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A Frosty Season #1
Sleigh Bells & Second Chances
This Christmas season, a widow returns to a snow-capped small town for an exhilarating time of second chances, buried secrets, and her next chapter of love.
After twenty-eight years away, Trudy is called back to her hometown of Wilmington to serve as the temporary innkeeper of her Aunt Olivia’s beautiful Hollow’s Grove Inn.
Trudy is reluctant to go, to say the least. She’s a Boston girl these days, nursing her wounds from her husband’s death five years ago, and committed completely to her work in the city. But when Trudy arrives, the cozy streets, snow-topped rooftops adorned with twinkling lights, and the friendly locals create an atmosphere of warm nostalgia. And a handsome stranger named Jack catches her eye— and makes her question if she’s really done with romance, after all. What’s a chance discovery of a mysterious photograph pulls Trudy into an immersive mystery— one that draws her deeper into the world of Wilmington, its long-held secrets, and its yearly Parade of Christmas Floats. As the festive season reaches its peak, the Parade of Christmas Floats becomes a symbol of hope and reconciliation for Trudy, her family, and the dramas of the past. After this holiday season, Trudy will carry cherished memories of love, forgiveness, and newfound connections with her, forever. Dive into Sleigh Bells & Second Chances, a Christmas story that celebrates love, second chances, and plenty of delightful Christmas treats— just in time for the holiday season.
After twenty-eight years away, Trudy is called back to her hometown of Wilmington to serve as the temporary innkeeper of her Aunt Olivia’s beautiful Hollow’s Grove Inn.
Trudy is reluctant to go, to say the least. She’s a Boston girl these days, nursing her wounds from her husband’s death five years ago, and committed completely to her work in the city. But when Trudy arrives, the cozy streets, snow-topped rooftops adorned with twinkling lights, and the friendly locals create an atmosphere of warm nostalgia. And a handsome stranger named Jack catches her eye— and makes her question if she’s really done with romance, after all. What’s a chance discovery of a mysterious photograph pulls Trudy into an immersive mystery— one that draws her deeper into the world of Wilmington, its long-held secrets, and its yearly Parade of Christmas Floats. As the festive season reaches its peak, the Parade of Christmas Floats becomes a symbol of hope and reconciliation for Trudy, her family, and the dramas of the past. After this holiday season, Trudy will carry cherished memories of love, forgiveness, and newfound connections with her, forever. Dive into Sleigh Bells & Second Chances, a Christmas story that celebrates love, second chances, and plenty of delightful Christmas treats— just in time for the holiday season.
188 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 17, 2023
1749 people are currently reading
353 people want to read
About the author
Katie Winters
124 books401 followersKatie writes women's fiction and clean, wholesome contemporary romance. She looks to everyday, real-life family issues to weave stories of heartfelt emotions, love and loss, and everything in between.
Come transport yourself to Martha's Vineyard: an island of vivid blue ocean, white sand, and a lively community of locals, who celebrate everything from the bright New England summers to the cold, yet cozy, snowcapped winters.
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Come transport yourself to Martha's Vineyard: an island of vivid blue ocean, white sand, and a lively community of locals, who celebrate everything from the bright New England summers to the cold, yet cozy, snowcapped winters.
Join my newsletter for updates: https://bit.ly/30cqGnI
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
December 19, 2023
Trudy and Jack. Trust inherits her Aunts Inn. She meets Jack, a local.
ÐNF This book was written poorly, and I just could not finish it.
ÐNF This book was written poorly, and I just could not finish it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2023
A pleasant enough Christmas novel. The writing was not bad and the story pretty good.
i-tried-but-this-shit-failed-me
December 28, 2024This didn’t seem particularly bad, and the author seems to be popular, and this is usually in my cup of tea, but I just didn’t feel connected at all with the characters and the writing and didn’t want to read about them. DNF at about 20%
December 11, 2024
2.5/5
An okay Christmas read!
An okay Christmas read!
March 5, 2025
Ah, small towns at Christmas—where the snow falls just so, the holiday cheer is aggressively mandatory, and if you ever leave, you are legally required to return just in time for an emotional reckoning with your past. In Sleigh Bells & Second Chances, our protagonist finds themselves doing exactly that—back in their hometown, smack in the middle of twinkling lights, festive events, and oh look, there’s my ex, let’s pretend that’s fine. Spoiler: It is not fine. Because if there’s one thing Christmas loves more than cinnamon-scented nostalgia, it’s forcing people into romantic do-overs.
Katie Winters leans hard into the second-chance trope, delivering all the angsty, unresolved feelings you could want, wrapped in cozy, small-town holiday charm. Expect longing glances over mugs of hot cocoa, awkward run-ins at tree-lighting ceremonies, and at least one moment where someone almost confesses their feelings before chickening out in dramatic fashion. But this isn’t just about romance—it’s about growth, regret, and figuring out whether the past belongs where you left it or if it’s worth fighting for. Winters doesn’t just hand her characters a happy ending with a bow on top—she makes them work for it, which makes the payoff all the sweeter.
If you live for second-chance romance, emotional turmoil in a picturesque setting, and small-town meddling so intense it should honestly be illegal, this book delivers. It’s heartfelt, festive, and perfect for curling up with when you need a seasonal dose of feelings. 4 stars for the romance, the holiday magic, and the emotional payoff (minus one star because, listen, I love a Christmas miracle as much as the next person, but can one holiday season really fix a whole lifetime of unresolved issues?).
Katie Winters leans hard into the second-chance trope, delivering all the angsty, unresolved feelings you could want, wrapped in cozy, small-town holiday charm. Expect longing glances over mugs of hot cocoa, awkward run-ins at tree-lighting ceremonies, and at least one moment where someone almost confesses their feelings before chickening out in dramatic fashion. But this isn’t just about romance—it’s about growth, regret, and figuring out whether the past belongs where you left it or if it’s worth fighting for. Winters doesn’t just hand her characters a happy ending with a bow on top—she makes them work for it, which makes the payoff all the sweeter.
If you live for second-chance romance, emotional turmoil in a picturesque setting, and small-town meddling so intense it should honestly be illegal, this book delivers. It’s heartfelt, festive, and perfect for curling up with when you need a seasonal dose of feelings. 4 stars for the romance, the holiday magic, and the emotional payoff (minus one star because, listen, I love a Christmas miracle as much as the next person, but can one holiday season really fix a whole lifetime of unresolved issues?).
December 21, 2024
Sappy
A story of the ups and downs of friendships and families and how disappointments and loss can cause people to close themselves off from the people they love. The main characters in this story Olivia, Danika and Helen were best friends until Helen's teenaged daughter became pregnant. Helen and her husband are angry and disappointed. Their daughter does not want to let them decide what she should do and opts to go live with her Aunt Danika. Danika is supportive of her niece and this causes a huge rift in the family. Danika becomes a mother to her niece while Helen ends all communication with her daughter. The main character in the story is Trudy. She is Olivia's niece and becomes involved in this drama when Olivia dies leaving her an inn. Trudy moves to the town and makes it her mission to figure out how this trio of women came to part ways and to reunite Helen with the friends and family she has shut herself off from. Trudy relates to Helen as she has also shut herself off from others since the untimely death of her husband. In working to mend these broken relationships and get Helen to open her heart, Trudy also opens her own heart.
This is a nice story although it is rather unrealistic. The characters are likeable . I couldn't love this book because it was poorly written. It needed a good editing that it did not get. One example is a description of a character eating spaghetti, wrapping the strands around the "tongs" of her fork.
The story ends very abruptly ...to be continued in a sequel. I will pass.
A story of the ups and downs of friendships and families and how disappointments and loss can cause people to close themselves off from the people they love. The main characters in this story Olivia, Danika and Helen were best friends until Helen's teenaged daughter became pregnant. Helen and her husband are angry and disappointed. Their daughter does not want to let them decide what she should do and opts to go live with her Aunt Danika. Danika is supportive of her niece and this causes a huge rift in the family. Danika becomes a mother to her niece while Helen ends all communication with her daughter. The main character in the story is Trudy. She is Olivia's niece and becomes involved in this drama when Olivia dies leaving her an inn. Trudy moves to the town and makes it her mission to figure out how this trio of women came to part ways and to reunite Helen with the friends and family she has shut herself off from. Trudy relates to Helen as she has also shut herself off from others since the untimely death of her husband. In working to mend these broken relationships and get Helen to open her heart, Trudy also opens her own heart.
This is a nice story although it is rather unrealistic. The characters are likeable . I couldn't love this book because it was poorly written. It needed a good editing that it did not get. One example is a description of a character eating spaghetti, wrapping the strands around the "tongs" of her fork.
The story ends very abruptly ...to be continued in a sequel. I will pass.
October 21, 2023
A fun Christmas story filled with second chances. Trudy comes to town following the death of her Aunt Olivia who owns the Hollow Grove Inn. The Inn and Olivia, are Know for the Christmas Spirit, Trudy is surprised by a huge delivery of Christmas Trees from Jack, the owner of the tree farm. The widowed Trudy throws herself into honoring her Aunt with the best decorations as she decides to try to pull together the local Festival of Frost Floats to bring in money for toys for the needy. Along the way, Trudy becomes acquainted with restaurant owner Emily and her daughter Nina. Emily is estranged from her mother Helen and was raised at the Inn with her aunt Danika. Why had Olivia, Danika and Helen had a falling out. Can old hurts be healed during the holiday season? Is the a second chance for love?
Thank you to the author for this ARC. This review is my honest opinion
Thank you to the author for this ARC. This review is my honest opinion
December 14, 2024
Up state NY, Wilmington.
Trudy a city girl who lost her husband 5 yrs ago has become a loner gets word that her Aunt Olivia who raised her from 16 on and was the best. Had suddenly passed away. The Inn she was running is now hers. She goes with the intent to sale after first of the yr.
She get to town, it’s so cute and sparkling the people so caring and kind. They draw her in. She finds she’s not a loner and likes who she is there.
She Mets Jack who runs the Christmas tree farm the first day he has 25 trees for her! He offers to help her decorate them and tells her about her Aunt Olivia. She finds she I
Likes being with him and he is falling for her too. Her Aunt ran the Christmas frost float parade…she jumps in. She feels she belongs. She decides to stay Jack is her man.
Trudy a city girl who lost her husband 5 yrs ago has become a loner gets word that her Aunt Olivia who raised her from 16 on and was the best. Had suddenly passed away. The Inn she was running is now hers. She goes with the intent to sale after first of the yr.
She get to town, it’s so cute and sparkling the people so caring and kind. They draw her in. She finds she’s not a loner and likes who she is there.
She Mets Jack who runs the Christmas tree farm the first day he has 25 trees for her! He offers to help her decorate them and tells her about her Aunt Olivia. She finds she I
Likes being with him and he is falling for her too. Her Aunt ran the Christmas frost float parade…she jumps in. She feels she belongs. She decides to stay Jack is her man.
October 20, 2023
Katie Winters begins her Frosty Season series with a beautiful book about appealing home towns, welcoming residents and chances to change life. Widow Trudy returns to her home town of Wilmington to temporarily take over her late Aunt Olivia's Hollow's Grove Inn. The plot is beautiful and focuses on both sad times and hopeful futures. I love these small town romances that center on family problems. Despite the bitter past and sense of loss faced by several characters, the possibility for happiness lies ahead. The characters were all wonderfully portrayed, and the background story was unique. I look forward to the next book.
October 24, 2023
This is an incredible book! Katie Winters has taken us on a magical journey through loneliness and pain of loss. The storyline is absolutely incredible; the characters are so well defined and fully developed; the plot twists and turns are really something; and the HEA is so dang good. It’s hard to believe the book is over…you just want to read more! You definitely need to add this one to your Christmas reads. (I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and totally loved it!!) ❤️❤️❤️
December 13, 2025
Just finished reading the first book in the Frosty Season series, Sleigh Bells and Second Chances. This was such a heartwarming book. I love Trudy. Her life was at a standstill until she went and took over her Aunt Olivia's inn. Trudy's life came to life again at the inn. She made friends, put together tge annual festival that her aunt was always in charge of, and grew within herself. This was a great Christmas read. Thank you Katie Winters. It is on to book 2 in the series, The Healing if Christmas.
November 4, 2023
This story is about Trudy getting a second chance at love. She is on her way to Wilmington to take over the Hollow Groves inn for her great aunt who has passed away. Here she makes friends and tries to do Christmas as she did including The Parade of Christmas Floats. She meets Jack when she first gets there. Through all this Trudy does a great job and even though she owns several coffee shops in Boston , does she decide to stay and run the Harbor Coves Inn or go back to Boston.
December 28, 2023
Sleigh Bells & Second Chances
This book...I liked it, but it wasn't as enjoyable as most books I read. Where some books focus so much on the main characters there's no real story & the finale is rushed, this one is almost buried in backstory & still felt rushed at the end. What I liked most is that it isn't 100% secular, yet the True meaning of Christmas, Jesus' Birth, isn't really mentioned either.
This book...I liked it, but it wasn't as enjoyable as most books I read. Where some books focus so much on the main characters there's no real story & the finale is rushed, this one is almost buried in backstory & still felt rushed at the end. What I liked most is that it isn't 100% secular, yet the True meaning of Christmas, Jesus' Birth, isn't really mentioned either.
January 3, 2025
Its Christmas and the time of second,third or maybe fourth chances to forgive and live.
Trudy has been left her aunt’s inn. She hasn’t been there in years in spite of good intentions. What she found is a new and caring batch of friends. Some are going through what she has been the last few years. How do I break out of my shell and find life again. There is no better place to do this than the Christmas Inn, at least thats what she finds.
Trudy has been left her aunt’s inn. She hasn’t been there in years in spite of good intentions. What she found is a new and caring batch of friends. Some are going through what she has been the last few years. How do I break out of my shell and find life again. There is no better place to do this than the Christmas Inn, at least thats what she finds.
December 8, 2025
Home Coming
Being a successful coffee shop owner with several franchise shops around town, but lonely with no children and her husband dead. Now her Aunt died back in the town she finished up school in. So she inherited the Inn her Aunt had owned and operated for years. Now with all the memories coming back her heart is changing and coming alive after years of just surviving.
Good Read.
Being a successful coffee shop owner with several franchise shops around town, but lonely with no children and her husband dead. Now her Aunt died back in the town she finished up school in. So she inherited the Inn her Aunt had owned and operated for years. Now with all the memories coming back her heart is changing and coming alive after years of just surviving.
Good Read.
November 14, 2023
Sleigh Bells & Second Chances is book 1 in the Frosty Season series by Katie Winters 4.5 stars
A heartwarming, second chance, Christmas story all rolled up in a beautiful telling of uprooting your life, tragedy, meeting new people and maybe a new man in her life…
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A heartwarming, second chance, Christmas story all rolled up in a beautiful telling of uprooting your life, tragedy, meeting new people and maybe a new man in her life…
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 25, 2023
Uplifting
Great book. All about changing your life and getting second chances. It's about families, second love and changing people's lives for the better. Small town versus big city. How you must learn to believe in yourself and not letting your old life define you. Again, an uplifting book.
Great book. All about changing your life and getting second chances. It's about families, second love and changing people's lives for the better. Small town versus big city. How you must learn to believe in yourself and not letting your old life define you. Again, an uplifting book.
December 7, 2023
TOTALLY AWESOME!
This is a wonderful story of redemption, belief in yourself (for the heroine), a second chance at falling in love and a second chance of being part of a family again. The characters are very real, and made me want to visit the town and get to know these characters. You will be blessed reading this!
This is a wonderful story of redemption, belief in yourself (for the heroine), a second chance at falling in love and a second chance of being part of a family again. The characters are very real, and made me want to visit the town and get to know these characters. You will be blessed reading this!
December 15, 2023
A very fine story of love and family
I read this wonderful story. Well created and good characters.
Thank you to a perfect author for giving us such a good story with the important happy ever after.
I enjoyed it and recommend you to read it for you to enjoy it as I love it and think that you will too.
I read this wonderful story. Well created and good characters.
Thank you to a perfect author for giving us such a good story with the important happy ever after.
I enjoyed it and recommend you to read it for you to enjoy it as I love it and think that you will too.
December 17, 2024
Good Christmas read
This is a nice Christmas story. It's just like a Hallmark Christmas movie but I'm hooked on them so this book fit right in with my holiday feel good activities. The only thing I was disappointed about was I was hoping for a happy closure with Trudy and her mom.
This is a nice Christmas story. It's just like a Hallmark Christmas movie but I'm hooked on them so this book fit right in with my holiday feel good activities. The only thing I was disappointed about was I was hoping for a happy closure with Trudy and her mom.
December 22, 2024
I needed a light read and this sounded like a Hallmark Christmas movie. On the first page, I was so excited to learn the setting was Wilmington, NY. I grew more and more disappointed as I read that the real Wilmington is not at all like the town featured in the book. Why choose a real rural town in upstate NY if you’re going to give it a zoo with a red panda?
January 19, 2025
Review
She grew up in poverty and worked hard to rise above it. Her mother was not a nurturer and dropped her at her aunt’s house. As a teenager she was angry and rebellious and left home for Boston. When her aunt died and left her an inn her thought was to visit and sell but she got caught up in life in a small town.
Enjoy
She grew up in poverty and worked hard to rise above it. Her mother was not a nurturer and dropped her at her aunt’s house. As a teenager she was angry and rebellious and left home for Boston. When her aunt died and left her an inn her thought was to visit and sell but she got caught up in life in a small town.
Enjoy
November 24, 2025
An amazing heartfelted story of love, family, and friends!
This story filled me with memories long forgotten and why you should always keep
family and friends close to help you through both the good and bad times in your life!
Thank you for reminding me of what a wonderful life I've been fortunate to have lived!
This story filled me with memories long forgotten and why you should always keep
family and friends close to help you through both the good and bad times in your life!
Thank you for reminding me of what a wonderful life I've been fortunate to have lived!
October 28, 2023
A delightful story
This was a delightful story and I liked all the characters were likeable,and supportive. This story is very inspiring and uplifting. I recommend this book for a heartwarming Christmas story.
This was a delightful story and I liked all the characters were likeable,and supportive. This story is very inspiring and uplifting. I recommend this book for a heartwarming Christmas story.
November 6, 2023
Family business
A teen abandoned by a unloving incompetant mother is taken in by her aunt. As an adult she inherits her aunts boutique hotel. What a transition for a big city entrepenour to a small town hotel manager. She meets a man and her entire life changes.
A teen abandoned by a unloving incompetant mother is taken in by her aunt. As an adult she inherits her aunts boutique hotel. What a transition for a big city entrepenour to a small town hotel manager. She meets a man and her entire life changes.
November 14, 2023
A great Christmas story
This book was really enjoyable to read. The true meaning of Christmas is so easy to see as the author tells the story of what we should open our eyes when it comes to family and friends. Great job of writing.
This book was really enjoyable to read. The true meaning of Christmas is so easy to see as the author tells the story of what we should open our eyes when it comes to family and friends. Great job of writing.
November 18, 2023
I’ve been reading Katie winters for years! I love her short stories with likable characters. This one I struggled with! I didn’t love the storyline and I thought for a shorter book, it had a lot of filler.
December 6, 2023
Wonderful holiday read
So many beautiful stories of good people throughout this book. The intersection of family, friends, history and Christmas present make this book the perfect thing for getting into the Christmas season!
So many beautiful stories of good people throughout this book. The intersection of family, friends, history and Christmas present make this book the perfect thing for getting into the Christmas season!
January 12, 2024
Another master piece book
Katie Winters did it again . . . A wonderful book in this series that you can harrdly put down. It is so heart touching with vivid images of a small town that embraces love and Christmas.
Katie Winters did it again . . . A wonderful book in this series that you can harrdly put down. It is so heart touching with vivid images of a small town that embraces love and Christmas.
January 20, 2024
open your hearts
I am a first time Katie Winters reader. I enjoyed this book. I can relate to the age of the characters and it gave me pause to consider my own family. I take them for granted. I am so grateful that Helen opened her heart as did Jack and Trudy.
I am a first time Katie Winters reader. I enjoyed this book. I can relate to the age of the characters and it gave me pause to consider my own family. I take them for granted. I am so grateful that Helen opened her heart as did Jack and Trudy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews