What better place to be in the run up to Christmas than in a bookshop, in a Cotswold village. Surely you should be living your best life trying to find the right book for the right person as a gift. 

For Simon and Nora this has been their life for a number of years, but it seems that this could be the last Christmas at the bookshop. They need to draw people in, stop them going to the chains, to the online stores and to offer that something different. 

When an act of kindness takes on a whole new twist, they send out six different books, randomly to people and it just so happens that the books that land with these six very different people all have very different problems and the books strike a chord with them. 

As we learn more about the recipients we also learn more about Simon and Nora and how the bookshop, leaky roof and all is the things that keeps them together and how they relish being part of a small community who appreciate the kindness from its residents. 

If you want a book to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside then this is the book for you, the bonuses being it features a bookshop and some great reads as well which you could quite easily take away as recommendations if you have not read them already. 

Very different feel for me than some Christmas books I have read and it deals with current issues; mental health, loneliness, separation, probably more highlighted at the moment during the current pandemic. But there was something almost magical contained with the pages of the book as if I was watching some film, it felt American, but I cannot put my finger on why whilst reading it. However, I discovered afterwards that the author was born in America. I wish I could pin down what it was, the book reminded me of the Christmas books I have read by Debbie Macomber and I think that is a closest comparison I am going to get. 

A book that can start your festive reading off if you have not started yet.

I know I'm in a minority here but I didn't really enjoy this book.
For me the amin story took far to long g to enter the narrative and Nora was just irritating to me

*I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Orion Publishing and Anne Marie Ryan*

The Six Tales of Christmas is a heartwarming Christmas read which focuses on the importance of family, friends, and community. Mainly following the perspectives of Simon and Nora, bookshop owners who have fallen into debt, The Six Tales of Christmas is about the struggles of owning an independent business whilst still trying to help those in the community who are struggling also.

This was a bit of a weird read for me, weird being that I thought it would be way more fun and festive than it was. This book had quite a serious plotline for a Christmas themed book and was not romance heavy - something which I have come to expect from these types of books.

I did enjoy the book and there was honestly nothing wrong with it, but it just didn’t have that sparkle which I expected it to have. I didn’t get any cosy Christmas vibes from this as honestly, I didn’t find it entirely festive. This book could have been set at any time of year and it would have felt pretty much the same.

Yes, there were moments of festivity, such as the Christmas Eve party and the festive books which were sent out to people, but other than that Christmas was definitely a secondary element.

This does not mean that I did not enjoy the book. It was an easy enough read with a good message, which you can never go wrong with. Mental health awareness is a somewhat large part of this book and I think that was a great inclusion.

I liked the main characters, however, there was just too much shifting of perspectives for me. Simon and Nora were a sweet older couple and I loved seeing their relationship throughout the book. The little bits of romance that you did see were heartwarming and just all-round lovely, however, this was not the main point of the book.

Conveying a positive message of mental health awareness and displaying the importance of shopping local, The Six Tales of Christmas is the perfect book for anyone who is looking for a Christmas read which is not romance-driven.

What a heartwarming Christmas book with a very important message. I loved that it was based on an independent bookstore that sounded perfect & I’d love to visit. The random act of kindness that helped 6 strangers in so many ways. It was beautifully written with such lovely characters. The relationship between Nora & Simon was real and wonderful. Loved it.

When I saw this book on Netgalley I knew that I had to read it. I absolutely love books set in book shops as it was a dream to own one myself.
I love festive books, they are perfect books to curl up with on cold days. This book has such a lovely message of hope, and the magic of Christmas.
There were some more serious issues in this book, Grief and Mental Health, but the book is still heartwarming.
I loved reading about the various characters and their stories. This book is well written, and the different tales are easy to follow.
This is such a lovely book to read at Christmas. I highly recommend it.

A good read fun plot and good story fun characters just right fir this time of year I would buy as a book for my mum for Christmas she love it a good read

Who doesn't love a Christmas tale at this time of the year? Throw in a bit of romance, a bit of magic, and a book shop, and you have yourself a winner - this book is no exception.

Simon and Nora run a bookshop in the Cotswolds, which used to belong to Nora's mother. The bookshop has been Nora's life and now due to dwindling sales the Baliffs are at the door and the couple are in danger of losing the shop.

When the perfect buyer comes in to buy one of the oldest books in the store, they have the idea to run a competition for locals to nominate people who are in need of a book, and 6 books are wrapped and given away as prizes for Christmas. Each of these books finds the perfect reader and makes a difference to their lives. When they all come together for the final bookshop Christmas party things Simon and Nora find out how their generous gifts have touched the lives of the recipients. Will this be enough to save the village bookshop?

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3624455092

A lovely story of hope, understanding and love. Nora and Simon love their bookshop but bills begin to mount up and more people are buying books online. How can they save their Shop. When a book that has graced their shelves for 25years sells it gives them an idea to pick 6 books and gift them out. They go onto their book social media page, asking for people to nominate someone who would love a surprise. However the books, open up a whole host of issues, some bad but mostly good. A must read to find out the bookshops fate

With Christmas around the corner and their bookshop slowly going under, Nora and Simon decide to put out a call for people who deserve a random act of kindness. They choose six people to receive a book to cheer them up over the festive season. Not only does this make the recipients happy it also restores the sense of community in the bookstore. Can it also save the shop from having to be sold?

I loved the interwoven stories in this book and the beautiful inter generational friendships that are produced.

Brimming with kindness, hope and love, The Six Tales Of Christmas was an absolute joy to read! I knew I’d love reading the book the moment I read the blurb. I mean, it centers around a bookshop- that won my heart in the first place, but WHOAH! I didn’t expect to enjoy reading Simon and Nora’s story so much. :’)

From the very beginning, I was drawn into the cozy and atmospheric nature of the story. I loved how Nora and Simon never forgot to show how much they cared for each other, even after being married for 25 years. I literally swooned while reading about them. This line in particular melted my heart – “The years had changed them both, but they’d never run out of things to talk about. How could they, with over ten thousand titles in stock?” LOVE LOVE LOVE. Simon and Nora literally proved that COUPLES WHO READ TOGETHER, STAY TOGETHER.

Books are my favorite things in life, and I really appreciated how The Six Tales of Christmas showed the power of books. Each of the characters in the book were connected by the strong thread of hope that Simon and Nora created. I loved seeing how the books bought light in their lives, in the best way possible. The book also had such a warm, community feel to it. I felt as if I was sitting in The Stowford Bookshop and seeing different events of the book play out in front of my eyes.

Don’t let the pretty cover fool you though. The Six Tales Of Christmas discussed some important topics like depression and grief as well. Mental Health was one of the main features of this book, and I think that’s something that makes this book different from all other festive books for me kudos to the author for approaching this topic in such a well-written manner!

AND DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON ALL THE BOOKS THAT WERE RECOMMENDED THROUGHOUT THE STORY. My tbr pile got a lot bigger, hehe.

Highly recommend!

If you love Christmas with acts of kindness then this is the book for you, It is a really great read especially in these unusual times. Curl up and enjoy. 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC in return for an honest review.
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A sweet Christmas story about the community of family, friends and strangers. Nora and Simon own a struggling bookshop in rural England. It is right before Christmas and all hopes of getting out of debt and saving the shop are lost on a slow Christmas season. As they struggle, they decide to hold a contest and send books to six strangers that are in need of some holiday cheer. The book focuses on Nora, Simon and the six recipients and how all their lives are changed by this small gesture.

A heartfelt tale weaving six Christmas books into the plot. A clever idea indeed.

The Six Tales of Christmas - Anne Marie Ryan

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review thanks to Trapeze and Netgalley.

Nora and Simon Walden run a bookshop in Stowford, a small village in the Cotswolds. Fuelled by mulled wine and mince pies, Nora and Simon hatch a plan to rouse community spirit, sending out six books to lonely villagers. The books change the recipients' lives, but is it too late to change the bookshop's fate?

I enjoyed the friendships and connections that are built through the sending out of the Christmas books. You really get a feel for how a bookshop can be the centre of a community, and something that everyone can use.

Ryan deals with some tough topics in this book, but also shows how a small action can mean a lot to someone.

Rating: 4/5

A feel-good Christmas novel, great for curling up with.

I'd give this book ten stars if I could. What an amazing, heart warming beautiful book. It dealt with complex issues like grief and mental illness and was still full of heart. It just goes to show you how far a bit of kindness goes. I was so invested in each of the character's stories. This is one of the best books I've read this year and it'll be one that I'll read again in the future.

This is a really lovely Christmas read and I enjoyed it very much.

Nora and Simon run an independent bookshop in the beautiful Cotswolds but, sadly, it’s not doing very well financially. Trying to think of ways of keeping the bailiffs from the door, they decide on a Christmas competition where people are asked to nominate someone to receive one of the six books they are giving away.

A perfect Christmas read, highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orion for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

This year in particular I have been in search of a change in pace every so often - gentle reads where I can believe in dreams come true, suspend the laws of the universe and feel warm and wonderful when the world isn’t! I was attracted to The Six Tales of Christmas for all these reasons and it absolutely delivered! The central characters are ready for a sweep of literary good luck/twist of fate - an old fashioned ‘miracle’ or six or seven’! Nora and Simon run a beautiful independent bookshop, the kind of bookshop we all dream of getting trapped in for the ultimate in browsing. Amazon, high business rates and a generation of non- readers have sealed its fate and the bailiffs are at the door. In a spirit of Christmas goodwill they send out 6 surprise parcels containing a Christmas book to 6 people nominated by friends or relatives as needing a cheer up. With references to It’s a Wonderful Life’ lives begin to change! Although I found the first section a little slow (and I would encourage everyone to hold on for the ride!) this read made me feel warm and lovely and happy and believing in miracles! Added to which the wonderful books referred to throughout and watching a community revived through books and reading provided a further seam of joy. A wonderful Christmas read. With thanks to Trapeze books and Netgalley for a digital copy of this book.

A wonderful Christmas story, set in a village in the Cotswolds, we follow Nora and Simon who run the bookshop in the village, which as an independent shop is struggling as people turn to online shopping. In the midst of their troubles they decide to set a Christmas competition and ask people to nominate someone to receive one of the six books they have chosen to donate. We then follow the story of where the books end up and the power of books to affect someone's life. The story is delightfully told with an enchanting mix of village charm and modern metaphors; for example, we are told the fire was dancing like the dancers in Hamilton. Important themes of mental health, grief and rural poverty is also explored. The book has a happy ending which I saw coming but that's part of the charm of Christmas stories the reliable happy ending; delightful.

With thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

This is a fantastic book, and one that you’ll definitely want to read this Christmas. If you’re one of those that absolutely love Christmas, love seeing random acts of kindness and books, this is a book not to miss.

Simon and Nora, a lovely couple, who run a traditional bookshop in a small town. But sadly, the bookshop is hit by hard times. Will they be able to change things for their business?? Can they enjoy the festive season and spread the Christmas cheer to those around them??

You will be drawn into the story and lives of Simon and Nora and the people in the community. It’s unputdownable.

Everything the author has described has been done so brilliantly that you’ll feel like you’re one of the community sat in the pub, in the bookshop or walking around the Cotswold town.

I absolutely loved this book and the characters. I recommend that you have tissues to hand when you start reading this book as there are bits in the book you’ll need them for.

Some sensitive topics are dealt with in the storyline. It shows that a small gesture can make a big difference in someone’s life. If only, everyone could follow examples of the characters in this book.

A book I would, definitely recommend and will read others by this author in future.

I really enjoyed this book curled up in front of my fire and wrapped in a blanket. It was a real feel good book and I enjoyed the main characters

I would love to have had a bit more about each of the 6 recipients of the book as I think these stories could have been developed even more but I still loved them

Would make a great Hallmark movie!

A very heart warming ready! A real warm hug of a book. A first for me by Anne Marie but will definitely be looking out for more. Grab a hot chocolate and warm blanket and curl up with this book this winter u won’t be disappointed!