Mel Hart, a wedding singer with a complicated past, is reeling from the sudden death of her mother, Connie—a woman whose holiday magic masked years of instability due to addiction.

When a mysterious woman claiming to be Connie’s estranged best friend appears, Mel is swept into a Christmas unlike any other—one filled with family secrets, unexpected romance, and a reexamination of what “home” really means.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for the arc!

I was actually really into this book even if it was a Christmas book with death (people always die in romance books at Christmas! spookiest time of year!) and they said "I love you" after like 2 days together while one of them was technically still married. My actual problem is it's only the first half of the story?? for the first time ever I kind of wanted to see this thing through to the epilogue baby, as it were, because I wanted to know what happened to everyone!! Christmas books always find new ways to disappoint me

Absolutely loved this heartwarming, holiday read!!! This one was the perfect seasonal book, and it hit every perfect note, with a happy ending to boot!

Nothing cuter than a holiday story right? I was really excited to dive into this!

Unfortunately, the casual animal cruelty written as a joke was absolutely not for me and I immediately stopped reading at that point.

Thank you for the opportunity!

I totally judged this book by its cover, I requested it based on the title (and cover). This book did not disappoint. I experienced so many emotions while reading this book. This was not a light, cheerful holiday read. It was emotional and hopeful.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… or at least it’s supposed to be.

In A Home for the Holidays, Taylor Hahn delivers a cozy holiday read wrapped in layers of emotional depth, family secrets, and just the right amount of romantic tension. The story follows Mel Hart, a wedding singer who has always cherished the magic of Christmas, thanks to her mom Connie’s elaborate holiday traditions. But when Connie unexpectedly passes away just before Christmas, Mel’s world turns upside down. Enter Barb, Connie’s estranged best friend, who shows up with a shocking tale of Connie’s almost-famous country music career and a man who derailed it all. From there, Mel finds herself thrown into a complicated family dynamic, spending Christmas with Barb’s quirky family and uncovering secrets about her mom’s past—while trying to resist the growing attraction to Barb’s very off-limits son, currently in the middle of a messy divorce.

What makes A Home for the Holidays stand out is how Taylor Hahn tackles heavier themes like grief, addiction, and complicated family relationships with incredible care and nuance. Mel’s journey to process her mother’s life and death is raw, real, and incredibly relatable. It’s a story about understanding the imperfections of those we love, even when it’s hard to see past the hurt.

Now, let’s talk about the romance. The chemistry between Mel and Barb’s son is electric in all the right ways—slow-burn, forbidden, and full of just enough tension to keep you hooked. The simmering attraction between them adds an extra layer of drama and angst to the story, keeping you turning pages with anticipation. Plus, the holiday setting is pure magic. Twinkling lights, cozy moments, and a sprinkle of Christmas cheer make this the perfect holiday read, even if you're not quite in the mood for Hallmark-style fluff.

While I adored the emotional depth and the heartwarming holiday vibes, I did feel that the pacing was a little uneven at times. Some subplots weren’t given as much closure as I’d hoped, leaving me with lingering questions. Despite this, A Home for the Holidays is still a beautifully moving story, one that combines the sweet with the bittersweet, just like the holidays themselves.

Rating: 3/5 – A heartfelt and emotional holiday read with a touch of romance, perfect for anyone who enjoys Christmas stories with real-life resonance. Taylor Hahn knows how to blend the warmth of the season with the complexity of family dynamics, and I’ll definitely be looking out for more of her work.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf Publishing for my DRC.

A Home for the Holidays is a beautiful story about grief and how Mel deals with the loss of her mom while also discovering the truth about who she was. There's a lot of drama that goes down in Mel's discovery. But what I loved the most was that Mel had to learn to love, forgive and accept her mom for who she was. Leading her to Barb and her family and discovering the past that was never shared with her makes the story interesting and keeps you engaged but the journey is what gave this story its heart. Taylor Hahn can do no wrong and Home for the Holidays cements her as an auto buy author for me.

I'm a sucker of family dramas, particularly those exploring the complexities of parent-child relationships. Mel Hart's dynamic with her mother is a poignant study in love and disappointment, shaped by her mother's struggle with alcoholism. When her mother unexpectedly passes away just before Christmas, Mel forges an unlikely connection with a rando claiming to be a close friend. This encounter unveils hidden facets of her mother's past, prompting Mel to reevaluate her understanding of their relationship. The story is deeply moving and an exploration of loss, grief, and addiction, yet it impressively balances these themes with moments of humor, a heartwarming found-family dynamic, and a touch of romance. I enjoyed its emotional depth.

However, what I didn't enjoy much was the quick love at first sight/love bombing within two days and while one party is still legally married, felt contrived and undermined the story's credibility. Despite this, the audiobook proved to be an engaging, albeit brief, experience. While the plot became increasingly convoluted towards the finale the underlying themes of found family, navigating grief, and pursuing one's dreams resonated strongly."

This book was a heartwarming and sweet holiday read! The characters were relatable and well-developed, and their journey was filled with emotional depth and charm. The romance was sweet and slow-building, making it easy to root for them. While it wasn’t groundbreaking, it was the perfect cozy story to curl up with during the holiday season. A lovely, feel-good read!

This tenderhearted novel explores how mothers and daughters can love and fail each other, and how home can be an active choice one makes for oneself. Review continues on Shelf Awareness....

Okay, let’s talk about A Home for the Holidays by Taylor Hahn, because this book is like a cozy holiday blanket with a few emotional thorns woven in. The story follows Mel Hart, a wedding singer who’s always held onto the magic of Christmas, thanks to her mom Connie’s over-the-top Santa hijinks. But when Connie passes away just before the holidays, Mel’s world feels anything but magical. Enter Barb, Connie’s estranged best friend, who shows up with a wild story about Connie’s almost-famous country music career and a man who ruined it all. Suddenly, Mel finds herself spending Christmas with Barb’s complicated family, uncovering secrets about her mom’s past, and—oh yeah—trying not to fall for Barb’s very off-limits son, who’s in the middle of getting divorced. It’s heartfelt, messy, and full of holiday charm.

What really got me was how Hahn handled the heavy stuff—grief, addiction, and complicated family dynamics—with so much care and nuance. Mel’s journey to understand her mom’s struggles and her own feelings about love and family is raw and real. And let’s talk about the romance, because the tension between Mel and Barb’s son is chef’s kiss. It’s slow-burn, it’s forbidden, and it’s got just enough angst to keep you hooked. Plus, the holiday setting is pure magic, with twinkling lights, cozy moments, and a sprinkle of Christmas hope that’ll make you believe in second chances.

I’m giving this one 4 out of 5 stars. While I loved the emotional depth and the holiday vibes, there were moments where the pacing felt a little uneven, and I wished for a bit more closure on some of the subplots. That said, A Home for the Holidays is a moving, heartfelt read that’s perfect for anyone who loves their Christmas stories with a side of real-life resonance. Taylor Hahn has a knack for blending the bittersweet with the beautiful, and I’ll definitely be checking out more of her work. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to blast some holiday tunes and ugly cry into a cup of cocoa.

I loved this book so much... it was so unexpected, and not at all a "rom-com" I'm used to for cute holiday reads. This book is about grief, found family, seeing your family in a new light, letting go of familial expectations, forgiveness, and so much more. I loved the romance, adored Barb (what a gem!), and really enjoyed the storytelling.

After reading a couple holiday romances, I was in the mood for something with a little more heft. I saw a couple people whose taste I love give it high praise so I picked it up, and I am SO glad I did. This was was heartwarming and witty with just the right amount of romance and wonderfully charming characters. I loved that this focused more on Mel's relationship with her mother than with Henry (even though I also really loved their relationship). This would be a great book to pick up in the fall or winter because the holidays are in the background.

I tend to read a lot of books without reading what they were about and I’m glad I did on this one or I would have skipped it. I’m currently going through the same thing as the m/c (death of a parent with alcoholism—TW) so 100% I would have skipped it. While reading I almost put it down, but I’m glad I didn’t. So many of the emotions she was feeling, I was feeling. She did a remarkable job putting herself in the shoes of the m/c. It’s not the conventional happy, hallmark love story but not everyone has a hallmark Christmas. I really enjoyed it.

I don’t quite know how to rate this one , it was well written and a good women’s fic novel but not what I was expecting from a holiday romance. This book was sad for a holiday romance the majority of the book focused of the mother daughter relationship and I feel like the romance was an after thought. Me personally I did not enjoy this book but it made me sad so I could see others enjoying this book just be prepared this isn’t your typical holiday romance.I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

This story is told in first person by Mel. Mel sings in a wedding band. She grew up with an alcoholic mother who passes away just before the holidays. She’s also dating and living with another member of the band who has just found a new gig and wants her to come with, but Mel is happy singing with the wedding band and doesn’t want to leave Chicago. As Mel returns to her childhood home and starts contemplating going through her mother’s things, she reminisces about growing up with her mother, the good times and the bad. Then a strange woman shows up at the door and introduces herself as her mother’s best friend indicating that they hadn’t spoken to each other in 35 years. Mel finds herself escaping to Barb’s home for the holidays, learning about her mother’s early life and adventures and enjoying the holidays with Barb’s family, especially her son, a doctor named Henry who is in the middle of a divorce.

Mel had a lot going on, her mother passing, her selfish boyfriend more preoccupied with his new gig than supporting her, an estranged relationship with her father due to his preoccupation with his new family, and dealing with the fact that she grew up taking care of her alcoholic mother instead of being a child. Barb really opens Mel’s eyes up to the life that her mother had before she met her father and became the drunk that Mel grew up with and now Mel has so many questions that she wished she had asked when her mother was still alive.

I really enjoyed this story. It made me feel all the feels along with Mel even though I didn’t always understand her decisions. I felt her sorrow, grief, anger, resentment and longing for a family that she found with Barb and her children. While Barb explains that a man came between them and that their falling out was her fault, but of course, it was a little more complicated than that. I really enjoyed the journey that Mel took through her grief and the past, paving a new direction for her future. I also enjoyed her romance with Henry.

If you’re looking for a holiday read filled with more complicated emotions than just a sweet romance, I’d recommend this one for an out of season holiday read or for your next holiday reading list.

Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf for a copy provided for an honest review.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book other than a Christmas themed plot. But it was so much more! I really really enjoyed this one, in it we follow Mel as she navigates what it meant to be her mother's daughter and how she came grieve when she feels like she only knew one side of her mother. She meets Barb an old friend of her mother's and Barb gives Mel insight into who her mother was outside of only a mom. Mel also meets Barb's son to be divorced son. (Eyebrow wiggle)

Overall this book had enough cheese and a lot of heart! Did I mention it has a found family trope? One of my favorites! 🥲

TW: Alcoholism, Grief, and Death of a Parent



Thank you to Penguin Random House & NetGalley for the eARC in return for an honest review! ❤️

Thank you to the publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS weaves together themes of grief and forgiveness, tropes like instant love and found family, and a bit of a multi-leveled musical mystery subplot as the main character, Mel, learns more about her late mother’s history. I thought the relationship between Mel and her late mother was realistically complex and an important foundation to the grief and forgiveness journey Mel takes in this book. To me, the main romance subplot felt underdeveloped, but I also don’t like instant love romance stories because they usually don’t feel believable enough to me. I did appreciate that, while this book takes place during late December and talks about Christmases past and present, it didn’t come off to me as overly Christmasy, which I appreciated because it allowed the depth and emotions of the story to shine. This book hit me harder than I anticipated, so as always, I would recommend checking for content warnings on this book before reading.

Absolutely loved this book - perfect for Christmas. I appreciated the depth of the characters and the realistic struggles they faced with family members.

A well written holiday book, this gave me Family Stone vibes. Recommend if you’re looking for a Christmas book with more complex characters and emotional weight than your typical Hallmark fare.