Rating: 4.75 stars

Hank Calder is a good man, he’s worked hard  to get a home and be responsible, remarkable considering his background.  So when his sister dropped off her 4 year old daughter and left without a word, Hank accepted Josie into his home and heart because he wanted for her more than what he had growing up.  But Josie is so young and missing her mother while all Hank wants is  to make everything as perfect for her as possible, with as little drama as possible.  Drama is something both Josie and Hank have had too much of in their lives. Stressed out, Hank turns to his gym workouts for relief and takes Josie along to the gym’s daycare.

Enter Justin, daycare worker extraordinaire, young and flamboyant as they come.  Justin consistently helps Hank with Josie even though Hank is determined to leave drama and Justin out of their lives.  But fate and Josie intervene until Hank realizes that Justin with all his goodness and all his support just might be the man he needs and has been looking for all his life, that Justin might be his “turkey in the snow”.

I am not going to even attempt to explain that “turkey in the snow” reference.  It has to be read in context but let’s just say it had me in stitches and is such a perfect Amy Laneism that I was absolutely delighted.  It had me giggling and going back to reread it again and again.  It made me laugh, it made Justin laugh and it will make you laugh too.  But as this is a Amy Lane story, there will also be angst that will arrive on the heels of  such laughter and love.  Another perfect moment, this of sadness and regret between Hank and his sister, Amanda.  Everything here rings of authentic human emotion, pangs of despair, anger over past actions, and so much remembered love to help conquer life’s worst moments as well.  That scene will stick with me for some time to come.

I don’t need to go into the author’s gift for characters, it is there in every book she writes.  With her characters and her story lines, you can count on depth and layering that feels effortless that it goes by almost unnoticed.  Just sit back and enjoy the wonder of two men, both so different on the outside, but match up as equals in the inside where it counts.  I just loved Turkey in the Snow.  It brightened my holiday reading and left me full of smiles and joy.  That to me is the perfect holiday story.   Grab up Turkey in the Snow and make your holiday brighter too!

This cover by Paul Richmond just amazed me.  It is in a totally different style than the one I have come to expect from him.  Here the gentle edges are softened by snow, the darkness of the turkey illuminated by the light around it.  But instead of a harsh mood, the contrast is soft, you can almost hear the whispering of the snow as it falls.  Really, one of the best covers of 2012.  Just outstanding.