Review: Home for the Holidays

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! And that includes on my reading list. Many holiday books are released in late September/early October and I'm just not quite in the mood for frosty, festive, fun at that time. I have to wait until after Thanksgiving (which is in October here in Canada) and then there's usually a warm spell and then it's Halloween so November is when my holiday reading ramps up! My second holiday book this year was Sara Richardson's Home for the Holidays, which was the first of Richardson's that I've ever read. It had really strong family elements which is one of my favourite things to read in a holiday book.

Here's the synopsis:

The Buchanan sisters all share special childhood memories of their Aunt Sassy’s beloved Juniper Inn. There, they frolicked in the snow, baked sugar cookies, and celebrated the town’s annual Christmas extravaganza. They haven’t been back to Colorado in nearly fifteen years, but when their aunt invites them for one last Christmas, they can’t say no . . .
With her ex-husband whisking her children away for the holiday, Dahlia decides it’s time to do something for herself. Juniper Springs is just as beautiful as she remembers, but it’s also full of surprises — including the town’s handsome doctor, who makes her feel like herself again for the first time in years.
To the outside world, baker Magnolia has the ideal marriage. Only the pain and sorrow of infertility have strained her relationship with her husband, perhaps beyond repair. But a holiday miracle is about to change her life.
After a whirlwind romance, youngest sister Rose is about to be married, but as the wedding draws near, she’s unsettled by her fiancé’s expectations that she become a society wife. Spending Christmas with her family could be a necessary reality check — or the beginning of a brand-new happily ever after.
Thanks to the strength of their sisterhood, some mistletoe, and the love of their Aunt Sassy, the Buchanan sisters will discover what it is they truly want this Christmas.

Each Buchanan sister is at a bit of a crossroads. Rose, the youngest and the only one still living in their hometown, is preparing for a wedding that's becoming increasingly out of her control. Magnolia is struggling with infertility and instead of talking to her family about it, she and her husband have kept it to themselves and their marriage is suffering. And Dahlia, the eldest, is facing the first Christmas without her kids as they head to Europe with their dad, her ex-husband. So a letter from their Aunt Sassy comes at the perfect time and they all jump at the chance to spend the holidays with their estranged aunt.

One of the most important parts about Christmas, for me, is spending time with family. I won't be seeing my (very tiny) family this year in part because of the pandemic and in part because my sister is living in England and my mom is almost three hours away. So, I think the family part of this story really hit me, in a good way, maybe more than it would have if I had read this book last year. The sisters may live in different cities across the US but you can tell they're really close. I found myself hoping that stars would align and they would be able to find a way to all live in the same town. Ideally at the Juniper Inn! That was actually more important to me than any of them finding a romantic Happily Ever After, though I was rooting for three of those, too.

Given this is a (holiday) romance, the reader has a pretty good idea of how the characters will be paired up by the end of the story. As usual, that was not at all a problem for me! I don't mind figuring out how the HEA might look as long as the journey there is enjoyable. And it really was for each of the three sisters. There were some irritations (especially with Dahlia's storyline...oooh boy I was so annoyed and so proud of her for standing up for what she wanted, not what was "best" for the family) but they had less to do with the romances and more to do with general life stupidity. (I know that probably doesn't make sense but I'm trying not to be spoilery.)

I have to say that the whole reason Sassy and the sisters' mom were estranged was...stupid. I know every family is different and it's hard to judge but I just couldn't understand how their mother was so incredibly judgemental and clueless (I really disliked her) and why Sassy wouldn't have tried to reach out the girls' when they were a bit older. Or why the sisters wouldn't reach out to Sassy once they were old enough to wonder why they suddenly stopped visiting somewhere they had traveled to often.

You'll find the Christmas spirit mostly in the family connections but also as the sisters prepare for a holiday extravaganza at the Juniper Inn. It was the kind of Christmas event I would want to attend - twinkling lights, food (all the baked goods!), drink, sleigh rides, and time to gather with friends and family. 

Home for the Holidays was a really sweet read. I'd recommend Sara Richardson's novel to those who are looking for a holiday read with a lot of heart. It wasn't groundbreaking but I enjoyed the time I spent reading it and I'm looking forward to seeing if Richardson will revisit the sisters and the Juniper Inn in an upcoming novel.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Forever, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*