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Christmas In The Snow: Taming Natasha / Considering Kate
‘The most successful novelist on Planet Earth’ – Washington Post The first time single-father and music professor Spencer Kimball set eyes on Natasha Stanislaski, he was floored by her exotic beauty. But the former dancer now toy shop owner has a fiery passionate temperament and keeps all men safely at bay… Until Spence and his little girl find their way into her guarded heart. Is she brave enough to risk heartbreak for them? Home is where the heart is Kate Kimball has turned her back on glamour and fame and has come home for Christmas and forever. She’s fallen in love with the dilapidated building she’s bought for her dance school and could also fall for Brody O’Connell, the frustrating and fascinating contractor she’s hired to restore it. But Brody is resisting Kate’s allure. She’s Natasha Stanislaski’s perfect daughter and out of his league. Still, he longs to make her his… Nora Roberts is a publishing phenomenon; this New York Times bestselling author of over 200 novels has more than 450 million of her books in print worldwide. ‘A storyteller of immeasurable diversity and talent ’ Publisher’s Weekly ‘You can’t bottle wish fulfilment , but Nora Roberts certainly knows how to put it on the page.’ New York Times ‘Everything Nora Roberts writes turns to gold .’ Romantic Times. ‘Roberts’ bestselling novels are… thoughtfully plotted, well-written stories featuring fascinating characters .’ USA Today
- GenresChristmas
512 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
12 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Nora Roberts
1,220 books60k followersNora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 21, 2025
I picked up this book hoping for a light, festive read with a strong Christmas vibe. I must admit, I've never been so disappointed by a Nora Roberts novel. Even considering that it was published in 1990 when Google wasn't widely available, the book's superficiality and lack of research are truly disheartening.
I understand the author's desire for exoticism, but substituting Ukrainian for what is essentially a generic russian dialect is a major misstep. As a Ukrainian myself, my reactions are particularly strong. Quite probable that if the novel had been about Chinese immigrants escaping Mao in a mandarin crate, I wouldn't have noticed the inaccuracies.
Surely, even in the late 80s, it wouldn't have been too difficult to contact a Ukrainian-American organization and ask about local traditions. There were many such organizations since 1920ies. The author's approach clearly demonstrates a superior attitude towards other cultures and a complete lack of respect for them. The typical stereotypes associated with the USSR/russia only exacerbate the cultural appropriation that Ukraine and Ukrainians have endured for over 300 years.
The protagonist's surname, Stanislaski, is Eastern European, but definitely not Ukrainian. She has a russian accent, yet she's supposed to be Ukrainian. It's quite unusual for a Ukrainian not to correct someone who mistakes their accent for russian. The passionate kissing on the cheeks is another glaring error. While familiar to Westerners as typical Brezhnev's gesture, it's actually a russian custom, not Ukrainian.
Borscht is mentioned several times as a traditional dish, but it's clearly described as russian. And instead of borscht, the protagonist prepares "traditional" spaghetti and meatballs. Traditional for which country?
The protagonist's father is depicted as a heavy drinker, constantly downing vodka. First of all, in Ukrainian, vodka is called horilka. Secondly, Ukrainians don't drink alcohol in the living room simply for the sake of conversation without any snacks. Horilka is associated with festive meals and is not consumed casually, especially in large quantities. In a typical Ukrainian family, a potential son-in-law would be fed before offering him alcohol.
The story of the family's escape from the USSR is another absurdity. The idea of a family with three young children driving a truck (ha! Who owned a truck in the USSR?) to visit relatives in western Ukraine, then secretly trekking through the mountains to Hungary for several days without food and luggage, is simply ludicrous. Hungary was part of the Warsaw Pact and under strict Soviet control. Escaping to the West through Hungary is about as realistic as sailing to America from China in a mandarin crate.
In short, the first part of the book is a prime example of where it would have been better to stick to the plot and avoid unnecessary details. While these details don't significantly impact the story, they greatly undermine the overall reading experience.
In comparison, the second part, which focuses on the daughter's story, seems almost normal. However, the protagonist's behavior is no more believable than her great-parents' escape from the USSR.
I understand the author's desire for exoticism, but substituting Ukrainian for what is essentially a generic russian dialect is a major misstep. As a Ukrainian myself, my reactions are particularly strong. Quite probable that if the novel had been about Chinese immigrants escaping Mao in a mandarin crate, I wouldn't have noticed the inaccuracies.
Surely, even in the late 80s, it wouldn't have been too difficult to contact a Ukrainian-American organization and ask about local traditions. There were many such organizations since 1920ies. The author's approach clearly demonstrates a superior attitude towards other cultures and a complete lack of respect for them. The typical stereotypes associated with the USSR/russia only exacerbate the cultural appropriation that Ukraine and Ukrainians have endured for over 300 years.
The protagonist's surname, Stanislaski, is Eastern European, but definitely not Ukrainian. She has a russian accent, yet she's supposed to be Ukrainian. It's quite unusual for a Ukrainian not to correct someone who mistakes their accent for russian. The passionate kissing on the cheeks is another glaring error. While familiar to Westerners as typical Brezhnev's gesture, it's actually a russian custom, not Ukrainian.
Borscht is mentioned several times as a traditional dish, but it's clearly described as russian. And instead of borscht, the protagonist prepares "traditional" spaghetti and meatballs. Traditional for which country?
The protagonist's father is depicted as a heavy drinker, constantly downing vodka. First of all, in Ukrainian, vodka is called horilka. Secondly, Ukrainians don't drink alcohol in the living room simply for the sake of conversation without any snacks. Horilka is associated with festive meals and is not consumed casually, especially in large quantities. In a typical Ukrainian family, a potential son-in-law would be fed before offering him alcohol.
The story of the family's escape from the USSR is another absurdity. The idea of a family with three young children driving a truck (ha! Who owned a truck in the USSR?) to visit relatives in western Ukraine, then secretly trekking through the mountains to Hungary for several days without food and luggage, is simply ludicrous. Hungary was part of the Warsaw Pact and under strict Soviet control. Escaping to the West through Hungary is about as realistic as sailing to America from China in a mandarin crate.
In short, the first part of the book is a prime example of where it would have been better to stick to the plot and avoid unnecessary details. While these details don't significantly impact the story, they greatly undermine the overall reading experience.
In comparison, the second part, which focuses on the daughter's story, seems almost normal. However, the protagonist's behavior is no more believable than her great-parents' escape from the USSR.
December 14, 2024
Christmas in the Snow Reading History:
Started: December 8, 2024 - 4:40 P.M.
Ended: December 14, 2024 - 6:15 P.M.
First book of my Christmas Reading List and I’m rating this book 3.5 stars, almost borderline 4 stars in my head, since I was quite disappointed that I didn’t really loved the characters as much as I usually do when reading silly small town romances, but the world (not so much the plot) of this book somehow still made me look forward to knowing what happens on the next pages, and without realizing it I actually breeze through this book in a day (though I kinda saved the epilogue page to read when I finished my school stuffs so my reading history lasted a week).
This book definitely reads like a cliché Christmas Hallmark Movie, but that’s what it made me so engrossed in it I think lol, so if you’re all looking for a light read about love, family, and second chances this Christmas season, then it wouldn’t hurt to give this book a try.
Started: December 8, 2024 - 4:40 P.M.
Ended: December 14, 2024 - 6:15 P.M.
First book of my Christmas Reading List and I’m rating this book 3.5 stars, almost borderline 4 stars in my head, since I was quite disappointed that I didn’t really loved the characters as much as I usually do when reading silly small town romances, but the world (not so much the plot) of this book somehow still made me look forward to knowing what happens on the next pages, and without realizing it I actually breeze through this book in a day (though I kinda saved the epilogue page to read when I finished my school stuffs so my reading history lasted a week).
This book definitely reads like a cliché Christmas Hallmark Movie, but that’s what it made me so engrossed in it I think lol, so if you’re all looking for a light read about love, family, and second chances this Christmas season, then it wouldn’t hurt to give this book a try.
August 27, 2022
Christmas in the Snow
Nora Roberts
𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪
2 stories in one book, all about the family of Natasha Stanislaski. A woman who was hurt in the past; cheated by a man whom she once loved before. Nora Roberts has always been one of my favourite writers - a romantic storyteller. Christmas in the Snow is a love story mixed with both humour and heartwarming parts.
Nora Roberts
𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪
2 stories in one book, all about the family of Natasha Stanislaski. A woman who was hurt in the past; cheated by a man whom she once loved before. Nora Roberts has always been one of my favourite writers - a romantic storyteller. Christmas in the Snow is a love story mixed with both humour and heartwarming parts.
December 12, 2017
A really enjoyable read .
It's light and frothy but also is intelligently written.
The characters are intriguing and we want to know what happens to them .
A little predictable perhaps but a lovely pre Christmas read
It's light and frothy but also is intelligently written.
The characters are intriguing and we want to know what happens to them .
A little predictable perhaps but a lovely pre Christmas read
November 26, 2018
Not quite so awful as to make me stop reading, but I don’t enjoy stronger people physically forcing weaker people - though in this case they weren’t precisely unwilling. The first story particularly seemed like it had crossed a line several times to me. The second one was just about ok.
August 3, 2021
Finished completely today. Pleasant romance with happy ending (don’t we all want that?). Bit alarmed at how forceful the men were in parts (in the second book it could have been more like rape) but, otherwise, nice easy read
January 21, 2022
This book was really entertaining. This volume consists of 2 books - Taming Natasha and Considering Kate. In both books, the author beautifully spins a love story intermixed with both humour and touching parts.
February 22, 2019
Took me a while to get into
November 25, 2019
Cute love story. Always easy to see where these are headed towards
December 30, 2022
Not too bad a read.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews