Christmas at the Island Hotel: A Novel

Written by Jenny Colgan

Narrated by Eilidh Beaton

Another heartfelt and delightful Christmas tale from the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Bookshop on the Corner and Christmas on the Island.

New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan returns to the setting of Christmas on the Island and Endless Beach for a heartwarming new novel celebrating the season, and Scotland.

On the tiny, beautiful, and remote island of Mure, halfway between Scotland and Norway, a new hotel opening is a big event. New mother Flora MacKenzie and her brother Fintan are working themselves half to death to get it ready in time for Christmas. 

The new hotel’s impressive kitchens throw together two unlikely new friends: Isla Gregor is the hardworking young girl who has been a waitress in the island's cafe, dreaming of a bigger, better life now that she’s at a proper fancy hotel. Konstantin Pederson is working his way up in the hotel's kitchens too…but he is also, secretly, the only son of the Duke of Utsire. Konstantin has been sent to learn what it is to work hard for a living, before receiving his inheritance. Although he’s initially resentful, the place grows on him; he has never met anyone quite like Isla and her fellow Murians before. 

As the island’s residents and special VIP guests gather for the hotel’s grand opening gala, Christmas is in the air. But so are more than a few small-town secrets…

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Oct 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9780062911308

Jenny Colgan

Jenny Colgan is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels, including The Christmas Bookshop, The Bookshop on the Corner, Little Beach Street Bakery, and Christmas at the Cupcake Café. Jenny, her husband, and three children live in a genuine castle in Scotland.

Reviews for Christmas at the Island Hotel

[mchwest · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful to visit the Island again. Although we knew of a death of a main character last book, this was a happy feeling book and I thing an opening for the next Mure Series!

[pennykaplan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A cast of lovable and eccentric characters prepare a hotel on isolated Mure Island for its Christmas opening, Charming

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It’s Christmas time in Mure, but it’s not all sweetness and light. Fintan is still dealing with grief, and his heart is not in getting the new hotel ready to open, though he and Flora must do it. Flora is a new mom, but feels like she is failing her son. A disgraced prince is sent incognito to be kitchen help, to finally do an honest day’s work, and thus is cut off from everything he had before. Another kitchen worker has big dreams but little hope in ever being more than a waitress or maid. Agot is both a darling and a brat, depending on her mood. And Saif gets some startling news. It’s a tender story, peopled with characters who have problems to work through, and while they might not always make the right decision, they know they can depend on family and friends for help. The story just flows, and the small town setting is wonderful, just like the people in the tale.

[twink_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Is it too early to read Christmas fiction? Absolutely not! And especially when it's the latest novel from Jenny Colgan! Christmas at the Island Hotel releases today.Colgan takes us back to the remote, wee, Scottish island of Mure - and it's residents. I'd be quite happy living there myself. I always feel like I'm catching up with old friends when I turn the first page of the latest Mure tale. And making some new ones as well - new characters are introduced with each new book. Some who may have been in a supporting role in previous tales now take a bigger part. But, each and every one of them has a part to play in the tapestry that is the life of Mure.Christmas at the Island Hotel picks up where the previous book left off. Flora and her large, noisy, eccentric family are still working to get the Island Hotel up and running by Christmas. They'll need staff - and here's where the new characters and storylines are introduced. But Colgan also continues on with the lives of many other recurring players. I've become quite invested in their lives. Colgan does a bang up job with the interactions, complications, emotions and feelings of her characters. They ring true. Everyday life, love lost, love found, friendship, family rifts, family uniting and community are the driving forces behind Colgan's works.This is the time of the year when I enjoy seasonal reading, cosying up with a feel-good read, along with a cup of tea and a warm blanket. Christmas at the Island Hotel is the perfect choice - heartwarming, engaging, joyful, romantic, humourous and a great escape. I was sad to turn the last page, but I just know there's more in store for the folks in Mure And this reader can't wait!