A Home for the Holidays by Taylor Hahn
Published by Knopf on September 24, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction
Goodreads
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.
Already dealing with a breakup and no place to live, Mel finds out that her mother has died. Grieving while trying to make sense of her feelings, her mother's former best friend, Barb, offers Mel support, a home for the holidays, and the opportunity to learn about her mother's past.
This was not what I expected, and I absolutely loved it! The story started off rather melancholy which was totally expected, but when Barb entered the story, it really came to life. Barb had such a B I G personality. She was vibrant and funny with a huge heart. She loved fiercely, and I was so happy she decided to give her love to Mel.
I also adored Barb's kids - Summer and Henry. They were as charming as their mother, and it was an utter delight when they were all in one room. They were such a source of steady energy for Mel while she was navigating her grief and guilt, and it was wonderful that she had them to support her as she worked through her complicated feelings regarding her mother.
I thought this situation was an interesting way to explore Mel's grief. She struggled with those feelings of loving her mother while also feeling let down by her at times. She wasn't always sure about the way she handled her mother's alcohol addiction, but she did realize that there was always love. Her recollection of the good stuff was lovely, and I was also happy that Mel reached out to mend one very important relationship during her personal journey.
I will admit, I was a bit disappointed with where the story ended, but I still really enjoyed A Home for the Holidays. It was touching and way more feel-good than I anticipated, and in the end, I was feeling very hopeful for Mel and everyone in her circle.
Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder by Bellamy Rose
Published by Atria/Emily Bestler on March 18, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Mystery
Goodreads
A spoiled heiress must investigate her grandmother’s death in order to gain back her trust fund, all while discovering how to be her own person and maybe even in falling in love in this rom-com meets murder mystery.
When Pomona Afton, Upper East Side hotel heiress, stumbles out of a gala and upon the scene of her grandmother’s murder, her first thought is that the society queen won’t be missed for her kind, cookie-baking ways. In fact, she was mean, greedy, and paranoid—so paranoid that she secretly slipped a clause into her will mandating that, should she die an unnatural death, all the family assets get frozen. And if the “unnatural death” isn’t explained? Those accounts stay frozen.
Practically overnight, Pomona is locked out of her penthouse with no other option than to move in with a Gabe, the irritable (yet handsome) son of her former nanny. Not only is his apartment cramped, but it doesn’t even have a doorman. Or a chef! Pom needs someone to solve this murder, like, yesterday, so she can get her trust fund back.
And Gabe? He needs this murder solved because that’s the only way his mother, who toiled for the Afton family for years, will ever get the retirement money she deserves. As Pom’s family clams up, blocking the police at every turn, Pom quickly realizes that if she wants her glamorous life back, she’s going to have to put on her big-girl Manolos and do it herself…with the help of Gabe, who she’s falling for more and more by the day.
Can Pomona Afton (who previously couldn’t solve a crossword in the bath on a hungover Sunday) actually solve this murder? And if she does return to her former life of luxury, will it be worth the possibility of losing Gabe?
Hotel heiress Pomona Afton's life implodes when her grandmother is murdered. With all her assets frozen and tossed from her hotel home, Pomona is forced to ride the train, get a job, share an apartment, and even go to Queens (gasp!). But this was the motivation she needed to show everyone that she could so solve a murder.
I am, by no means, a mystery reader, but I had a fantastic time tagging along with Pomona as she embarked on solving her grandmother's murder in an effort to regain all the trappings of her former life. Pomona was exactly what you would expect from someone who grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth (think Paris Hilton in her reality show years), but this experience made Pomona see many things in a new way.
It was extremely amusing watching Pomona adjusting to life as a regular person. I am sure you can picture all the comedic moments that could arise, and they did. But I think it was even more satisfying watching her grow and change and become the person that was hiding beneath all that socialite veneer. It was wonderful to see her mend some broken relationships as she fell in love and found her passion. I grew quite fond of her and was extremely happy with the way everything worked out.
Overall: Packed with humor and warmth, I adored this cozy mystery!
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