Returning home to the Scottish Highlands, no job, no boyfriend and no home . Self esteem none existent and a tempetous relationship with her mum, Fred is telling everyone it's only temporary.
Growing up with a free spirited mum, Fred couldn't escape to university and work for a big advertising agency.
Unconditional love from mum and doting octanarian aunts. Helping out with the family Christmas cracker business sets ideas for marketing plans.
Issues from the past, business ideas and an out of town journalist added to the mix.
A book that made me smile and remember my own teenage angst. Enjoy I did.

This book was everything you could hope for for a Christmas read. Plenty of twists and turns, incredible main characters, especially the Aunties and Ryan. The setting was magical and the ending was perfect. Loved this, thanks netgalley.

This was my first experience of a Jenny Bayliss novel and wasn't disappointed!

Being someone who absolutely loves a good Christmas book, this didn't disappoint. It has everything you expect from snow, romance, loveable characters, community spirit and the festive feel!

Thank you #NetGalley for this advanced read!

I usually really enjoy books by this author so I was quite disappointed with this one, it started really strong with jumping straight into the Krumpus run and I thought I was on to a winner. However, after the first few chapters I started to lose interest. The main character Fred is so childish and annoying that I just wanted her to grow up or go away. Some of the other characters were alright but unfortunately it couldn’t be saved for me.

This is a lovely feel good Christmas book. I loved the emphasis on small businesses and the whole online marketing aspect. Fred could be quite annoying as a main character, but the octogenarian aunts are hilarious! I didn’t get much sense of place for the Scottish setting, in fact it felt quite American at times. Overall, it’s a good read to get you in the mood for Christmas.

I loved this book! Reading a cute Christmassy romance in the middle of summer with several heat waves was a challenge even for a self proclaimed Christmas lover like myself; that being said, if you love a cozy festive atmosphere that’s easy to get sucked into this is definitely for you! I can’t wait for the release and will be purchasing a copy for my shelf.

A perfect, cosy, uplifting Christmas read, 'I'll be Home for Christmas' follows broken hearted Fred, who reluctantly returns to the Scottish Highlands, and warm embrace of her Mum and eccentric Aunts after being made redundant and single.

Following the beginning of Christmas festivities in the village, Fred bumps into her childhood best friend, Ryan and she begins to warm to the notion of being home again. Enter Warren, a journalist who's up to write some feature articles on the village, and sweeps Fred off her feet.

Will Warren live up to expectations and help put this little village on the map? Can Fred settle back into her childhood home and fall.back in love with Pine Bluff again? Will Fred be able to mend her relationship with Ryan after his past rejection? Can Fred help save Christmas?

A light hearted, feel good Christmas read- just what you'd expect from Jenny Bayliss and perfect to put you in the Christmas spirit! Took a star off as I didn't feel you were in Scotland reading it- the locals weren't using any Scots phrases or words and didn't get enough descriptive language about the village to really visualise the Highlands you could be anywhere in the UK?!

Many thanks to Jenny Bayliss, her publishers and Netgalley for the chance to review.

As I read this book during the heatwave, I was transported away from the heat and sweatiness to a cold and cosy Scottish village for Christmas. Jenny has done it again, a perfect Christmas book. We follow Fred who has reluctantly returned to her small village following a relationship break down and a redundancy. She meets old friends, new friends, and starts to learn what she needs, and what she doesn't. A great tale, the characters are lush, the Aunts are a firm favourite!

I look forward to returning every year to another of Jenny Bayliss’s stories. It is fantastic to see how she creates cosy narratives centred on women who are not only engaging but also complex and authentically human. Her books always bring atmospheric settings, charming love stories that also prompt thoughtful reflections on current social issues. While it is both a love story and a Christmas story, it is also much more. Bayliss explores the importance of supporting small businesses and the challenges faced by small towns, all while building a winter romance that encompasses themes of self-confidence and personal reinvention.

I really enjoyed this one, It made me giddy for Christmas to come, for all the build up and the markets, the hot chocolates, the friends and family that I will see. I think I am even more fond of this story compared to her previous work because I think it highlights how important it is to try different paths, to open your mind to more possibilities and to bring forgiveness into your life. To yourself and to others.

Jenny Bayliss delivers a heart-warming festive romance brimming with charm, family ties, and the magic of coming home. Set in the snow-dusted Scottish town of Pine Bluff, this cosy read is steeped in twinkling lights, bustling markets, and the quirky warmth of long-held traditions – from elf costumes to the family-run Christmas cracker shop.

Fredericka “Fred” Hallow-Hart left Pine Bluff at 18 determined to make her mark on the world. Now, at 35, life has unravelled – a breakup, a lost job, and dwindling savings have sent her reluctantly back to her childhood home. Roped into helping with the family business, Fred finds herself slowly drawn back into the community she once fled.

Reconnecting with Ryan, her estranged best friend, stirs old feelings she never fully understood, while a spark with charming journalist Warren offers unexpected possibilities. As Fred begins to rediscover her confidence and see Pine Bluff through fresh eyes, she is forced to confront her past and decide what – and who – she truly wants.

With its blend of romance, humour, and heartfelt family moments, I’ll Be Home for Christmas is perfect for readers who love small-town settings, second chances, and a festive atmosphere you can almost smell in the air. A feel-good seasonal treat with a satisfying, uplifting ending.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

An absolute delight to read. Did not matter in the slightest that it was 27C outside. I loved ALL the main characters. The Aunts were hilarious, along with the locals in the village. Would love there to be a real Pine Bluff to visit.
Another great read from Jenny Bayliss,.

Fred is in a bad place having to come back home to Scotland to her Mother and two Aunts after splitting up from her controlling ex partner. However she soon starts to settle back in while catching up with old friends and meeting new ones.

Ryan is her childhood friend and sparks start to fly, however she also meets Warren a journalist who seems a bit too good to be true, although Ryan sees through him.

A brilliant Christmas read with some excellent characters and a great ending.

Thanks to NetGalley, Jenny Bayliss and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for an advance copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

For some reason when it comes to the festive ARCs I read every year, I’m always reluctant to DNF them. Well, I really need to stop doing that and have done so with I’ll Be Home for Christmas. I got 55% through before deciding that not only was it taking me a really long time to get through this book, but that I also wasn’t enjoying it.

There were a few parts of I’ll Be Home for Christmas that I did enjoy. Firstly, the setting. I love a festive romance set in a small town, especially when said town has a Christmas market. The scenes at the market were so lovely and festive.

I also liked a lot of the side characters. Fred’s aunts were brilliant and hilarious. I love that they use their age as an excuse to do whatever they want such as drinking cocktails at 11am because the mint in them helps with indigestion. Honestly, they were iconic.

Ryan also earned my love. Childhood friends to lovers is one of my favourite tropes but I actually don’t think Fred deserves him. They’re not anywhere near to getting together at the point I put this down, but it’s obviously going to happen. I don’t really like Fred and I don’t think finishing I’ll Be Home for Christmas would change that.

Speaking of Fred, is it just me that thinks dating someone older than your parents is a little gross? I swear Fred says she’s 35 and was dating a guy 20 years older than her. Her mom had her at 17 so is only 52. That’s a bit weird if you ask me. The age gap wouldn’t be weird if not for the age of her parents. I don’t think a 20 year gap when you’re over 30 is bad. Also, Fred says that Liam, an old flame of her mother's, isn't bad looking. Which makes sense considering he’s the same age as her ex. I will stop talking about it now but it is so weird to go out with someone older than your mom. You can’t convince me otherwise.

I think if I’ll Be Home for Christmas focused on Fred and Ryan from the beginning without trying to create a love triangle with the other guy whose name I can’t remember, it would have been better. It felt like the story wasn’t going anywhere so creating this unnecessary love triangle made it so difficult to get through this book. Also, Fred literally hands the guy his divorce papers and she still thinks he’s a good idea? You don’t know why he’s getting divorced. He could be a good guy but either way he’s just got out of a very serious relationship, such a weird choice.

Jenny Bayliss is a staple in my ‘The 12 Books of Christmas’ series and it does pain me to give one of her books such a negative review. I’ve never given one of her books less than 3 stars before so to DNF one is a little strange. I think if I had more time, I probably could have pushed myself to finish this and I potentially would have really enjoyed it, but sadly that’s not the case.

Broken by her partner and world she thought she belonged in, Fred (Frederika) returns to her childhood home in Pine Bluff, the home of the Hallow-Harts. Mum Bella arrived at the very same home when she was 16 and pregnant and Aunts Aggy and Cam – the most glittering, eccentric, affectionate and witchy couple a small town could ask for – were there to take her into the fold. Having fought against everything her Mum tried to do and be for her, Fred is not the happiest daughter to welcome home. What follows is an unravelling of a complicated Mum/daughter relationship, coupled with cocktails and hot chocolate, and of course, Christmas Crackers – the family business. It wouldn’t be a Christmas story without a villain and a hero, and Fred’s love interests are likened very subtly to the push/pull between Krampus and Santa Claus.

Themes of the book are Christmas, small businesses, marketing, social media, family, relationships, home, teenage pregnancy, abuse, and of course, LOVE. ❤️ Merry Christmas!

I couldn’t put this book down – enchanting, compelling, comforting, heart-lifting and magical.

I highly recommend I’ll be home for Christmas by Jenny Bayliss. Totally nailed an amazingly comforting Christmas story.

Uplifting Story 4.5*
The story is based in an idyllic small town with Christmassy vibes provided by long held traditions, elf costumes, crackers, a Christmas market and of course the weather. We follow the heroine as she reclaims the life she never thought she wanted. Fredericka (Fred) Hallow-Hart having left Pine Bluff in Scotland aged 18, returns home aged 35 feeling like a failure. She’s lost her man, her job, her self-esteem and having waited 6 months for her redundancy package can no longer afford to live in London. However once back in Pine Bluff she runs into her former best friend, Ryan, with whom she had lost touch and then connects with Warren, a handsome visiting journalist. She starts to appreciate her hometown and rediscover her spark, reconnecting with her mother and aunts as an adult rather than a teenager. There are some ups and downs in her journey but there is a beautiful ending.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Following a break up with her partner, along with redundancy, Fred reluctantly returns home to the community where she grew up. Her mother Bella and two aunts welcome her gladly, but Fred feels like she has failed.
This heartwarming story is about romance, relationships and communities, and how they support and draw you in. Fred begins learning from past mistakes, breaking up from a controlling relationship and finding herself.
When Fred regains her friendship with her teenage friend Ryan, there is a spark of romance, but becomes unsure of her feelings when Warren enters the community.
With its Christmas theme, mix of wonderful characters, such as Bella, Aggie and Ryan, and humorous tone, the story draws you in and keeps you turning the pages.

Festive, romantic & enjoyable. The perfect seasonal read. Charactors to fall in love with & this book really does give all of the Christmas feels.

Thanks to NetGalley UK for an advance copy of this book.
Aww, that was so romantic! I love Christmas but I’ve never read a festive romance at this time of year before (end July). It actually made no difference to my enjoyment of the book and I feel all Christmassy now! Fred and Ryan are so good together, and the ending was just so romantic, I loved it and feel all warm inside now.

Everything you could look for in a light-hearted Christmassy read is contained in this fab novel- I loved it!
Having lost her job and her boyfriend, Fred Hallow-Hart returns somewhat reluctantly to her family home of Pine Bluff, just as the Christmas activities are commencing. Forced to face her past and her relationship with her family and old friends, Fred is welcomed back into the heart of the town but things are never straightforward and she soon finds herself facing tricky choices. I loved the Christmassy setting of a Scottish village, the cracker making business, the Christmas market, the decorations and the snow all make this a fab Christmas read! The characters really come to life in this story and you find yourself wishing them onwards to success. There were times when I laughed out loud at the shenanigans that took place. Highly recommended read.

In keeping with the style of a good Hallmark Christmas movie, emotionally battered and financially drained Fredricka 'Fred' Hallow-Hart reluctantly returns to her small town roots in the Scottish Highlands.
Warmly welcomed by her family and fondly regarded by those who remember her, Fred has the opportunity to regroup and get back on her feet. With Christmas approaching and the Christmas markets coming up, Fred helps her Mum Bella in the family business making luxury Christmas crackers. But will she settle back in Pine Bluff? Fred's rekindled friendship with her childhood friend Ryan and the fact that London journalist Warren is trying to woo her complicate matters!

Without spoilers, I'll Be Home For Christmas is laced throughout with humour and depth and several intriguing sub plots. (And possibly a sprinkle of magic) Some serious subjects are touched upon but with care. The supporting characters are so well written they jump off the page, particularly Fred's eccentric aunts and Mr Bishop and his tractor! If you like books by Milly Johnson or Philippa Ashley, you will love this book - I truly hope it is one day made into a movie.

Thank you to Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for the review copy.