‘Tis the season for a little white lie…

Christmas has always been single mom Holly Goodwin Moore’s favorite time of year. The twinkly lights on the tree, the cookies in the oven, the snow on the ground. But she’s just not feeling it this year. The wedding in her ex’s family is almost here, her daughter, Lydia, is bursting at the seams to be a flower girl…and Holly couldn’t be dreading it more. She told a little white lie about having a new boyfriend as her plus-one, hoping to save face. She needs a date for the wedding…and she needs it now.

Ryan Caldwell wants to be free this holiday season. So even he isn’t sure how he landed in Shelter Springs, looking after his niece, Audrey, with his estranged father down the road. But when he meets Holly, she makes him want to belong for the very first time. So they make a deal: he’ll be her date if she helps him give Audrey a true Christmas to remember while her mom is away.

~Standalone Title~

This is a clean, sweet romance with either closed doors/fade to black, or only kissing.

Title:  Snow Kissed
Series:  ~Standalone~
Author:  RaeAnne Thayne
Published:  October 7, 2025
Publisher:  Canary Street Press/Harlequin
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Snow Kissed is one of those delightful Christmas gifts that any reader should give to themselves this holiday season.  We’ll meet Holly, a divorced mom of five-year-old Lydia, who has Down syndrome, and is the sweetest, most observant member of this cast, along with Ryan, the uncle to thirteen-year-old Audrey, who sometimes babysits for Lydia.  Ryan had taken a short leave from his naval pilot duties, since he was already on desk duty due to an accident, to come to Shelter Springs to watch over his niece while his sister, Kim, was in rehab.

Holly owns a flower shop and has taken on the job of providing the flowers for her former sister-in-law’s wedding.  Her ex-husband might be a first-class jerk, but she still loves her in-laws even to the point of allowing Lydia to be the flower girl… although, why anyone could say “allowed” since that choice was beyond her when Lydia was asked directly. (thanks, former sister-in-law *grin*)  The only real issue is that Holly’s ex will be at the wedding, along with his new wife and baby son.  Yeah.  Talk about awkward, especially given the circumstances.

Cue the impossible situation… Holly needs a plus-one for the wedding, mostly, according to her twin sister, to annoy her former, jerk of a husband with how Holly has moved on with someone so much better than Troy.  In exchange for the plus-one position, Holly will help Ryan (the confirmed bachelor) on helping to ensure that his niece has a fantastic Christmas without her mom at home.  Should be simple, right?  Actually… no.  But it is the start of a beautiful Christmas romance full of unexpected feelings, an attraction that just won’t go away, and two people who would be so right together if only they’d give a relationship a chance.

I absolutely loved Snow Kissed by RaeAnne Thayne.  There are some serious issues mixed in with the lighthearted romantic moments, yet, isn’t that life for just about anyone?  If you’re in the mood for a well-written, festive, emotional way to start off your Holiday Romance reading season, then Snow Kissed by RaeAnne Thayne really is the perfect book to pick up.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust.  It is my choice to leave a review, giving my personal opinion about this book.*

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)