A story of the relationship of Grant and Kim while facing a crossroads in their 30 year relationship. After Grant loses his job and Kim is on a 6-month sabbatical from her job, they travel to Palm Springs for the winter and are experience all the area has to offer. When Grant goes missing while hiking, Kim revisits their origin story and how they reached this point in their relationship and where they go from here. It started a little slow but picked up with the search for Grant.

The Snowbirds was such a cozy, feel-good read. The characters felt real, and the story had the perfect mix of heart and humor. It’s one of those books that makes you want to curl up with a blanket and just keep reading. If you’re in the mood for something warm and uplifting, this one’s a great pick.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book was not really for me - it was rambling and long-winded, which is not my thing. I enjoyed certain aspects (Le Desert setting, Grant's mystery) and really liked some minor characters (I fell for Melody and Cassie), but overall, this was a flop for me. It took me over a month to read because it didn't capture and hold my attention. The bouncing between then and now was inconsistent and was a major reason I struggled with this book... it just felt like it was pulling at one to many threads.

Christina Clancy’s The Snowbirds surprised me with its emotional depth and quiet wisdom. At first glance, it’s a story about a Wisconsin couple, Kim and Grant, who head to Palm Springs to escape the cold. But beneath the surface, it’s a layered look at marriage, identity, and the possibilities of starting over—even when you think you already know who you are and who you’re with.

Clancy’s writing is tender and observant, with a strong sense of place. Palm Springs isn’t just a setting—it’s a character in its own right. The contrast between Midwestern practicality and desert flamboyance works really well to highlight the internal changes Kim and Grant are going through.

I especially appreciated how honest the novel is about long-term relationships. Kim and Grant’s marriage isn’t perfect; it’s real. Their miscommunications, emotional distance, and moments of reconnection felt authentic and gave me a lot to think about. I also liked the way Clancy uses Kim’s journal entries—they added depth and a sense of reflection that worked well with the story’s themes.

That said, some parts of the book moved a little slowly, and there were moments when I felt more like an observer than a participant in their journey. But overall, I found The Snowbirds to be moving and insightful—a great pick for readers who enjoy character-driven fiction about relationships, reinvention, and the quiet courage it takes to keep choosing each other.

The Snowbirds by Christina Clancy is a gentle, character-driven novel that explores themes of identity, reinvention, and the complexities of long-term relationships. I appreciated the unique premise—retirees heading to Florida for the winter—and the way Clancy captured the quieter, internal shifts that come with big life transitions.

While the writing was solid and the setting was vivid, the pacing felt slow at times, and I found it a bit hard to fully connect with the characters. Some of the emotional arcs felt a little muted, and I was left wanting more depth or urgency in certain moments.

That said, this is a thoughtful read with a refreshing focus on older protagonists and the idea that growth doesn’t stop at any age. A good pick if you’re in the mood for something reflective and tender, just not one that wowed me personally.

I enjoyed this book very much. It’s the story of empty nesters who escape the Wisconsin winter by traveling to Palm Springs. There is a good bit of intrigue when one of them disappears. Beautifully written, with realistic and relatable characters. I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to write a voluntary, unbiased review.

The book starts off with Kim's long-term boyfriend, Grant, missing in the desert. Kim and Grant came to California for a little reset by escaping the cold midwestern winter. Kim is the peacekeeper while Grant is needy and expects Kim to just be there for him. Their relationship seemed toxic and especially so while reading the flashbacks. I didn't love either character and thought both to be insufferable. This book was a lot slower than I thought and while I did finish it, it was pretty forgettable afterwards.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC.

thank you to netgalley for the e-arc. interesting way to combine a missing person story and a multi-decade marriage story. i thought the writing was well-done however more could have been done for the story itself.

This novel felt like reading a love letter to people everywhere wondering if it's too late to grow up/reinvent themselves ... and to Palm Springs. I enjoyed following alongside Kim and Grant as they navigated a new season of life and where it would take them as individuals and as a couple.

Perhaps for a slightly older demographic (as I am nowhere near being an empty nester) this was definitely a character-driven story of a 30-year relationship.

While a little different than what I generally gravitate toward, I am thankful for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

This was a nice read that I read in only a day and a half! I would highly suggest this as a book to move to the top of your TBR

A frustrating but sweet read (with a great ending). Grant and Kim finally learn how to communicate with one another after 30+ years. The setting in Palm Springs was so fun and eclectic!

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC!

The Snowbirds by Christina Clancy is, at its essence, a novel about marriage and midlife identity crises. It is also, however, a love letter to Palm Springs. Well told and entertaining overall, but for me the middle seemed to drag a bit, and I became a bit weary of the protagonists, with whom I never quite identified.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the privilege of a complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

Kim and Grant have been together for 30 years, yet never married. He's been a tenured professor at a small midwestern college, but Kim and their twin daughters have never joined him there, instead living in an aging house in Madison, WI that Kim bought. Now, with both in their late fifties, Grant's college has closed and the couple for the first time live together 24/7, and Grant asks Kim the same question he has asked for years, "Will you marry me?" And Kim asks a question, new to both of them, " Will you come to Palm Springs with me for the winter?" Being a Wisconsinite (a Sconie), I felt comfortable with the Madison setting and characters--- Palm Springs, not so much. But like another reviewer said, I am glad I read the novel. Author Clancy crafts a tale that strongly shows that despite being together for years, and despite still being in love, knowing one's partner is never easy or even possible.

Some part of me forgot who Christina Clancy was, and silly me I've read all the books she has written now! The Second Home and Shoulder Season were both solid reads for me, and now I absolutely loved The Snowbirds! The cover gave me all the Palm Springs vibes, but this is a story that packs depth, emotion, and the complexities of relationships into a unique storyline. There is a lot of mystery surrounding Grant's disappearance on his hike, and I thought the tension of the will he or won’t he be found mixed with the flashbacks to the past was the perfect combination. Through this method we found out a lot more about Kim and Grant’s past together and I for one was a little flabbergasted by what I heard.

I would recommend the audiobook as the best way to experience The Snowbirds because Graham Halstead & Karissa Vacker were nothing but perfection. Vacker voices Kim while Halstead is the voice of Grant’s journal, and I couldn’t have asked for a better pair to immerse me in the storyline and characters. The ending had a sweetness that I wasn’t fully expecting, and I was so happy to see Kim’s growth by the last page. I don’t know that I would have been able to put up with what she had, but I also understand where she was at since there were kids in the picture, and unexpected twins on top of it! This has a great blend of themes, and I was gripped from start to finish.

Read this if you are looking for quirky characters, complex relationships, and lots of self-reflection.

Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The story offers an interesting perspective on marriage, particularly how couples navigate growing older and the changes that come with it. There is some depth to Kim and Grant’s dynamic as they try to rekindle their connection and work through their issues. I felt like the characters lacked depth, and I felt both Kim and Grant were not being honest and forcing the other to read their minds.
Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this novel.

A realistic story of an empty nester couple trying to navigate life and find their way back to each other, find themselves, and for the male - find his way home from a hiking trip gone wrong!

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and MacMillan Audio for an eARC and ACL

Had a hard time connecting to the characters in this story. The most interesting thing that kept me going was finding out what happened to Grant.

I had the hardest time getting into this one. Kim and Grant were such a toxic couple. Once Grant went missing it seemed like the story dragged on. as much as I wanted to love this one, it just wasn't for me.

I couldn't connect with this. I didn't care for the main characters and their weird family dynamic, so I think I'm not the right audience.