Really enjoyed this. Heartwarming found family story. The ending could have been a bit more complex and left some questions open but it worked out ok. Glad the pages weren’t filled with revenge and the author showed quite a bit of character development. Would be happy to read books about the other band members, Summer and such.

A Home for the Holidays by Taylor Hahn is a heartwarming, touching story about the relationship between Mel and her mom. I absolutely loved this book.
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Plot
This holiday fiction looks at grief, addiction, and motherhood. Mel loses her mother two weeks before Christmas, a special time of year for the two of them. When her mom’s estranged best friend, Barb, shows up on her doorstep, Mel learns about a side of her mother she never knew.

As Mel spends time with Barb and her family, she examines her complicated grief about her mother’s passing, begins to evaluate her own dreams of being a singer, and tries to get justice for a wrong done to her mother. All this comes with a side of Christmas spirit and a dash of romance as well.

Trigger Warnings
Loss of a Parent, Alchololism

Why Kirsten loves it
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this gritty Christmas novel, but I loved that it focused on complex grief. It’s important to acknowledge that sometimes the holidays aren’t merry & bright, parents aren’t always the best role models, and you can still change your life and right past wrongs at any age. This would be a great one for book clubs to discuss.

I have been seeing this book all over my IG. I was luck enough to be able to read A Home for the Holidays and I loved it.

This is the holiday book to pick up if you don't really like holiday books. While set at Christmas time and referencing the holiday frequently, it's a bittersweet story of an adult child grieving and learning about a parent they had a complicated relationship with, and growing from that experience. It's heartwarming at times, and a really satisfying book overall.

Thank you to NetGalley, PRH Audio, and Knopf
for providing me with an advanced copy of this book and audiobook for free in exchange for my review! @prhaudio #PRHAudio #PRHAudioInfluencer
All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this fun and emotional holiday romance. This book is much more than just a cutesy holiday romance. It is a story that actually has a lot of depth and emotion to it. I enjoyed the difference in this book compared to your traditional holiday rom-com.

On the audiobook front, I enjoyed the narration by Anna Caputo. I don't believe that I have listened to books narrated by her before, but with that being said, I would like to listen to more books by her in the future


Thank you again to PRH Audio and NetGalley for providing an ARC/ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you Knopf and PRH audio for free review copies!

This is a loving examination of self-growth, grief, and that the holidays are a time of sadness but also renewal for many. Taylor Hahn's writing is deft and the story, even if sad, is powerful and hits all the right notes. I appreciate the complexity of the story and Hahn's careful but loving character and plot development.

This was such a sweet, emotional read! While the author tackles some heavy topics, from addiction to grief to complicated familial relationships, the story is ultimately an uplifting one, with a hopeful feel even in its sad moments. It is definitely the perfect book to pick up around the holidays! I love stories about mother-daughter relationships, and Mel's journey grieving the loss of her mom, while also working through what their connection was like when she was alive, and learning about a new side to her mother through her mom's old best friend, Barb, was so well-done. If you're looking for a heartwarming holiday read that's also packed with depth, definitely give A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS a try! Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the ARC.

First book by this author and definitely liked her style and pacing.

This book was interesting and so relatable for daughters and mothers alike. No one can imagine their mothers' life before they were a mother, and mothers can't express who they used to be.

While I liked the book very much, I found there was a lot to suspend your disbelief about. Living in a strangers house for weeks? what underwear are you changing into? And the ending was so abrupt and really hard to swallow.

But looking forward to this author's future books.

I devoured this book and found it very hard to put down, reading it in one weekend. It’s a heavier holiday read with themes of addiction, family secrets and grief, but also about found family and finding love. I very much enjoyed it and would highly recommend!

Not really a “Christmas book” but rather a book set at Christmas this novel is both well written and engrossing. I found the ending inauthentic but it is still worth reading.

Fast-paced, quick read with substance. Though grief, substance abuse, and betrayal were major themes, it was still written in a light, easy to read way. Though a bit corny and predictable at times, this one makes for a nice and cozy read leading up to the holiday season.

A book dealing with grief is tough to read, but a book dealing with grief at the holidays is even harder.

That said - I loved the meet cute that happens and how the main character finds a found family while processing grief during the holidays.

The music aspect of this book was interesting but super hard to believe the chances the main character got would be realistic.

This book has a Hallmark channel movie type vibe to it and is a short holiday read.

Thanks to @netgalley and @aaknopf for providing the ARC.

A sentimental story about grief and learning that there might be more to someone you thought you knew. Mel had a complicated relationship with her mother Connie due to Connie's alcoholism but now she's died and Mel is at sea. At least until Barb, who claims to have been Connie's BFF, appears and invites Mel home for Christmas, opening up a different view for Mel and offering a romance with Barb's son Henry. There are a lot of positives to this novel but know that it might feel a bit contrived in spots. That said it made me smile. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I really enjoyed this emotional, feel-good holiday story that has wedding singer Mel Hart learning that her alcoholic mother has died and her long-time boyfriend is leaving to go on tour with another band.

Stuck in her grief and not wanting to be alone for the holidays, Mel is surprised when an old friend of her mother's reaches out and invites her to come over and hear more about what her mother's life was like before Mel was born.

Full of family secrets, new beginnings, second chances and a bit of romance, this book delivers all the feels with a wonderful redemption arc of an ending. Forgiveness plays a big part in this story and what better time is there to forgive the ones we love than the holidays?

Great on audio read by Anna Caputo, a newish to me narrator. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

A Home for the Holidays is a tender story about complicated grief and finding unexpected friendships around the turbulent holiday season. Meet Mel, the lead singer of a local band, seeking to unpack her rocky relationship with her mother and understand her grief. Taylor Hahn's writing gives a fresh perspective on the grieving process and the definitions of home and family. I particularly enjoyed how Mel discovers her mother's secrets and sees her in a new light. One of my family members passed recently, so I've been going through similar emotions and found Mel's character very relatable. This is a warm-hearted novel, perfect for readers who celebrate the holidays with their chosen family, and those seeking healing from grief. Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for letting me read and review this book.

There was way too much going on with such little time frame, and even with everything I found it still pretty boring.
3 stars

I almost gave up on this one around 30%. I felt like I saw where the story was going and didn’t care enough to finish, but I’m glad I stuck with it - although some things were predictable, they were different than I’d initially thought and I ended up really enjoying the book!

Mel, the main character, is having a difficult time coming to terms with the death of her mother. With the help of her mother's ex-bestfriend, Mel successfully navigates the holidays and her grief. I really enjoyed this book. It was a mix of happy and sad. It was full of hope even in the sad times. It is the kind of book I like to read around the holidays. It was chock full of genuine nice-ness. This bookmade me feel good. I would love to read another book by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the digital ARC. This opinion is my own.

This title reads like an Emily Henry novel. Brought to you by the author of the also enjoyable The Lifestyle. Like a Hallmark movie but hipper.