A Wish for Winter

Shipman (The Secret of Snow) delivers a leisurely holiday romance about a woman who’s convinced her soulmate is Santa—or at least dresses like him. Both Susan Norcross’s late mother and living grandmother met their husbands while the men were in Santa costumes, and Susan is sure that she’ll meet her perfect match under similar circumstances. Though she’s happy with her life running a small-town Michigan bookstore and helping her grandparents prepare for Christmas, she still feels lonely. After a push from her best friend, Holly, she signs up to participate in Chicago’s Santa Run, reasoning that there will surely be some eligible bachelors among the costumed runners. Indeed, she connects with one such Santa, but loses him in the crowd as the race starts. Holly turns to social media to try to track down the mystery man, creating a list of three possible candidates and cajoling Susan to go on dates with all three—with unexpected results. There’s just as much soul-searching as there is romance, and the focus on Susan’s relationships with friends and family occasionally crowd out the love story, which doesn’t pick up until the end. Still, there’s plenty of charm to this cozy small-town tale. Shipman’s fans will be pleased. Agent: Wendy Sherman, Wendy Sherman Assoc. (Nov.)