A Christmas Snow by Jim Stovall

For Kathleen, Christmas has always been an unwelcome reminder of her father s abandonment almost 30 years ago. Although she has tried to forget her past, it has not forgotten her, and in the days leading up to Christmas an unforgiving blizzard traps her in her own home with two unlikely roommates. Sam, a gentle older man Kathleen took in for the night and Lucy, the daughter of her soon-to-be fiancé, bring her face to face with the hurts of her past. Will she be able to let go and grab hold of a life-changing forgiveness or will she continue to be haunted by the pain of the past? (publisher's synopsis)

This book grabbed me from page one.  Not the story - the actual pages.  Each one has a backdrop of delicate, pale blue snowflakes.  How can you not love a story written on snowflake paper?  And the story was good, too. 

A thirty-something woman and a 10-year-old girl, both hurting from the loss of a parent, are forced to spend Christmas together, trapped by a blizzard.  The story is touching, as a Christmas story should be, but it also teaches a lesson of healing.  Each of the activities Kathleen, Lucy and Sam create to occupy the time and make make their cramped quarters more festive, stir up memories for all of them and help them move past their pain and fears.  A magical twist lifts this tale above the average Christmas schmaltz. 

After you fall in love with the snowflake pages, try this site to create your own gorgeous snowflakes.  Warning - it's addicting!