There’s nothing better than a family Christmas drama to get you excited for the upcoming season. I loved that it was different than the typical Christmas trope and loved the age-gap romance. Susan Mallery kept me laughing and unable to put it down!

Julie Parker has two adult children: her son is married, Julie is divorced. This Christmas will be subdued; her son and daughter-in-law are on their honeymoon, while her daughter will visit her home. Julie harbors a secret; she's dating a younger man unknown to her family. Her daughter Dana, who is close to her, won't take the news well, especially since Dana's recent heartbreak involved Alex, an employee of Julie's. Julie owns a large tow truck company and anticipates her son Nick taking over, but he's reluctant to learn the business and hasn't confessed his other aspirations to her. Suddenly, Nick desires a grand family Christmas at their cabin. Julie's boyfriend, Heath, was to stay with her as his house undergoes renovations, but now, the entire family is heading to the cabin for Christmas. As plans fall through for others, more family and friends are invited. The gathering of ex-partners and current loves promises an eventful holiday.

Start with a divorced mother, a first Christmas after her ex has passed, add the 2 adult children and their love interests, then add the mom's new, younger love interest and make plans for the holidays. Mom has a quiet week for two planned until the adult kids say they need tradition to remember their dad and there goes the quiet week.

The family "cabin" at about 6,000 square feet can hold them all and then some. More people you ask? Of course this isn't a simple quiet week. Daughter has broken up with her love interest, but since he works for her mom, there are complications. Son's wife (newlyweds) have her problem mom and an uncle join them. Mom's new hottie has 2 kids of his own and an ex wife and a dog. Full house?

All in all, it is a nice story, but the drama comes from the "I won't tell him/her right now, but will wait until ___" that causes issues throughout the story. That was a bit annoying. You can't complain when others don't tell you if you don't tell them, but mom feels she is strong enough to do as she pleases. Yes, even mom has some learning to do here.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

I read this during hot summer days thanks to NetGalley and it was fun to read a Christmas story on the beach! The family dynamics are interesting in this novel and the situations kept me intrigued throughout. It was heartwarming and entertaining

Enjoyable, but unnecessarily too long, and very unrealistic.

Thank you NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for sending this book for review consideration

Susan Mallery’s One Big Happy Family is a cozy Christmas story filled with family drama. Julie is celebrating the holidays with her younger boyfriend, Heath, and his two kids, along with her own children, their partners, and other relatives. It’s a lively and busy household.

The book includes many different points of view, which gives a lot of insight into each character's thoughts and feelings. However, some readers might find it a bit crowded with so many perspectives.

Overall, the book has the warm, festive feel of a Hallmark Christmas movie. If you enjoy Mallery’s work and like stories about family and the holiday season, this book will likely be a hit for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for the opportunity to read One Big Happy Family!

"You're right - this is a tough Christmas. We should spend it together."

I love family stories, and holiday family stories are my favorite! This one is no exception! I loved it! Such uniquely-lovable characters, with their own quirks and flaws, that make a big family even bigger.

Definitely recommend this one!

Over the years I have truly come to enjoy
Ms. Mallery's writing from her series to her standalone. Her writing is constantly elevated to newer heights and truly realistic believable story telling.
Julie has always being an independent strong woman even when she was married. Owner a car towing company is perfect for her personality. This Christmas her children decided not to be with her for Christmas. She decides to go with her boyfriend to the family cabin and will be fine with that. We'll you know sometimes when plans are made how things can change easily. Just when she thinks it will be a quiet Christmas her son and wife decided to come to the cabin then her daughter and before you know it she has over 8 people coming. I love the Julie the matriarch she's a woman who is strong but at the same time loving to her family and friends. I love the various dynamics and sub stories going on. This an engaging women's fiction with a pinch of romance.
Review on goodreads

What a fun book about how families come together and the challenges (and fun) they face. All of the characters were fun to read about and interesting!

This was such a wonderful holiday read. It was a lovely story and a page turner. I was so enthralled with it, I couldn’t put it down. Definitely recommend!

This is a delightful, entertaining, laugh out loud story about family, all the good and bad. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

What happens when an attractive 50-ish take-charge mom, her adult children, her younger boyfriend, his ex-wife and kids, and various relatives -- and friends -- decide to spend the Christmas holiday in the family cabin? Relationships are tested, secrets are revealed.....and there's even a recipe for perfect Christmas cookies included!

There were aspects of this book and family dynamics that I really enjoyed. It got me in the holiday mood and captured the complexity of family and attachment well. This book also contained several POV scenarios which made the book hard to follow at times and required more “figuring out” than was necessary. Overall, a decent holiday book to read but not as fun or easy as others.

A fantastic story about how convoluted families can be and how dysfunction can eventually be worked out if you truly want to.

The greatest gift of Julie Parker is her two kids. But she’s relieved that they declared that they were going to skip the big Christmas this year. She was going to spend a quiet time with Heath the man she’s secretly dating.

Julie’s plans go from quiet to chaotic when they decided to spend it with them at the family cabin to remember their late father, Julie’s ex. She has to say yes. But she’s leary since she’s been keeping a secret from them for months of her new boyfriend. But Julie’s secret was not the only secret that was kept amongst them.

The guest list grows unexpectedly as the time gets closer to the date they arrive. From Blair’s Mom to Heath’s precocious children. Julie’s secret is not the only one to surface during this Christmas season. Over the enjoyable complicated funny Christmas she’s discovers the more the merrier as a big happy family. They can become bigger and happier as they all shed old hurts and open themselves to love.

This was a delightful Christmas story. It had lots of likable characters. Even though there were a lot of characters it was very easy to follow. Susan Mallery’s writing is witty and laughable that keeps you entertained. It’s lighthearted too. I would recommend this book for a Christmas read! Susan doesn’t disappoint!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers in letting me read this book and allowing me to leave an honest review.

Susan Mallery knows how to create magic. She does it with all her books, but the Christmas novels always just seem a little extra special. All the holiday feels for sure and has me wishing it was December already. I really enjoy reading her works and this was pure delight: love, laughter and all the Christmas magic.

This story will make you both grateful this isn't your family and yet wish to be in their family. It centers around Julie and her family and friends. She is a type A personality so feels like she needs to be in charge of everything but is also very compassionate. She needs both skills as she navigates Christmas at the cabin. At first, it's just her daughter Dana, her son Nick and his wife Blair and Blair's uncle Paul and family friend/coworker Huxley. Blair feels like she needs to invite her mother, Gwen, who despite being emotionally absent from Blair's life has recently moved near her. Gwen is the character with the most cringe worthy moments. Then Julie's boyfriend Heath lets her know his ex-wife, Tiffany has been invited to the Bahamas and he now has his two kids and the dog for the holidays. So she invites them also. When Julie finds out Tiffany has been dumped and now will be alone, she invites her to the cabin also. Then Huxley shows up with Axel, Dana's on again - off again boyfriend, who is recovering from being shot and it becomes a full house of chaos, drama, revelations, and forgiveness. The story is tough at times, especially as each character has something they are hiding that comes out and must be dealt with. It makes you stop and think about whether you can forgive someone as "It means letting go of the anger and need to punish - for your own sake" and that family is that which you make.

Julie Parker, divorced mom of two grown kids, Nick and Dana, wants nothing more than to spend a quiet Christmas alone with Heath, the younger man she is dating, not to mention hiding from her grown kids! For once the family isn’t spending a hectic Christmas at the family cabin like they did every year with her ex-husband. Nick and wife Blair and finally going on their much-delayed honeymoon. Dana has broken off with her boyfriend Axel once again and needs the time to grieve the relationship, and time alone with Heath is just what the doctor ordered for Julie!
But plans can change, sometimes more than once and when their quiet time together suddenly becomes another chaotic family trip to the cabin to honor the kids’ late father, Julie doesn’t have the heart to resist their plea of one more family Christmas at the cabin. Not only did her kids know nothing of Heath and his younger age but nobody expected Blair’s mother to join the party. Add in Heath’s two young kids and his ex-wife, plus Dana’s injured ex-boyfriend and you have a holiday you won’t soon forget!
I loved how the people in this story came together and they proved that despite past issues, hurt feelings and everything that can come with being a family unit, it is possible to become better, to grow and even learn that family isn’t just a bloodline.
Grab your copy of One Big Happy Family and prepare to enjoy!

This story is all about family and coming together to celebrate the holidays, and I mean everyone! Susan did an amazing job with the heroine, Julie, in this one! You're going to love her! 5 holiday stars for this one!
Julie is planning to spend the holidays with her new younger beau, Heath, since her kids have different plans, that is until the kids change their minds and want another Christmas up at the cabin!
Now it's a mad scramble to let her kids know about Heath, and then get the cabin ready for the holidays. It's going to be Julie's son Nick, his wife Blair, Blairs uncle who's fun, oh and Blairs mom, who's not your typical warm and fuzzy mom, and Julie's daughter Dana.
Last minute editions will be added in, and you're going to love this one! I didn't want to put it down! Don't miss out on this unusual holiday story, it's going to give you all the feels for sure!

Susan Mallery’s One Big Happy Family is one big, lightweight ball of holiday fluff. It is a great Christmas read for a chilly or lazy afternoon when one is in the holiday mood or looking for something light and entertaining. The basic plot revolves around Julie, the matriarch of a large, extended family, and her boyfriend Heath, who have plans to spend a quiet holiday together with just the two of them As the book continues, characters are added by ones or twos until pretty much everyone in their known world is at Julie’s fabulous (and huge) “cabin” in the woods. There are several storylines and all have happy endings. There are a couple of characters who were not as fleshed out and were a bit superfluous, but I am hoping to see at least one of them, Tiffany, in a book of her own next year. While most of this book is highly improbable, it is fun and feel-good. A cheery holiday read.