This book is great. There's a bookstore, and a tchotchke
-loving obviously not Scotsman dedicated to turning every store into a gift shop with bad bagpipe music (yes, there *is* good bag pipe music), a Brazilian arborist with malaria and a love of the bookstore clerk, a broke bookstore clerk trying to keep her beloved bookstore afloat while pining for the Brazilian, and a one armed nanny.

Mostly I loved the way that this book low-key poked at misconceptions people have about Scotland and its traditions while talking about community and friendships.

Feel good read for sure with some comedy of errors elements and of course, the cozy that comes from having a bookstore setting.

#arc
#netgalley
#midnightatthechristmasbookshop

Nothing better to get me in the mood for Christmas than a Jenny Colgan book! Set in Edinburgh in an old bookshop full of musty books and quirky characters, this book is a holiday delight.

Take a trip to Scotland for the holidays!

Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop is the sequel to Jenny Colgan's The Christmas Bookshop and takes us back to McCredie's Old Town bookshop in Edinburgh. Carmen is back too and more relatable than ever as she dives into new situations when an American production company comes to film a Christmas movie at McCredie's and a business owner tries to turn Old Town into a souvenir village. As summer turns to fall and Christmas creeps up, Carmen will have to make some big decisions for McCredie's and for herself.

All I wanted to do was curl up next to a fire and pretend I was in the beautiful world that Colgan painted in the novel. Colgan has a way of transporting readers right into the scenes and creating characters one loves (and loves to hate). As an avid reader, I am always looking for books that are easy to fall in and easy to stay in. Books that feel like transportation devices, talking to a friend, or feel like home and somehow Jenny Colgan made Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop feel like all three.

For previous Colgan fans or anyone who loves a real, yet fun and beautiful story with lively characters and gorgeous scenery, this book is for you!

Once again, Jenny Colgan writes a cozy and heartfelt holiday novel. This one follows The Christmas Bookshop, which you should read before this one.

I loved all the characters surrounding the bookshop and Carmen's sister's family.. The three kids are always up to something. Carmen runs the bookshop and she tries to think of ways to make the bookshop more solvent. They need money to keep the store from being absorbed into the landlord's desire to make the bookshop more like a souvenier shop.

The descriptions of Edinburgh in winter make me want to hop on a plane and fly to Scotland.

The perfect Holiday read.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon.

This book takes us back the the Christmas Bookshop (McCredie's) and Edinburgh and picks up where the last book left off. Carmen is still trying to save the Christmas Bookshop from financial ruin, she is reeling from her breakup with Oke, her sister is trying to get her to move out, and a millionaire is trying to buy up the properties in Old Town and turn them into shops selling cheap tourist trinkets. She has managed to have the bookshop be the location for a Christmas movie that provides a little money. But things are changing, even Mr. McCredie is ready for an adventure. What is going to happen to the Christmas Bookshop and Carmen?

This is a story of family, and found family and changing to be true to yourself that is perfect read for the holiday season.

Sweet, funny, and full of quirky locals and precocious children -- not to mention romance, sisterly spats, and silly shenanigans -- this is Jenny Colgan showing her Christmas spirit, and it's oodles of fun.

Carmen is doing her best to fix up Mr. McCredie’s bookshop, but once the excitement of a movie being filmed there is over, so too go the steady stream of onlookers and customers. And with Mr. McCredie’s wish to go on an Antarctic expedition, Carmen is hard-pressed to find the money for that as well as even keeping the little shop open. A dreadful man who wants to buy the shop and turn it into a place of cheap, novelty junk looms daily outside the door. And a misunderstanding leads to Carmen and Oke’s breakup. Add to that her sister wanting a live-in nanny who will be taking over Carmen’s room, and now the poor girl is losing her place to live, boyfriend, and possibly job, right around Christmas. Luckily, surprises, good neighbors and friends abound and new ideas find a way to save the day. This was an eventual feel-good romantic drama, though it lacked the often ridiculously hilarious surprise element from many of Jenny Colgan’s novels. Carmen is, understandably, very complaining and angsty throughout much of the novel, and though Oke’s Quaker religion is included, it does seem that Carmen and maybe the author are suggesting that the best outcome for him is to renounce or compromise on much of his religious beliefs. This book seems a bit condescending of religion of any type (including Catholicism), and might rub some readers the wrong way for that reason. Carmen’s complaining, woe-is-me attitude also seems to stretch on longer than it should have, especially when challenged with what would be many reader’s dream (organizing an entire bookstore!). But all works out for the main characters in the end, as the readers have come to expect, and the location descriptions are lovely. An average, but not her best, bookshop book.

"Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop" is the second installment in this series that brings the holiday spirit to an Old Town bookshop in Edinburgh. Carmen Hogan, the shop's manager, finds herself in the middle of a Hallmark movie-like scenario as an American production company turns their charming street into a winter wonderland for a Christmas film. With the promise of good money, Carmen decides to embrace the chaos and use the funds to improve the shop, all while battling a persistent millionaire who threatens the bookshop's future.

This book captures the essence of a Hallmark movie in written form, delivering a cozy story centered around Carmen and her Christmas bookshop. However, compared to the first book in the series, this one felt slightly heavier and didn't quite hit the mark for the expected feel-good Christmas read. While some dialogues shine and the atmosphere is spot on, there was a disconnect with the characters in this particular story. Despite my love for the characters from the first book, I struggled to connect with them here. As a fan of the author's previous works, I had high expectations, but this one just wasn’t my cup of cocoa. Nevertheless, if you enjoyed the first book in the series, it's worth giving this one a try for a glimpse into the cozy Christmas world of McCredie's bookshop.

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Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop
Author: Jenny Colgan
Source: NetGalley
Pub. Date: 10/10/23
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Jenny Colgan is a favorite author of mine, and I have read many of her books, including the prequel to this novel. The story is set in Edinburgh, Scotland, as Carmen, the bookstore manager, wrangles a busy life as a film is being shot in the bookstore as well as trying to figure out how to turn a profit. Add to her money woes are her boyfriend woes, and Carmen seems deeply out of luck. A strange misunderstanding with Oke, her beau, has disappointing consequences that might have been resolved if they simply communicated better. The story was a wee bit slow and just okay. I would also have been happier with fewer characters. I had to keep a long list of their roles in the story. But Jenny Colgan rarely disappoints, and I’m hoping someday she sets another tale in the Isle of Mure. For the record, I traveled to Edinburgh this past summer, and it is as charming and beautiful as Jenny describes. #romance #Scotland #Edinburgh @netgalley #Christmas #badLuck #bookstore #luck #ChickLit @williammorrowbooks #JennyColgan
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I received a complimentary copy of this ARC. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to Avon Books, and the author for the opportunity to read this novel. Pub. Date: October 10, 2023.
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#book #books #bookAddict #BooksOfInstagram #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookshelf #reader #booklove #bookreader #reader #reviewer

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Jenny Colgan for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop coming out October 10, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Firstly, I really love Jenny Colgan’s books! I basically have all of them and I’ve read most of them. I enjoyed the first book in this series, so I wanted to check this one out. I love she writes so much about Scotland. It’s such an amazing place. I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me. They were separated for most of the book, so it didn’t feel like they should’ve even been together. It was missing some of the charm she has in her other bookshop novels. Christmas books are one of my favorite genres, but it just didn’t feel magical and fun. Carmen seemed bitter and with Oke gone, she had good reason to be. But it didn’t feel like her other books.

Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan is a Christmas comes early to the Edinburgh bookstore. Carmen is as sassy as ever but her home changes, the area around the bookstore sees changes and her relationships see changes, a lot of changes for any one including Carmen. The American movie company that wants to use the bookstore as the backdrop for the latest planned Christmas movie is not always shown in thee best light. However, their money does help to pay the bills. So this is a Christmas story about someone who doesn’t exactly feel the spirit of Christmas with every right to be feeling that way.

I did not read the first book or any book by this author before but wish I now had. Perhaps it would be best to read these two stories in order. I still have mixed feeling about the relationship between Carmen and Oke. Perhaps there will be a follow up book next year.

I had read the previous book and really liked it. I was excited to have the opportunity to read this next one early.
It wasn’t as heart warming or as Christmasy as I was expecting. Carmen annoyed me more in this book too.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Once again, Jenny Colgan spins the perfect, cozy, winter story! From the whimsical characters to the charming labyrinth of stacks in the back of the bookshop, Colgan makes me want to bundle under a blanket, sip hot cocoa, and curl up with this delicious story. I can only hope this story line will continue!

I received a free electronic ARC on NetGalley in exchange for this review, but all opinions expressed are my own.

Four stars. Jenny is one of may all time favorite authors. She never fails. Wonderful characters and plot. Will be recommending and reading anything in the future from this author. Thank you for the title.

Big thanks to NetGalley, Avon Publishing, and Jenny Colgan for an ARC of Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop.

After my absence in the Christmas Bookshop world for almost a year, I felt pulled right back into the storyline from the beginning. This book would be perfect for cozying up on a cold winter day to get into the holiday mood and see some growth in the characters you loved (or disliked) in the first book.

I have mixed feelings about the MC, Carmen, but perhaps those feelings make her more realistic? At times she is infuriating and selfish or rude and occasionally she is selfless (sometimes begrudgingly).
The movie/film storyline seemed like a small addition without much payoff in this book. Perhaps ripples will be seen later in the series if it continues.

If you enjoyed the Kirrinfief series, you may enjoy this loosely connected (so far) duology. If you haven’t read any Jenny Colgan, this series would be a great way to start setting the holiday mood in the coming months.

Carmen works at Mr. McCreedie’s bookshop in Edinburgh. She lives in her posh sister’s basement and is the loving aunt to her four kids. When she moved in, it was only supposed to be for a couple of months, but it has stretched into a year, and she has overstayed her welcome. She meets Oke, a Brazilian tree expert who teaches at the University, and she falls hard. The feeling is reciprocal, but they end up splitting up. In the meantime a vulturous businessman is after Mr. McCreedie to sell his beloved bookshop and turn it into an outlet selling cheap tourist trinkets.
What a charming Christmas novel! The setting is magical and the characters fantastic. Carmen and Rudi are hilarious and who couldn’t love the kiddos. A good book to snuggle up with and enjoy a perfectly delightful holiday romance! You won’t be disappointed.

A feel good Christmas novel with tons of seasonal touches that will get you in to the holiday spirit. Fans will love it and new readers will become fans- well worth the money!

Up front- I'm a huge Colgan fan because of the gentle, thoughtful yet always a little pointed nature of her novels. This is another heart warmer. It's Christmas in Edinburgh, Carmen is missing Oke horribly, and Mr. Mcredie might sell the bookshop to the horrible man who has bought other shops and turned them into tourist traps. Wait - it's not actually Christmas at first but instead a Christmas created by a film crew. Carmen's paddling to keep the store afloat even as her sister more or less finally evicts her to make room for the "Manny" when she goes back to work. And what a Manny he is! Carmen finds herself living at the bookshop, meeting new people, but still still missing Oke. This has some amusingly spicy suggestive spots involving others, chuckleworthy descriptions of people, and all the atmospherics of Edinburgh. And when the real Christmas rolls around again- no spoilers from me. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. An excellent read that made me smile.

I will preface this review by saying that I adore the authors work and will definitely be reading more in the future, but this was not my favorite of hers. And I also will say that while a lot of second books in a series can be read as a stand-alone, I don’t really feel like that can be said for this one as the story jumps right in where the first book leaves off so if you haven’t read the first book you may feel a little lost going in. Just my opinion.
That being said, I enjoyed revisiting the characters and of course, the setting and the bookshop! Carmen is still dating Oke, her Quaker boyfriend from Brazil, but they have a massive misunderstanding that leads to a breakup right as Oke is offered the opportunity to go on an expedition in the Amazon for six months. While Carmen regrets how they left things, she doesn’t want to force the situation, so she lets him go off as is and we get Oke’s POV while he’s away as well as he ends up with a horrible case of malaria and it causes him to rethink his relationships and his priorities. Carmen’s sister needs her to move out of her house because she needs to move her new nanny in, so Carmen needs to get herself sorted enough to find somewhere to live while also trying to keep the bookshop open and out of the hands of the millionaire trying to buy up all the shops on the street to turn them into tourist spots.
There was a lot going on in this one and a lot of characters to keep up with, which is another reason why I think you don’t want to jump into this one without having read the first. I think Rudi, the new manny, was my favorite character-he brought some levity and charm to an otherwise kind of heavy story.
A bookstore in Edinburgh at Christmas. It’s the dream.
Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

I love Colgan’s writing and Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan was another captivating story. The characters really drew me in, written so truthfully and so clearly.
It was so heartwarming and charming. Everything she writes is amazing.
Colgan always knows how to add just the right mix of romance, humor, and touch of intrigue. I absolutely adored this festive Christmas book about a bookshop. I love Jenny’s writing.
She was able to weave a beautiful Christmas story along with interesting stories about the characters. They are so fully developed and vibrantly depicted.
A heartwarming story that left me with a big smile on my face throughout it all.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Avon for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.