Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 rounded up. Although I loved her last book, I really had trouble connecting with this one. The POV jumped around a lot and it was hard to keep up with which character was talking at the time. The plot was cute and unique, but it was also at least 100 pages too long.

Thank you @netgalley for sending me an ARC of A December to Remeber in exchange for an honest review!
This is the perfect Christmas book! The plot revolves around three estranged sisters who come together after their father dies. To claim their inheritance, they must work together to re-initiate the long forgotten Winter Solistice.
All of the sisters have their own life troubles: Maggie is in love with a younger man and is about to get evicted, Simone is trying to have a child through IVF, but it's not going well, and Star is currently jobless and homeless.
Of course their lives are also very affected by how absent their father was. They only saw each other during the summer and their father didn't even spend time with the Maggie, who lived in his town, outside of the summer. In the end, even though he loved them, he was a very selfish man, who wanted the fun part of parenting, but not really the responsability.
All the sisters are very interesting character, but the one with the most development is Simone. Simone is insufferable at first. I get it that she's going through a lot, but she doesn't have the right to constantly criticize everything she doesn't understand. Her reaction to a winter solistice was completely uncalled for. It's as Star says, just because she doesn't like or know what something is, it doesn't make it suck. Her wife is also a character I disliked at first. Evette doesn't seem anywhere near as interested in Simone's IVF journey. I understand that she doesn't want to get pregnant and I'm not saying she had too, but why didn't why didn't she grieve the loss of Simone's pregnancies? It just felt like she didn't care at all. If she only wanted to adopt and didn't want Simone to do IVF why didn't she just say so instead of being so aloof? It pissed me off that she didn't seem to care about what her wife was going through.
I'm also a big fan of Star's development! I love how Star goes from being babied by her family to becoming a strong woman her sisters can rely on. She helps her sisters, especially Simone, and finds her place in the world, while shaking the demons from her past away!
I love how the couples ended up solving their issues and working out. Sometimes relationships have times where things aren't great, but that doesn't mean people can't bounce back.
Kinda like how the whole town comes together to help with the Solistice. Yeah, it probably wouldn't happen in real life, but it's still sweet. The sisters found their place there and learned how to be more than "summer sisters", the became true family. This is a story that encompasses the true meaning of Christmas, which is to be with and cherish your loved ones.

TW:death, drug addiction, implied sexual content, alcohool, being drunk, absent father, IVF, pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, robbery.

This book hurt in a way I was not prepared for. I have two sisters so maybe that’s one reason why I didn’t love this book, but there is just so much trauma lumped into one book. I’ve read this authors other Christmas books and expected a fun, Hallmark like movie feel. While the town had me enchanted and gave the Hallmark/Christmas feel, the story was just too deep for me for what I want out of a Christmas book. I think my expectations weren’t ready for this story. I enjoyed watching the sisters relationship heal, but I did not jive with the overall story.

Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This is a heartwarming story about three estranged sisters who reunite after their father passes. The characters are full of life, the small town is magical, and the events were interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this although it was a little slow at times.

I love Jenny Bayliss' christmas romance books. They are an auto buy and I haven't been disappointed in them yet. They are always filled with heartfelt emotions and love. This was a 6 star book if I could give it. I loved this!
I just reviewed A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss. #ADecembertoRemember #NetGalley
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I adore this cover. It just might be my favorite holiday book cover ever! Well done. The story is also interesting and entertaining. Bayliss writes sister characters well. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Five stars.

Bayliss has crafted a heartwarming tale that is sure to delight readers with its humor, charm, and festive spirit. The story is filled with colorful characters, quirky mishaps, and heartwarming moments that will leave you feeling uplifted and inspired.

Overall, A December to Remember is a feel-good novel that is perfect for the holiday season. Bayliss's writing is engaging and enjoyable, and the story is both heartwarming and hilarious. I highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a fun and heartwarming holiday read. I would like to give it four stars.

When Augustus North dies at the venerable age of 96, he leaves behind a legendary curiosity shop in the village of Rowan Thorp -- along with three daughters who once spent summers together and have now become estranged. The three of them must reunite for the reading of the will, and they discover that Augustus has left them two quests that he hopes will bring them together. As they work together to clean up the shop and pursue the quests (one of which is to revive the village's winter solstice celebration), they learn to open their hearts again to each other and to reconsider their future as a family.

Though there is some romance in this book, the emphasis is on what it means to be family and how to overcome current life obstacles. The three sisters, born of three different mothers and therefore having different childhood experiences to form their adult selves, have distinctly different personalities that often clash, but the time they spend together helps them not only understand each other better but also recognize how they themselves can be better sisters to the others. The plot moves at a measured pace, speeding up at the end to resolve a couple of ongoing personal conflicts, and the overall feel is that of a heartwarming community. You'll find plenty of humor, both in the riotous celebration of Augustus's life (and love life) and in the involvement of village neighbors to help plan the festival and get the sisters unstuck from their own problems.

A very cozy book to help you remember what is good in the world. 4 stars.

Thank you, G. P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

it was fine. hijinks and light romance for the christmas romance crowd. it feels very manufactured at time - the humor is a bit cliche - but it's well written enough i suppose

This is a hilarious story. The relationships are priceless. I loved the story and didn't want it to end. I will be rereading this book in December and recommending it to everyone.

"A December to Remember" by Jenny Bayliss is a heartwarming and delightful holiday novel that explores the themes of family, love, and forgiveness. The story centers around three half-sisters, Maggie, Simone, and Star, who are brought together to compete in a series of wacky challenges to access their inheritance.

The characters are well-developed, relatable, and endearing, making it easy for readers to become invested in their stories. The three sisters are wildly different, and their bickering and banter add humor and levity to the story. Bayliss does an excellent job of exploring the dynamics of their relationships and how they navigate their shared history and their individual struggles.

The plot is engaging, and the challenges that the sisters must overcome are entertaining and creative. From hilarious goose chases to community mishaps, the challenges add an element of fun and excitement to the story. The heartwarming winter solstice celebration brings a sense of hope and reconciliation that is uplifting and satisfying.

Overall, "A December to Remember" is a delightful and feel-good holiday read that celebrates the importance of family, love, and forgiveness. Bayliss' writing style is engaging and accessible, and the story is well-paced and satisfying. It's a book that will leave readers feeling warm and fuzzy inside and is the perfect read to get into the holiday spirit.

Ah, this was so good! The vibes were immaculate, the characters were great, the banter was hilarious. This makes me want Christmas to come early! Jenny Bayliss always come through on whimsical holiday moments.