3.5 stars

Jenny Bayliss has written a few holiday romances that I love, so Kiss Me at Christmas caught my eye. I'm someone who loves heartwarming holiday stories, and I had high hopes for this one!

Our main character Harriet is trying to adjust to her new situation. Her daughter won't be home for Christmas for the first time, and she's not quite sure what to do with herself. When she takes the fall for some students who broke into an abandoned theater, she ends up trying to put on a play to save the theater. Harriet is very committed to her students and the fact she took the fall is a big sign of that. I loved her passion and the found family aspect in this part of the story. They had their struggles, but it was interesting seeing them getting closer and getting the play ready to go.

Harriet also learns a lot about herself. I really appreciated us seeing her trying to find new purpose in her life and figure out what she wants and needs now that her life is changing in different ways. I thought that was a great side of the story. We also get the romance with James who starts off as a one night stand. I will say that this isn't an aspect that gets the most attention, but I enjoyed how their relationship developed. I personally would've loved to have his POV though. There were certain parts of his story that would've benefited from having his side of the story.

Kiss Me at Christmas did give me that holiday feeling I crave from holiday romances. Jenny Bayliss knows how to set the scene to make a story end up being very heartwarming. I would definitely suggest picking this one up if you're looking for a new holiday read.

My review will also be posted on https://thebookdutchesses.com on July 5th for some Christmas in July posts.

Thank you to the publisher and thank you to NetGalley for the chance to review this e-ARC. Full review will be available soon

This was fine. I feel like it wasn’t properly advertised because everything points to it being a romance but there was very little romance in it. I think it was heart-warming how much they gave to the kids and it was very holiday-ish. But I didn’t go into it expecting that to be such a major part of the storyline.

Jenny Bayliss is always a hit with me. I love the setting and characters, the magic in her books. "Kiss Me at Christmas" gives me the holiday setting and vibes but this time with an older set of characters, which I love since I'm a reader in her 40's. I loved Harriet and found myself relating to her story and her struggles.

If you enjoy stories based on found family and holiday romance, this one is for you. Bonus points for the mature characters and the sense of having a strong support system.

Heartwarming Christmas read with all the feels. Perfect for the holiday season. Characters likable - Akin to a great hall mark holiday movie. Would recommend.

This book was such a fun read and had such a diverse cast. If you’re looking for a holiday book with found family, this is the book for you!! This book sheds light on how the holidays can be difficult with those who don’t have families to celebrate with, but how a community can come together to become their own family in the spirit of the holidays! Thank you to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for a review.

**3-Star Review of *Kiss Me at Christmas* by Jenny Bayliss**

*Kiss Me at Christmas* by Jenny Bayliss is a sweet, festive romance set against the cozy backdrop of a Christmas village, making it a perfect holiday read. The story follows Holly, a woman who returns to her small hometown for the holidays and finds herself reconnecting with a former flame, sparks flying once again. The holiday charm, complete with mistletoe, decorations, and cozy settings, certainly sets a seasonal mood, and Bayliss captures the magic of Christmas well.

The characters are likable enough, with Holly’s journey of rediscovering herself and finding love again offering some heartwarming moments. The romance is sweet but a bit predictable, and while it’s easy to root for the characters, the story doesn’t venture too far beyond the typical holiday romance tropes. Some secondary characters add flavor, but they aren’t developed enough to make a significant impact.

While *Kiss Me at Christmas* is enjoyable and offers a lighthearted escape, it’s a bit too formulaic for it to stand out in the crowded field of holiday romances. It’s the kind of book you can pick up for a few cozy hours of reading, but it doesn’t leave a lasting impression or offer much beyond the seasonal sweetness. If you’re looking for something heartwarming and easy to read during the holidays, this one fits the bill—just don’t expect any major surprises.

I have a great appreciation for this author as her FMC are not a youngins’…finally a romance about a single mother where her children are grown and she’s struggling with not being wanted or needed! Harriet was very relatable to me and I was immediately hooked in the story. But…unfortunately I found my mind wandering about mid-book. The plot was a bit bland with Harriet needing to direct her local holiday play only to find out her co-director is her one-night stand. The tension and angst seemed to be missing as the story took a turn away from romance and into an uplifting found family drama.

3.5 stars rounded up

Cheers to another hug of a holiday read!

I loved the school/social work theme and setting of this book, and the motley crew of community groups that assisted the Famous Five in putting on A Christmas Carol, as well as Evaline Winters, were heartwarming and provided comedic relief.

While this was a heartwarming read, it also broached some heavier themes, including drug abuse, child neglect, navigating being an empty-nester, and the foster care system. Another big theme is realizing that you are worthy of all the good things.

"Being alone does not make a person less worthy of good things. ... I refuse to curtail life's little enjoyments because I am without a companion. I am worth the effort, and you should feel the same way about yourself, young woman. Don't live your life as though you are only a shadow without other people to validate you. Validate yourself!"

The pacing of this story was a bit slow, and I didn't feel the romance right away between Harriet and James, but both characters really grew on me! And while this is classified as a holiday read, it was more holiday-adjacent, but I still really enjoyed it!

Overall, this was a sweet read that lifted my spirits and gave me some renewed hope in humanity, which I definitely need right now. If you too are in need of these things, pick this one up! Narrator Caroline Fantozzi is also wonderful and I love her gentle voice.

This was a real treat - a midlife romance sprinkled with holidays and all the cozy feels, and the environments of theater. The book really makes Harriet and James glow and centers around a production of The Christmas Carol - who doesn't love that? IF you need something that will get you in the holiday romance spirit, this is it!

This author is becoming wishy washy to me. Sometimes I love her stuff, other times (like this time) I am disappointed. This wasn't bad, it just wasn't great.

4 Stars
Great little Christmas Romance.
Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin for an early copy of this title in exchange for a honest review.

While I am such a sucker for holiday/seasonal reads, this one did not lean in as much as I would have loved. Harrriet our FMC was not extremely likeable to me which made it difficult to get into to begin with. I did not get behind all of her choices or thought processes, which can happen in books, but she did not grow to a point of liking even as the book progressed. While being a romance, this book had many other layers within the plot. The next largest being the play she is putting on, and the students involved. There is an ensemble-feel to this title, which I think can be very enjoyable to many. I struggled a bit to keep up with remembering all of the many characters, as the book seemed to not have enough time to develop them all thoroughly. My favorite aspect of the book had to be the literary parallels and I did enjoy the male main character a lot. I wish the book leaned more into the Christmas Carol inspiration, and had a bit less political undertones, as it only seemed to take me out of the holiday spirit of the story

It's ✨Christmas time!✨
Who doesn't love Christmas? Well, Harriet Smith is not really feeling all that merry and bright this time of year, like most people should. Her daughter chooses to spend the holidays in Manhattan, which leaves Harriet feeling down and she resorts to a one-night stand. (WOO! we LOVE these😂)
This is definitely a found family narrative centered around the community production of A Christmas Carol, after Harriet takes the blame whenever some students break into the town's Winter Theatre. James & Harriet also have their little mid-life love story going on, while obviously helping with the production. Things heat up with the two, which I also LOVED!
I enjoyed the affection and care that people had for each other! It wasn't really cheesy, IMO. It felt pretty real to me. I am not huge into the found family trope, but felt like it worked well for this book. 🎄

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and author for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review/opinions of this book!

* I want to start by thanking the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. I gave these as a gift at Christmas!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Kiss Me at Christmas by Jenny Bayliss!

This holiday romance was a little lacking on the romance but full of a heartwarming story. This book follows Harriet a woman who is spending Christmas alone after her daughter decides not to come home. Feeling lonely Harriet has a one night stand but flees the next morning. When she is tracking down some missing students the cops get called and she takes the blame so her students won’t get in trouble. To avoid charges she is given an agreement by no one other her one night stand to clean up the theater and organize a musical. This was categorized as a romance but the romance felt like an afterthought and I never really loved their relationship. The story about Harriet and her students weee way more entertaining and stole the show. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

Pacing for Christmas books is a difficult thing, but this one was a bit slow in some parts. Overall a cute story but there were moments when I wished it was just a bit faster paced. The romance was cute and it definitely had moments where I was swooning.

Kiss Me at Christmas was not my least favorite of Bayliss’ holiday romance books, but definitely not my favorite. I found the characters to be a bit dull, which I felt was disappointing considering this could’ve been a win for older couples (if you consider 40s old) in the romance space, which is usually commonly 20-30 year olds. I thought the story could use more pizazz for a holiday one, more magic and excitement. Overall, just an okay read, but I still love Bayliss as a holiday romance writer.

As a former theater kid, this sweet holiday romance—featuring “A Christmas Carol,” kooky thespians, the performing arts, and more—stole my heart and ran with it!

While there is a romance at play (haha), the story mainly focuses on the found family relationships between a group of school kids and various community members who find a safe space at the theater. Jenny Bayliss always creates such charming, fully realized characters, and I fell in love with the diverse and eclectic cast! There’s also an emphasis on how important and magical the performing arts are, especially among kids, which came across as authentic and heartfelt.

The romance itself was sweet, though, there were some moments of conflict that felt blown out of proportion. They were minor and got resolved quickly, so they didn’t take away from my experience. Overall, I’m happy with where the MCs ended up, even if the road to happily ever after had a few unrealistic bumps.

If you’ve ever been involved in community theater, whether on stage, backstage, or in the audience, you’ll love this book.