Best known for romances that sparkle with Christmas lights and love, Jenny Bayliss (The Twelve Dates of Christmas; A December to Remember) expertly ornaments the pages of I'll Be Home for Christmas with holiday cheer. Pine Bluff, Scotland, is the quintessential small town. Festive activities, charismatic characters, and the annual Christmas market decorate the town with warm, welcoming, and whimsical spirit.
Uncharmed by her unconventional aunts, hopelessly romantic mother, and eccentric neighbors, Fred Hallow-Hart moved to London nearly 20 years ago and never looked back. But after losing her job and her boyfriend, Fred returns to Pine Bluff and must face the complicated emotions she left behind. She is apprehensive that agreeing to work for her family's Christmas cracker business means that she failed to make it on her own, and self-doubt dampens Fred's holiday season. Then Ryan Frost, her best friend and crush from childhood, runs into her while dressed as an elf; he pulls Fred back into Pine Bluff's quirky traditions and reignites feelings from the past. As Fred spends quality time with her family, reconnects with Ryan, and explores a new spark with Warren Reeves, a handsome journalist covering the Christmas market, Pine Bluff slowly warms her heart.
Chapters following Fred's mother, Bella, create a multigenerational exploration of family, love, and life. Each hot chocolate, Christmas cracker, and cozy winter day brings Fred closer to true happiness in a place she never imagined finding it. Pine Bluff is the perfect place to get lost in Christmas magic. --Clara Newton, freelance reviewer