Today I have a wonderful festive read on the blog by Rachel Burton: A Bookshop Christmas which was published by Aria on 2nd September.
A Snowstorm. A stranger. A Spark. 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...
My Thoughts
I must admit, this book had me at the title. What could be more inviting than a bookshop - at Christmas? It did not disappoint. Set in York, I could absolutely visualise the whole scene. I really felt as though I had visited the shop! Megan is at a crossroads in that she is sensing that change is coming to waken her from the cocoon she has created for herself back at her parents' bookshop, following her husband's death. Xander's appearance in her life certainly stirs up some memories for her. He is a complicated character, she discovers. In some ways, they both have issues from their past which they need to face up to before they can move on.
The cast of secondary characters are a delight. Each one a distinct personality. Their Regency Christmas added some humour to the story, with their attempts at cooking Regency dishes and learning the dances. The Die Hard Club sounded brilliant with its lack of pomposity and determination to read for enjoyment. There turns out to be one or two surprises for these romance lovers. In all, it has so much to recommend it as a festive read - lively characters, a bit of a mystery, the joy of reading and a glorious setting- not to mention a huge dollop of romance.
In short: a super festive read
About the Author
Rachel Burton has been making up stories for as long as she
can remember and always dreamed of being a writer until life somehow got in the
way. After reading for a degree in Classics and another in English Literature
she accidentally fell into a career in law, but eventually managed to write her
first book on her lunch breaks. Now she writes from a small bedroom looking out
over hydrangeas, lavender bushes and rambling roses, in a little house in
Yorkshire that she shares with her husband and their three cats. She loves
words, Shakespeare, tea, The Beatles, dresses with pockets and very tall
romantic heroes (not necessarily in that order).
Find her on Instagram as
@RachelBWriter or follow her blog at rachelburtonwrites.com
Social links:
Thanks to Rachel Burton, and Amy Watson of Head of Zeus for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.
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