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.

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!