**Review: 3.5/5 Stars**

*Snowed Under* by Juliana Smith is a lighthearted holiday romcom that follows the classic fake dating trope with a twist. In this story, reserved aunt Madeline Sage finds herself unexpectedly teamming up with her nephew’s fun-loving ski instructor, Cooper Graves, to save the local ski lodge and keep her family afloat. The opposites-attract dynamic between these two leads, paired with their evolving “pretend” relationship, adds a fun, charming tension to the plot.

While the chemistry between Madeline and Cooper brings some warm moments, Cooper’s character may feel a bit over-the-top for some readers, coming across as cocky or even crass at times, particularly in his humor. There’s also some inconsistency in the story’s pacing and certain details, such as minor continuity slips and occasional punctuation errors, which can be a bit distracting. Despite these, the scenes with Madeline’s niece and nephew add depth to her character, highlighting her sense of responsibility and heart.

Overall, *Snowed Under* is a cozy, quick winter read with plenty of playful banter and a few laugh-out-loud moments, even if the humor doesn’t always land. It’s a good pick for fans of low-stakes, holiday-themed romance who enjoy an opposites-attract setup and the charm of a small-town ski lodge. While it could benefit from some refinement, it’s still a delightful escape for the holiday season.

Snowed Under by @author.juliana.smith
Pub date : November 23 rd /2024
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you #Netgally and Victory Editing Netgally Co-op for the Arc .

Snowed Under swept me off my feet from the moment I saw the beautiful cover, and after diving into the story, I’ve completely fallen in love with every character and scene. This book is a perfect blend of humor, romance, and heartfelt emotion.

Madeline and Cooper's journey is a masterclass in opposites attract. Their chemistry had me laughing, squealing, My heart genuinely went "babum babum" with every moment that pulled them closer together! Their first interaction is hilariously unforgettable, setting the tone for a love story full of playful banter and genuine connection. The development of their bond, from a fake relationship into something undeniably real, had me rooting for them through every complication.

Madeline’s relationship with her niece and nephew, Charlie and Piper, is simply beautiful. Watching their little family grow and heal together warmed my heart. The author did a brilliant job of portraying Madeline’s strength and vulnerability as she navigates her new role as an aunt, student, and caretaker. Charlie’s care for his aunt and Piper’s adorable, lively presence brought so much life and love into the story, making me tear up and smile, sometimes all at once.

Cooper is such a fantastic character, and his arc from a carefree, confident ski instructor to someone who realizes what truly matters is captivating. Cooper’s playful nicknames“Little Coop” and “Little Pint”brought a fun energy to the story. The characters, like Lola, Finn and Olive add even more warmth and humor to the story.

The final chapter had me on the edge of my seat, and I was in tears as I read through the emotional, powerful conclusion. Cooper and Madeline’s journey of healing and love is unforgettable. It beautifully captures the essence of healing, love, and the bonds that can bring people back to life after tragedy. It’s a perfect blend of laughter, romance, and the magic of second chances, making it a solid 5-star read for me. I absolutely loved every moment and highly recommend it!
#inspirational #NetGalley #SnowedUnder

This is my fifth Juliana Smith book and quite possibly my favorite. I loved both the MMC and FMC, and the kids were just the absolute cutest too. I enjoyed the banter, the character growth, and the resolution (I absolutely got emotional at the end). I had some minor quibbles in a couple of places (I wanted a more fleshed out dialogue around the working mom/self-care conversation) but seriously: a fun and sweet wintry read for this upcoming holiday season!

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗:
SNOWED UNDER is an opposites-attract romantic comedy where a reserved single aunt and a confident children’s ski instructor partner together in an attempt to save a local ski lodge.

𝙼𝚢 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎:
There is SO MUCH to love about this one!

Cooper & Madeline had the most hilarious meet-cute. I was snort laughing so hard! The chemistry between Cooper & Madeline was perfect. They had the best banter, but what I really loved was just how much they understood one another.

The kids were also a really great element to the story & I loved that we got to see development between them & Cooper.

We also got to see more of Finn & Olive from Baggage Claim, which I loved!

Overall this is a super cute, cozy read.

What you get:
❄️fake dating
❄️hilarious kids
❄️golden retriever mmc
❄️single guardian aunt
❄️holiday romcom
❄️opposites attract
❄️workplace romance
❄️no third act break up

I loved Juliana Smith's Baggage Claim, I was excited to read another winter book from her! I liked this one, but not as much as Baggage Claim. It was a cute winter/holiday read!

This book was an absolute delight—I loved every single moment! May and her kids completely stole my heart; they’re such a precious family, and I felt so connected to them. Cooper, along with “Mini Cooper,” is beyond adorable, and the dynamic between Cooper and “Half Pint” is both chaotic and utterly endearing. The chemistry between May and Cooper is undeniable, and they’re such a perfect match that I found myself rooting for them from the start.

The story wrapped around me like a warm blanket; it was so comforting that I wanted to live within its pages. I genuinely didn’t want it to end and even found myself tearing up when I reached the final page—I just needed more, especially a longer epilogue to stay with these characters a little longer.

This was so sweet, the perfect cozy romance for winter. We have Madeline, who has entirely lost who she is. After her brother and best friend’s passing, she’s left as sole guardian of their two small kids, along with being a nursing student and part-time housekeeper at the ski lodge. On top of all that, her nagging mother who seems incapable of helping out with the kids insists the one thing missing from Madeline’s already hectic life is a man.

Cooper is a children’s ski instructor at the lodge and in an attempt to rectify his disorderly past and save the family ski resort, he agrees to be interviewed by a well-known family magazine. All he’s missing is the wife and kids he claimed he had.

As Madeline and Cooper decide to help each other out, we find there’s more to both of their stories. In becoming friends, can they help one another heal and overcome tragedies of the past?

- [ ] Opposites attract
- [ ] fake dating
Overall the vibes were cosy but some things stood out to me because they were in almost every chapter.

Many times when attempting to quote one of the characters, the actual quotes ( “”) were left out which left to confusion. There were some slight inconsistencies with the timeline. If in the beginning of chapter 3 (Cooper’s POV ) he says he has half an hour to ski in peace after his lesson, two pages later he changes it to one hour.

About Cooper:
Personally I didn’t like him as a character since his first POV. He felt extremely childish, cocky for no reason and vulgar. His first proper sentence when trying to impress Madeline being “And they say the mountains are Aspen’s best view” while she’s cleaning something under a table? Ew.

About the writing:
Minus the punctuation mistakes , the jokes were weird. Sometimes addicting too many details it’s unnecessary and it ruins the point. To set the scene with an example: Maddie listening to something in her headphones related to diseases that Cooper hears , (because apparently it’s this loud ), he comments on it and then she says regarding the heart disease department “one of the not so sexy diseases. If any are sexy”.
No, none are sexy. These kinds of unnecessary comments ruin the scene for me and they’re not funny.

Quite a few spelling and grammar mistakes. Many times in the middle of the sentence there were words starting out with a big letter.
Chapter 7 had a completely different shrift than the rest of the book!? The missing quotes were triggering me the most (poking my eyes out).

A few things about the story:
Preparing for this interview pretty much during the whole book and then they get asked literally 2 questions??

The epilogue was nice and well thought out however one sentence there was misleading as well. When they get asked by the interviewer about their second child ,Maddie says “A girl this time. Hopefully not as feisty as our first one”. Which would lead you to believe she gave birth to a girl already and is going to give birth to another one but no. They are referring to the adopted kid . It’s just… I know who they are talking about BUT it is misleading written this way.

Other than that if someone wants a pretty fast, winter read about fake dating and they overlook details such as above that personally bothered me, they’d enjoy the book more.


Thanks to NetGalley for the Arc!

Thank you NetGalley & Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

After having read Baggage Claim, I definitely was expecting certain - negative - things from this book, but this was a very pleasant surprise. I really liked Madeline and her little family, and I think the author managed to write her in such a real, raw manner that it just made everything about this book all the more special to me. (This book does have a trope I'm particularly fond of).

At times I did think the MMC was a bit immature and childish but I also found myself laughing and even tearing up at some of these scenes. I did enjoy the evolution of the couple's relationship, even if - at first - I was a bit more doubtful than what I would've liked.

All in all, this is the perfect book to put in the mood for some holiday reads if you're looking for something light and sweet.

Anyone who is Team Rachel on Ross and Rachel’s we were on a break dilemma instantly becomes a favorite… soooo hi Cooper!

Ugh this instantly became one of my favorite reads this year thus far! Madeline and Cooper made me giggle and had me kicking my feet up in the air.

Book Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Juliana hit it out of the park!)

I cannot tell you how many times my heart absolutely melted while reading this book.

If you want a book that will make you feel absolutely giddy and have the sudden urge to run away to a ski lodge where a hot instructor will beg you to be his fake girlfriend so he can save his families ski lodge…. This is the one!

Snowed Under by Juliana Smith is one of the sweetest books that I have read in quite a while. I love how Juliana combined humor as well as serious and very real life topics that are incredibly relatable. The humor though was absolute top notch. I still find myself laughing at Cooper’s interruption of Madeline’s date. Also his interactions with Mini Coop and Half Pint, absolutely hilarious and heart-warming. I also related so much to Madeline and her struggles.

Things that I loved:
💜 Shim-Jim’s
💜 The niece and nephew who quickly captured my heart
💜 All of the Disney Movie references
💜 Cooper and his silly antics.
💜 Madeline and Cooper’s relationship.

Thank you so much to Juliana Smith for allowing me to read this ARC via NetGalley!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cooper Graves & Madeline Sage
- strangers to friends to lovers
- Holiday romcom set in Aspen, CO
- Golden retriever MMC
- He’s a children’s ski instructor
- Single mom/guardian of two kids FMC
- “Not-dates” 🤭😍 & sorta fake dating
- Difficult family relationships for FMC
- The SWEETEST 9 yr old ever
- Sassy banter
- Nicknames 😂
- Bonding over grief

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book 2 of Aspen Peaks Series - releasing November 23, go preorder now!!!!! This is a sweet, fun, and flirty holiday romcom that had me laughing and crying. It wasn’t a cookie cutter holiday romcom but still have all the cozy holidays vibes. There were some plot curveballs in there that had my jaw on the floor and my adrenaline running. In the end, Juliana had me tearing up at the sweetest ending and chapter 33 will always get my heart. 🥹

Cooper and Madeline balance one another out so well and also work as a team so beautifully. I loved reading how involved and engaged both MCs were with the children. The boding between Cooper and Charlie as so so sweet. The children added lots of comedic moments but also really tender moments that got my mom heart. 🥹

Love Coop’s mom. Holy first kiss Batman! 🤭 I just 🤭 no words. So good! Love the way Madeline sacrifices everything for her niece and nephew without a second thought. Can’t stand Madeline’s parents. Also go Madeline!! IYKYK. Cooper is the definition of a green flag. Love Cooper’s wholehearted commitment. 💕 Being snowed in together 🤭😝 Chapter 32 & 33 😭😭

This is a closed door romcom. It has descriptive makeouts, innuendo, and light cursing throughout.

**Thank you so much to Juliana for letting me read this ARC via Netgalley. I received a complimentary copy. No positive review was required. All thoughts are my own.**

Songs:
“Can’t take my eyes off of you” by Frankie Valli
“Death Wise Love” by Benson Boone
“She used to be mine” by Sara Bareilles
“I don’t want to go to Heaven” by Nate Smith
“Greedy” by Tate McRae
“Beautiful as you” by Thomas Rhett
“True love” by Ariana Grande
“White xmas” by Sabrina Carpenter
“I can’t help myself” by Four Tops
“Here Comes The Sun” by The Beatles
“Sweet love” by Myles Smith

**Note for author: I only caught a few typos. There was a formatting/timing issue that I was confused about with Chapters 26/27/28, since chap 28 jumped back to the conversation from chapter 26. I still enjoyed the chapter and the conversation they had. Just confused that they went back and revisited it without clear indication with the new chapter of where they were or that they were revisiting it or if it was supposed to be like a flashback to previous conversation. Also, I loved the characters and especially Coop, May, the kids, and Coop’s mom.

This was such an adorable follow up to baggage claim, and perfect to ease into the winter reads. I loved the deeper storyline, as sometimes romances can be too light and cheery. The realism of some of the things that couples may deal with stick with me.

Thanks so much for the arc!

Rating: 4 stars ⭐️

Tropes:
opposites attract 🩷
workplace ⛷️
fake dating ❄️
single mom 🧸
small town 🏘️

This was an amazing holiday romcom that reminded me of a Hallmark movie. 🌨️

If you enjoy a cozy feel-good vibe, then this book is definitely for you!

I loved reading about Olive and Finn, the couple we got to know from the book "Baggage Claim."

Cooper Graves is a ski instructor at his family's resort in Aspen. Due to a new competing resort in town, their business is struggling financially. When approached by a well-known family magazine for an article, Cooper faces one problem: they want to feature him and his wife which he doesn't have.

Madeline Sage is finishing nursing school while working part-time as a cleaner at the ski lodge. After some tragic events, she gains custody of her two siblings, Charlie and Piper. She meets Cooper at Charlie's ski lesson, and he's instantly smitten. Needing a wife or girlfriend for the interview, Cooper finds Madeline to be the perfect candidate.

Thank you to NetGalley, Juliana Smith, and the publisher for providing me with this copy. All opinions are my own.

First thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op for approving me to read an ARC of Snowed Under by Juliana Smith.

Unfortunately, due to the formatting that this book was sent to me, I am not able to read and write a review for this book. To be clear this has absolutely nothing to do with the book itself, I love the cover and the premise sounds adorable, I was and still am very much looking forward to it! But for whatever reason the ARC I received is formatted in a way that does not allow me to read it (it looks like pictures of the actual book pages but the pages are cut off).

This has never happened to me before so I am leaving the book with a 4star rating because I would hate to negatively impact a books reception based upon a fluke of formatting.

Snowed Under is the second book in the Aspen Peaks series. I had not personally read the previous book in the series and while the couple from that book do make appearances, I found I was able to enjoy this one just fine as a standalone as well.

This was such a wonderful read. First of all, that first meeting (or the first one Cooper remembers, at least) had me laughing out loud right from the start. It was perhaps one of the best meet cutes I've seen and really set the tone for the rest of the story. It was the first of many moments that had me laughing out loud or smiling throughout. Cooper was such a fun character and one that I couldn't help but absolutely adore. He was persistent in his attempts to get Madeline to be his fake wife (or fiance or girlfriend), but it was super endearing. I loved how sweet he was with both kids-- but especially 'Mini Coop'... truly, the kids definitely helped make this book and I loved their very different personalities. Mixed in with those laughable moments were so many tender and emotional ones too. I found myself reaching for tissues on more than one occasion and truly found it to be the perfect blend of chemistry filled romance, moments that made me smile and those that pulled at my heart.

Snowed Under is a closed-door romance with kisses only. It does have a good amount of innuendo and language throughout as well.

**I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley for consideration. All opinions are my own.

I don’t think I realized how badly I was running on E until I read this book. IYKYK. I’d go on a not-date every single day if I get to read more about Cooper and Madeline. I swooned over their story. As awkward as it started. Their character development, their growth, and their chemistry is undeniable.
This book had me hooked from the first page. Its very well written and I have never related to a FMC more in my life!
I highly recommend this read. A very cute, heavy on the feelings, short story. It will get you in your feels, in the best way possible. We all need a Coop in our lives, and I’m glad their story was shared with us.

This book is absolute one of the best that I have ever read!
It made me feel fluffy and beloved!
The dynamic between Cooper and Madeline was just beautiful. Even thought he wanted her right away, and not just as his fake girlfriend, he respected her choices right away and helped her figure out who she was as a person and what she wants out of life.
Cooper, ski instructor at his family owned resort, is in need of a fake girlfriend or wife to help the resort with a magazine publication. He gets Madeline to help out as she needs also help with her parents who are always on her back about getting a man in her life, so they decide to help each other.
In the process of helping each other, their feelings for each other develop and their place in each other lives.
10/10 recommend.

Life has not been easy for Madeline. Her parents are not supportive or affectionate, she struggles with her cleaning job and nursing school, all while raising her dead sister's two young kids.
Cooper is a ski instructor that craves adrenaline and has no plans to settle down. His family owns the ski lodge and lately, the competition threatens their business. A solution comes from a family magazine that offers to get them publicity. The only problem is, where will he find a fake wife and kids? After meeting Madeline, it becomes clear that he has found exactly what he was looking for.
The opposites-attract trope works really well and the presence of kids makes their love story even more endearing.
A clean romance, cute and cozy, Showed Under was a delightful read perfect for winter.

This book had a very entertaining plot, with engaging subplots woven throughout. However, the heavy focus on plot often detracted from character development, and the romance between the two main characters felt underdeveloped as a result. Both protagonists seemed out of touch with reality and overly self-absorbed, which made them frustratingly difficult to connect with. Ultimately, I found myself skimming through just to finish it. While I wanted to enjoy this book, and it had all the right ingredients, I felt the execution didn’t quite reach its potential.
2.5