Much like the main characters, I felt unsettled and uncomfortable throughout this entire book. If that was the author’s goal, she accomplished what she set out to do. I just wish I wasn’t left with a feeling of residual ick.

Kim and Grant have been a couple for thirty years. The parents of twin girls, they never married and spent most of those thirty years alone together or together alone. I’m not sure which description is sadder. Now at a crossroads, they decide to escape the dreary Wisconsin winter (Hello, Madison!) by heading to sunny Palm Springs after Kim’s ex-husband offers them his condo. (Enter a whole cast of eclectic side characters.) The snowbird experience prompts both Kim and Grant to examine their pasts, their relationship, and what they want their futures to look like.

I love me some family drama. Give me all the angst. I especially like the “midlife where are we going and what do we want” storyline presented here. And, of course, I love the Midwest representation - especially the Wisconsin reference. What I didn’t like here were Kim and Grant. Not even a little. Not as individuals or as a couple. Their relationship had no substance and both seemed selfish. There was frequent mention of walking away when things got tough and then reuniting and pretending like everything was fine. It’s hard to root for a relationship when the characters don’t seem to be making much of an effort. Hence, the residual ick.

On a positive note, the narration is outstanding. I don’t think I would have made it through this book without the talents of Karissa Vacker and Graham Halstead. Both tried to breathe life into these unpleasant characters and kept me listening.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

A couple months ago I tried to read the eARC of this novel, and I couldn't go through. I was not enjoying the writing or the characters, and then...this audiobook came out, and because I know and love both the narrator's work, I decided to try this book again now with the audio.
Well, it worked...but barely.
In my opinion, the audiobook makes it much easier to go through this book, but that's my personal opinion. I liked the narrators already and I just couldn't care for the main characters, Kim and Grant. I didn't like them as separate individuals, I didn't like them as a couple.
The art cover is also misleading. It looks like it's going to be a fun, cozy and chilly story. Even though there are some lighter moments, in general, it's quite the opposite.
The side characters didn't please, either. And all that 'quirky' stuff? Well, not that quirky, after all.
I'm sure this book will please other readers. Every book has its own audience. I'm not its audience, and that's alright.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for the ALC.

This was the first I've read of Christina Clancy, and I'm looking forward to reading more of her. First off, the cover lead me to believe this would be a lighthearted read which I quickly realized was wrong! Grant and Kim have been together for thirty years, have twin adult daughters but they aren't married. Basil, her ex-husband has a place in Palm Springs and he offers it to Kim and Grand for the winter. While they're there they go on an emotional journey trying to decide what comes next. Grant has taken up hiking and one day he left for a hike and never returned. Kim is unsure what happened, did he run away again for a "time out" or did something worse happen to him? Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC audiobook, the narration was perfect!

I’ve read everything this author has written and this one seemed very different. I was pulled in by the Palm Springs references. I grew up near there and it a beautiful place. However this felt disjointed and there were things that felt weird to me. Married, not married and how long were they actually looking for him? I had to read the last part twice because I thought it ended too abruptly. But the narrators were Graham Halstead and Karissa Vacker and they were good. Will I read another by this author? Absolutely. 3.5⭐️
Thanks St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan audio for early access to the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

First, to the narrators and producer- bravo! What a well done audio version of this sweet story. You did the story justice and everything was executed perfectly!

The story was very sweet, a woman who has been jaded, but also makes poor decisions in return. She does this in the name of finding herself and finding love- that never leaves.

I also love a happy ending, so I’m a fan of how this mystery wrapped itself up! Easy read, highly recommend!

Publication date: February 4th, 2025

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I got the advance audio book and the ebook of advance copy and read along with it and audio book was fantastic it was done so well it felt very authentic.

Kim and Grant technically together but separate at the same time there been a couple for over 30 years they’re trying to escape the bitter cold of mid west winters for the hot sun a Palm Beach, Florida

Set against the slower-paced backdrop of Palm Beach, a community filled with older residents, the story feels authentic and relatable. The main characters are well-developed, with complex relationships between their friends and family. I particularly enjoyed the dynamic. between Kim and Grant as they navigate personal growth and forgiveness. Their journey felt heartfelt and engaging, making this a memorable read.

Thank You NetGalley and MacmillanAudio
The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

The title drew me in. Then the editor's blurb/description sealed it for me. I had a difficult time with the book and yet am glad I finished listening. Kim and Grant have been together for decades and living separate, but apart until things change for both of them. When a friend offers them a warm place to winter, spend a few months together and figure out the next chapter for them. To say things do not go as planned is an understatement. When Grant goes missing yet again, Kim isn’t sure whether Grant is really in any danger or has just pulled another disappearing act, she is going confused and trying to be strong. So my issues with the story are that there seemed to be little to no actual love between the two main characters and almost none of the other characters were terribly likable. I love quirky. I am quirky. These people were not just quirky, but mean, snarky and obtuse. It felt like it took forever to get there, but the ending was lovely and very sweet. So basically, be patient if you want to get through it.

I wanted to love this but I couldn't get into it. I was gifted the arc by kindle and it didn't work (or wasn't the right timing) so I figured that an audiobook version might help since a narrator can make or break it for me.

Well, loved the narrator, didn't care for the storyline. So it's clearly a me thing. Sorry!
I hope it reaches other hands and hearts.

narrator: 4 star
story: dnf
thank you to Macmillan audio for gifting me the arc in return for an honest review

I received a complimentary copy of this book "The Snowbirds" and all opinions expressed are my own. I listened to the audio book. I was looking for to this book because I loved "The Last Thing He Told Me" by Laura Dave and The Snowbirds was compared to it. This book was okay, I didn't care for the characters. It was fine to listen to but I don't think I would have liked it to actually read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC/ALC.

I thought this book was a delightful mix of romance, women's fiction, and mystery thriller genres. I thought this story was fun and unique. I don't think I have read anything quite like it. I also really enjoyed the colorful cast of supporting characters in this story. Everyone was quite a hoot!

Karissa Vacker and Graham Halstead do a great job narrating the audiobook -- and I think this is one major reason that I enjoyed the story so much.

I will definitely be looking for more books by Christina Clancy in the future!

Thank you MacMillan and St Martins for review copies. I loved this one on audio, there was a richness to how the voice actors captured the story but also the feeling and insights of the characters; voice acting here was so crucial for this elegant character and relationship study!
The Snowbirds is a welcome read, I loved that Clancy focused on a less than typical committed relationship, let her characters be at a turning point not just in their relationship but also within themselves (so common at midlife) and that empty nester themes were nicely developed along with the idea that hitting later midlife, family and relationship transitions is a time of expansion and self growth, a time to think about and reflect on where you are going, not just where you have been. I really loved the way both Kim and Grant were developed, how we learned about their backstory, their mindsets, and how the trip to Palm Springs became such a powerful, ironic and even funny part of their relationship and self growth journeys. Clancy is a talented writer and there is a richness to her writing that really resonated with me, I really do love strong character driven stories!

It’s my first book by this author. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story’s protagonists are Kim and Grant. Two individuals living together for 30 years and parents to two twin girls. Their ex-spouses are a large part of their lives, sometimes too much so. Kim and Grant decide to spend time in Palm Springs. One is excited the other is reluctant. The story is filled with irony, love, humor and finding out what is truly important. The narration is done well.

Thank you #NetGalley, #MacmillanAudio, #ChristinaClancy, #GrahamHalstegd, #KarissaVacker and #TheSnowbirds for the audiobook for my honest review.

🎧 Book Review 🎧 We have four kids currently between the ages of 11 and 14 and the thought of what we will do as empty nesters when they all leave at once crosses my mind. Kim and Grant are a couple that has been together for thirty years, and although they never chose the marriage route, their commitment has brought them through raising their twin girls and into their current phase experimenting as snowbirds in Palm Springs. Christina Clancy’s latest novel is a story many will relate to and appreciate, yet what shines throughout the book are beautifully complex flawed characters. The Snowbirds is an emotionally gripping novel, narrated in a fresh tone that resonates with powerful reflections on the ever changing seasons of this crazy ride called life.

This is my first Christina Clancy book, and I did enjoy it.
There are things about this book I loved. The characters were beautifully written, and Palm Springs was on display, which was so fun.
There are things about this book I didn’t love.
There wasn’t a ton of structure, which I don’t always dislike but in this book it made it difficult to get into. Also, Kim and Grant have a very toxic relationship and it made it a bit difficult to root for them. I wish we had seen maybe more of the reasons they should be together and not as many reasons they shouldn’t.
Either way, this was an interesting and unique read.
Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

3.75, but rounding up

Kim and Grant are a couple who have been together for 30 years and this book perfectly spans from their initial marriages and meeting one another, to their decision not be married, moving through jobs and locations, parenthood and ultimately a winter in Palm Springs.

True to the actual city of Palm Springs, there are quirky colonizers and those who have made Palm Springs home who intentionally and also inadvertently help them discover what they love and want to change about their relationship, themselves and each other.

There was great character development, I felt like I knew both Kim and Grant and how they got to be the people that they are. The drag queen names were great for a giggle. I'll definitely recommend this one next time a friend tells me they are heading down to the desert.

Kudos especially to Karissa Vacker for her narration.

Thank you to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC.

I love a good book that takes you to another place and you feel like you’re there. It was so well done! I adored the characters and their adventure through life together.

The Snowbirds by Christina Clancy was a nice book that didn’t resonate with me. I marked it as a 3, but it was somewhere between that and 2.5. I finished it, won’t look back and won’t read again.

But all of this may have been a me thing because there’s nothing inherently wrong with the book, but I had expectations of depth and development and was left wanting.

Kim and Grant have been an unmarried couple for 30 years coming together after an accidental pregnancy resulting in twins. My problem with this one was I disliked both characters. There wasn’t a thing in the world that I liked about either of them, and they didn’t like each other. I’m sorry, author, but if I don’t have a character to root for, the words are noise.

Told in past and present alternating chapters, we get insights into their relationship while the current timeline features a missing Grant who disappeared while on a solo hike. Or did he? His history of absences makes the present timeline a mystery, and Kim explores her feelings about him.

I was not the target audience.

I just finished listening to a new audiobook. Snowbirds by Christina Clancy was a good listen. Don’t skip this one.

3.5 stars

This is an engaging read because of the central premise - the protagonist's long-time partner has gone on a hike and been out of communication for a concerning period of time - and because the protagonist, Kim, is a fairly interesting character on her own. Folks who share characteristics with these characters, especially Kim, will likely be the most drawn to this read. If you are an empty nester reflecting on your decisions, this is a read for you!

Kim and Grant have been together, though unmarried, for three decades, and their twin daughters are just part of the bond that's tied them for all of this time. They've been through ups and downs - career drama, financial concerns, personal and joint uncertainty, and notably entertaining ex-spouses - but they've had more downs than ups recently. This leaves readers and characters even more suspicious about where Grant is, exactly, and what his mentality might be.

While this is an engaging read, it's also a bit of a slower paced, understated one. This is emphasized by characters who are also interesting but not as developed or gripping as they can be.

I did enjoy this read and particularly this listen, and other incoming fans of Karissa Vacker won't be surprised to know that her narration of the audiobook adds to the experience.

Exploring what it really means to commit to someone for a lifetime. Kim and Grant have been living as a couple separate but together for years, never committing to a marriage with each other. They had twins after an accidental pregnancy early on in their relationship and are recent empty nesters. They have also deal with recent loss of parents, job changes, etc. and find themselves drifting apart more than coming together. They decide to take the opportunity and travel south for the winter to see if that can bring back the spark.

They end up in a super busy, super nosey condo community where Kim makes friends right away, Grant - not so much. It goes from past and present where we learn about the evolution of their relationship from that start. Also, how the dealt with each other's previous short marriages to other people that they are still very much connected to. There was a mystery elementary to it as well as Grant is missing in the present day timeline.

Their journey was funny, emotional, and raw. A different type of genre and book for me, and while I can't relate to the point they are at in their lives, it was still a fun read that I can see a lot of people connecting to. Narration was dual and both narrators did a great job !

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 2/3/25.