Jilly and George Gordon are readying their home for their youngest daughter's wedding to be held on Christmas day with everyone staying at their home on Nantucket Sound. The older daughter, Lauren, is married with two beautiful children and has always been the perfect, organized daughter. Felicia has always been the unpredictable and flighty one. Now she intends to marry a real outdoorsy, physical man, rough around the edges. Jilly has other ideas for the perfect partner for Felicia.

As a sudden impulse, Jilly adopts a year old orange tabby cat with an attitude, named Rex. Rex fills Jilly's empty nest with both girls being gone. Preparing for a wedding would normally send Jilly into a tizzy that everything would be absolutely perfect. Well, not this time. The groom- to-be, Archie Galloway, finds his own place in her heart and gains her respect even though he isn't the well-dressed, professional man she would have chosen for her daughter.

Between all the mishaps and minor accidents, this could be the experience to change Jilly's mind on what's really important in life and what it really takes to be truly happy and content, in realizing the emotional energy she has wasted trying to make life fit into a gilt-edged picture frame.

I thoroughly enjoyed this enchanting tale of a devoted wife and mother intent on everything being absolutely perfect throughout life. The reader will be inspired by the warmth and love that is precipitated at the Christmas season. Nancy Thayer has an ability to provide the reader with a delightful and heartrending story of love and commitment of family. The warmth and closeness only grows with each page that is turned.

Book Summary

In this enchanting holiday novel from New York Times bestselling author Nancy Thayer, family and friends gather on Nantucket for a gorgeous winter wedding with plenty of merry surprises in store.

As Christmas draws near, Felicia returns to her family’s home on the island to marry her adventurous, rugged boyfriend, Archie. Every detail is picture-perfect for a dream wedding: the snow-dusted streets, twinkling lights in the windows, a gorgeous red and white satin dress. Except a lavish ceremony is not Felicia’s dream at all; it’s what her mother, Jilly, wants. Jilly’s also worried that her daughter’s life with daredevil Archie will be all hiking and skydiving. Wondering if their handsome neighbor Steven Hardy might be a more suitable son-in-law, Jilly embarks on a secret matchmaking campaign for Felicia and the dashing stockbroker.

As the big day approaches and Jilly’s older daughter, Lauren, appears with rambunctious kids in tow, tensions in the household are high. With the family careening toward a Yuletide wedding disaster, an unexpected twist in Nancy Thayer’s heartwarming tale reminds everyone about the true meaning of the season.