Episode Summary: From the Front Porch

Podcast: From the Front Porch
Host: Annie Jones, owner of The Bookshelf Thomasville
Episode: 558 || Annie Recommends: Holiday Reads
Date: December 4, 2025

Brief Overview

In this cozy, bookish episode, Annie Jones curates her annual list of holiday reads, offering listeners a stack of five books ideal for savoring the season, whether you're a longtime fan of festive fiction or just looking for a comforting winter read. The episode embodies the warm, personal recommendation style of an indie bookseller, focusing on novels that feature family, grief, humor, romance, and, above all, the spirit of the holidays. Annie’s recommendations reflect her preference for stories richer than Hallmark movie fare, tending more towards heartfelt dynamics and realistic character growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The “Annie Recommends” Episode Format (02:35)

• Annie occasionally creates book lists around specific themes, mimicking the in-store experience of hand-picking stacks for readers—a favorite bookseller task.
• This episode’s focus: five current and backlist holiday reads Annie would recommend to anyone wanting a warm holiday escape.

Annie’s Five Holiday Recommendations

1. A Home for the Holidays by Taylor Hahn (04:06)

• Annie’s December shelf subscription pick from last year.
• Premise: Follows Mel, a wedding singer in Chicago, who is grieving her mother’s death and forms an unexpected friendship with her mother’s best friend. Multigenerational family elements, subtle romance, music, and set over two weeks in December.
• Annie emphasizes its emotional realism and manageable sentimentality.
• Quote:

  “To me, this is more a story about mothers and daughters. It's about grief, it's about moving forward. And there are moments when you think, oh, this is going to take a turn, or oh, this is going to be too schmaltzy... but I feel like Taylor Hahn really knows how to rein it in.” (05:48)

• Reminiscent of favorite holiday films “While You Were Sleeping” and “The Family Stone”—skews more toward these than toward formulaic Hallmark movies.

2. Before I Forget by Tori Henwood Hoen (08:00)

• Annie’s pick for this year’s December shelf subscription; set in the Adirondacks.
• Premise: Cricket moves home to care for her father with early-onset Alzheimer’s. Though it grapples with tough topics like dementia and personal crisis, humor and warmth prevail.
• Not specifically Christmas-themed: perfect for anyone seeking winter cozy, regardless of holiday.
• Quote:

  “Cricket's relationship with her dad is really special and I think the portrayal of dementia is accurate. And yet you won't be drowning in grief while reading about it because again, there's a sense of humor here.” (09:24)

• Ideal for fans of Carley Fortune’s “One Golden Summer” looking for a winter equivalent.

3. Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah by Jean Meltzer (11:34)

• Brand new in paperback; a Second Chance Romance.
• Premise: Evelyn, producing a live televised musical of A Christmas Carol for Hanukkah, ends up stuck in a medical bay with migraines, cared for by her ex-husband—leading to magical realism elements and self-reflection via ghostly apparitions.
• Highlights authentic depictions of chronic illness and unique Hanukkah representation.
• Quote:

  “Evelyn starts hallucinating ghosts tied to her past heartbreaks. And then every single one leads to David. There's great chemistry in this book...I think this is a solid follow up.” (12:45)

• Annie’s “Mount Rushmore of holiday books” also includes Meltzer's “The Matzoh Ball” and “10 Blind Dates.”

4. Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey (13:58)

• Backlist paperback, inspired by “Christmas in Connecticut.”
• Premise: Laurel, whose public persona is all about a perfect farm life (but is secretly a city girl), must fake her way through the realities she’s been pretending to live. Found family, rom-com tropes (even “sharing a bed”), and plenty of heart.
• Annie champions Winfrey’s wit and this book’s rereadable charm.
• Quote:

  “Faking Christmas will draw obvious comparisons to Hallmark movies. But Hallmark wishes it was this good and that is true.” (15:45)

• “Laurel is just the most messy character and then her boss, Gilbert, is...oh, ideal. Just absolutely ideal.” (15:38)

5. Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman (18:15)

• Recent release with a starred Kirkus review; audiobook highly recommended.
• Premise: Set in Baltimore, two widowed parents (Grace & Henry) and families are brought together by their matchmaking mothers for the first holiday season after their losses. Together, they bond watching Christmas movies, navigating grief, moving forward, and finding joy.
• Annie praises Norman’s subtle, authentic writing about children, grief, and community.
• Quote:

  “This is such a great friendship novel and I think a pretty realistic look at what grief must look like, particularly around the holiday season.” (19:22)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On choosing books with the right tone:

  “There are moments when you think, oh, this is going to take a turn, or oh, this is going to be too schmaltzy—which is often the case with holiday titles. But I feel like Taylor Hahn really knows how to rein it in.” (05:45)

• On holiday audiobooks as a mood-lifter:

  “One of my holiday hacks is to have a holiday audiobook going. It's just kind of a nice way to like remind myself that this the season exists…” (21:09)

• On Hallmark comparisons:

  “Hallmark wishes it was this good and that is true. Hallmark only wishes they could do something like this.” (15:46)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro, Annie Recommends concept: 00:01–03:25
• 1st Book – A Home for the Holidays: 04:06–08:00
• 2nd Book – Before I Forget: 08:00–11:34
• 3rd Book – Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah: 11:34–13:58
• 4th Book – Faking Christmas: 13:58–18:15
• 5th Book – Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon: 18:15–21:04
• Annie’s holiday audiobook tip: 21:04–21:57
• Bonus recommendations & wrap-up: 21:57–23:18

Honorable Mentions (Extras for Your Stack)

(21:57)

• Recommended for You by Laura Silverman (YA)
• Time of the Child by Niall Williams (for more literary tastes)
• Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (for readers wanting deeper themes)
• 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston (on Annie’s holiday “Mount Rushmore”)

Annie’s Final Stack (22:57)

1. A Home for the Holidays by Taylor Hahn (hardback)
2. Before I Forget by Tori Henwood Hoen (hardback)
3. Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah by Jean Meltzer (paperback)
4. Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey (paperback)
5. Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman (paperback)

Tone: Engaging, conversational, warm, and reader-focused. Annie’s recommendations are driven by her bookseller expertise and personal taste, offering both comfort and fresh perspectives for the holiday reading season.

For full transcripts and book purchase links, visit From the Front Porch Podcast.