Review of "A Wreath of Snow" by Liz Curtis Higgs

Rating: 4 Stars

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Summary from WaterBrook Multnomah: Christmas Eve 1894

All Margaret Campbell wants for Christmas is a safe journey home. When her plans for a festive holiday with her family in Stirling crumble beneath the weight of her brother’s bitterness, the young schoolteacher wants nothing more than to return to the students she loves and the town house she calls home. 

Then an unexpected detour places her in the path of Gordon Shaw, a handsome newspaperman from Glasgow, who struggles under a burden of remorse and shame. 

When the secret of their shared history is revealed, will it leave them tangled in a knot of regret? Or might their past hold the threads that will bind their future together?

As warm as a woolen scarf on a cold winter’s eve, A Wreath of Snow is a tender story of love and forgiveness, wrapped in a celebration of all things Scottish, all things Victorian, and, especially, all things Christmas.

Review: Liz Curtis Higgs' Christmas novella, "A Wreath of Snow," is a heartwarming holiday tale with themes of love and reconciliation.  It is the perfect length for the busy holiday season, but does not fall short of expectations, like many short novels. Higgs treats readers to a fully developed plot, that is well thought-out and progresses at a pleasant pace. Both main characters, Margaret and Gordon, carry shackles of guilt from a shared tragedy.  As circumstances cause their paths to intersect once again, their wounds are unexpectedly reopened.  The shared conflict creates a cohesive plot, and Margaret's and Gordon's personal experiences add extra interest.  

True to her style, Higgs incorporates historical detail that makes the Scottish setting come to life. Although Christmas is a couple of months away, this novella put me in holiday spirit.  Its meaningful messages will resonate even more with readers around Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Although snow blankets the Scottish village of Stirling, "A Wreath of Snow" will leave you with that warm and content holiday feeling.  

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”