Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Pine Bluff is a postcard-perfect Scottish town at the holidays. The Krampus run, the holiday market, and the decorations around town make it feel just textbook for a visit! That is…unless you left it years ago to find your own way like Fred. Going home was the last thing she wanted and yet, here she is. Made redundant, then suffered a bad breakup, and now she has no where else to turn. But if there’s one thing she can count it, it’s her kooky aunts who always seem to have a plan in the works and a place for her at their table. Will their plan lead her back to love and a career, or will it just push her away again?
Known for her holiday romance stories, Jenny Bayliss is back again with I’ll be Home for Christmas, a cute unrequited love romance novel perfect to get you in the holiday spirit! Bayliss’ previous books include reader favorites such as Meet Me Under the Mistletoe and The Twelve Dates of Christmas, bringing light and fun stories that are perfect to read on your holiday journeys. This story is all about missed connections and why love might need a little push between long-term friends. If you’re a fan of the Practical Magic series, you’re going to love this!
I give I’ll Be Home for Christmas 4 out of 5 stars. To be fair, I had a hard time not putting this down in the first few chapters. The callouts to Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic series are strong here – a young girl in trouble runs to her excentric aunts, later her daughter does the same. The aunts grow remedies in the garden that everyone knows about. If you’ve read this, please tell me you’ve seen Fred as Sandra Bullock in your head as you read through the novel? This also felt like it leaned a bit too far into the Hallmark Movie trope for me – everything worked out perfectly in the end, but their business is in danger, etc. I did really appreciate the look at the Krampus events – not something we have here where I am in the US. I also appreciated the honest look at how negative reviews and word of mouth can impact businesses overall.
If you do love Practical Magic or even The Good Witch TV show, and are looking for a romance novel to get you in the holiday spirit, I would recommend this book! Additionally, if you enjoyed last week’s Christmas at the Ranch, you might like this, too. With some light inclusion of gaslighting and manipulation, this book may not be best for all audiences though.
I’ll be Home for Christmas released this past Tuesday, September 23rd. You can grab your copy today on our Bookshop.org page!
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What I’m Reading
- Current print book: A Sea Glass Christmas, Davis Bunn
- Current audio book: The Professor, Charlotte Bronte
- Book I’m most looking forward to: Tom Clancy Executive Power, Andrews & Wilson
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