#AmReading

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A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons on September 26, 2023
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads

Three bickering half sisters.

One unique antiques shop.

The coziest holiday season of their lives.

Wildly different half sisters Maggie, Simone, and Star have hardly seen one another since their sprightly summers at Rowan Thorp, their eccentric father Augustus’s home. Known for his bustling approach to the knick-knack shop he ran, Augustus was loved by all and known by none, not even his daughters.

Now, years later, the three estranged women are called upon for the reading of Augustus’s will and quickly realize he's orchestrated a series of hoops through which they must jump to unlock their inheritance—the last thing any of them want to do. But Maggie and Star desperately need the money. And who would Simone be to resist?

Through hilarious goose chases, small-town mishaps, and one heart-warming winter solstice celebration, love is in the air, if only the three sisters can let themselves grasp it.

This is my fourth book by Bayliss, and I have grown to expect her stories to be charming and heartwarming, featuring great quirky characters. A December to Remember lived up to all my expectations, and I was so happy I got to know the North sisters.

The North sisters had not seen each other much in recent years, but were reunited for their father's funeral. They reconvened in the town where they summered with their father and reveled in being "the summer sisters". Though they only spent one month a year together, they relished those days. Then they grew older and grew apart. Not to worry because their father had plans to rebuild the bond between his girls. His last will and testament came with some interesting stipulations which would force the girls to work together.

Needless to say, completing these tasks was no easy feat, but each arduous day brought Maggie, Simone, and Star closer to each other. The other perk was that that challenges were fun to watch.

The dynamic and growing bond between the North sisters was my favorite part of the story, but there were many other things to enjoy. There were sweet romances, personal growth, interesting history, a magical cat (?), a winter festival, and the most charming town packed with fantastic residents.

I expect many people will want to move to Rowan Thorp once they read this book. Besides the town sounding utterly picturesque, it is inhabited by some of the most warm and wonderful people. I loved the way they rallied, time and time again, for the North sisters. I adored the idea that if you called, they would come. It made me all warm and fuzzy for sure.

Bayliss has once again captured my heart with her latest book. The trifecta was achieved - I laughed, I swooned, I smiled, and I was left feeling rather happy and festive. 

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Maybe Once, Maybe Twice by Allison Rose Goldberg
Published by St. Martin's Griffin on October 3, 2023
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads

Filled with the romance and angst that defines the years you come to know yourself, with a shifting timeline covering two decades and ratcheting up the tension, Maybe Once, Maybe Twice is a novel of second chances and finding your own way.

You know that old saying, “if we are still single when we’re 35, we should get married?” Well, Maggie Vine made that vow with two different people, at two very different stages of her life.

And they both showed up.

Maggie Vine’s life is going extra-medium. At 35 she’s pursuing her dreams of being a singer and being a mother—though neither is successfully panning out. So when Garrett Scholl—stifled hedge fund manager by day but electrifying aspiring rock singer by night—comes to her 35th birthday party with the intention to kiss Maggie senseless, it feels like one piece might click into place. Except he’s engaged to someone else, and Maggie knows she won’t fit into the cookie-cutter life he’s building for himself.

Enter Asher Reyes. Her first boyfriend from summer camp, turned into heartthrob actor, he’s lived a successful yet private life ever since he got famous. When a career-changing opportunity is presented to Maggie after her reconnection with Asher, it feels like everything—music, love, family—will fall into place. But her past won’t let her move on without a fight.

After reading Greenberg's last book, Bad Luck Bridesmaid, I knew to expect a complicated main character, a fantastic female friendship, and a complex personal journey all wrapped up in some sort of big message. But, wow! Greenberg sure took me on an emotional ride, and I was holding my breath until the very end to see if Maggie would get her HEA.

I had been drawn in by the premise of this book. Two marriage pacts, made many years apart but with the same end date. One man had been a constant in her life for over a decade while the other was a memory from her teen years. Who knew both would remember and want to fulfill the pact?

I must admit, I had complicated feelings when it came to Garrett. It seemed like the universe was always looking to keep him and Maggie apart, but it was also some of the decisions Garrett made that thwarted their romantic chances. I was all heart-eyes for Asher, though, because I met him when he was a lovestruck teen, and grown-up Asher made a very good impression on me, too. Not to worry, he did something that made me doubt him as well.

The romantic aspect of this book was definitely one that kept me on edge. I felt like I went back and forth between Garrett and Asher as many times as Maggie did. She eventually made a declaration - one man was her soulmate, while the other was the one that got away. I anxiously awaited the reveal, biting my nails to the quick, and I will say, I was very happy for Maggie in the end.

Figuring out which man was her forever was quite a journey for Maggie. The story flipped back and forth between past and present as she examined important moments in her life and events in her past relationships that shaped her. Like I said, she was a complicated woman, and Greenberg did a fantastic job illuminating those important moments in Maggie's life while also allowing me to see her grow.

So, what was the big message in this book? I think this story was about timing, and you can see that theme in multiple threads of the story. Timing when it came to Maggie's career, to her romantic life, and even to her quest for motherhood. And, it played a role in some of the other characters' lives too.

Overall, this was a bit angstier than normal for me, but I found myself so invested in Maggie's personal journey. I simply could not put this one down. It was such an emotional and entertaining journey which paid off big for me.

*ARCS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER

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