Almost a year has passed since Sophia decided to anchor herself in Paris and bring Le Lulu, the bar that she inherited from her late grandmother, back to its glory. The first breath of summer has just swept through the city and the romance between Sophia and Tristan continues to blossom like the Luxembourg garden in May. Yet, Sophia grapples with the sorrow after losing Louis, the charismatic bar manager who turned out to be her long-lost grandfather. And whose empathic stubbornness led Sophia to the life-changing decision of staying in Paris. Now, after his passing, the city feels a little less like home.
Just before Louis died he revealed to Sophia that her great aunt, Britta, had given birth to a boy named Alfie during the 60’s. Louis didn’t know more than that Alfie had been long gone all these years, leaving Sophia to wonder where he might be now. In another part of France, Alfie, whose past has been fraught with feelings of abandonment, has just learned that his birth mother had been in Paris all along. One day he shows up at Le Lulu filled with resentment and a resolute claim to the bar, demanding that the Le Lulu family vacate within nine months. Simultaneously, Sophia discovers that she is pregnant – a revelation more jarring than joyous.
Tristan, troubled by his own past, quickly makes it clear that he doesn’t want to become a father. Faced with the stark reality that this might be her sole opportunity to become a mother, Sophia struggles with the dilemma of choosing between having a child and keeping the love of her life. Ultimately, she makes the life-altering decision to raise the child on her own and within only a year she has both found and lost two of the most important people in her life.
As the months pass, Sophia begins to feel joy over the life that is growing inside of her. However, the fear of losing Le Lulu looms over her, heightened by the heartbreak of parting ways with both Tristan and Louis. During this emotional turbulence, Sophia grapples with the question: where does she truly belong? Should she return to Sweden or is Paris and Le Lulu, and the family within those walls, her home now?
As the first snow blankets Paris, Le Lulu is preparing for a magical Christmas filled with champagne, mulled wine, and cheese. Amid the festivities, Sophia finds herself back in Sweden, in her grandmother’s old house and there she stumbles upon letters written by Britta during her pregnancy with Alfie. Strikingly, the letters seem to hold similarities with Sophia’s own reality. With each letter, Sophia gets one more piece of the puzzle that is Britta’s past, which guides her on her own journey towards motherhood and finally allows her to let go of her past. Soon, Sophia realizes that the letters could also be the key to saving the bar. Could unveiling the truth about Britta’s past free Alfie of his resentment?
Snowfall Over Paris is a gracefully crafted novel that explores the effects of the past, where its echoes can either cast shadows on our path or illuminate the way forward as a guiding light. Emphasizing the importance of dealing with our demons, seizing moments of happiness and finding your home, Karolina Schützer weaves a poignant tale of love, joy, and sorrow.
