Being single, jobless, and glaring at puddles from a railway footbridge like she was auditioning for a discount version of The Girl on the Train wasn't how Scarlett Finch had expected to spend her twenty-fifth birthday...
The Blurb
After one toxic relationship too many and more failed jobs than she can count, spirited Scarlett Finch has lost her sparkle and doesn’t think she can face this year’s festive season. The last thing she expects is to land a Christmas job at Glenbriar’s Little Station Bookshop, especially not thanks to a slightly unhinged older woman with a parrot, a pug, a wild imagination, and some crackpot ideas for displays – not to mention a flair for making unexpected decisions, like hiring Scarlett without telling the owner.
Widowed dad-of-three Lloyd Miller is just trying to keep life on track. Between moving house, juggling his day job, and preparing to take over the bookshop from his retired mum, the chaos inside the shop is the last thing he needs, particularly when it includes Scarlett, the woman he shared a no-strings summer fling with… and hasn’t stopped thinking about since.
While Glenbriar twinkles with Christmas lights, both Scarlett and Lloyd are haunted by their pasts, drawn together in their present, and uncertain of their future.
A bookshop full of anonymous wishes might just give them the courage to make their own – but with neither convinced they deserve a second chance, it’ll take more than festive magic to open the book on a new romance. They can’t change the past – but they can still choose how the story goes.
My Review
This was a delightful book to read in the run up to Christmas.
Although it is book 16 in the Glenbriar series, I have not read any of the previous books and coming in at this stage in the series had no effect on my enjoyment of the book. That said, I would now love to go back and read some of the earlier books, as I adored this one.
The chapters are alternated and told from the perspective of the main characters, Scarlett and Lloyd. They originally met in the summer whilst both in a bad place. Consequently, the sparks flew and they fell into a quick but passionate fling. However, neither has been able to forget the other and when they accidentally meet again, the chemistry is still there, but so is a whole load of baggage.
I really enjoyed getting to know these characters. They are both excellently portrayed and I was rooting for them all the way, despite the numerous hurdles that need to be overcome in order for them to become a couple.
The minor characters are equally equally well depicted. I loved Eunice with her pug and foul mouthed parrot and Eve, who is Lloyd's teenage daughter, left me just wanting to give her a huge hug.
The titular Station Bookshop was every bit as important to the plot as the characters were. The author has created a fantastic sense of place in this novel. I loved the concept of the Christmas Wishing Tree and of the Icelandic festival of Jólabókaflóð (Christmas Book Flood) whereby people exchange books as gifts on Christmas Eve then read and drink hot chocolate. What a glorious way to begin the Christmas period.
The book has a warm and feel-good effect and was a real treat to read. This is a lovely book to read and enjoy as we approach Christmas, or even to gift to a loved one. In fact, one of my family members will love this book and she will definitely be finding a copy of this under her tree.
If, like me, you would like to read the whole series of books, the first book in the Glenbriar series is Stolen Kisses at the Loch View Hotel and is available on Kindle Unlimited. Whether you start at the beginning or with Christmas Wishes at the Station Books Shop, as I have, I guarantee you will enjoy it every bit as much as I have.
Book Details
ISBN: 978 1914575228
Publisher: Leannan Press
Formats: e-book and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)
No. of Pages: 358 (paperback)
Series: Book 16 in the Glenbriar series
Purchase Links
About the Author
Margaret Amatt is a bestselling Scottish author, professional daydreamer, and certified chocolate addict. She’s been making up stories for as long as she can remember – some of them even made it onto paper (and, tragically, onto floppy disks that no computer can read anymore). After two decades of writing in secret, she finally unleashed her first novel on the world in 2021, kicking off a ten-book series set on the stunning Isle of Mull.
But why stop there? She’s also the creator of The Glenbriar Series, where romance, small-town drama, and a pinch of spice keep readers coming back for more. This series is still going strong, with more books planned!
Margaret has spent her whole life in Scotland’s breath-taking Highland Perthshire, despite her entire extended family coming from the Glasgow area. Her books are romantic and emotional, sweet and funny, and each one can be read as a standalone, but long-time readers know the joy of familiar faces popping up, adding to the chaos.
So, if you love relatable characters, sizzling chemistry, and plenty of banter, you’re in the right place – just don’t blame Margaret when you stay up way too late reading just one more chapter.
You can also find Margaret at:
(ARC and media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)
(all opinions are my own)
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