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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
this was such a sweet story and i felt like i was transported into a storybook! i just love a small town, winter solstice story. complete with 3 half-sisters and their eccentric and estranged dad that’s left a list of things for them to do in order to bring them back together! i absolutely loved star, maggie & simone and their stories were so good! definitely a hallmark type of book ☺️
Not my cup of tea. It's a Hallmark style Xmas story with stereotopycal characters and quite too cheesy and predictable for my taste.
Good thing is that it's a fast read ;)
Good thing is that it's a fast read ;)
Jenny Bayliss is queen of the small town British Christmas-themed novel. This one leaned into family dynamics, the bond between sisters and community feel. Less of the romance and aesthetics with this one. I will still continue to read every Jenny Bayliss book.
So incredibly cute! Audiobook was extremely enjoyable. Perfect book for when you want a heartwarming story about family with a happy ever after. Loved the overarching story of the three sisters coming together and was also intrigued by each individual’s storyline. Really made me feel like I was in the small town helping with the Winter Solstice.
I did not expect to like this book as much as I did! I was expecting a fluffy holiday read, but it was so much more than that. For me this was the ultimate cozy/feel-good story; sister bonds, the power of women, vulnerability, community, and a hint of romance, all wrapped up in a small English village.
Rating: 4.4/5.0
Jenny Bayliss might be, in my humble opinion, be the Queen of Christmas romances. I think I have read all of them so far (my favourite is the twelve dates of Christmas). What I adore about Jenny Bayliss’s books is the intricacy. The story is always set in a well-developed small-town community with an engaging cast of characters and a well though-out plot. A December to remember is no exception.
What I adored about A December to remember is its focus on sisterhood. In this book, three completely different half-sisters are forced to work together to organise a Midwinter festival. If they succeed, they can claim their father’s inheritance. Jenny Baysliss was capable of writing a beautiful portrayal of sisterhood with all its ups and downs. It was lovely to see the sisters reconnect again despite their vastly different personalities. Furthermore, each sister has their own life with their own struggles, and each sister has their own love story. This sounds as a complicated plot, but it was not overwhelming. Due to the low stakes plot, it was nice to have all the different story lines with their own twists and turns. It kept the story moving forward and kept the story interesting. The conclusion was perfect for a cosy Christmas story.
I thought the character development was especially well-done. Their personalities were unique and well-developed, their growth and struggles realistic, and their relationships were heart-warming. I could not help but root for these characters. The side-characters as well were well-written and great additions to the story. They made the story come to life. Lastly, I also loved all three romances, and the different kind of love stories they represent. One sister finds it difficult to accept love after the death of her first husband, the second sister struggles to connect with her wife due to infertility issues, and the third sister thinks herself unworthy of her love interest.
Continuing, I also enjoyed the small-town setting and how the inhabitants of the town where incredibly involved in the story. The town was also described with lots of detail with their traditions. It made the book feel cosy. Also, it felt very British due to chosen words and the lovely British narrator. This enhanced the cosy atmosphere.
In conclusion, I absolutely loved this book. It was a great Christmas romance and I hope to read many more Christmas romances by Jenny Bayliss.
Rating breakdown: plot (4.6/5), characters (4.8/5), writing (4.2/5), worldbuilding (4.3/5), overall enjoyment (4/5)
Trigger warnings: Death of a parent, stalker, drug abuse (off page), struggles with fertility.
Tropes: Small-town romance, found family, small community coming together.
Jenny Bayliss might be, in my humble opinion, be the Queen of Christmas romances. I think I have read all of them so far (my favourite is the twelve dates of Christmas). What I adore about Jenny Bayliss’s books is the intricacy. The story is always set in a well-developed small-town community with an engaging cast of characters and a well though-out plot. A December to remember is no exception.
What I adored about A December to remember is its focus on sisterhood. In this book, three completely different half-sisters are forced to work together to organise a Midwinter festival. If they succeed, they can claim their father’s inheritance. Jenny Baysliss was capable of writing a beautiful portrayal of sisterhood with all its ups and downs. It was lovely to see the sisters reconnect again despite their vastly different personalities. Furthermore, each sister has their own life with their own struggles, and each sister has their own love story. This sounds as a complicated plot, but it was not overwhelming. Due to the low stakes plot, it was nice to have all the different story lines with their own twists and turns. It kept the story moving forward and kept the story interesting. The conclusion was perfect for a cosy Christmas story.
I thought the character development was especially well-done. Their personalities were unique and well-developed, their growth and struggles realistic, and their relationships were heart-warming. I could not help but root for these characters. The side-characters as well were well-written and great additions to the story. They made the story come to life. Lastly, I also loved all three romances, and the different kind of love stories they represent. One sister finds it difficult to accept love after the death of her first husband, the second sister struggles to connect with her wife due to infertility issues, and the third sister thinks herself unworthy of her love interest.
Continuing, I also enjoyed the small-town setting and how the inhabitants of the town where incredibly involved in the story. The town was also described with lots of detail with their traditions. It made the book feel cosy. Also, it felt very British due to chosen words and the lovely British narrator. This enhanced the cosy atmosphere.
In conclusion, I absolutely loved this book. It was a great Christmas romance and I hope to read many more Christmas romances by Jenny Bayliss.
Rating breakdown: plot (4.6/5), characters (4.8/5), writing (4.2/5), worldbuilding (4.3/5), overall enjoyment (4/5)
Trigger warnings: Death of a parent, stalker, drug abuse (off page), struggles with fertility.
Tropes: Small-town romance, found family, small community coming together.
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
I love the towns and communities that Jenny Bayliss creates! Her characters and themes also have a bit more depth to them than your average romance. I would say her books are more women's fiction -- because while there is romance, it's not necessarily the central focus or takeaway.
This was an enjoyable book about family, home, history, legacy, and nature... I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something wintry rather than holiday (i.e. Christmas) related. Perfect to read in December/around the solstice!
"... Slow down. There will be time enough for buzzing around with the bees when the sun comes back. For now, let the moments stretch long and lazy. Recuperate, rejuvinate, reflect, and let winter soothe you..." (p. 376)
This was an enjoyable book about family, home, history, legacy, and nature... I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something wintry rather than holiday (i.e. Christmas) related. Perfect to read in December/around the solstice!
"... Slow down. There will be time enough for buzzing around with the bees when the sun comes back. For now, let the moments stretch long and lazy. Recuperate, rejuvinate, reflect, and let winter soothe you..." (p. 376)
I need Jenny Bayliss to release a book every Christmas to re-warm my frozen heart as the seasons go dark. This book was lovely and heartfelt. It tackles sisterhood and motherhood and being a daughter and friends and lovers and community. Per usual with Jenny Bayliss, it made me desperately want to move to a small English village.
3.5 stars
This book started out slooooow and with way too many characters. But once I finally figured out who was who, it made the storylines much easier to enjoy. I loved the idea of three slightly-estranged half-sisters all coming back together after their father's passing and putting on a winter solstice celebration for their town. It all felt very cozy and made me wish I could partake in some wassail with Star, Maggie, and Simone.
This book started out slooooow and with way too many characters. But once I finally figured out who was who, it made the storylines much easier to enjoy. I loved the idea of three slightly-estranged half-sisters all coming back together after their father's passing and putting on a winter solstice celebration for their town. It all felt very cozy and made me wish I could partake in some wassail with Star, Maggie, and Simone.