A witty, warmhearted novel about coming to terms with grief, taking a chance on unexpected connections, and finding family in time for the holidays.

For wedding singer Mel Hart, the holidays have always retained a certain magic. Her mother, Connie, always managed to pull off spectacular Santa hijinx that convinced Mel to keep believing in Santa way longer than other kids. Those moments meant everything to Mel because the rest of the year, life was unpredictable because of her mother’s alcohol use.

But two weeks before Christmas, Mel gets a call from the hospital: her mother has died.

Then a woman shows up on Mel’s doorstep, claiming to be Connie’s estranged best friend, promising to tell Mel a different narrative—one in which Connie was almost a famous country music star, if only a man hadn’t gotten in the way. Instead of spending Christmas alone in her dead mother’s house, Mel agrees to stay with Barb for the holidays, finding herself in the middle of Barb’s complicated family and uncovering secrets while fighting an attraction to Barb’s in-the-middle-of-a-divorce son. As Christmas approaches, Mel reckons with how little she knew about her mother’s past while reexamining her own future.

A Home for the Holidays is a moving exploration of complicated grief, mother-daughter relationships, loving someone with addiction, and the redemptive power of opening one’s heart to love in all its forms.

I thought I was done with holiday-themed books for the year, but I remembered I had selected this from Book of the Month and decided to squeeze it in. I’m so happy I did. This is a poignant, bittersweet novel that masterfully blends grief, hope, and heartwarming connections. Yeah – I know – the grief part doesn’t sound exceptionally upbeat for the holidays, but I think that’s why I liked it as much as I did. It showed a different side to the holidays than we usually see in the sweet, Hallmark-style stories we read at this time of year.

The story follows Mel Hart, a wedding singer with a penchant for holiday traditions. Her childhood was shaped by the juxtaposition of her mother Connie’s alcoholism and her extraordinary ability to make Christmas magical – so much so that Mel believed in Santa for much longer than most kids her age because Connie was so good at setting it up to make it look like he was real.

Mel’s world is upended when she receives a call informing her of her mother’s death just two weeks before Christmas. While dealing with the shock of her loss, a woman appears at Connie’s doorstep while Mel is going through her things. The woman introduces herself as Barb – Connie’s former best friend. Desperate for some family time and eager to learn more about her mother’s early days, Mel agrees to spend the holidays with Barb and her family. It’s at Barb’s home that Mel hears stories of Connie’s once-bright future as a country music star – dreams derailed by personal struggles and sacrifices.

Among Barb’s family, Mel discovers a sense of belonging she hadn’t anticipated, especially as she navigates a budding attraction to Barb’s son, Andrew, who is grappling with his own emotional baggage. Will this holiday bring Mel the happiness she has been searching for, or will it only end in more heartache?

While the story ended up being somewhat predictable, I still enjoyed it, and a lot of that had to do with the characters. Mel is a protagonist who feels wholly relatable, and her struggles with grief and self-doubt are especially touching. Her vulnerability and strength make her an endearing character to root for, especially as she makes peace with her mother’s addiction – an addiction that ended up taking her life.

Barb is another amazing character. She brought a larger-than-life personality filled with humor that covered old wounds of her own. I loved how she was able to offer a lens into Connie’s past that Mel never had access to. I also enjoyed Andrew, and even though his role in the story felt predictable, he was still a character I rooted for.

Hahn manages to cover themes of grief, addiction, and estranged relationships with remarkable sensitivity. The exploration of grief is especially poignant as Mel processes the loss of her mother while uncovering truths that reshape her memories of Connie. The narrative doesn’t shy away from the pain of losing someone imperfect, but it also celebrates the beauty in their humanity. Hahn’s portrayal of mother-daughter dynamics—both the joys and heartbreaks—is particularly moving, adding depth to the story’s emotional core. I also loved the theme of found family that was presented in the novel, and I enjoyed watching Mel find her place in a family that might be able to give her what she has desperately needed for so long.

The pacing of the book is steady, and the author skillfully unfolds secrets about Connie’s past, keeping the narrative compelling without veering into soap opera territory. The writing is infused with warmth and wit, balancing the novel’s heavier themes with moments of levity. The dialogue is sharp and often humorous, reflecting the characters’ unique personalities and relationships.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I would recommend it to readers looking for a holiday read that offers a little more of an emotional punch. This book is definitely for readers who enjoy stories that balance emotional depth with moments of levity over cutesy rom-com tropes. If you want a book to end the holiday season with, check this one out.

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