I tried, but I just really couldn't get into this book. The reviews I read were strong, so maybe it just was a case of the wrong book at the wrong time. I'll try this book again next Christmas.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the Advanced Reader Copy.

I will happily read any Jenny Bayliss book published. This one was cozy and perfect for the season. The main character, Harriet, finds herself alone at Christmas time. She ends up getting involved in a community theater and it is delightful. I love that Jenny’s main characters typically are older.

Really enjoyed this holiday story. I went back and forth with being annoyed with and really liking both of the main characters. I loved the community aspect to the story and how the theater brought the couple and so many others together. I found it to be a real and heartwarming story

Kiss Me At Christmas is a beautifully written novel that captures the importance of community and family with an added romance. The setting of a run-down theatre and the premise of putting on a holiday show were perfect for this time of year without being overly Christmas-y. It took me some time to get into the story. But I needed to know what happened next once the theatre production got underway. James, Harriet, Evaline, and the five kids were such fun to read about. Bayliss did a wonderful job with this novel.

Kiss Me at Christmas is a sweet, closed-door romance featuring a slightly older protagonist, which I enjoyed. Harriet works as a counselor at a local high school and is facing an empty-nest with her daughter in her senior year and away for the holidays. As Harriet works to give back to her community, she addresses her own need to find balance in her life and how to face the next chapter in her life. Additionally, she finds community and love along the way.

I thought that this was such a sweet, holiday story about a group of misfits coming together to create one wonderful community. Of course, I loved the theater aspect of it and introducing theater to a group of kids who otherwise would not have fallen in love with it! Perfect cozy, heartwarming read for the holiday season.

This book took me a bit to get into but I am glad I stuck with it. I am a sucker for the found family trope and this one was so sweetly done that it just warmed my heart...exactly what you need on a cold, winter day. It is definitely more of a slow-paced read, but a good one if you have time on your hands through the holidays.

Harriett's character is so funny and the type of adult every kid should have in their corner. I loved watching her self development growth and really digging into who SHE was outside of motherhood, work and friends. I also just love how the theatre became a hang out for all types and kinds of people. Everyone was welcome and equally loved and I just thought that was so sweet.

Read if you like:
-Theatre settings
-Found family
-Foster care stories (may also be a TW)
-"Funny meeting you here after what happened last night" situations
-Mid-life romances
-A FMC that learns boundaries
-A Christmas Carol

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced copy of this sweet novel!

This is one of my shorter reviews because there is nothing wrong with this book but I don't find myself with much to say about it. It is a very 3-star book, in my opinion. It was fine - sweet story, not really a lot of action. I love that Jenny Bayliss's characters are typically of a certain age and going through life changes pertinent to that time in life. But with regards to this particular work, while it does feature her typical character, I would honestly describe it as underwhelming. I am a big Jenny Bayliss fan and I remain thus, but I can say that this is not my favorite of her works.

This book got me GOOD.

I've read some of Jenny Bayliss' books, so I have a good grasp of her writing style, and it doesn't always hit with me. When I first started this one, I found Harriet very annoying. Her weird habit of using faux swear words, like "No shizzle" was extremely irritating. Just swear. Everyone does it. I also found her extremely dramatic at times. After James leaves the theater to go see to Morgan and Lyra, Harriet immediately writes him off and begins to sulk. "She was sad that their spark hadn't had the chance to become a flame, but she reasoned that it was better to know where she stood now rather than later". One little inconvenience and she's throwing away everything that they had together, which granted, wasn't much, but still. And then, after James comes back and apologizes, she swiftly friend zones him. In my opinion, that is very immature and VERY dramatic. I loved that Maisie was the voice of reason, though. I wish we had more Maisie in the book!

As someone who did high school theater, I loved the character of Gideon. Jenny Bayliss really nailed his personality, and he was such.a classic theater directer in every sense.

Despite my very surface level problems with Harriet, I did enjoy this book. I loved that Harriet was a FMC of a certain age, but I hated that fact that she wore multiple cardigans at a time. Nobody does that. I really grew to love the famous five, and at the end, when the play was over, I did get emotional. If you're looking for a feel-good holiday read, this is for you!

Wasn’t a fan of this one- pacing was slower than I would have liked and didn’t like the main characters.

@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!