Snow Globe

by Georgia Beers

Mackenzie Campbell has no idea her life is about to fall apart. She’s bright and attractive with a good job, a comfortable home and an impending Christmas wedding she’s been planning for months. So when her girlfriend bails less than two weeks before the nuptials, Kenzie’s picture perfect Christmas world begins to crumble around her.

Determined to hold on to at least some shred of her dignity, Kenzie snags her best friend, Allison, and flees the cold of the Northeast to take the honeymoon anyway. The Rainbow’s Edge is an enormous LGBT resort in Southern Florida, and its atmosphere of sun and fun seems to be just what Kenzie needs to help take her mind off of her lost relationship. But can a few hot dances, a mysterious suitor, and a handful of rum runners help her figure out what it is she really wants?

Genres: Romance, Lesbian, LGBT, Friends To Lovers, Fiction, Christmas, Audiobook

190 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 2013

About the author

Lambda and Golden Crown Literary Award-winning author Georgia Beers lives in Rochester, New York. She has been writing for as long as she can remember, and published her first lesbian novel in 2000.

Reviews

[JulesGP · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m all Christmas’d out so this is my last holiday read for 2019. It was a good one.

Mackenzie’s fiancée leaves her the week before their Christmas wedding but her best friend, Allison, is there to help her pick up the pieces. In a revenge move, Mackenzie decides to take the honeymoon trip that her former bride-to-be had already paid for and invites her friend as company. Together, they navigate a gay Florida resort, partying, mingling with other guests, doing vacationy things but Kenzie is still feeling the heartbreak so there are some missteps as well. Attempted hookups with strangers, booze blackouts, angsty misunderstandings with Allison.

It’s a good, solid holiday read with some weighty moments but still plenty of laughs and joy. The ending is Christmas rom-com gold.

[Elske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great holiday romance

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a 3.5 stars for me but I decided to round up because I liked the ending.

[Milkiways · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of the best works of Georgia Beers. Entire story revolves around 2 characters and one situation. The plot is like one of those independent movies made for winning national award. No entertainment to general audience, but a lot of pressure on characters and script to make it work, which often don't. Nonetheless, it is a good attempt if not perfect!

[Gaby LezReviewBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Mackenzie’s wedding is called off at the eleventh hour she decides to go to her planned honeymoon during Christmas holidays at a lesbian resort in Florida with her best friend Allison. Little she knows that a journey of self-discovery awaits for her.

This is a fantastic Christmas story full of all the required ingredients: romance, friendship, fun, a little bit of drama and love. Written in first person in the present from the point of view of Mackenzie, it feels like a chronicle of her days before and after her supposed wedding, around Christmas time. ‘Snow Globe‘ is a strong character-driven story and it’s impossible not to love the main character. As Mackenzie decides to go to her ‘not honeymoon’ with her best friend Allison, it’s like the reader/listener is going on the trip to Florida with them, gets into Mackenzie’s headspace and accompanies her in her suffering, her joy, her cluelessness, and her self-discovery.

I’m not sure if this novel is for everyone as it is a very slow-burn romance and the interaction between the lovers quite short. It feels more like there is one main character, Mackenzie, and Allison is an important secondary character. There are quite a few minor details of Mackenzie’s experience in the resort and the reader/listener gets a good overview of her opinions, tastes, and beliefs but not as much of Allison’s. I personally enjoyed being inside Mackenzie’s head but some people might find her cluelessness and sometimes her self-absorption frustrating.

The audiobook is narrated by Hollis Elizabeth, my first experience listening to her. I found that her tone choice was light, appropriate for a type of book set in a resort by the beach, with warm weather and on the countdown to Christmas.
The different characters’ voices were easy to identify and suited them all. Even though this story isn’t very demanding in the feelings department, Ms. Elizabeth’s interpretation was convincing and authentic. Unfortunately, this book isn’t included in Audible Escape or Scribd subscription. Duration: almost 7 hours long.

Overall, a very good lesbian Christmas romance audiobook if you love a very slow-burn story. 4.5 stars.

See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Georgia Beers, for me, is a very dependable author. I know when I pick up one of her books that I am going to enjoy it. I haven't always loved her books, but she has never failed to entertain this reader.

Initially when I started this novel I felt myself drawing comparisons to Starting From Scratch (which I loved!) because of the first person storytelling. Of course these are different characters and that feeling soon faded away. One thing I really like about Georgia's 1st person storytelling is that she has a way of making making me fall in love with the objects of her narrator's affection.

We begin the story with Mackenzie who has just been dumped in the worst possible way by her fiancee nine days before their wedding. Ouch. There to help her pick up the pieces is the incredibly wonderful, sensitive, funny and attractive BFF, Allison. Soon enough these two friends decide to hijack Kenzie's 'should have been' honeymoon and thus our story begins.

The friendship between these two is great and I loved their little inside jokes that were definitely not "PC". They knew little things about each other that gave the characters a sense of realness. In addition each of the side characters played a perfect role. Including the state of Florida. Christmas time in Florida is interesting to say the least. Snow is unheard of, people are frolicking in their swimsuits and you can find flamingos with santa hats. Overall it was a great setting.

I spent the first half of the novel wanting to knock Mackenzie upside the head. Understandably she was going through some necessary stages of grief, but still the woman seemed to be a magnet for bad decisions at times. On the flip side Allison is everything you would want in a friend and more.

Of course, this is indeed a romance, but I won't give anything away concerning how we get to our happily ever after.

I do have a few minor quibbles. I won't say that the novel feels incomplete, but I think I wish there had been just a bit more fluff. Mackenzie in her bikini (hey it was mentioned a few times!), resolution with the ex or maybe just a little time spent as a couple past the intimacy part. Speaking of the ex...sometimes when they are made out to be so horrible I have an extremely difficult times figuring out why our lead was with that person to begin with.

Seriously though these are minor quibbles and I really enjoyed the book. So don't let those things detract from a purchase decision. I've long awaited another release from Beers and was very happy with this one. Solid 4/5

[Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

McKenzie has been dumped by her fiancé two weeks before her Christmas wedding and decides to go on her honeymoon with her best friend instead, lesfic fun ensues.

Generic yet sweet romance by Georgia Beers about overcoming heartbreak and the power of friendship. I liked the settings, a resort covered with gay people and McKenzie and Allison are great together if you ignore the terrible jokes they keep telling each other.

There is a point in the book where I thought I was about to read a date rape in a Georgia Beers romance but thankfully I was wrong and we get a mini 'The Hangover' where McKenzie has to put together what she did the previous night.

Not many surprises and it won’t knock your socks off but Georgia Beers is always reliable for a good read.

3.5 / 5.0

[Choko · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** 3.33 ***

A fun friends to lovers holiday romance. A tad too much drinking and bad choices for actual adults to make for me though... A very quick read. 🙂

[Megzz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great story by Georgia Beers. It's safe to say that when I buy a book by her, I know it's going to be a good one. It's always a safe choice.

Snow Globe is a really sweet story. Kenzie is endearing albeit sometimes infuriating in her cluelessness. Allison is sexy and real, I fell a little bit in love with her. Beers' characters are always interesting human beings with realistic emotions and flawed yet beautiful personalities. It really helps when you love the characters in a book (especially a romance novel).
The dynamic between them is amazing, and it's heartwarming to read about two people who just know each other by heart and feel comfortable with each other at all times. Much like best friends should be. And much like girlfriends should be as well. Georgia Beers manages to give us a feel of how safe the girls feel with each other, and how much at home they feel in the other's presence. That's what love is, whether it's romantic or platonic.

Snow Glob also provides us with very funny moments, and I found myself smiling like a fool more times than I can count.

If there is one negative thing I would say, it's that Kenzie is maybe TOO clueless, and as much as I believe that you can realise you're in love with somebody with a blink of an eye, when you least expect it, I still felt like Kenzie's realisation was a bit brutal. I would have liked more clues, maybe more flashbacks about their years as friends that would indicate that indeed, Kenzie had also always loved Allie and had been blind all along. Maybe a bit more sexual tension, a bit more build up. But because the book is written in the 1st person narrative, from Kenzie's POV, I understand how difficult that was to achieve.


In any case, I am always amazed at Beers' ability to write incredibly realistic situations and dialogues. The words don't feel forced or out of place, the story flows. It's impressive.

[Alealea · Rating 1 out of 5]

Huh. I had a pretty bad vibe yesterday after sentence one, so I put the book down and picked another one.
Then this morning I picked it again. Why ???

I happened to have forgotten my keys to open up the office so a 45 minutes read (trip home-to-office) morphed to almost 45min+2 hours reading at a coffee shop before a coworker arrived. (Why do I go to work so early??? )

There are so many things I didn't like, I don't know which one to pick to explain my rating.
The fisrt narrator pov was grating, because it's the jilded, bewildered, confused, angry one gal who gives voice to the story
Instead of getting married as expecting, she got dumped. So after a lot of moaning, she asks her bestie to come with her to her honeymoon trip. Of course, she feels depressed and mostly fell in a bottomless pit of selfpity.
The bestie seems to alternate between trying to cheer her up and going out meeting new people including beautiful & interesting women...
Then at 80% you're supposed to believe ... that those two besties are in love, never made a move, never allowed themselves to think about it and after some drama, they end up in bed and together, the END

I finished the book with my lunch and I'm still scratching my head. Lucky me, my hair are so short it can't mess anything.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend-to-lover romance.... I’m all for Team Allison, though why she stayed in a relationship for 3 years while her heart belongs to someone else confounded me, especially since that certain someone is single... Liked the airport scene.. can just pictured it in my head and had me chuckling for a bit there.

Ratings: 3.5

[Ashuri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant cliche story about falling in love with the person who has always been there for you. The only qualms I had was how the ending was rushed and also how the ex-gf was never brought up again really. I mean it was hilarious how they bad-mouthed her every chance they got because yes, she was a bitch, but I would've loved to have some confrontation with her in person with MC. I think it would've made the ending and the getting together much more satisfying but the way the author did it wasn't so bad either. Overall, a decent read! I wish that such a LGBT resort existed in real life though. Sounds like it could be a wild place if this book is anything to go by!

[Christie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was just okay for me. I did a lot of skimming until Allison and Mackenzie finally got together, especially when they were apart.

[Shana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked both Allison and Mackenzie, and the setting happily reminded me of the queer resorts in Key West. The writing is smoothly done and the characterization was clear, although I wasn’t pulled into the story and ended up not finishing it. I could have done without the references to dieting, forgetting to eat for two days, getting your body ready for a bikini etc.

[Lisa R Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jilted three days before her wedding, Kenzie makes a decision. She takes her best friend, Allison, on the honeymoon Kenzie and her fiancé had planned. What are the possibilities for two attractive women (who have cared about each other for years) staying in a Honeymoon suite at a beautiful beach resort? There are plenty!

[Em Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story so much, I kept seeing a LBR tweet and thought I’ll give this story a go. I ended up rooting for Allison and when the penny finally dropped and Mackenzie realised, I did a happy dance. Also I loved the Blonde and Polish jokes all through the book, some were real gems.

[Carleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is another review that is long overdue. I first read Snow Globe by Georgia Beers (Brisk Press) very early in the year. Life got a little busy and, so, the review was put on the back burner. I recently made a trip to Provincetown, MA with my cousin. During our drive, I turned my Kindle Fire to "text-to-speech" and we listened to Snow Globe. It was my cousin's introduction to lesbian fiction, in general, and Georgia Beers, in particular. Since we're coming up on the holidays, I determined that I really need to write this review - the timing is rather appropriate.

If there is one thing I've learned from reading lesbian fiction it's that I'm pretty confident I will enjoy anything Georgia Beers writes. The enjoyment may be on different levels and for different reasons, but I can trust that it will be a good book. Snow Globe does not disappoint. Beers has a knack for writing interesting characters, playing on my emotions (in only the best sense of the phrase), and telling a really nice romance.

The focus in Snow Globe is on the two main characters, Mackenzie (Kenzie) and her best friend, Allison. I know what you're thinking: "Well, of course the focus will be on the two main characters, Carleen. That's the point!" Yes, I know. I get that. But since this story is told from Kenzie's point of view, we aren't inundated with secondary characters. Oh, they are there, make no mistake. But Beers puts the focus where the focus needs to be - on Kenzie and her journey. We're given enough information about Kenzie and Allison throughout the book to get a good picture of who these two women are and how they interact with each other. The story of their friendship is interspersed throughout the novel, rather than dumped on us in a few pages of exposition or backstory. This unfolding makes things much more interesting. The secondary characters are not given the short-shrift, however. Kenzie's descriptions of others, though biased, are full and three-dimensional. And they are all unique - it's impossible for me to get them confused with each other. Thank you for that, Georgia.

I usually end up a snotty, crying ball of mush when I read one of Beers' novels. Again, I mean this as an absolute compliment. Without fail, Beers finds a way to hit my emotions in such a way that I fully feel and relate to the characters and what they are going through. In 96 Hours, it was my own memories and experiences with 9/11. Starting from Scratch brought up my own experiences with my mother and grandmother. With Snow Globe, I did not end up crying. Instead, I was often laughing at the miscues and witty dialogue. The "Blonde" and "Polish" jokes throughout the story had me chuckling right along with Kenzie (who is blonde) and Allison (who is Polish). I felt the anger that Kenzie and Allison had toward Kenzie's ex-fiance, Kim. I understood Kenzie's confusion as she navigated her world post-breakup. Beers' ability to write so evocatively is a true talent.

Beers has often professed - unabashedly, proudly - that she is a Romance writer. And I am so glad she is because she does it so well. What's very interesting about Snow Globe is that I was able to figure out what the end result would be. I don't think Beers was trying to keep that a secret. But it did not hinder or detract from the novel in any way. In fact, it made Kenzie's journey that much more lovely and interesting. So, yes, I knew who would get together in the end, but I didn't know how they would get together. Using the first-person point of view from Kenzie's perspective added a fun flavor to that journey. This certainly would have been a very different experience had third-person point of view been used and we'd been told the story from multiple perspectives. (Not better or worse, but definitely different.) Exploring that "how" along with Kenzie was simply delightful.

Overall, Snow Globe is a sweet romance that is fun and easy to read. It's not overly complicated. There are definite obstacles and conflicts, but they aren't convoluted and highly complex. If you're looking for something that will keep you guessing with every page turn and sitting at the edge of your seat from the intrigue of it all, let me know. I have a few suggestions for you. But if you're looking for a nice romance that will take you on a journey with a very relatable character and have you smiling when you hit that last page, then you definitely want to get Snow Globe. With the weather in the U.S. turning cold - indicating that winter is right around the corner - take this opportunity to curl up in your favorite reading spot, bundled up in your favorite blanket, with your favorite hot drink close at hand, and read Snow Globe. Trust me, you won't regret it.

[Lee_wa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I chose this as my summer holiday read - bad choice! I normally like GB but this was a rambling stream of consciousness type thing to me - I found it hard to build any empathy for the main character and I'm not necessarily a big fan of first person narrative - at least in this case where it tries too hard. It became so obvious what was going to happen and actually within sight of the finish line I just gave up because in fact (possible spoiler alert) there is no romance in this romance novel until possibly the last few pages. Had loads of potential but never delivered.

[Joc · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Snow Globe but I think it could have done with a little bit more. A little bit more tension, a little bit more chemistry and a little bit more interaction between the two main characters. Written in first person, Mackenzie navigates us through her shock at being dumped nine days before her wedding to going on her honeymoon with her best friend as company. I struggled a bit with her lack of sense of self and her inability to read people, however, the ending makes up for a lot of the detractors.

[Ayse · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual, Georgia Beers delivers an excellently written story that I couldn't put down. Though it was a little predictable, I was still totally enthralled by the journey that they took to find each other. The ex was a little over the top -- it seems unlikely that someone would be that ridiculous and clueless, especially with the text message. The description of the resort was cute though, a gay wonderland sounds pretty incredible. Not too be missed for a satisfying romance.

[Natsu · Rating 3 out of 5]

hmm.. 3.5.

A "you're-looking-for-something-that's-right-in-front-of-you" romance. Nothing unpredictable... It had it's moments. Personally, this falls behind most of the titles I've read from the author.

Most parts were Kenz's ramblings/whining or wallowing in self-pity or making a fool out of herself. Then there are the Kenz-Allie BFF stuff which gives us some comic relief and a rest from all the "I'm supposed to be married to that b&*$#" drama.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a funny story about a woman who has a lot to go through until she found the one and only woman. Although I have the view from the third person rather, this story is exciting to read from the perspective of Mackenzie herself. Her thoughts and actions to follow is intersting and funny. An exciting read to relax and unwind from everyday life.

[Xejx · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm generally a big fan of Georgia Beers - this was not the best

[cherry ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i was reading this instead of working... so you can only imagine how invested i was.

the summary gives nothing away, but i had an inkling that kept changing every time i finish a chapter of the book. despite its short-ish page count, this was the slowest of slowburns, and consider me immensely impressed!

this was such a fun time! it was hilarious being in kenzie's head. she was quite the character — sometimes unlikeable, so she feels real. loved the cast of characters that we encountered.

allison is hot, and my new book girlfriend. sorry, i don't make the rules.

my only qualm about this book is that there was A LOT of winking going on. everyone was winking left and right. but otherwise, this was a great read, a unique holiday romance, and i know i'll be bingeing this author's backlist sometimes in the coming year. 😭

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars. I've read so much better from Beers. The romance came in at the last minute and I just didn't buy into it which is unfortunate because I thought Alison was a great character. Mackenzie though, ugh. I found her to be a bit insufferable. I empathized with her but she was grating. The plot was fine. It's quick paced and an easy read but I wish the romance had come in a bit earlier. Overall this was okay.

[Michelle Schuler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic of Christmas

Sometimes you just have to crash before you see what is in front of you. This is a beautiful holiday season romance that brings joy to your heart. Georgia Beers does an amazing job at chemistry and bringing the couple together. I look forward to more books by Georgia Beers in the future.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you think you lost her...

This is amazing, lovely story set around Christmas time. The issues main characters have, the discovery, time spend together, makes this story so lovely. It is sweet with slow burn and I do wish it went further.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good writing and a sweet romantic story with some Christmas magic.
The friends-to-lovers storyline isn’t really my thing, but I don’t mind it in this book.
It was an entertaining read.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Georgia Beers.