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 to the publisher for a free Netgalley.

3.5 stars

What I Liked:
- The characters-- I do enjoy how fleshed out the characters were and then the secondary characters were also just an enjoyable.
- Story Format-- I liked equally both the current and past timelines

What I Didn't:
- The past chapters were longgggggg. So at times it felt like the story was dragging a bit. It felt a lot longer than 272 pages.
-Also it is listed as a mystery, but I would call it more of a domestic drama

Christina Clancy’s The Snowbirds is an intriguing exploration of midlife transitions and long-term relationships, but it doesn’t fully deliver on its potential. The setting of Palm Springs provides a vibrant backdrop, and the premise—Kim and Grant navigating their relationship amidst personal reinvention—holds promise.

Kim’s journey of self-discovery and the quirky Le Desert condo community add some charm and moments of levity. However, Grant’s character feels underdeveloped, making it harder to connect with his struggles, and the pacing falters at times, especially in the buildup to the central mystery of his disappearance.

While the themes of reinvention and commitment are relatable, the execution occasionally feels predictable, and the emotional stakes don’t always land as deeply as they could. The writing has moments of warmth and insight, but the story lacks the tension and depth needed to make it truly memorable.

The Snowbirds is a decent read for fans of character-driven stories, but it doesn’t soar as high as it could. A solid three stars for an enjoyable, if not entirely gripping, tale of midlife change and self-discovery.

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!

Having been my first book by Christina Clancy I enjoyed it. The book takes a hard look at marriage. The difficulties and joy that come with being together for so many years. It was a bit slow for me at moments and I did step away for a bit but when I came back I found the last half of the book faster paced and more reflective. I would recommend this to other readers with the caveat that it is not a thriller or suspense book at all. The book is more of a literary fiction with a bit of mystery.

The Snowbirds by Christina Clancy ⭐⭐⭐⭐

My first book by Christina Clancy her writing is very captivating. She kept me engaged between plots.
You are met with many different obstacles that many of us deal with also. So I could relate.

Kim and Grant are at a crossroad of their very rocky 30year relationship which involves their adult twin daughters.
Living the harsh winters in Wisconsin Kim and Grant decides to spend the winter in Kim's ex's house in Palm Springs FL.
Grant has taken up hiking and decides to go on a solo hike.
Only he doesn't come back.
Will Grant be found? Dead or Alive?

The burning question you can only find out by getting your a copy on release day February 5,2025.

Kim and Grant’s relationship is at a crossroads. When an opportunity comes along offering them a home to winter in Palm Springs from Wisconsin, Kim is all for it, where Grant is not so sure.
They arrive in Palm Springs, meeting the new winter neighbors and assimilating into their new locale. Grant takes up hiking and we learn that he has gotten lost. Or has he?
This book parallels with the relationship that they had before becoming snowbirds and the search for Grant.
As the story continues, I really was drawn to both of them and their history.
I recommend. Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC.

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!

This one just wasn’t for me unfortunately. I think others will love it, but I just wasn’t into the couple or the story and I DNFed

Don't let this pink, beautifully airy cover fool you! The Snowbirds packs quite a literary punch!

The Snowbirds is the evolution of a relationship, an examination of where we are vs where we were, a re-examination of wants and needs. Christina Clancy asks the questions we all seem to face if we stay together long enough. If we don't grow together, are we growing apart? Who am I? Who are you? Is this all there is? Do I even want this anymore?

It's so interesting that you can live decades with someone and not know who they are. When do we stop sharing with each other? When you're young and new in a relationship, you tell each other everything. When does the mundaneness of life takeover and we forget our partners are people, too?

I loved reading about Palm Springs and its history. This is a town where it seems like anything goes! I also enjoyed the hiking aspect of the story. I totally identified with Grant's feelings about hiking. I never feel more alive than when I'm out in nature!

With toxic relationships, co-dependency, unconventional relationships, motherhood, surprise pregnancies, and more, The Snowbirds provides much for discussion! Kim and Grant's relationship is so strange, and I'm not sure how to feel about it. Just as I've formed an opinion, something else is revealed, and I'm sent pondering again. With so many interesting elements, The Snowbirds would be a great read for book clubs!

Read this if you like books with:
- dual timelines
- thought-provoking examination of relationships
- struggles of motherhood
- colorful characters
- history of old movies and Palm Springs, CA

This is my third book by Christina Clancy. I think my review is skewed because I really really loved her first two books, 'The Second Home' and "Shoulder Season' so I had very high expectations. Kim and Grant are unmarried partners together for more than 30 years and they raised two daughters together. When they fight and Grant leaves, should Kim expect that he'll return? Does Kim want to be married? Does Grant? When their passion fades, will going on a long trip to Palm Springs for a few months help them find their way back to each other? What does it say about them that they never got married? These are all good questions and they are all answered, I just never really got involved with Kim or Grant, their past relationships, or their daughters.

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.

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

(4.5⭐️) This was one of those books that quietly snuck up on me with how wonderful it was.

This was a little slow to start and took me a minute to get into, but once I was in, I was fully in it. While there was a bit of a plot, this was a strongly character-driven novel (which I always love) with fully fleshed out characters. Kim and Grant were flawed, relatable, real, and had a lot of depth. There were times where they each got on my nerves, but mostly I was really rooting for them or felt for them. I loved seeing their relationship grow over the years, and how the past sections contrasted with the present day chapters. I got so wrapped up in their story, and was itching to pick my book back up any time I wasn’t reading just so I could be back with these characters.

There is also a little bit of found family in this book. The people Kim and Grant meet in Palm Springs were full of life and each had their own personalities, and it was fun to see all the dynamics at play between everyone. The mix of personal growth and social/outward growth for the MCs was lovely and well-balanced, and the group they had behind them made it that much better.

If you’re in the mood for a slower, slice of life kind of book with self-discovery and love themes, definitely pick this up! I can tell it’s one that I’ll be thinking about for a while.

🏝️ W I S H F U L W E D N E S D A Y review 🏝️ featuring “ The Snowbirds” by Christina Clancy!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

Kim and Grant have been a common law couple for 30 years and have adult twin daughters who are off living their own lives. They lead separate lives )but are together) and lately they have been bickering about where they want to settle down and what they want their lives to be like.

After the college Grant works at closes down and he becomes unemployed, Grant feels lost and insecure. He takes up hiking as a new hobby which helps to keep him in a much better head space

Kim decides that she wants them to escape the cold winter in Palm Springs at her ex-husband’s condo resort. But once they arrive, Grant goes on a solo hiking excursion and never returns! Did something bad happen to Grant or is this him leaving Kim for good??

WOW, when I received a copy of this book I had no idea what I was getting into! This is a story about family relationships and a couple being at a crossroads … but also all tied into a mystery! I found myself totally hooked and desperate to find out answers! The Palm Springs setting was also chef’s kiss!

“Had I manifested this situation? I was the one who’d felt restless. I was the one who’d pushed us to come here. Palm Springs had been my dream, not his. I rarely asked for much, and look what happened when I did”.

Thank you kindly to @christinaclancyauthor @stmartinspress @netgalley for my #gifted advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This book releases on February 4, 2025!

I am literally the WORST secret keeper.

I get way too excited and just can’t help myself, I need to share my news. Even if it’s not my news (per se) I still can’t hold it in or I’ll just about burst.

So, when I see the little reminders that tell me I’m not allowed to post until 30 days before, I nearly lose control of my bladder.

Well, I tried my best and I made it! This little blabber mouth, did not ruin the surprise for all of you. It’s 15 days before release day and I’m allowed to shout it from the rooftops!

I fell head over heels in love with Kim! Honest and genuine., full of dimension and layers ! There is even some hidden humor and silly banter that lays within these characters. Kim and Grant will have you rooting for them the entire way. They are slightly flawed which makes them all the more real . Kim and Grant opened my eyes to a deeper seeded love .

What happens if you’re “too late” to make things right , Getting to know these two opened my eyes to a whole new world and I enjoyed every bit of it.

This book is out Feb 4, 2025 and you don’t want to miss it! Here’s a little teaser:

Kim and Grant are at a turning point. A couple for thirty years, their "separate but together" partnership is running up against the realities of late middle age: Grant’s mother has died, the college where he taught philosophy was shuttered, and their twin girls are grown and gone. Escaping the bitter cold of a Midwestern winter for the hot desert sun of Palm Springs seems as good a solution as any to the more intractable problems they face.

When they arrive at Le Desert, a quirky condo community where everyone knows everyone’s business, Kim immediately embraces the opportunity to make new friends and explore a more adventurous side of her personality. Meanwhile, Grant struggles to find his footing in this unfamiliar landscape, leaving Kim to wonder if their relationship can survive the snowbird season. But when Grant goes missing on a hike in the Palm Springs mountains, Kim is forced to consider two terrifying outcomes: either Grant is truly lost, or this time, he’s really left her.

Is it ever too late to become the person we wanted to be―and is there still time to change into someone better? The exhilarating, but often confusing transitions of midlife are pitched against the promise and glamour of Palm Springs in this tender, honest story of what it takes to commit to someone for a lifetime. With compassion and humor, Clancy explores the redemptive power of finding ourselves, and of being found.

Wow! What a good read. My first Christina Clancy novel but definitely not my last. A fantastic cast of characters that kept me totally enthralled. I resonated with several characters and appreciate the midlife and late life questions. Great look at love and longevity.
Thank you NetGalley, Christina Clancy and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is my second book in very recent days about a couple facing challenges. But how it is viewed and handled in each book was so completely different. In this book, I felt hope at all times. I felt that there was love but confusion. With dual timelines, and then further flashbacks included, over the course of the book the reader gets great insight into the characters even though there is only one point of view. I understand why this book was title The Snowbirds, but I felt like that simplified the depths of the characters and the storyline. I mean, come on, Grant goes missing and Kim doesn't know if he is dead or has left her! That is a bit heavier than the pink poolside cover would imply. Over the course of reading the book, I came to care about so many of the characters. It was like spending quality time with friends!

Here is the feedback for the snowbirds. First and foremost thank you so much net galley for allowing me to read this book in advance in exchange for an honest review. The review is linked below 👇🏾

Once again, I chose a book because of its cover. I was expecting something fun and fluffy. Instead, I got a book about a relationship at a crossroads. It drew me in quite quickly.

Grant and Kim have been a couple for 30 years. They are not married. They don't exactly live together. But they love each other. The story is about their decision to spend a winter in Palm Springs, which turns out much differently than they expected.

I love the setting, Palm Springs sounds like a very interesting place. Unique homes, different lifestyles, quirky/eccentric people. There is some name-dropping of celebrities from the past and their homes. I took the time to Google a few of the homes……very interesting.

Much of the story is told as a back story…..I'm calling it the journey of Grant and Kim. The present story has a very dramatic turn of events. Grant is a professor of philosophy. Much of his dialogue and thought process is philosophical. As a very factual person who thinks in black and white, there were times when I grew weary of it. That’s my only criticism. And, conversely, being philosophical is who Grant is.

Interesting read. Food for thought about relationships. And, a mini-documentary about Palm Springs, past and present. Very satisfying. Even though I got a story that I didn't expect, I’m very glad I chose it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

🥾 This is a slower-paced contemporary fiction book about a relationship in trouble, set against the backdrop of a winter in glamorous Palm Springs- and I really enjoyed it! Thank you to @stmartinspress for the sneak peek. This is out February 4th!

🥾 This is about Grant and Kim. A couple who has been together for 30 years, but never been married. Now, facing an empty nest, jobs in flux, and more time together than ever before— they’re going to have to figure out if they’re still each other’s forever.

🥾 Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this book. It’s a fantastic reminder to make space for your partner— even when kids and a job and hobbies all take up so much of your time and energy. And to not take your person or their love for granted.

🥾 I especially loved…
- not just the depth of the MC’s but all the fantastic side characters too
- the Palm Springs lore and glam
- the relatability of where Grant and Kim were in their relationship
- the mystery elements that kept me hooked and helped me see this through

🥾 One piece of advice: don’t try to tear through this in one sitting. To me, it’s a sip and savor novel, not one to be chugged in one gulp. If you can be patient with it, I think it’ll pay off! Again, this is out February 4th. Will you be adding it to your TBR?

🥾 Have you ever been to Palm Springs? Between this book and The Guncle, I am wanting to book a trip there stat!