Susan Mallory is always a must read! One Big Happy Family tells the story about Julie Parker, a divorced mother of two adult children. Having found a new romance with Heath and with her children having other plans, Julie was looking forward to a quiet holiday season with just Heath. When circumstances change and her son and daughter want to instead have their traditional family holiday at the cabin, Julie rallies and prepares to host everyone. “Everyone” ends up including a broad group of extras, including exes, coworkers, in-laws, kids and even a dog.

Susan Mallery consistently does a very good job handling plots that include family drama, fun and romance. And One Big Hapoy Family doesn’t disappoint! Recommend everyone puts this on their holiday reading list!

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy.

loved ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY by Susan Mallery. I read it while on vacation at the beach with my toes in the sand and snow in my mind.
There is a time in life when the children are grown and the holidays change for a family. Julie Parker thought she was going to have a quiet Christmas with Heath, a younger man, she is secretly dating.
Then a cozy Christmas of 2 becomes a family affair of many, including Heath’s ex-wife and his children.
Julie is an admirable character. She is easy to relate to and has a big heart for family.
I loved the Christmas Spirit in the family cabin. I highly recommend!

A rollicking big holiday get together with family, extended family and family adjacent all together to enjoy and celebrate the season.
This is the first Christmas since the loss of their father who always came to be with them, even after divorce.
There is much drama and semi- disasters but in the end love wins.
I couldn't ask for more on a Christmas story. Perfection
.

This book is perfect to escape from the daily grind and become engrossed in the story of a family, likable characters and interesting locales. It is unique as compared to the traditional Christmas ideas. I loved the plot and the characters are very likeable. This is a must-read book, especially during the festive season.

Thank you to HTP (Harlequin Trade Publishing) and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. I found it to be a bit over the top with all of the storylines and a bit boring at the same time. I’m sure this book will be appreciated by the right audience but it didn’t have the humor I was hoping for and it read like 3 Hallmark movie plot lines thrown together.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Book: One Big Happy Family
Author: Susan Mallery
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Canary Street Press, for sending me an ARC. I love Christmas stories. I don’t know what it is about them that always puts me in a good mood. This one was no different. I love following a family during the holidays and all of the drama that comes along with it.


In this one, we follow Julie and her family. Things have not been going so great. Her grown children’s father passed away last year and this is their first Christmas without him. It is hard on them. Julie has been looking forward to a holiday at home with her new boyfriend. However, her family has other ideas. You see it has become a family tradition to go to the family cabin and have a big family Christmas. They want to do it this year. They want to go back and have a family celebration like they used to. Julie agrees, but it is going to add stress to her. It ends up being a holiday and adventure that they will never forget. While things remain the same from the past, the future is different and it is going to be amazing.

This is a family story. We have a family that is dealing with the death of their father, breakups, and new love. It is the day to day that makes this. We are following a group of close people who just want to have a holiday. Yet, it is not what they expected. It is rough and ugly, but at the end of the day, it is for the best. They come to find that the things that they were running away from may be the very thing that they needed. It’s about letting go and confronting the things that scare them. It’s about growth and finding your way. It’s about love and forgiveness. It’s not always the easy path, but it is life.

This is what has made the book for me. I love the drama and I love how messy everything is. Not all holidays are rosy and calm. They are messy. They are full of moments that are not expected, but end up being what you need. I love following the day to day of the characters. I thought it added so much to the world and to what was happening. I found that getting the characters’ backstories also helped the story a lot.

The characters were interesting and very well done. With that being said, I thought that a few of them could have been developed a little bit more. However, they fit the story and fit the role they were supposed to play. Plus, we get a lot of their own point of views and it adds a lot to the story. It gives a lot more insight into what is going on and who they are. It allows us to spend more time with the family and understand how and why we have gotten to this point.

If you like holiday family drama, then I encourage you to give this a go. Really, if you are looking for a story to put you in the holiday spirit, then pick this up.

This book comes out on October 1, 2024.

Youtube: https://youtu.be/6wXmmLuXQVo

Julie is a fabulous older woman who has a little secret, she is dating a younger man. She is really looking forward to having a low key Christmas with her new man when her grown children drop a bombshell on her. They’ve decided they DO want to do a big family Christmas at the family cabin to honor their dad, Julie’s late ex-husband. This causes Julie to have to let her children know she is dating a much younger man, and to stress about what bringing them together for Christmas will look like. Things snowball, and more and more people keep getting added to what was supposed to be her low key Christmas. This book is filled with lots of family drama, secrets, and pain. Yet it still gives all the warm and fuzzies you expect from a Christmas
book. The characters, storyline, and setting were wonderful. Another fabulous book by Susan Mallery. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

Susan Mallery, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Boardwalk Bookshop, returns with the joyful and utterly irresistible story of a mother who couldn't love her kids more but hopes that, just this once, they please don't come home for Christmas. Perfect for fans of Mary Kay Andrews and Julie Murphy!





From NetGalley:

Julie Parker’s kids are her greatest gift. Still, she’s not exactly heartbroken when they ask to skip a big Christmas. Her son, Nick, is taking a belated honeymoon with his bride, Blair, while her daughter, Dana, will purge every reminder of the guy who dumped her. Again. Julie feels practically giddy for one-on-one holiday time with Heath, the (much) younger man she’s secretly dating.

But her plans go from cozy to chaotic when Nick and Dana plead for Christmas at the family cabin in memory of their late father, Julie’s ex. She can’t refuse, even though she dreads their reactions to her new man when they realize she’s been hiding him for months.

As the guest list grows in surprising ways, from Blair’s estranged mom to Heath’s precocious children, Julie’s secret is one of many to be unwrapped. Over this delightfully complicated and very funny Christmas, she’ll discover that more really is merrier, and that a big, happy family can become bigger and happier, if they let go of old hurts and open their hearts to love.

My Take:

I love a good Christmas story and this one really got me into the spirit. I enjoyed the plot, the character flaws and even the way the author took somewhat unlovable characters and gave them depth. It has the makings of a Hallmark Christmas movie, but this one has a little more sex appeal than most Hallmark movies. The emotional connection between Julie and Heath is fun, but I feel like the author made way too much of the age difference.

This book is worth the read this Christmas season. I have already cast this book for a movie, so I am eager for this one to make it to the big screen!

About the Author:





Susan Mallery is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of books about the relationships that define women's lives—romance, friendship, family. With compassion and humor, Susan keenly observes how people think and feel, in stories that take readers on an emotional journey. Sometimes heartbreaking, often funny, and always uplifting, Susan's books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list, thanks to her ever growing legions of fans.

Critics, too, have heaped praise on "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!"

Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.

Susan lives in Seattle with her husband, a ragdoll cat, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Animals play a big role in her books, as well, as she believes they're an integral component to a happy life. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.

I thought reading a Christmas-themed book in the middle of one of the hottest weeks of the summer would be a delightful getaway. Unfortunately, this book was not what I needed. It was extremely slow-paced paced, and at times had way too much detail. I struggled to get through a chapter per night, and after feeling like I was reading it forever but not even at the halfway point, I decided it was time to give up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

This was such a cute Christmas romance. The main characters are exactly what I want in a romance. As a lover of romance novels, the pacing was awesome.

This is a great Christmas book to read. So many people, and so much drama makes this a fun and interesting book you do not want to miss.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys holiday reading and all the emotions of love, joy, laughter, sadness, loneliness and others that occur during the holiday time.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin/Canary Street Press for this advance copy to read. I enjoyed it so much.

This book held me captive (in a good way). I couldn't put it down, I had to find out what was going to happen next.

I loved all the different stories within the story, expertly woven together by Ms. Mallery. I could relate to the ever growing "family" scenario. So many laughs as well as some tears and an old fashioned feel-good ending. I highly recommend this one.

I found Susan Mallory books while on a cruise with my family and since then she has been an auto buy author for me. Her writing is so soothing and paints the perfect picture as to what is going on with the characters in her stories

This was one of those books for me that as I started reading I felt like I wasn't getting to "the story" I wanted to read. But knowing the author's past books, which I have loved, I just pushed on. I am so glad I did because it was a fantastic, sometimes hilarious family story unlike any I've read before. With multiple characters and unexpected additions along the way, I was soon caught up in the family dynamics. Yes it was a story centered around Christmas, but certainly not just another Christmas book. It tugged at my heartstrings when the adult children wanted one more Christmas together because it was the first without their father. And I marveled at their mother (long divorced from their father) who not only gave up her plans, but included extra people that were exes and unwanted relatives. This marvelous story captured my attention way into the early morning hours because I could NOT put it down. Loving family story that was so much more than expected.

Huge thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street Press for allowing me to read and review this book. Opinions are strictly my own honest thoughts.

One Big Happy Family is a warm hearted book! It’s fun and easy to read with all the festive vibes. I liked the multiple points of view and the characters in the book. This is one I recommend reading closer to the Christmas season to really appreciate the story even more. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

There’s nothing better than a family Christmas drama to get you excited for the upcoming season. I loved that it was different than the typical Christmas trope and loved the age-gap romance. Susan Mallery kept me laughing and unable to put it down!

Julie Parker has two adult children: her son is married, Julie is divorced. This Christmas will be subdued; her son and daughter-in-law are on their honeymoon, while her daughter will visit her home. Julie harbors a secret; she's dating a younger man unknown to her family. Her daughter Dana, who is close to her, won't take the news well, especially since Dana's recent heartbreak involved Alex, an employee of Julie's. Julie owns a large tow truck company and anticipates her son Nick taking over, but he's reluctant to learn the business and hasn't confessed his other aspirations to her. Suddenly, Nick desires a grand family Christmas at their cabin. Julie's boyfriend, Heath, was to stay with her as his house undergoes renovations, but now, the entire family is heading to the cabin for Christmas. As plans fall through for others, more family and friends are invited. The gathering of ex-partners and current loves promises an eventful holiday.

Start with a divorced mother, a first Christmas after her ex has passed, add the 2 adult children and their love interests, then add the mom's new, younger love interest and make plans for the holidays. Mom has a quiet week for two planned until the adult kids say they need tradition to remember their dad and there goes the quiet week.

The family "cabin" at about 6,000 square feet can hold them all and then some. More people you ask? Of course this isn't a simple quiet week. Daughter has broken up with her love interest, but since he works for her mom, there are complications. Son's wife (newlyweds) have her problem mom and an uncle join them. Mom's new hottie has 2 kids of his own and an ex wife and a dog. Full house?

All in all, it is a nice story, but the drama comes from the "I won't tell him/her right now, but will wait until ___" that causes issues throughout the story. That was a bit annoying. You can't complain when others don't tell you if you don't tell them, but mom feels she is strong enough to do as she pleases. Yes, even mom has some learning to do here.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

I read this during hot summer days thanks to NetGalley and it was fun to read a Christmas story on the beach! The family dynamics are interesting in this novel and the situations kept me intrigued throughout. It was heartwarming and entertaining

Enjoyable, but unnecessarily too long, and very unrealistic.

Thank you NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for sending this book for review consideration