REVIEW: Angels in the Snow by Rexanne Becnel

ANGELS IN THE SNOW by Rexanne Becnel is a wonderful holiday story that is sure to become one of your most memorable this season.

Charles Montgomery is a real estate developer. He’s married to Judith and they have two teenagers, Alexander and Jennifer. The family is grudgingly going on a vacation to the mountains at their father’s insistence. Worse yet, they have to spend Christmas away from their friends in an isolated area with spotty cell phone service.

Charles is determined to prove to his family how much he loves them with this Christmas vacation. He hopes to force them to communicate and actually have fun. Just how he’s going to accomplish that with two bratty teenagers and a wife who wants to leave him, Charles is not quite certain. Especially since he really doesn’t know how to please any of them. When a severe storm hits and the electricity goes out, along with phone and cell service, a family of five in need of shelter from the snow joins the Montgomerys for a Christmas they will never forget.

I had a hard time warming up to Charles. He is a hardened businessman who thinks he’s proving his love for his family by constantly working to be the best in his field. Sure, they have everything they could ever want, except a husband and a dad around to share it with them. Charles cusses constantly and seems so self-absorbed, but that is what makes his transformation so incredible by the end of the story.

When the Walker family joins the Montgomery family, they all have to exist within a small area to conserve heat from the fireplace when the electricity goes out. Can the Walker family’s example of love be enough to pull the Montgomery family back together? Or will the Walkers’ loving unity pull the Montgomerys further apart?

All the characters are so well drawn, each with an individuality that helps move this story forward. The Montgomery teens start off their vacation arguing but with the Walker children as a more loving example, as well as sometimes a deterrent, they’re soon enjoying each other’s differences. Joe and Marilyn Walker are the complete opposites of Charles and Judith. As traveling artists, the Walkers’ life philosophy is loose compared to the dependent lifestyle of the wealthy Montgomerys. As they all grow used to one another and their differences, survival instincts force them to make do until the roads are plowed and the electricity is restored. The question is, will they learn to appreciate what they each bring to this situation?

Although I suspected what might happen, the layering and intricacy of the emotion is superb. ANGELS IN THE SNOW will make you cry in joy as it weaves its beautiful message. This captivating story will soothe my soul for a very long time. It’s the kind of book that you’ll want to reread each holiday season to reignite the warm fuzzies.

A heartwarming tale, ANGELS IN THE SNOW teaches lessons much like Dickens’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL, complete with a magical ending filled with emotion. I recommend this book to all who love a novel that shares the joyous beauty of Christmas – it’s a treasure to be savored.

Review by Dorine, courtesy of Romance Junkies and The Zest Quest. Print ARC provided by the publisher.