this is a truly lovely, deeply beautiful story! I loved the different perspectives of the three siblings as they deal with their own lives & loves while all together at their mothers place over the holidays. Liz, Birdie, and Rafi are such special characters, I loved them all so deeply.

there is an abundance of love, quirkiness, joy, healing, strength, & acceptance in this story, you can’t help but feel deeply connected to all the characters, their struggles & joys, heartbreaks & butterflies. I loved how each of their love stories brought so much peace, comfort, & love to each of them individually & collectively as a family.

an absolute joy of a holiday read. thank you so much for the arc!

A festive read filled with lots of heart and emotional depth is right up my alley. This book was wonderful in that it let the main characters be human and imperfect and flawed but not so much that you weren't rooting for them all the way til the end.

I enjoyed the humour throughout the book especially Birdie and her sarcastic wit. It helped ease some of the heaviness with the topics explored. I loved the relationship of Rafi and his childhood best friend Ash the most. There was such a beautiful bond between the two and it felt the most explored to me. I also loved Liz and Violet together. Watching them bond over their work and watching Liz slowly come out of her shell and set healthier boundaries with her family was definitely something I was cheering for.

I'll echo what some of the other reviews I've read have said in that there was a lot going on and all dealing in pretty emotionally prickly subject matter like miscarriage, divorce, alcoholism, grief, parental neglect, and more. It felt like too many of these things in one book in that the solutions seemed too instant and easy. For someone that is using alcohol to numb their grief on such a daily basis and at that much, I can't see that they just gave up alcohol and had very little support or struggle with it. At least we didn't get to see that because at this time in the book there were so many other storylines exploding and imploding. I guess if some of that had happened at different times or earlier in the story we could have seen the growth more. I was really hoping for an epilogue at the end but alas there was none.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and found the amount of holiday vibes just right for me. I loved the setting of Belvedere Inn and would want to stay there someday if it were real. I love that it was a big gay holiday romance filled to the brim with love and joy and family. I would love to visit this little corner of Georgia Clark's mind again someday and find out more about these relationships that just started and what happens next for Birdie.

I received an early digital reader copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review. Thanks so much for the opportunity to read this adorable holiday book!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Dial Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by Georgia Clark. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

The three Belvedere siblings are a mess. The oldest, Liz, works in Hollywood as a showrunner and is stumped at how to follow up on her hit show's first season. She also has a big crush on the series star, Violet Grace. Birdie, the middle child, is a stand-up comic but is failing to come up with any new material and has just been fired by her manager. Rafi, the youngest and the golden boy, proposes to his coworker girlfriend at a company party, only to be turned down. So they all head up to their mother's house in the Catskills for the holidays, only for things to get even more complicated.

This is a queer romcom just in time for the holiday season. I loved how the siblings were always there for each other, even coming up with different names for their own club to share their innermost thoughts; this year, it's the Black Hearts Club since they've all sworn off love. But of course love has different plans for all of them. They all have different dads, but their mom, Babs, is a hoot with a secret of her own. There's some heavy subjects here as well - addiction, depression, abandonment issues, illness - but the overall book is light and hopeful.

A lovely book that puts you in the holiday spirit and tells of the romances of three siblings, all coming together for the holiday season, and each finding their own holiday romance. Liz and Violet were so cute, but the cliche "I'm famous and don't want people knowing so we must hide it and freak out when people find out" was a bit of a turn off. Rafi and Ash were the best couple out of the three, in my opinion. They were very sweet and matched each others energy by the end. Birdie's romance was my least favorite, and I was not a fan of Birdie at all so I was very uninvested in her story.

Most Wonderful by Georgia Clark is a fun, sexy read that hooked me from the start! The story follows the Belvedere siblings—Liz, a Hollywood showrunner, Birdie, a stand-up comic, and Rafi, a sensitive romantic—who, after facing personal and professional disasters, head to their mother's house for a holiday reset. But as the season unfolds, love and holiday magic have other plans. Birdie's hilarious one-liners kept me laughing the whole way through, and the romance sizzled with every page. It's the perfect mix of humor, heart, and heat—I highly recommend it!

this book has the coziest vibes - who wouldn’t want to spend Christmas in a snowy country manor, wrapped up cozy blankets by the fire with mulled wine and your siblings?? i particularly loved the development of the sibling and mother-child relationships in this story. while I love a holiday romance, the market does feel a bit saturated at times, so the familial element sets this one apart (and family dramas are actually my favorite subgenre of christmas novels!)

What made it not 5 stars for me was that at times the humor felt a bit forced. The pop culture references and gen Z speak was a bit too over the top and at times made the dialogue feel unnatural. Otherwise, I loved it!

Thank you to Georgia Clark, Dial Trade Press and Netgalley for a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars rounded up.

This book was so cute! I struggled to get into in the first few chapters but once I was invested in the characters it was a sweet story. I loved all the couples and the siblings’ bond. I also liked the way each of the characters storylines intertwined. And the twist part way (which I won’t say because of spoilers) had me on the edge of my seat! Pick this up if you’re for a cute, queer holiday romance story that centres on multiple couples.

I unfortunately was unable to finish before the publication date. Although this is a story I hope to read one day, I was not capable of fulfilling those requirements. I wish the story and author the best! I believe that it can captivate many people which is why I gave it 4 stars.

“Most Wonderful” by Georgia Clark is a fun queer holiday romance set in the Catskills. The main characters are the three Belvedere siblings, including perfectionist and workaholic Liz, irresponsible Birdie and sensitive Rafi. Each sibling is dealing with romantic and career dilemmas as well as health issues of their bohemian and famous mother. This is a romantic and funny Christmas read that shows different types of love, family and being in the world. Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the eARC.

This is the perfect holiday romance that will warm your heart. This book follows the Belvedere siblings, Liz, Birdie, and Rafi, through the Christmas holiday as they navigate budding romances with an actress, an artist, and childhood best friend. It is a beautiful blend of humor, emotional depth, and family dynamics. Throughout the book, the siblings are finding themselves, and finding reminders that love is all around, which I thought was beautifully written. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a cute Christmas book! I always have to have a seasonal read ready for the holidays, and this fit the bill! I loved that this is essentially a queer holiday romance. So if you're like me and you're someone who needs that kind of book for the holidays to get into the spirit of the season, this is the book for you!

The holidays are fast approaching, and the Belvedere siblings are a mess. Liz, a Hollywood showrunner and responsible eldest, has no idea how to follow up her hit show’s first season, or how to deal with her giant crush on its star, Violet Grace. Birdie turned her chronic middle-child syndrome into a career as a stand-up comic, but since she spends more time wooing women than working on new material, she’s facing one-hit-wonder status, especially once she gets axed by her manager. And Rafi, sensitive romantic and the baby golden boy, proposes to his co-worker girlfriend in front of their entire company, only to be turned down by the woman he thought was the love of his life.

Born to three different fathers, the three adult children share one mother: famed actress and singer Babs Belvedere. Seeking direction and holiday cheer, all three siblings head up to their mother’s house in the country, determined to swear off love and focus on themselves and their work. But the spirit of the season seems to have different plans for them, and their best intentions are quickly derailed in the most delightful and festive of ways.

There's a lot going on here, with three different couples and stories intertwined. I rather enjoyed most of this, but it felt like too much sometimes. If you enjoy multiple major storylines happening at the same time, you will enjoy this. It felt a bit much to me, but the ending was still satisfying!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

I love Georgia Clark! She always writes the best stories!
Most Wonderful by Georgia Clark is such a fun queer holiday rom-com.
Liz, Rafi and Birdie are all so fun and endearing.
This is a fantastic read with great characters and an epic setting.

Thank You NetGalley and Random House & Dial Press Trade Paperback for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

The way I want to simply *jump* into this book and be the fourth sibling. Everyone is so cool and fun and very flawed yet charmingly so. We have tons of queer love, the holiday season, family dynamics, sibling relationships, a famous mom (okay that’s not relatable but we love Babs). This is a perfect cozy fun read for the holiday season.

Absolutely loved this charming holiday romance! Made me excited for the impending holidays to come. Although following three different love stories made it hard to follow at times. But I still loved it regardless and highly recommend.

This was my first book by Georgia Clark. I enjoyed her writing style. This book gave us insight simultaneously into 3 siblings lives.
This was a M/M and F/F with scenes from both. The chemistry was strong between the characters. Most had growth in their characters and with their relationship.
I will continue to follow her and watch for more books to come.

A queer holiday romance that has ALL of the Christmas vibes. I loved the relationship between the 3 siblings (and how they gave themselves a club name every Christmas) as well as the relationships they had with their mother. I also loved how Ash was an honorary sibling and key member of the family. There is a lot that happens in this book, but it never felt overwhelming to keep up with, and all of the storylines were fairly well developed. Of all the romantic relationships that develop in this one, Birdie's was my least favorite, and I never felt the connection in that one. I think this one addresses some important and heavy topics in a way that never felt heavy and kept it more Christmas-ey (addiction, family secrets, sexual identity, social media, and more). Recommend for readers who are looking for a holiday romance that isn't necessarily a typical Hallmark holiday romance.

Most Wonderful by Georgia Clark was a delightful holiday romcom in the vein of the traditional lifetime film, only with an exceptionally queer cast and an eccentric matriarch. 
Three siblings facing personal crises retreat to their mother's estate for the holidays to tend to their wounds and prepare for the upcoming festivities. 
It started slowly but about a third of the way in, things got more interesting, and I was thoroughly engaged throughout the remainder. 
Each sibling was struggling with career and relationship issues and there was a lot of room for growth. I found all the characters likable in their own way. They each had unique voices and personalities, and the sibling bond was entertaining and heartwarming. 
I enjoyed the writing style, and it was mostly clean of typos, etc., making for a smooth, quick read. I loved the winter setting in Upstate New York. It was beautifully described. 
The relationships each sibling had with their significant others felt believable and passionate. I was all in. I could have enjoyed a whole book about each, but the parts given in this family drama were enough to sell the story. 
The family dynamics were lovely as well. How each sibling related to one another and their mother and how they supported each other through their struggles was uplifting. 
Some serious issues such as mental health, abandonment, miscarriage, past trauma, and chronic illness, were touched on and handled gently and maturely. Be aware that some of those may be triggering.
Most Wonderful was a fun and inspiring holiday novel where a supportive family takes center stage, giving each member room for personal growth and enlightenment. A lot was going on, and I was concerned that it might be too much for one book, but it was balanced well and worked for me.
I would be happy to read more by this author.
#M/M #F/F #mentalhealth #alcoholaddiction #chronicillness #actor #performer #screenwriter #comedian #artist #miscarriage #hollywood #singlemother
I received this ARC from NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

Most Wonderful by Georgia Clark is a heartwarming holiday tale centered on the chaotic lives of the Belvedere siblings. Liz, a successful Hollywood showrunner, is battling a creative block and a huge crush on her show’s star, Violet Grace. Birdie, the middle-child stand-up comic, is struggling with her career after focusing more on romance than her craft, and Rafi, the sensitive youngest sibling, faces heartbreak after his public proposal is rejected. The three siblings, all born to different fathers, retreat to their famous mother Babs' house for the holidays, hoping to focus on their careers and personal growth. But in true festive fashion, the holiday season has other plans, leading them into unexpected romantic and personal twists. This story is a delightful mix of family drama, romance, and holiday magic, making it a perfect seasonal read.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for arc of this in exchange for an honest review.

Overall an okay holiday read for me. I had higher hopes for this novel but it started to feel stagnant around the middle. Also I had a really hard time picturing the characters in my mind. Not sure if that's just me? 3 stars because I do think this book will have a large audience that loves it but it won't be a memorable romance for me in 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this advanced copy. Most Wonderful is available on October 15, 2024.