2024’s queer Christmas book to read!

Babs Belvedere’s three children have all come home to her Catskills manor this December. Liz, a writer and show runner, has a severe case of writer’s block for season two after falling for her lead actress. Birdie is a stand-up comic practicing her drinking more than her next act. And Rafi was just humiliated romantically and professionally all at once. The three plan to hide out until Christmas, but when each of their love interests shows up, there’s no hiding from their feelings.

This rom-com emulated queer joy, and I loved it! It’s so nice to find an LGBTQ+ book that doesn’t focus on the anguish of coming out, but rather celebrating characters living their normal up and down lives as queer people. I found myself rooting for everyone in this book!

Last year my favorite LGBTQ+ Christmas book was Kiss Her Once For Me, and this year it’s Most Wonderful. Thanks for being you, Georgia Clark. 💗

Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

With Christmas fast approaching and their lives in turmoil, the Belvedere siblings descend on their mother’s estate in upstate New York to pass out gifts and ring in a new year.

There’s buttoned up Liz who just wrapped on a successful first season as a show runner for a popular series, and is trying to deny the crush she has on the star of her show. Next is Birdie, a struggling stand up comedian and classic middle child people pleaser who just lost her agent and has no new material. Her meet cute includes throwing wine on an expensive painting. Bringing up the rear is Rafi, who is looking for love in all the wrong places and was dumped by the woman he proposed to in a fantastically misguided attempt at happiness.

The kids have different fathers but share a mother, an eccentric Hollywood star who is hosting her children, all of whom have seemingly, if not convincingly, sworn off love.

So of course, let’s introduce Violet the TV star, Jecka the artist, and Ash the lifelong best friend, all here to spread holiday cheer and romance to the Belvederes.

But nothing is ever easy and wrenches are thrown into every good thing, of course, until cooler heads - and love - prevails.

It’s a heartfelt, loving family dynamic you’ll embrace, partnered with delightful queer romance in which the weird, the wonderful, the left of center are celebrated.

Thanks to @netgalley and @dialpress for the ARC to read and enjoy. This one came out October 15, 2024, and is the perfect holiday read!

ok this was such a quirky, fun, hilarious Christmas rom-com. I laughed out loud so many times at these outrageous one-liners. Absolutely no depth to this read - was just so light and entertaining!

Big thanks to Random House Publishing and Netgalley for letting me read and rate this ARC.

When Liz, Rafi, and Birdie all need to leave their homes for a little while, they decide to visit their mom , Bab’s, house a little early for the holiday season. Liz is a show runner who was worrying about how close she was getting to the star, Violet, and Birdie needs to recenter after being dropped by her agent. After Rafi misses all the signs from his girlfriend, he needs a break. While there, Liz realizes there may be something going on with her mom, as she as not as eccentric as she usually is. The other thing she and Birdie notice is that Rafi will need his best friend Ash to get through his heartbreak, so they ask him to fly home; however, Rafi realizes there might be something more with their friendship and is ready to explore that. During her visit, Liz starts to work on her plan for season 2, but Violet is sent there by the show for them to workshop the second season. While working together, their relationship also grows. With help from a local artist, Birdie starts work on her new standup show, while trying to work through the affect her dad’s passing has had in her life: i really like that Birdie’s journey was more self-focused, especially with the realization that maybe it was time for an oil change.

Liz, Rafi, and Birdie’s lives take a turn they did not expect. They decide to go visit their mother early to get started on the Christmas activities. While there they spend together and also find out some things about their family members. I did feel the book was a little long and confusing at times with so many characters. But it was a good family book about growth and supporting each other. It was average for me.

When Liz, Rafi, and Birdie all find themselves feeling like failures, they decide to start the holidays early by making their way up to their mother’s house in the Catskills. United in their misery, they form the Black Hearts Club and expect the season to be full of sadness. Except, everyone wants a holiday fling and there’s a bit of romance in store for all of them.

This is a story about the individual growth of all three main characters which is good because I found myself initially feeling like they were just spoiled rich kids who haven’t grown up. This made the novel slower to get into than I would have liked. Having read Island Time by Clark I was excited for the prospect of multiple relationships and this one does deliver on that. However, the relationships were more predictable and disconnected from each other. At times I felt like you could just read the three perspectives all individually. All of the relationships essentially had some form of a third act break up and this was one area where I thought there could have been more variety.

While I really enjoyed reading the Liz and Violet parts, my favorite character in the end was Birdie. This likely had to do with her having the most character growth of the three. The way her new show came together felt really genuine and carefully crafted.

Overall, this is a strong multi-relationship queer novel that’s worth a read even if it’s light on the Holiday themes. I'd probably give this a 3.5 but rounding up because of Birdie.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

fun complex and lgbt holiday classic i wish i drank this curled up on the sofa with a cup of hot cocoa that is the only thing that would have made this book better. i loved the characters and the multiple point of views i cannot wait for holiday time to possibly re read this

A solid 4.5 stars - I’ve loved every Georgia Clark book I’ve read and this was no exception. I love multi-POV books and the Belvedere family had such a fun, yet complex dynamic. The book is worth the read for Rafi’s story alone, but I also loved the characters of Birdie and Liz. This book got me in the Christmas spirit and it’s a book I’d recommend to anyone. I can't wait to read whatever Georgia Clark comes up with next!

Thank you to Random House Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this family and romance centered novel. This book just makes you feel good. It made me smile. I felt really connected with all of the characters and didn't really dislike any of them.
I also really enjoyed the audiobook from PRH Audio and I loved the full cast of narrators including Kristen Sieh, Patti Murrin and Shawn K Jain.

If you are looking for an adorably cozy holiday romance that will give you all the feels, this book is for you. Bonus points for the book having LGBTQIA+ representation!!

Many thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

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I was so invested in this holiday tale of the Belvedere siblings. Author Georgia Clark has a predilection for writing about brothers and sisters in a way that makes me wholeheartedly cheer for their happy endings. Overwhelmingly enjoyed!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Dial Press Trade Paperback and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

I really enjoyed getting three love stories in one book and they are all siblings. They all get together for the holidays at their famous mother’s home in the Catskills, and they are a bit of a hot mess. I loved the Belvedere family drama that took place around the holidays, and swearing off love with their Black Hearts Club. Kind of reminiscent of The Family Stone movie. There were some serious topics so it wasn’t just a cute holiday romance, but it was witty and heartfelt so it felt more relatable and real. Plus some spice!

In Most Wonderful, three adult siblings whose lives are a bit messy reunite at their larger-than-life mother's manor in upstate New York for an unforgettable holiday season. Liz, the responsible eldest daughter and Hollywood showrunner, is working on an idea for the second season of her hit show while also trying to ignore the fact that she has a crush on the actress who plays the lead. Middle child Birdie, a stand-up comic who spends more time drinking and wooing women than working on her material, has been ditched by her manager and needs a break from the city. Rafi, the baby and golden boy, is mortified after his girlfriend/coworker turns down his public proposal at the company holiday party and is working remotely to avoid colleagues until it all blows over. The three siblings arrive one-by-one in early December at the home of their mother, famed actress and singer Babs Belvedere, determined to work and focus on themselves but, during the countdown to Christmas, their plans are derailed in delightful ways.

Three queer romantic subplots are woven into this emotional and heartfelt family drama that takes place at a cozy country house in the Catskills over the holidays. It's a rom-com with humour and steamy open door romance but also a family drama with some depth covering a lot of issues including mental health, excessive drinking and finding one's purpose in life. I loved the family dynamic between the siblings and their mom, the personal growth that each of the siblings experience along with their romances and the magic of the holidays that overlays the plot. The ensemble cast in Most Wonderful is a quirky and likeable bunch and this is an enjoyable read for the holiday season - a celebration of love, family and the arts!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This just might be my new favorite Georgia Clark book yet! Three half-siblings spend the holidays together with their mother and get second chances at love. Told from alternating POVs of each sibling, we get to know Liz, a hotshot LA show runner who is crushing hard on the show's star, Birdie, a standup comic who drinks too much and sleeps around a lot and Rafi, who recently his marriage proposal rejected. Each sibling grows in this book in important ways, learn a secret about their mother and find love for a heartwarming holiday queer romcom full of laughs, heart and great mental health rep! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

CW: parental abandonment, MS diagnosis, alcoholism, therapy, depression

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4.75⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: Contemporary romance📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
Such a fun queer holiday romance following the three Belvedere siblings

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Holiday romances
Family drama
Heartwarming and funny reads
Heavy topics
Relatable characters
Multiple POV
Famous mothers
All the love- family and romantic
Great character development


𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
I loved the Black Hearts Club/ sibling meetings

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
Because the story follows all three siblings the romance is more surface level
A little slow at times
I wish there had been an epilogue

Thank you NetGalley, Dial Press Trade Paperback and Georgia Clark for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It’s the beginning of December and all 3 of the Belvedere siblings are at a crossroads and wanted to get away from some reality so they go to their eccentric mother’s house, the Belvedere Inn, to wait out the holiday.

The book is told in third person and rotates covering each sibling’s experiences leading up to escaping to their mom’s place and throughout their time at the Inn.

Each sibling has some personal growth to achieve which is nice to watch them evolve. Liv, Birdie and Rafi all are on their own relationship journey as well, Liv is afraid to love again - even after realizing she has feelings for an important woman in her life, Birdie is a lover and leaver of all woman - until she comes across the one to challenge her, and Rafi loves hard and fast - which burns him every time until he sees someone differently for the first time.

Overall a nice story but with 3 different stories it was hard for me to really get invested, 3.25⭐️


TW: mentions of heavy drinking and alcoholism.

4.5

okay wow I loved this!

i went into this expecting a silly, gay rom-com that doesn’t take itself too seriously, which this absolutely was, but it was also rich with sensitive discussions of heavy topics

clark managed to discuss mental health, sibling dynamics, physical health, relationship problems, and many other weighty subjects with a delicate hand.

I LOVED this cast of characters. all of the different siblings and partners were complex and distinctive. the entire ensemble had well crafted character arcs and development that had you rooting for every one of them.

this was cheesy! so so cheesy! and it was at times a tiny bit cringy, but in an endearing, hallmark-movie-but-make-it-so-very-gay kind of way. there are a lot of culture references, specifically queer pop culture references, which I personally really enjoyed.

I was expecting to have fun with this, but I didn’t expect to be physically giggling and kicking my feet during the last chapters. so sweet, so funny, such an enjoyable read!! I may have to reread this during the winter season!!

thank you so much to netgalley and random house for this uncorrected proof!

<i>Thank you to Dial Press / Random House Publishing for a chance to read an arc this book! 🖤 </i>

<i>5⭐️</i> Queer holiday romcom of my dreams! tropes: holiday romance, age gap, friends to lovers, family love | medium steam | ebook

<i> "The entire universe—every planet, every star, every piece of space dust—had narrowed to the point in this basement home theater where two legs touched." </i>

<i> characters </i>
🩶 Liv is the oldest Belvedere daughter and is the show runner of a new hit streaming show struggling with writers block and her crush on her lead actress Violet. I liked seeing her develop some boundaries with her mom and
🩶 Birdie is the middle child and a stand up comic too busy womanizing to succeed again. She's a real mess and struggling with weight of adulthood and the passing of her father.
🩶 Rafi is the youngest Belvedere and a hopeless romantic to an insane degree. He doesn't know who he is and what love is.

<i> "But sitting together in the cool, comfortable silence felt even more satisfying. They could have this moment, just for them." </i>

<i> favorite bits</i>
🖤 I love books that focus on siblings, especially holiday romances. This book was great at creating real differences versus the siblings and fleshing out all of their characters.
🖤 I immediately was invested in Liv and Violet's relationship. The tension between them was delicious. I loved how much they supported each other and tried to understand and be vulnerable with one another as well. I also loved seeing Liv stand up for herself more and be her own person. I admired Violet's conversation about mental health and how difficult it can be to enter a relationship knowing what you struggle with.
🖤 I'm a sucker for childhood friends to lovers so Rafi and Ash were right up my alley. I was worried because Rafi seemed so all over the place in the love department but I loved seeing him start to see what he was missing all along.
🖤 I liked that each sibling learned and grew throughout the story and felt evenly fleshed out. It takes a lot of care to really develop them and make them each distinct and real.

<i> "And for just one moment, everything was perfect. This felt right." </i>

<i> issues </i>
❌ Birdie and Jecka weren't my favorite. I did have things I liked about their plotline like Birdie realizing she could be more vulnerable and real. I just didn't feel a romantic connection between them in the way I wanted to.

<i> final thoughts: </i>
This needs to be a movie ASAP! I really loved it alot and need more from this author. The writing itself was so well done and I really can't state how much I loved it.

Check out my socials <a href="https://linktr.ee/buffyreads here</a> for more reviews!

I loved this holiday family story - drama, self-discovery, people coming together / growing apart, LGBTQ romance, small town winter setting.

Siblings Liz, Birdie, and Ravi all have been unlucky in love - but in very different ways - and come home together. What starts as a black hearts club over the holidays takes them in unexpected directions - and their reunion with their famous mother brings more surprises.

I have enjoyed all of Georgia Clark's stories and this was no exception. Highly recommend to read this during a cozy afternoon in!

Thank you to Netgalley and to Random House for the ARC.

Georgia Clark’s first holiday romance – Most Wonderful is utter perfection.

Just when I think Georgia Clark’s writing is her best yet, she proves me a liar. I feel like I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but this truly IS her best book yet. This story has everything – incredible characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and touching ones too. She once again totally nails multiple main characters in complicated relationships both with each other, and with their love interests.

This time we’re focused on the Belvedere family. Three siblings born to the same famous actress mom – Babs, so let’s start there. Babs is capital F Fabulous. Funny and over-the-top dramatic, she loves her career, and loves her kids even more. Her house in the Catskills – Belvedere Inn sounds like a wonderful place. One of my favourite details in the book is all the great descriptions of the house and the hilarious details of how Babs renovated it. As in, “Babs had renovated the basement-level home theatre after landing a Japanese endorsement deal for caffeinated chewing gum.”

The story follows each of the adult children in alternating chapters. Liz is the responsible and sensible one. She’s the showrunner on a teen drama that just finished season one, based on the Sweet Valley High books. She’s trying to write her pitch for season two but is wildly distracted by a mega crush on the star of her show Violet.

Birdie is a stand-up comic in New York. Birdie might be one of my favourite characters of all time. She made me laugh so much my cheeks were hurting at parts. Birdie is a bit of a hot mess. She loses her manager when she misses her set time while hooking up in the bar’s bathroom – again.

Rafi is the sweet, heart-on-his-sleeve baby of the family. He gets his heart broken again when he proposes to his girlfriend in front of all their coworkers at the annual holiday party and she says no.

All three siblings retreat to the Fabulous Belvedere Inn for the holidays early to lick their wounds and to try and get some work done, away from their everyday lives. Each of the characters is so superbly crafted. I loved each of them for different reasons. I loved them together as well. Although they have complicated relationships with each other, it felt very real and reminded me a bit of my own family in ways. I also have two siblings and we’re close. We each have our roles we’re (sort of) relegated to, but at the end of the day, we have each other’s backs. And that’s what the Belvedere’s are like.

This wouldn’t be a rom-com if there wasn’t any romance, and each of the three Belvedere’s find their own love interest. I won’t spoil it for you, but each of them are different and perfect. There is a lot packed into this book but it all feels right.

One of my favourite things about this book is the character growth. All the Belvederes experience tremendous change throughout the narrative, and I found myself feeling very inspired by their growth, perhaps because I cared about all the characters so much. There were even a few moments that I teared up – a rarity for me, and I’m not mad about it.

Okay, one last thing I loved, and then I promise to let you get back to your day. I loved how gay this book is. Like super queer. In her notes at the end of the book, Georgia talks about how at first Rafi’s character was straight and how it just wasn’t working. I’m so glad she followed her gut and put him on the rainbow. Is it realistic that all three siblings would be queer? Who cares? Not this reader. I loved every moment.

Make your yuletide gayer this year and read Most Wonderful. Just trust me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! Most Wonderful by Georgia Clarke is an adorable holiday rom-com that truly captures the spirit of the season. While it took me a little time to adjust to following three separate storylines, once the characters' lives intertwined and the plot unfolded, it became much easier to follow. Each storyline added its own unique charm, and by the end, I was fully invested in each character’s journey. The book is filled with heartwarming moments, festive cheer, and a healthy dose of romance—perfect for cozying up with during the holidays! Overall, it’s a fun, feel-good read that leaves you smiling.