Sophie has spent her life on the move, never staying in one place long enough to get attached to, or hurt by anyone. After twelve months in Mistingham she has already started planning her next move to Cornwall when a beautifully bound book is mysteriously sent to her. Who sent it, and why? As she begins her hunt for the answers, she finds herself organising the village's Christmas festivities along with the handsome 'lord of the manor' Harry. Her new found sense of community and attraction to Harry is at odds with her desire to pack up and move on - will she listen to her head or her heart?
I loved this delightful tale about finding out where you belong. An entertaining story full of charming characters in a beautiful village by the sea....and a jumper-wearing goat named Felix!

This book was amazing and so wonderful. I could not have asked for a better book to read to get me into the Christmas vibe. I look forward to picking up another of McLaughlin's books.

I adored this book! It follows Sophie who grew up in foster care and now doesn't like to stay in one place too long so she's getting ready to leave her town after Christmas but the town might have other plans for her. She meets grumpy Harry and they end up planning the town's Christmas festival. I loved reading about Sophie and the people in the town, and I loved seeing the festival slowly take shape. It felt very wintery and cosy! I have to say that I think my favourite character might have been Felix, he was adorable! This is just such a lovely read, it's one I know I'll read again in the future,
It's a gorgeous, cosy hug in book form - it's my first Cressida McLaughlin but it definitely won't be my last! I highly recommend this one.

Sophie is a commitment phobe who grew up in care and so is reluctant to get close to anyone but having lived in the village of Mistingham for a year she is actually starting to feel settled.... but comfortable enough to let anyone in? This is a lovely Christmas story full of great quirky characters, humour and of course romance. Perfect for curling up in front of the fire with

An adorable story for romance and festive fans. Just the book for cosying up this festive season. Set in a seaside town, this book is set is the lead up to Christmas where things and people aren’t all they seem.
With great characters, emotional rollercoasters, a little bit of mystery and intrigue and of course a festive light up goat – you’ll thoroughly enjoy getting to know everyone in Mistingham. A special shout out to Felix and his funky jumpers – definitely one of the funniest characters I’ve read about in a long time. His antics alone could fill several books!
Sophie and Harry are the main characters, both not quite feeling they belong or fit in so when they are forced to work together they realise they have a lot more in common. Nothing is ever as it seems though and the more they get to know about each other the more they put at risk.
This book is the perfect way to start getting in the holiday spirit. I’m hoping for a return trip!

Once again, Cressida has penned a truly magical book. A heartwarming, christmassy story which has a lovely festive setting.

The North Norfolk coast is one of my favourite places and so a Christmas book set there had to be a winner. The Secret Christmas Bookshop is a gorgeous festive read set in a Norfolk village that has managed to keep it’s close knit community and independent shops.
I loved Sophie who after a childhood spent in care and a broken relationship is definitely afraid of commitment. It’s easier for her to keep moving than to begin caring about people and then be disappointed. However, after almost a year spent in Mistingham, she is dangerously close to feeling at home especially when the reclusive Harry Anderly comes into her life.
This book is filled with books, from the apt quotations from the beautiful edition of Jane Eyre that mysteriously appears on Sophie’s shop counter to the gorgeous notebooks that she makes. The descriptions of the notebooks were so vivid that I could picture them clearly and definitely want one for myself. I wasn’t completely convinced by a 9 year old whose favourite reading was YA romantasy but that was a minor niggle.
It’s a slow-paced story with lots of local detail especially about the planning of the Christmas festival but I enjoyed this and felt that it gave the characters and setting more depth. I really loved the found family aspect especially Jazz who made Sophie see things more clearly. Felix the goat was such a cute character and his antics and jumpers added both humour and drama to the story.
The romance for me was just perfect as the two of them gradually began to open up to each other while still being afraid to be completely honest.
This was a gorgeous festive read perfect for a dark winter evening and I am very grateful to Net Galley and the publishers, Harper Collins UK for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a beautiful, uplifting story of hope. This story really captured me from the very beginning. Covering the topic of foster care was really clever, and just added to the story so well, weaving a great plot that made so much sense.
Sophie and Harry were meant to be for sure, and who could fail to be won over by Felix the goat?!
Highly recommend this book for a cosy, Christmassy read.

What a fabulous book! I loved every part of it. As a fan of the Brontes and Jane Austen I loved the dark, brooding character of Harry, who had hidden issues at the beginning. But as the layers of his story were revealed we saw the inner person who was kind and misunderstood. The developing relationship between Harry and Sophie was so well written, with touches of humour amid the arguments and eventual romance. The secret bookshop idea was wonderful and made me wish I’d been gifted one of the beautifully bound books. The story had it all, suspense, humour, romance,secrets,lovely characters and a delightful setting. And to top it all- Christmas time!
I thoroughly recommend this book, if you don’t read it before Christmas ask for it on your Christmas wish list!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book.

All you need to get you into the Christmas spirit is a glass of wine or a mug of hot chocolate, a fire and this book! This was a lovely, gentle Christmas romance to curl up with. A bit of a slow burner hence 4* and not 5, but lots of wonderful characters , a few dogs, a gorgeous village near the sea and a quirky goat with a huge personality! Comfort reading at its best.

Looking for the perfect winter escape? This heart warming story blends festive charm with a sprinkle of mystery,

Sophie, who makes beautiful handmade notebooks rarely stays in one place too long, she has been in the little seaside village of Mistingham for a year. Just as she considers moving on, her plans shift when she receives a beautifully bound copy of Jane Eyre accompanied by a mysterious note from "The Secret Bookshop." Determined to uncover the sender's identity, she finds herself drawn deeper into the community and into an unexpected alliance with Harry.

Harry has recently returned, from London, to his rundown family manor, his return stirring up the villagers especially after he banned the annual Christmas festival from taking place near the village's old oak tree.

What follows is a slow-building romance as Sophie and Harry come together to plan the festival. The author captures the charm of village life and crafts a cast of endearing characters, including the adorable Felix whose antics add a touch of humour and warmth to the story.

This book is perfect for fans of feel-good reads, slow-burn romance, and Christmas magic. It’s bound to warm your heart and leave you smiling. 

"Books and notebooks: one with the pages already full of magic; the other waiting for you to create some of your own. She couldn't do without either"

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC.

I received a free copy of, The Secret Christmas Bookshop, by Cressida McLaughlin, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed other books, by Cressida, and this was a good one too. Sophie finds a beautiful book, and wonders who left it for her. Sophie is in a new place for the Christmas holiday, everyone is so welcoming and cheerful. This seems like such a great town. I really enjoyed reading about Sophie and Harry.

The Secret Christmas Bookshop is a heartwarming and entertaining novel featuring a small town community, found family, Christmas festivities, and a mysterious donor of beautiful editions of classics.

The protagonist is Sophie Stevens, whose rough upbringing has left her distrustful of those around her and she is always ready to pack everything up and move to a new place. Even though she has found good friends in Mistingham, Sophie is already thinking about moving on somewhere new when the arrival of a mysterious package stops all her plans: a beautiful edition of Jane Eyre, accompanied by a cryptic message. Curious to find out more, Sophie volunteers to organize the local Christmas festival, hoping to figure out who, among the residents, left her the book. What she didn’t expect was that Harry Anderly, the Dark Demon Lord of Mistingham, would be co-organizing with her and she certainly didn’t expect that he is not the grumpy and unfriendly master of Mistingham Manor everyone claims him to be.

This novel really gets you into the Christmas mood. The idyllic village of Mistingham is described as a place taken straight out of a period drama on Norfolk’s coastline, with a sandy beach, a wide promenade, and the sea that changes colours depending on the weather. I loved the festive atmosphere and the sense of community. The organizing of the festival kept me quite entertained and there is romance, friendship, and also a bit of mystery, themes of loss, abandonment, and grief, there is a wonderful cast of relatable and likable characters, and, best of all, Felix, the goat who wears jumpers and created the funniest scenes in the book.

The Secret Christmas Bookshop is a fantastic and engaging escapist novel, the perfect story to enjoy at this time of the year!

A seaside village, a close knit community, an anonymous gift of a beautiful book and a moody hero......what more can you want.
The difficulties experienced long after leaving care, have far reaching effects throughout the lives of those young people. Sophie is one of those people.
Cressida McLaughlin creates communities that you care about and would like to be part of, particularly to join the wonderful Christmas Oak Fest.
The best bit......the fact that it says #1 in a series!
I loved it.

Another perfect Christmas read from this author. The first in hopefully will become another series of books,we are taken to a fictional English village where the residents are thinking about Christmas. A book to curl up with in front of the fire.

Really enjoyed this book by Cressida, good story telling, with a lovely cast of characters, although at times I wanted to shake one or two of them. Felix the goat was a great addition, absolutely adored him. A very good all round book, just right for this time of year, a nice cosy read. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins and author Cressida McLaughlin for this eARC

An absolutely lovely christmas romance.
The setting of the delightful small village of Mistingham by the Norfolk seaside was adorable and so cozy. The quirky side character made the whole thing really come to life and out two main characters were both so loveable and well-written in their own way. I especially loved Harry with his dry sense of humor and seemingly grumpy attitude. Felix, Darkness & Terror were absolute highlights and made for some hilarious scenes.
Perfect for a cozy winter evening on the couch with some hot chocolate

4.5 stars
This is a perfect Christmas romance read filled with the love of all things books and reading.
The community described by Cress McLaughlin sounded wonderful- the closeness of the characters, the descriptions of the traditions followed year on year and the support provided to Sophie as she tried to make it her home made this such an entertaining read.
The idea of a mystery book received as a gift ticked all the boxes for me - I love a personally picked book as a gift and to receive one so beautifully presented would have been just wonderful.
Sophie’s notebooks sounded magical - I’ve a bit of an obsession with all things stationery and may have a little ( *I mean a large) collection of notebooks myself !

Thank you netgalley and publishers for allowing me an early copy of this book for my honest opinion. A beautifuly told story with a little touch of everything. Gorgeous location, likeable characters and above all a funny and adorable little goat. I binge read this book and can't recommend highly enough.

This book is everything you expect in a Christmas book. Festive feels, great characters and a little bit of mystery!