Overall an enjoyable read. Not really a Christmas romance, outside of being set around Christmas time. I did love that the main character was a divorced mom with a grown daughter… not something you see as much in this genre and it was refreshing.

Love the older main character, loved that the romance was not easy but not overly dramatic and that there was a lot of other contrast in the story. Cute Christmas read!

Meh. I just could not care about these characters or get invested in the story. The whole thing felt very meh to me.

This was so much more than a holiday romance, which is what I expected it to be. Instead, I was delighted by a heartwarming storyline centered on troubled teens finding themselves and becoming part of a community thanks to a slapdash community production of A Christmas Carol.
There are many characters of diverse backgrounds, abilities, and situations.
I take off one star because the romantic conflicts didn't hit right for me, and those took me out of the story because it seemed jarring, out of character, and inappropriate. They also didn't last that long, so with a few page turns, the story was back on an even keel again.
Despite the title, the story isn't particularly Christmassy. This could easily be read at any time of year, even by people who don't want to read about Christmas year round.
This is my first read by this author and I was very impressed. Will definitely look for more of her work.

I love all of Jenny Bayliss" Christmas novels. She can do no wrong and this was no different. This was the perfect adaptation of a women down on her luck who happens to always look out for other people. it was absolutely everything I wanted in a cosy, Christmas rom-com. I couldn't have loved it more. I didn't want it to end. I can't wait for jenny's next Christmas novel next year!

In "Kiss Me at Christmas" by Jenny Bayliss, Harriet finds herself alone during the holidays with her daughter away. After an uncharacteristic one-night stand at a local pub, her life takes an unexpected turn when her work with at-risk students leads to her arrest. The Winter Theatre's owner offers to drop charges if she can stage a Christmas performance – a daunting task given the theater's years of abandonment. The situation becomes more complicated when she discovers her one-night stand is the theatre owner's lawyer.

The novel shines through Harriet's delightful personality, the found family that forms at the theatre, and the contrast between her self-perception and how others see her. Bayliss continues her refreshing trend of featuring slightly older protagonists navigating life's unexpected turns.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC. Sorry I waited until I could get it on audio for my review.

I finished this book in one day. It was the perfect story for a quiet day at home. I enjoyed Harriet’s growth through the book from ‘just a busy mom’ to a woman who finds herself at the cusp of the next stage of her life as an empty nester in a serious relationship, and former micromanager.

I LOVED this book. Jenny Bayliss does such a great job weaving an intriguing story that readers will fall in love with like I did!! I would highly recommend this read to anyone who loves holiday romance books!!

I really do love Jenny Bayliss -- she is such a good writer and all of her books just give me that cozy, Christmas-y feeling. Kiss Me at Christmas is no different, but it isn't my favorite in Bayliss' body of work.

Harriett, a lonely mom whose daughter is spending her first Christmas away has an accidental a one-night stand after spilling her guts to a stranger at a pub. After covering for some problem-prone students, Harriett finds herself working to restore a theater for a Christmas play with the man she never thought she'd see again.

I loved Harriett, even though she made me angry at times, and especially loved Bayliss' portrayal of her relationship to her students, to Christmas, and yes, to James, the one- night stand that wasn't.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers -- 4 easy stars.

I just didn’t care for the fmc at all. She’s a middle age divorcee and sad it’s Christmas. This book was just lacking so much and I wasn’t a fan.

I tried, but I just really couldn't get into this book. The reviews I read were strong, so maybe it just was a case of the wrong book at the wrong time. I'll try this book again next Christmas.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the Advanced Reader Copy.

I will happily read any Jenny Bayliss book published. This one was cozy and perfect for the season. The main character, Harriet, finds herself alone at Christmas time. She ends up getting involved in a community theater and it is delightful. I love that Jenny’s main characters typically are older.

Really enjoyed this holiday story. I went back and forth with being annoyed with and really liking both of the main characters. I loved the community aspect to the story and how the theater brought the couple and so many others together. I found it to be a real and heartwarming story

Kiss Me At Christmas is a beautifully written novel that captures the importance of community and family with an added romance. The setting of a run-down theatre and the premise of putting on a holiday show were perfect for this time of year without being overly Christmas-y. It took me some time to get into the story. But I needed to know what happened next once the theatre production got underway. James, Harriet, Evaline, and the five kids were such fun to read about. Bayliss did a wonderful job with this novel.

Kiss Me at Christmas is a sweet, closed-door romance featuring a slightly older protagonist, which I enjoyed. Harriet works as a counselor at a local high school and is facing an empty-nest with her daughter in her senior year and away for the holidays. As Harriet works to give back to her community, she addresses her own need to find balance in her life and how to face the next chapter in her life. Additionally, she finds community and love along the way.

I thought that this was such a sweet, holiday story about a group of misfits coming together to create one wonderful community. Of course, I loved the theater aspect of it and introducing theater to a group of kids who otherwise would not have fallen in love with it! Perfect cozy, heartwarming read for the holiday season.

This book took me a bit to get into but I am glad I stuck with it. I am a sucker for the found family trope and this one was so sweetly done that it just warmed my heart...exactly what you need on a cold, winter day. It is definitely more of a slow-paced read, but a good one if you have time on your hands through the holidays.

Harriett's character is so funny and the type of adult every kid should have in their corner. I loved watching her self development growth and really digging into who SHE was outside of motherhood, work and friends. I also just love how the theatre became a hang out for all types and kinds of people. Everyone was welcome and equally loved and I just thought that was so sweet.

Read if you like:
-Theatre settings
-Found family
-Foster care stories (may also be a TW)
-"Funny meeting you here after what happened last night" situations
-Mid-life romances
-A FMC that learns boundaries
-A Christmas Carol

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced copy of this sweet novel!

This is one of my shorter reviews because there is nothing wrong with this book but I don't find myself with much to say about it. It is a very 3-star book, in my opinion. It was fine - sweet story, not really a lot of action. I love that Jenny Bayliss's characters are typically of a certain age and going through life changes pertinent to that time in life. But with regards to this particular work, while it does feature her typical character, I would honestly describe it as underwhelming. I am a big Jenny Bayliss fan and I remain thus, but I can say that this is not my favorite of her works.

This book got me GOOD.

I've read some of Jenny Bayliss' books, so I have a good grasp of her writing style, and it doesn't always hit with me. When I first started this one, I found Harriet very annoying. Her weird habit of using faux swear words, like "No shizzle" was extremely irritating. Just swear. Everyone does it. I also found her extremely dramatic at times. After James leaves the theater to go see to Morgan and Lyra, Harriet immediately writes him off and begins to sulk. "She was sad that their spark hadn't had the chance to become a flame, but she reasoned that it was better to know where she stood now rather than later". One little inconvenience and she's throwing away everything that they had together, which granted, wasn't much, but still. And then, after James comes back and apologizes, she swiftly friend zones him. In my opinion, that is very immature and VERY dramatic. I loved that Maisie was the voice of reason, though. I wish we had more Maisie in the book!

As someone who did high school theater, I loved the character of Gideon. Jenny Bayliss really nailed his personality, and he was such.a classic theater directer in every sense.

Despite my very surface level problems with Harriet, I did enjoy this book. I loved that Harriet was a FMC of a certain age, but I hated that fact that she wore multiple cardigans at a time. Nobody does that. I really grew to love the famous five, and at the end, when the play was over, I did get emotional. If you're looking for a feel-good holiday read, this is for you!

Wasn’t a fan of this one- pacing was slower than I would have liked and didn’t like the main characters.