3 Stars

Taylor Hahn’s A Home for the Holidays is a heartfelt exploration of grief, family secrets, and second chances, wrapped in a festive holiday setting. While it’s a thoughtful and often moving story, it doesn’t always deliver the emotional punch or narrative flow I was hoping for.

Mel Hart’s journey of processing her mother’s death and learning to navigate the messy, beautiful complexities of family relationships is compelling. Hahn writes grief with nuance, capturing Mel’s conflicting feelings about her mother’s struggles and her own memories of holiday magic. The inclusion of Connie’s mysterious past as a would-be country music star adds a layer of intrigue that helps drive the story forward.

However, the novel occasionally falters under the weight of its themes. The pacing feels uneven, with some parts dragging while others rush through key emotional moments. Barb’s introduction and her family dynamics bring warmth and humor, but the subplot involving her son’s pending divorce and his budding relationship with Mel feels underdeveloped and slightly forced.

That said, Hahn shines in crafting holiday atmosphere—there’s plenty of cozy, nostalgic charm here. The themes of forgiveness, self-discovery, and love in unexpected places will resonate with many readers, even if the execution doesn’t fully stick the landing.

A Home for the Holidays is a good read for those who enjoy bittersweet holiday tales, but it might leave some readers wishing for a bit more sparkle and polish.

A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS by TAYLOR HAHN was one of my favorite reads this month. It’s a thoughtful story about grief, forgiveness, connection, and acceptance with a satisfying romance and a bit of holiday magic, too.

Just weeks before Christmas, Mel’s mother dies. Soon after, she breaks up with her conceited and thoughtless boyfriend. Not wanting to stay in the condo they had shared, Mel goes to her mother’s house. It’s a practical decision, the house is empty and available to her. But overwhelmed by memories and grief, Mel can hardly pass across the threshold.

As Mel goes to leave, there’s a knock at the door. A stranger, introducing herself as Barbara, her mother’s former best friend. Wrung out with emotion and lacking other options, Mel goes with Barb to her home.

I loved Barb and her stories about living with Connie, Mel’s mother, in the late 70s. It’s a small stretch to think of Mel going to stay with a complete stranger, but Barb is the perfect combination of warm and direct. If I met her IRL, I’m sure I’d get swept up into her life, too.

The story’s supporting characters - Mel’s bandmates and Barb’s children - were also well-developed and engaging. They all came together as a supportive found-family.

While the timing is set around the December holidays - there are celebrations of Hanukkah, Christmas, and memories of holidays past - there’s no reason this book can’t be enjoyed year-round. So don’t wait for December to roll back around before picking this one up!

“’I don’t know how to move on from this grief.’
‘You don’t move on,’ he said. ‘You move forward.’

Grieving didn’t just happen - grieving was hard work.”
- A Home for the Holidays, Taylor Hahn

Many readers are aware of A Home for the Holidays by Taylor Hahn since it was a Book of the Month pick. I’m glad this not-so-typical Christmas story received lots of attention. At least one of its themes of grief, addiction, mother-daughter relationships, music, and found family is likely to connect with a wide variety of readers.

I appreciated that the plot has middle-aged (and older) characters dealing mostly realistically with hard things during the holiday season. It was interesting for an adult daughter to learn about a completely unknown aspect of her mother’s life from a stranger. I could relate to the daughter’s integration into another family as I had similar experiences (under very different circumstances) as a teen and young adult.

The speed and convenience of the relationships felt unrealistic; the romance moved exceedingly fast, and one party was still married. The ending wrapped up details a bit too neatly for my taste, but this wasn't surprising in a holiday story.

Thank you to Knopf for the review copy of this novel.

There were some positive elements to this book: the idea of found family, moving on from loss, and a sweet romance. But I felt like the insta-love concept wasn't believable and, honestly, I expected more exploration and self-reflection about the mom's struggles with alcoholism.

I liked this book. It was interesting without being super depressing and explained grief well. I thought it was a good read for this time of year.

This is one book where I should have read the synopsis before diving in. I was expecting another holiday romance but this book is more about Mel's journey through grief at the holidays after the death of her. mother.

I appreciated the themes of found family but found it a little far-fetched that Mel was so trusting of Barb so early on.

I also found the romance aspect to be a bit weird. The guy was married, his mom was Barb, it was just a big strange.

Know before going in that this is not a light-hearted holiday read at all.

This book was so sweet! A perfect story for the holidays all about Mothers and Daughters, and definitely had me feeling a certain way during my daughter’s first Christmas. It’s sad though, and those grieving their mothers will have a very hard time reading this, but the ending is very hopeful and lovely. It’s not OVERLY Christmasy but I can still seeing it be a staple read for the holidays. It also had a great romance subplot, that may be a bit too convenient at times, but still a solid read.

Shortly before Christmas, Mel and her boyfriend, who’s also one of her bandmates, break up. Shortly after this, Mel finds out her mother has passed away. Despite Mel’s tumultuous relationship with her mom, she appreciates how she always managed to pull off the magic of Christmas.

A woman shows up on Mel’s doorstep claiming to be her mom’s former best friend. Barbara and Connie, Mel’s mom, have been estranged for years but Barbara is adamant there’s another side to Connie that Mel doesn’t know about.

Curiosity gets the best of her and Mel reluctantly accepts Barbara’s dinner invitation. She begins to learn more about Connie and her former life, and the other people in Barbara’s life now.

A Home for the Holidays is a story about grief, family — biological and found — and the complicated feelings that can accompany both. I enjoyed the holiday aspects in this story which did a good job balancing sweet with substance.

Thanks to Knopf and PRH Audio for the gifted copies!

Wedding singer Mel Hart is dealing with the recent death of her mother. Soon after, a woman claiming to be her mother's best friend, Barb, shows up and fills in a very different backstory that Mel never knew about her mom. Mel moves in with Barb for the holidays and finds herself in the midst of complicated family dynamics, some of which involve a soon-to-be-divorced, very handsome doctor.

This is my kind of holiday read - a combination of sadness & heart mixed with light, seasonal festivities that blend into a heartwarming romance. I enjoyed the development into the future while we also pieced together the past of Mel's mother. Everything tied up as perfectly as the bow on that Christmas present you just wrapped, making this a perfect story for the holidays.

"Guilt follows grief like a hangover, does it not?”

Not your typical Christmas book, but perfect for those who struggle with the season. Mel has a complicated relationship with her mother. She gets a call her mother has died 2 weeks before Christmas and spends the season reflecting on her relationship with her mother and her mother's past.

I liked this book and it's exploration of grief when it's complicated. The music component of it was a little far fetched for me.

A Home for the Holidays by Taylor Hahn is a holiday story with more emotional depth than one might expect. It's a book for motherless daughters and for anyone searching for home.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

When creating my holiday TBR, I tend to seek out a mix of genres within the holiday umbrella to give myself some variety during the season. I was initially drawn to A Home for the Holidays because of its focus on friends and family over romance. It’s certainly a departure from your typical holiday read, and while I liked it, I can’t say it was a new favorite.

Despite the title, there’s very little about this book that feels holiday-like aside from the fact that it takes place around Christmas. The holidays play more of a background role in this story, which does allow more room to focus on the relationships between the characters, which is really where the story shines. While it’s heartfelt there’s a heaviness to the book as one of the key plot points is the loss of a family member. It reminded me a lot of Cat Shook’s Humor Me (which I read and loved earlier this year), as the themes and characters had a similar vibe.

If you’re looking for a seasonal read that’s more reflective and thoughtful and less holly and jolly, this would probably be a good one to check out. Just be sure to scan the content warnings before reading.

A Home for the Holidays is out now. Thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Finished reading A Home for the Holidays during this past Holiday weekend.
This is a feel good story that started with so much promise but fell flat for me as it progressed.
Not the best Holiday book this year.

3.75 stars!
This book was such a cozy way to look at grief. I love how real the grief was for the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed Barb and her family and how they took Mel in. The ending fell a little flat for me and I didn’t feel like the romance plot line got wrapped up well which is why this is only 3.75 stars but overall it was a great book!

I love holiday themed books and was very excited to receive an early copy of this one. I have had Taylor Hahn on my TBR for ages but this was my first book by her and I really enjoyed it.

This book is not a light holiday read by any means -- there are many serious themes -- grief, loss of a parent, alcoholism and it's impact on children. I thought all of these subjects were handled very well. I really loved Mel, and was rooting for her -- and thought the romance bits were very swoony.

This book had some unexpected twists and I enjoyed the ending a lot. I would recommend this to anyone who likes emotional family dynamics. I am excited to read more by Taylor Hahn!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

This book was not what I was expecting -- especially because Hahn's last book was about a couple exploring swinging. However, no matter the issue the books center on (in this one it was coming to terms with a complicated relationship of a recently deceased parent) I just love how she breathes so much love and care into the stories she writes. While this is a holiday book and does center around Christmas, there is so much to love about this book no matter the season.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an eArc in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars!

Mel Hart grew up having a complicated relationship with her mother Connie. Mel often acted as the adult in their relationship, due to Connie’s alcoholism. Mel never confronted her about it, only distanced herself as an adult. When she gets a phone call from a hospital doctor saying that Connie’s died, she’s devastated. She has a mix of emotions - guilt, anger, grief. She wonders if there’s something she could have done and why her mother didn’t call her. A few days after Connie’s death, Barb shows up on her doorstep, claiming to be a long lost friend. Mel has never heard of Barb so she’s reluctant when Barb offers her a holiday meal, but feels she has nothing to lose. She ends up entwined in Barb’s family dynamics, learning more about her mother than she ever dreamed of, and when all is said and done - letting go of the guilt and anger.

This was a sweet yet witty book. This is the first novel I’ve read from this author and I would definitely read more of her work. The narration was pleasant and easy to follow - overall it was a very bingeable read despite the heavy subject matter!

This is a deeply moving but sad story about loss of a parent, grief, and forgiveness.

To start, I really liked Mel. I found her current life a bit slow and sad so when the shocking call came and she upending her life, I couldn't help but be excited for the change. But the first half of the book was so sad as Mel untangles her grief, guilt and regrets.

Finally, as Barb popped into the picture and the moment at the bakery happened, I thought it went in a very cute direction. Even though things wound wildly outside of reality, I loved the heartwarming turns and the theme at the end.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

A heartwarming and poignant novel that beautifully captures the essence of the holiday season. I enjoyed Mel’s journey of self discovery and healing. There are moments of humor and heartache, making Mel’s journey both relatable and touching.
Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was pleasantly surprised by this one! I liked it a lot more than I expected. With everything taking place over the course of 2ish weeks, you have to suspend belief a bit, but if you're looking for a holiday novel, I highly recommend this one. Emotional but heartwarming.