A sequel to the delightful Christmas Bookshop published last year, this novel picks up the story of Carmen and Oke. A disastrous encounter leads to their breakup, and the next year passes quickly by. Once again, the Christmas season sets up a problem to solve for the bookstore, a developer who wants to turn the charm of the historic district into souvenir shops. Plus Carmen’s sister thinks Carmen has lived in her home long enough, and needs to be on her own. As Carmen and her friends work to save the bookstore from financial disaster, and fend off the developer who wants it, the snowy season once again brings Oke back to town. A bit predictable and just a touch irritating in that Carmen and Oke ascribe their own interpretations to the other's silence furthering misunderstandings for far too long. Still, it has the happy ending we look for in a charming, holiday story.

During a hot spell here, it was lovely to escape into Jenny Colgan's world for a bit. This is a sequel to The Christmas Bookshop, but it could be read on its own. I have never been disappointed in any of Jenny's novels, including this one. I am sure our library patrons will enjoy reading it this fall!
One minor thing-it did bother me that spellings of certain words had been Americanized (for example, mom instead of mum).

“…one sole reminder of a day when to read books was considered to be the greatest of all achievements; to write and read the way to a better, more peaceful world” (Colgan 151). This book, like the others in this series, serves as a love letter to Scotland and the written word. While the book was a bit of a slow starter for me, it pulled me in just as the others in this series have. The rich descriptions of Edinburgh, an engaging cast of characters, and a bookstore I very much wish was real make for a charming story. Threads from the earlier books in the series are woven seamlessly in, and I am hoping there are more volumes in this series.

I'm always a sucker for a Colgan novel, and this was no exception. She is great at writing dialogue and, while somewhat predictable, leaves you feeling happy with the outcomes. Her books always leave me wanting more and more. We will definitely purchase for the collection as I've gotten a lot of our patrons hooked on her writing! :D

There is nothing better than catching up with old friends!!
Thanks to Jenny Colgan we get to catch up with Carmen, her sister, Sofia, boyfriend, Oke and Mr. McCredie, the bookshop owner; as well as meet some new characters.

The bookshop is still facing financial challenges, and maybe the savior is the local junk souvenir king, Mr. McClockerty. Sofia hires Rudi, as her “Manny” and Carmen is forced to find a new home. Oke wins a chance to return to the Brazilian jungle for research and Carmen is left alone. Colgan deftly weaves their stories and neatly ties them up for a perfect Christmas present.

An enjoyable read with the bonus of Christmas on Victoria Street in Edinburgh!

Thank you to NetGalley for an early eArc in exchange for a honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! Jenny Colgan has been one of my favorite authors for a while now. So when I saw this one I knew I needed it! Jenny’s story’s alway make me feel good. This one especially because it was Christmas themed. I’m 1000% purchasing it to read again during the holidays.

Thank you netgally and Jenny Colgan for allowing me to read this for an honest review.

This book is a sequel to “The Christmas Bookshop,” although it isn’t necessary to have read that one to enjoy the story of what happens next.

Carmen Hogan is 30, and works as an assistant to Mr. McCredie’s bookshop on Victoria Street in Edinburgh. She has a boyfriend, a dendrologist (tree expert) named Oke Benezet, but he doesn’t seem to want to have sex with her. Carmen is humiliated, they fight, and Oke leaves to go on a study trip to the Amazon rainforest.

She has been living with her older sister Sofia, but Sofia is planning to hire a full time childcare giver, and there is no more room for Carmen in the house.

So Carmen is alone, in need of housing, and worst of all, the bookshop is failing. It will take more than one miracle to change all the disasters in her life to something more positive.

Evaluation: This lovely feel-good Christmas story will melt your heart. It is full of Colgan’s trademark snarky and self-deprecating humor, but filtered through the gauzy, snowy glitter of Christmas. There's even a hint of magic, although it might just be another way to show how love works. It is also a love letter to sisters, to Edinburgh, and a celebration of joy and friendship. Fans of Colgan won’t be disappointed!

A perfect read to get into the Christmas spirit! Colgan describes the city of Edinburgh as a Christmas wonderland, full of cold, snowy fun and cheer. Our heroine, Carmen, still lives in her sister’s basement, struggling to keep her boss’ book shop afloat. Throughout the story (and with the help of some terrific, eccentric characters) she figures out what’s important to her and how she can make a difference. This is a charming, positive romance that’s tough to put down.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy.

Loving Christmas made it very easy to choose this quaint, artful and festive Holiday read about Edinburgh Scotland.
Jenny Colman with Holiday flare describes and leads the reader through the hardship of McCredie’s little old town bookshop and what optimistically led to its saving Grace. Carmen, the manager lives with her sister, ( Sofia) and their family but quarters are tight with the arrival of another baby, Jack and with Sofia heading back to work, the new “manny”, Rudi is moving in. Carmen’s long time love, Oke (okay), has hesitation moving forward in their relationship for his own reason but doesn’t share with Carmen. Out of frustration she ends things and he decides to take a trip to the Amazon. He gets malaria and Mary, his neighbor who had a lifelong love interest in him takes care of him and tries to keep his thoughts away from Carmen. Meanwhile Carmen is working at the bookstore trying to keep it afloat in the midst of a challenging time. Adjacent shops are taken over by an overbearing rude Mr McClockerty, who sells cheap touristy items for cheap prices. Carmen is determined to stand up and find ways to save the struggling bookstore. The bookstore is offered to have a tacky Christmas movie filmed featuring the bookstore and Carmen hesitantly takes the offer to make even the mediocre amount of money she can. She’s in love with the quaint narrow historical Victorian street that encompasses her bookstore and the other shops. She takes free money and makes a few changes with the help of friends and neighboring shop owners to keep McCredie’s afloat.
The unique relationships, exquisite parties, and happenings in this close knit community resolve in good heartedness and kindness. Christmas brings joy, snow, the familiarity of children’s Holiday books by a warm fire. McCredie’s envelopes into a world of ornate and hard to find books, guiding its future into holiday hope! Carmen’s determination and the angst of holding onto passion for McCedie’s and Oke lead to new opportunities and prospect. Read this joy of a story.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC for honest review.

Perfect read for Christmas time! It’s only June and I’m wishing for Christmas after reading this. Definitely puts you into the Christmas mood. The romance in this particular book wasn’t exactly in the forefront, but it still was a fun and uplifting story. There was great banter and interesting characters. Another great story from Jenny Colgan.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for the arc of this book.

Another fun read from Jenny Colgan.

Carmen is still living in her sisters basement and working at bookstore. Having broken up with her boyfriend, she contemplates what it is she is supposed to do with her life. Surrounded by and eccentric and fun group of friends and acquittances, she slowly find where she is meant to be and what her purpose is. Set in Edinburgh, the descriptions of the city are excellent. You grow to become fond of this group.

Another light and uplifting story from Jenny Colgan. Women’s Fiction with humor and wit taking up more space than the actual romance (the romance honestly felt kind of secondary here which was fine with me ). A sequel to The Christmas Bookshop: bookstore manager Carmen Hogan deals with an obnoxious millionaire anxious to turn the lovely street into a tacky Souvenir Row, getting booted out of her sister’s lovely home to make room for a charming, one-armed manny, and her own pining for the love of her life whom she somehow scared off to the wilds of the Brazilian jungle.

Great banter, ridiculous and yet utterly believable plot twists, and characters that are interesting and yet normal at the same time because people actually are interesting if you go just the tiniest bit below the stereotype. Lots of fun to read.

Spend time in Edinburgh at Christmas. Cheer on Carmen and wish Oke well. Nothing like a bookshop in Scotland to make you in a christmas mood. Great story.

I'm disappointed. I just couldn't connect with the characters or story. I totally loved "The Christmas Book Shop" and was really looking forward to spending more time with these delightful characters, especially snarky Carmen and her niece, Phoebe. I was also excited to find out the next chapter in the Oke/Carmen story (even though he did have a man bun!).

There were some very satisfying snarky dialogue of which Ms. Colgan is a master and I did enjoy the first 5% and last 5% of the story a lot. However, I found most of the book kind of depressing and it seemed that Carmen and Oke's story seemed too dragged out like it should have just been a novella or a short story. There were some parts of the book that I skimmed; something I don't think I've ever done with a Jenny Colgan.

So, bottom line, not really my cup of tea. My suggestion would be to read Colgan's other upcoming book, "The Summer Skies" which was marvelous. I'd give this one a pass.

Readers are able to return to the delightful world of McCredie’s Edinburgh bookshop. Shop manager, Carmen isn’t thrilled to have a movie production company using the bookshop as a backdrop for a schlocky Christmas movie, but the money proves to be invaluable. Not only is she able to create new window displays to bring in more customers, but she’s also able to wage war against the man who wants to take over this shop to sell fake Scottish tat for tourists. Colgan’s books are filled with warm, personable characters and charming settings. a balm for the soul