Letters in the Snow

by Kimberly Thomas

She came home to say goodbye. But Christmas has a way of lighting the way back to everything we thought was lost.

After years away, Tessa Ellison returns to the snowy town of Yuletide Creek, expecting to help her mother sell the crumbling family inn and quietly leave again. Instead, she finds her estranged siblings back under the same roof, an unexpected blizzard rolling in, and a slow-burning connection reigniting with her childhood best friend—the steady, quiet man now raising his young niece.

As the Ellison House comes back to life with garlands, laughter, and lanterns glowing in the snow, long-buried secrets resurface and wounds begin to heal. But for Grace Ellison, this Christmas is more than a family reunion—it’s a chance to make peace with the past and finally share the letters her late husband left behind. Letters that could change everything.

Set against the glittering backdrop of a small-town Christmas, Letters in the Snow is a heartwarming story of forgiveness, found family, and the quiet magic of new beginnings.

Genres: Womens Fiction

308 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 2, 2025

About the author

Kimberly Thomas has a passion for writing heartfelt stories that resonate with her readers. With two adult children and a loving husband, she understands the complexities of family dynamics and uses this knowledge to create relatable characters. When she's not writing, she loves to travel and explore new cultures. She finds inspiration in the people she meets and the places she visits, and often incorporates her experiences into her stories.

Kimberly specializes in feel-good women's fiction, clean and wholesome contemporary romance. Her stories focus on love, loss, and the everyday situations that families face. Her writing style is engaging and relatable, and she has a talent for drawing readers in and keeping them hooked until the very end.

Reviews

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good book taking place weeks before Christmas. A family that has been separated by grief and life struggles. It was full of emotion and Christmas cheer. I wanted to be there at the inn especially during the snowstorm. I loved the treasure hunt too. Definitely add this book to your holiday reading list.

[Margie Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I’ve read by Kimberly Thomas and I’m finding myself really enjoying reading her stories. She writes about real life with characters that are so well depicted that from reading you can actually imagine them standing right before you as if they are really there. Letters In the Snow is a beautiful story that takes place at Christmas time and centers around a family that has experienced a great loss and has slowly drifted apart. The two sisters return home to the family’s inn after their own personal lives have finally hit rock bottom. With the help of their beautiful memories of their father and a few letters that he left for them they are finally able to come back together as a family and to restore the declining inn that their father loved so much and to give back to the community that has been there to help them in their time of need. It was a great story about people helping people, realizing lost love that was always meant to be, and the importance of family and staying close. I really enjoyed this story and will be recommending it to others. I am thankful to have been given the opportunity to be an early reader and I look forward to reading more by Kimberly Thomas very soon!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tessa Ellison returns home to Yuletide Creek after years away to help her mother sell the family inn. She grew up at the inn with her parents and a brother and sister but hasn't been able to return home due to her grief over the death of her father. She's dismayed to find the inn in terrible shape and knows that she needs to help her mother move. Her sister also shows up after several years away. There's a lot of tension between the three siblings. Her brother had stayed at home to help his mom and is very resentful that his two sisters had left home and didn't seem to care. Her former boyfriend also lives near the inn and has been helping her brother work on repairs. When Tessa gets home, she refuses to talk to her old boyfriend and wants to forget their past together. But he still has feelings for her and tries to break down her barriers.

All three of the siblings miss their father and his joy and love that occurred in the Christmas season. They reluctantly decide to decorate the inn like their father used to do. As the Ellison House comes back to life with garlands, laughter, and lanterns glowing in the snow, long-buried secrets resurface and wounds begin to heal.

Will the joy and happiness of the Christmas season help to bring the siblings back together? Will Tessa realize that she still loves her boyfriend and will Christmas help create a happily ever after for them?

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breakdown in communications

Sharon Ellison left Yuletide Creek years earlier to attend Juilliard and then play her cello in the Philharmonic Orchestra. Meanwhile, her father dies and life happens but she still doesn't head back home to her mom and siblings - and the boy next door.

Now it's past time for her to be home. Except misunderstandings line the pathway and the family business is about ready to fall down from neglect. Can she finally open up and actually talk with the people who need it most? And can a little Christmas cheer help?

I enjoyed this book about the inn in this small town and the people with terrible communication skills.

[Janice Sisemore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Letters in the snow

An unexpected family reunion at Christmas. Sharon comes home to help her mother after being away for
several years. Sharon finds Evan who was her childhood boyfriend. Sharon father had passed away, they find letters left by him. I love the fun they had with the letters, great adventure. Will Sharon and Evan get back together? Read and find out. Also a lot of family drama. A great Christmas story.

I received an advance copy of the book from the author. This book review is my own opinion.

[Kelley D · Rating 5 out of 5]

From love and loss to anger and forgiveness, Kimberly weaves these emotions together flawlessly. This story feels so real, like you’re peeking into a family’s life through an open window. Each character is brought to life with depth and hear, making you care about their struggles and triumphs. The sibling rivalry is written with such honesty and intensity that it pulled me in from the very first page. A beautifully written, emotionally charged read that I couldn’t put down. Truly a five-star experience.

[Jennie Fortna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Letters in the Snow is book 5 in A Yuletide Creek series by Kimberly Thomas 4.5 stars

What happens when your family is torn apart by grief? You return home thinking this will be the last time but fate has other plans for Tessa, her siblings and the inn where they grew up. Repairing relationships, secrets, a blizzard, family drama, laughter and hopefully healing and love.

I voluntarily read a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sherrie Kubis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yuletide Creek Series ups and downs

Book #5 is one of the best in this series. A few earlier books seemed formulaic, same gestures, same bossy girl putting a guy who loves that in his place -- you get the drift. Letters in the Snow is a great story, the family is real, their struggles real, their grief palpable. I planned on not finishing the series, but now I'm on to the next. Keep them coming!!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy holiday story about coming home, forgiveness and love!