4 stars for The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan
Synopsis:
Carmen has always worked in her local department store. So, when the gorgeous old building closes its doors for good, she is more than a little lost.
When her sister, Sofia, mentions an opportunity in Edinburgh – a cute little bookshop, the spare room in her house – Carmen is reluctant, she was never very good at accepting help. But, short on options, she soon finds herself pulled into the snowy city just a month before Christmas.
What Sofia didn’t say is that the shop is on its last legs and that if Carmen can’t help turn things around before Christmas, the owner will be forced to sell. Privately, Sofia is sure it will take more than a miracle to save the store, but maybe this Christmas, Carmen might surprise them all…
The Christmas Bookshop was my first book of the holiday season! I'm normally completely a mood reader, but during this time of year, I make sure that I have plenty of holiday books available! I love this time of year and there are so many winter holidays to use as the backdrop of some magical books.
I liked this story a lot, but first, let's quickly talk about what I didn't like. I did not enjoy the way it was written. The author switches POVs all the time and not just at the start of a chapter. In the middle of a page (sometimes it felt like the middle of the paragraph), suddenly we'd be hearing another character's thoughts. It was a little disorienting at times and in several instances, I had to go back and reread to figure out who was actually thinking something. This is the first book by Jenny Colgan I've read so maybe that's just her style, but for me, it was occasionally difficult to follow. Luckily, it did not take away from this delightful Christmas tale.
Carmen definitely needed to grow up and Sophia 100% needed to chill out and you get to see both women do just that. I thought their character development both as individuals and as sisters was believable. Plus a down-on-its-luck bookstore? In Edinburgh? At Christmastime? How could you not love that setting?! Having Carmen's job would be the dream. If it paid my bills, I can't imagine a better job.
The cast of supporting characters was also done really well. The kids, Oke, Skylar, Blair, young Mr. McCredie, and all the other people we meet, add the additional color and flavor the story needs in order to come alive. We need each one of those people, for better or for worse, in order to lead Carmen on her path. Without them, not only would the story as a whole be a little lackluster, but Carmen also would not have made the journey she did.
All-in-all The Christmas Bookshop was an excellent start to my holiday reading!
Carmen and Sofia are different for many, many reasons. Their diets tend to be especially different. At one point during the story, Phoebe, one of Sofia's children, mentions that her favorite sandwich is a Nutella sandwich. Since nothing that unhealthy (aka delicious) would ever be found in Sofia's house, Sofia had no idea where Phoebe had ever had it before. Carmen and Phoebe are two peas in a pod so I knew, if given half a chance, Carmen would probably let Phoebe have as many Nutella sandwiches as she wanted. There's a new-ish shop here in town called Sisu Pancakes (https://www.sisupancakes.co.uk/ Instagram: @sisupancakes) that makes pancake cakes and slices. They are divine. Thin layers of pancake with a rich filling in between each layer, and many incredible flavors to choose from. One of their particularly delicious flavors is Nutella brownie. On the very bottom, there is a thin layer of chocolate brownie and the top has a generous spoonful of Nutella on it. Not only did I just really want a piece, but I also felt that this would be a perfect treat for Carmen and Phoebe as well. If you're ever in the Cheltenham area, make sure to stop by and pick up a slice!
Thanks for stopping by!
-Kim
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