I've been a fan of Jenny Colgan's work for many years now and this book, like most of hers, did not disappoint. Jenny has a lovely way of writing that makes you feel as if you never want the books to end. I'd recommend this to anybody who wants to get into the Christmas spirit!

Oh, I adored this book so much & read it in two mammoth reading sessions as I didn’t want to put it down.
I am perhaps slightly biased as Edinburgh is my very favourite city, and I travel there once a week to study at the university (which features in this book, whoop!). I loved being able to fully conjure vivid pictures in my mind as I read the author’s wonderful descriptions alongside my own memories of certain parts of the city mentioned.
Jenny Colgan’s love for Edinburgh infuses this entire book, it’s like the story is encased within a love letter to the city. I usually rush to/from the train station getting to my destination as quickly as possible. However, the descriptions in this book, as main character Carmen begins to explore her way around the city, made me change my route, slow down and remember to look up at all the wonderful architecture, history and hidden stories this beautiful city has within it. After finishing this book on my train journey into Edinburgh I made a detour to take in Victoria Street and as I walked amongst the colourful shops it was easy to imagine the wonderful-sounding book shop crammed full of interesting characters that Jenny Colgan so perfectly creates.
This is a fantastic book, filled with family, friendships, festivities and blossoming romance. Absolute perfection for Christmas-time.

Oh guys, Jenny Colgan has did it again - she wrote a perfectly festive, warm, incredibly funny and, at the same time, poignant, clever and engaging story. I am now desperate to visit Edinburgh, in winter! There was everything I was hoping for and much, much more:
- the characters. Shortly, I loved how it made a circle with Phoebe, who was exactly the same as Carmen. And of course all the other characters, who felt so real and genuine, that were full of flaws but also full of warmth.
- the absolutely inimitable writing style that makes you want to keep reading and reading
- the setting - gorgeous!
- the plot itself - loved it! The idea of saving a bookshop over Christmas and adding all the other subplots, it was simply perfect. I couldn't put the book down, I wanted to see what's going to happen and if Carmen will manage to save the shop, and what actually the young Mr McCredie is hiding, and I loved his part
- the relationships, all kinds, were so brilliantly captured, with tons of feelings, emotions and love aurrounding them
I simply loved this story that already perfectly captured the Christmas spirit. It is anabsolute joy to read, filled with love and warmth and the best ever one - liners and some magic. Don't wait, treat yourself!

What a treat! I really enjoyed this book. It's the perfect Christmas read. I didn't want to put it down! The descriptions of Edinburgh were magical.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am always excited to read a new Jenny Colgan book as they are always such fun to read and this one was just as good as her others but with a Christmas theme. Set in Edinburgh this had all the elements I love. Christmas, bookshop, lots of warmth and cheer and a new baby. As well as a bit of romance thrown in. Such a feel good read this one definitely one to re read at this time of year. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This is one my favorite Jenny Colgan's book: it's a Christmas story but it's also the story of family relationships, of people who face changes and find their way.
Carmen is a ugly duck, a rebellious and unhappy woman who is saddled with a perfect sister, Sophie. Carmen is single and unemployed. Sophie is well off, married with children and seems to live a perfect live.
There's some romance, there're are lovely descriptions of Edimburgh, and tons of clever and interesting social remarks.
I couldn't put it down as I wanted to know what was going to happen to Carmen and if the struggling bookshop was going to survive.
It's a heartwarming story but there's multiple layers and some food for thought.
An excellent, riveting story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is very well written. I didn't want to put it down, as I found it so enjoyable and engrossing. It had some twists in it and I wasn't sure what was going to happen and how the book would end.
Carmen is not instantly likeable, she has flaws and she is very jealous of her perfect Sister. You know that it is not going to be easy for her to go and live with her Sister.
I loved the bookshop, and I loved reading about how Carmen was making improvements to it. I would definitely love the chance to do something like that. I was hoping that the Magic of Christmas would keep the bookshop open.
The descriptions of Edinburgh were very detailed. Christmas sounds wonderful there, with all of the sights and smells of Christmas. This is a very festive read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

A feel-good book for the festive season, capturing perfectly the spirit of Christmas.
The story is familiar territory, featuring books and rambunctious family members, a long-held secret and a developing romance. This is a story that you can’t help but smile at.
Our main character, Carmen, is rather the black sheep of the family. When she is coerced into going to stay with her perfect elder sister and work in an old bookshop we just know something exciting is going to happen.
I’ve only visited Edinburgh once, but love for the city permeates this book.
There’s plenty here to get your attention, and fans of Colgan will not be disappointed. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this before publication.

What an absolute joy this book is!! Wonderful warm hearted writing from Jenny Colgan!!
Carmen struggles with feeling less than her older perfect sister Sofia, who has seemingly a perfect job, husband, children and home. When Carmen's job in retail comes to an end, she has no choice but to stay with Sofia and work in a seasonal job organised by Sofia.
Written with love and warmth, loved the characters, great story and Christmas with the family! Some Christmas stories can be over sweet and too unrealistic., this one is just right! Absolutely loved this book and can highly recommend it!
Thank you to NetGalley for the early read! Much appreciated!

An enchanting tale, perfect for Christmas. Carmen is a rebel, of course she is not jealous of her successful sister Sofia and her perfect life and perfect marriage and perfect family. But when the department store that she has worked in forever closes there is no other option but to go to Edinburgh and stay with her sister. The magic of Christmas slowly filters through, who can resist the beauty of Edinburgh in winter, and Carmen starts to realise the importance of love and family. A heartwarming story.

Charming! Colgan strikes again! Honestly, this book is the very definition of Christmas cheer, tidings of comfort and joy. Not to rely too heavily on cliches, but she has a knack for cosy reads and her latest holiday work is no exception. Thank you so much for this ARC!

This is probably just what readers are expecting - a lovely, warm, easy Christmas read, the writing is great and the location really helps to get you into the festive spirit! I loved the evolving relationship between the two sisters too.

Another fantastic book from Jenny Colgan. The descriptions of walking through Edinburgh are so lovely and make wish I could go and visit and the setting of the book shop is perfection. Absolutely wonderful!

A wonderful warm Christmas story. Edinburgh sounded picture perfect and I loved the descriptions of Carmen’s walk to work each day at the bookshop. Her relationship with Mr McCredie was lovely and I found myself loving how Carmen opened up to Sofia and the children.

This is a beautifully festive book set in Edinburgh with Christmas just around the corner and lots of snow and magic in the air. Our leading lady, Carmen, took a while to grow on me . She was quite a negative person at the start with little social life, no job and no romance in her life and feeling quite sorry for herself. When she is invited by her posh sister, Sophia, to move to Edinburgh to work in a local bookshop which is pretty much dead in the wood, she reluctantly takes up the offer. The Bookshop run by an elderly man who prefers reading in the backroom to selling in the shop is in urgent need of modernising and Carmen has the task of turning things around before Christmas arrives! The bookshop owner is a lovely character and I enjoyed reading about him and his sad but fascinating back story. Carmen, who has no idea of how to react with children soon finds herself being won over by her sister's three little ones and succeeds where the nanny, nasty Skyla, fails. Also into the mix comes a famous but extremely selfish and egotistical author who shows an interest in Carmen - but is it genuine or selfishly motivated? The mysterious, quirky but lovely Oke is a kind and gentle man and there are hints of romance throughout the book but will anything come of it? It isn't until the final part of the book that this part of the story begins to unfold and I loved the latter part of the book more than the start - so much so that Id love there to be a follow up as I feel there is a lot more to Oke that readers would love to know. As the story progressed I found myself warming to Carmen who began to blossom in her new surroundings and became a much nicer and more positive woman. I enjoyed this story very much and would recommend it to anyone looking for a gentle, humorous and festive tale for Christmas reading. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for my honest and unbiased review.

A lovely beautiful read.
Being a bookseller I really hope we can have Christmas bookshop.
Romantic and warm I really didn’t want this book to end I want to read more of the characters.

What an absolutely delightful read! This warmed my heart so much 💖 it was so beautifully atmospheric it felt like Christmas magic bottled up in the shape of a book!!

I heard somebody say reading The Christmas Bookshop felt like a big hug and I couldn't agree more.

We follow Carmen who's in a little bit of a life rut as she moves in with her sister Sophia. Sophia asks Carmen's help to transform a clients bookstore!

This book has be counting the days till my favourite time of year 😂❤️ I can't wait to read this again in December!! Jenny tells such a fantastic story! This has become one of my favourite Christmas reads!!

This book was very close to my heart as it was set in my home city of Edinburgh.
It tells the story of Carmen and the rocky relationship she has with her sister Sophia.. when a client of sophias needs help to save his bookshop and losing everything she suggests Carmen helps him to turn his business around.
Carmen soon falls in love with the rundown bookshop as she brings it back to life, making friends with the other shop owners in Victoria Street. Blair is a writer who asks to use the shop for publicity. Blair is very self centred and thinks everyone loves him. Then Oke walks in to the shop and Carmens life changes.
Living in the centre of Sophias family she learns the value of being in a family and forming bonds with her nieces and nephew. Even although Skylar (the live in nanny) tries to spoil everything she does.
A beautiful book full of Christmas magic, made me fall in love with Edinburgh’s Christmas all over again.
Thank you Little, Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for an early copy of this book

I love Jenny Colgan books but this one has rapidly become my favourite. Set in Edinburgh at Christmas, the setting alone creates a magical festive atmosphere.
Our heroine , Carmen, is perfect as the girl who has nothing. No job, no boyfriend, no prospects but what she does have is a lot of regrets about lost opportunities and a bad case of envy regarding her seemingly perfect sister’s perfect life. So going to live with her sister whilst she is working in a hopeless temporary job her sister volunteered her for seems to add insult to injury. However, it’s Christmas, it’s magical abs Carmen isn’t as useless as she believes.
There is a love story involved but romance is really a side issue as Carmen has to love her job, her family and her self first.
I loved Carmen’s growing relationship with her sister’s children, especially little Phoebe and also her relationship with Mr Macreadie and the lovely little community of Victoria Road.
Colgan’s creation of atmosphere is impeccable: I already love Edinburgh but her creation of the magical world of The street made me want to rush to the bookshop for story time, the train set and to buy some of the beautiful books described.
Usually I have a new Christmas book to read on Christmas Eve. This year, for the first year, I will be re-reading this book. Absolutely perfect.

Oh how I adored this book! As much as it is a fictional read I also read it as a love letter to Edinburgh, a city I know and love.

As always we are treated to a love story, some very funny humour and a wonderfully written story - definitely a 5 star review from me.