I adored Baggage Claim & found this one to be just as great! It’s a perfect wintery romance. The characters are lovable & the plot kept me entertained!! There are definitely some flaws but nothing kept me from wanting to keep reading. Definitely recommend for your winter TBR!

Snowed Under releases on Nov 23!!

A cute and highly lovable holiday rom com! Cooper and Madeline were the sweetest. The kiddos; Charlie and Piper were hilarious and adorable. If you love watching hallmark movies around Christmas time, this book is for you. It’s an easy, quick, and fluffy read that is perfect for a cozy night in with some hot chocolate and a warm blanket. :)

Cooper was so easy to fall in love with, he was witty and had the best golden-retriever-energy! I loved how obsessed he was with Madeline from the start and how he worked to gain the kids’ trust. Madeline was hard-working and strong, but I did find that I disagreed with how she went about some things. I really enjoyed the tension between these two! It's honestly what kept me into this book.

There was lots of fun banter in this one while also being emotional and heartfelt. Although the banter was sometimes really good, sometimes they would be talking about stuff that was really weird and random. The book seemed very obviously indie which is not something I usually find in Juliana’s books.

I wished there was more of a confrontation between Madeline and her parents. I really wish she had proved them wrong a bit more—or there was a follow-up conversation after their fight. On the other hand, while her parents were extremely selfish and inconsiderate with Madeline and her future, I do kind of see their point with the kids. Madeline has somewhat of a hard time getting by with the kids, school, and work. When she gained custody of them, why wouldn’t she have let the kids go to their grandparents if they were going to give them a better life and be more financially stable? At least until Madeline finished school or she was more ready for all the work that goes into taking care of two kids.

I will say, the ARC version had some formatting/editing issues so I don’t know if they will make the final cut but there were some things that didn’t make sense. For example, the description of some characters wasn’t consistent. Cooper had green then brown eyes, and I wasn’t actually certain what colour his hair was meant to be. Madeline’s brother had blond then black hair. There were also a couple chapters that were out of place which got kinda confusing but I’m hoping that was only an issue for the ARC readers!

Overall, I give Snowed Under 3.5 stars!

Things I Loved:
- Single guardian
- Golden retriever mmc
- Holiday rom com
- Fake relationship
- Boy obsessed
- Opposites attract
- Banter

Thank you so much to Juliana Smith and NetGalley for the ARC! Congrats on the upcoming release. 🥰

YES YES YES... this girl is crying happy tears. cooper cooper COOPER..
this book was so so so so good. Juliana Smith can do no wrong. i want to cry. the emotional rollercoaster this book had on me..... single aunt with two kids and a HOT ski-instructor. Fake Dating, lets get to know each other... she is studying to be a nurse. Mini Coop and Half - Pint. is there any thing I can ask for. also cameos from Finnland and Olive Branch. I can't 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

This book was so cute! Loved, loved, loved!

I loved the story and the romance, plus the characters were amazing. The romance was done so beautifully. I enjoyed the build-up and their chemistry a lot. Plus this book delivers on the cozy, winter vibes.

Would recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher and Juliana Smith for providing me with an advanced reader copy for review purposes!

Snowed Under is the second book in the Aspen Peaks series, but don’t worry you can read it even if you didn’t read Baggage Claim! I did and I enjoyed it just fine, and now I want to go back and check out book one so I can get to know Finn better!
The story follows Cooper, a ski instructor for his family lodge, and Madeline, a nursing student who also happens to be the legal guardian of her niece and nephew. It deals with grief, love and family in many beautiful ways. This book was entertaining, enjoyable and heartwarming. I loved seeing all the different characters grow and I loved following them in their own personal journeys. Each one of them, from our main characters to the kids, had little aspects of themselves they needed to work on and it was so nice to see them find the strength and the help they needed in each other. Now I want a Cooper Graves too, where can I find one??
The winter vibes were immaculate, I wouldn’t define this as a holiday read (even though there’s a bit of holiday spirit too!) but it’s definitely perfect for readers that are looking for a seasonal read.

Rating: 4.25 ⭐
Release date: November 23rd, 2024
Found Family
Opposites attract
Closed door romance
Winter/Holiday vibes
Fake dating

My review on instagram and Goodreads will go up on release day!

(3.5)

This was a cute winter read!! I loved the found family and the relationship cooper had with the kids as he became a father figure to them 🥹🫶🏻 I do think the fake dating was unnecessary as that was very much not a main point of the story and didn’t really happen… I think the story would’ve been stronger if there was just a ski instructor trying to go out with his students aunt how it started in the beginning! Overall though, I love the care and adoration these two had for each other as they became their own family unit. This book was filled with humor, heartbreak, and joy!

An easy read that will make you feel cosy.

📚 fake dating
📚 friends to lovers
📚 single parent (aunt)
📚 dual POV

🚫 (closed door)

“If I had to handpick a family to pretend was mine got just one day, I was extreme glad it was this one”

|Thoughts|
A story, that whilst is deals with grief, also highlights some of the joys of life. Loved the dynamic between Cooper and the children, some sweet bonds there. And super sweet that he consider Charlie (Mini Coop), when she starts ‘dating’ - although interrupting her date was also done for selfish reasons.

“I came on behalf of Mini Cooop. He would want me to do background checks”.

Again, we have some horrible parents (and at least one good one).

“Not that my mom hated me or that I hated her. It was that neither of us understood the other. Not since Will died.”

Whilst there wasn’t a whole lot in terms of plot, it was mainly driven by character development and the ‘not dates’ that Cooper and Madeline go on together. It was a generally lighthearted romance with a happy ending.

“I mean it, Madeline. Whatever Kane you’re in, I’m right there behind you”

This is book 2 in the Aspen Peaks series. This can be read as a standalone.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5/5 stars

This book warmed my heart! It was a wholesome winter read. Cooper gives golden retriever vibes! Madeline is a single aunt with guardianship over her niece and nephew. The kids play such a large roll in this book! It was warmed my heart reading about the relationships the kids had with May!

As a huge skier, I personally loved this book. Juliana Smith described the mountain and Cooper's ski lessons perfectly! It's the perfect book to read at this time of year! Makes me more excited for the ski hill to open!

I was kindly provided with the ARC of this book by NetGalley and the team of editors in exchange of an honest review, thank you ✨
OH MY GOD🙂‍↔️🙂‍↔️✨✨✨

I lived for this book✨ you know me, give me a book with faintly father/mother and I would be devouring it!!

The only reason it took me two and half days to read this book was because u had a very busy weekend because other way, I would finished it in one sitting. I was soooo invested reading May, Coop, Mini Coop and Half-Pint story that I was crying by the end of the epilogue (don’t worry those were happy tears)

Madeline and Cooper were sooooo cute!! He is everything and more I could ask in a MMC, the way he always ALWAYS was for her and the kids, my heart was so full 🥹❤️‍🩹 and my girl, she was so underestimating herself, but she was the most strong, callable and giving person, she lived for her kids and when Cooper was in the picture, everything just fell in place.

The kids just stole my heart and in that very specific moment in the hospital, ahhhh I lost it🥹❤️‍🩹

This books is A MUST, trust me, would leave your heart feeling soo good and warm ✨

Cooper Graves is a ski instructor at his family’s struggling resort in Aspen. With a competing resort drawing business away, things are looking tough. When a popular family magazine reaches out wanting to do a feature on Cooper and his wife, he faces one problem—he doesn’t actually have one.
Enter Madeline Sage. She’s balancing nursing school with a part-time job cleaning at the ski lodge while raising her two younger siblings, Charlie and Piper, after a family tragedy. When Cooper meets her at one of Charlie’s ski lessons, sparks fly. And with the magazine deadline looming, he sees Madeline as the perfect fake girlfriend to help save his family’s business.
Snowed Under was absolutely worth the wait. I fell in love with Juliana Smith’s books back in 2022 when she released Baggage Claim, so you can imagine how eagerly I was waiting for this one. And it did not disappoint!
This is exactly the kind of love story I love—real people with complicated lives, loving in messy, brave, and beautiful ways. Cooper and Madeline might start off with a relationship of convenience, but watching them grow so genuinely invested in each other is just heartwarming.
The chemistry between these two was electric—they were just meant to be. Cooper using Mini Coop to start a conversation with Madeline made for such a fun first meeting, and it had me laughing. Their “not-dates” were adorable, and those feedback emails added such a playful touch.
The kids played a big part in this story, and Juliana nailed it with how they were written. Their dialogue and relationships felt totally natural, and watching Cooper try to win them over was just the sweetest thing ever.
If you like fake dating, no third-act breakups, winter sports, found family, and tragic backstories wrapped in cozy holiday vibes, then Snowed Under is the perfect read for you.
Thank you to NetGalley, Juliana Smith, and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Tropes:
⛷️ Romcom
🎿 Opposites Attract
⛷️ Single Aunt + Nephews Ski Instructor
🎿 Fake Dating
⛷️ No Third-Act Breakup
🎿 Hallmark Vibes

SNOWED UNDER by Juliana Smith ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I quickly fell in love with all of the characters. Madeline is admirable in everything she takes on. Cooper is a dreamboat and his approach with Madeline and the kids melts me. Piper is hilarious and I loved Cooper trying to win her over! This book is cozy, refreshing, funny, sweet, and will give you all the warm fuzzy feelings!

Cooper is a ski instructor at his families lodge, and Madeline works at the lodge while balancing college and raising her niece and nephew. Cooper needs Madeline to pose as her girlfriend for an article being written about the lodge, and reluctantly, she agrees.

Perfect if you like:
•Fake dating.
•Workplace romance.
•Slow burn.
•Dual POV.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️
Mood: 🍩🌮

4 Stars!

Snowed Under by Juliana Smith is a delightful, heartwarming story about two coworkers brought together by fate and a fake dating arrangement that grows into love, trust, and a deep friendship.

The story centers on Cooper, a ski instructor at his family’s lodge in Aspen, who lives for skiing, adrenaline, and honoring the legacy of his late grandfather. Then there’s Madeline, who works at the lodge as a cleaner while juggling nursing school and raising her late brother’s two kids. With so much on her plate, Madeline craves stability, structure, and zero distractions.

When Cooper is asked to participate in a feature about his family’s lodge for a magazine, he enthusiastically agrees—until he realizes the article wants to include his “family”… and he’s single. With a little convincing, Madeline agrees to pose as his girlfriend, and in return, Cooper promises to help her rediscover herself outside of her responsibilities. What starts as a simple arrangement turns into a series of “non-dates,” deep conversations, and heartwarming moments with Madeline’s kids, leading Cooper and Madeline to find a family in each other they never expected.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Juliana Smith did a fantastic job bringing Cooper and Madeline’s story to life, with thoughtful details that made their connection feel genuine. You can truly see why these two fall for each other as they open up and grow closer. The way the author navigated their relationship, especially with children involved, felt both realistic and heartfelt. And how could anyone not adore Mini Coop and Half Pint? They’re absolutely precious!

This book is a perfect, cozy holiday read. I loved watching Cooper and Madeline’s love unfold without the usual third-act breakup drama. It’s refreshing, sweet, and full of charm.
Recommended for anyone who enjoys:
• Closed-door romances
• Workplace romance
• Friends to lovers
• Fake dating
• “He falls first” tropes

I loved this book from the first sentence! I laughed, I cried, and I REALLY wished I was in Aspen/knew how to ski. I’m an SLP and get a little hesitant when a character is written as a speech therapist, but it really seemed like she did her research and I was pleasantly surprised! The kids were my favorite part of this book and that is normally not the case. Another excellent read by Juliana - further cements my rule to never miss one of her books!

JULIANA SMITH DOES IT AGAIN. I’m typing this with tears in my eyes because that ending? Absolutely amazing, it was everything. “SHES MY MADELINE. I OWE HER EVERYTHING” ??? EXCUSE ME WHILE I GO UGLY CRY FOR THE NEXT HOUR OR SO.

Gosh, I was so excited to get into this book after reading For The Record and falling in love with Juliana’s writing and characters, and this was just everything.

I loved how realistic it felt because being a single parent and especially in the case of Madeline isn’t easy, and it made so much sense why she was so hesitant to date or not knowing who she was for so long because she lost a piece of her and everything around her so quickly and had to become a mother figure to her niece and nephew. I loved Cooper and the way he too was realistic because that chapter when Piper is in the hospital and him running out? Like that’s a completely sincere human reaction that I just wanted to hug him.

I loved how it was a bit of a slow burn, but again realistic. I loved reading about these two that had been through difficult situations in life and finally find someone they could let their guard down this.

Lol don’t get me started on the kids, I loved them so much!!! BUT OMG THAT ENDING??? The way that Cooper immediately just calls them his and our girl and my boy, like my eyes won’t stop tearing up about it.

I loved, LOVED this book!!! Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read it!

I have not had this much fun in a book for a while! It is the perfect combination of sweet and gut wrenching.

I loved both Madeline and Cooper right from the get go, and watching their relationship blossom was spectacular. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me kick my feet because it was so sweet. I firmly believe that we all need someone in our lives to play question games with and watch the fire until the early hours of the morning.

I loved how this book portrayed friendship, parenthood, and what it looks like to find yourself again after you’ve felt lost for so long. It was such a fun ride and left me feeling all of the warm fuzzies.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for an eARC of this book, I loved it!

4.25 stars

This was a cute, cozy, holiday romance! I really enjoyed the setting of a ski resort and all the fun snowy vibes.
Madeline was such a good guardian for her niece and nephew and was stretching herself thin to make sure they had everything they needed while also dealing with her nursing school and her difficult relationship with her parents.
Cooper was the ultimate golden retriever/ cinnamon roll boyfriend. He was so sweet to Madeline and made an effort to get to know not only her but the kids as well. You could tell that he would do anything for them and that he really cared about them.
This was overall a very light and sweet book but it did deal with some heavier themes. I liked the way Juliana Smith handled the grief from the kids losing their parents and Madeline losing her brother as well as Cooper’s fears of not being able to step into the roll of being a parent/guardian. Sprinkle in a little bit of fake dating a Slim Jim obsessed toddler and you get this wonderful book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC!

First I would like to thank Netgalley and Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for the ARC of this novel.

This book was so sweet. It wasn’t overly christmasy but the ski lodge setting really gave it Christmas/winter vibes.

I loved Cooper, Madeline and the kids so much. Their backstories were heartbreaking but also the found family aspect of this book was so good.

I loved that it didn’t have the 3rd act breakup. It might be my least favorite parts of a romance book. I loved the communication between Cooper and Madeline. It was such a nice and refreshing change for a romance novel.

The fake dating troupe is always hit or miss for me but this one was a big hit! I loved the nicknames Cooper gave everyone (half-pint, mini coop, etc) and Ioved the addition of the kids and their personalities.

I haven’t read the first one in this series but I will definitely be picking it up this holiday season.

4.75/5 rounded up to 5 for this review.

Review: Snowed Under by Juliana Smith ❄️❄️❄️❄️

If you are looking for a book perfect for winter but it isn't Christmasy, this is for you! I would recommend it through the winter months when snow is on the ground but the Christmas tree is put away.

Madeline has custody of her niece and nephew after her brother and his wife were killed in an accident. Cooper is a ski instructor for Madeline's nephew. They start going on "not dates" for fake dating reasons that don't really matter, but really just because they want to get to know each other. Just go with it. 😆

Cooper did not make a good first impression to me. He kind of overstepped, but he really grew on me. He is sunshine and extroverted and trying to do the right thing. I loved that eventually his goal was to help Madeline find what she likes and what makes her her. That was so sweet and the evaluations after their dates were funny.

The kids played a HUGE role in this story and the author did an excellent job writing them. Their dialogue and relationships felt really natural. Cooper working to win them over was so sweet.

While the banter started off slow for me, I felt myself swooning and enjoying the dialogue and writing style more and more as the book went along. By the end I was loving it and ready to pick up Juliana's other book Baggage Claim.

The family dynamics are rough, but realistic. Everyone involved is working through a lot of grief and people do that in different ways. I cried twice and I don't cry while reading books very often.

Pick this up if you like:
Golden retriever men
He falls first
She makes him work for it
Two cute kids
Ski instructor x lodge cleaner
Fake dating
He's the sunshine
She's hard to get
Single mom/aunt
Closed door

This is the perfect book to read with hot chocolate, a fireplace and snow on the ground outside.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC of Snowed Under in exchange for an honest and independent review.

First and foremost, HUGE Juliana Smith fan here! I’ve read a number of her books at this point and I hold a special place for several of her previous works. That being said, this was the first book of hers that I’ve read and just felt lukewarm about. It isn’t that the idea wasn’t interesting or pulled at your heartstrings. It just wasn’t the page turner that I usually encounter with Juliana’s previous books. Part of that may be that I simply have zero interest in skiing or Aspen in general, but the storyline was just a bit too slow for my liking.

In addition to overarching plot line, I really could not stomach the MMC. He came off as incredibly arrogant and egotistical, which was an immediate hard pass for me. It’s really hard to get into a book when you just cannot stand one of the two main characters. Also on the list of characters I could not stand were Madeline’s parents. The way they treated her and their actions later in the book regarding her tuition money created an actual visceral reaction within me because my level of dislike for them was so high.

I wish I could pinpoint exactly why this one just didn’t hit home for me like all her others before Snowed Under. Overall, I felt that the storyline was promising and Madeline’s niece and nephew were absolutely adorable, I just found myself bored and falling asleep at points in the story. Even though Snowed Under fell flat for me, that in no way deters me from reading everything Juliana writes in the future. Typically, her books are always a grand slam in my opinion, but I understand that you can’t always win them all!

I thought this was a cute little romcom. The jury is still out on whether I liked Cooper / Madeline as a couple, but it was still a romcom. 😌