Jenny Colgan does not disappoint with this new Christmas book. It’s filled with quirky characters set in Edinburgh Scotland. You will fall in love with the town. If you’re in the mood for a fresh feel good story this the one. I can’t wait to hand sell this book.

This is a very enjoyable sequel to The Christmas Bookshop. Carmen, the bookshop manager must find a way to keep the bookshop going without selling out to a tacky souvenir seller. Between misunderstandings and creative solutions, she finds a way to keep the bookshop afloat and finds love in the bargain. I recommend Jenny Colgan books to anyone who likes a good story along with a little romance. Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this book in return for my honest opinion.

Jenny Colgan takes readers back to Edinburgh, Scotland for part two of the story that began in her 2021 holiday novel, The Christmas Bookshop. Picking up where book one ended, this new novel follows Carmen and Oke (pronounced okay) through the next year as they navigate life's challenges together and then apart.

I would describe Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop as women's fiction, or possibly contemporary fiction, though it also has strong romantic elements. The primary focus, however, is definitely on Carmen and her journey of growth which is filled with peaks, valleys, hilarity, and a fair share of awkward moments. I love the relationship that has developed between Carmen and Mr. McCredie, the quirky, elderly owner of the bookshop where she works. There's frustration, exasperation, gratitude, and a boatload of affection between these two. There are, in fact, a whole group of quirky characters who populate the quiet street in old Edinburgh where the bookshop resides. Colgan really brings them, and their street, to life in vivid detail, immersing me into their daily lives as they navigate the ups and downs of a changing landscape as a greedy purveyor of tacky tourist shops slowly worms his way into their neighborhood.

The tenuous and tricky relationship between Carmen and her sister is again front and center. Things are changing at her sister's house, where Carmen came to stay for a few months while getting back on her feet and has now been there a year. Family dynamics are another area where Colgan excels with realistic and complex tension between the sisters, children who steal every single scene they're in, and a new "manny" who provides laugh-out-loud humor along with surprisingly wise advice and more than a few temptations.

The one area where I felt a bit let down in this second novel is the romantic relationship between Carmen and Oke. They break up at the beginning of this book, with Oke returning to his native Brazil for a six-month scientific expedition in the Amazon. We follow them individually through Carmen's POV in the majority of the book with Oke's POV popping up in an occasional chapter here and there and no communication between the two until the end of the book. Though I understand the importance of Carmen's individual growth, I enjoyed their scenes together in book one and really missed that in book two.

Overall, I enjoyed Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop. It was engaging, gave me a taste of the holidays in Edinburgh, made me laugh in places, cringe in others, and brought home the happy ending I was hoping for. This is a book that I strongly recommend reading after you have read The Christmas Bookshop.

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley. Fair and unbiased review.

I've been wanting to try one of Jenny Colgan's books for a while now, so I was excited to see that she had a holiday book coming out this year. I loved Colgan's style of writing, the characters she creates, and the overall feel good, cozy vibes of this story. One issue I had was that I didn't realize this was the second book in a series so I did feel a little lost at times since I had clearly missed out on some happenings from the first book. It didn't completely hamper my enjoyment of the book but I think it would have easily been a 5 star read if I had read the first book. That's one me though so definitely go grab a copy of this one if you enjoy Colgan's books.

I always love Jenny Colgan, but this one just missed the mark for me. I had such a hard time keeping the characters and storyline straight.

A story about a bookshop had my attention as I love to read. Unfortunately, by chapter 4, I still couldn't get interested in the story. It is set in Scotland and is about Carmen who works in the bookshop. She has had a bad breakup and lives with her sister who "has it all".

The first three chapters were all about setting the storyline. There was so much detail, I easily got lost on who was who. I hoped the fourth chapter would start being more interesting. It wasn't and was still going on about the background set up.

At this point, I gave up on completing the rest of the book. If a story cannot hook me, at least, by the end of the second or third chapter, it is a no-go. Life is too short to struggle through a book that is supposed to be a fun read.

Follow-up to the Christmas Bookshop - while I enjoyed this story, I had to re-acquaint myself with the characters from the first book, and I feel like it would be a bit hard to follow if you haven't read the first book. The story was ok, it didn't feel much like a Christmas story, which I was expecting more of. I do like Jenny Colgan's books and would definitely read her books in the future, but this one was just ok for me. I could have put it down at any time without being too interested in the outcome of the story. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

This was a fun Christmas read about a book store and the owner. It was a really easy read and I enjoyed the storyline. The book just reminds me how magical Christmas cab feel.

This book started off really cute, but after page 180, it just fell flat for me. I felt like nothing was happening and everything was just a big filler. I also didn’t like how Oke’s chapters weren’t marked that it was him. Turn the page to read about Carmen and kept having to re-orient myself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

Carmen Hogan has opened up her quant little bookshop in Edinburgh to be the back drop of a holiday movie, after all the shop really needs the revenue, otherwise it will be turned into one of those trashy tourist traps full of knickknacks and Nessie dolls. She likes the distraction of working to make the bookshop a success because it keeps her from thinking about...him. Oke was only in Edinburgh for a short while but he and Carmen had a real connection until he took a job in the Amazon jungle and left her behind without another word. Carmen had be living in the basement with her sister's family but with a new nanny moving in she has been asked to leave. How did her life become so turned upside down? She's hoping the Christmas season will lift her spirits and transform her life.

I am a huge fan of Jenny Colgan's work and have read a bunch of her other books so I was excited to get an early copy of her newest release. I did not know this was the second in the series and had not read the first so I was a bit lost with the connections and it does not feel like a true standalone. I liked Carmen especially when she was interacting with her nieces. I did not enjoy Oke's storyline and felt like it was out of place but that could be because I missed the first book. I love Colgan's writing style and she kept me engaged. This is a light Christmas read but very enjoyable for the holiday season.

Another cute fun book by Colgan. Her book are light and always have happy ending. The rooms above the shop though? When can I move in?

Christmas books are one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. I love losing myself in a world of snow, presents, family, and traditions. Jenny Colgan wrote a book that gave me all that and took me into a bookstore with unique titles, a grumpy owner, and a secret upstairs.

I really enjoyed reading Carmen’s story. She has an interesting life. Living with her sister’s family, working at the bookstore, and possibly falling in love. Of course, the road to life is not easy but Carmen takes each bump as it comes and does her best to figure out how to come out for the better on the other side.

If you are a Christmas book reader, pick up this book! Enjoy the cute setting, the fun characters, and the storyline that will bring Edinburgh to life.

3.25 frosty stars

Set in Edinburgh, this one made me wish I could travel there! Picture a quaint street with a bookstore, magic shop, and hardware store. Much of the action happens at McCredie’s Old Town Bookshop, and we meet the eccentric owner and the bookstore manager, Carmen.

An American film company has come to town in the summer to film a holiday movie, and the fake snow is everywhere. Carmen tries to capitalize on things as the bookstore struggles to make ends meet. It’s especially hard when a new player in town is coming in and stocking very touristy items and trying to take over shops.

Carmen’s love life is not ideal as she broke up with a boyfriend, and she feels very alone and unloved. Will there be love for her in the holiday season? Will her efforts to open up the bookstore result in saving it?

I have read a few of Jenny Colgan’s books, and I like the characters that she creates and the story she spins. I was excited to see this one with a holiday theme! I didn’t realize it was really a continuing story with the characters, so I will definitely go back to read that one.

*This was gifted to me via NetGalley and review has been shared on GoodReads! Thank you!**

This one took me a little longer to trudge through than anticipated, but I would not necessarily call that a negative thing. This novel was like a best friend you have not seen in a long time, and every time you meet or talk, you just jump right back into the friendship like no time has passed. It is unassuming, easy to handle, and leaves you with a warm feeling.

Carmen works at a bookshop on a historical street in Edinburgh, but her life is anything but a storybook tale. She has a messy love life, is mooching off of her sister (she may argue this point, ha!), and her life is going to getting turned upside down against her best wishes. This novel explores Carmen’s relationship with her bookshop, the people around her, and her future.

I would recommend this to anyone who wants an unassuming novel without a ton of twists and turns; something to ease into and out of at a gentle pace. I enjoyed every moment I shared with Carmen, and I am glad I got to glimpse into not only her life, but effortlessly into everyone’s around her as well. 4 stars!

Five stars! My interview on While You Were Reading, a podcast for contemporary romance readers is here:

https://www.whileyouwerereading.com/episodes/midnight-at-the-christmas-bookshop-jenny-colgans-charming-christmas-love-story-will-put-you-in-the-holiday-spirit

This is my first book by this author or for any Scottish author for that matter. I didn’t realize that this was the sequel to New York Times Bestseller “The Christmas Bookshop.” Since the characters weren’t reintroduced nor the first book summarized, I had the feeling that I had started the book in the middle.

Carmen Hogan was the manager at McCredie’s Old Town Bookstore, located in the quaint historic district in Edinburgh. The picturesque area is comprised of one-of-a kind family-owned shops that provided unique products.

Even though the shop was a favorite with the locals and seasonal tourists, it was struggling financially and the owner, Mr. McCredie, had no idea how to rescue it. Adding to the shop’s dire existence, a wealthy entrepreneur is scavenging the area with the intent of buying all the shops and making them into corporate owned stores selling cheap souvenirs.

Carmen found a production company that wanted to make a Lifetime-like Christmas movie with the old-fashioned bookshop as the backdrop. The small windfall would keep them afloat for a time.

The storyline appeared to skip around, the characters weren’t fully developed, and there was a large amount of Scottish slang. The culmination of these things made the book hard to follow and I couldn’t connect with the characters. My response the book may have been significantly different had I had started with book one. The Christmas Bookshop received rave reviews and I recommend it be read prior to moving onto book two.

I will certainly read other books by this author to review her more thoroughly. I know she has many fans and I’d like the chance to be a fan as well.

I received this advanced reader’s copy from Author Jenny Colgan, Avon Publishing, and NetGalley. This is a voluntary review, and all comments and opinions are entirely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an e-arc!!

I read the Christmas Bookshop when it first came out, so I was excited to see there was a sequel and I would be able to read more about Carmen, Oke, Mr.McCreedy and the rest of the gang!

Carmen is struggling in most aspects of her life- she is currently living with her sister, who is lightly encouraging her to move out, there are miscommunications happening in her love life and her job may even be at stake as a rich developer eyes all of the shops on the street.

As she tries to sort all of these things out, her main focus is on the future of the bookstore. The beloved store is barely making ends meet, even with a movie being filmed there attracting increased attention. However, some new ideas give Carmen the hope she needs to believe in the future of the bookstore-and herself.


This book is multi POV, and it was interesting to follow along with Sophia’s and Oke’s stories as well as Carmen’s. I also enjoyed the introduction of Rudi, a unique and charming character you can’t help but love.

If you’ve read the Christmas Bookshop, you need to pick this one up as well!

Readers will want to read The Christmas Bookshop before reading this book to really enjoy the story. Enjoyable but quirky characters add humor. Loved the kids. Survival of the bookstore is at the forefront but needed more Christmas.

Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop by Jennie Colgan takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland and features a century-old bookstore that is so deep that it runs into the house behind it, where up a couple of stairs, the owner lives in a three-story home. He only uses the bottom of it (he’s very old). Carmen works for him and is doing everything she can to get him to join the modern world, sell some of the thousands of books he is hoarding, and generally clean the place up so they can make some money. She isn’t paid enough to afford a place to live so she lives in the basement of her sister’s house. Her sister, with three, then four children. She also has a boyfriend, Oke, a Brazilian named Oke (pronounced OK) who is upsetting her with the lack of his desire for a physical relationship. It is an odd book, written at time when shops like hers are charming, but not money makers and some owners in the street are selling off to people who are making money by selling cheap souvenirs, made overseas. Then, Oke announces is is going an a study of the Amazon and will be gone for six months.

I have been seeing a lot of hype about this book, and while it was cute, I felt it was a little muddy. Some of the characters were excellent and very well-written. The overall plot was good with lots of twists and turns. Other characters were living lives as well, go figure. It did make me feel as if I were in Scotland, with the mention of things I’m familiar with. Brazil, not so much.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop by Avon and Harper Voyager, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #AvonAndHarperVoyager #JennieColgan #MidnightAtTheChristmasBookshop

Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan is my first read by this author. When I picked this book to read I did not know there was a ‘first’ book. I thought it was me at first when I felt like I was thrown in a washing machine and spun around a few time. I had not a clue of who these characters were and how they got there. Apparently to stave yourself of the confusion others have suggested that reading the first book will help.

All that being said, there was way too much drama for me. The main character is a drama Queen. She is either screaming, pouting, fretting or complaining. Her sister is no better. Her boyfriend is not very confident and has no idea that communication is the key to relationships.

There are a lot of characters in this book and since I did not read the first one I was completely lost until at least half way through the book. The book takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The street where the book shop is reminiscent of a present day Diagon Alley from Harry Potter.

The one character I liked was Rudy the new manny. He brought levity and charm to a very confusing story. Sorry not one I would recommend unless you decide to read the first one and I can’t even guarantee that you will be pleased.

I would like to thank Avon Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.