Summer is leaving Ohio to start a new job as an archivist at a library. she finds herself in a love triangle with her high school crush and her new superior.

This is a wonderful rendition of beauty and the beast. If you love the good love triangle with a grumpy x sunshine feature, this is the book for you! I love a good romance but also love that this story has some mystery to it and the FMC starts to uncover some family backstory on one of the MMCs.

3.5 stars

I really enjoyed this read. While it is set during the build up to the Holiday season in December, the plot doesn’t revolve around the time of year, making it a nice romance to read anytime of the year.

I thought this was a great grumpy/sunshine romance. I loved how our main characters, Summer and James, met on row 11, and the immediate flirting that took place during their flight. I also liked the fact that when they eventually bumped into each other again at the park, and they realised they would be working together, this didn’t become too much of a problem and plot line. There was an instant love and connection between the two, and not much of a slow-burn build up.

Despite the plot twist being slightly predictable, I liked the level of family drama that took place, particularly around the bridal store plans and the uncovered birth certificates. I’d be interested to see if this is touched on somewhere in the remainder of the series, as it was only briefly concluded in the epilogue.

While I liked how Summer’s character was confident, intelligent and ambitious, and James’ character was strong, kind and obsessed with Summer, it was Mitch’s character (Summer’s Dad) who stole the show for me. He was the ultimate girl Dad, especially when it came to offering advice listening ear and handing out advice. One of my favourite scenes was when Summer tried on her dresses for her Dad and he was engaged and excited for her.

My only slight wish was that we could have seen Summer go to Oxford, but seeing them both living in Edinburgh after their first conversation on the plane, was very nice.

I would recommend!

This was such a charming and heartwarming romance! The chemistry between the main characters was immediate and felt so natural it made their playful banter an absolute joy to read. I found myself smiling (and even giggling) through so many of their interactions. Summer was a standout her energy really brought out a softer, more genuine side of James that made their connection feel that much more special.

I usually shy away from love triangles, but this one had me torn in the best way. Both love interests had their own appeal, and early on, I honestly couldn't decide who I was rooting for. That speaks volumes about the quality of the writing every character felt well-rounded and likable in their own way.

If I had one minor gripe, it was with how the male lead handled a few key moments. Some decisions didn’t sit perfectly with me, but thankfully, the resolution more than made up for it. The ending was genuinely sweet and left me feeling warm and giddy.

Also, reading a festive Christmas romance in the middle of summer? Surprisingly delightful. It was the cozy, feel-good escape I didn’t know I needed!

I didn’t read the first book in the series, but this synopsis appealed to me. I don’t know if it was supposed to be a beauty and the beast retelling?
Revel Park is clearly inspired by Disneyland. The long history, die-hard fandom, inspiration from classic fairytales is all there. The family of billionaire brothers is where it diverges; in that sense, this reminded me a little of the Dreamland Billionaires series. However, this series seems to have thought out the amusement park a little more.
Summer and James were just okay. I wasn’t really rooting for them. Neither one really kept my interest. The family drama was an interesting storyline, but I wasn’t a fan of the shoddy love triangle. Grainger had the potential to be a strong foil to James and a real romantic interest, but he wasn’t characterized strong enough. The third act breakup resolution was far too simple; I needed more groveling.
Overall, it was entertaining while I read it but likely won’t continue the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC; all opinions are my own.

time of dnf: 78%

i am the sunk cost fallacy’s worst nightmare because i am in fact putting an end to this here and feel it is as good as any time to do so!!!

i almost forced myself to finish this book purely so I could accurately complain about all the ways it let me down (and it’s an ARC) but truthfully all that needs to be said is that the writing left a lot to be desired and I hoped the central conflict or the chemistry between Summer & James would be compelling enough but it all seemed to just fall very flat, which was disappointing because I do think theres a vaguely romantic story here, unfortunately this book doesn’t seem interested in relaying it

that being said i randomly found grainger to be hilarious as a foil/OM character so lowkey extra star for the times I laughed at the absurdity of his character

i did however despise all the obvious [redacted] parallels and did not really find them compelling, considering how much time went into explaining & making sure it was slightly distinguishable from the real deal, which felt wholly unnecessary imo but possibly could be related to book 1 which i don’t have an interest in reading tbh

thank you so much to netgalley and spoonbill publishing for this arc to review nonetheless!

*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC e-copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.*

“Summer in the Snowfall” follows Summer York as she ventures into a new job in Rebel Pointe’s Revel Library. Working closely with James Reve, the library’s architect, Summer must decide if leaving behind her family and high school crush is worth it to work with—and maybe fall in love with?—a broody, brilliant man.

Sadly, I DNF’d this book about 40% in. To be frank, I was bored. There wasn’t much that engaged me in either character’s life, and I simply didn’t connect to it. I think if you’re looking for a quick, easy, Christmastime read in a few months, this could be perfect. Unfortunately, it lacked the depth I look for in what I read.

I read this as an arc through NetGalley

A light read set in Louisiana at a place that is meant to sound like Walt Disney World about the grandson to a family-run company that sounds like The Walt Disney Co. Basically a famed movie studio has a theme park and is looking to create a walk through archive experience at said theme park, with artifacts and images from their famous films and while the grandson appreciate the history he truly wants no par of the business.

There is lots of playful banter between our two main characters; James and Summer though their meet-cute was a tad bit cringey to me (and so unrealistic) my introvert self could seriously never!! I am happy I stuck through and read the story because their interactions get better with every chapter!

A rom-com fiction with a few mildly spicy scenes. I say heat up a hot chocolate, snuggle under a blanket and enjoy!

Note: I read this not knowing it was the 2nd in a series. This book reads as a stand alone and while I did not feel like I was missing anything, I do think I’ll go back and read the first just out of curiosity.

Summer in the Snowfall is a enjoyable winter romance telling the story of Summer York and James Reve as they work together on the Revel Library. There were a lot of nice twists throughout the story that kept me engaged. I also felt that this book was a big improvement from my feelings on Marin in the Moonlight (which I read previously to prepare). I could see large improvements in writing style and both main characters were very likeable for me. Additionally, I was happy to see that unlikeable characters were conveyed well and made the story more dramatic and enjoyable. I was squeeing with anticipation at some parts.

I did not find anything that I disliked in this book. If you are deterred by any issues in the first book of this series, I would recommend reading Summer in the Snowfall as a standalone. There are many improvements, and I think that is enough for me to award this book 4 stars. I found that while I have no complaints, some of the drama was a bit predictable but was still pleasantly conveyed.

Happy reading!

Did I have a lovely time reading this? Indubitably.
Did I think the author tried too hard to shoehorn the narrative to fit the Beauty and the Beast mould? Again 100% yes.
I don't think sweet baby James could be described as a beast beyond being too busy to go for a proper groom and exercising a curt word at times due to familial pressures.
This reminded me of the Dreamland Billionaires series by Lauren Asher. I'm glad I persevered past an early use of the word, "Huzzah".

Summer is an elementary school librarian who dreams going to England for the Bodleian library at Oxford and graduate in the trainee program. But life has been at a standstill for Summer since she’s moved back home with her dad to take care of him and keep him company during the holidays, she knows it’s hard on him since her mom passed unexpectedly two years ago. Summer starts to feel stuck and wants more for her life so she decided a few weeks ago to apply for an archivist position at the Revel Point theme park. So Summer has to navigate her uncertainty with her future, reluctance to leave her father and then an unexpected love triangle.

This book is an Beauty and the beast retelling, with a shy, soft spoken girl, the grumpy emotionally complicated but handsome boss, and of course the overbearing and super cocky former crush that won’t take no for an answer. This book was a great read, I couldn’t put it down. I loved to see Summer and James relationship grow throughout out the book. With their super adorable meet-cute and instant chemistry. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that needs a swoon worthy read.

Now it does have some spicy scenes with explicit content, I personally just skip those parts and you don’t lose any of the plot because it’s so well written but just a heads up if you’re going to read this book.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for sending me this arc in exchange for an honest review I really enjoyed the book.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Spice: 2 🌶️🌶️

Thank you NetGalley and AE Merriweather for an ARC ebook of this.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a super easy read and has all the makings of a comfort Christmas romance novel.

I enjoyed both main characters and I especially enjoyed the flirty banter between them. The conflicts that come up never felt ill paced or annoying, keeping the romance truly at the heart of the story.

For 90% of the book, this was a 4-5 star read for me, until 1 thing at the end. SPOILER:

There is mention of a 17 year old who had a relationship and gave birth to children with an older character. Whilst neither characters play a large role in the book other than occasional mentions, I felt extremely uncomfortable with the fact an underage child was used. The exact same storyline could have been used with an 18-19 year old. To have a child be the one who had the relationship (because, yes, 17 is still a child) was entirely unnecessary. Nor, for that matter, did I recall that being warned any point before reading the book.

The rest of the book was absolutely fine (well, the historian in me did cringe at the use of gloves for archival material. It is rare they are used, certainly not material gloves for things that are only a few decades old!). Just this one aspect was an issue and, for me, a major one. Had it played more into the book and not been a passing comment right at the end, I would have been inclined to DNF

This was an entertaining read about a librarian and an architect for a library, set in Louisiana at the construction of what felt like an amusement park for book lovers…aka I had a great time and wish it was real.

I at times wished it went deeper into Summer’s past experience with scoliosis because it was brushed over pretty quickly, but I think her character was very well done and her motivations were clear and consistent. James was also fun because I love a grump who’s a secret softie, and he delivered that!

I think the pacing of the story was good, although there was a lot of buildup in the front before we got to what I felt was the true story.

P.S., I also love turrets.

I love Beauty and the Beast and I love swoon-worthy men. I also adore love-triangles. This book was made for me.

Summer in the snowfall is the ultimate comfort read, feeling like a hug in the middle of a snowy day. Pun inteded.

Summer is a midwestern belle thar is growing tired of her middle school librarian job, having applied for a job at Revel Pointe (A.E. Merriweather version of Disneyland), she finds serendipity, and a way out of her grief, in the multilayered British-accented, but very American, boss.

I was pleasantly impressed by the writing. I positively couldn’t put the book down, no matter the absolute lack of “what-if”; it is a fairy tale retelling after all. I didn’t even know the book was intended to be a retelling (that’s why I’m not telling which story is here), yet I finished it in 2 days. The British vernacular James sometimes falls into, together with his “pot meet kettle” and Cricket and Lucien reference, found me giggling. Really, because of the subtlety. All together with the realistic but somewhat funny midwestern impossibility of being rude to summer’s dad.

This is what I wish a similar series about “Disneyland Billionaires” hoped could be, minus the beauty of the diverse cast of characters that was altogether lacking. However, the shorter length of the smut made it just so it works for the book, and it isn’t the book, and James surprised me positively as a “book boyfriend". I might be the only one, but when the FMC shares, she feels uncomfortable, especially after intimacy. I loved that he hugged her and helped her without a second thought.

I suggest picking up this book for any good friend who needs a day (or a year) off.

I was kindly given this ARC through Netgallery without any implication to write a review at all.

It's a tried and true concept to showcase fairytales in a new light, but A.E. Merriweather proves they can still be done in 2025 in unique and brilliant ways. I was bracing myself for a cheesy re-telling of Beauty & the Beast and was happily surprised with how different and well thought out this tale turned out to be! The cover really drew me in, the colors were just holiday enough without being overt and I loved how the title even wound itself into one of the pages. I will be reading more of this author in the future!

Summer's inner monologue was one of my favorite parts of this book, she was refreshingly witty, hilarious and truly relatable. She wasn't written as a pretty woman who pretends she's not pretty, she truly was an ugly duckling that became a bit of a swan and absolutely no clue because she doesn't know any different. That aspect was so unique and well done.


Some notes that would've made this read a five star:

- I went into this knowing full well it was a sequel but the background from the first book, outside of the prologue wasn't great. There's mention of Ethan cleaning up his life but would've loved more than a one sentence paragraph on it. Now that I've read the book I get the picture better but a little more context as to why James/Summer aren't close with Ethan/Marin would've been helpful as I still don't totally get it.

- This is super minor but when some character names are too similar it gets confusing at the beginning, that was the case for HR Jacob and then MMC James. I think changing Jacob's name to not start with 'j' would've helped.

- Another minor note but on page 26, James' mother is introduced as Tilda and as someone who hadn't read the first book in this series, it wasn't until the next page that she was clearly labeled as mother, her behavior had me thinking step-mother? So clarity there from the get go would've been great.

- James couldn't seem to make up his mind on page 33 whether or not he wanted a partner or not. At first he says 'the only thing missing is a beautiful woman by my side' (which doesn't totally seem accurate since James doesn't seem like the kind to only care about beauty? I was thinking more like a remarkable woman maybe? or equal partner at my side?) and then in the next paragraph says that "A life without love is a less complicated one". Just seemed a little flip floppy there.

- James wasn't my favorite but he was written well, just not as likable as Summer. I would've loved a little more depth in regards to his icy exterior taking more time to thaw to Summer and experiencing that demanding boss she was warned about. I also didn't love how he never seemed to see how his feelings for Summer might've translated to her reputation as an archivist because of his clear favoritism. I wish she had called him out on it and he learned from that to be more thoughtful towards others and that been a lesson on selfishness for him. I also think his attempts to earn her forgiveness could've been better, they lacked a bit of luster at the end. I was like that's it? One news article and all is well? I would've loved her to rebuff him and he made a month of showing her how much he cared or something to really show he learned from his mistakes.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to more by this author!

Who knew reading a Christmas romance in the middle of summer could be so charming? The story was light, heartwarming, and full of sweet moments and the book was so enjoyable to read! The characters are so well written and developed, I felt a connection with them almost immediately.

The chemistry between the main characters, Summer and James, was instant and believable. Their interactions felt natural, and I found myself smiling through so many of their scenes, because they're just so cute! Summer had this wonderful way of bringing out James's softer side, which made their connection even more genuine.

While I’m usually not a fan of love triangles, this one was handled really well. At first, I honestly couldn’t choose which love interest I preferred. Both options were appealing and well-written, which kept me invested in the story.

If I had to nitpick, there were a few moments where James's decisions frustrated me, but in the end, the resolution was so heartfelt that it made up for it. The conclusion left me with that warm, giddy feeling that you hope for in a good romance.

This was a fun, cute read. The main character didn’t feel fully developed and it felt more like lust than love overall but it was definitely an enjoyable read.

Summer in the Snowfall’ by A.E. Merriweather is magical and invigorating.

I was immediately transferred to Revel Pointe, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Furthermore, the description of the library archiving was immersive.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the e-ARC of this heartwarming novel.

This was such a fun read! And I get to read a Christmas themed romance in July?? I absolutely love it. This was a very cute fun book to read. The main characters, Summer, and James, were adorable and their instant chemistry made me smile and giggle out loud. And Summer really had a knack for bringing out the best in James which made it seem very real.

And normally I’m not a huge love triangle person but in the beginning I couldn’t totally decide which love interest I liked better… Really good writing. They both seemed sweet to me.

The only thing I didn’t like how James handles certain situations but in all honesty the way the story ended was very sweet and it made me all happy and giddy inside.

Thank you so much to Spoonbill Publishing for this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.