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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
Jenny Colgan's bookshop series never ceases to amaze me. I am obsessed with them.
3.5 stars is my actual rating.
I know. I read a Christmas book before Halloween. Shame on me. But I couldn’t resist, it’s a Christmas Bookstore story. How could I resist that?
So overall, this is a decent story, but it is made up of multiple elements, and some are definitely stronger than others.
The strongest is the family story: Carmen the younger single sister down on her luck moves in with her elder successful sister Sofia and her kids to help a struggling bookstore near the holidays. The sisters reconciling and Carmen bonding with her young nieces and nephews was easily the best part of the book.
Next was the saving the bookstore plot line which was also fun and enjoyable, seeing Carmen getting to come in and make the store flourish was wonderful. I also liked the plot line with the owner of the store and his own personal backstory, I just wish there had been more of it.
The last and weakest of the bunch is the romance angle. I love a good romance, but this one just fell flat. Carmen has two potential suitors, and frankly both of them were extremely lackluster. There’s Oke a professor who studies trees and as a Quaker doesn’t celebrate Christmas or much of anything. Then there’s Blair the famous rich author who’s a big fake but also charming. Honestly neither was really appealing, though I suppose Carmen went with the ‘right’ one in the end, but the girl deserves better than either of them.
It’s a good story even though there are some elements definitely stronger than others.
I know. I read a Christmas book before Halloween. Shame on me. But I couldn’t resist, it’s a Christmas Bookstore story. How could I resist that?
So overall, this is a decent story, but it is made up of multiple elements, and some are definitely stronger than others.
The strongest is the family story: Carmen the younger single sister down on her luck moves in with her elder successful sister Sofia and her kids to help a struggling bookstore near the holidays. The sisters reconciling and Carmen bonding with her young nieces and nephews was easily the best part of the book.
Next was the saving the bookstore plot line which was also fun and enjoyable, seeing Carmen getting to come in and make the store flourish was wonderful. I also liked the plot line with the owner of the store and his own personal backstory, I just wish there had been more of it.
The last and weakest of the bunch is the romance angle. I love a good romance, but this one just fell flat. Carmen has two potential suitors, and frankly both of them were extremely lackluster. There’s Oke a professor who studies trees and as a Quaker doesn’t celebrate Christmas or much of anything. Then there’s Blair the famous rich author who’s a big fake but also charming. Honestly neither was really appealing, though I suppose Carmen went with the ‘right’ one in the end, but the girl deserves better than either of them.
It’s a good story even though there are some elements definitely stronger than others.
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
just finished this holiday read, and honestly, it was just okay for me. The story had some festive charm, but I wasn’t super invested. The main character wasn’t all that relatable for me, though I can see how others might connect with her. The plot was pretty predictable, which didn’t help hold my attention.
It did feel cozy and festive, but the foreign setting made it a little harder for me to fully get into. Overall, not terrible, but not great either—I probably wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re in the mood for a light, holiday-themed escape.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
medium-paced
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed this book. Though the story was somewhat typical, the characters were diverse and interesting. There were a few stereotypical characters but as a Christmas book it kind of worked. This read almost like a "Hallmark" movie, which I love. It's a not a five star for me simply because it was a bit long, a little bit predictable and the romance was a tiny bit cheesy. 😬
I would still recommend it as a heartwarming Christmas story with found family and a little bit of humor.
I would still recommend it as a heartwarming Christmas story with found family and a little bit of humor.