I love Christmas and all things Christmas-related, so this was the perfect read for me! 🎄 🎁

Merry Bingham loves Christmas. Her most favourite thing in the world is her family's heirloom copy of A Christmas Carol personally signed by Charles Dickens and passed down to her through the generations. When she learns she must undergo some medical tests to determine if she has cancer, Merry decides to hand the much treasured book to her children. Much to her shock they aren't interested in the book so Merry sells it and takes her husband and 3 adult children to London for Christmas. She's determined to bring the joy of Christmas to them despite her children bickering, her husband not speaking to her, the apartment they've rented not being up to scratch and the ghost t of Charles Dickens appearing to her.

While this book may appear to be a cosy story about a family Christmas gone wrong in every possible way, it is so much more. There's a surprising depth to this story which explores the relationships between the adult children and the impact on the family dynamics when a parent is confronted with their mortality. The book is tinged with sadness but leaves you with a sense of hope that even in mixed-up families like this one, miss-communication can be worked through when people care for each other.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I enjoyed reading a Christmas book in July. A cute take on a christmas carol. An easy christmas read. Thanks to Netgalley and Alcove Press for ARC.

A once-bright Yuletide spirit now dimmed, Merry Bingham grapples with the encroaching shadows of worry—family, fortune, and the inevitable chill of mortality. Her solace, a balm against the mounting anxieties, lies solely within the aged pages of an heirloom *A Christmas Carol*, its very ink touched by Dickens' own hand, a legacy tracing back five generations. As the specter of medical results looms, threatening to extinguish her final festive season, Merry faces the poignant task of relinquishing this cherished tome—only to find her three children unwilting to embrace its storied past. This narrative, a profound melancholic echo, resonated deeply within me.
Thanks to NeTGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book which publishes 9/23/2025

very Hallmark Holiday Movie meets something like Little Fires Everywhere and I love it for that. the writing is amazing, too. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

This was a cute twist on A Christmas Carol. While j liked a lot of the plot, I thought the writing style wasn’t the best. I think it could be really cute for the right reader.

I was initially drawn to Merry by Susan Breen because of its gorgeous, festive cover and the promise of a cozy Christmas story. However, I found that the subject matter took a much heavier turn than I expected, including themes of terminal illness and a cancer scare.
While I appreciate the author's effort to explore deeper emotional territory, it was unfortunately too triggering for me due to personal experiences, and I ended up not finishing the book. This simply wasn't the light-hearted holiday read I was hoping for.
That said, readers who are looking for a more poignant and emotionally complex Christmas story may find meaning in it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review

Merry
By: Susan Breen

This book was not a good fit for me due to some themes and content that was personally triggering for me involving illness. I thought the plot was very original and is likely very enjoyable for some audiences.

Content warnings: illness

Thank you to NetGalley & the author for access to this ARC in return for my honest review!

I would like to thank Net Galley and Alcove Press for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. This is a hard book to categorize. Is it fantasy, cozy fiction, or just bonkers? It is a little of all three. I liked it, but I also thought it was a bit much. Meredith Villard Bingham ( Merry), is a wife and mother of 3.She has a job scouting out old and rare books. She has a dog who talks to her. She also has an autographed copy of A Christmas Carol that is a family heirloom. She loves Christmas. A few weeks before Christmas, she falls from the roof where she was decorating. Not only does she have some cracked ribs, but there is a nodule on her lung. She needs tests to determine if it is cancer. She has the tests, but doesn't tell her family. Instead she sells her heirloom book to take the family to London for a Christmas to remember. Merry gives it her all, but her family is not cooperating. They all have their own problems. And them Merry starts seeing the ghost of Charles Dickens. There is a lot going on in this book, both characters and plot wise. It may be a bit overstuffed actually. However, if like me, you have threatened your family to have a good time or else. you will relate to a lot of it.

This is a Christmas story with a twist—this isn't your typical holiday fluff. Merry Bingham, determined to make her last Christmas unforgettable after discovering a serious health issue, takes her family on a trip to London. But things don't go as planned, and on top of the chaos, she starts being haunted by Charles Dickens himself.

The book dives deep into family dynamics and the complexities of love, grief, and trying to hold onto traditions. It’s a lot more emotionally intense than your average holiday read, but in a good way. If you're in the mood for something that balances a little sadness with heart, and don’t mind a bit of Dickensian haunting, this one hits all the right notes for a meaningful holiday read.

Merry by Susan Breen is a story for those you love Christmas.

It’s the story of Merry Bingham a book scout with world wide clients and her heirloom copy of ‘A Christmas Carol’ that was signed by Charles Dickens himself. This book has been handed down from one generation to the next in her family. This heirloom is her prized possession and she treasures it with all her heart. She loves the Christmas Season and all the joys it brings.

That is until this year when her family doctor delivers bad news advising her of nodules they found in her lungs and an urgent PET Scan is required to see how badly her lungs are damaged and to see the progression of her cancer.

Merry is married to her loving husband Sully and has three grown up children Nick, Bessie and Song Lee. She has a difficult time with her diagnosis and is unable to speak to them about it. Her only wish is to be able to pass on the family heirloom, but to who?

Nick is the eldest and technically should have the book. He lives a life well traveled with work and Merry is unsure about his interests in the book. He suggests that Song Lee should have it instead.

Bessie her second child has never really showed much concern about the family keepsake especially as a child. Merry decides to contact Song Lee first.

Song Lee is a hardworking young adult she seems the right choice to give her book too. However, Song Lee recently has had troubles with her employment. Accused of fraud and Merry is worried about her.

Then Bessie finds out that Song Lee was offered the heirloom book first and was upset that it wasn’t offered to her. Merry is even more confused and doesn’t know what to do next.

Merry decides to take them all on Christmas Trip to London. It might be their last family Christmas trip together.

As Merry starts worrying about her family, financial problems, her health and death. Family disagreements emerge and things go horribly wrong. Merry wants Christmas to be a happy holiday for her family but she can’t seem to find a way to peace and joy of the season. The Ghosts of Christmas and that of Charles Dickens seem to appear everywhere Merry is…..He is not happy with her and with what is happening.

Will she find her happy ending and will the book be retained by her family and preserved for future generations?

I thank the publishers and NetGalley for the copy of this book. A beloved tale of the classic….. A Christmas Carol from the point of view of his future family member. The book shows how much love future generations have for their ancestors and family history and heritage. I rate this book 4 star.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC of Merry by Susan Breen in exchange for my honest review. It’s almost Christmas and Merry’s favorite time of the year. She loves Charles Dickens. She receives some health news and decides to spend Christmas with her family in London where Charles Dickens spent his life. As she gathers her family all together for Christmas they have to navigate some family issues. It’s a wild ride. I enjoyed this book. Recommend it around the holidays.

The characters shine with depth and relatability, the writing captivates, and the narrative strikes a delightful balance of heartwarming moments and humor.

When Merry Bingham sets out to sell her family’s beloved copy of A Christmas Carol to fund a trip to London, her plans take unexpected turns—but that’s where the true magic unfolds.

Susan Breen weaves warmth, humor, and a hint of the supernatural into a tale of love, legacy, and the authentic spirit of Christmas—a must-read for anyone who adores uplifting, festive fiction.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book and read it with pleasure. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review. Thank you, Alcove and NetGalley. #Merry #NetGalley

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Well-written, sweet, and poignant book for and of the holidays. Very different from my previous Susan Breen experience. Quite sad, though, obviously.

Merry is a cozy, heartfelt holiday read with a dash of Dickensian magic. When Merry Bingham decides to sell her family’s cherished copy of A Christmas Carol and take her family to London, things don’t go quite as planned—but that’s where the charm begins.

Susan Breen blends warmth, humor, and a touch of the supernatural in a story about love, legacy, and the true spirit of Christmas. A perfect pick for fans of festive, feel-good fiction.

A well written story which out of my expectation, its kinda sad for me not usually what I expected in Christmas holiday story.
The story was easy to read and its worth the reading.
I enjoy it and love it.

I received a free copy of, Merry, by Susan Breen, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Merry Bingham loves Christmas and Charles Dickens. This year is not like other years, Merry is waiting on words from her doctor. Merry decides to bring her family to London for the holidays. This was a sad read.

This is written horribly. The book jumps around so much I had to reread chapters multiple times thinking I missed something. Meredith acts like this book is what keeps her breathing and gives anything that has happened to her family meaning but the mere sight of something on her x-ray has her shoving it off on her horrible, self centered, and ungrateful children. When they don't want it she decides to just sell it. She has this book in a safe, makes everyone wash their hands if they touch it but she just decides to sell it. Leading up to her selling it, its made pretty apparent this lady in her mid 50's has a ton of debt. So she uses the books revenue to....fund a Christmas trip to London?? to get back at her husbands friends who already took the trip? This was just terrible and I gave up at 25%. I think some editing, maturing of the MC, and thinning of the attachment to the book would make this story 100 times better.

Rounded up from 3.5

A tale as old as time-a woman with adult children who grow up and take their mother for granted. Dealing this is her last Christmas, Merry takes a trip to London for Christmas with the family to give them a picture perfect Christmas together, but is a family Christmas ever picture perfect? Sometimes we have to figure out what really matters.

This was not the lighthearted, joyous tale I expected it to be from the description but the author was easy to read and the story is well worth the read.

Thank you Alcove Press, Susan Breen and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions stated are my own.

***ACTUALLY 3.5 STARS***

Received as an ARC and it wasn’t a bad read. It had my interest from the start but then it lost it a little, however it pulled it off in the end.

Merry’s family was relatable because they’re not perfect…they have flaws, they argue, they can’t stand each other at times but they love each other. All the Dickens info was interesting, learned a lot about the man.

Overall, not my favorite holiday read but it was still enjoyable.