When picking up a holiday read, I want it to give “Christmas” vibes without being over the top with holiday shenanigans or cheesiness. If it could be on the Hallmark channel, it’s not going to work. Lucky for me, this one is heartwarming and emotional thanks to a dose of family drama and “last wish” wishes.

“A December to Remember”, where three estranged sisters must navigate their complicated past and come together for a chance at love, hope, and reconciliation gave me holiday spirit without being too sweet and cozy — give me depth with the Yuletide reads.

The small-town setting and themes of family and Christmas were exactly what I wanted and Bayliss delivered!

A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss is a heartwarming holiday tale with plenty of charm, humor, and family drama, though it doesn’t quite reach its full potential. The premise—a trio of estranged half-sisters forced to reconcile their differences through their late father’s quirky will—is both intriguing and ripe with possibilities for emotional depth and cozy holiday vibes. Bayliss captures the magic of a small-town setting beautifully, and her descriptions of Rowan Thorp are so vivid that you can almost feel the chill in the air and smell the mulled cider.

The dynamics between Maggie, Simone, and Star are engaging, offering a mix of bickering, misunderstandings, and moments of tender connection as they navigate the trials set forth by their father. Their individual backstories provide depth, and seeing their growth as they confront old wounds and rediscover their bond is satisfying.

That said, the story does suffer from an overabundance of side characters and lengthy dialogue that sometimes detracts from the pacing. While the bustling village life adds charm, it can feel overwhelming to keep track of everyone, and some scenes could have benefited from tighter editing. For readers who prefer a more streamlined narrative, this might feel like a distraction from the sisters' journey.

Still, the book shines in its themes of forgiveness, love, and finding joy in the unexpected. The solstice celebration is a highlight, offering a heartwarming culmination of the sisters’ journey. While the execution isn’t perfect, A December to Remember delivers a cozy, feel-good story that pairs well with a cup of cocoa on a snowy evening. Fans of family-driven holiday tales will likely enjoy its blend of humor and heart. 3.5/5 stars.

A cute, small town holiday read about 3 estranged sisters who learn how important they are to each other after losing their father. Growing up, each sister lived with their separate mothers for the whole year except for one month during the summer which they got to spend time together and with their eccentric father. He left them a challenge to earn their inheritance that leads the sisters to learn how important it is to lean on each other as well as discover who they are meant to be.

It look me a little bit before I connected with the characters, but once I did, I spent the rest of the book just rooting for them. <3

A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss is a very cute Christmas story about three completely different half-sisters, who come together after the death of their father. Maggie, Simone and Star gather in Rowan Thorp, the town where they spent summers with each other at their father’s home.
They haven’t been together for years, and haven’t really spoken to each other, but they are back in town to hear the reading of their father’s will. They come together and get things done as their father wished. They put their frustrations, sadness aside so that they can get to the bottom of their father‘s wish. As the days go on they find that connection that they always had but had lost. They fall in love with their father’s antique store, and the town and can’t see why they left there. At first they are reluctant to confide in each other, their feelings of the past and how things are now. But as they spend more time together, working on the common goal, they see that they have so many things to be grateful for. This was such a special book about sisters and family. I enjoyed it very much. I love how the town, was a character and played such a huge role. It was a cozy, feel good holiday book and I for one loved it. I want to thank Netgalley, the author & Penguin Group Putnam for my copy for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review this story.

This romance novel is a delightful escape filled with laughter and love. The characters are relatable, and their chemistry is undeniable. As they face challenges together, their bond deepens, making the journey to love feel genuine and heartfelt. With charming dialogue and a feel-good ending, it’s perfect for anyone looking for a sweet love story!

I ended up DNFing this after trying a few times to get into it. I unfortunately just think the start wasn't hooking me this time. I've enjoyed Bayliss in the past though and will continue to pick her up!

magical! I was invested from the very first page, which I find is sometimes harder to achieve in a contemporary book. I loved meeting each person in the village and each character, however brief, was well defined.

A December to Remember combines elements of a cozy town, a reuniting family, and silliness into an enjoyable wintry tale. The book follows 3 half sisters, Maggie, Star, and Simone as they are thrown together in a quest following the passing of their father. In their forced proximity, tensions rise as the curtain on the past is pulled back and they must work together even in the midst of reluctance and past (and present) wounds.

I enjoyed the time spent pouring life and personality into the sisters, their father, and other characters in the story, elevating even a more whimsical contemporary to feel very realistic and tangible. The setting is magically described and was captivating to read. While it was an overall enjoyable read, the story felt long and slow at times, with the in-depth descriptions causing the plot to move slowly. This had the book losing my attention at times. I think an overall tightening up of the book into more of the 300 range would help, particularly with the "quest"/game like tropes at play. They feel as though they would push the plot and book along, but it dragged along with the 400 or so pages of the novel.

Thank you Putnam Books and Netgalley for an early copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Jenny Bayliss' holiday novels are always enchanting. I had a hard time getting into the setting of this novel; I think more details of the location and the castle and why the main character was wandering around the gardens by herself in the middle of the winter would have been helpful, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

I loved reading about estranged sisters ( I wish more authors would write about that) but to do it in a setting of winter and the holidays was excellent.
It really gets you in the holiday spirit. Well done.

Mini Book Review
A December to Remember
By Jenny Bayliss
Rating: 🦄🦄🦄

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this ARC amd thanks for being gracious for me reviewing it late!
I wanted to get in one more Christmas in July post before the month ended.
This story is about 3 sisters with the same dad, all different moms, who must come together after their father dies. He leaves them a quest, forcing them to work together (something they haven't done in years).
Overall, this was a cute book. I enjoyed it well enough. I liked the fact that the three FMCs were in their 30s and 49s. That was refreshing. I also enjoyed the idea of them going on this quirky quest from their dad and learning more about him, themselves, and each other. It was a small town story which is always fun. And of course it was set at Christmas, which is literally my favorite holiday.
However....this was my least favorite of Jenny's books up to this point. I'm not entirely sure what it was, except maybe it wasn't totally for me, and that's ok. Like I said, I enjoyed it well enough, it just wasn't her best, in my very humble opinion.
With that being said, for anyone thinking about reading this, there are several trigger warnings that should be noted such as infertility, abortion, and surrogacy.

#minireview #christmasinjuly #lastpost #endofthemonth #adecembertoremember #christmasbooks #holidaybooks

Jenny Bayliss’s A December to Remember is a heartwarming tale of estranged half-sisters discovering the value of family amidst a series of whimsical challenges. Maggie, Simone, and Star, each living very different lives, are drawn together by the eccentric will of their late father, Augustus. His quirky stipulations force the sisters to reconnect and work through a series of amusing and touching tasks in order to claim their inheritance.

The novel shines in its exploration of the sisters’ evolving relationships. Initially distant and filled with unresolved tensions, their interactions gradually reveal deep-seated emotions and vulnerabilities. The comedic escapades and small-town quirks provide a lighthearted backdrop to their journey toward reconciliation. Bayliss’s portrayal of their gradual understanding and mutual support is both engaging and heartwarming, making the sisters’ eventual growth and unity feel genuinely rewarding. The blend of humor, familial tension, and festive spirit creates a captivating read that emphasizes the importance of love and forgiveness during the holiday season.

A beautiful story about three half sisters finding their way back to each other. I loved all the characters and the plot got me into a winter mood. Beautiful read!

Jenny Bayliss is one of the few authors whose books are on auto-buy for me. I am, however, more of a romance fan and enjoyed The Twelve Dates of Christmas and the very swoonworthy Meet Me Under the Mistletoe more, but A December to Remember was certainly a humorous and heartwarming read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital copy of A December to Remember in exchange for an honest review.

This one wasn’t my fave of hers! Nothing will beat her first book to me ♥️ It was cute and sweet, which I feel like is her wheelhouse! She’s an auto read author for me now

An incredibly sweet and thoughtful exploration of sisterhood in a somewhat broken family, the ways in which the varying presence of parents can affect our upbringing and relationships with our siblings, and how we can continue to show up for each other even if all of the odds of our family dynamic try to keep us from doing so. I loved the sisterhood aspect of this book, and the ways in which the holidays can bring family’s together even in tough times.

Ugh I just love Jenny Bayliss's books so much! They are the PERFECT quiet romance novels for wintering (i.e. hunkering down with a cup of cocoa by the fire under a giant fluffy blanket and ignoring all my responsibilities). I look forward to her books all year. She always has rich side characters and realistic family drama and often sets her stories in the cutest and quirkiest small English villages. I loved all of the sister stuff in this one, and it felt very realistic. I wish I had something more interesting to say, but if you haven't read Jenny Bayliss, let this be your sign! Great for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Sophie Cousens, Lizzy Dent, etc. Thank you SO MUCH to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for an early copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

This wintry, women’s fiction novel was an enjoyable tale. I adored the premise of 3 half sisters coming together for the reading of their father’s will only to discover that they have to complete a certain number of obstacles to receive their inheritance. The sisters’ history of spending one month together each summer while staying with their father was the foundation for their complicated relationship as adults, and I appreciated the journey these three go on to grow closer and work through past issues. The setting is lovely and captivating, and I only wish this book had a smaller page count, and it really would have tightened the writing and produced a more compelling read. As is, I did find myself wandering in concentration at times and easily putting this down without an urge to pick it back up for days at a time. Overall, a satisfying read, though.

This was a sweet story about three sisters reunited by their quirky father’s death. Although they’ve drifted, one thing becomes clear- the North sister share a deep love for and connection with each other.

I gave this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️ because, while I thought the main plot was interesting and fun, there were a lot of side quests that I didn’t always see a point in. It ended up taking me a while to get through.

BUT if you are looking for a low stakes story that is cute, charming, and has holiday magic, this is the book for you!

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced digital copy!

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.