The Christmas Bookshop: A Novel

Written by Jenny Colgan

Narrated by Eilidh Beaton

The Christmas Bookshop has descriptive copy which is not yet available from the Publisher.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Nov 16, 2021
• ISBN: 9780063141698

Jenny Colgan

Jenny Colgan is Scottish born and bred, born in Ayrshire in 1972. After graduating from Edinburgh University, Jenny worked for six years in the health service whist moonlighting as a cartoonist and doing stand-up in the outer fringes of London’s comedy circuit.

Reviews for The Christmas Bookshop

[Terry Crawford · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

All I can say is I love Jenny Colgan books. This is a wonderful story set in a beautiful city, at a magical time of year. I’m finishing it just before Christmas. Lovely book!

[Julia · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Cute, christmassy and entertaining. Something light to listen to while doing holiday chores, etc.

[JoAnn Fredendall McGowan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was a great book - I thought it was a little slow but then it picked up ! Lots of wonderful characters , twists and turns - a good holiday read ❤️

[Katrina Thaxton · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A sweet and cute book. If you are looking for something easy for easy to reach.

[TanyaBallard · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The best bit of the holidays is that warm cuddly feeling one gets. In that vein Jenny Colgan does not disappoint I highly recommend!

[Karrie Prescott · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A very sweet and heart warming. True meaning of family.

[Lucia Garcia · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Sweet, funny and full of beautiful interpersonal relationships. I wanted to strangle that nanny from time to time, but some of the characters just hit close to home.

[Jan Cartwright · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lovely Christmas stories with one surprise ending. The audiobook was wonderfully voiced.

[Myra Harper · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked this book, I have to say my mind drifted several times in the middle of the book as it did not keep my attention. A predictable ending. Nice story line.

[Katie Nowinski · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was like having a hallmark movie but on paper. I did a mix between reading and listening and I enjoyed both.

[Audrey Van Klaveren-Hall · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great flow to the story, and wonderful narration! Sad to finish!

[Ian R · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was really a lovely book. It filled my heart with yearning for a winter wonderland, and I loved the character development.

[Laura Ferreira · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great little story. I really like how this one wasn’t part of a series but she did include some characters from previous books.

[Anette Armstrong · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Cute story, but sadly, the main character is too whiny.

[Nicole · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book, such a cozy Christmas story. Loved seeing Ramsay and his family in here too

[davischristopherjohn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This felt less fluffy than your usual Christmas romance! Well- written, funny, and interesting.

[LeAnne Olson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A fabulous holiday read to get you in the spirit of Christmas.

[electrascaife · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A lovely and cozy story about a woman who, after losing her dead-end shopgirl job, is gently pushed by her parents and her annoyingly successful sister into taking a position in a dusty, failing bookshop in Edinburgh. Her job: to help the shop – and the eccentric and sweet old shopkeeper – into turning a profit before Christmas. Enter Handsome But Shallow and Generally Horrible Famous Author to turn her head, and also Sweet and Shy and, Um, Quaker Also-Handsome Academic Dude to make it a triangle.

I loved it. The characters are all fantastic, the story is fun and sweet (without ever being saccharine) and at times even hilarious, and the setting is so lovingly described that the city becomes one of the most beloved characters in the book. My only tiny little miniscule quibble is how Colgan switches narrators mid-paragraph and does so frequently. It’s a bit jarring and, I think, unnecessary.

[brenczkowski-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This wasn’t a great book but a good book. It was an easy read but had twists and turns in it trying to keep up with all the characters. The characters were all well written and the storyline good even though the author embellished everything which made the book longer. It also gives a good description of Edinburgh. I did like the idea of the shop with young Mr. McCredie and Carmen saving it.

[katebaxter_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Author Jenny Colgan spins another fabulous story, this time set in richly literary and historic Edinburgh, Scotland. The telling is gentle, the characters well developed as hearts are laid bare and challenges met. It focuses on relationships, perceptions and all the troubles which manifest themselves when each is slightly off. I find myself charmed by each book of hers I have read and this one was no exception. It was perfectly timed - being in the midst of the holiday season. A sweet story, to be certain.

[katiekrug · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A cozy holiday read about a floundering 20-something who moves in with her seemingly perfect sister in Edinburgh and takes a job at a failing bookshop. There's a bit of romance but the story is more about Carmen (finally) growing up and finding her feet, and how the two sisters come to better understand one another. There is also a delightful supporting cast, especially Carmen's 3 nieces and nephew.

My only quibble was that the audio narrator gave Carmen some very annoying intonations that made her more unlikeable than I think she was actually written.

3.75 stars

[phyllis2779 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a lovely book. The characters were charming and different. Very original plot, with the lead protagonist truly learning about herself and her relationships during the book. I wish there was a follow-up but suspect not.

[sandyamcpherson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jenny Cogan has pulled together a brilliant storyline: engaging, complex characters and a very believable family dynamic between sisters on different trajectories. Although I found the epilogue a bit flat, and the final resolutions left undefined to *my* understanding, the unfolding narrative was both captivating and witty. Highly recommended if you enjoy character studies, personal philosophical journeys, and evolving family relationships.

[dawnlovesbooks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

charming little story. what's not to love about a bookshop at christmas?

[ellenh_28 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good, light hearted Christmas romance in a bookstore.

[dramman_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyed as an audio book - enjoyable, lightweight, schmaltzy fare - saved for this listener by being set in Edinburgh, which gave the story a far more redolent dimension.

[mchwest · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another absolutely wonderful holiday book from Jenny Colgan. If you haven't read all of hers yet, you are in for a delight!

[zmagic69 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kind of what you would expect from this author. Not near enough about the bookstore but the parts with her perfect sister and her kids were funny.
Too many dumb romantic mishaps and misunderstandings, but the book was light and entertaining.

[amzzz_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Pros: loved the setting, the bookshop, the street and how it was described
Cons: unnecessary will they won’t they romance, women pitted against women

[witchyrichy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

[The Christmas Bookshop] by [[Jenny Colgan]] was a lovely book to listen to over the holidays. Edinburgh is the primary setting and its history and traditions play an important role in the story of a young woman trying to find her way in a world that seems to be against her. Carmen finds herself out of a job when the department store in her town shuts down. Her older, very successful sister finds her a spot in a bookshop in Edinburgh, itself on the edge of bankruptcy.

The story unfolds from there as Carmen slowly gets to know Mr. McCready, the shop owner, along with the other shop owners, and finds she may have a place here. Even as she settles in, she struggles to deal with her perfect sister, her sister's obnoxious nanny and her own confusion over two very different men. The reader had the perfect Scottish accent as well as the exact right intonation to catch Colgan's asides. Carmen is smart and likable and I found myself laughing out loud at some of the scenes, particularly as she connect with her nieces and nephew.