I adore Nina Stibbe. Love Nina is a book I've read and re-read and gifted so many times. Her novels are also excellent, and this is a charming, funny collection of short stories and reminiscences of Christmas pasts that has all the charm of Love Nina and which would make a fantastic gift this Christmas. I've already pre-ordered a copy to give to my mum. Part of the reason I love Nina so much is that she often writes about Leicester, and it's where I grew up and now live. I used to love reading Sue Townsend's work because she wrote about places I knew and people I recognised (not individually, obviously - but they were recognisably real people because I lived among people just like them). I'm delighted that Nina is carrying on that tradition. She is such a good writer because the characters she writes fly off the page into my heart and mind and are real for me, just like the places she writes about. She has a wonderful ear for the absurd. Her dialogue is pin sharp and she has that wonderful ability to be funny and devastatingly sad all at the same time. This is beautifully written and it was a privilege to be able to read it.

Nina Stibbe is one of the funniest new writers I have recently discovered. Her tales of Christmas had me laughing out loud and her mother must be a character to get to know as she and the book are hilarious.

Exactly what you would expect form Nina Stibbe. Hilarious observational humour - I am not sure I will ever try any of the methods of defrosting turkeys mentioned...and would certainly plump for lamb instead (even though I hate lamb) but they were certainly memorable. Highly recommended