Thank you firstly to Netgalley and publisher for letting me read this lovely book, I love the cover it’s full of Christmas joy and suits the storyline perfectly. A great book to snuggle down with a hot chocolate and enjoy. Loved it as with all of Cressida McLaughlin’s books. The characters are memorable, a very easy read.

What a festive gem of a book! Yes, it's obviously a Christmas story; yes, you can guess fairly early on what is going to happen in the end (you hope!); yes, it's got a book theme running through it but who doesn't want all of that in a lovely warm hug of a book?! A wonderful village (which I want to move to tomorrow!), fantastic characters with such a sense of community, who all look out for each other, gorgeous sounding shops, eateries etc topped off with a large helping of a love story and new beginnings.

If you're looking for a festive read that will fill you with happy feelings all the way down to your toes, read this! You won't be disappointed!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review, which is what I have given.

The book was set in a lovely Norfolk seaside town and the characters were all well written and the book had a nice Christmassy feel to it. I found the storyline quite slow going and very descriptive, particularly around the notebook making and arranging the Christmas fayre. I am sure if you just want a cosy read you will enjoy this.

McLaughlin whisks us off for Christmas in the Norfolk seaside town of Mistingham, and what a treat that was.

This is a wonderful wintery tale that focuses on coming together, community spirit and finding home. There are some tougher subjects addressed within the story which are dealt with appropriately whilst retaining the overall lightness of the prose.

The whole cast of characters are likeable and more importantly, believable. But of course, Felix stole the show…which is just the way he’d want it!

This one will have you hankering for a seaside Christmas, with chips out the paper and the sea wind blowing in your hair.

I’ve read and enjoyed most of Cressida McLoughlin’s novels and this latest one is an excellent addition. It’s a perfect festive read. Set in a coastal village in the run up to Christmas there’s a strong cast of characters including a goat! The secret book deliveries provide for a background mystery. Some more serious issues are addressed, both main characters have had difficult childhoods and struggles in adult life but there’s also redemption and love. I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope there’s more to come from Missingham.

A beautifully written Christmas story filled with lots love love and friendship. Made me feel all Christmasy and full of festive cheer.
A book that definitely deserves a sequel.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I absolutely loved “The Secret Christmas Bookshop” by Cressida McLaughlin!

From the very first page, it wrapped me in a cozy, heartwarming embrace that I never wanted to leave.

I’m always drawn to books with “book” in the title—there’s something irresistible about stories centred around bookshops. Add a sprinkle of Christmas romance, and it’s a combination I simply can’t resist. Having devoured plenty of holiday novels and Hallmark movies, I thought I knew what to expect, but this novel offered so much more than the usual slow-burn romance. It felt fresh, with plenty of surprises that kept me hooked.

Cressida McLaughlin truly knows how to bring characters to life. Each one felt like someone I’d love to be friends with—warm, real, and full of personality. While I thought I had the mystery behind the bookshop figured out, that turned out to be just a small part of the story's charm. The real magic lay in the emotions. I was swept away by the mix of innocent new love, deep friendships, and unexpected tear-jerking moments. I found myself reaching for tissues more than once—something I never expected from a Christmas romance!

Set in a charming seaside village, the atmosphere is perfect for cozy winter reading. Picture yourself lighting a candle, grabbing a cup of tea, and snuggling under a blanket as you immerse yourself in this enchanting world. I could almost feel the sea breeze and smell the festive fish and chips! The chemistry between Sophie and Harry was so natural and sweet, but Felix truly stole my heart!

This was my first Cressida McLaughlin novel, and I’m kicking myself for not discovering her sooner! I’ve already added all of her other books to my wish list and can’t wait to dive in. The pacing was spot on—fast enough to keep me turning the pages, yet with plenty of time to savour the cozy, heartwarming moments. If you're searching for the perfect, feel-good, happy-ever-after Christmas romance, “The Secret Christmas Bookshop” is the one. If I could give it more than five stars, I absolutely would!

This warm and cozy read is just right for the festive season .
The Bookshop 8n the title is slightly misleading as it has been closed for several years, secretary book distributor may be a more accurate description.
Sophie’s Steven’s has trust issues, stemming from her time in foster care, and finds it difficult to commit to one place or person, leaving before she can be let down. But Mistringham is different. It has everything she wants, needs and wishes for, but can she recognise this before running away again?
I loved the characters, funny, loyal, hard working and community minded. Would be lovely to live in a plac3 like Mistingham..

This is a story of Sophie and Harry, who are thrown together in a bid to run the village's Christmas festivities. A heart warming story. How will they fare after not getting off to the best start? Also, there is a secret book gifter. Sophie tries to establish who the mystery benefactor is. A well written story that gives you the good feel vibes. I love this author's writing.

I was lucky enough to receive a free advanced copy and leave this review of my own free will.

have had a hiatus from the Cornish Cream Tea Bus series for a while and it was a pleasure picking up a new book by Cressida McLaughlin.

Somehow, the plot (maybe it was the setting of the goats and cliffs and dogs and small village life) was calming, in spite of the small dramas that happened in the story and I very much enjoyed my meals with the book for the past 3 days and giggling about the antics of Felix the goat. It was very refreshing to read about a pet goat all in all. I am looking forward to the next book in the series!

I'm trying to avoid spoilers but I enjoyed the book thoroughly and thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I was absolutely gripped to this story from the moment I started to read it. It is a perfect easy seasonal read and most wonderful Christmas time story with lots of feel good factors. It is set in a great location which you can picture clearly from the writing and I am hopeful this is the start of a new series.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Adored this book, which I hope is the start of a new series.

Great characters, a location I would love to move to, talk about books and a mischievous Pygmy goat called Felix - just what you need on a damp dull autumn day to make you LOL in places.

A sweet holiday romance set in a snowy seaside village. When Sophie gets a surprise package containing a beautiful book, she wants to find out who sent it. Her search leads her to Harry, a mysterious man who has just come back from London and lives alone in an old manor house. As Sophie and Harry spend time together, they discover that some stories can turn into something special. This heartwarming tale is perfect for the holiday season and shows that love can be a wonderful surprise.

Sophie Stevens is enjoying her time is the village of Mistingham. She has a concession in a local shop to sell her handmade notebooks and she has friends. But, as the end of the year gets closer, Sophie feels the familiar restlessness begin to creep in. She never stays anywhere for long, that way she stays in control and avoid getting hurt.
Then a package is delivered to her. A beautifully bound copy of her favourite book, Jane Eyre, but she has no idea who sent it.
Harry Anderly is spending his time restoring his family’s manor house on the edge of the village. Leaving the villagers to speculate that he is grumpy and standoffish.
Sophie volunteers to help organise the Christmas Festival. Hoping t will give her a way of finding our who sent the book What she’s not expecting is that she will be working with Harry on the event. As Sophie tries to find out who sent the book she uncovers more than she expects, but will it be enough to ease her fears and convince her to take a chance.
This book has a great cast of characters, a lovely setting and oozes Christmas charm. Perfect to get you in a Christmassy mood.

This was a delightful story, with lots of feel good factors and a few sharp bits to keep it true. Some really good characters, including the animals and a lovely ending especially for Christmas.

If you are looking to start your festive reads now in October and not sure where to start then The Secret Christmas Bookshop by Cressida McLaughlin is a great place to start in my opinion because it is a cosy winter romance without being to heavy on the festivity.

This is a new standalone from Cressida and introduces us to a whole host of new characters who are big on community spirit and traditions. Our main character Sophie has never had a place to call home that is permanent which offers solid foundations, stability and love. Having always been ready to up and run as soon as she starts to set down roots anywhere and start again in a way of protecting herself from making strong bonds and face getting hurt, her first instinct is to run and start again.

I adored not only this storyline but also Sophie as a character, she has a dream job making notebooks which really intrigued me being such a big stationery addict myself but I also really warmed to her character. She was such a loveable woman who I was hoping I would see let her barriers down and let those around her who love her to help her feel safe and secure to be able to actually start living her life rather than always being on the run.

There was a lovely romance blossoming and yes you could see this romance happening a mile off but that's fine with me as I was still so preoccupied trying to get to the bottom of the mystery of who was behind the secret book shop book gifts which I still hold my hands up and say I didn't solve until the point before they were discovered.

I will say at times I was so frustrated with Sophie and wanted to give her a good shake and a hard wakeup call but luckily our characters felt the same as me and gave her some tough love for me!



This was a heart-warming romance that was full of community spirit and learning to trust again to be able to truly start living.

I’ve been enjoying Cressida McLaughlin’s books for quite a few years now. So when I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Secret Christmas Bookshop, I jumped on it.

I loved this book. I loved the setting, which is beautiful and comes across really well. I loved the mix of people who live there, and how they affect Sophie. I love how they work together for the community.

I really loved Sophie, who has not had the best upbringing, and so protects herself. I loved the fact that she makes handmade notebooks. I also loved Harry. He seems like a bit of a grump, but is actually lovely. And I was really pleased by the fact that Sophie didn’t fall for him because of the grumpiness, but because of the loveliness. I loved the way their relationship was written - you could feel the caring, rather than just being told it was there.

I also loved how Christmassy this book was. The festive atmosphere just oozed out.

Overall, this was such a lovely, festive hug of a book. Don’t miss it!

I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

I was grip to the story from the first few pages I loved the characters I know would get together I was just so pulled onto the plot I could ee the manor and town it my head I loved being part of the Christmas community live all the characters they all had a part to play in the plot very good I recommend to you all fab live the writing style

The story centers on Sophie, a complex protagonist shaped by a difficult upbringing, which has left her guarded and hesitant to trust. I found her to be a compelling character. Opposite her is Harry, the brooding new Lord of the manor, who initially comes off as antagonistic but has hidden depths. Their dynamic works well, with both characters complementing each other like two sides of the same coin. Harry’s love for books instantly makes him likable.

The book is filled with a colorful cast of characters—friends, family, neighbors, and even pets. The idyllic village of Mistingham in Norfolk, especially during Christmas, feels like the perfect cozy setting.

Though predictable, the story’s warmth and feel-good nature are part of its charm. It’s a comforting, uplifting romcom with a guaranteed happy ending, which is exactly what I wanted. I read it in one sitting and found myself lost in the village, the romance, and the festive atmosphere. While it concludes satisfyingly, I hope there’s more to come from Mistingham in future books.

Overall, this is a heartwarming, nostalgic read that fills you with joy and warmth, perfect for cozy winter nights.

I love Cressida’s books and was pleased to get hold of an advanced copy thanks to Netgalley.
The story focused on the town of Mistingham with its human and animal inhabitants. The main characters of Sophie and Harry had a depth to them which I felt made them more interesting. I especially enjoyed reading about the adventures of Felix the sweater wearing goat. Despite following the usual format of girl meets boy there was plenty going on in the book for it to feel enjoyable. During the times I was unable to pick the book up due to other commitments I was thinking ‘ I wonder what’s happening in Mistingham’ as if it was a real place.
Many thanks Cressida, Netgalley and Harper Collins for the advanced e book.