A unique story of a middle-aged couple at a turning point, and the many times, both small and big, that they choose to stay or go. You could definitely feel the frustration and the tension in this marriage, but admittedly a less-than-likable and very vocal narrator caused me to struggle a bit and I felt it dragged a bit throughout. Definitely enjoyed all the Madison-area references, though!

I loved Christina Clancy's first two books so I was excited to receive this ARC from Edelweiss. This one is about a couple, Grant and Kim, that have been together for thirty years. They are not married and have twin adult daughters. They decide to winter in Palm Springs and Grant gets lost on a hike. So Kim is looking back on their relationship for the past thirty years while Grant is being searched for. Grant is someone who runs when things get tough. So is Grant really lost or did he just flee? I have to say that I am not sure if Grant and Kim should stay together after finishing book. Maybe with therapy. They both have issues to work on. Most of the time Grant was away working and would just see his family on weekends and now Grant and Kim will spend all winter together because he has just lost his job. I wanted to know how it would all end but part of me was thinking that it shouldn't take a tragedy to make you see how much you love someone, but unfortunately I guess it can take a tragedy to see things clearly.

-...the only thing worse than letting a good relationship die is letting a bad one go on forever.

-If we weren't careful, we might discover that we actually enjoyed relaxing, and we would become lazy and...old.

3.5 Palm Springs Stars

This is my third Christina Clancy book, and I like her writing style. This one even has a mystery for the second half.

Kim and Grant are the couple at the core of this book. They’ve been partners for 30 years but never married. They also have two adult daughters. Their relationship is at a crossroads. For much of the 30 years, they lived somewhat separate lives. Grant commuted for his work at a college and spent the week about an hour away, only returning for the weekends. Now, his college has closed, and he’s at loose ends as Kim is beginning a work sabbatical.

They are offered a chance to spend the winter in Palm Springs, and they mostly welcome the change from Wisconsin winter. However, as Grant pushes to get married, Kim hesitates, and their relationship is on thin ice.

We met a whole host of interesting characters, and I enjoyed the descriptions of Palm Springs. It was also fun to explore the snowbirds' culture. Grant takes up hiking to fill his time and becomes lost.

The chapters alternate between the modern day and filling us in on their past. In the book's second half, it becomes a race to find Grant in the desert. Kim realizes how important Grant is to her, but is it too late?

The description of this book appealed to me as a resident of Palm Springs. A middle-aged couple escapes the Midwest winter to the desert, and one of them goes missing on a hike. It was a decent setup.

Unfortunately, the couple is so unlikable, and their relationship is incomprehensible. Why have these people been together for 30 years? They seem so incompatible, and their dynamic is truly dysfunctional.

Every other chapter is a flashback to either their life before coming to Palm Springs or their time in the desert before Grant’s disappearance. These chapters drag incessantly. Grant is a philosophy professor and comes across as boring as that sounds.

The scenes in Palm Springs mention so many attractions, locations, and stores that it seemed as if the author had visited once and made a list of identifiable names and places.

Overall, I would say the book was just OK.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I picked up The Snowbirds, I was drawn in by the premise—who hasn’t dreamed of escaping to a sunny, carefree paradise or wondered about the secrets hidden in seemingly perfect lives? It sounded so relatable, and I was ready for a poignant, emotionally rich story. But, unfortunately, the characters made it hard for me to fully connect.

Both main characters lacked the relatability and warmth I crave in a good book. Neither felt likable enough to root for, which left me holding the story at arm’s length. Their choices and motivations often felt frustrating or perplexing, making it tough to stay fully invested in their journey.

By the middle, I found myself a little bored, waiting for the emotional payoff I had hoped the book would deliver. But here’s the thing—the ending? It was just right. It tied things together in a way that felt satisfying and brought a depth I wish the entire story had maintained. If the rest of the book had captured the same tone and resonance as the ending, I think it would’ve been a much more impactful read.

While this one didn’t fully click for me, I could see others enjoying it for the coastal settings and themes of self-discovery. If you’re drawn to stories about flawed relationships and finding closure, you might still want to give it a try.

This book has a great premises but I just couldn't get invested in the characters.The writing was fine. i don't think this was a book problem but this book just wasn't for me. If it sounds like something you would like I would definitely give it a try. You may be able to get invested in it. DNf at 40%.

****Publishing February 4, 2025****

Christina Clancy sheds light on the ups and downs of midlife empty nesters. She brought a humorous spin into the story about a couple, Kim and Grant, deciding that they would try out being snowbirds in Palm Springs, CA. Kim was on sabbatical from her job and Grant had lost his job due to the college shutting down. This couple had been together 30 years, but never married. They had twins together who were grown and living on their own. They both still each talked to their exes. The house in Palms Springs was owned by Kim’s ex-husband. Everything was going pretty well until Grant went missing. Grant had a history of leaving and coming back. Was this one of those times? Is this the beginning to end of their relationship?

I love the banter between Kim and Grant. It made for an entertaining story! This book will have you laughing-out-loud, but also shaking your head at times! Perfect for book clubs as this book would lead to interesting discussions!


Thanks to St. Martin's Press, I was provided an ARC of The Snowbirds by Christina Clancy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Snowbirds is about Kim and Grant who go to Palm Springs for the winter from the Midwest. They have been together for 30 years but are not married, I felt the story dragged a little. It has a bit of every thing quirky characters, drama and humor from those quirky characters. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press.

I adored Shoulder Season by this author and was really itching for a good contemporary fiction. I don't even mind unlikeable characters - which this book was riddled with - as I think they add room for contemplation. Unfortunately, at 35% I just don't care at all about this story and cannot connect enough to keep going so I am going to DNF. Maybe I wasn't the right audience for this one or maybe the execution was poor - I'm not sure. But the premise sounded great and others seem to really love it so maybe it really is just me. Appreciate that opportunity to read and review.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of the book drew me in but once I started reading it, I just couldn’t get into it at all.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

SNOWBIRDS by Christina Clancy is an enchanting exploration of a long-term complicated relationship between Kim and Grant, two beautifully flawed characters. The luscious setting of Palm Springs comes alive on the page through the masterfully crafted prose. The question about whether Grant has left her or has gone missing in the desert and may not survive is the spine of the story, and the question of whether their relationship will survive if he does return is another layer to this engaging story. I’m a huge fan of Christina Clancy’s two previous books, THE SECOND HOME and SHOULDER SEASON and SNOWBIRDS did not disappoint. It’s a wonderfully emotional journey, and the writing is absolutely gorgeous.

I liked this book. It is a book about relationships. It's about all sorts of relationships, but mostly about the relationship of an unmarried couple who has been together long enough to have two grown daughters. They find themselves on different paths and no sign of them merging.

Suddenly, Kim is pressing Grant to go to Palm Springs for the winter to stay in her ex-husband's condo. That increases the tension even more. They find themselves in another world full of eccentric people and different opportunities in Palm Springs. Then Grant goes hiking and fails to return. The days that follow are a time in which Kim must re-evaluate her feelings for Grant and give her actions and what she has said to him a thorough review. She wonders if he's really lost in the wilderness or if he has just walked away from her yet again. She also has to wonder if he's ever coming back, one way or another.

I'll admit that I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more in the book about the time that Grant was lost and what he went through. The journal entries that he wrote at that time gave some of that, and that was very revealing since the rest of the book was from Kim's perspective.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the copy. All thoughts are my own.

Kim and Grant are educated, midwestern professionals who are quintessential empty nesters. When given the opportunity to winter in Palm Springs, they have a chance to make different choices, and The Snowbirds is the story of how they make the decisions that will carry them into their third act.
Sounds simple? Not when you learn that Kim and Grant never actually married, that they have lived in separate cities for thirty years, and that they both have exes with whom there are complicating relationships. And then Grant gets lost on the mountain…no spoiler here because the book is framed by this mishap. The book is primarily told in first person from Kim’s point of view until later in the book when we are given Grant’s journal in pieces. The characters are well drawn and fun, and the story moves in a back-and-forth manner, juxtaposing the current crisis to past ones. Some of those flashbacks get tedious (you will get tired of hearing (or not hearing) about the ex-wife,) and there are so many characters, past and present, that at times it is hard to keep track of them. Overall, it’s an enjoyable read that addresses the issues of long-term relationships in an honest and humorous way.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for the advance copy. The Snowbirds will be released on February 4, 2025.

I gave this one a chance but I couldn’t get much far into it. It bored me from the beginning & it felt like there was not enough dialogue, so much was written as inner thoughts from the FMC. I had to DNF, but someone else may like it.

There was a lot to like about this book. It does a deep dive into the rather non-traditional relationship between Grant and Kim who a 'snowbirds' staying in Palm Springs. As it begins, Grant has gone missing while hiking and we move back and forth between the present day search for him and the time they've spent sin California after leaving Madison, Wisconsin.

Throughout we're doled out information about Grant and Kim's relationship which though long lasting has never included a trip to the altar. Grant also has a history of bolting when things get tough so is he actually missing?

It depicts a lives and relationship that were fascinating to read, but I was often not convinced these two were good for each other. They were each selfish in their own way and expecting the other to compromise, but maybe that's what a 30 year relationship is?

Loved many of the secondary characters as well.

Well written, character driven, relationship novel. Using the backdrop of a missing person, the story delves into the history of the main character's relationship with the person missing. I expected more suspense and mystery so it didn't really hold my interest very well. Recommended for those looking for relationship/character driven novel.

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

3.5 stars

There was a lot to love about this book, and I did enjoy it. The characters and their relationships are authentic, and the drama feels real. I think this could be a good book club selection.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Snowbirds tells a wonderful story about what happens when you are a little past middle age and have to figure out what you want to be when you grow up. With their twins grown and flown and each facing major career changes, Kim and Grant head to a friend's condo in Palm Springs for a bit of a sabbatical.

When Grant goes missing on a hike in the dessert, they really come face to face with who they want to be, separately and together.

This was reminiscent of The Guncle with the Palm Springs setting and the great cast of neighbors. The other people who live or vacation in the condo complex are so well written you feel as if you had been there and met them.

I love a book like this that kind of hits me where I am, late forties and trying to figure out who I want to be. If this is you as well, you should definitely pick this up.

“The Snowbirds” is the story of Kim and Grant, a couple from Wisconsin who’ve been together for a zillion years and have two daughters together but have never gotten married, and the trip they take to Palm Springs at a turning point in their marriage. While in Palm Springs Kim and Grant make new friends and develop new hobbies until one day Grant goes for a hike and winds up missing.

The story is told in alternating timelines – you learn about Kim and Grant’s decades long relationship and life back in Wisconsin, the months they’ve spent in Palm Springs, and the days in which Grant is missing and Kim and the community are searching for him and waiting to find out what has happened to him.

In some ways this book has similar vibes to “The Guncle” or some of Amy Poeppel’s books – the characters that Kim and Grant meet while in California are the highlights of the book for me. But Kim and Grant aren’t immediately likable the way that characters from those books are, so this book will be a better fit for readers who like messiness, grey area, and character driven stories. I think it’ll also be a hit for older readers who’ll relate to Kim and Grant’s attempts to navigate changing dynamics in their relationship.

This story had me rooting for every single character and dreaming of a trip to Palm Springs.

Thanks to the publisher for making this available to read and review through NetGalley.

I was so excited to read The Snowbirds—from the cover and synopsis it sounded like a fun, lighthearted romp of a middle aged couple. And while the opening was immediately engaging, it soon gave way to a cliched cast of insufferable people. At 20% in this will be a DNF because I’m just not invested to care what happens to any of them. The actual content just does not match initial expectations.