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Christmas by the Book: A Novel
"A heartfelt and lovely Christmas tale for book lovers everywhere!"--Jenny Colgan, author of The Bookshop on the Shore In small-town England, two booksellers facing tough times decide to spread some Christmas cheer through the magic of anonymous book deliveries in this uplifting holiday tale for book lovers everywhere. Nora and her husband, Simon, have run the beautiful oak-beamed book shop in their small British village for thirty years. But times are tough and the shop is under threat of closure--this Christmas season will really decide their fate. When an elderly man visits the store and buys the one book they've never been able to sell, saying it's the perfect gift for his sick grandson, it gives Nora an idea. She and Simon will send out books to those feeling down this Christmas. Maybe they can't save their bookstore, but at least they'll have one final chance to lift people's spirits through the power of reading. After gathering nominations online, Nora and Simon quietly deliver books to six residents of the village in need of some festive cheer, including a single dad of twins who is working hard to make ends meet, a teenage boy grieving for his big sister, a local Member of Parliament who is battling depression, and a teacher who's newly retired and living on her own. As the town prepares for a white Christmas, the books begin to give the recipients hope, one by one. But with the future of the bookshop still up in the air, Nora and Simon will need a Christmas miracle--or perhaps a little help from the people whose lives they've touched--to find a happy ending of their own....
472 pages, Paperback
Published December 14, 2022
495 people are currently reading
7295 people want to read
About the author
Anne Marie Ryan
28 books103 followersAnne Marie Ryan works as a book editor and has written several successful children's fiction series under a variety of pseudonyms. THE SIX TALES OF CHRISTMAS is her first novel for adults. Born and raised in Massachusetts, Anne Marie now lives in west London with her husband, two daughters and two kittens. When she's not reading or writing, Anne Marie plays tennis and acts in amateur dramatics (much to her family's embarrassment).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,293 reviews
December 2, 2021
Santa came early this year and delivered a spirit-lifting holiday-themed novel that’s entirely successful in being what it set out to be: a comforting Christmas story.
Christmas by the Book (also previously published as The Six Tales of Christmas) works for many reasons:
- It’s set in an independent book shop in a small British village!
- The primary characters, the married shop owners, are intelligent, realistic, middle-aged adults!
- Clever book references abound!
- The story has a lot of heart and highlights the concept that books have the power to bring people together… amen to that!
- It’s not a holiday romance, nor a holiday mystery, but rather just a holiday story!
- Reminiscent vibes include “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “A Christmas Carol,” and “Love, Actually!”
I binged this adorable story all in one go, and like shoving a plate full of sugar cookies into my pie hole as if I had to start a Keto diet the next day, the end got a little cloyingly sweet. But that’s to be expected though. Author Anne Marie Ryan served up just what I wanted, and it served me right.
4.5 stars (rounded up, because 'tis the season)
My heartfelt thanks to the author and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to review an advance copy via NetGalley. Christmas by the Book is now available.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
Christmas by the Book (also previously published as The Six Tales of Christmas) works for many reasons:
- It’s set in an independent book shop in a small British village!
- The primary characters, the married shop owners, are intelligent, realistic, middle-aged adults!
- Clever book references abound!
- The story has a lot of heart and highlights the concept that books have the power to bring people together… amen to that!
- It’s not a holiday romance, nor a holiday mystery, but rather just a holiday story!
- Reminiscent vibes include “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “A Christmas Carol,” and “Love, Actually!”
I binged this adorable story all in one go, and like shoving a plate full of sugar cookies into my pie hole as if I had to start a Keto diet the next day, the end got a little cloyingly sweet. But that’s to be expected though. Author Anne Marie Ryan served up just what I wanted, and it served me right.
4.5 stars (rounded up, because 'tis the season)
My heartfelt thanks to the author and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to review an advance copy via NetGalley. Christmas by the Book is now available.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
October 31, 2021
Such a heartfelt sweet seasonal tale.
In a small Cotswold village, Simon and Nora have been running a bookshop that Nora's mother started many years before. Things have fallen on hard times though, and this might just be the last Christmas they are able to keep the shop afloat due to crippling debt. When a customer purchases a book that had been on their shelves for over twenty years claiming that it is the perfect book, they get the idea to send out copies of books to ten people nominated by village members that are viewed to need some sort of encouragement. What happens next is so beautifully heartwarming that it caused me to shed a couple of tears of joy when all was said and done.
This isn't a deep book. It's fairly predictable in the way that Christmas books often are. Yet, sometimes that's just the type of read you need for the season. This book can give you hope, comfort, and the knowledge that sometimes just a small act of kindness can be monumental for those around you.
Cuddle up under a cozy blanket and enjoy this sweet book. Added bonus--there's a super adorable dog appropriately named Merry.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
In a small Cotswold village, Simon and Nora have been running a bookshop that Nora's mother started many years before. Things have fallen on hard times though, and this might just be the last Christmas they are able to keep the shop afloat due to crippling debt. When a customer purchases a book that had been on their shelves for over twenty years claiming that it is the perfect book, they get the idea to send out copies of books to ten people nominated by village members that are viewed to need some sort of encouragement. What happens next is so beautifully heartwarming that it caused me to shed a couple of tears of joy when all was said and done.
This isn't a deep book. It's fairly predictable in the way that Christmas books often are. Yet, sometimes that's just the type of read you need for the season. This book can give you hope, comfort, and the knowledge that sometimes just a small act of kindness can be monumental for those around you.
Cuddle up under a cozy blanket and enjoy this sweet book. Added bonus--there's a super adorable dog appropriately named Merry.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
January 4, 2022
My first 5 star book of the year!
I listened to the audio from the library but I would like to add the physical edition to my collection. I think I will get the Audible as well since I loved it too!
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
I listened to the audio from the library but I would like to add the physical edition to my collection. I think I will get the Audible as well since I loved it too!
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
March 16, 2023
This is a Christmas Story/Women's Fiction/Fiction. This book starts off very slow, and I found the beginning to be depressing. Once, you really get into the book it starts to really move and meeting more characters brings light to the book. Once, All the characters are part of the book the book took a big turn for me. I normally do not love a book with a ton of characters, but this book did it very well. I did not feel overwhelmed with all the characters in this book in fact I loved all the characters. I really love the message in this book. I loved seeing how much one simple act can change so many peoples life's. This book shows how the true Christmas spirit of giving can change a whole small town. There is mental health in this book, and I think this book shows mental health really well. Great read and I think this is a book that everyone can get something out of reading this book. This book also has made me remember to gift simple small gifts to people just because, and I think going into Christmas after how the world is right now we all need to remember that simple small gifts can bring so much joy to others. I won a kindle edition of this book from a Goodreads Giveaway, but this review is my own feeling about this book.
February 17, 2022
Can giving away six Christmas books as random acts of kindness transform a village? Norah and Simon discover that their small gifts multiply after the books are delivered. Ever since I read How to Find Love in a Bookshop, I have been looking for a bookshop book like it. At last I have found it! The story of the residents of Stowford and its bookshop make for a delightful holiday read and I am adding on a star for the cover with Merry the Westie and the tree constructed from books.
December 16, 2021
”in times of trouble, help comes in many different forms: from family, from friends, from strangers”—and from between the covers of books.”
Christmas by the Book is the type of book I want to crawl into and join the village with all its marvelous characters.
Here’s what I loved the most:
- The book has the beautiful atmosphere of a small, quaint English town in the Cotswolds. What I wouldn’t give to walk through the town, drinking tea and eating home-made scones.
- Books are referenced and revered. And what’s not to love for book readers?
- Books are used to brighten people’s lives and serve as inspiration through difficult times.
- People care about each other and bond together during tough times.
- I love the characters. All of them, and I’d love to know these people in person.
- Who can resist the happiness of Christmas.
If you are looking for a wonderful Christmas story, with its amazing atmosphere and sentimental characters, this is the book for you. I really enjoyed this one.
Thanks to Regina for putting this on on my reading list.
”happy endings are possible and the next chapter of your life might turn out to be the best.”
December 2, 2022
Believe it or not, this book is the first “bookshop book” this reader has ever read. Most of the bookshop books are deemed disappointments by many seasoned readers so I never took one up. Not until this one that was reviewed beautifully and positively by my trusted Goodreads friend Cheri. Boy, this book is good and earns five big stars from me!
The setting is a small village in Great Britain. A family bookshop has fallen on tough times and the couple (Nora and Simon) who own it are racking their brains on how to save it. It’s more fun to surf the internet for entertainment, and if one actually wants to buy a book it’s cheaper and much more convenient to buy online, right? It doesn’t help that Nora and Simon are very altruistic and end up giving away things to people in need.
I found this tale to be a wonderful holiday read. I loved the village setting and the different personalities of all the characters. I was well engaged and turned the pages quickly to see how everything was hopefully going to be resolved. Along the way, I learned a lot about what is involved in running a bookstore and all the advantages to readers that frequent them. Reading this book did sadden me regarding about the demise of local bookshops in recent years. Online purchasing and buying at the few remaining big box chain bookstores may be cheaper and/or offer more accessibility, but these options just don’t muster the atmosphere and perks of seeking a traditional privately owned bookshop.
Though this story contains its share of doom and gloom, it is also full of warmth, hope, and plenty of acts of goodwill towards those in need. It gives off a lot of fuzzies and is the perfect novel to enjoy during the holiday season. And can you beat that phenomenal cover? If you are going to read only one Christmas novel this December, I recommend you consider this one.
The setting is a small village in Great Britain. A family bookshop has fallen on tough times and the couple (Nora and Simon) who own it are racking their brains on how to save it. It’s more fun to surf the internet for entertainment, and if one actually wants to buy a book it’s cheaper and much more convenient to buy online, right? It doesn’t help that Nora and Simon are very altruistic and end up giving away things to people in need.
I found this tale to be a wonderful holiday read. I loved the village setting and the different personalities of all the characters. I was well engaged and turned the pages quickly to see how everything was hopefully going to be resolved. Along the way, I learned a lot about what is involved in running a bookstore and all the advantages to readers that frequent them. Reading this book did sadden me regarding about the demise of local bookshops in recent years. Online purchasing and buying at the few remaining big box chain bookstores may be cheaper and/or offer more accessibility, but these options just don’t muster the atmosphere and perks of seeking a traditional privately owned bookshop.
Though this story contains its share of doom and gloom, it is also full of warmth, hope, and plenty of acts of goodwill towards those in need. It gives off a lot of fuzzies and is the perfect novel to enjoy during the holiday season. And can you beat that phenomenal cover? If you are going to read only one Christmas novel this December, I recommend you consider this one.
December 22, 2021
4.5 stars/5 stars
The Stowford Bookshop has been on High Street in Stowford for over forty years. Nora grew up living above the thriving bookshop with her mother and cherishes many wonderful memories and traditions. Nora and her husband Simon inherited the bookshop, but are now facing a leaky roof, competition from cheaper online book stores, and to top it all off, the enforcement officers are calling.
One rainy evening close to Christmas, an elderly gentleman enters the bookstore looking for a specific book for his grandson who is in the hospital. He has looked everywhere and the Stowford Bookshop is his last resort. The True Story of the Christmas Truce was one of the very first books that Nora and Simon ordered for the store, and the book sat on the shelf for over thirty years. Buoyed by the sale of the book, Simon and Nora decide to give away six books to anyone who needs an act of kindness.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Christmas By The Book, which is reminiscent of The Greatest Gift, the heartwarming story that became the classic film, It’s a Wonderful Life. I didn’t give the story 5 stars because of the few scattered curse words which were jarring to read and didn’t fit with the tone of the book.
If you are looking to read a book filled with hope, new beginnings, friendship, and maybe a Christmas miracle or two, look no further than Christmas By The Book!
Happy holidays and happy reading!
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
The Stowford Bookshop has been on High Street in Stowford for over forty years. Nora grew up living above the thriving bookshop with her mother and cherishes many wonderful memories and traditions. Nora and her husband Simon inherited the bookshop, but are now facing a leaky roof, competition from cheaper online book stores, and to top it all off, the enforcement officers are calling.
One rainy evening close to Christmas, an elderly gentleman enters the bookstore looking for a specific book for his grandson who is in the hospital. He has looked everywhere and the Stowford Bookshop is his last resort. The True Story of the Christmas Truce was one of the very first books that Nora and Simon ordered for the store, and the book sat on the shelf for over thirty years. Buoyed by the sale of the book, Simon and Nora decide to give away six books to anyone who needs an act of kindness.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Christmas By The Book, which is reminiscent of The Greatest Gift, the heartwarming story that became the classic film, It’s a Wonderful Life. I didn’t give the story 5 stars because of the few scattered curse words which were jarring to read and didn’t fit with the tone of the book.
If you are looking to read a book filled with hope, new beginnings, friendship, and maybe a Christmas miracle or two, look no further than Christmas By The Book!
Happy holidays and happy reading!
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
January 5, 2022
In this heartwarming contemporary novel, set in England during the Christmas season, bookshop owners Nora and Simon Walden are facing tough financial times. Their business has slackened and they are in debt.
While trying to remain hopeful about the bookstore’s future, yet realizing that this may be the last Christmas they are in business, Nora and Simon decide to anonymously send a book to people in their community who are experiencing challenging issues as well.
With Ann Marie Ryan’s likable characters this well written novel is a perfect story for the holiday season! It’s easy to identify with them, and the plot draws you in. Ms. Ryan seamlessly shows how books can be more than a source of entertainment. They can provide hope, solace, and inspiration as well. This is a story of kindness, friendship, generosity, and love that portrays the true meaning of Christmas. Overall, a great read!
While trying to remain hopeful about the bookstore’s future, yet realizing that this may be the last Christmas they are in business, Nora and Simon decide to anonymously send a book to people in their community who are experiencing challenging issues as well.
With Ann Marie Ryan’s likable characters this well written novel is a perfect story for the holiday season! It’s easy to identify with them, and the plot draws you in. Ms. Ryan seamlessly shows how books can be more than a source of entertainment. They can provide hope, solace, and inspiration as well. This is a story of kindness, friendship, generosity, and love that portrays the true meaning of Christmas. Overall, a great read!
November 27, 2021
(free review copy) GASP 😮 I DID IT! I found the absolutely perfect Christmas novel that’s not a romance and not a cozy mystery and not a “jaded millennial going home again” lit fic depressor. This story is real and cozy and adorable and the balm to absolutely any book lover’s soul. The fact that the main characters in the book are in their 50s was an extra delight after seemingly every other contemporary fiction story on earth features 20-30 yos. Saving a bookstore is a trope I’ll read any day, but this book elevated it to a new level for me. I’ll be buying a hard copy of this one for my forever shelf ❤️
December 13, 2021
4.5 Stars.
At this time of the year, I always like to include Christmas books in my reading. They are definite mood setters for me. I had to pick up this book because of the title “ Christmas by the Book” and I am happy to say it lived up to its title.
Simon and Nora own the local book shop in the village of Stowford, in the Cotswolds. The bookshop was Nora’s mother and they are both attached to it, for the memories within and from the joy of the books themselves. Times being what they are, they are struggling to stay afloat.
One evening they decide to run a contest. People can nominate someone whom they feel needs a boost and that someone will receive a book. They pick 6 books, wrap them and deliver them surreptitiously to the winners. They have no idea who gets which book.
I loved seeing how each winner was touched by the book they received. There is a power in a book to transform or simply to create magic.
The Christmas spirit comes about from family, friends and sometimes strangers. A book that makes me believe in miracles is a book that is definitely worth reading!
At this time of the year, I always like to include Christmas books in my reading. They are definite mood setters for me. I had to pick up this book because of the title “ Christmas by the Book” and I am happy to say it lived up to its title.
Simon and Nora own the local book shop in the village of Stowford, in the Cotswolds. The bookshop was Nora’s mother and they are both attached to it, for the memories within and from the joy of the books themselves. Times being what they are, they are struggling to stay afloat.
One evening they decide to run a contest. People can nominate someone whom they feel needs a boost and that someone will receive a book. They pick 6 books, wrap them and deliver them surreptitiously to the winners. They have no idea who gets which book.
I loved seeing how each winner was touched by the book they received. There is a power in a book to transform or simply to create magic.
The Christmas spirit comes about from family, friends and sometimes strangers. A book that makes me believe in miracles is a book that is definitely worth reading!
September 16, 2021
Four and a half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
Christmas by the Book by Anne Marie Ryan is full of heart and Christmas Spirit. It’s everything I wanted in a Christmas book, as it’s about people, helping people, and learning how to give and accept help. The first few chapters I was sure I knew what this book was about, but then it turned and it became so much more than I expected.
Nora and Simon run a small bookshop set on the high street of a small village in the Costwolds. The bookshop used to belong to Nora’s late mother, and she grew up in the bookshop. When she met a fellow bookworm, it was fated that they both run the shop together. They raised their daughter Charlotte in the small town, where they ran the shop. Now, Charlotte is on her Gap year, traveling in Asia, and the bookshop is in trouble, and they may have to close the shop after the Christmas holidays.
I’ll be honest here, I requested Christmas by the Book, solely because of the cover, especially that cute dog on the cover. I expected a light, sweet story, but got so much more. It’s rare that a book exceeds expectations as much as this book did for me. I just loved the way the characters pitched in and really helped each other, even when they didn’t know each other very well, or at all. There are serious topics in this book, and they are dealt with in a serious and realistic way. Nobody gets a quick fix just in time for Christmas, but instead, they work together and find solutions to help each other and they all start to find hope and joy.
I will note that the first few chapters are a bit sad, and I just didn’t want to read an entire book about a couple struggling to save their shop with a miraculous solution at the very end of the book. But, after the first few chapters, we began to see the rest of the townsfolk and learn of their struggles and begin to see hope for the entire village. Nora and Simon learn that in order to save themselves, they have to save others first.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a holiday story that centers on helping others. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Christmas by the Book by Anne Marie Ryan is full of heart and Christmas Spirit. It’s everything I wanted in a Christmas book, as it’s about people, helping people, and learning how to give and accept help. The first few chapters I was sure I knew what this book was about, but then it turned and it became so much more than I expected.
Nora and Simon run a small bookshop set on the high street of a small village in the Costwolds. The bookshop used to belong to Nora’s late mother, and she grew up in the bookshop. When she met a fellow bookworm, it was fated that they both run the shop together. They raised their daughter Charlotte in the small town, where they ran the shop. Now, Charlotte is on her Gap year, traveling in Asia, and the bookshop is in trouble, and they may have to close the shop after the Christmas holidays.
I’ll be honest here, I requested Christmas by the Book, solely because of the cover, especially that cute dog on the cover. I expected a light, sweet story, but got so much more. It’s rare that a book exceeds expectations as much as this book did for me. I just loved the way the characters pitched in and really helped each other, even when they didn’t know each other very well, or at all. There are serious topics in this book, and they are dealt with in a serious and realistic way. Nobody gets a quick fix just in time for Christmas, but instead, they work together and find solutions to help each other and they all start to find hope and joy.
I will note that the first few chapters are a bit sad, and I just didn’t want to read an entire book about a couple struggling to save their shop with a miraculous solution at the very end of the book. But, after the first few chapters, we began to see the rest of the townsfolk and learn of their struggles and begin to see hope for the entire village. Nora and Simon learn that in order to save themselves, they have to save others first.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a holiday story that centers on helping others. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
December 28, 2021
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
CHRISTMAS BY THE BOOK by Anne Marie Ryan is one of my favorite Christmas books this season! It is by a new-to-me author and is her first fiction novel for adults. This is a story for book lovers, set in an independent bookstore in the English area of the Cotswold with several books for all ages recommended throughout, holiday romance, true love, friendship, community, and hope.
Nora and her husband Simon have run an independent bookstore for thirty years in a small English town which Nora had inherited from her mother. With their daughter away on a gap year trip, Nora and Simon have had to face the possibility of closure. When Nora helps an elderly man find the perfect book for his sick grandson, it leads to the idea of sending out more books to uplift others spirits even though it will not help their shop.
Six people are chosen randomly from nominations on-line. With the fate of the bookstore still up in the air, the people who received the Christmas gift books begin to find hope once again. Will Nora and Simon find a happy ending of their own?
This is a holiday book filled with Christmas magic, love, friendship, community, and hope. Nora and Simon’s love is strong as they face losing everything. Even as the days wind down until the taxes are due, they help others with their love of books. All the recipients of the gifted books have stories that so many of us can relate to and the town’s people are realistic. This is the perfect holiday book to snuggle up in your favorite blanket on the couch with from beginning to end.
I highly recommend this heartwarming Christmas book!
CHRISTMAS BY THE BOOK by Anne Marie Ryan is one of my favorite Christmas books this season! It is by a new-to-me author and is her first fiction novel for adults. This is a story for book lovers, set in an independent bookstore in the English area of the Cotswold with several books for all ages recommended throughout, holiday romance, true love, friendship, community, and hope.
Nora and her husband Simon have run an independent bookstore for thirty years in a small English town which Nora had inherited from her mother. With their daughter away on a gap year trip, Nora and Simon have had to face the possibility of closure. When Nora helps an elderly man find the perfect book for his sick grandson, it leads to the idea of sending out more books to uplift others spirits even though it will not help their shop.
Six people are chosen randomly from nominations on-line. With the fate of the bookstore still up in the air, the people who received the Christmas gift books begin to find hope once again. Will Nora and Simon find a happy ending of their own?
This is a holiday book filled with Christmas magic, love, friendship, community, and hope. Nora and Simon’s love is strong as they face losing everything. Even as the days wind down until the taxes are due, they help others with their love of books. All the recipients of the gifted books have stories that so many of us can relate to and the town’s people are realistic. This is the perfect holiday book to snuggle up in your favorite blanket on the couch with from beginning to end.
I highly recommend this heartwarming Christmas book!
December 20, 2022
This was a warm and heart filled book that I didn't think I would like but ended up loving. I normally just read fun Christmas books. Not ones were people are having a bad time. I am a Waltons And Mayberry kind of person. Well, except for the sadness in the beginning of the book, this book is also a mayberry book.
The bookstore may have to close because they are behind in their taxes. The problem is that people buy books online instead of going into the charming book stores that are in small towns or even Cities.. Even our small town has had a few book stores over the years but each of them close after a brief time. And what is a town without a bookstore?
The owners decide to have a contest to see which 6 people in town will get A book each. Then they are invited to a Christmas party at the bookstore. As I got to know the people, I began to love them and wished that she would write another book that takes place in this quaint town in England.
The bookstore may have to close because they are behind in their taxes. The problem is that people buy books online instead of going into the charming book stores that are in small towns or even Cities.. Even our small town has had a few book stores over the years but each of them close after a brief time. And what is a town without a bookstore?
The owners decide to have a contest to see which 6 people in town will get A book each. Then they are invited to a Christmas party at the bookstore. As I got to know the people, I began to love them and wished that she would write another book that takes place in this quaint town in England.
November 21, 2022
Set in a small town in England, Nora Walden and her husband Simon live above the bookshop they own, and their daughter Charlotte is spending her gap year in Sri Lanka, so they will be alone for Christmas this year. It’s been a hard year for them in many ways, but the hardest of all is that Nora knows that they are in deep financial trouble, and she hasn’t shared that news with Charlotte, or Simon. This is more than a job for them, this shop was owned by Nora’s mother before, and many of Nora’s memories are of moments there. Her only hope is that they can sell enough books before year’s end to make a difference, but also knows it is unlikely.
Relatively early on in this story, a man comes into the shop looking for a very specific book. A book that happens to be the one they’ve had on the shelves for twenty-five years, and no one has had an interest in, until now. The man wants a copy of this book to give to his grandson who is currently in the hospital, she offers it to him as a gift, instead, and takes a photo of him to show it to Simon, he’ll be glad to see it has found a good home, at last.
Soon after, she decides to secretly drop off books at several people’s homes, asking others to nominate those they feel need a book, and while it probably won’t save the bookshop, it will lift not only her spirits, but also those who receive these books anonymously left by their doors, and hopefully will make a difference in their lives.
Little by little, those who receive these books share their stories about receiving these gifted books, and more people begin to show up at their store. Maybe they won’t be able to save the bookshop, but they are making a difference in the lives of others.
A story of the power of books, and the friendships and kind gestures around the holidays, and beyond.
November 18, 2021
3 Stars
I really wish I could say that I loved this book. I liked all of the characters, especially Nora and Simon. They had a sweet love for each other. The impact that this couple had on members of their community was also poignant. Yet, I found it kind of slow going for nearly half of the book. The second half picked up with the entrance of numerous characters who were impacted by Nora and Simon's generosity, and I did enjoy their stories and connections. But...
When people say this book was like a Hallmark movie, believe them. To me, this was exactly what you'd find on the Hallmark Channel during the holiday season. Call me cynical if you must, but I'm not a Hallmark movie watcher and apparently, I'm not the biggest fan of those types of books. Great writing, though, and there's definitely an audience for it.
January 9, 2022
A small British village is the location of a charming bookshop run by a couple for over thirty years.
Times are so tight financially this year they are in danger of the shop closing.
As a last hurrah before the shop goes down they have a contest for people who need cheering up through books. This is the cause and effect of them giving the books out and how it affects the recipients life. Very heartwarming book because even though their shop is floundering they are concentrating on goodwill towards others.
I want to visit a very old fashioned and charming bookshop like this and talk to friendly owners like this.
Pub Date 12 Oct 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Times are so tight financially this year they are in danger of the shop closing.
As a last hurrah before the shop goes down they have a contest for people who need cheering up through books. This is the cause and effect of them giving the books out and how it affects the recipients life. Very heartwarming book because even though their shop is floundering they are concentrating on goodwill towards others.
I want to visit a very old fashioned and charming bookshop like this and talk to friendly owners like this.
Pub Date 12 Oct 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
December 22, 2022
What a delight. It was a Goldilocks book- not too light, not too heavy, just right.
It's warm and cozy.
It takes place in a small village in the Cotswolds.
Not a holiday romance, not a holiday mystery, just a charming holiday story.
Random acts of kindness.
Oh- and it centers around a bookstore.
It's warm and cozy.
It takes place in a small village in the Cotswolds.
Not a holiday romance, not a holiday mystery, just a charming holiday story.
Random acts of kindness.
Oh- and it centers around a bookstore.
April 19, 2021
Christmas By the Book by Anne Marie Ryan is a wonderful, heartwarming, and stunning fictional novel about hope, love, second chances, and the true meaning of family and friends that really put me in the holiday spirit.
I loved everything about this book. I loved the premise that just going out and performing one “small deed” in fact ends up delivering a gift of hope, faith, friendship, and a message that one is not alone and that they don’t have to do it alone. The way that one small thing can cascade and help many others, like a ripple of waves within a pond. It is a breath of fresh air, a beacon of light in this sometimes dark world.
This is what this book has meant to me.
I loved Nora and Simon, and especially adding to the fact that I have always had the fantasy of owning my own bookshop, and I loved the plot including their wonderful and aged bookstore. Just when all hope is lost, one purchase from a customer creates a wonderful idea, a movement of sorts, to reach out and help others in need of support within their community. They find that they end up with so much more. It is ingenious.
I loved the plot, pacing, character cast, and of course, the ending. I finished this book with a feeling of optimism, hope, and definitely in the Christmas spirit.
5/5 stars
Thank you EW and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
I loved everything about this book. I loved the premise that just going out and performing one “small deed” in fact ends up delivering a gift of hope, faith, friendship, and a message that one is not alone and that they don’t have to do it alone. The way that one small thing can cascade and help many others, like a ripple of waves within a pond. It is a breath of fresh air, a beacon of light in this sometimes dark world.
This is what this book has meant to me.
I loved Nora and Simon, and especially adding to the fact that I have always had the fantasy of owning my own bookshop, and I loved the plot including their wonderful and aged bookstore. Just when all hope is lost, one purchase from a customer creates a wonderful idea, a movement of sorts, to reach out and help others in need of support within their community. They find that they end up with so much more. It is ingenious.
I loved the plot, pacing, character cast, and of course, the ending. I finished this book with a feeling of optimism, hope, and definitely in the Christmas spirit.
5/5 stars
Thank you EW and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
November 12, 2023
A sweet, uplifting novel.
Exiting at page 149, however: "...a staunch advocate of gay and trans rights." Barf. 🪂
Exiting at page 149, however: "...a staunch advocate of gay and trans rights." Barf. 🪂
November 5, 2021
Don't bother reading this book. Yes it had a happy ending but most of the book was sad. Very disappointed especially since it's a Christmas book.
December 21, 2022
A big hug of a book!
December 21, 2021
Read this book if you like: Christmas, bookshops, warm hugs, or “Love Actually” ❤️
I thought Christmas by the Book was going to be standard holiday book fare - a bit cheesy, but festive and pleasant to read, if not unmemorable. I was so wrong, and it was so much more. This will move up to be one of my most recommended holiday books. While it started out a tiny bit slow for me, it quickly picked up and I became so invested in the ensemble of characters.
In a small English village (swoon!) Simon and Nora have been running a bookshop previously owned by Nora’s mother. Sadly, the bookshop is now in danger of closing due to debt, and Nora is heartbroken at the idea of losing her mother’s legacy. After a serendipitous purchase of a book they’ve had for 20 years, the couple decides to spread some cheer throughout the village by taking nominations for others who could use some encouragement. The people selected would receive a surprise book from the shop, and this is where the story really picked up for me. We meet the other characters who are all going through their own issues of grief or loneliness or heartache. By the end, I was so invested in the characters and love how many of them ended up overlapping with others (hence the “Love Actually” comparison). And who can pass up a book with an adorable little shop dog, appropriately named Merry?
Pour yourself your favorite hot beverage, grab a cozy blanket, and dive into this one that’s sure to warm your heart. Oh and if you’ve read this one and enjoyed it, you should also read How to Find Love in a Bookshop if you haven’t yet - that one isn’t a Christmas book, but would be a great winter read with similar vibes.
I thought Christmas by the Book was going to be standard holiday book fare - a bit cheesy, but festive and pleasant to read, if not unmemorable. I was so wrong, and it was so much more. This will move up to be one of my most recommended holiday books. While it started out a tiny bit slow for me, it quickly picked up and I became so invested in the ensemble of characters.
In a small English village (swoon!) Simon and Nora have been running a bookshop previously owned by Nora’s mother. Sadly, the bookshop is now in danger of closing due to debt, and Nora is heartbroken at the idea of losing her mother’s legacy. After a serendipitous purchase of a book they’ve had for 20 years, the couple decides to spread some cheer throughout the village by taking nominations for others who could use some encouragement. The people selected would receive a surprise book from the shop, and this is where the story really picked up for me. We meet the other characters who are all going through their own issues of grief or loneliness or heartache. By the end, I was so invested in the characters and love how many of them ended up overlapping with others (hence the “Love Actually” comparison). And who can pass up a book with an adorable little shop dog, appropriately named Merry?
Pour yourself your favorite hot beverage, grab a cozy blanket, and dive into this one that’s sure to warm your heart. Oh and if you’ve read this one and enjoyed it, you should also read How to Find Love in a Bookshop if you haven’t yet - that one isn’t a Christmas book, but would be a great winter read with similar vibes.
January 9, 2022
Sweet and festive with a warm, cozy setting. Just a delightful Christmas story about the magic of books.
December 14, 2022
Sometimes you just want a book where all the characters are nice, you want to visit the setting, and everything works out. Especially at Christmas! This is the book for you if you're looking for a Christmas comfort read.
Would you like to go to a charming village in the English Cotswolds and spend time in an adorable book store on the high street? Would you like to enjoy a merry trivia night in the village's pub and feel like you're friends with all the other independent business owners who run flower shops, tea rooms, boutiques? Would you like to spend time with a couple who are still very much in love and who must figure out how to save their book store? Here's your story.
There's a bit of random book gift giving that ends up twining several characters together, all to happy ends, too.
The author knows her books and understands the issues that independent bookstores face. You know that the store will be saved in the end because it's that kind of story. I got a bit impatient waiting for the other shoe to drop, honestly. But I loved virtually attending the bookstore party described, liked knowing that at least here everything and everyone was going to be fine. Lonely people would find each other and the hard-hearted politician will end up having empathy after all. This is not a book that will sing for the ages. But it will make you feel cozy.
Would you like to go to a charming village in the English Cotswolds and spend time in an adorable book store on the high street? Would you like to enjoy a merry trivia night in the village's pub and feel like you're friends with all the other independent business owners who run flower shops, tea rooms, boutiques? Would you like to spend time with a couple who are still very much in love and who must figure out how to save their book store? Here's your story.
There's a bit of random book gift giving that ends up twining several characters together, all to happy ends, too.
The author knows her books and understands the issues that independent bookstores face. You know that the store will be saved in the end because it's that kind of story. I got a bit impatient waiting for the other shoe to drop, honestly. But I loved virtually attending the bookstore party described, liked knowing that at least here everything and everyone was going to be fine. Lonely people would find each other and the hard-hearted politician will end up having empathy after all. This is not a book that will sing for the ages. But it will make you feel cozy.
December 26, 2022
A charming story—Christmas, books, an indie bookstore in the Cotswolds—what’s not to love!
October 6, 2020
Well this is a Christmas story that would be right at home on the Hallmark Channel. I could pretty much see it playing as movie in my minds eye at all times, and just had that really lovely and special feel to it.
There is something just so lovely, heart-warming, and gentle about this story, that it seeped under my skin without my realising, and I ended up with just a massive smile on my face, and towards the end a tear pricking at my eyes too.
I know it was the cover, and the fact that there is a bookshop and Christmas involved that drew me to this book, but it was the superb storytelling inside that kept my attention as I whizzed through the pages.
We get alternating chapters focusing on Nora and Simon as they attempt to come up with ways of saving their bookstore, their love of all things book and we get a feel for their customers and local community.
From a start that just gets up warmed up, at the point that Simon launches the competition to send 6 books out at random to people that have been nominated that may be feeling a bit lonely, this story really gets going, as we also get chapters in the lives of the recipients, getting to know them a bit better, and seeing just how perfect each one's received book was.
I knew nothing about this book going into starting it, and feel going in blind worked out really well for me, so I'm not going to say much more, other than you are in for a treat. I loved all the incredibly real feeling characters and there are some important themes touched on within the pages.
Although this didn't automatically make me in a Christmas mood, it did re-affirm my belief in Christmas miracles! It has all the ingredients for a fabulous story set at Christmas that you could easily read at any point in the lead up to the big day itself.
Thank you to Trapeze and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
There is something just so lovely, heart-warming, and gentle about this story, that it seeped under my skin without my realising, and I ended up with just a massive smile on my face, and towards the end a tear pricking at my eyes too.
I know it was the cover, and the fact that there is a bookshop and Christmas involved that drew me to this book, but it was the superb storytelling inside that kept my attention as I whizzed through the pages.
We get alternating chapters focusing on Nora and Simon as they attempt to come up with ways of saving their bookstore, their love of all things book and we get a feel for their customers and local community.
From a start that just gets up warmed up, at the point that Simon launches the competition to send 6 books out at random to people that have been nominated that may be feeling a bit lonely, this story really gets going, as we also get chapters in the lives of the recipients, getting to know them a bit better, and seeing just how perfect each one's received book was.
I knew nothing about this book going into starting it, and feel going in blind worked out really well for me, so I'm not going to say much more, other than you are in for a treat. I loved all the incredibly real feeling characters and there are some important themes touched on within the pages.
Although this didn't automatically make me in a Christmas mood, it did re-affirm my belief in Christmas miracles! It has all the ingredients for a fabulous story set at Christmas that you could easily read at any point in the lead up to the big day itself.
Thank you to Trapeze and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
December 27, 2021
What a sweet, heartwarming story this holiday season. I love a good romcom, but this was just the kind of Christmas story I needed to read right now. A story of hope, love, and community.
Nora and Simon are struggling to keep their independent book store open, and decide to run a book contest for those in need, nominated by their community, who will get to select a book of their choosing. I loved that this wasn’t a unicorns and rainbows kind of story, but felt each struggle that the characters were facing.
As a reader and book lover, I really enjoyed the bookstore element, and that magical feeling of finding that perfect book that you didn’t even know you needed, and the passion that comes from being a reader.
*many thanks to Putnam for the gifted copy for review. All opinions are my own
Nora and Simon are struggling to keep their independent book store open, and decide to run a book contest for those in need, nominated by their community, who will get to select a book of their choosing. I loved that this wasn’t a unicorns and rainbows kind of story, but felt each struggle that the characters were facing.
As a reader and book lover, I really enjoyed the bookstore element, and that magical feeling of finding that perfect book that you didn’t even know you needed, and the passion that comes from being a reader.
*many thanks to Putnam for the gifted copy for review. All opinions are my own
December 16, 2021
Thank you Putnam Books for sending me a copy to review!
I love a book set in a bookstores, and this one brought a quaint little story about one to life! Read this one if you love character driven novels that feel like a hug in a book. There was a solid cast of people who captured my heart and felt like people I could know in real life. When the characters feel real, then the author has done their job!
My biggest complaint about this book was the sheer number of characters. It was a few too many to keep up with and felt a bit distracting. Lots of names to remember and I felt that it took away from the main storyline.
I love a book set in a bookstores, and this one brought a quaint little story about one to life! Read this one if you love character driven novels that feel like a hug in a book. There was a solid cast of people who captured my heart and felt like people I could know in real life. When the characters feel real, then the author has done their job!
My biggest complaint about this book was the sheer number of characters. It was a few too many to keep up with and felt a bit distracting. Lots of names to remember and I felt that it took away from the main storyline.
December 17, 2022
3 1/2 stars
This was an enjoyable Christmas read, although predictable. I could see what was coming every step of the way in this heartwarming story of a couple who are in jeopardy of losing their beloved Cotswold bookstore. At one point late-ish in the book, a character says "This is almost too good to be true!" That could be said of the book, but it reeled me in with its sweet story of how the Christmas spirit brings a community together. Sometimes predictable is just what's needed!
Why I'm reading this: I love a good Christmas-themed book in December, and this one is getting good reviews from some of my trusted GR friends.
This was an enjoyable Christmas read, although predictable. I could see what was coming every step of the way in this heartwarming story of a couple who are in jeopardy of losing their beloved Cotswold bookstore. At one point late-ish in the book, a character says "This is almost too good to be true!" That could be said of the book, but it reeled me in with its sweet story of how the Christmas spirit brings a community together. Sometimes predictable is just what's needed!
Why I'm reading this: I love a good Christmas-themed book in December, and this one is getting good reviews from some of my trusted GR friends.
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