When I am choosing a holiday book to read, I typically want a cozy, feel-good read. I don’t want to encounter loss and grief, especially not in the first few chapters. Therefore, I never would have picked up A Home for the Holidays by Taylor Hahn, if I’d been choosing for myself. I had it because my librarian picked it for me as part of the program which matches readers with books.
This novel starts with the main character Mel Hart sharing about her earlier years as the only child of a single, alcoholic mother. In the second chapter, set in present day December in Chicago, Mel receives a phone call to let her know that her mother has died. The first time I picked up the book to read it, in late November, I put it aside after those two short chapters and decided I just could not read that storyline right before Christmas. I wanted jolly stories, sweet romance plots, and happily-ever-after endings. The author’s writing style, however, had grabbed my attention, so I planned to come back to the book once I’d had my fill of Christmas cheer.
I eventually worked my way through a few more chapters until today, when I sat down in my comfy chair with a cuddly blanket and time to read. I became immersed in the tale Mel hears after her mother’s death from Barb, a woman who shows up out of nowhere claiming to be Mel’s mom’s former best friend. The story blurbs give away a bit of the story, so I won’t do that here, but I will say that A Home for the Holidays is a fantastic narrative of how one woman deals with grief. Themes of family, friendship, hope, dreams, and forgiveness blend to create a moving story that will stick with me.
This book is a great read for any time of the year, though it mixes in some great Christmas references throughout the storyline, which takes place between mid-December and New Year’s Day. While not technically a romance, it does have some elements of the genre in it. Just under 250 pages in length, A Home for the Holidays may be read in a day, which would be a great way to experience Mel’s story.
