A Bookshop Christmas - Rachel Burton

-

Author: Rachel Burton

Genre: Romance-Drama
Rating: 4 stars.

In a Nutshell: A sweet story containing all the ingredients that make romance books work. The male lead could have been sketched better, but overall, it’s a fun light read.


Story Synopsis:
After her husband passed away, Megan moved from London to York and has been working since three years in her parent’s old bookshop. She has her cluster of close friends but shies away from moving on. When prize-winning author Xander Stone bumps into her, literally, Megan can sense that her hibernation from romance might be at an end. However, Xander is, as you might expect, not an easy man, what with his arrogance and temper. Furthermore, the bookshop is in financial trouble and Megan has to focus her energies on ensuring its survival.


Have you ever listed out the things that can make a romance a fun read for you? Here’s what I enjoy:

✔ A grumpy hero who grows on you because he is like a coconut – tough outside, a softie inside.

✔ A sweet heroine who isn’t ditzy or klutzy.

✔ A dog. (Yes, I need a dog too!)

✔ Not too much steam. (This is my list, y’all! You might be disappointed to see this item, but OTT spicy scenes spoil romances for me.)

✔ Well-meaning and loveable best friends, who might get a tad too interfering but without being nagging.

✔ Anything related to books – authors, bookstores, books, and book clubs!

✔ Christmas. (Duh!!!!)

✔ A ‘Happily Ever After’!


You might assume that these are tough to find in a single book. Well, well, you have to eat your words, because this one had almost all of the above. (The sole exception was item #1. More on this later.)

Furthermore, it also had:

✔ Regency era dances and costumes.

✔ Plenty of discussions on Jane Austen (my absolute favourite author!)

✔ Scenes poking fun at tropes in romantic books (Including the infamous ‘only one hotel room left but it has a single bed’ trope.)


In many ways, this was a ‘Paint-by-Numbers’ romance. But it also had a freshness about it because it took established plot points and gave them a novel twist. Yup, the predictability is there, but that is a given in this genre, hence no issues. (Actually, I don’t understand reviewers who complain about a romantic book being predictable. What exactly do you expect when you pick up a book from this genre??) Also, the romance wasn’t insta but a slow-blooming attraction that leads to something greater. It wasn’t rushed at all, and that’s my favourite kind of love story.

The title combined two of my favourite romance themes – books and Christmas. There is plenty about books in the content to keep us bibliophiles happy. There is much less of Christmas – it is more of a background theme. But the first theme was more than enough. I loved the bookish discussions between the characters, and also enjoyed how passionately they loved and defended the romance genre. It also highlights the dire situation that small bookstores are in right now. (I wish there had been a better conclusion to this aspect of the story. It was realistic but disappointing.)

The first half of the book was almost perfect. The second half brought the experience down slightly.
⚠ Xander’s character is very inconsistent, especially in the final quarter. Though his behaviour is justified in the writing, I didn’t find the rationale too convincing. A part of me felt like it was trying to build up Xander to be a modern-day Darcy. (You might find this an outlandish comparison, but if you read the book, you will understand why I thought of Darcy!) But Darcy’s character is consistent throughout the book. Xander switches on and off without any logical reason.

⚠ I expected and wanted a lot more of Christmas, especially as the title spotlights it. But as I said, Christmas is just a passing background theme. It is not a Christmas romance at its core. Having some winter scenes isn’t enough to create happy vibes or spark the holiday spirit.

⚠ I don’t think the Goodreads cover captures the spirit of the book well. The one on Netgalley is a much better fit. (I've used the Netgalley cover in this review.)


The audiobook, clocking at 8.5 hrs, is narrated by Laura Brydon, and she does a marvellous job of bringing the characters to life. I enjoyed her spirited narration that matched the personality of the characters well.


Overall, this is a nice, clean romance that will work well if you know what to expect from this genre. Just remember that it is more of a ‘Bookish romance’ than a ‘Christmassy romance’.

My thanks to Saga Egmont Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of “A Bookshop Christmas”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.

Comments

Post a Comment

Explore more posts from this blog:

Violent Advents: A Christmas Horror Anthology - Edited by L. Stephenson - ★★★.¼

-
Image
  EDITOR: L. Stephenson GENRE: Christmas Horror Anthology PUBLICATION DATE:  December 12, 2024 RATING: 3.3 stars. In a Nutshell: A short-fiction anthology filled with Christmassy horror. Some really good stories here, though I wish there had been more variety in the “source of the evil.” A good option for those who are fed up of saccharine seasonal stories. This is the time of the year when readers are torn between spooky season and Christmas season. Here's a book that combines both. 😉 This indie anthology contains twenty-six stories by twenty-six writers. There’s no editor’s note, but the title and the tagline make the theme clear – it is a “Christmas horror” anthology. The stories are mostly fast-paced, which works well in this genre. After the first few stories, I wondered why a majority of them were using the Christmas tree as the horror device-of-choice. It occurred frequently enough for me to start eyeing every Christmas tree in the stories suspiciously. Only after...
Read More»

The Little Christmas Library - David M. Barnett - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
AUTHOR: David M. Barnett GENRE: Contemporary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: October 10, 2024 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A character-oriented contemporary fiction with a strong Christmas spirit and a dash of Christmas magic. Excellent characters and a well-connected narrative linking them all. True to contemporary times in every way. Might get a bit too sugary, but works well for the genre. A fabulous and heartwarming option for the festive season. Plot Preview: When Molly McGinley moves from London to her Northern hometown of Merry-le-Moors, she feels like an utter failure. Ten years in the big city, and all she has to show is a broken relationship and no job. Her widower dad Jack is more than happy to have his daughter home, especially as he is still missing his wife who passed away a decade back. Jack now whiles away his time driving the town’s mobile library and he insists that Molly accompany him on his rounds instead of moping alone at home. As the two take the library bus t...
Read More»

Somebody I Used to Know - Wendy Mitchell - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
AUTHOR: Wendy Mitchell GENRE: Memoir PUBLICATION DATE: June 5, 2018 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: The memoir of a woman who unexpectedly became the face of young-onset Alzheimer’s in the UK. Ghost-written with the help of a journalist, this book covers her diagnosis, reaction, coping strategies, everyday experiences, and her plans for the future.. The writing is filled with pain and frustration as well as hope. Much recommended. Do note that it might be triggering for Alzheimer’s patients and also caregivers. A reading challenge I am participating in needed a book penned by a ghost-writer. I was very clear that I didn’t want to opt for any celebrity memoir, most of which are sanitised fake versions of their lives. Nor did I want to try fictional novels that straddled the line between pseudonymous and ghost-written. ( The Nancy Drew series, for instance. ) Google led me to Wendy Mitchell’s memoir. One look at this book’s blurb, and I knew I finally found the right option for the...
Read More»

Making Up the Gods - Marion Agnew - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
AUTHOR: Marion Agnew GENRE: Contemporary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: October 15, 2023 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: An indie drama with some quirky characters and a great setting in Lake Superior, Canada. Mellow in tone, genuine in content, thought-provoking in themes. I enjoyed this unusual novel. Plot Preview: Simone, almost 70, is a retired widow who lives an isolated life in her cottage on the banks of Lake Superior and still misses her husband, though he’s been dead for five years. While she is now active in her local church and finds solace in baking for those grieving, she is fiercely protective of her privacy. But when the local reverend asks her to take care of nine-year-old Chen while his widowed mother goes on a much-needed trip, Simone finds it tough to refuse a fellow-mourning widow. Just before Chen arrives, a stranger named Martin knocks at Simone’s door, claiming to be her cousin. Simone is suddenly handling two strangers at once, and she worries that they will dis...
Read More»

Dropseed: The Story of Three Sad Women - Nettie Magnan - ★★★

-
Image
AUTHOR: Nettie Magnan GENRE: Literary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: June 30, 2024 RATING: 3 stars. In a Nutshell: A literary fiction about three women and their individual struggles. Great nature imagery and intriguing flawed characters, but too overwritten for my liking. Readers who like descriptive prose and don’t mind meandering storytelling are bound to enjoy this better. I was the wrong reader for this book. So please take this review with a pinch of salt. Plot Preview: Sally is a frustrated middle-aged ex-artist who is tired of the monotony of her life. Now with the added task of caring for her ailing mother, Sally seeks a change, but can she do so at the cost of her responsibilities? Mary, Sally’s mother, is not happy about how she has been reduced to complete dependence because of her illness. Her crankiness is often a cover for her frustration and her regrets. Is it too late for her to find peace? Beth, Mary’s caretaker, knows she has a tough patient, but even handling Mary is b...
Read More»