The Christmas Bookshop

By: Jenny Colgan

Narrated by: Eilidh Beaton

Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Escape to a cosy festive bookshop this winter with this pause-resisting and magical treat. 

The brand-new feel-good Christmas novel from Sunday Times top 10 best-selling author Jenny Colgan.

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 pulling 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....

©2021 Jenny Colgan (P)2021 Hachette Audio UK

Critic reviews

"Nobody does cosy, get-away-from-it-all romance like Jenny Colgan." (Sunday Express)

"An evocative, sweet treat." (Jojo Moyes)

"Gorgeous, glorious, uplifting." (Marian Keyes) 

Feel good christmas story

Feel good christmas story. Nice to meet Mr. Ramsey and family again even though just passing by.

Nice story to escape into for a few hours

I enjoyed the story and the author had created some great characters but I wasn't a fan of the way it was narrated. I think the lead character, Carmen, definitely has an edge of sarcasm to her, but the way it was narrated meant that almost everything she said sounded petulant, disrespectful (who talks to a new boss like that?!) and just made her not very likeable to me. Maybe that's the way the author intended it to be spoken but I think the sarcasm was way too heavy and just got in the way for me.

Great Christmas story

struggled at the start with the narrator's voice...but loved the storyline. Another great story..thanks

Yay Jenny Colgan!

I really enjoyed this one.
A Christmas mix of a story and not too sweet, with a measure of cynicism, sarcastic humour and the usual romance. This is full of literary spice in the form of references to Christmas themed books, mysterious characters and intriguing details about all sorts of things. She's totally taking off the idea of a celebrity, self help industry but in an inoffensive way. I wonder if this is what JC really thinks of such things as yoga, healthy eating, spirituality and self help books, I guess I'll never know.
I also really liked the fact that the main character Carmen was something of an underdog and was totally relatable as a downtrodden younger sibling.
I think this is one I'll listen to again.

Such an enjoyable Christmas read.

Was sad when it finished, wanted a little more of what happened next. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next in the little bookshop.

Annoying protagonist/ narrator

The protagonist was an unsympathetic, immature, whinging character to the point of the story that I reached before (for the first time in many years of Audible membership) I returned the book. Other characters were by that point equally flawed, and If this was the intention then the narrator portrayed them all perfectly. Perhaps there is later development of the characters and more Christmas spirit later in the book, but I was too disinterested in the characters to stick with it.

Disapointing

Unfortunately this was a disappointing listen. I have enjoyed Jenny Colghans books in the past but this lacked the usual warmth in the characters and story.

narration is absolutely awful

Such a shame as the story is good but the narration is dreadful. As all the other reviews stated Carmen the lead character is read in a very sarcastic way, she sounds like a spoilt brat. It's hard to warm to her character. Real shame. This audiobook needs completely re-recording. There are a couple of errors that threw me too, like confusing the lead characters name with camera in one chapter. I had to re wind to work it out. Very disappointed, was looking for a feel good christmas story.

Just a gorgeous listen from start to finish

Loved the story and the narrator was so easy to listen to. Very enjoyable

Not for me. :(

I gave this book a good go, in the hope it would improve but I found the lead character so irritating. The narration is completely over the top too! For the first time, I am going to ask for a refund. Such a shame.

Easy Listening

Enjoyable seasonal tale that is not taxing, letting you relax and unwind. A few minor issues with the audio jumping in volume and clarity. Plus a few accuracy issues regarding Edinburgh - one o’clock canon being the most obvious one.