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"I immediately fell under the spell of this artfully crafted world that I swore I was in a rundown cottage in the middle of the mountains... A perfect read for witch season." —Kate Robb, author of This Spells Love In a magical new direction for One Christmas Morning author Rachel Greenlaw, an evocative and mysterious story about lost love and the magic of coming home, for readers of Adrienne Young and Breanne Randall. There is an old tale woven through the mountain town of Woodsmoke about a stranger who appears as the first snow falls in winter, who will disappear without a trace as the frost thaws in spring, leaving a broken heart behind. Carrie Morgan ran from Woodsmoke ten years ago, and the decision has haunted her ever since. Spending a decade painting and drifting around Europe, she tries to forget her family’s legacy and the friends she left behind. But the Morgan women have always been able to harness the power of the mountains surrounding the town, and their spells—and curses—are sewn into the soil. The mountains, they say, never forget. Sure enough, when Carrie’s grandmother dies and leaves behind her dilapidated cottage, she returns to renovate—certain she will only be there for one winter. She meets Matthieu as the temperature dips, a newcomer who offers to help refurbish the cottage. Before long, and despite warnings from her great-aunt Cora of the old stories, Carrie finds herself falling for the charming stranger. But when the frost thaws in spring, Matthieu goes missing. Carrie is convinced he’s real, and he’s in danger. As she fights her way across the mountains to find him, she must confront all the reasons why she left Woodsmoke and decide whether the place she’s spent the last decade running from is the home she’s been searching for. Rachel Greenlaw, the beloved author of One Christmas Morning, returns with another beautifully crafted, emotionally charged, and romantic tale about lost love and the magic of coming home.
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3.5⭐️
Carrie Morgan has returned to Woodsmoke after 10 years of running from her family’s legacy. She has returned to fix up her grandmothers cottage after her passing, so she can sell it. Her great aunt Cora is still living in Woodsmoke, along with her childhood best friend Jess. The Morgan women have a book that has many tales from over the years, and the book is passed down from grandmother to granddaughter. One tale in particular is about a stranger who appears as the first snow falls in winter & then disappears as the frost thaws in the spring. The only problem with that is the stranger always leaves behind someone with a broken heart. As the temperature starts to change, Carrie meets someone named Matthieu who offers to help her fix up the cottage. Carrie is convinced he’s real, but everyone else can’t say the same.
This book follows 3 POVs: Carrie Morgan, Cora Morgan, and Jess. I loved having the different POVs & it was definitely helpful at times for understanding situations better. The book was good & I enjoyed it, but it just didn’t “wow” me, so that’s my reason for 3.5⭐️. I was hoping it would be a good witchy read, but there wasn’t much on the witchy side of things like I had in my mind. I didn’t really feel super attached to any of the characters either, but I enjoyed the friendship aspect of the book. The book was focused on relationships, friendships, family & self discovery. I definitely loved the themes of the book! It was nice to learn about Carrie & Jess’s relationship as they grew up & what tore them apart. I don’t want to say much about Matthieu & spoil the story. I didn’t see some things coming, so that was a crazy surprise to the story.
I would recommend it for a quick read in the fall because it was definitely a cozy read!
Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel Greenlaw & Avon Books for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.