The perfect festive read!

I loved the mix of friendship and love.

The narrative all felt very natural. Nothing was forced between the characters.

Refreshing that the main focus wasn't on the romance either. It was more on family and journey of self discovery.

The aunts stood out as fav cast members for me. I would love to have such a quirky family to go home to.

Cosy and comforting. I'll be Home for Christmas is definitely a book everyone should read especially if you are in need of a dose of hope!

A cosy Christmas read. I love Christmas so I was so pleased to be given the chance to read this book. I really loved the setting and the characters are brilliant. This is the perfect book for the festive season.

An easy read with a lovely Christmas theme as the story progressed. I loved the humour of the aunts and their outlook on life. It. The setting sounded wonderful and a place you’d definitely want to visit. It took me a while to get involved in the story, as it had a slow beginning. I found the main female character’s name confusing, and for the first few chapters I kept wondering who Fred was as I was trying to place a male character.. I would have enjoyed the book more if she’d had a different name. An enjoyable Christmas book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book.

I love books about Christmas & I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review it.

Thus book is a true page turner. With rich, warm characters and sparkling Christmas cheer, it's a perfect for the festive season. I enjoyed reading this emotional story immensely.

When Fred ends up back living with her mum and 2 Aunts after breaking up with her partner and then, to top it off getting evicted as well she isn’t sure what is next in her life’s journey.… as it’s the start of the Christmas season in Pine Bluff all the residents are starting to prepare for their Christmas markets and Freds’ family, the Hallow-Harts are preparing their signature homemade Christmas crackers. Seeing Fred is in a quandary of what to do and to take her mind off everything, the Aunts rope her into help create the many crackers needed - each one is complete with an item handmade by another small business in the town.
By moving home to Pine Bluff, Fred reconnects with her childhood friend Ryan and meets Warren, a travelling journalist who is on the look out to kick start a promotion he has his eyes on back in London to take over the food critic column in the paper he works for. Fred acts as tour guide taking him to all the best food places run by close friends so he can use these to write his first column post to assist him win the promotion over two others fighting for the top spot.
After an unexpected testosterone battle between the two gents over Fred, she is left heartbroken and fighting to gain the respect back of her friends and to try and repair the damage Warren has done….

First I’d like to thank Jenny Bayliss, Net Galley, Penguin Random House and Michael Joseph for giving me access to this advance reader copy (ARC).

Christmas in July! I am so here for it, I’ll be home for Christmas is an incredible cozy, feel good, Christmas story!

This is the first book I’ve read by Jenny Bayliss, and I can tell you now, it won’t be my last!

I had so much fun immersing myself in the delightful town of Pine Bluff in the Scottish Highlands, and almost feeling like I too was a part of the family and community that Jenny has created for her characters.

This is definitely a Christmas must read for 2025!
Don’t miss its release on 23rd October!

Thoroughly enjoyed this story and the trauma Fred was dealing with along with the family and some romance thrown in then the icing on top was all about the community! A brilliant read, engaging throughout.

If you’re looking for the ultimate warm, cozy Christmas read, this is it! ❄️
With Fred navigating family chaos, her charming mom Bella, and their hilariously wild aunts, this book is packed with heart, humor, and the perfect amount of festive magic. Jenny Bayliss gives us a story that feels like wrapping yourself in a blanket with hot cocoa while fairy lights twinkle. The multi-character perspectives add depth and charm, making you feel right at home in their world. An absolute delight that’s brimming with Christmas cheer, family love, and a sprinkle of romance.

As I get all the school holidays off in summer I love a Christmas read in the sun, so for those groaning try it. Thank you NetGalley.

I have to confess that this is the fist book by Jenny Baylis, and I can say this is not the last.

Christmas stamped all the way through this cute story. Set in a Scottish village called Pine Bluff, Fred returns home to her mother and aunt after a relationship break up and Fred has lost her job into the bargain.
You can feel the cold winter and Christmas vibes ( even in July at 30 degrees)
There is an encounter with a childhood friend Ryan and Warren form London to add into the mix of the festive season.

The story is about finding yourself, healing and a good dose of alcohol laden hot chocolate and Christmas.

Recommended read and out for publication October Half term - 23 October 2025.

A lovely, cosy and hopeful second chance read.
Five stars. Thank you to the author, publisher an NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC.

I absolutely adore a festive read with a bit of emotional depth, and I'll Be Home for Christmas delivered just that. Jenny Bayliss has a real gift for creating small-town charm, and Pine Bluff, with its quirky cracker shop and bustling Christmas market, felt like stepping into a snow globe.
Fred was a really relatable lead. Flawed, funny and trying to find her footing after a really awful relationship has led to her doubting her own instincts when it comes to men. I loved her eccentric family and the focus on crafting and small businesses supporting each other.
It left me smiling and feeling full of festive fuzziness. A lovely winter escape with warmth and a jolly ending- what's not to love?!

I always look forward to Jenny's Christmas novels and I'll Be Home For Christmas certainly didn't disappoint. I love how her books make you feel cosy and look forward to the festive season. The story was easy to follow and had a great cast of characters. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.
💜 Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley and Jenny Bliss, for the opportunity to read 'I’ll Be Home for Christmas'; it has left me with a warm, contented feeling — exactly what I want from a festive read.

The first chapter sets the tone perfectly, pulling you straight into the main character’s world with wit and a touch of bittersweet nostalgia. I loved how quickly the story felt alive, like visiting a place you’ve known all your life. That sense of community — the messy, noisy, relatable mix of neighbours, family, and old acquaintances — was one of my favourite things about the book. It made the whole setting feel like another character, and it reminded me how much I enjoy stories where an entire village comes to life.

I enjoyed how Fred’s relationship with her mum developed. At first it seemed like such an odd connection — almost tense — but the way they gradually opened up to each other, building trust and true affection, was one of the most touching parts of the book for me. Their conversations and little moments together added a deeper emotional layer to the story that I wasn’t expecting, and it made their bond feel so genuine.

A festive read without being too saccharine, full of humour, warmth, and plenty of surprises. If you enjoy books about community, family, and the magic of letting your guard down, I’d recommend picking this up.

Ok I'm now feeling in my Christmas feels in July!!! What a cute cosy easy read. I really enjoyed it While on holiday in the hot tub!

This is the first book I've read by Jenny Bayliss - I wasn't blown away.
I am a massive fan of Christmas books and this one certainly did have a festive feel but something just fell slightly flat for me

Fredericka, known as Fred, has come home to live in Pine Bluff after a relationship break up with an older man and being made redundant from her job in marketing. She says it’s only temporary while she decides what direction she wants to take her life in.. She bumps into her old school friend Ryan, who came back to live in Pine Bluff a few years ago and set up a coffee company.
Fred offers to help out with the family cracker making business as her mum, Bella, is very busy with making and selling the crackers. Pine Bluff has a wonderful Christmas market every year , so good it rivals German markets. Bella has a stall there but also needs to make the crackers. She has two elderly aunts who live in a cottage next to her house and they help out in the business as well, Fred feel guilty though to see how hard they all work,
Warren, a journalist up from London to write about the Christmas market, has a courier package wrongly delivered to Fred while her redundancy package is delivered to him. Fred goes to swap the packages at the local hotel and they agree to have a coffee together.
It’s a Christmas story full of snow and romance. I would love to visit Pine Bluff with its great supportive community spirit, local independent shops and market.

This was a fun festive tale that I devoured in one go in the height of summer! Jenny Bayliss has created the world of Pine Bluff so well it almost seems real. The characters were all well rounded and likeable (for the most part iykyk!) and I honestly could read a whole book about the Aunts and the Pine Bluff Jezebels! Although I really want to read happens next for Fred, Ryan, Bella and Liam, and Hallow-Hart crackers so if the author could ‘cracker’ on with the next one that would be great! Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read this, it’s 5 stars from me.

Once you get used to the main female character being called Fred (Frederica) you find yourself enjoying a story of reawakening love.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A cosy Christmas cracker full of heart!

What an absolute delight! I thoroughly enjoyed this festive read — Fred, Bella, and the aunts were such charming, lovable characters. The dual love stories were an unexpected treat and added an extra layer of warmth and magic. It felt like wrapping yourself in a cosy blanket on a snowy day.

I’m so grateful to have had the chance to read this ARC. It’s definitely going on my list for a re-read during the Christmas holidays!