Jeevani Charika and Rhoda Baxter

Snowed In – Book #1 in the Trewton Royd small town romance series

“A gentle, cosy romance.” Milly Johnson, Sunday Times bestselling author

Tracey is a tech entrepreneur, or at least she was, until she sold her company. Now she’s not sure what she is. Uncomfortable with people and burned out from overwork, she retreats to the rural village of Trewton Royd to find peace and quiet over Christmas.

Dumped by the woman he was going to propose to, Vinnie is stuck alone in a romantic cottage for two. When Tracey gets caught out in a blizzard, the only place she can take shelter is Vinnie’s cottage. She’d love to get to know him better, but how does a socially awkward tech girl persuade a man who is still in pain that she’s anything more than a nuisance?

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 Core Themes

• Burnout and Digital Detox: Features a high-achieving protagonist (a tech millionaire) seeking refuge from the pressures of success and a hyper-connected world.
• The “Grumpy/Grumpy” Romance: A fresh take on the trope where both leads start as “Grinches”—socially exhausted or heartbroken—rather than the typical sunshine/grump dynamic.
• Forced Proximity: The classic “only one bed” or “stuck in a cottage” setup, driven by a dramatic Yorkshire blizzard.
• Belonging and Community: Explores the contrast between the anonymity of the tech world and the warm, intrusive-but-kind community spirit of a small English village and found family.

Atmosphere & Tone

• Ultra-Cosy (Hygge): Set in a picturesque Yorkshire village (Trewton Royd), featuring a snow-covered cottage, an old country pub, and a lack of phone signal. Also, cinnamon buns, roaring fires and mulled wine.
• Smart & Witty Romantic Comedy: Baxter’s background as a scientist shines through in the sharp, realistic dialogue and “geeky” charm of the characters.
• Wholesome & Low Spice: A sweet, heartwarming story focused on emotional connection and “warm and fuzzy” feelings rather than explicit content. The bedroom door is closed.
• Low-Stakes, High Comfort: The narrative prioritizes a sense of safety and holiday cheer, making it a perfect “comfort read.”

Reader Emotional Experience

• Relatability: Some readers can really identify with the feeling of being “peopled out” and wanting to hide away from the world.
• Believability: Reviewers highlight that the characters feel like real, flawed humans—socially awkward, introverted, and genuinely hurt—rather than romance novel archetypes.
• Joyous & Uplifting: Readers describe the experience as “delightful” and “cheerful,” leaving them with a lingering sense of festive happiness. We all need a bit of comfort reading nowadays.

What Readers Love Most (based on Goodreads and Amazon reviews)

• The “Secret Millionaire” Twist: The trope is of a wealthy protagonist seeking anonymity and finding someone who likes them for themselves, not their money. In this book the millionaire is the female protagonist (Tracey), not the man.
• Realistic Introversion: Other readers like the book’s portrayal of introverts who love their jobs but find social interaction exhausting (don’t we all?).
• The Setting: The fictional village of Trewton Royd is set somewhere in West Yorkshire, and several readers have described it as a “gem” that they want to visit, because of its strong sense of community spirit. I spent most of my teens in West Yorkshire, so I put the village somewhere near Huddersfield.
• Brisk Pacing: As a novella, it is a quick, satisfying “one-sitting” read that doesn’t waste a word.
• South Asian Representation: Vinnie, the hero of the book, is British-Sri Lankan. Although you can find more romance stories about South Asian characters now (see Nisha Sharma, Farah Heron, Farah Rochon, Sara Desai, Anita Rai, Sonali Dev, Laila Rafi, Ronali Collings), it is still unusual. 

Perfect For:

Introverts who enjoy “forced proximity” stories where characters have to navigate social anxiety to find love.

Readers looking for “The Holiday” (movie) or Hallmark movie vibes in book form.

Fans of contemporary British rom-coms like those by Sophie Kinsella, Jill Mansell or Jessica Redland, but with a “geekier” edge.

Users searching for “cosy Christmas novellas” or “small-town UK romance” books