Christmas by the Book

Christmas by the Book

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.…

Heartfelt and lovely.”

Jenny Colgan, author of The Bookshop on the Corner 

Review by 1000 Libraries

A cozy cornerstone of community life filled with the rustle of pages and the aroma of fresh ink, Nora and Simon have nurtured their oak-beamed bookshop for three decades. Slumping sales, however, have caused the specter of closure to hang heavy even as Christmas looms. Inspired then by an elderly patron’s purchase for his ill grandson, Nora embarks on a clandestine act of kindness. She anonymously dispatches six carefully chosen novels to villagers quietly battling their own demons. Each book is a bespoke remedy, a thread of bibliotherapy designed to weave solace into frayed lives.

Shifting deftly between Nora’s tender resolve and the recipients’ intimate revelations, Ryan crafts a narrative that’s equal parts heartwarming and heartfelt. At its essence, Christmas by the Book explores the quiet alchemy of generosity. Additionally, the way a single passage can crack open a guarded character’s heart, that’s the author’s emotional acuity that strives to elevate the reading experience.

As long as you had a good book for company, you never needed to feel lonely.”

Christmas by the Book is the book equivalent of mulled wine by a roaring fire: restorative, inviting, and brimming with the magic of human connection. This makes it ideal for anyone craving a seasonal read that celebrates stories as healers.

“Whether readers love stories about quaint English bookshops, Christmas, or small towns full of quirky characters, this book will surely warm the cockles of their hearts. Perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan and Elin Hilderbrand.”

“Reading Christmas by the Book is like eavesdropping in your favorite bookstore. The novel not only reminds us of the role such a bookstore plays in our communities but how random acts of kindness can heal us all. Ultimately, the novel is a testament to what happens when the perfect book finds us at the moment we need it most. Delightful and hopeful, this novel is the perfect Christmas treat.”

“A gift for booklovers everywhere. This is a sweet love letter penned by a talented writer who understands the magic and power of books to bring comfort and joy to readers. You'll want to buy two copies of this lovely novel--one to keep, and one to share.”

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