by Viola Shipman
Publisher: Graydon House
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Buy the Book: Amazon
Goodreads: Sonny Dunes, a SoCal meteorologist who knows only sunshine and seventy-two-degree days, is being replaced by an AI meteorologist, which the youthful station manager reasons "will never age, gain weight or renegotiate its contract." The only station willing to give the fifty-year-old another shot is one in a famously nontropical place—her northern Michigan hometown.
Unearthing her carefully laid California roots, Sonny returns home and reacclimates to the painfully long, dark winters dominated by a Michigan phenomenon known as lake-effect snow. But beyond the complete physical shock to her system, she's also forced to confront her past: her new boss, a former journalism classmate and mortal frenemy; more keenly, the death of a younger sister who loved the snow; and the mother who caused Sonny to leave.
To distract herself from the unwelcome memories, Sonny decides to throw herself headfirst into all things winter to woo viewers and reclaim her success. From sledding and ice fishing to skiing and winter festivals, the merrymaking culminates with the town’s famed Winter Ice Sculpture Contest. Running the events is a widowed father and chamber of commerce director, whose genuine love of Michigan, winter and Sonny just might thaw her heart and restart her life in a way she never could have predicted.
Kritters Thoughts: Sonny Dunes has been living and working in Palm Springs as a chief meteorologist when the station manager decides to take things in a new direction and Sonny has a viral reaction and decides to go home to Michigan to regroup. She ends up at her home tv station with a demotion, but maybe it will help her confront some things from her past and maybe even find a little love!
This book started out slow, but once the ball got rolling it kept getting better and better. Sonny was a fun character to follow as she definitely stumbled over her own two feet, but other characters sure also didn't help! I am not sure I have read any book that takes the reader behind the scenes of the newsroom, so I enjoyed those bits a lot. With more of a focus on the weather, it was interesting to hear how it all comes together with the staff and the graphics and all of the other details.
Of course, there was a love story in this book and it fit in just the right spots. While it may have felt a little rushed, it was still nice and sweet and added to the story. I wouldn't mind a sequel to this one that focuses on Ron/Icicle because seeing where he goes beyond this story would be so much fun!
Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row
Ebook 2021 Challenge: 153 out of 100
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from HarperCollins. I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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