Published by Dutton on July 29, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
In this resplendent debut novel, a beautiful love story unfolds for tenderhearted Gracie Harris—a mom of two and recent widow—as she navigates the unexpected curveballs that adulthood throws and takes her second chance to find love.
Gracie Harris never intended to become the queen of grief. But when an essay she writes the night of her husband Ben’s memorial goes viral, she lands a popular column on love and loss and an impressive book deal.
Now, the biggest tragedy of her life is the center of her world. With a looming book deadline and her kids at summer camp, Gracie escapes for a summer of solitude to the ramshackle mountain house she and Ben bought for their family before his death. When charming contractor Josh arrives on her doorstep to help renovate the home, Gracie discovers an unexpected connection that is energizing . . . and surprisingly flirtatious.
As her feelings and resilience grow, Gracie must decide whether she’s ready to embrace a new version of her life. Gracie’s first Happily Ever After didn’t last as long as she’d expected. Now she has to wonder: Could Josh be her chance for a second great love story?
While trying to deal with her husband's sudden death, Gracie wrote a memorial piece that went viral and set her on her journey as the Queen of Grief. The popularity of her newspaper column spawned a book deal, but Gracie was struggling with completing the book. Hoping a change of scenery would help, Gracie moved to the the summer home she and her husband had purchased before his death. As the house slowly undergoes renovations, Gracie slowly begins to heal and adjust to her life without Ben.
I could not have picked a more perfect book for myself. I always adore a good healing journey but couple that with grief and loss, and I am fully onboard. Hash did such a beautiful job combining Gracie's personal journey, the happy and the sad parts, with a sweet romance as well.
Gracie was someone who was easy to root for. My heart broke for her as she shared all these beautiful memories of her husband with us. These moments had me shedding tears as I smiled, but this loss was really huge for her. She had spent her entire adult life with Ben. They met and fell in love when she was 18, and they had a solid marriage. She saw herself growing old with him, and that dream was gone forever. She was forced to reroute her future and that had to be difficult. She now had to say goodbye to the plans and dreams they made, so that she could move forward.
I felt this, along with everything else, was handled really well in the story. I also appreciated how Hash balanced out the heavy and the light. The story was quite humorous. Even Gracie's columns had a lighter touch while still being honest.
I had a wonderful time with Gracie who rebuilt herself as she rebuilt her house. This story highlighting her healing journey was told with warmth and humor and had me shedding the happy and sad tears. A hit for me!
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons on September 23, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
From Putnam's beloved holiday author comes another charming, British wintertime tale following one dejected woman's trip home to her eccentric great-aunts, her wayward mother . . . and her first love.
Fred Hallow-Hart isn't in love with the idea of returning home to Pine Bluff. But after a bad breakup and a subsequent eviction, she's fresh out of options. God knows she loves her mum and her eccentric aunts—and who could forget their Christmas Cracker family business?—but she's always felt a little out of place in her small town.
Quickly roped in by her mother to help with the cracker shop, Fred decides throwing herself into work might actually be what's best for her. Until she reconnects with her old best friend Ryan, who is suddenly making her heart flutter in ways she's never known; and unexpectedly finds a spark with Warren, a charming journalist covering the Pine Bluff Christmas Market for the Daily News.
But as these connections slowly lead Fred back to her heart, she's forced to confront some harsh truths, which, if she doesn't find a way through, might just ruin the holidays for those dearest to her. Can Fred let go of the past enough to recognize real love? And when she does, how far will she go to protect it?
When Fred found herself with no boyfriend, no job, and no home, she reluctantly returned to Pine Bluff. Her plan was to just "perch" in the town she had run from while she recovered, but she was unable to resist the pull of her family and this community which would help her recover the pieces of herself she had lost.
Every year I look forward to a new Jenny Bayliss book to celebrate the upcoming holiday season. Her focus on family and community is one that never fails to delight me, and she has once again delivered a feel-good story with the charm and heart I expect from a book with the word Christmas in the title.
Small town life can be difficult, and Fred couldn't wait to escape Pine Bluff. She had fled her eccentric family and stifling neighbors and ran right into the arms of Tim. When Tim left her for another woman, the wool was finally pulled from over her eyes, and Fred was able to recognize him for who he was - an emotionally abusive man who robbed her of her happiness, joy, and esteem. He could only feel good when he was making her feel small and keeping her isolated from her family and friends.
Needless to say, her family and Pine Bluff welcomed her back with open arms, and it was wonderful to see her reignite that light that had been extinguished. I adored this town and its denizens, and the way they cared for each other. The community element here was strong and also a key element of my enjoyment. The warmth of these neighbors and the love and adoration of her mother and wacky aunts was exactly what Fred needed to restore her spirit.
It was also the perfect time for her reunion with her best friend Ryan. It seemed her teenaged crush never faded, and grown up Ryan was ready to reciprocate. I loved them as a couple as they shared so much history, and they were able to pick back up where they left off in their friendship without skipping a beat.
There was a small obstacle to their HEA. I suppose I saw the purpose of this person in the big picture of driving the plot in a particular direction even if I didn't feel we needed that level of drama here. Regardless, I loved every second I spent in Pine Bluff, every meal, every cup of coffee, and every visit to the Christmas Market. I look forward to more holiday celebrations with Bayliss!
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