Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is another fantastic book by this author and is so wholesome and warm. The story revolves around three estranged sisters who need to come together to carry out their recently deceased fathers last wishes. They all have their own problems to deal with too and soon come to realise that the sisterly bond can always be repaired.

There is also romance for the three sisters too so is a perfect wholesome read for when you want to curl up and be absorbed in another world.

Three estranged half-sisters are brought together after the death of their father.
Each woman is a very different character from three different mothers, and after a relatively close childhood, spending idyllic summers together, they drifted apart.
But a few stipulations in their father's will leaves them with little choice but to spend time together to complete certain tasks and try and get on.
Maggie is the oldest, the strong one, who seems to be left holding the fort all the time. She finds it hard to accept happiness.
Simone is in a good career and struggling with pregnancy issues, which strain her relationship with her wife.
Star is a lone spirit, drifting here and there but also trying to run away from a toxic ex.
They each have an opinion on each other's predicaments, which aren't always favourable.
I loved the curio shop that Augustus, the father in question, left for the girls, filled with amazing objects and fascinating tat.
Each woman has a romance to either start or allow to bloom, and we, as readers, see that.
A lovely easy wintery read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC.

On the surface this appeared to be a bit of a fluffy, festive read but it also addresses some more serious issues. It was, in some parts, quite thought provoking. It made smile but also made me feel sad. I read it in one sitting.

A warm, uplifting romance. We follow a beautiful family whose characters are so well written. It was a true joy to read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a review.

I have rounded up to four stars but it is a 3.5 at most.

I absolutely loved 12 Dates of Christmas so was looking forward to reading this but I found it slow going, and it seemed to promise more than it delivered.

Throughout the book there were elements of Chocolat, and I kept expecting the 'magic' they kept talking about when the North sisters got together, but it never materialised. Instead it was a story of three half sisters who are brought together following the death of their absent father and how they were tasked to all work together to create the winter solstice celebrations.

I found the book hard to get into, and I didn't care about many of the characters that much and found the storylines (of which there were many) all a little far fetched and the outcome entirely predictable.

However, it is a great book for a cold evening, with the wind howling outside.

I have read all Jenny Bayliss previous novels, I knew what to expect and this is no exception. A warm, funny in places novel about family and friends at Christmas.
When the father of the three sisters dies, the sisters have to complete a task set by their deceased relative, As the sisters are estranged it means they have to work together to do this final task for their dad.
It is good to see the sisters come together again with the help and support of the village..
A good Christmas read and whilst I preferred Jenny's other novels, this is still worth reading.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC of this novel.

The North Girls, Maggie, Simone, and Star return to the picturesque village of Rowan Thorpe following their father's passing. Once inseparable during childhood summers spent with their dad, they have since drifted apart, each leading their own separate lives. But destiny has other plans for them as their father's final act brings them back together.

Their dad's will presents them with a series of tasks to complete. Can they set aside their differences and past grievances to work together harmoniously?

I found the start quite slow but it allows you to fully immerse yourself in the lives of the characters and the idyllic charm of Rowan Thorpe.

In true Jenny Bayliss fashion, this book proves to be another gem in her collection a heart warming and cozy read that is just perfect for a winter evening. It will transport you to a world of family bonds, personal growth and the remarkable strength of a close knit community spirit.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC.

This was a lovely read full of amazing characters and situations. The story encompasses magical bits, family and lover relationships as the girls have to resolve puzzles set by their recently deceased father. The description of the village community, the village scenery and the interactions was wonderful. This was just a one day warm and cozy read as I could not put it down.

An enjoyable story which takes you on a journey from start to finish. You can connect in with the North sisters and how they are where they are, whilst also enjoying the community actions

Maggie, Simona and Star are sisters, but very different - thanks to their very different mothers. But the month every summer they spent with their dad was the highlight of each year.

Now adults and gathering to read their dad's will, their differences have pushed them apart. Will their dad manage to get the sisters back together again?

I really enjoyed this book - the sisters, the villagers and their stories were really well written (although I could have done without the information about the dad's prolific sex life in the early chapters)

I wondered part way through if this was setting up a series - with books focussing on the story of each sister, but it ended with a '5 years later' that nicely tied up the endings.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great story to curl up with and forget the world. This has so many parts that will make you smile, there are different parts of the story that will appeal to many different people. I adored the scavenger hunt aspect, it totally sounds like a great idea, and you can understand the reasons behind it. I didn’t enjoy the start, it just seemed so convoluted, but I know it was getting up to grips with everyone and all of the story elements, but for me it was a little too much, I struggled to keep it together, but that could just be me. The sisters all brought something special to the story, and I enjoyed each of them. This is a nice story, one that everyone will enjoy and find something to enjoy about it.

Jenny Bayliss has become a staple choice for my Christmas reads and she always delivers a solid book. This one wasn’t my favourite, that title still belongs to The Twelve Dates of Christmas, but I did like A December to Remember.

I want to start this review on a good note as I didn’t dislike this book, obviously as I’ve just said I liked it, but I do have some negatives to talk about. The complexity of these characters and the relationships between them were very well devised. The dynamic between the sisters was particularly interesting to read.

I’m a little sad to say that the festive vibes really weren’t there. It got to 30% in and the word Christmas had only been mentioned in passing. The cover is extremely festive looking so I thought this was going to be packed with Christmassy fun. It did pick up near the end, but sadly this whole book just wasn’t christmassy at all - it could have been set at any point in the year and it wouldn’t have changed anything.

The lack of Christmas vibes could do with the fact that the book opens with a funeral and the mood of the book is very sad/angry for quite a while. The temperament of some of these characters was a little ridiculous. The arguments came out of nowhere, absolutely zero build-up. One second the sisters were getting on and the next they were at each other's throats. The worst one was Simone having a go at Patrick (her nephew) despite them having not talked since he was a literal child. He walked into a coffee shop and she just starts shouting. It was a bit much.

There was a specific relationship that I really enjoyed but I can’t mention because it’s a spoiler. However, they were very cute and I loved watching their love grow. I have a feeling if you decide to read A December to Remember, you’ll instantly know who I’m talking about.
I spent the first part of this book wondering if it was going to take a magical turn and have the North sister’s dad be Father Christmas or something. The way everyone talked about him so fondly and the fact that the sisters only spent one month in the summer with him every year really made me think this. It feels ridiculous now after finishing the book.

I always appreciate an epilogue and the one in A December to Remember is a very cute one. Without giving any plot points away, it’s set five years after the last event in the book and it’s a very satisfying ending to the story.

This review is making it sound like I didn’t enjoy A December to Remember very much, but it was actually a very decent read. If I took it at face value and didn’t think too much about whether or not it was christmassy it was actually a good book.

A book about family and connection. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

This was a lovely book telling how families remember things differently and can become fractured. A common goal brought the back together while being supported by and supporting the local community.

The story telling was engaging and would like to read more from the writer.

Five years ago. Augustus Balthazar
North (what a great name) is the owner of North’s Novelties and Curios in Rowan Thorp village in Kent, a shop that has been handed down from one generation to the other since 1740. The shop is a wonder, a feast for the eyes, stocked to the rafters with all kinds of treasures. Despite the shops obvious allure Augustus has wanderlust, and he closes the shop and sets off in his trusty, rusty camper van for fresh fields and mountains. In the present day, half sisters Maggie, Simone and Star’s estranged father Augustus has died at the ripe old age of 96, his funeral is well attended and a testament to his popularity. He leaves an unusual will. The half sisters are left a series of challenges through which they must work together in order to inherit. He has hidden 32 monopoly houses which once found, their next task is to recreate the lapsed Winter Solstice celebrations. Augustus’ motives are clearly to play the long game for the greater good.

It takes me a little while to get into this one which is overly detailed at the start, but eventually I connect and plunge into the enjoyment! Each sister is very different, their back stories are good, each has their issues and problems which makes them feel authentic. Star is definitely the star for me, she is likeable from the very start, whilst Simone is somewhat spiky but she eventually thaws. There are plenty of other good characters that feature, especially the village inhabitants and one especially likeable one from Sotheby’s!

I love the idyllic setting of Rowan Thorp, which would definitely be somewhere you would want to live - two lovely pubs you say? I’m there. As for the North shop that is one you would want to visit and have a good poke around to discover a hidden treasure. The sense of community is heartwarming, I love how they pull together. Disney? Of course it is, but none the worse for that. The stand out section of the book for me is the winter solstice celebrations, it makes me want to seek one out and wassail! I love traditions so I’m right there with that one.

The novel has romance (obviously), it’s very funny in places, it’s heartwarming, but it does have some serious issues too. It’s definitely a ‘Hallmark’ book but it does make you feel good and that’s important too. Yes, it’s predictable, you know certain things are going to happen but as you want them to happen I enjoy the journey.

Overall, this is a good Christmas read which Jenny Bayliss seems to have nailed.

Naturally, it snows. It doesn’t, or, but rarely!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan Macmillan for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

When Augustus dies leaving three daughters by different mothers they must now put aside their differences and work together if they are to inherit. An antique/junk shop becomes the focus for them set in a rural village called Rowan Thorp. Can a small village really help them overcome their different background and help them help each other when it seems that life is getting difficult. A story that
shows the power of families and love and what can happen if you just ask for help when needed, and never under estimate the local WI!

I love a Jenny Baylis book and I love a Christmas story... any time of the year! This one was no exception to the rule - great story about 3 half sisters who had become estranged and their journey back together, with each sister having her own issues to deal with. It’s a story of family, love and hope with a lot of humour thrown in. A lovely read!

My first Christmas book of 2023. This is a story about three sisters Maggie, Simone and Star who are set a series of tasks by their father. Maybe it's his way of bringing his daughters back together.

Great Christmas story to curl up by the couch with a mug of hot chocolate.

This was a beautiful read, based in December but not really a Christmas book, about 3 half sisters who only interacted for four weeks a year during their childhood but have been brought together following the death of their eccentric father to resurrect his villagers winter solstice celebration. The three sisters are all great characters, very different to each other and raised by very different mothers and are all individually struggling in their lives at present. This tells the stories of their personal lives but focusses more on their difficult sibling relationship. I loved the village setting of this and the locals, especially the females were formidable! Overall this is a really warm and uplifting winter read. 9/10

There was so much to love about this book. I loved the North sisters and how they came together and recognized their childhood bond (I saw more than a little of myself in Star!), I always love a story with a small town focus and I liked that there was a gay couple just in the story, not as a main aspect. In fact challenging stereotypes was a theme - a man who saves the day with his sewing skills and women who save the day when they band together with their communal knowledge. It did take me a while to get into the story and for a few chapters I thought I was going to hate it! But I didn’t- I loved it and I loved the fact that the epilogue tied everything together in a more believable 5 years later! Definitely worth a read