#BookReview A Season In The Snow by Isla Gordon @lisawritesstuff

A Season In The Snow

The Blurb: 

Escape to the mountains this Christmas…

Alice Bright loves her life. She has a job she adores, a devoted family, and friends she’d lay down her life for.

So when tragedy strikes, bringing with it Bear – a rapidly-growing puppy in need of a home – it turns Alice’s whole world upside down. She retreats inside her flat, and inside herself, with only her new companion for company.

But one-bedroom London flats aren’t made for mountain dogs, and so Alice lets Bear push her out of her comfort zone to his homeland: the mountains of Switzerland. Could a change of scene in snowy serenity be just the thing to help Alice fall in love with life again?

A Season in the Snow is the perfect read this Christmas, promising snowy mountains , Christmas markets and heart-warming seasonal romance.

Published on ebook 28th November 2019 by Sphere (paperback to follow next Autumn)

My Thoughts:

Everyone needs a Bear! I loved that this book focused on the bond between a dog and their owner; how when a human is struggling their dog senses this and stays loyally and comfortingly by their side. Even at a young age puppies are intuitive creatures to the emotions and vibe of their pack and anyone who’s ever owned a pet, but especially a dog, will understand the depth of that intuition and how they know to comfort you. It doesn’t romanticise either the responsibilities of owning a large dog and the demands of a puppy. I was particularly happy to see The Dogs Trust puppy training classes mentioned as it emphasises the duty an owner has to commit to proper training and care.

Alice and Bear have a tragic start together; traumatised and hurt their life takes a dramatic turn but they have each other to cling to. The isolating and crippling fear from grief and shock that envelops Alice and changes her life, was written in such a raw and tender way that was heartfelt and familiar. The overwhelming urge to hide away and retreat from any interaction because of such deep-rooted anxiety was treated sensitively and Alice’s journey to recovery came across as authentic and not easily rushed.

As Alice and Bear depend on the other to find a way to grow and live again, they take small steps forward. This takes them all the way to a different country, Switzerland, to reconnect with an old friend and discover plenty of new ones.

The alpine backdrop of the village of Mürren was described beautifully. I could imagine the wooden lodges, cabin style bars, ski slopes and mountain views. I enjoyed the food (cheese fondue, chocolate, buttery rosti potatoes), mulled wine, and experiences of being in Switzerland so much and this story has made me crave a visit of my own. Perfect escapism from rainy England!

You can understand why the quiet beauty of the mountains helps Alice to calm the noises within her head and how the relaxed, welcoming, comfort of the village is the foundation from which she can start to rebuild her life and her future. It becomes less about running away and more about facing up to her reality and how brave it can be to just be happy.

Many thanks go to the publisher and author for granting me a copy of this book via Netgalley, all words and opinions featured are entirely my own.