The Secret Christmas Library, Jenny Colgan (Review by Kristin Kurek)
Rating: 4.8/5 Stars
Mirren became an accidental book hunter after she found a priceless book in her great-aunt Violet’s attic. (This storyline plays out in the Jenny Colgan’s charming short story The Christmas Book Hunt. You should read it!)
She is hired by Jamie McPherson to locate a missing book…lost inside of his family’s ancestral mansion in the Scottish Highlands. Family legend says that finding the missing book will On the train Mirren is joined by rival book hunter, Theo, who is headed to assist in the hunt for the missing book. Once in the Highlands, Mirren and Theo find that Jamie’s ancestral home is crumbling and filled to the brim with books. As heavy snow falls, Mirren comes to realize that she will be stuck at the mansion over Christmas. Will they find the book while cut off from the outside world?
I love Jenny Colgan books, so this was going to be an immediate winner for me. Jenny Colgan writes cozy romances centered around bookish mysteries. They are low-stakes, easy reads. They are not always 100% feasible, but that’s not what escapism is all about. Even then, I absolutely couldn’t stop reading The Secret Christmas Library. This book had just the perfect amount of romance and the perfect amount of mystery. The romance made me sigh out loud. And, when the mystery was solved, I got actual goosebumps.
I did not find this book to be overtly Chistmas-y, but the seasonality added charm. I am certainly in a holiday mood even though I read this book in October. Additionally, I have a burning desire to book a trip to Scotland.
The Secret Christmas Library was infused with hope and a call to lead life with a focus on joy.
I found this book to be a quick, easy, pleasurable, joyful read. Fans of Jenny Colgan, cozy romance, or book-based mysteries will love this book just as much as I did. Who doesn’t fantasize about being snowed in with hot men in a castle filled with books for Christmas???