancy and this book was no different! I felt like it touched on a real life problem that couples face but isn’t often discussed (growing apart). But, it also bounced around a bit and found myself getting lost or distracted. Overall, a good read though!

unfortunately, I DNF'd this -- and it pained me to do it because i hate DNFing but I couldn't get myself to care about these characters. it was extremely slow and the characters were so unlikeable it just made it hard to keep going. i made it to 33% before I called it quits. thank you so much for the eARC, i never take that for granted!! maybe i'll pick this back up when i'm more in the mood.

This was a highly anticipated book for me, as I have LOVED both of Christina Clancy's previous novels. As a Wisconsin-ite at heart, I love how she weaves place into her novels. The Snowbirds, as the title implies, follows a couple as they head to Palm Springs for the winter-- but never fear, there are plenty of references to Madison throughout the novel (also trying to figure out exactly what small town Mounds is based on!). I'm not sure if it's because of a lack of ability to relate to the characters who are in a different life-phase than me, or because I just didn't like either of the main characters, but this book was much harder for me to get into than her previous novels. I enjoyed the last third of the book the most, when the husband's perspective was incorporated much more through journal entries.

Christina Clancy will absolutely remain on my auto-to-read list, but I will hope for something more similar to Shoulder Season or The Second Home. Thank you to St. Martin’s and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Thing He Told Me meets Fleishman Is in Trouble in this page-turning story of a couple who flee winter in the Midwest for Palm Springs, where they find their relationship at a crossroads. This book really hooked me at reality of mine myself.

I'm shocked to write this as a 4-star review, because for the first ~30% I was positive I would skim to the end. Kim and Grant are completely unlikeable as characters. Honestly, I wanted to shake them and scream, "JUST TALK TO ONE ANOTHER!" I'm here to tell you that the book got soooo much better after that point and I really came to enjoy it. Grant's journal made me like him more. Kim's relationships with the Le Desert residents made me like her more. The supporting characters are the kind of quirky, Stars Hollow-esque vibe that I love. Palm Springs itself was a fun character, and I absolutely LOVE when authors make the setting of the story into its own character. Now I need to visit Palm Springs!
I will be recommending this to others, with the caution to power through the first third because it does get so much better.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC!

I really struggled to get interested in this book. The first third of the book did not build suspense for me in a way that made me want to find out if Grant would return and why he went missing. The structure of the final third of the book, when we finally got a dual-perspective through his journal, was much stronger.
Neither character was likable so they were a difficult pair to root for. The references to Madison were kitschy and there were far too many, especially considering the novel takes place in Palm Springs.

Thank you to St. Martin’s and NetGalley for an advance readers copy of this book.

A decent book, easy read, nice character development. But not for me. It was marketed as a romantic thriller and while there is some mystery there it is just not quite that. It is more of a cozy humor.

Interesting story told in a dual timeline of sorts. It was slow to capture my interest but ended up a pretty decent story. A Midwestern couple decides to winter in Palm Springs, where a quirky cast of secondary characters may change their lives in a dramatic way forever

A really interesting story of a complicated relationship and what it takes to make a relationship work. Even though it wasn't a traditional marriage, I did enjoy reading about these older characters and their relationship story. It was sort of a coming of age 2.0 story. I also really enjoyed the extended cast of characters that they met in Palm Springs. I enjoyed this one!

I thought this would be an easy, somewhat mindless book but it ended up being so much more! Entertaining, funny and thought-provoking, this book has it all. Perfect for winter reading!