This was a fun wintery book, but there was a lot going on. At times that was both good and bad. There was definitely a lot to keep you entertained, but at the same time I think this book was longer than it had to be just to fit everything in and have it wrapped up. It did wrap everything up fairly nicely though, so I enjoyed that. This isn't a Christmas read, but it fun to read in the season.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss. I love how this book was such a cozy Christmas read, but yet realistic. There were so many in real life moments in this book that gave it so much life. I loved it!

After their father’s death, the three North sisters are brought back together to carry out his final wishes and put on the town’s Winter Solstice event. This had cozy vibes and I’ve seen lots of great reviews. Unfortunately I wasn’t too drawn in and found the one sister so grating that I just couldn’t stick with it and decided to DNF around 50%. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free ebook to review.

I’m like a moth to a flame for books about trios of sisters - and in this year, after losing my dad, stories that gently deal with grief and families are a hard yes for me. Add in some wintry holiday magic in a quaint English village and this was everything I needed! This isn’t your run of the mill Christmas rom-com, it’s so much more. Loved it!

I absolutely loved this charming holiday story about three half-sisters reunited by the stipulations in their eccentric father's will. I enjoyed all the characters, their relationships with each other, and the charming small town setting that provided the backdrop. Ms. Bayliss is a favorite holiday author for me, and this one does not disappoint if you are in the mood for all the warm holiday feels.

A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss is a solid, heartfelt holiday season read.

Three sisters, estranged because of interesting circumstances, come together after the death of their wayward father in the small town where they spent summers together. As part of his last wishes, the women have to band together to bring back the town's Winter Solstice celebration.

What I love about Bayliss' stories is the tremendous character growth and her dynamic storytelling style. A December to Remember started out pretty slow and it took a little while for me to warm up to a few a couple of the characters (I'm looking at you, Maggie), but overall this was a satisfying read. I also really loved the emphasis on community and the importance of asking for help. The sisters were so stubborn and thought that they could do everything on their own, which was frustrating at times but made the ending all the more satisfying.

Again, solid holiday read. I would definitely recommend. Four Stars.

Thank you so much to Jenny Bayliss, Putnam, and Netgalley for an eARC of A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss in exchange for my honest opinion.

Jenny Bayliss writes absolutely perfect holiday books - and she's done it again this year! While I went in with absolutely zero idea of what I was getting into, as I didn't read the synopsis or anything, it wasn't what I expected, but it was perfect in it's own way. I loved the relationships between Maggie, Simone, and Star - and how they related to the small town there dad was from, and where they spent summers together with him as children. Each of them has drifted away for reasons of their own, and each of them faces upcoming challenges... But first, a solstice festival! This was heartwarming, small town cute, with a dash of romance and a ton of holiday cheer. Perfect for the season!

Jenny Bayliss’ books are always the highlight of my Holiday season and I absolutely loved this cozy story about the bond of three sisters finding each other after many years apart, and the beauty of found family. And while Jenny absolutely always writes a swoony romance, what really shines in her books is the small town village feel. The neighbors who are more like family and the way they all together at Christmas to help one another. It’s so cozy and wonderful and I loved every minute of it!

While this is definitely not a “Christmas” book, it was still a cozy holiday-ish read. It was a little hard to keep track of the storylines because there was A LOT going on with the 3 sisters. It’s absolutely a great story about sisterhood and family. If you’re a Hallmark fan, this definitely a book for you!

“Not for the first time, Star felt the pull of the village like a physical force. If, as she was coming to understand, her heart had always truly belonged in Rowan Thorp, perhaps it was time to stop forcing herself to fit elsewhere and accept that this was the place she had been searching for all along.”

For the past several years (four I think) I have read a Christmas-themed book written by Jenny Bayliss. They all take place in the English countryside and they always help get me into the holiday spirit. Her latest, A December to Remember, published in September, is no exception.

Star, Simone, and Maggie are half sisters who share the same father. During their childhoods they spent every summer with him in the apartment above his novelty shop. After his death, the sisters come to the reading of his will, but in order to get their inheritance they must first work together and complete a series of tasks he’s laid out for them, in the hopes of bonding them again after not seeing each other for years.

This was a cozy comforting read - all of the sisters are struggling in different ways and there are little romances thrown in but mostly, it’s about them coming back together and supporting one another. Perfect read for this time of year.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Penguin Group Putnam for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

As a reader, I need to accept that I just don't like British fiction. I can occasionally handle a British thriller, but if there's no suspense, I don't want it. This book took entirely too long for me to finish considering it's length and I just found it boring at best.

I also really thought this (and this might be my fault because reading the synopsis gives me no reason to come to this conclusion) was a Christmas novel and it was decidedly not. The characters were too over-the-top and there was too many storylines going on at once - it was hard to keep track of who was with who, how everyone was related, and it could've been divided up into three distinct stories. If I wasn't stuck on a long-haul flight, I never would've finished this one.

Let me start by saying, I'm a Jenny Bayliss fan. Her books are the perfect holiday season reads, always providing all of the feels!

But when I started this novel, I wasn't sure I would love it. It sometimes felt too "woo-woo" for me, but then, I started to care about the characters and their loves and was sucked in. In the end, I found myself rooting for each and every character, and thoroughly enjoyed the novel!

It's a family saga, of sisters coming together, to fulfill an interesting checklist, for a fascinating purpose. It was definitely different than any other holiday read, and I enjoyed it for that fact!

Is it my favorite Bayliss? No (I loved Twelve Dates of Christmas!) but Bayliss continues to provide unique holiday adventures!

I LOVE a Jenny Bayliss holiday novel and feel like i will be so sad if there is ever a year without one. This one was so sweet, i also have 2 sisters and i really resonated with their bond and fierce love for each other. It is something i dont think anyone without sisters can really understand and i loved reading about it and nodding along. I liked how there was romance sprinkled in but it wasnt the main stage - truly the sisterhood was the main love story. Super adorable and will add to my annual christmas reads!

A December to Remember was my first Jenny Bayliss read and it definitely won’t be my last! I loved this sorry set in the perfect holiday setting and didn’t want it to end!

This is the first book I’ve read by Jenny Bayliss and I really enjoyed it. Judging by the cover, I thought it was going to be your typical holiday romance, but it was so much deeper than that. I guess that’s why they say don’t judge a book by its cover! I would describe this book as a cozy British winter read that leans into the women’s fiction genre.

The beginning of the book was a bit of a struggle to get into because it felt so detailed and I was overwhelmed with the amount of characters, but eventually, I fell into the rhythm of the story. My favorite part was the Winter Solstice speech that Augustus wrote; it was a wonderful reminder of how beautiful winter can be.

I’m looking forward to reading more of Bayliss’ books!

highlights:
• idyllic small town setting
• cozy holiday vibes
• estranged family
• unlikely romance
• winter solstice theme
• scavenger hunt
• female characters in their 30s and 40s

Thank you @netgalley and @putnambooks for this ARC! A December to Remember is out now.

3.5 stars

If you need a warm and cozy Hallmark-type holiday read, pick up this sweet novel.

Charming winter village vibes, three sisters working to rebuild their family and to reach a shared goal, romance, friendship and a winter festival - what’s not to love? I enjoyed it.

My thanks to @putnambooks and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.

I loved the coziness and sisterhood of this book, however, it was definitely not one of my favorites by Bayliss. It had her signature touch of friendship but found myself getting a little bored.

This book reads to me as a family dynamic book instead of a purely romance. This book does take a bit to get into the story but once you're in it... this book is sublime. The character interaction is fun. I wish there would've character headers when the author went from one sister to the other. I throughly enjoyed this. Thank-you to Net Galley and Penguin/Putumn for an ARC of this book. #ADecembertoRemember #NetGalley

Ugh, the ending to this?! Perfection. This was a sweet tale of family finding their way back to the each other, with a sprinkle of romance as well.

Wildly different sisters, Maggie, Simone, and Star have gathered in Rowen Thorp, the small town their father lived in, to now hear his will be read. It’s been years since they’ve seen one another or had a magical summer together growing up, but now here they are.

Ever the clever old goat, their father has sent them on a wild goose chase, finding monopoly pieces throughout his chaotic antiquities & curios shop, before they have to plan and revive the towns winter solstice celebrations. The three haven’t seen eye-to-eye since they were little kids, can they work together through their grievances in order to save their inheritance and possibly their love for one another?

I loved getting to see all three pov's of the sisters and how they feel about one another. Having such different upbringings with three very different mothers I could totally understand how they had to work on understanding one another. It was also so good to see them finally work together and show some empathy towards their experiences. Overall, an amazing feel-good read about family!

I love a Jenny Bayliss holiday story and this is another one to add to my favorites. I love the sense of community Bayliss writes about in her novels. It's always so cozy and the characters are so lovable. A December to Remember did not disappoint. Bayliss is able to perfectly capture the holiday spirit and this is a great read during the winter holidays. I enjoyed the relationship between the three sisters which felt like more of an original storyline compared to most holiday books I come across this time of year. I will always pick up a Jenny Bayliss book, and even plan to re-read the next holiday season. Thank you Net Galley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC.