A review by bookishaddictions
The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I snagged this cute story while it was on a $.99 sale, and I don’t regret it. I don’t like many Christmas novels because of how cheesy they can be, but I actually didn’t hate this one. I thought the trope of trying to save a bookshop wasn’t the most original, however, Colgan made it her own. I  enjoyed seeing Carmen grow as a person, and I loved the shop owner. I do wish we got to learn more about the personalities of the children, and I would have liked to really see more of Carmen and Sophia’s relationship. I felt like the importance of family was supposed to be one of the big takeaways, but we don’t really get to see much about the bond between sisters. I also wish they would have given Sophia’s husband a few more lines when he returned, but no luck there. I hate Skylar from beginning to end though; I don’t even feel like her character was very necessary. I will confirm that this story made me want to visit Scotland at Christmas time ❄️
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