@jennibayliss is one of my favorite holiday romance writers and I was thrilled to read her newest book! Kiss Me at Christmas was an absolute delight.

Harriet is having a bit of down year with her young adult daughter off on a year abroad. She has an amazing night with a man she meets in a bar and sneaks out the next day. Things take a turn when she meets James again after a few of her students get in trouble and are forced to do community service.

Due to the terms of their commitment, the students (and Harriet) are to produce a holiday show in an old theater. But it’s run down and these kids lack motivation and ambition because no one has ever believed in them. Some are foster kids, some are LGBTQ and are just overlooked. Harriet truly cares for them and gets them involved. As the story goes on, word gets out that the old theater is a new community space and other groups ask to use it and also help with the production. I loved each of these groups; there’s a refugee group, an amateur drama group, even a group for single old men who call themselves “the Lonely Farts.”

So while this is probably considered a romance and there is one that’s adorable, it’s more a story of a community coming together. It had lots of humor and it’s very genuine in terms of rallying the town in favor of the old theater, especially since there’s a cranky old lady landlord who left it empty and in disrepair for many years. I did appreciate that James and Harriet were in their mid forties, with lots of life lived before they were together.

Thank you @putnambooks for my ARC and my #winingdown secret santa for the physical copy!

A Christmas book by Bayliss is never a miss!
Found family, theater, and romance round out another holiday book that will continue to be in rotation year after year.

I liked the characters and I love Bayliss’ writing. I think it was cute and semi realistic. I’ve started to like romance novels with older protagonists more and more lately

Jenny Bayliss always writes great holiday romances and Kiss Me at Christmas was no exception. This enemies to loves romance was such a festive read! I really enjoyed the premise and the story of the ragtag Christmas Carol production. So fun!

The idea of this was sooooo promising but I found myself so annoyed with Harriet and James. They took no communication to the extreme and times and while I may also ignore a phone call from time to time, it felt like Harriet just avoided confrontation too many times for it to suddenly be ‘we grow together, don’t know where one ends and the other begins’ love, at least not a healthy one. I did love the robust side characters tho.

This book started off with a steamy bang I wasn't expecting. Otherwise, a solid, heartwarming story perfect for Christmas reading by the fire.

Absolutely loved this newest winter read by Jenny Bayliss! This heartwarming story of a single mom whose teenage daughter decides to spend her holiday abroad includes a little romance, theatre, and a whole lot of Christmas spirit. Highly recommend!

Not much in the way of romance, but moreso in the way of saving Christmas for a group of kids who made a stupid decision. It's also surrounding an empty nester divorcee and I loved that... but it didn't dive deep into that. Instead, it was more focused on the variety of characters and each of their quirks and needs that it less focused on the important details that would have made this book a good one. Definitely has found family trope throughout, but that's about all it had going for it. Kinda sad about it... but it's all good. A heartwarming Christmas season book if nothing else. Thanks for the opportunity to read!

Jenny Bayliss is becoming synonymous with heartwarming holiday novels, In a slight throwback or take on White Christmas, Kiss Me at Christmas features a cast of charming characters: mid 40s mom and pastoral care associate Harriet, charming solicitor James, "mean" scroogey Evaline Winters, bestie Emma (married to Harriet's ex-husband) and a group of teenagers who seemingly don't fit in anywhere-except on the stage.
When Harriet meets James in a bar one November night, what is supposed to be a one-time encounter turns into forced proximity when Harriet takes the blame for her school charges breaking and entering at the old Winter Theater. The owner, Evaline Winter, decides to not press charges if Harriet is able to stage a play for one night only for investors interested in buying the theater. The catch? She insists her solicitor James assist. When the community catches wind of the play and space available they pitch in and an unexpected camaraderie is forged. While putting on a Christmas Carol, Harriet and James learn important lessons from the ghosts of Christmases past. This delightful read is a little built of a slow burner but the story, characters and setting are delightful.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

It took me a little longer than usual to get into Kiss Me at Christmas - I honestly don't know why per se, but there it is. Once I did get into it, it was awesome, so I can't feel too bad about it taking a minute! I loved the famous five, I loved all the groups, I just loved the overarching concept of this novel in a way that ended up surprising me. The Christmas Carol feel really worked for the story, definitely one I'll recommend!

Jenny Bayliss’s *Kiss Me at Christmas* is a heartfelt holiday romance that blends festive cheer, personal growth, and community spirit into a delightful reimagining of *A Christmas Carol*. The story follows Harriet Smith, the ever-reliable teacher and single mother, whose life takes a surprising turn after she takes the fall for five misfit students caught trespassing in a crumbling theater. Tasked by the theater’s eccentric owner, Evaline Winter, to clean up the building and organize a Christmas play, Harriet finds herself working alongside James, Evaline’s lawyer—and her awkward one-night stand from the night before. As the students transform through their involvement in the play, Harriet learns to set boundaries, embrace her own needs, and rediscover joy, all while navigating a charming romance. Though some plot resolutions feel overly convenient and certain adult characters act immaturely, Bayliss more than compensates with warmth, humor, and a touch of holiday chaos. Brimming with found family dynamics, festive romance, and a bit of theater magic, this cozy read is a perfect addition to your holiday reading list.

Kiss Me at Christmas was a really beautiful book that had Christmas spirit at the center, but lots of life lessons weaved through it. It's a feel good story that will put you in the Christmas mood!

This is a hopeful and emotional Christmas reads. It has all the elements and getting to know all the characters was fun! It was a bit long but I enjoyed that it was so much more than just a Christmas romance and the more serious themes were well developed, but also left the reader feeling cozy and hopeful.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this advanced reader's edition. Unfortunately, I will not be able to give it the time required to write a thorough review and will be unable to read it for this purpose.

The female main character in this book was really not a pleasant individual. I felt like many of the side characters were thoroughly enjoyable as well as the setting of this book. I really liked how they worked on the theater and made it a central part of the community. However, the romance did not Sit well. I felt like I would have preferred the book if it were more about the side characters. I really enjoyed the intergenerational friendships in this book. Additionally I really liked how the different community groups enmeshed themselves into the theater. While I did enjoy parts of this book, ultimately, it will not be remembered Going forward.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

BOOK CLUB AUDIOBOOK REVIEW 🎄🎧✨

A big thank you to PRH Audio for the free audiobook and to Putnam and NetGalley for the advance e-galley!

For the last three Decembers I’ve been part of The Read Rovers Book Club (3!!! How is that even possible?!? 🥹🥹) we’ve read a new holiday-themed release from Jenni and got to Zoom chat with her every year without fail!

This year we read her September release of “Kiss Me at Christmas” which was just so incredibly delightful 🥰!! I was truly taken with Harriet and her ragtag group of misfits who had so much potential but needed an incredible human, teacher, mentor, and amateur play manager like Harriet to give them that opportunity to shine. And shine they do! 🎭✨

Although I have no experience with the foster care system, a lot of people in book club who do said the representation was very realistic and respectful, which I absolutely appreciate. I loved the found family around Christmas being part of this story and it was heartwarming to watch Harriet and the kids quickly melt the cold hearts of those around them. Harriet and James were also able to warm up to one another in the process of creating a safe haven for the community and producing a Christmas play at the famous but many years defunct Winter Theater 💕

I elected to listen on audio 🎧 on 1.5x speed while I completed other tasks (chores, walking, etc.). It was easy to follow along with and I really enjoyed the narrator, Caroline Fantozzi, who stayed true to Harriet’s Brit character but wasn’t too heavily accented to understand!

Read if you enjoy:
✨ older empty nester MCs
💕 mid-life awakening (its not a crisis if you come out the other end with something much better right?!)
✨ amateur theater
💕 light holiday romance
✨ mixed and found family plots

Kiss Me at Christmas is OUT NOW! 🎄✨

Jenny Bayliss delivers a heartfelt holiday romance with Kiss Me at Christmas, a charming riff on A Christmas Carol that’s as much about personal growth and community as it is about festive love.

Harriet Smith is always the dependable one—whether it’s for her students, her daughter (spending her first Christmas away), or her overbearing boss. But when she takes the fall for five misfit students caught trespassing in a crumbling theater, Harriet’s life takes an unexpected turn. The theater’s eccentric owner, Evaline Winter, demands Harriet clean up the building and organize a Christmas play to make it attractive to buyers. Enter James, Evaline’s lawyer, and Harriet’s mortifying one-night stand from the night before.

The story blossoms into a delightful mix of holiday magic and found family. The students, whose backgrounds are less than ideal, find confidence and pride as they take ownership of the play and the theater’s revival. Harriet, meanwhile, learns to set boundaries, embrace the messiness of her own needs, and rediscover joy—with a side of romance, of course.

While some plot points are resolved a bit too conveniently and certain adult characters’ choices feel immature at times, the warmth and genuine care between the characters more than make up for it. Bayliss captures the messy, magical spirit of Christmas with humor, heart, and a bit of holiday chaos.

If you love found family stories, festive romance, and a bit of theater magic, Kiss Me at Christmas will leave you smiling. A sweet and cozy pick for your holiday reading list!

Though I typically feel like its not Christmas without reading a Jenny Bayliss book, Kiss Me at Christmas wasn't my favorite of her catalog. It felt as if the story could have done with a faster pace but I very much look forward to next Christmas and another Bayliss book!

This book was more fun than I expected and I really loved getting to know ALLL of the characters. While not a Christmas book really, this was a fun winter setting.

I just couldn't get into this book for some reason. Harriet was annoying and I just didn’t care enough about any of the characters.