A December to Remember
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Jenny Bayliss

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Penguin Group and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Three bickering half sisters.

One unique antiques shop.

The coziest holiday season of their lives.

Wildly different half sisters Maggie, Simone, and Star have hardly seen one another since their sprightly summers at Rowan Thorp, their eccentric father Augustus’s home. Known for his bustling approach to the knick-knack shop he ran, Augustus was loved by all and known by none, not even his daughters.

Now, years later, the three estranged women are called upon for the reading of Augustus’s will and quickly realize he's orchestrated a series of hoops through which they must jump to unlock their inheritance—the last thing any of them want to do. But Maggie and Star desperately need the money. And who would Simone be to resist? 

Through hilarious goose chases, small-town mishaps, and one heart-warming winter solstice celebration, love is in the air, if only the three sisters can let themselves grasp it.

My Thoughts: Augustus Balthazar lead a great life, he owns a trinket shop and has traveled the world for these trinkets. While his daughters were children, having three different mothers, they would all visit him during the summer, for the entire summer. However, he was an absent father the remainder of the year. Additionally, when the sisters grew up, they were very estranged, from each other and from their father. He passes at almost 100 and leaves an intricate will to inherit his fortune. The first part of the will is read and the girls must work together to locate the 32 monopoly houses and then the second part of the will is read where the girls must throw a winter solace party. Once they jump through these hoops, they will inherit his estate in its entirety. Will they be able to jump through the hoops without killing each other?

It took me awhile to get invested into this story, but once I was invested, the flow and pace worked well. The creation of Rowan Thorp is the idyllic small town setting where community is everything. Each sister has their own backstory, their own problems, and as it comes together, it makes them feel realistic and relatable. Star is the baby, wondering through life, such a free spirit. Simone is a bit grouchy, and is going through fertility issues with her wife and it really has worn her down. Maggie has made a home for her son and daughter here, but lost her husband years ago. Each of the sister’s has their own issues to work out throughout the story. The journey they each embark through the story and the community that pulls together when needed was such a heartwarming feeling. Then the winter solace party was spectacular. The sisters were likable and relatable. I really loved how the author created the characters, embedded some romance into the storyline for each of the sisters, brought the estranged sisters together, and creates an unexpected Happily Ever After ending.

The following trigger warnings: stalking, infidelity issues, and death of a spouse (minor glance over). This story has a romance element, but I think the more important element was the sisters’ relationship, it also has funny moments, serious moments, and a sense of togetherness that one can only hope for. It was heartwarming, sweet, endearing, and the perfect holiday read. I would recommend this to other readers as the perfect book to read in front of the fire right before the holidays.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had a hard time getting into this book. It did improve after awhile.

This book took me some time to get through, but I did like the plot of the story. I think it may be the British style of reading that tripped me up in finishing the book.

A very wholesome christmas story, loved Jenny Bayliss' books. The characters all have depth and fun to get to know. The writing is very detailed and sets the scene perfectly. A good cozy read I enjoyed very much.

Half-sisters, Maggie, Simone, and Star come together for the reading of their father's will and are met with hoops to jump through to unlock their inheritance. We follow the sisters as they complete the tasks that ultimately bring them closer together after years apart. Sprinkle in a little holiday magic and you've got yourself a fun read to pair with your favorite warm drink!

This was such a lovely, heartfelt read to begin preparing me for the holiday cheer. When Augustus North passes while on his last adventure, his three daughters, all from three different relationships, come together for the will hearing. This was just the beginning of a brand new journey full of love, forgiveness, and peace during what is known to be the most happiest time of the year.

Three sisters who grew in separate lives, but always came together for a month every summer until they grew out of their sisterly bond. There were so many heartaches, smiles, laughs, and tears of both happiness and sadness. I love the way the author intertwined the characters' love lives and the reader was able to have a bit of background insight of the protagonists without being overwhelmed.

Seeing three sisters with completely different personalities reunite during difficult circumstances and through the arch of the story go from being practically strangers to becoming inseparable was such a joy to see. It got me in the Christmas mood and portrayed what the holidays should mean. Being able to witness their different love stories added a bit of holiday romance which is always lovely to have. I will definitely be reading more Bayliss after being left with a full heart.

2.5 stars (rounded up)

This book was fine but not as whimsical as I expected. The curio shop was not actually magical it was unfortunately only filled with some valuable antiques they sold for cash (of course). And the seemingly ageless cat that had always been at the shop/family ancestral home was never explained. And the book was mostly about the three half sisters cleaning out the dusty old shop and reconnecting with each other while completing a scavenger hunt and party planning as were the rules of the will their weird old dad left them. But the focus was more on other stuff I didn't particularly care about like having babies and property law. It was also very long and had POVs from all three sisters. If it was more tightly written and didn't dedicate so much to, like, housing and leases and focused more on the whimsy it would've been better, I think.

Also, it starts with a FUNERAL because it's Christmas (or winter solstice, whichever). Of course.

I am a mood reader at heart. I really tried with this one, but it just wasn't for me. That does not mean that someone else will not love it!

Sweet and endearing story about 3 sisters. Perfectly atmospheric and a cozy Christmas read. Very enjoyable novel.

This story had a weird setup but once it got going, it was amazing. I laughed at some of the most amazing people descriptions and found myself constantly texting my friend little quotes telling her this book needed to be on her TBR pronto. The characters were the fantastic and the town made me want to go live there. I hope somewhere this is a place that behaves this way for its residents.

#arc
#netgalley
#adecembertoremember

This is such a cozy winter read- exactly what you look for from Holiday Queen Jenny Bayliss! Three sisters (Maggie, Simone, and Star) are not on great terms, but are brought back together by their father’s passing. What ensues is them working together for the first time in ages to get their inheritance, and family, back. I liked this and the small town setting- it reminded me of a lower stakes, Christmas Inheritance Games. Primarily women’s fiction, this book does have some romance and a ton of love, including found family. I recommend this story with a hot chocolate and Hallmark playing in the background. It’s a holiday success for me!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

This is my fourth book by Bayliss, and I have grown to expect her stories to be charming and heartwarming, featuring great quirky characters. A December to Remember lived up to all my expectations, and I was so happy I got to know the North sisters.

The North sisters had not seen each other much in recent years, but were reunited for their father's funeral. They reconvened in the town where they summered with their father and reveled in being "the summer sisters". Though they only spent one month a year together, they relished those days. Then they grew older and grew apart. Not to worry because their father had plans to rebuild the bond between his girls. His last will and testament came with some interesting stipulations which would force the girls to work together.

Needless to say, completing these tasks was no easy feat, but each arduous day brought Maggie, Simone, and Star closer to each other. The other perk was that that challenges were fun to watch.

The dynamic and growing bond between the North sisters was my favorite part of the story, but there were many other things to enjoy. There were sweet romances, personal growth, interesting history, a magical cat (?), a winter festival, and the most charming town packed with fantastic residents.

I expect many people will want to move to Rowan Thorp once they read this book. Besides the town sounding utterly picturesque, it is inhabited by some of the most warm and wonderful people. I loved the way they rallied, time and time again, for the North sisters. I adored the idea that if you called, they would come. It made me all warm and fuzzy for sure.

Bayliss has once again captured my heart with her latest book. The trifecta was achieved - I laughed, I swooned, I smiled, and I was left feeling rather happy and festive.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the eARC.

I really look forward to books by Jenny Bayliss because they have the right amount of atmosphere to transport me to the Christmas spirit. This book was a bit different than her prior work as it focused on three sisters but I found that to be such a wonderful story. Truly a great read.

A sweet and funny story of three sisters rediscovering their love for one another while trying to complete tasks left to them by their father. You don't need to wait until winter to read this one, it's so atmospheric it will take you there even in the height of summer.

3.25/5 stars! The cover of this book was so cute. I liked the premise of the story, but it felt a little too heavy on the women's lit angle and a little light on the romance for my tastes. The sisters were strong and spunky but they didn't feel super individual to me. I did find it to be a sweet read and it ready pretty quickly for a book over 400 pages.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was a good story about sisterhood, the bonds made in childhood and how to reconnect after their father dies and sets them a challenge they need to complete together to be able to receive their inheritance which 2 of the sisters desperately need. There is romance but it mostly focuses on the sister’s relationship together and the romance is secondary but cute. Also the town the book is stet in is the cutest and I love how they band together to help Maggie not lose her home and business which was awesome. The end result of the challenge their father gave them was to resurrect the solstice festival which they accomplish by the seat of their pants and with all the help from the townspeople. A very heartwarming story and a perfect read for the holiday season.

Thanks to Putnam and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

A December to Remember is exactly the cozy, warm tale to get to in the holiday spirit and warm your heart. I love Jenny Bayliss' books, because they are full of well constructed characters, and have this overarching wintry vibe. This book is no different.

As their father's last wish, three estranged sisters have to work together to revive a community festival in this small English village. The small town is Gilmore Girls-esque, where everyone is connected to one another and residents have the perfect mix of skills and talents to come together and make this winter solstice festival a success. I loved how the sisters slowly worked their way back to one another and rekindled their relationships.

There are several heavy topics that readers should note beforehand. This book is emotional but not maudlin or overwrought. I wanted good things for all of the characters and loved the ending. My only criticism is that it felt a bit long; some of the middle chapters could have been trimmed a bit just to keep things moving. But I'll take a little extra time in a Jenny Bayliss world any day, rather than too little!

This is the PERFECT holiday story!! As always, Jenny Bayliss' writing and storytelling are topnotch. Her books always have so much love and friendship, reading them is like a warm hug from an old friend. You will not want to miss out on this one!!

Three feuding half-sisters reunite at their late father's quaint antique shop. In a heartwarming holiday season, they discover their inheritance comes with quirky challenges they'd rather avoid. Yet, as they navigate comical escapades and small-town surprises, love begins to bloom, revealing the true meaning of family.

This took me a little bit to get into. There’s a lot of detail in the beginning and it was confusing which sister was which. Among the sisters, Maggie stood out as my favorite, and her connection with Joe motivated me to keep reading. The book offers a mix of romance, humor, heartfelt conversations, and touching relationships. However, I found Bayliss' other Christmas novel, "The Twelve Dates of Christmas," more enjoyable.

Thank you @putnambooks and @netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Perfect for you if you like:
Family reconnecting
Multiple main characters
Heartwarming village celebrations

Similar to:
A Winter in New York by Josie Silver
The Switch by Beth O-Leary (not a holiday story)
Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon (not a holiday story)

⛔️fade to black romances
⚠️explicit language, sexual content, death of father, infertility

The three sisters come together for their father's will reading. They used to get together in the summer when growing up (they had different moms and he didn't marry any of them), but they've drifted apart over the years. They find out that they have to complete some challenges in order to get their inheritance.

I liked the story and the characters. I thought it flowed well and it kept my interest.