Cover Image: Home for the Holidays

Home for the Holidays

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Member Reviews

Winter is still a few months away, but it’s never too early to start reading holiday & cozy books – which is why I have a holiday book recommendation/review for you guys today! I finished reading Home For The Holidays by Sara Richardson this week, and it was really good. It’s a book about family, sisterhood and finding your true self among people who care the most about you. Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a free review copy! ❤ I rated the book with 4.5/5 stars.

Home For The Holidays was the fluffiest book ever! From the moment the three sisters ; Magnolia, Dahlia and Rose stepped into the inn, I felt a cozy sense of warmth bubbling inside me. The winter setting in the mountains of Colorado along with the descriptions of small town life made the book such a wonderful escape from my quarantined life. :’)

Sara Richardson’s writing style is so flawless and engaging; I was swept into the world of Juniper Springs from the very beginning. I had no trouble connecting with the story. The characters were perfectly written as well. The POVs shift between Dahlia, Mags and Rose and I loved seeing how their lives unfolded through the magic of Juniper Inn. Each of the characters had their own quirks and attributes, but I loved how all of them were linked with the tie of sisterhood. Experiencing how they found their truest selves just by being with each other was so heart-warming. The sisters’ love for each other was definitely my favorite part of the story.

Home For The Holidays surprised me with how genuinely it dealt with pressing issues in the sisters’ lives – be it infertility, divorce or relationship troubles. Holidays novels are all about cheesy plots most of the time, so I loved how HFTH had a realistic touch to the story. The book also had plenty of twists and turns, which made it unputdownable!

I wanted Sassy, the three sisters’ aunt to be more involved in the story, and have more appearances. I also thought one of the romances in the story was unnecessary, since it didn’t make any difference to the plot. Except for these two things, I enjoyed reading Home For The Holidays with all my heart.

If you’re a fan of Hallmark movies, pick the book up for a dash of coziness in your life!

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-----------------Sassy Review---------------
I was so excited to get this book!

Thank you @foreverpub for an opportunity to provide my sassy feedback on this book!

Y’all, one of the main characters is named Sassy - so you know that piqued my interest.

I really enjoyed this one! The Christmas theme wasn’t too heavy to turn me off reading a Christmas themed book during the fall, I am one of those weirdos that totally likes to give Halloween and Thanksgiving their full time in the spotlight! Like why do we have Christmas decor out at the same time as Halloween??? SIGHS > consumerism.

What I liked:
Hallmark quality content!
Brought together three sisters who each had their own struggles back together.
Sassy!
I empathized heavily with Dahlia and her story completely - marriage is super hard and even harder ( for me) when you have kiddos to consider too. I was routing the most for her happy ending.
Man oh man Rose’s finance and his family - enough said.

What I didn’t like:
Magnolia’s story - super sad - trigger warning for pregnancy loss and fertility treatments - I just wish that there was an alternative to the statistically highly unlikely ending she had, I understand this book is meant to give you all the feels goods - but to have a more realistic ending for Mag and her husband that more people who have had a loss and IVF could empathize would have made this a 5/5 for me.

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HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS by Sara Richardson is a contemporary, adult, stand alone story of women’s fiction focusing on the Buchanan sisters: Dahlia, Magnolia and Rose.

Told from third person perspective HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS follows the Buchanan sisters to Colorado and their aunt Sassy’s Juniper Inn. A mysterious letter arrives inviting the sisters to spend a last Christmas at the Juniper Inn. Believing their aunt Sassy was going to die, Dahlia, Magnolia and Rose left their families behind in order to say goodbye to the woman they loved but upon arrival, the women would discover that Sassy was well, and was considering leaving the inn to the Buchanan siblings: Dahlia, a divorced mother of two whose children were spending the holidays with their father in France: Magnolia, a young woman who struggles with infertility and several miscarriages; and Rose whose engagement to a man is fraught with too many issues including the overwhelming control by her fiance’s mother. As the Buchanan sisters clean up the inn and prepare for the Christmas holidays, Dahlia will find love with the local doctor: Rose will come to a decision about her future; and Magnolia will discover that life is about to change for both she and her husband.

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS is a story of family and relationships, acceptance and love. The premise is sweet and heart warming; the characters are inspiring and playful.



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I love Sara Richardson's books so I knew I would enjoy this one. This was such a heartwarming story! It really got me in the mood for the holidays. I loved how it blended family and romance. If you are a romance or women's fiction fan, add this to your TBR!

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If you're in the mood for the holidays- this is the book for you!

The Buchanan sisters- Rose, Magnolia and Dahlia have been called to Colorado hearing that dear Aunt Sassy is not well. They all abandoned their lives and set off to support their dear Aunt, someone who meant so much to them long ago.
-Rose leaves in the middle of wedding planning- and struggling to get along with her notoriously oboxious future mother in law.
-Magnolia is struggling. She and her husband are desperate for a baby and have yet to conceive. This causes so much friction and conflict in their marriage.
-Oldest sister Dahlia is divorced and is missing her family something fierce. They are jet setting around Europe with her husband's girlfriend. She is in dire need of a change of scenery, and to discover who she once was now that everything has changed.

When the girls arrive at the inn, they settle back into the familiar routine of small-town living and each of them learns what they have and what they are missing as they spend the holidays together.

This is such a cozy Christmas read! I cannot wait to send this one out to friends for the holidays!

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Loved this story. Three sisters, all different personalities, head back to Juniper Springs for Christmas with their Aunt Sassy. This is a place all the sisters feel that they are home. Being in back in Juniper Springs helps them to find the way their lives should be moving forward. This is a great Christmas story. The characters are awesome, you’ll love some of them and some you may not even like, but hey, you have to have good and bad, right? I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

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I am a huge fan of this author’s contemporary romance stories. This is the first time I’ve read a book by her that isn’t classified as romance, but I still found it to be wonderful. Honestly, I’m a sucker for romance, so of course I devour those books more quickly. There are sweet and romantic elements sprinkled here and there throughout this story, but overall it’s a story about family and sisters. I didn’t read it at quite the same pace as her romance books, yet I still didn’t want to put it down.

There are some very hard realities these sisters have to face throughout this book. All three of them are going through intense lows, but coming together at their aunt’s house, away from their “real” lives, helps to lift them back up. Dahlia, Magnolia, and Rose begin to rediscover that special bond of sisters and realize they’ve been going it on their own when they could have been leaning on one another.

While each sister has their own journey of self-discovery to take, they’re really not so different. Self doubt and an ingrained need to always be the helper to everyone else keeps them all from doing things that make them happy. They see that characteristic in each other, but have a harder time seeing it when they look in a mirror.

There is a lot going on in this story, but the author weaves it all together beautifully. I’m a stickler continuity and timing issues. The continuity in this story is spot on, but some of the timing gave me pause. In this case, I feel as though the author took artistic license on how long things take to accomplish in order to keep the flow of the story going, and I’m okay with that.

This story isn’t classified as romance, but it still gave me a Happily Ever After at the end, which I love.

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Family is what the holidays are all about! Home for the Holidays is a truly beautiful story about three sisters, struggling with their own personal problems, but brought together again by their aunt. If you're looking for the perfect book to curl up with - grab your cup of cocoa and a comfy blanket, cuz this is the perfect book to get you in the holiday spirit. I'll definitely be reading this again closer to Christmas, but I can't recommend it enough. I still smile just thinking about the Buchanan sisters. This is a must-read for any time of year!

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ARC for honest review with no compensation received from Forever and NetGalley

Home for the Holidays by Sara Richardson is a standalone about the three Buchanan sisters, who have lost touch with each other and what happens when they each receive a letter from their Aunt Sassy asking them to come visit over the Christmas holiday in Colorado. Only time will tell if they can repairs their relationships, get closer as a family, understand the past, find forgiveness, take chances, find what has been missing up to now and embrace the future...

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Home for the Holidays is a heartwarming story about three sisters going home and reconnecting with each other and finding themselves in the process. This warm, emotional story pulled me in from the beginning and kept my attention until the end. The endearing characters and captivating storyline pulls at your heartstrings. I look forward to reading the next book and I would definitely recommend this one.

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Home for the Holidays is a lovely holiday story that sweeps you away to the beautiful mountains of Colorado in winter. Richardson's writing style is effortless and polished, making it easy to get lost in the story. Home for the Holidays is a charming Christmas romance.

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Home for the Holidays is the 15th novel by Colorado author Sara Richardson. The three Buchanan sisters have wonderful memories of their visits, especially their Christmases, at their Aunt Sassy’s Juniper Inn in Juniper Springs, Colorado. Now grown and scattered around the country, the sisters, Dahlia, a divorced mother of two in Minnesota, Magnolia, a young wife and baker in Florida, and Rose, the youngest and a designer with an upcoming wedding to Savannah aristocrat Gregory Cunningham, receive an item reminiscent of their Christmases at Juniper Inn with a letter asking the girls to join her at the inn for one last Christmas.

Each girl, having hit stumbling blocks in their lives, decide to go to have a special Christmas with Aunt Sassy and each other. With wonderful descriptions of scenery and rich characters, this holiday story is a tale of sisterly love as they find themselves and reconnect with each other on a much deeper level as adults. Those discoveries are life altering for each sister.

This is a heart warming story and just the first of more to come. These sisters will capture your imagination and, just like me, you will want more stories about these ladies. I really enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

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When Aunt Sassy sends each of the sisters a letter and gift asking them to come home for one last holiday, they all 3 assume she's ill. Each sister has some conflict in their life when they get the letter and they all agree to go and spend time with each other and Aunt Sassy. Turns out to be just what they each need. They are able to get some answers as to why they quit going to see their Aunt, help her make some decisions on her life and gain a clearer view of their own lives. They find they need each other more than they even realized and all could benefit from some changes. Very heartwarming story and shows how sometimes we all need to take a break and look at what's going on in our lives and what changes we might make that can be scary but provide better quality in the long run. I received an ARC through Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

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I really enjoyed this book! I love books where sisters actually pull together and find the support and closeness they are needing. When Dahlia, Magnolia and Rose all agree to return to their Aunt Sassy's Inn for Christmas, they are all three distancing themselves from their problems at home. All are challenged by very different things, but they have the feeling of "coming back home" in common. Their Aunt Sassy's may not have been their actual home, but it's where they felt the most love. There are lots of surprises during their stay; some resolutions to their problems and some new men in their lives and the promise of a wonderful Christmas!
I was given a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

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This is the first book of Sara Richardson that I have read and it will not be my last. Home for the Holidays centers around three sisters that are each going through something major in life, divorce, infertility, and an upcoming wedding. Each character has been dealing with the issues on their own but once they come back together to help their Aunt Sassy they realize how much family can help heal the soul. I really enjoyed all three POV’s which I felt added to the depth of the story. Get your cup of hot chocolate, blanket, and cozy up to this feel good holiday read. 4.5 stars (I'm only docking this a half point because I wanted more Colt and Rose!)

I was provided with an electronic ARC through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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I loved this story about sisters, each at a crossroads in their lives. While listed as womens fiction, it was more of a holiday romance in my eyes; Hallmark channel-ish, but without the sappy, cavity-inducing perkiness.
Dahlia, Magnolia and Rose were interesting characters who were each dealing with real, personal issues, but keeping them all inside. Living far-flung from each other doesn’t necessarily lead to sharing with each other, but spending Christmas with their very free-spirited aunt Sassy brings them together again...just in time to lean on those sisterly bonds.
This was my first holiday themed read of the season and I couldn’t be happier in my choice of books. Emotional, inspiring, fun and uplifting, I highly recommend Home For the Holidays

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If you’re starting to plan your holiday TBR get ready with the first of many Christmas book recommendations from me because I’ve been reading holiday books for the last few weeks and I’ve found some super cute ones! This one is great for anyone looking for a story about family, sisters specifically, with some romance for several characters all set in the quaintest, most adorable place.

This follows three sisters as they head back to their aunts inn for Christmas and each is at a crossroads in their life. Dahlia is newly divorced and her kids are spending the holidays with her ex, Magnolia and her husband have been struggling with infertility and Rose is supposed to be planning her wedding but she’s not sure she can fit in with her fiancé’s high society family. So a lot going on for this family and you hear from each one in alternating chapters. I love this tactic because you really get to know each woman individually and you also get to see how their family dynamics work as well. Besides some awesome, engaging and relatable characters you have this adorable little town full of quirky residents and idyllic Christmas decor and festivities. This one is heartwarming, cozy, warm and uplifting, a really wonderful Christmas story AND it’s the beginning of a new series as well!

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I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review. I loved this story because as we grow older life gets in the way of spending as much with our family. It was nice to see the sisters make the decision to reconnect at the Inn that they had such wonderful memories of with their aunt.
We learn what the sisters have been doing, how they are doing and with the bond, they share how life is going to change for them.
I think as Christmas gets closer every year, people and I know I do look back at how life was. Christmas has a special kind of magic where the spirit of Christmas helps us see differently and it is a time for reconnecting. This book has all that plus so much more. When I read the title Home for the Holidays I thought of nostalgia, stepping back into a simpler time because that to me is what going home represents. I wasn't disappointed but I also knew this was a book I would read not only at Christmas but any time of the year. Sometimes we need a reminder to slow down and remember our past and when life was simpler or when we haven't been in touch with our family because life has gotten hectic this book is an excellent reminder and as I read it, I found myself slowing down and not only savoring the book I was reading but letting the memories come.
Another thing I realized from reading this book is as we grow and age, the way things were was different than they are now. Aunt Sassy showed the girls and us how when she was young, things just weren't allowed and they affected the decisions that were made but as time went on things changed and became acceptable. No matter what age you are, I believe everyone would enjoy reading this book. It is about life, not only of the sisters, the aunt, their mother but the people who work in the town, their relationships, and how it comes together. Not always as planned or thought but in a way we find ourselves or discover something we hadn't seen before. This is a book I will treasure and read over and over.

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Set in a picturesque town in Colorado alive with Christmas three sisters comeback to visit their Aunt Sassy to spend it with her and reevaluate their lives. This is an uplifting an happy story so what the w0rld needs now - thank you Sara Richardson for the Christmas Magic.

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I know it is only September but Sara's debut novel had me ready to curl up with a hot drink and watch the snow fall! So heart warming, and pulled at the heart strings! I love a good story that manages to balance so many characters, and was done so well. Can't wait to see what else Sara has up her sleeve!

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