Representing the best
Finnish authors abroad
Finnish authors abroad
Sometimes the best gifts aren’t under the tree—they’re waiting in the city lights.
Forty-something country dweller Vilma begins a new chapter in her life. The marriage to her high school sweetheart has ended, and her two teenage children live in happy symbiosis with their smartphones. With the kids staying in their childhood home and the parents alternating turns, Vilma accepts an invitation to spend the holidays in Helsinki, at her old friend’s cozy Airbnb.
Enchanted by the city’s winter glow—its bookshops, seafront walks, and twinkling lights—Vilma starts to feel alive again. When a charming Swedish businessman enters the picture, she realizes that Christmas far away from the family table can indeed be magical. But as old secrets from her marriage begin to surface, Vilma must decide whether she’s ready to confront the past—or embrace the future she’s beginning to imagine.
Winter City Lights reimagines the meaning of a perfect Christmas, following a newly divorced mom as she embraces the unexpected delights the city has to offer.
Instead of cozy cabins and snowy villages, it offers a vibrant urban escape filled with self-discovery, second chances, and the quiet thrill of finding yourself in unexpected places. With gentle nods to Helsinki’s neighbourhoods and hidden gems, Maija Kajanto invites readers to fall in love with the city—and with Vilma’s journey.
Finnish edition
English sample translation
