This was fine! Clark nails those swoony rom-com beats, particularly in Rafi and Ash's friends-to-lovers arc. 'Most Wonderful' is worth reading, if only for that plot line, especially if you're a fan of The Charm Offensive. But as an ensemble romance, this novel is less funny and complex and cohesive than Clark's last book, 'Island Time'. The characters aren't as fleshed out (Violet's main traits are "sexy" and "has depression." I can't recall a single thing about Jecka. I think she paints?) and the themes don't feel as fresh and complementary (I LOVED 'Island Time''s conversations about motherhood). Clark's writing is sharp and beautiful in 'Island Time,' but it leans didactic in 'Most Wonderful,' falling into the Very Special Episode trap that feels increasingly common in contemporary romance.

Liz and Violet's arc is promising (a show runner falls for her star––a banger of a premise!) and their romance has SO much momentum before it deflates in the novel's third act, which is very, very rushed. Like, I'm-not-even-sure-an-epilogue-can-fix-this rushed. PSA for romance authors: stop trying to make public declarations of love happen!!! I have yet to see one resolve a third-act breakup in a way that's even a LITTLE satisfying.

The subplot with Birdie's alcoholism feels thin and underdeveloped––perhaps an ensemble romantic comedy isn't the right container for that story? And I don't need my characters to be likeable, but they should at least be interesting! Birdie and Jecka are neither, and their inclusion ultimately weighs the novel down.

While 'Island Time' has a huge cast, it feels experimental and exciting in its narrative strategy. 'Most Wonderful,' by comparison, feels overstuffed and undercooked.

This queer holiday rom-com needs to be on your winter reading list. We meet three adult children- all with different fathers and a famed actress and singer for a mother. They all head to their mother’s country house to escape it all their broken hearts. But can you really escape love? In this case, no! Funny and witty, I adored the dynamics and relationships of the characters with one another and their wildly different lives but deep love for one another. This one is steamy! Thank you NetGalley and Dial Press for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own .

This holiday romance has a charming premise with three siblings navigating love and family drama at their mom's Catskills manor, but it sometimes feels a bit overstuffed with subplots. While it offers plenty of warmth and humor, the pacing could use some tightening to keep the story flowing smoothly.

As a girl who has seen WAY TOO MANY Hallmark Christmas Movies, that is exactly what this book feels like and I loved it. The different ways that each of the siblings grew and developed was so well written and I never doubted the romances that were happening. So many different things in Most Wonderful hit hard such as Violet’s fears of being publicly queer as a famous person and Rafi’s story about not feeling indian enough reminded me of my journey of not feeling hispanic enough. A beautiful holiday story perfect for fans of silly romcoms and Hallmark movies!

It’s no secret I love and adore holiday romances and most of the time the ones I read tend to be light and fluffy with not much depth. That’s not a dig, it’s part of what I enjoy about them but this one was a nice change because while yes, it has light and fluffy moments it also deals with many serious issues and has a complexity that was a pleasant surprise for me.

This follows three siblings and their mother in the weeks leading up to the holiday and then shortly after so you get all the cheerful vibes and wintertime charm. Each sibling has a romantic subplot and I so enjoyed all of their stories. I’ve seen some complaints that there was too much going on and it was hard to keep track of but I didn’t have any issues. The secondary characters were just as wonderful as the main ones and I was charmed by how quirky and likable they all were. If you like family dramas set around the holidays this was so much fun!

This heartwarming holiday romance follows the three children of famous actress Babs Belvedere - Liz, Birdie, & Rafi. It's told from each of their perspectives and is a balance of humor, touching moments and a bit of second hand embarrassment as they navigate their personal struggles and romances.

It was a bit chaotic at times and felt a bit long but I did enjoy the siblings' storylines as they reflected on their careers, their pasts and futures.

Overall, the book delivered a mix of laughter, warmth, and a genuine sense of family. A feel-good novel for the holiday season.

Thank you to the dial press and prh audio for the gifted ARC and ALC.

I’ve been a fan of Georgia’s work for years and let me tell you — this is her best one yet! I enjoyed it so much and a huge part of that is just how hilarious it is. I’ve read novels before that feature a stand up comic, but I’ve never read one where that comic is actually hysterical on page. It’s so real and you’ll be howling (I even laughed my way through the author’s note at the end!).

Most Wonderful also features Georgia’s trademark ensemble cast, but this time with a narrower focus on three siblings and their love lives. It’s much more of a romance than her prior books and is a bit spicier too. The romances are so sweet and VERY queer (there are three queer love stories!!). It’s an unequivocal celebration of queer joy at Christmas.

It’s also got a lot of heart, with each character going through a journey not just in their love lives, but in coming to terms with who they are and who they want to be. It’s a Christmas to remember for the Belvedere siblings and you won’t want to miss it.

Audio: I’m not the biggest fan of this one as an audiobook. There’s a different narrator for Liz, Birdie, and Rafi. I thought the voices for Liz and Birdie were appropriately emotional, matched their characters, and had great voices for all the various characters’ dialogue. The narrator who performed Rafi’s chapters, however, was unemotional and almost monotonous at times. Multiple times while listening to his chapters, I thought to myself how much more impactful it would be if the narrator brought the emotions through to the words rather than just reading them.

Overall ratings
Exact star rating: 4.56
5-pt star rating: 5

Attribute ratings
Characters: 4.5
Atmosphere/Setting: 4
Writing Style: 5
Plot/Pacing: 4
Intrigue: 4.5
Logic: 4.5
Enjoyment: 5

A multi-POV “romance” is always a risk, and this one did not engage me. I DNFed early on, as none of the characters were endearing.

Although Most Wonderful by Georgia Clark was an intriguing story, I found myself unable to fully engage with it and ultimately had to mark it as Did Not Finish (DNF).

Oh man. I’m sorry to report that I DNF this one after the first half. Threw love stories … didn’t connect to any of them. Didn’t really care to follow their relationship. It’s a no for me

Holiday, queer rom-com?! Ummm yes please! Georgia Clark nails the cliche tropes while creating lovable, well developed characters.

The three Belvedere siblings return home to the Catskills for Christmas to visit their famous comedy actress mom. Babs Belvedere, has Deborah Vance (HBO Hacks) vibes but far more loving towards her adult kids, haha. Each sibling is struggling to find the holiday cheer in their tangled romances. You have friends to lovers, the girl that got away, the Hollywood star/regular gal, all the great romance stories!

Honestly if they don’t make this into a Hallmark movie, I will self fund! Sexy, smart, and just overall a festive and fun read.

Thank you NetGally and Dial Press Trade for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Press Trade Paperback for the arc.

I rated this book as 4 stars. I enjoyed this queer holiday romance book about three siblings (they share the same mother, a famous actress, but different fathers), who all find love when they all go home in the Catskills for Christmas. They each go through a lot of introspection of their careers, their past, and their immediate future, while fighting through their attraction for their respective love interests. The read did feel a little long at times. Granted, the author wanted to provide enough pages for each romance, and I appreciated it. But it did feel long.

This was my first book from Georgia Clark, and I look forward to reading her backlist. Her writing was easy to read, and I enjoyed her characterizations and dialogue.

I laughed. I cried. I got full body goose bumps. What a way to get in the Christmas spirit. (Maybe read closer to Christmas, as it’s still a little early for that, even for me.)

This book was so good! I loved the way the chapters switched focus between the three adult siblings in the family. At times this book did feel quite long, BUT we essentially got three full storylines. Each sibling got a complete story that did them justice! The relationships between siblings and other characters were all fully formed and totally believable. We learned about their parents and lovers and friends, but the amount of characters never became confusing.

This was just a really beautiful book about family and relationships set at the holiday. Oh, and it’s super queer, which is obviously a plus! 🌈

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest rating and review.

Oooo, this book is QUEER! It's a delightfully queer Christmas romcom and I loved it!

Told from the alternating PoVs of Babs Belvedere's three children, Liz, Birdie, and Rafi, it will have you laughing, crying, cringing with secondhand embarrassment, gasping in shock, and smiling quietly with happiness.

I adored watching everyone grow and learn and find themselves. The chaotic warmth of the Belvedere family, particularly as the holidays bring them together under the same roof, was a delight to watch. I want to visit Belvedere Inn!

It's not all lighthearted laughter, though. The book handles some serious topics and does so with grace and understanding. All the stories were great but Birdie's really packed a punch. The whole thing will leave you with some introspective warm and fuzzies.

<i>Many thanks to NetGalley, Dial Press, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Cute story, and one you should read if you are a big fan of reading anything and everything heartfelt for Christmas. As a whole the location is so fun and festive, but the story is quite deep at times.

This was a heartwarming story about finding out who you are, family values, and holiday spirit.

Liz, Birdie, and Rafi Belvedere are siblings, and the children of Babs Belvedere, a world renowned actress.
As the three siblings are trying to figure out who they are in life, and what they want to be, they all wind up at their Mom's home, Belvedere Inn, in Woodstock, New York. The book explores the three siblings stories, with their relationships, professional, and personal lives,

I enjoyed the book and that it shined a light on many different topics including LGBTQ+ representation, depression, anxiety, and health issues. It was a very cute book and a great way to kick off the holiday season!

Man, do I love me a good holiday romance. And this was just perfect! It puts me right in the holiday spirit. I loved everything about this!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

3.5⭐️

Most Wonderful checks all the boxes for a classic holiday feel good story… A renovated inn with rooms decorated after Hollywood royalty? Check. Family drama? You bet. Chances for reflection, forgiveness, and reconciliation? So many feels. Three queer romantic storylines? Triple check. There were so many heartfelt moments throughout this book that truly touched my heart and I appreciated how the more serious storylines were blended with warmth and humor.

Liz, Rafi, and Birdie were incredibly relatable characters - they are wonderfully imperfect individuals just trying their best to find fulfillment, connection, and themselves as they journey through life and navigate the curveballs of loss, grief, divorce, failure, and heartbreak. They were fierce in their fighting, as siblings are, but also in how they loved and supported each other. Clark handled discussions about miscarriage, parental death, divorce, depression, and chronic illness with immense care.

There were so many lovely moments between the siblings and the three couples, but I think the book was too long. In the middle, the story meanders quite a bit and then in the last 75-100 pages, we get three breakups and a major revelation - each of these events played an important role, BUT they were resolved way too quickly. Sadly, the uneven pace took me out of the story and left me bummed when we didn’t get to see more growth at the end. And there was no epilogue, which was a bummer.

Ultimately, I really loved how Clark speaks to finding your people and place of belonging, remembering that not everyone is worth your vulnerability and that’s it’s a privilege to invite others in to hear witness to your pain, flaws, and emotions, and that while growing pains and change can uncomfortable at times, can be the catalyst for something beautiful.

If you’re looking for a heartwarming holiday story with feel good moments, imperfect characters, and messy family drama (think the Family Stone), add Most Wonderful to your holiday TBR.

Lovely book that everyone should read. The cover pulls you in immediately. I had heard about this author from tiktok. So glad to have received an ARC of this.

Most Wonderful by Georgia Clark is a queer holiday romance featuring 3 distinctive siblings finding love during Christmas. The family drama features the Belvedere siblings Liz, Birdie and Rafi as they reunite for the holidays at their famous actor mother’s home in upstate New York. They are each at a crossroads emotionally and professionally, and exploring new relationships. This is the gayest book I’ve ever read, and it’s funny at times, but also extremely ambitious. There is so much going on, including miscarriage, alcoholism, depression, bisexuality and chronic illness, that I think each topic isn’t given quite enough focus. Overall an entertaining, generally well paced, ambitious holiday family romcom. 3.5/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.