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Christmas Under the Stars
A gripping, festive novel, Christmas Under the Stars by Karen Swan reveals the devastating power of secrets.
Worlds apart. A love without limit.
In the snow-topped mountains of the Canadian Rockies, Meg and Mitch are living their dream. Just weeks away from their wedding, they work and play with Tuck and Lucy, their closest and oldest friends. Meg and Lucy are as close as sisters - much to Meg's sister's dismay - and Tuck and Mitch have successfully turned their passion for snowboarding into a booming business.
But when a polar storm hits, tragedy strikes. Alone in the tiny mountain log cabin she shares with Mitch, Meg desperately tries to radio for help - and it comes from the most unexpected quarter, a lone voice across the airwaves that sees what she cannot.
As the snow melts and they try to live with their loss, the friendship Meg thought was forever is buckled by tensions, rivalries and devastating secrets. Nothing is as she...
ebook
First published January 1, 2016
About the author
Karen Swan
59 books2,076 followersKaren Swan began her career in fashion journalism before giving it all up to raise her three children and a puppy, and to pursue her ambition of becoming a writer. She lives in the forest in Sussex, writing her books in a treehouse overlooking the Downs. Her books include Christmas at Tiffany's, Summer at Tiffany's, The Perfect Present, Christmas in the Snow, The Summer Without You, The Paris Secret, and Christmas Under the Stars.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 322 reviews
December 24, 2022
Potentially one of the best Christmas books I've read so far
With a good plot, realistic and raw characters and a story that makes you feel all emotions- Christmas Under the Stars is hands down Karen Swan's best works.
It's got drama, plot twists that came out of nowhere and blew my mind, such pure raw emotion and a swoon worthy romance. Basically guys, it has it all! It does deal with grief and loss, but it's not written in a way that's going to make you uncomfortable.
I'm just glad I read it. Please excuse, I'm gonna be thinking about this book for a while. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
With a good plot, realistic and raw characters and a story that makes you feel all emotions- Christmas Under the Stars is hands down Karen Swan's best works.
It's got drama, plot twists that came out of nowhere and blew my mind, such pure raw emotion and a swoon worthy romance. Basically guys, it has it all! It does deal with grief and loss, but it's not written in a way that's going to make you uncomfortable.
I'm just glad I read it. Please excuse, I'm gonna be thinking about this book for a while. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
December 13, 2019
This was a pleasant surprise.
Review to come.
Review to come.
March 10, 2019
Misleading title. I bet the title is good for boosting sales in Desember month. The book is 480 pages long and 20 of those have anything to do with Christmas.
So even though to me the only appeal this book had was the cover (looks matter) and the title. I still really, REALLY liked it! The story was filled with emotions, not only was it funny, uplifting and sweet, this story was just as well sad and crushingly devious. I though it would be straight to the point love story, but it was so much more. I loved every page of it. I loved the way Karen Swan made me think I knew exactly what would happen and than turned 180 degrees confusing me completely. Plot twist and not being completely "see through" are the best types of novels, and this one definitely falls under that category. The best part was reading a bit from every main character and thinking you knew exactly what kind of person they were and then BAM you realized everyone isn´t that easy to see clearly.
The writing style was a bit disturbing at the beginning. Even though its not written in diary form you still get to know exactly which date it is, makes it easier to follow the storyline without the whole "it was 3 months since" line in every chapter.
Christmas Under the Stars has a little bit of everything, love story, relationship, friendship, family, tragedy, comedy, everything except for Christmas really (not bitter I swear) wrapped up in a neat little package.
So even though to me the only appeal this book had was the cover (looks matter) and the title. I still really, REALLY liked it! The story was filled with emotions, not only was it funny, uplifting and sweet, this story was just as well sad and crushingly devious. I though it would be straight to the point love story, but it was so much more. I loved every page of it. I loved the way Karen Swan made me think I knew exactly what would happen and than turned 180 degrees confusing me completely. Plot twist and not being completely "see through" are the best types of novels, and this one definitely falls under that category. The best part was reading a bit from every main character and thinking you knew exactly what kind of person they were and then BAM you realized everyone isn´t that easy to see clearly.
The writing style was a bit disturbing at the beginning. Even though its not written in diary form you still get to know exactly which date it is, makes it easier to follow the storyline without the whole "it was 3 months since" line in every chapter.
Christmas Under the Stars has a little bit of everything, love story, relationship, friendship, family, tragedy, comedy, everything except for Christmas really (not bitter I swear) wrapped up in a neat little package.
December 10, 2020
3.5 Stars.
First and foremost, if you are expecting a Christmas themed book as I was, then this book is not the book. Christmas is briefly alluded to over 2-4 pages at the end of the book.
But if you are looking for a light, easy read that takes place in the Canadian Rockies- Banff- then you certainly will enjoy this book. I needed a light, fluffy read and this worked for me. With all our new lockdowns, my brain is just in overdrive. My concentration levels are way down. No deep thinking required with this easy breezy book.
I live in Calgary, so I loved the location of the book. It is a book about love and friendship and betrayal.
The book definitely needed some better editing though. The author is British and she slipped when she kept calling sweaters jumpers and dessert pudding.
There were a few other quibbles I had, but decided to just ignore them.
So overall, this book distracted me from the world while I was reading it, so very happy that I picked it up. A friend gifted me this book a few years ago- glad I finally read it:)
First and foremost, if you are expecting a Christmas themed book as I was, then this book is not the book. Christmas is briefly alluded to over 2-4 pages at the end of the book.
But if you are looking for a light, easy read that takes place in the Canadian Rockies- Banff- then you certainly will enjoy this book. I needed a light, fluffy read and this worked for me. With all our new lockdowns, my brain is just in overdrive. My concentration levels are way down. No deep thinking required with this easy breezy book.
I live in Calgary, so I loved the location of the book. It is a book about love and friendship and betrayal.
The book definitely needed some better editing though. The author is British and she slipped when she kept calling sweaters jumpers and dessert pudding.
There were a few other quibbles I had, but decided to just ignore them.
So overall, this book distracted me from the world while I was reading it, so very happy that I picked it up. A friend gifted me this book a few years ago- glad I finally read it:)
November 11, 2016
Like a fine wine, Karen Swan books get better with age. With that I mean I loved her first few books, but recently it seems like every new book, as she progresses with her career is becoming just more and more impressive, and in this case has a pretty unique set of circumstance in the story too.
In a roundabout way I think I'm trying to say that Christmas Under the Stars is simply amazing, from its very clever in retrospect title, the absolutely gorgeous cover that I could sit and stare at for hours, to the setting in the Canadian Rockies, and the set of characters and what they go through, in a year.
My absolutely favourite strand to the book is the one I feel I can't properly mention in a review because it is probably more special to come across it yourself. Suffice to say there is a character that is unlike anyone I've really seen before in any book, and the location of his first interactions is rather special.
Now onto things I can talk about, this is the story of four friends, Meg & Mitch, Lucy and Tuck, who all live in the Canadian Rockies. A week before Meg is due to marry Mitch he goes out on a rescue missing in desperately disastrous weather conditions and never makes it home.
Meg, Lucy and Tuck all need to learn how to deal with the aftermath, and in particular in Meg's case she needs to slowly come to terms with everything and then see just what she wants from life in general. Lucy and Tuck however are facing their own crisis of marriage, and there are certainly elements of that storyline that I never saw coming.
The scenery in this book is breathtakingly beautiful, but at the same time, it highlights just how harsh the winters are in the Canadian Rockies, in addition, to just what an array of wildlife they have up there, some more harmless than others. I do love the idea of an elk just wandering down Banff's main road after dark, but the grizzly bears on the other hand are completely different prospect.
I've even googled images of the area and it really is as stunning as the book makes out. In fact before I read this Canada wasn't a place I had ever really thought too much about, but I do think Christmas Under The Stars could do its part for Rockies tourism. There was even a weekend in Toronto, so you got a good feel for a different part of the country too, with some of the major landmarks visited.
There are some adrenalin inducing scenes, and I loved Tuck and Mitch's love of all things adventure sports, including their business.
At a time where the remaining friends should be banding together and supporting one another gaps begin to show, and it makes the dynamics of the book so much more interesting.
It took until about the fourth chapter for me to be hooked on this book, so about 30-40 pages in, at which point I re-read the prologue which suddenly made a bit more sense having more knowledge already of which character was which, and then I was lost to the world as I read this outstanding book.
October 24, 2018
What an absolutely delightful book this is!
So I am new to Karen Swan and I have not had the pleasure to read one of her novels. I am so glad that I was brought this as a Christmas present last year. I have been saving it to read this year in the run up to Christmas, although I was too eager to read it and so may be a bit premature to the run up to Christmas, nevertheless I think I timed it just right. This book is advertised on the cover and by the title that this is a Christmas tale, however Christmas is not a heavy focus in this book, in fact actual Christmas day is glossed over in a sentence. Maybe this is a marketing strategy? Who knows? I read this at the end of October and I think I timed it just right! Specially as the dark nights are drawing in. The novel is based in a town called Banff, set in the mountains and our main character Meg, finds herself in a snow storm. It is the perfect book to read under blankets drinking a hot chocolate.
Let’s start with the characters, Meg our leading lady is totally believable in the way she thinks and reacts to certain situations, we learn early on that she is surrounded by a close knit group, who you will all come to know just as well as Meg. The storyline is heavy from the start pulling you into this emotional, heated and poignant read. I felt the emotions of each character going through there own turmoil as the novel is written with carefully crafted detail that is intricately narrated and gives the impression that you are really there, transporting you to another place and time. I love books that date their chapters so you can really feel the time that lapses through the story, which the author does in this book, it’s an amazing way to escape for an hour as every little detail is incorporated in the narrative to keep you gripped and wondering what happens next. With every chapter you will come across shocks and tragedy, opinions changing with every page.
I absolutely love the concept of the story and I don’t want to give any spoilers away but I learnt so much and generally enjoyed the information that I learnt whilst reading the fiction. Some of it I will have to be honest, is a little bit unbelievable but that does not bother me in the slightest!
I am thrilled with this book, it has left a warm little glow in my heart and I really did thoroughly enjoy it, I recommend it to all!
So I am new to Karen Swan and I have not had the pleasure to read one of her novels. I am so glad that I was brought this as a Christmas present last year. I have been saving it to read this year in the run up to Christmas, although I was too eager to read it and so may be a bit premature to the run up to Christmas, nevertheless I think I timed it just right. This book is advertised on the cover and by the title that this is a Christmas tale, however Christmas is not a heavy focus in this book, in fact actual Christmas day is glossed over in a sentence. Maybe this is a marketing strategy? Who knows? I read this at the end of October and I think I timed it just right! Specially as the dark nights are drawing in. The novel is based in a town called Banff, set in the mountains and our main character Meg, finds herself in a snow storm. It is the perfect book to read under blankets drinking a hot chocolate.
Let’s start with the characters, Meg our leading lady is totally believable in the way she thinks and reacts to certain situations, we learn early on that she is surrounded by a close knit group, who you will all come to know just as well as Meg. The storyline is heavy from the start pulling you into this emotional, heated and poignant read. I felt the emotions of each character going through there own turmoil as the novel is written with carefully crafted detail that is intricately narrated and gives the impression that you are really there, transporting you to another place and time. I love books that date their chapters so you can really feel the time that lapses through the story, which the author does in this book, it’s an amazing way to escape for an hour as every little detail is incorporated in the narrative to keep you gripped and wondering what happens next. With every chapter you will come across shocks and tragedy, opinions changing with every page.
I absolutely love the concept of the story and I don’t want to give any spoilers away but I learnt so much and generally enjoyed the information that I learnt whilst reading the fiction. Some of it I will have to be honest, is a little bit unbelievable but that does not bother me in the slightest!
I am thrilled with this book, it has left a warm little glow in my heart and I really did thoroughly enjoy it, I recommend it to all!
December 7, 2022
I was looking for a gentle introduction into the Christmas season and this novel exceeded my expectations (though it actually has very little to do with Christmas lol). The plot was different to many other love stories, and I appreciated how the accompanying sub-plot (CW: IPV against men) was portrayed. I think it was portrayed accurately and was not over-dramatized like some books can be. I think it's important to note that even I did not notice the subtle hints throughout the book that someone was being abused but looking back, the clues were all there. I think that is a lot like how it happens in real life...
Anyways, I liked how different this book was to what I expected. Ronnie and Jonas are two well-crafted characters with strong morals and turn out different than how they are described in the beginning. The novel is set in Banff, Alberta which is a short 693km from where I live and is one of my favorite places on Earth! Whenever I visit family in Calgary, I try and make a day trip to beautiful Banff because being in the mountains is spectacular (especially compared to the Boreal Forest/SK prairies where I live).
4 stars for this lovely Christmas novel!
Anyways, I liked how different this book was to what I expected. Ronnie and Jonas are two well-crafted characters with strong morals and turn out different than how they are described in the beginning. The novel is set in Banff, Alberta which is a short 693km from where I live and is one of my favorite places on Earth! Whenever I visit family in Calgary, I try and make a day trip to beautiful Banff because being in the mountains is spectacular (especially compared to the Boreal Forest/SK prairies where I live).
4 stars for this lovely Christmas novel!
November 1, 2016
"Christmas Under the Stars" is the winter offer from Karen Swan, as she's now writing two books a year. Having incredibly enjoyed "The Paris' Secret" I was impatiently waiting for the new release, as the author is a very talented story - teller, and her books are so different to each other, so you can never tell where the Karen is going to take you this time.
"Christmas Under the Stars" is set in Canada, in Bannf in Alberta, and I couldn't imagine a better setting for this book. Personally I am fascinated by this country, and I would do anything to be able to go and visit it some time, and after reading the book even more so. Karen Swan's writing makes is crystal clear that she also loves Canada - the descriptions are very detailed, minutiae, and they don't leave a lot to be imagined, as the author covers every aspect. While sometimes it doesn't work, this time I was absolutely stunned with all the views and could easily see them in my mind - they were so vivid and the author has so easily brought all the places to life. I can't say that I had my favourite place as I myself am kind of an outdoor girl and love to spend my time in the nature, so really, all the places in the story were as if they were created especially for me and I truly appreciated the beauty of the wilderness. But! Karen Swan has also mentioned how much risk and danger such a wilderness can bring, and believe me, even the encounter with the bear sounded so realistic that I kept looking over my shoulder when I went for a walk in the wood later on, after reading the scene. The gorgeous and cosy mountain log cabin that Meg and Mitch were living in was my idea of heaven, though there were moments that it felt particularly remote and off the beaten track, so am not sure if I could live there constantly, alone.
The book was so complex and it touched upon so many issues! I admit, at the beginning, and it was a relatively long beginning, I was starting to feel panic, as it took a lot of time before the story gained some speed and focused on the significant things. Significant for the plot! I was like, oh man, what's happening? Why is it so dragging on? Where is the story? It was probably also because I had some problems with the characters. While I warmed to Meg immediately, I wasn't so sure about her fiancé Mitch. From this little what we were able to get about him he came across as a cold, somehow indifferent and always irritated guy, who put everything over Meg, even though they were supposed to get married in a week. Yes, throughout the story there came a picture of a passionate, talented young man and it was eventually explained why he behaved this way but I still couldn't shake off my initial feelings to him. Then we had Lucy and Tuck, best friends of Meg and Mitch. Tuck was an absolutely unlikeable character for me, and I really, truly felt for Lucy - however Lucy had her moments as well. Tuck seemed so very childish to me, and I hated that when he spoke with people that the second word he said was "man" - no idea why but it irritated me incredibly. In my eyes he was a guy who was interested in anything but his own family, a guy who always tried to keep up with his best friend and almost always failed. As I don't want to spoil the read to you I won't say a word more but, as the story is full of surprises, twists and turns, keep your eyes peeled and let me know what your final thought about Tuck were. Back to Lucy - as I have already mentioned she had her moments when I truly despised her and didn't understand where she was coming from - her jealousy, her determination to belittle Meg, the way she was sure she can judge her best friend - I just couldn't get this girl, to be honest, and as it turned out, I was right not to trust her. While Meg... Well, I loved Meg. She had such a complicated past and she had to fight for herself, and yet she felt so normal and down - to - earth and I totally fell for her. Sure, she made mistakes, she was stubborn sometimes, but she was loyal, which you couldn't say about Lucy foe example, she had her heart in the right place and I so wanted that life will stop throwing obstacles at her all the time.
The only male character that I loved from the very beginning was Jonas. He had so much distance to himself and all the things, he's seen things just like they really were and he was just so, so clever, but not too patronizing. And his job was so, so cool, I don't want to spoil it for you so not going to tell you what it was he was doing, but it was the first hero in my books doing this! I loved the conversations and then email exchange between him and Meg, and their jokes were really bad, but they made me laugh so much nonetheless. Jonas was so genuine in what he did and said and I so wanted him to stay significant in this story - he so deserved it!
But likes and dislikes away, the characters were perfectly drawn. They were complex and full of emotions and feelings personalities. They all felt so solid, you know, like real people. They made mistakes, they lied, they had secrets, they drunk too much, they behaved unreasonably, they jumped to conclusions, they loved and all of this, and much, much more, was so brilliantly captured by the author in their personalities. I felt like I knew all of them, to be honest, like I was together with them on the pages of this book, going with them on this very curvy journey.
The first half of the story - at least this is my feeling - focused more on Canada itself, on the landscape and yes, it worried me a little, but the second part, and especially the last quarter of the book were bloody brilliant. When the action unwound, it didn't stop for a single second and I found the book unputdownable. Yes, we can say that the end, in comparison to the rest of this rather long story, was too rushed and too quick, but to be totally honest, I didn't care about it - it was so fantastic and brilliant ending to the story that I won't say a single bad word about it.
And guys, how gorgeous, clever and unique the idea of introducing us to a character that doesn't even is on the Earth, was! The whole universe, NASA, rockets was never my thing, but together with Meg and Ronnie I hold my breath when the space ship (or is it something different???) was entering the Earth again, and even the details about life out of space, about gravity and how it is to be on the firm ground again had me totally hooked. Stars I always loved to watch, and I can't help but admire the Milky Way over my own roof when I only have a chance.
So yes, it was a slow burner but as soon as it gained speed, it was like the avalanche in the story - fast, twisty and taking you with it on the journey. One of the secrets I guessed relatively quickly but the outcome has totally surprised me, and the other twists were absolutely unexpected for me - it is really something that Karen Swan is a champion of doing in her books: she's a specialist of dropping a totally unexpected bomb on your totally unexpecting head, and I love this feeling of surprise, but also of the pieces of the puzzle falling into a place, and always in these moments I just want to punch the air and shout Yessssss! "Christmas Under the Stars" is a gorgeous, beautiful story about love and hate, secrets, lies, friendship, sisterhood, new beginnings and second chances. It's a story that kept me awake long after the bed time, and it's a story that won't leave my head for long. Complex, cleverly plotted, with unforgettable characters, beautiful setting in Canadian Rockies, with views that were taking your breath away, adventures, twists and turns, it is a must read this winter! Another winner from Karen Swan, this author always delivers and never disappoints! Highly, highly recommended!
Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a review.
February 6, 2017
Not the Christmas-read I was hoping for but I still really enjoyed this!!
November 19, 2016
One of those false advertising situations where the title is Christmas and the cover art is Christmas but alas there is almost zero Christmas in the book. If you’re buying this to get that festive feeling, it’s not happening.
If, however, you bought this for a dose of toxic relationships, both of the romantic and friendship variety, this book totally delivers on that. I don’t really want to give away too much of the story since the blurb really doesn’t go into it either, I’ll just say that some of the characters aren’t entirely likeable and some of the plot twists are a bit predictable but I still found it a fairly compelling and entertaining read, and the heroine communicates with a space station so that’s a little something different.
I have mixed feelings about the ending, on the one hand, the heroine was taking a big step forward with her life, on the other hand, she was still kind of arranging her life around a guy, and frankly, not the guy I would have preferred. I also felt like a certain someone got off easier than they would have, had genders been reversed.
There were some errors in this book that pulled me out of the story a bit, but since I was reading an advance copy I don’t know if these things just weren’t corrected yet, and maybe will be corrected for the finished copy. Most of the things I had issues with might not even be noticeable for those unfamiliar with Canada, stuff like referring to Alberta as a state rather than a province, a Canadian woman using the term jumper for a sweater, and a hockey game (referred to as a match by a Canadian in the book) involving two teams that would never face each other in that round of the playoffs, nor would the score ever escalate as crazy high as it did. It was just small regional things like that, which the British author might have overlooked or been unaware of, and as I said, if you’re a reader unfamiliar with those things, and if they did make it into the finished copy, it likely won’t throw you as it much as it threw me.
I received this ARC through a Goodreads giveaway.
If, however, you bought this for a dose of toxic relationships, both of the romantic and friendship variety, this book totally delivers on that. I don’t really want to give away too much of the story since the blurb really doesn’t go into it either, I’ll just say that some of the characters aren’t entirely likeable and some of the plot twists are a bit predictable but I still found it a fairly compelling and entertaining read, and the heroine communicates with a space station so that’s a little something different.
I have mixed feelings about the ending, on the one hand, the heroine was taking a big step forward with her life, on the other hand, she was still kind of arranging her life around a guy, and frankly, not the guy I would have preferred. I also felt like a certain someone got off easier than they would have, had genders been reversed.
There were some errors in this book that pulled me out of the story a bit, but since I was reading an advance copy I don’t know if these things just weren’t corrected yet, and maybe will be corrected for the finished copy. Most of the things I had issues with might not even be noticeable for those unfamiliar with Canada, stuff like referring to Alberta as a state rather than a province, a Canadian woman using the term jumper for a sweater, and a hockey game (referred to as a match by a Canadian in the book) involving two teams that would never face each other in that round of the playoffs, nor would the score ever escalate as crazy high as it did. It was just small regional things like that, which the British author might have overlooked or been unaware of, and as I said, if you’re a reader unfamiliar with those things, and if they did make it into the finished copy, it likely won’t throw you as it much as it threw me.
I received this ARC through a Goodreads giveaway.
January 5, 2018
This author's holidays books are so much more than just holidays book! Loved this one !
I had guessed what was coming but it still was great.
I had guessed what was coming but it still was great.
December 31, 2018
Labs veids, kā iezvanīt gada beigas - ar kko saldu. Tiesa, pārmērīgs cukuriņš gan nebija, ja neskaita beigas, kuras bija tādas, kā žanram pienākas. Bet pa vidu bija gan miršana, gan dzimšana, gan ļoti interesanti personāži. Vispār sen nebiju literatūrā uzrāvusies uz manipulatoriem, īpaši jau čiklitā, tā ka žetons autorei par oriģinalitāti. Lai gan bija dažas neuzmanības kļūdas, bez kurām varētu arī iztikt, tomēr patīkami, ka vietas starp dialogiem nav aizpildītas ar brendu somiņu aprakstiem vai tml. Savā žanrā varu tai tīru sirdi ielikt 4 zvaigznes, jo labāka par vidusmēru ir un iedeva tieši to, ko solīja.
December 24, 2023
The second book I’ve read by Karen Swan with the word Christmas in the title and totally not about Christmas.
But you know what? I don’t care one teeny weeny bit as this book blew me away. What a story! Remarkable. Just remarkable.
Set around Banff, Alberta and Lake Louise… two of the most beautiful, stunning and breathtaking places in the world. I know it to be true as I’ve been to both!
Full of secrets, heartbreak, astonishing twists and turns and a love story that is too adorable.
Highly highly recommend this outstanding novel.
But you know what? I don’t care one teeny weeny bit as this book blew me away. What a story! Remarkable. Just remarkable.
Set around Banff, Alberta and Lake Louise… two of the most beautiful, stunning and breathtaking places in the world. I know it to be true as I’ve been to both!
Full of secrets, heartbreak, astonishing twists and turns and a love story that is too adorable.
Highly highly recommend this outstanding novel.
December 15, 2018
The story starts a few weeks before part 1 with the mystery of what is happening in room 32 compared to quite a funny description of room 28. Tim and Lucy are quite a mystery at this point. With some of the actions having consequences to what happens next.
Part 1 is where the main character Meg (who I like from the start, she's a person I'd instantly get on with) is having her final wedding dress fitting for her wedding to Mitch. They seem like the perfect couple that everyone thinks should be together (apart from Lucy). It seems we don't get to know Mitch very well before disaster strikes with an avalanche.
Part 2 with Mitch now dead it leaves Meg ''It was her wedding day but she was in black.'' It's no wedding and a funeral not four weddings and a funeral. For much of the story from now on Meg is blaming Tuck for ringing Mitch to rescue people who were already down the mountain.
Ronnie is Meg's sister and Lucy her best friend they have a very bad relationship with each other. From the start I can't really see what Lucy's problem is with Ronnie. I quite like Ronnie and it's funny when she knows Lucy is pregnant and just blurts it out. Meg is really leading two separate lives one with Lucy and one with Ronnie.
From the start I wondered if the baby was even Tuck's? He's constantly drunk and quite down but it becomes apparent later on why. The man really does need a fresh start away from his broken marriage even though some of his behaviour was edging on being a jerk. I did feel though there was more to his behaviour than meets the eye. He really did have a point about how Lucy is reacting about Meg and Mitch saying things that meant well why would she care he's dead as they weren't married they were one week off being married and were practically married for the nearly three years they were engaged. Lucy has got an obsession on Mitch.
Jonas the space guy is the other person I like instantly and his poem he sends down after finding out Mitch died is so sweet. Meg isn't keen on contacting him when Jonas is back on earth. I love it when Jonas and Meg meet they seem like the only two normal people in this story but in no way does that make them boring they are very likeable. Jonas becomes a little like a shrink within the village and it's interesting to see that Jonas does not think Tuck is a terrible person like Meg has ever since Mitch died.
The bear attack is just the start of more of the action and Lucy has bruises on her from somewhere else it's lead to believe Tuck has been beating her up but not all is how it seems. Lucy is a very hot and cold character for me I'm edging more towards I really don't like her.
In regards to Meg sleeping with a new guy I can sort of see it from both ways being too early to move on and he's not coming back. No offensive to this guy but he was no Jonas i really like Jonas. It's just Lucy to me is taking too much of an interest in Mitch. I understand anyone who knew him would miss the guy but it did seem quite obsessive. I thought from the moment they were talking Jonas is the only one who can beat a ghost but even at one point he thinks he can't beat a ghost.
The film showing at the festival sets off many more events such as Meg understanding how much Tuck misses his best friend and wants to apologise. I feel like it should be for more than blaming him for the death however as she thought he'd been hitting Lucy it was the other way around. Tuck was only acting in defence to himself. Tuck lead people to believe he was the beater out of his male pride. Even Lucy's mum joins Tuck's side on this one. I did feel a little for him getting beaten up and then finding out the baby he's raising isn't even his but his dead best friends who the baby has been named after. No wonder they all struggle with the name.
I had guessed Lucy was in love with Mitch and that the baby was his. I didn't guess that Lucy had let everyone believe those people were up the mountain leading to Mitch's death just to keep her own secret when Mitch wanted to tell the truth. I don't know how Tuck or Meg would have reacted to the truth came from Mitch and it's a shame he isn't alive to suffer some of the consequences. I was a little disappointed Mitch had done that to Meg she's lovely and they did sound like they had a lovely relationship before all this came out.
Meg really does deserve a break and a fresh start in Toronto only to choose Quebec to be alongside Jonas. I'm sure Jonas and Meg would have a much better life with each other and with Ronnie who was certainty right about many things.
Part 1 is where the main character Meg (who I like from the start, she's a person I'd instantly get on with) is having her final wedding dress fitting for her wedding to Mitch. They seem like the perfect couple that everyone thinks should be together (apart from Lucy). It seems we don't get to know Mitch very well before disaster strikes with an avalanche.
Part 2 with Mitch now dead it leaves Meg ''It was her wedding day but she was in black.'' It's no wedding and a funeral not four weddings and a funeral. For much of the story from now on Meg is blaming Tuck for ringing Mitch to rescue people who were already down the mountain.
Ronnie is Meg's sister and Lucy her best friend they have a very bad relationship with each other. From the start I can't really see what Lucy's problem is with Ronnie. I quite like Ronnie and it's funny when she knows Lucy is pregnant and just blurts it out. Meg is really leading two separate lives one with Lucy and one with Ronnie.
From the start I wondered if the baby was even Tuck's? He's constantly drunk and quite down but it becomes apparent later on why. The man really does need a fresh start away from his broken marriage even though some of his behaviour was edging on being a jerk. I did feel though there was more to his behaviour than meets the eye. He really did have a point about how Lucy is reacting about Meg and Mitch saying things that meant well why would she care he's dead as they weren't married they were one week off being married and were practically married for the nearly three years they were engaged. Lucy has got an obsession on Mitch.
Jonas the space guy is the other person I like instantly and his poem he sends down after finding out Mitch died is so sweet. Meg isn't keen on contacting him when Jonas is back on earth. I love it when Jonas and Meg meet they seem like the only two normal people in this story but in no way does that make them boring they are very likeable. Jonas becomes a little like a shrink within the village and it's interesting to see that Jonas does not think Tuck is a terrible person like Meg has ever since Mitch died.
The bear attack is just the start of more of the action and Lucy has bruises on her from somewhere else it's lead to believe Tuck has been beating her up but not all is how it seems. Lucy is a very hot and cold character for me I'm edging more towards I really don't like her.
In regards to Meg sleeping with a new guy I can sort of see it from both ways being too early to move on and he's not coming back. No offensive to this guy but he was no Jonas i really like Jonas. It's just Lucy to me is taking too much of an interest in Mitch. I understand anyone who knew him would miss the guy but it did seem quite obsessive. I thought from the moment they were talking Jonas is the only one who can beat a ghost but even at one point he thinks he can't beat a ghost.
The film showing at the festival sets off many more events such as Meg understanding how much Tuck misses his best friend and wants to apologise. I feel like it should be for more than blaming him for the death however as she thought he'd been hitting Lucy it was the other way around. Tuck was only acting in defence to himself. Tuck lead people to believe he was the beater out of his male pride. Even Lucy's mum joins Tuck's side on this one. I did feel a little for him getting beaten up and then finding out the baby he's raising isn't even his but his dead best friends who the baby has been named after. No wonder they all struggle with the name.
I had guessed Lucy was in love with Mitch and that the baby was his. I didn't guess that Lucy had let everyone believe those people were up the mountain leading to Mitch's death just to keep her own secret when Mitch wanted to tell the truth. I don't know how Tuck or Meg would have reacted to the truth came from Mitch and it's a shame he isn't alive to suffer some of the consequences. I was a little disappointed Mitch had done that to Meg she's lovely and they did sound like they had a lovely relationship before all this came out.
Meg really does deserve a break and a fresh start in Toronto only to choose Quebec to be alongside Jonas. I'm sure Jonas and Meg would have a much better life with each other and with Ronnie who was certainty right about many things.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2021
4 1/2 Stars
I very rarely read "contemporary romances"
The reason I picked this one up had to do with the location..(personal memories )
And wow..I couldn't put it down! ( also totally not about Christmas)
Review to come...
I very rarely read "contemporary romances"
The reason I picked this one up had to do with the location..(personal memories )
And wow..I couldn't put it down! ( also totally not about Christmas)
Review to come...
November 23, 2016
This was a bit interesting from the start but then it seemed to lose my interest, not much was happening except for little/big events here and there and the overall pace seemed quite steady or slow.
Something about the book didn't seem to flow right to me, with the characters and the pacing of events.
I had suspected some of the plot twists from the start but then second guessed myself as I continued reading only to find out near the end that I was right about some and surprised a bit by others. The last few chapters including the romance I anticipated were more what I had hoped and expected since I started reading the book.
It is a good book but unfortunately I would have liked it better if things had picked up throughout the book like it did near the end and if the romance was a bit more frequent. But these are just my opinions. I hope whoever else decides to read this gets more enjoyment out of it. :)
Something about the book didn't seem to flow right to me, with the characters and the pacing of events.
I had suspected some of the plot twists from the start but then second guessed myself as I continued reading only to find out near the end that I was right about some and surprised a bit by others. The last few chapters including the romance I anticipated were more what I had hoped and expected since I started reading the book.
It is a good book but unfortunately I would have liked it better if things had picked up throughout the book like it did near the end and if the romance was a bit more frequent. But these are just my opinions. I hope whoever else decides to read this gets more enjoyment out of it. :)
December 11, 2016
WOW! If you don't read any other festive books you so need to read this. 484 pages of sheer pleasure! Escapism.. and a whole lot more. Aside from the cover being amazing I absolutely LOVED this story from start to end. It went along at a good pace and the twists and turns towards the end were unexpected..for me anyhow even though you suspected something was amiss. And what a great film it would make too. I could not put it down and didn't want it to end at all and am sad now! I thoroughly recommend this 100% and its a really original tale. Loved all the characters too and so atmospheric it was like I was there. Loved, Loved, Loved it and want to give it a million stars not just 5! A story that will stick in your hearts.
November 28, 2017
So I finished this book this morning and I am absolutley 150% blown away by what I just read!! I was literally just looking for a good Christmas read and had this book on my shelf for so long (I have several books of hers on my shelf that I hadn't gotten to at that point) that I figured why not give it a try. And OMG IT WAS EVERYTHING AND MORE!!! 🙌🙌🙌🙌 TOTALLY blown away by the story line and it was NOT what I was expecting at all. I definitly thought it was going to be a sweet sappy romance, and it was, but it was also SOOOO much more! It was sad and heart breaking, but also light and funny. There's a WHOPPER of a secret and tension and hatred for some characters. It was nail biting but by the end I was crying like a sappy baby. The ending is SOOOOOO GOOD! I Iove Meg and the people in her lives and think the love story in this book is so unique and absolutley adorable! One more thing, while I wouldn't say this book is as "Christmassy" as the cover lets on (It starts off during the Christmas season but then goes through the rest of the year until it gets back to Christmas at the end) I literally did not care one little bit! I want to read this book again! I'm now on a mission to read all of Karen's Swans books! And this one is going down as one of my favourite reads of 2017
December 10, 2019
FYI- my 5th point is a spoiler.
1. This is NOT a Christmas book. Like at all. So the title is misleading and if you want a nice, feel-good Christmas book, this ain't it. Sure, the second last chapter takes place on Christmas Eve.. but then Christmas day is skipped and it finishes on December 27th. Why put Christmas in the title?
2. Canada has provinces not states. So when Dolores and Meg are having a conversation and Dolores says something along the lines of "you won't even leave the state".. just no. Get your facts straight.
3. Most Canadians (especially those born in the late 80's) do not talk about temperature in Fahrenheit. So when Meg was in Toronto and the temperature was mentioned in Fahrenheit it was just weird.
4. Nice try on the baby weight and mentioning it in kg's as Canada does use the metric system. However, no one I've ever met in Canada talks about a babies weight in kg. We typically use pounds and ounces. And no one says "my babies gained x grams", what even is that?
5. How does a 10ish day old Caucasian baby have brown eyes? It typically takes months for babies eye colour to develop. So that was just strange.
1. This is NOT a Christmas book. Like at all. So the title is misleading and if you want a nice, feel-good Christmas book, this ain't it. Sure, the second last chapter takes place on Christmas Eve.. but then Christmas day is skipped and it finishes on December 27th. Why put Christmas in the title?
2. Canada has provinces not states. So when Dolores and Meg are having a conversation and Dolores says something along the lines of "you won't even leave the state".. just no. Get your facts straight.
3. Most Canadians (especially those born in the late 80's) do not talk about temperature in Fahrenheit. So when Meg was in Toronto and the temperature was mentioned in Fahrenheit it was just weird.
4. Nice try on the baby weight and mentioning it in kg's as Canada does use the metric system. However, no one I've ever met in Canada talks about a babies weight in kg. We typically use pounds and ounces. And no one says "my babies gained x grams", what even is that?
5. How does a 10ish day old Caucasian baby have brown eyes? It typically takes months for babies eye colour to develop. So that was just strange.
October 11, 2017
***********GIVEAWAY WIN***********
I LOVE that this book was able to surprise me, and I'm not just talking about clever plot twists (though it had that as well). Having never heard of Karen Swan before stumbling on this book in a free copy giveaway I was pleasantly surprised by the level of delight I got from reading it. The description seemed like it might be more of a cheesy romance novel, but I decided to enter the giveaway despite that since it took place in Banff (I'm a sucker for landscape in Canada). Didn't I have mud on my face when this gem arrived in the post. Once I began reading it I discovered not only did it indeed have some of the most breathtaking descriptions of Banff but the way she allowed the narrative to switch between main characters without losing the flow of the story and actually enhancing the emotions conveyed had me feverishly wanting more. I most certainly will be seeking out more written by the wonderful mind that is Karen Swan!!!
I LOVE that this book was able to surprise me, and I'm not just talking about clever plot twists (though it had that as well). Having never heard of Karen Swan before stumbling on this book in a free copy giveaway I was pleasantly surprised by the level of delight I got from reading it. The description seemed like it might be more of a cheesy romance novel, but I decided to enter the giveaway despite that since it took place in Banff (I'm a sucker for landscape in Canada). Didn't I have mud on my face when this gem arrived in the post. Once I began reading it I discovered not only did it indeed have some of the most breathtaking descriptions of Banff but the way she allowed the narrative to switch between main characters without losing the flow of the story and actually enhancing the emotions conveyed had me feverishly wanting more. I most certainly will be seeking out more written by the wonderful mind that is Karen Swan!!!
November 23, 2016
DNF - Very misleading as it's not actually set at Christmas and I just couldn't warm to these characters at all. Not for me.
January 10, 2019
A great book which just keeps on giving. Loved it from the first few pages. Enjoyed the twists that popped up towards the end and really wasn’t expecting the first one but then there wouldn’t be a story without it. A great feel good read that makes you think there really is more to life - even enjoyed the dodgy space jokes. Look forward to reading more by Karen Swan.
December 18, 2017
Verlag: Goldmann
Erschienen: 16.10.2017
Seitenzahl: 608
Preis: 10€
Genre: Liebesroman
Klappentext:
Die begeisterte Snowboarderin Meg lebt und arbeitet in den Rocky Mountains. Eines Nachts kommt es während eines Schneesturms zu einer folgenschweren Katastrophe. Meg greift zum Funkgerät und setzt einen Hilferuf ab, der versehentlich bei einem Unbekannten landet. Jonas, berührt von Megs Verzweiflung, kann ihren Anruf nicht vergessen und funkt tags darauf zurück. Schon bald entwickelt sich eine zarte Freundschaft, und ganz langsam beginnt Meg sich zu fragen, ob sie vielleicht mehr für ihn empfindet. Doch kann man sich in jemanden verlieben, von dem man nur die Stimme kennt?
Über die Autorin:
Karen Swan arbeitete lange als Modejournalistin für Zeitschriften wie Vogue, Tatler und YOU. Sie lebt heute mit ihrem Mann und ihren drei Kindern im englischen Sussex. Wenn die Kinder sie lassen, schreibt sie in ihrem Baumhaus Romane.
Meinung:
Ich muss gestehen, ich war erst ein bisschen abgeschreckt durch die hohe Seitenzahl des Buches. Denn ich dachte mir, was kann in einem winterlichen Liebesroman passieren, dass dieses Buch über 600 Seiten hat? Karen Swan hat mich sehr überrascht mit diesem Buch! Ich dachte, ich bekomme einen Liebesroman, der viele Klischees erfüllt und schnulzig ist, aber ich habe so viel mehr mit diesem Buch bekommen! Es war emotionsgeladen, gefühlvoll, herzzerreißend und einfach wunderbar.
Es kommen auch Plot Twists vor, mit denen ich nie im Leben gerechnet hätte. Aber es ist auch schön, von einem Buch überrascht zu werden.
Die Geschichte wird aus der Erzähler-Perspektive, hauptsächlich auf Meg’s Sicht erzählt. Aber man bekommt so auch einen super Einblick in die anderen Charaktere, die sich noch als überaus wichtig erweisen. Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist leicht zu lesen und sehr flüssig, ich bin gerade nur so durch die Seiten geflogen.
Meg war eine super Protagonistin. Sie war mir sehr sympathisch und ist einfach nur lieb. Ich denke, ich konnte mich ein kleines bisschen in ihr wieder erkennen, denn ich möchte auch nicht das Schlechte in Menschen sehen, die mir nahe stehen.
Jonas… tja was soll ich sagen. Ich liebe ihn. Er ist einfach ein wunderbarer Mann und ganz bestimmt kein Bad Boy. Er ist witzig, humorvoll, verständnisvoll und liebevoll.
Das ganze Buch war durchweg spannend und einfach super zu lesen. Zu der Story möchte ich gar nicht allzu viel sagen, aber mich hat sie echt positiv überrascht.
Mir hat das Buch eine tolle Lesezeit beschert, ich bin sehr froh, dass ich es trotz meiner anfänglichen Zweifel gelesen habe und gebe dem Buch 5 Sterne und eine klare Leseempfehlung.
*Werbung* Vielen Dank an das Bloggerportal und den Goldmann Verlag für die Zusendung des Rezensionsexemplars!
Erschienen: 16.10.2017
Seitenzahl: 608
Preis: 10€
Genre: Liebesroman
Klappentext:
Die begeisterte Snowboarderin Meg lebt und arbeitet in den Rocky Mountains. Eines Nachts kommt es während eines Schneesturms zu einer folgenschweren Katastrophe. Meg greift zum Funkgerät und setzt einen Hilferuf ab, der versehentlich bei einem Unbekannten landet. Jonas, berührt von Megs Verzweiflung, kann ihren Anruf nicht vergessen und funkt tags darauf zurück. Schon bald entwickelt sich eine zarte Freundschaft, und ganz langsam beginnt Meg sich zu fragen, ob sie vielleicht mehr für ihn empfindet. Doch kann man sich in jemanden verlieben, von dem man nur die Stimme kennt?
Über die Autorin:
Karen Swan arbeitete lange als Modejournalistin für Zeitschriften wie Vogue, Tatler und YOU. Sie lebt heute mit ihrem Mann und ihren drei Kindern im englischen Sussex. Wenn die Kinder sie lassen, schreibt sie in ihrem Baumhaus Romane.
Meinung:
Ich muss gestehen, ich war erst ein bisschen abgeschreckt durch die hohe Seitenzahl des Buches. Denn ich dachte mir, was kann in einem winterlichen Liebesroman passieren, dass dieses Buch über 600 Seiten hat? Karen Swan hat mich sehr überrascht mit diesem Buch! Ich dachte, ich bekomme einen Liebesroman, der viele Klischees erfüllt und schnulzig ist, aber ich habe so viel mehr mit diesem Buch bekommen! Es war emotionsgeladen, gefühlvoll, herzzerreißend und einfach wunderbar.
Es kommen auch Plot Twists vor, mit denen ich nie im Leben gerechnet hätte. Aber es ist auch schön, von einem Buch überrascht zu werden.
Die Geschichte wird aus der Erzähler-Perspektive, hauptsächlich auf Meg’s Sicht erzählt. Aber man bekommt so auch einen super Einblick in die anderen Charaktere, die sich noch als überaus wichtig erweisen. Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist leicht zu lesen und sehr flüssig, ich bin gerade nur so durch die Seiten geflogen.
Meg war eine super Protagonistin. Sie war mir sehr sympathisch und ist einfach nur lieb. Ich denke, ich konnte mich ein kleines bisschen in ihr wieder erkennen, denn ich möchte auch nicht das Schlechte in Menschen sehen, die mir nahe stehen.
Jonas… tja was soll ich sagen. Ich liebe ihn. Er ist einfach ein wunderbarer Mann und ganz bestimmt kein Bad Boy. Er ist witzig, humorvoll, verständnisvoll und liebevoll.
Das ganze Buch war durchweg spannend und einfach super zu lesen. Zu der Story möchte ich gar nicht allzu viel sagen, aber mich hat sie echt positiv überrascht.
Mir hat das Buch eine tolle Lesezeit beschert, ich bin sehr froh, dass ich es trotz meiner anfänglichen Zweifel gelesen habe und gebe dem Buch 5 Sterne und eine klare Leseempfehlung.
*Werbung* Vielen Dank an das Bloggerportal und den Goldmann Verlag für die Zusendung des Rezensionsexemplars!
December 16, 2016
WoW!!! 4 Stars for Christmas Under the Stars!!
As the synopsis on this book explains:
In the snow-topped mountains of the Canadian Rockies, Meg and Mitch are living their dream. Just weeks away from their wedding, they work and play with Tuck and Lucy, their closets and oldest friends. Meg and Lucy are as close as sisters - much to Meg's sister's dismay - and Tuck and Mitch have successfully turned their passion for snow boarding into a booming business.
But when a polar storm hits, tragedy strikes. Alone in their tiny mountain log cabin she shares with Mitch, Meg desperately tries to radio for help and it comes from the most unexpected place. a lone voice from across the airwaves that sees what she cannot.
As the snow melts and the friends try to live with their loss, the relationships Meg thought were forever are buckled by tensions, rivalries and devastating secrets.
Ok, enough for part of the synopsis....the rest of the story is yours to discover!! I think you will enjoy this read. I honestly could not put it down. As a small hint...you should have a few tissues around...just in case you shed a few tears as I did.
I do have to say though that this is not a "Christmas Read". It is only a mere season in the book.....no Christmas miracles.... but an awesome read.
An excellent story of love, loss and reinvention!!!
January 6, 2017
Christmas Under The Stars by Karen Swan is an adventure taking place in the snow-tipped Canadian Rockies around Lake Louise and Banff.
I can relate to this novel having stayed in a log cabin in the same wilderness area of the Canadian Rockies myself.
I found this novel to be a delightful, romantic, light and easy Christmas holiday read.
It's about being snow-bound in a cabin, loneliness and fear, tragedy and grief.
It's also about happiness, getting on in life and messages sent out of the blue, perhaps from outer-space or under a starlit sky.
Grasping life and facing your fears, whether it be polar storms, bears, wolves or just people in general.
You'll hear a lot about snow-boarding and adventures in the snow.
If you love snow and space stories, you'll like this one.
I loved it.
It's a great love story set under the stars at Christmas bringing love down from above!
I can relate to this novel having stayed in a log cabin in the same wilderness area of the Canadian Rockies myself.
I found this novel to be a delightful, romantic, light and easy Christmas holiday read.
It's about being snow-bound in a cabin, loneliness and fear, tragedy and grief.
It's also about happiness, getting on in life and messages sent out of the blue, perhaps from outer-space or under a starlit sky.
Grasping life and facing your fears, whether it be polar storms, bears, wolves or just people in general.
You'll hear a lot about snow-boarding and adventures in the snow.
If you love snow and space stories, you'll like this one.
I loved it.
It's a great love story set under the stars at Christmas bringing love down from above!
November 20, 2016
Loved it. Not my usual cops/thriller type. But from the very first few pages I was hooked. A love story of a kind. This could definitely be made into a film. And...........what a tearjerker it would be. It got me at the end. Didn't expect the twist at the end. Thoroughly enjoyed it. COULD Not put it down.
December 9, 2018
I found it hard to get into this book which was a shame as usually love Karen's books but not so sure about this one. I did stick with it till the end but didn't really improve for me. It had romance and loss in it and I'm sure perhaps if I wasn't as tired I would have enjoyed it more.
November 24, 2016
Not Christmassy at all, but very snowy and cosy, also be prepared a for a bit of tugging on the heart-strings, enjoyable read.
July 27, 2018
Loved it! The twists and array of characters and emotions in this kept me locked in until the very end. Might just be my fav Karen Swan yet!
August 31, 2020
After the week I’d had, I felt like a pleasure read, something that didn’t require a lot of concentration – and I don’t meant that in a bad way. But I had some non-fiction and thrillers left on my ARC pile and they weren’t what I was after so I went digging in the pile I’d gotten from my library before they had to suspend local deliveries. I have quite a few Karen Swan books there and this one immediately grabbed me when I read the description. The weather was a bit Armageddonish – some sort of chunk had broken off from Antarctica and had made its way to southern Australia and it was freezing, raining, windy etc. However it was nothing compared to the weather that opens this book, a snow storm of the highest category in Banff, Canada.
Meg and Mitch were teenage sweethearts and now it’s ten years later and they’re about to be married. Mitch is a daredevil and also works search and rescue as well as designing and manufacturing snowboards. When a call comes in that two people are missing just as the storm is about to really hit, he insists on going out there, despite Meg begging him not to. With no WiFi or cell service at their cabin and the landline out in the storm, when Mitch doesn’t return in 5 hours like he said, Meg has only Mitch’s satellite radio to desperately try and call for help, even though she doesn’t know how to work it. The only person that responds is a Commander on the International Space Station, who is in just the right position in its track across the globe to be able to hear her distress call and respond, saying he’ll relay her message to someone who can raise the alarm and get help.
This was such an amazing idea for a story! The idea of Meg being so incredibly isolated during an absolutely awful storm and her only source of solace and help is someone that’s actually not even on Earth. Meg is absolutely beside herself with terror and grief as she imagines the worst and the Commander – Jonas – is a steady, unflappable voice who offers solace and help when no one else can. When the storm passes and everything has settled, Meg is faced with an incredible loss. In her grief, she finds herself reaching out to the only person who was there for her that night, the only one who could see what she experienced and the only one that she feels really understands.
Meg moved to near Banff with her family when she was a teenager and despite the fact that she could’ve gone to art college, she chose to stay behind with Mitch, invest in the business with him. Her younger sister works as a doctor in Toronto and often wants Meg to visit but she seems reluctant to leave the safe, comfortable, unchanged life that she has carved out for herself there, working in a skii/hiking hire shop and still being part of the same foursome she has been in since high school – Mitch, his best friend Tuck, her and her best friend Lucy. Tuck and Lucy are now married and Mitch and Meg were just days away from it before the storm hit. Now, in the aftermath, Meg’s life has changed and is changing in so many ways. She finds herself accepting an invite from her sister to visit her in the city and wondering if maybe there are opportunities that might present themselves to her now that take her beyond this area she’s spent the last decade in.
I really loved this one – the beginning is excellent at making the reader feel like they’re part of the storm and the aftermath is very emotional as Meg, at 26 or 27, has to begin to put her life back together, piece by piece. She also has to deal with the fact that someone she loves, and whom she believes cared about her, may not actually have her best interests at heart and might be hindering her from making any progress outside the life that has been unchanged for a decade. It takes Meg a very long time to realise some of these things and understand how a toxic friendship had influenced her life, had made her think certain things. She has to learn to base her decisions on what she wants, not what others want or need her for and that’s a hard new mindset to get into.
I found Meg’s journey really emotional – it was full of grief and she really did hit the lowest of the low for a while, before you can see her trying to pull herself out of the hole, looking around her, seeing that she’s still young, that there’s still a world out there that she can participate in. Her life isn’t over yet. It’s not an easy journey for her and there are several setbacks along the way. One of the few constants for a while, is the Commander, as they move to exchanging emails and because the relationship is remote, it’s easy to confide things in each other. However when Jonas returns to Earth, it’s like Meg realises that he’s now a real person who occupies the same space she does and that comes with a whole new range of feelings, which I found really interesting. You can see however, the moment that the fog does start to lift for Meg and how she starts to accept that she is able to move on and even though there are still some things that will hurt her, there’s a life waiting for her, if she wants it.
This was so good and it has kickstarted my reading mojo again.
Meg and Mitch were teenage sweethearts and now it’s ten years later and they’re about to be married. Mitch is a daredevil and also works search and rescue as well as designing and manufacturing snowboards. When a call comes in that two people are missing just as the storm is about to really hit, he insists on going out there, despite Meg begging him not to. With no WiFi or cell service at their cabin and the landline out in the storm, when Mitch doesn’t return in 5 hours like he said, Meg has only Mitch’s satellite radio to desperately try and call for help, even though she doesn’t know how to work it. The only person that responds is a Commander on the International Space Station, who is in just the right position in its track across the globe to be able to hear her distress call and respond, saying he’ll relay her message to someone who can raise the alarm and get help.
This was such an amazing idea for a story! The idea of Meg being so incredibly isolated during an absolutely awful storm and her only source of solace and help is someone that’s actually not even on Earth. Meg is absolutely beside herself with terror and grief as she imagines the worst and the Commander – Jonas – is a steady, unflappable voice who offers solace and help when no one else can. When the storm passes and everything has settled, Meg is faced with an incredible loss. In her grief, she finds herself reaching out to the only person who was there for her that night, the only one who could see what she experienced and the only one that she feels really understands.
Meg moved to near Banff with her family when she was a teenager and despite the fact that she could’ve gone to art college, she chose to stay behind with Mitch, invest in the business with him. Her younger sister works as a doctor in Toronto and often wants Meg to visit but she seems reluctant to leave the safe, comfortable, unchanged life that she has carved out for herself there, working in a skii/hiking hire shop and still being part of the same foursome she has been in since high school – Mitch, his best friend Tuck, her and her best friend Lucy. Tuck and Lucy are now married and Mitch and Meg were just days away from it before the storm hit. Now, in the aftermath, Meg’s life has changed and is changing in so many ways. She finds herself accepting an invite from her sister to visit her in the city and wondering if maybe there are opportunities that might present themselves to her now that take her beyond this area she’s spent the last decade in.
I really loved this one – the beginning is excellent at making the reader feel like they’re part of the storm and the aftermath is very emotional as Meg, at 26 or 27, has to begin to put her life back together, piece by piece. She also has to deal with the fact that someone she loves, and whom she believes cared about her, may not actually have her best interests at heart and might be hindering her from making any progress outside the life that has been unchanged for a decade. It takes Meg a very long time to realise some of these things and understand how a toxic friendship had influenced her life, had made her think certain things. She has to learn to base her decisions on what she wants, not what others want or need her for and that’s a hard new mindset to get into.
I found Meg’s journey really emotional – it was full of grief and she really did hit the lowest of the low for a while, before you can see her trying to pull herself out of the hole, looking around her, seeing that she’s still young, that there’s still a world out there that she can participate in. Her life isn’t over yet. It’s not an easy journey for her and there are several setbacks along the way. One of the few constants for a while, is the Commander, as they move to exchanging emails and because the relationship is remote, it’s easy to confide things in each other. However when Jonas returns to Earth, it’s like Meg realises that he’s now a real person who occupies the same space she does and that comes with a whole new range of feelings, which I found really interesting. You can see however, the moment that the fog does start to lift for Meg and how she starts to accept that she is able to move on and even though there are still some things that will hurt her, there’s a life waiting for her, if she wants it.
This was so good and it has kickstarted my reading mojo again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 322 reviews