Iris has only been in the city long enough to find a job, a place to live, and an amazing boss/landlord/friend who has taken her under his wing. Her mother recently passed and she ended a bad relationship, so a fresh start was in store. When she arrived in New York, Iris didn’t have much with her – a few personal belongings and photos…and her mother’s gelato recipe, which soon became a favorite with her friend. They talk life and eat gelato together all the time, so when he pulled her to a gelateria during Little Italy’s fall festival, she thought it couldn’t possibly compete with her family recipe. Little did Iris know what happened next would have her retracing her mother’s steps from decades ago, and finding the family she has always needed.
A Winter in New York is Josie Silver’s most recent release following the success of her previous works. Silver delivers a sweet love story and family connection between her two main characters. This novel follows the typical romance trope of one character is in trouble and the other is here to help, but Silver gives it a unique spin with secrets and weaving Iris’ mother throughout the story. This book is about keeping an open mind to love…and the one that got away.
I give A Winter in New York 4 out of 5 stars. My biggest complaint about this book was the lack of a trigger warning for emotionally abusive relationships. Following Iris’ story as she moves forward was a happy and hopeful read, but the final few chapters had my heart racing. I binge-read this book one Saturday, finishing around 10:30PM, and I could not go to sleep for hours – the writing of Iris’ interactions with her ex are so realistic for me that it took me back in time nearly 25 years. I did feel that a few of the characters, including her landlord and his husband could have been fleshed out a little more to help explain why they got as involved at the end as they did – I felt like we were missing something that would provoke their protectiveness. With that said, this story was so enjoyable to read up to that point. It was a fast and light read until that scene and I enjoyed it immensely!
Given the inclusion of abusive relationships and discussions of sex, I would recommend this novel to more mature audiences over 16. I will give you the trigger warning I never saw – this book is not for everyone. If you have a past with emotionally abusive partners, or in-laws who disapproved of you, this book will hit some nerves. However, if you’re looking for a cute story set in New York, this is the book for you!
I chose A Winter in New York for my February TBR choice. It fit well with our February theme of Romance and it felt like the right time of year to read this one. This was also my Book of the Month pick in December and went to my eldest child as soon as I finished so she can enjoy it. Little Italy is one of my favorite places in the city – it was the first place I experienced authentic tiramisu and cannoli, and the first place I ever had limoncello! Have you walked through Little Italy before? What are your favorite parts of New York?
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