Kiss Me at Christmas is the perfect book to satisfy that craving for a holiday read in August. It combines charm, warmth, and a touch of romance. Harriet is not exactly feeling the holiday spirit this year with her daughter choosing to spend Christmas away from home. Her kind educator heart has her unexpectedly directing a Christmas play. To make things worse, she has to do that with her one-night stand, James. The magic of theater is displayed extremely well with this book - from the different groups coming together to support the students, to James’s cold exterior being melted away. The cast oof characters are vibrant and relatable. You just feel all warm and fuzzy reading this book.

Kiss Me at Christmas is my third novel by Jenny Bayliss after enjoying The Twelve Dates of Christmas and A Season for Second Chances. This story follows Harriet Smith, a former English teacher and currently on the school’s pastoral care team. When she discovers five of her students trespassing on the grounds of the Winter Theatre, she negotiates with the owner Evaline Winter along with her attorney, James. They end up agreeing for Harriet and the students to help the theater which brings Harriet and James together again after an initial meeting earlier in the novel.

I loved that Harriet was an “older” character in her 40s compared a lot of other similar novels that have the main female in her 20s. The added life experience of the character added a lot to the story and made it more realistic. Since the US doesn’t really label a school position as pastoral care, it did take me a minute to figure out the logistics of how this job works at a school. There are few nods to the holiday, including the group putting on the play, A Christmas Carol, but it was little less over-the-top holiday than I was expecting. The romance was decent, but it does get overshadowed by the community, so this story leans closer to a women’s fiction than a full romance. Overall, this novel was a good early start to the holiday season.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

I had to let this one simmer a little bit before writing my review because I have a lot of thoughts and feelings about this book (all good!).

There was a lot going on in this book and I am surprised by how fantastically it was done! This book had a huge cast of characters and almost all of them felt completely fleshed out and real. Oftentimes when I read a book with a large cast, the characters tend to feel like one dimensional plot devices, not real people. However, Jenny Bayliss did something incredible where she made each and every one of them feel like real people. Of course, we got to know some characters more than others, but that's how life is. You don't know every detail of every person you meet and you don't have to. You still know they're people. Bayliss' characters felt exactly like that. Maybe that doesn't seem difficult to do, but it read really well for me.

A main theme of this book is Harriet having to spend her first Christmas without her daughter. Now, I'm closer in age to Harriet's daughter than I am Harriet, so I was concerned I wouldn't be invested in this plotline. And while I can't relate to Harriet's struggles, I actually enjoyed reading about it. The complex emotions and feelings Harriet had to work through felt so raw and real that I wonder if Bayliss was writing from personal experience. She had to have been, And I loved it. That's one of the most beautiful things about interacting with art; being able to experience and understand circumstances and feelings that you maybe won't ever be able to experience for yourself.

I also just really enjoyed Harriet as a character. She reminds me a tiny bit of my mom, which is frankly the highest praise I can give (my mom's the best).

We must also talk about the Christmas aspect of this book. I absolutely adore the holiday season. In fact, it's September as I'm writing this and yet this is the fourth Christmas book I've read in the past two months. I start celebrating early. All this is to say, I have strong feelings on holiday books. And this was a good one. THANK YOU for writing a Christmas book where Christmas was ACTUALLY part of the setting and plot. I have read so many "Christmas" romcoms where halfway through, I forget that it's supposed to be a Christmas book because they mention it's December once at the beginning of the story and then they don't mention Christmas again until the last chapter when they're opening presents Christmas morning. It infuriates me. Just don't write a Christmas book.

I didn't mean to go off on such a tangent, but I wanted to mention how much I loved the holiday aspect of this book. Personally, reading this book felt similar to the classic Christmas movies like "It's a Wonderful Life" and, of course, "A Christmas Carol". Not necessarily in the actual content of the story, but in the vibe. I like that this story focused more on the 'joy to the world' and 'love for your fellow man' aspects of the holiday season rather than the fun ice skating/decorating cookies/opening presents aspects. It was an incredibly wholesome and heartwarming story. I really enjoyed it.

Now, this was of course a romance book as well and I almost only read romance so I have to comment on the relationship between Harriet and James. I like them together. I think they were good for each other and I liked watching their story unfold. I did think they both acted a little immature for two people pushing forty, but it wasn't too annoying. The older I get, the more I realize no one actually matures out of being stupid in relationships.

My only issue with this book and the reason I didn't rate it 5 stars was because this book was marketed to me as a romcom. The title is "Kiss Me at Christmas", the cover looks like every romcom ever, and the synopsis made it seem like the main plotline was Harriet and James' relationship, Frankly, their relationship wasn't even the secondary plotline to me. It was tertiary at best. I wish the book had been marketed more accurately because it is a wonderful story that people would love to read if they knew what they were getting into.

Either way, I do recommend "Kiss Me at Christmas" if you're looking for a warm Christmas book this holiday season.

jenny baylis at this point does no wrong. despite reading this in september, i had a fantastic time ! i highly recommend reading a holiday book when said holiday isn’t coming up. bayliss pulled me out of a slump, and back into romance, family, and overall happiness. i still think a season of second chances is my favorite, but top 3 for sure!

The latest holiday romance from Jenny Bayliss is every bit as heartwarming as I've come to expect from her. I love a good novel with middle-aged main characters, and Harriet is so relatable. Her romance with James, and the way they work together to serve the community, is so touching. Honestly thought? The ramshackle cast of supporting characters almost stole the show. The spotlight on social issues never feels preachy or prescriptive, but it certainly inspires me to get into the holiday spirit.

I tried so hard to push through but I was able to make it over half way through before deciding to give up....This book was a huge disappointment for me because I have enjoyed other books from the author in the past. This didn’t give me any of the Christmas vibes I would expect from a book set at Christmas time. I didn’t get hardly any romance in the story besides a one night stand and some bits of flirting. The story focuses on students putting on a play in an old theater they are trying to renovate and for me that was extremely boring. I didn’t connect with any of the students or our main character Harriet to just read or care about a play they are trying to put together. I also thought Harriet was always saying something really cringe or had a corny joke. I will continue to pick up more from the other but this one just wasn’t for me.

Kiss Me At Christmas is about Harriet who finds herself alone for the holidays. She doesn’t s a workaholic who finds herself helping her students after they get in trouble. She ends up helping them and the community while she finds her true calling.

Thank you Net Galley and Putnam for this arc.

This is my first Jenny Bayliss book and I’m sad to report it wasn’t for me. I’ve heard such great thing about her previous books that I was really looking forward to this one, however I couldn’t relate to the characters and that was a huge factor was to why I struggled to enjoy this one . Don’t get my wrong, the plot is cute and it’s a Christmas romance! very hallmark, I can definitely see others loving this one!

This was the cutest, charming, "Hallmark-style" book that everyone will want to pick up around the holiday season. I found myself laughing at parts and I felt sad for Harriet at times. I enjoyed it and will definitely recommend to my friends who enjoy their cozy Christmas books.

A lovely Christmas romance full of banter, lovavle characters and holiday cheer. I read this all in one day and had so much fun just losing myslef in this world. Felt like watching a winter rom-com movie in all the best ways.

This was such a heartwarming delight. Feeling emotional after learning her daughter is extending her student exchange stay over Christmas, Harriet has a sizzling encounter with James. When she covers for her students who were tresspassing in an abandoned theatre, she is shocked to discover he's the owner's lawyer. The owner agrees to not press charges if Harriet and her students need to stage a show to showcase the building so she can sell it.

I loved all the characters from the students to the other participants. This was such a gorgeous story about finding family and community. About how humans need each other no matter their age or where they come from. I also loved the slow-burn romance with Harriet and James, with Harriet often misunderstanding James' intentions but James putting her straight when she does.

Kiss Me Christmas cements Jenny Bayliss as the queen of Christmas for me. This book was packed with compelling characters and a well-paced and plotted story arc that I couldn't put this book down. I chuckled many times and despite it being a large cast of characters they all felt well-rounded. Read this with a mug of hot chocolate in a cosy spot. You will finish with a smile on your face.

Thank you to Penguin Group/Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was such a heartwarming Christmas read. I loved Harriet and how she chose to take the fall for her students bad choice. That one decision turned into so much more. It was such a sweet read with so many amazing friendships. I really enjoyed it. Also, everyone needs a friend like Emma, she was my favorite!

A huge thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This was a charming Christmas story. Our main character, Harriet, was quirky and adorable. She is watching a group of teens when they get in trouble. Her lawyer, James, enters the picture and the sparks fly.

In my experience, some books grab you from the start, sometimes you have to settle into a rhythm before you get hooked, and some never quite gain steam, nor grab your attention. Unfortunately for me, Jenny Bayliss’ latest book, Kiss Me at Christmas, falls into the latter category. Although the premise is festive and holiday-inspiring, the actual story isn’t quite merry nor bright. Harriet, the protagonist in the story, is not the most interesting character Ms. Bayliss has created, thus leaving this reader wishing for a December to remember or a meeting under the mistletoe (credit to Ms. Bayliss’ previous holiday titles)

An English romance with a woman facing a new chapter in her life. Will she or won’t she find love and purpose after becoming an empty nester.

I was looking forward to the story of this book. However, I don't know that it was unique enough for me. The characters were very one dimensional and while I did love the setting, I felt like I needed so much more from the story.

This book was heartwarming! While I don't think there were many truly difficult obstacles to overcome, it was nice to see all of the characters see some sort of growth. I wouldn't mind a spinoff with Maisy and Billy finding their way to each other at University.

Thanks Putnam Books via NetGalley!

Every year I can count of Jenny Bayliss for charming holiday tale, and this year we have Kiss Me at Christmas.

This tale began with Harriet feeling a bit down about her daughter spending the holidays with her host family. A little wine therapy and an out of character one-night stand later, Harriet found herself saving her students by confessing to trespassing in the Winter Theatre. Her penance? She must work with her one-night stand to put on a holiday show as the last production hosted in the theatre.

There was so much packed into this tale, but the heart of soul of this story, for me, was the community aspect. Harriet worked in pastoral care at a local school. She was always trying to improve life for her students, and really stuck her neck out for the Famous Five. They were the first group recruited for the theatre project, but many other groups trickled in when they were displaced from the community center. It was a lovely group of diverse individuals with varied interests and of all ages. This resulted in some beautiful cross-generational friendships were born as they worked towards their common goal of putting on the holiday show, as well as a big wonderful found family. This was all very fun and feel good, and I had a wonderful time cheering them on as they tried to make their deadline.

I really appreciated Harriet's personal journey, as well. It had just been her and her daughter for many years, and now, her child was getting ready for university. This holiday apart was a primer for when she really left the nest, and Harriet was feeling a bit untethered. I recall when my only child left home and could relate to all Harriet's inner turmoil. But it was being thrust into this situation with the theatre that had her thinking hard about her life and career, as well as her wants and needs. It was great to see someone in their 40s embarking on that second stage of their life.

With a touch of romance and a ton of heart, this story left me feeling the way I expect a holiday book to - warm and fuzzy and happy.

A wonderfully madcap Christmas tale that will have you laughing out loud and keep you entertained til the last word!

First I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC of this novel.

I have read all five of Jenny Bayliss novels and this was another good Christmas one. This book was so sweet and I loved the found family troupe. There were so many characters and they each had their own stories and it all came together in such a wonderful way.

As well, the Christmas vibes in this novel were perfect. It was the right balance between story and really making me want to curl up and read in front of the Christmas tree. The main characters were so cute together and I loved their stories. This book felt like it could be a hallmark Christmas movie.

I do think this book was a little long though. It’s pretty slow and about 80% of the way in I was wondering how we still had so much story left to tell.

Overall I really enjoyed it and it was a solid 4/5 stars.