Synopsis:
A snowstorm. A stranger. A spark. And it’s Christmas!
It should be the perfect start to the perfect love story. But real life is far messier and more complicated than in the pages of the books in Megan Taylor’s family bookshop – the last few years have left this young widow in no doubt of that. Moving back home to York should have been a fresh start, but all it did was allow her to retreat from the world.
When prize-winning author Xander Stone rams his supermarket trolley into her ankles and then trashes her taste in books, Megan is abruptly awoken from her self-imposed hibernation. It’s time to start living again, and she’s going to start by putting this arrogant, superior – admittedly sexy – stranger in his place. Just as she is beginning to enjoy life again, the worst happens and Megan begins to wonder if she should have stayed hidden away. Because it turns out that falling in love again is about more than just meeting under the mistletoe…
Review:
A Bookshop Christmas is a cute and lovely read, set in beautiful York. The atmosphere and setting is where this book truly shined – I mean does anything beat a cosy, festive bookshop in a beautiful city?
In my opinion, the magic formula for a romance novel is this: beautiful setting + bookshop + dogs + quirky friends + irresistible romantic interest = perfection. A Bookshop Christmas was so nearly there.
- Beautiful setting – check
- Bookshop – check
- Dog – check
- Quirky friends – check
- Irresistible romantic interest – not quite
There was something about Xander Stone that just didn’t quite feel right to me. The enemies-to-lovers trope was mild at best. Yes, Xander was a bit annoying at first, but the ice thawed just a bit too quickly for my liking. And after that everything just felt… easy? His personality and behaviour felt inconsistent, especially in the last third of the book. The drama felt forced and unconvincing.
If you are looking for a very festive romance, this may not be quite the right fit. Despite the title, Christmas is more of a passing background mention in this book.
Overall, A Bookshop Christmas is a cute, clean, light-hearted and fun read. The setting and characters are where this book truly shines, but the romance is lacking.
Rating: 3/5 stars
