Jenny Bayliss does it again! This was another great Christmas season story. I normally don't like second chance romances, but this one felt like it was entirely plausible!

This is a sweet book set around the holidays. I loved all the holiday traditions in this town. I liked that Fred wanted to become her own person, but wasn't actively pushing her family away. She was just keeping them at arms length.
I liked the reconnecting of old friends and the romance that developed.
These characters are so fun and the setting is so cozy. I liked learning more of the background of her mom and their family too.
A fun and cozy holiday read.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC

It’s not the first time a Hallow-Hart has returned to the nest with her tail between her legs—but it certainly feels that way to Fred. After leaving her small town in the Scottish Highlands, Fred built a seemingly perfect life in London: a smart job in advertising, a well-dressed boyfriend, and freedom from her quirky aunts and lovelorn mother. But when it all falls apart, she finds herself back home for Christmas to lick her wounds. She insists it’s just a temporary perch—but the pull of home, and the rekindled connection with her childhood best friend (and longtime crush) Ryan, proves hard to resist.

Told through an intergenerational lens—Fred, her mother Bella, and the most delightfully eccentric aunts in all of Scotland—this heartwarming Christmas story is a true charmer. Jenny Bayliss once again delivers a cozy, heartfelt tale with flawed but deeply relatable characters, sharp writing, and a palpable sense of family and community. I loved every page. It has the sparkle of Practical Magic with a distinctly Scottish flair, and I sincerely hope we get more stories in this world.

Bella is sweet and patient (even when Fred is insufferable), the aunts are an absolute delight, and the townspeople are so vivid they’re practically begging for a screen adaptation. Watching Fred grow up—yes, even in her 30s—and learn how to care for both herself and the people around her was an absolute joy.

Jenny Bayliss is an auto-read author for me now. This one’s a winner!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I have read many Christmas books by Jenny Bayliss. I decided to start Christmas in July be requesting a few Christmas rom com novels. I was delighted to get the advanced copy of I'll Be Home for Christmas. Fred, our leading lady, comes back home reluctantly after her job and relationship fail. Upon her arrival to stay for a bit and NOT NEST, she runs into her old best friend Ryan. Ryan is living back in town and making a good life for himself. They start hanging out as friends, but Fred soon realizes that she may have more than friends feelings. But a new man in town shows some interest in Fred and now she does not know what to do. Does Ryan only have friendship feelings? Or is there more there on both accounts? Will Fred want to stay and not leave? A very sweet and warm holiday read.

I love Jenny Bayliss's books and this was the best one ever. The MCs were so real and the storyline was amazing. I love reading Christmas stories and this one doesn't disappoint. Highly recommend!

This book is basically everything you want in a cozy holiday read! It’s heartfelt, funny, and full of wintery small town charm. Fred heads back to her hometown of Pine Bluff after a breakup and eviction combo that leaves her totally lost. She’s just trying to survive the chaos, but once she reconnects with her childhood best friend, and meets a swoony journalist, things start to get a lot more complicated. This book has themes of healing, growing up, and figuring out who you are. Jenny Bayliss nails the humor, nostalgia, and holiday spirit!

It’s heartfelt, a little messy, and completely charming. It left me smiling with a lump in my throat.