I have been really getting lucky with books lately. This one was another one that I just LOVED! The main characters, Megan and Xander, were so lovable, flaws and all. It was a great read from start to finish. Megan is a bookshop owner and Xander is an author coming in to do a book signing in her shop close to Christmas. Their first encounter was a disaster. Their second encounter, after realizing who each other was, wasn’t much better. And the story goes from there at such a fun pace. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Beautiful Christmassy story set in York, one of my favourite places. I adored this book, it took me a while to get used to the first person narrative but I did, and it actually helped to add depth to the character of Megan as she was quite complex due to her emotional past. I loved watching the relationship between Megan and Xander grow and the supporting characters were all very endearing also. There’s nothing negative that I can really say about this book! Overall a real joy to read and a lovely lighthearted story that I would highly recommend.

A Bookshop Christmas is a delight to read from beginning to end. It's one of those books you settle into with ease and find yourself prolonging the story as you just don't want it to end. Blissful.

When stories are set in a bookshop you know as a reader you are on to a winner, we love bookshops! This is Megan and Xander's story and if it wasn't for the bookshop their story wouldn't have begun.

Megan lives and works at the bookshop which is nestled amongst the cobbles of York city centre and has been in Megan's family for two generations. Megan loved growing up amongst the books but she was pleased to grow her wings once married and move to London for work. Sadly, life hasn't been kind to Megan and the sanctuary of the bookshop has been helping Megan the last 3 years since the death of her husband. The bookshop comforts her and York holds many poignant memories of their courtship.

Christmas is approaching and the bookshop is gearing up for the Christmas sales and a Christmas Eve party with a festive bookish theme. However, before that there's a big book launch event to look forward to.

Xander Stone is the current big name in literature with his last book becoming a best seller. Anticipation for his new release is building and it is such a privilege for the bookshop to be involved in the launch. Megan and Xander's first introduction doesn't go to plan and Xander comes across as rude and obnoxious. However, as we get to see his vulnerable side we learn he has shared similar personal emotive events like Megan.

A mutual understanding is reached between Megan and Xander but events in the past constantly battle with their conscious.

Rachel Burton has written a gloriously romantic festive story that will have you swooning and sighing. However, in amongst the blossoming love we witness two people coming to terms with grief, anxiety and new beginnings. There is humour, warmth, sensitivity and a lovely feeling of hopefulness. I also appreciated catching glimpses of Ellie and Ben who we met in The Tearoom on the Bay.

An ode to the romance genre – perfect!

After tragedy strikes, Megan returns to her home city of York and her family’s bookshop to recover. It was only supposed to be for a while but a few years later and she’s still there. When Xander Stone bursts, quite rudely, into her life (and we never do find out if the shopping trolley incident was intentional…) it shakes up her life and makes her wonder whether she’s recovering, or perhaps just hiding from the world, comfortable in the familiarity.
This novel is full of wonderful references to books which I guarantee you’ll want to add to your reading list! Megan, and her fellow Die Hard Romance Reader club members love and defend the genre, which sadly still needs defending from those who judge it harshly, often from a position of ignorance. The book is a wonderful ode to reading, and especially the romance genre. If you love either of those, you will love this too.

Highly recommended. 5*

I really loved this book. I thought the characters were lovely and the story left me feeling satisfied. This is my first book by Rachel Burton and I will be looking for more.

Thank you NetGalley, Rachel Burton and Aria & Aries for the copy of A Bookshop Christmas. This is my personal review.
This was an easy smooth romance that did not have a lot of ups and downs to the story. It had romance that fell short of being a one that made me feel it as I was reading about Megan and Xander. I liked the setting being a bookshop and it being Christmas. Reading this book gave me a few hours to relax and read.

This story is so heartwarming. It is not only about the merry and Christmas mood. For me, this book is full of hope and new beginnings.

Two lonely people who decided to have each other a chance. Two lonely people who are afraid to trust, to be close, trying to avoid being brokenhearted again. Two lonely people who need to move forward with life.

I can still feel these emotions. Insecure, excited, fear and happy. It is not one of the naive Christmas stories when everything is so easy, bright, and perfect. Here we have the spectrum of different situations, reactions that makes this story even more authentic.

A Bookshop Christmas is a must have for all romanses fans. And not only in Christmas time.

Ps. I read it in the September, and still was able to feel the magic and chemistry ;)

Christmas. A writer. A bookshop. Romance. Everything I like in one book.

After quite an interesting start, Megan, a widow and former editor, and Xander, a well known author, make their best to overcome the ghosts from their past.

I wish this book was a two voices story. We only see her side while it would have made him much more likable if we could sometimes live through his eyes. Most readers will probably love him anyway as he is a good person, but I am not sure we really see that much romance as Megan tells us about.

3.5 stars pushed to 4 as York seems like a really nice place I add to my To-Visit list.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange of an honest review.

Megan Taylor's beloved husband dies and she moves back to York to run her family's book business. Planning a Regency themed Christmas party and an author book signing, Megan must make decisions about what to do with her life. She meets Xander Stone who has his own issues to work through.

Megan's group of friends are funny, as they encourage her to get together with Zander. I loved following Megan and Xander while they struggled through their difficulties in this romantic tale. A fantastic story filled with a charming cast, I especially enjoyed the shenanigans of the Die-Hard Romantics Bookclub led by Trixie Hendricks. The author kept the Christmassy aspects light but they were well done. This is one very happy reader and A Bookshop Christmas is certainly worth a look.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Aria via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

A Bookshop Christmas, by Rachel Burton, is an emotional, wonderful, heartwarming, sweet romance about dealing with life after grieving a loved one. Megan Taylor returned home to York to help her mum run their bookshop after the death of her husband; figuring is was a good place to deal with her grief and move forward. Instead she hid away from the world, hiding behind her work at the bookshop. Needing more traffic through the shop, Megan agrees to sponsor a book launch by the bestselling author Xander Stone. From their first accidental meeting, Xander is rude and arrogant toward Megan; although he does change over time. Megan, a lover of romance books did not appreciate Xander’s trashing of them and finds herself pushing back, explaining why they worthwhile reads; even getting him to read some. As Xander shares the story of his past, protective layers are peeled back and we discover the pain he dealt with as well as how romantic he actually was. Megan gained strength as she spent time with Xander, finding her grief lessening, willingly listened to him yet standing up to him when he was behaving obnoxiously, rudely, or arrogantly. Megan’s friends, Missy and Belle were the perfect cheerleaders to help her in moving forward. I loved the antics of the Die-Hard Romantics Book Club and their preparations for a Regency Christmas party, learning card games and the quadrille. Getting Xander and the other men involved was perfect. Then there’s Xander’s dog, Gus, another wonderful addition to the story.

Ms Burton wrote an emotional, wonderful, heartwarming, sweet romance that kept me turning the pages as I followed the twist and turns, the secrets, and the friendships that made a book that should not be missed. She provided a tale rich with magnetic attraction, strong chemistry, clever banter, the magic of friends and love, and charming characters giving Megan and Xander a chance at love, happiness, and a future neither expected. I highly recommend A Bookshop Christmas to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

A delightful story set in a bookshop at winter time what could be more appealing. I really enjoyed this book, the main characters of Xander and Megan are well written and likeable. I enjoyed the way that the book talks about Romance novels tropes whilst simultaneously delivering those tropes, in a fun way, rather than a clever way. The other characters are also delightful and the subplots entertainingly guessable. It starts with a moving portrayal of loss and that exploration of real life dilemma and how to recover, makes this all the more readable and enjoyable. Delightful.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a festive novel, an excellent Christmas rom-com but it's also a book that talks books, tropes and looking down on who read a certain type of books.
I was hooked since the first pages and loved what I read.
The author is a good storyteller and the story is fast paced and gripping.
Meghan and the other characters are well developed and relatable. I love the friendship amongst the women and their book club.
I liked other books by this author but I think this is the best I read so far.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

What a lovely world to exist in. This book has been a soothing read to snuggle upto whilst struggling with COVID. Who wouldn’t want to live in a bookshop. Megan has lived all her childhood in a bookshop and apart from a brief interlude living in London having a adventure and being a married woman to lovely Joe.
Xander is a foppish (in my mind) author who is brash and rude to her and has begrudgingly agreed to do a book night in her parents bookshop.

This book is set in beautiful York and is a lovely story of two people unravelling baggage and life.

This arc was provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Loved reading this book from the very first page right to the end. It is one of those books that you will enjoy read again. Lots of emotions and twists and turns, even the dog understands what is going on. Lovely story to curl up with when the evenings are chilly and a hot chocolate is called for. Well worth 5 stars and it should be more.

Many thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this eARC

I was trending towards 4 stars but then it started feeling repetitive for the last 30% or so of the book. It's a cute feel good story and worth reading if you enjoy romance.

A Bookshop Christmas is British author Rachel Burton’s sixth novel. Young widow Megan Taylor returned from London to her family home and bookshop in York after Joe’s passing. For over three years Megan has hidden herself away working in the bookshop. She has made some innovations in the struggling bookshop, including some refurbishments. She has also instituted the Die Hards Romance book club, which meets weekly, with a small group of women romance readers ranging from 20 somethings to septuagenarians.

Another new innovation was for the bookshop to host book launches and she is quite excited to be hosting the book launch of celebrated author Xander Stone. But when they first meet she finds a very rude man and the second meeting isn’t any better. He rails against her romance section in the shop exclaiming how formulaic the genre is. How is it then that this rude, opinionated man shows up at a book club meeting?

As Megan becomes acquainted with Xander they find they may have quite a lot in common. As they get to know each other it seems they encounter each of the romance tropes he railed against. The friendship progresses until a deep secret of Xander’s is leaked to the press at which time he reverts to his obnoxiously rude ways and returns to London.

This is an endearing story of an odd couple, both overcoming setbacks and grief in their own ways and their own time. It is also a more broad reaching tale of the book club ladies and Megan’s own parents. With a well constructed plot and an interesting insight into these wonderful characters, their pasts, presents, and futures, readers will not be disappointed. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley, author Rachel Burton, and Aria publishing for giving me a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
5 stars
This book was such a wonderful story that captured the spirit of Christmas, family, and love!
I loved the premise of this story! The characters were wonderfully developed. I loved Megan! She was so down-to-earth. The author did a great job capturing the grief she still has for her former husband. The meet cute between Megan and Xander was awesome! Xander seemed to also be suffering from the breakdown of his previous marriage. These characters were perfect for each other. I liked how both were not looking for love, but found means to heal each other from the past hurts so that they could move forward into a new love. Megan's family and friends were such a great support system. Overall, this is a perfect Christmas read! I can't wait for the next new release by this author!

A Bookshop Christmas is a delightful story full of everything that I enjoy in a Christmas Romance… yet it goes beyond the holiday magic into the heartbreak of losing a loving husband to illness, the path of recovery and acceptance for a new widow, the heart-catching feeling of maybe falling in love again even if the man starts off as arrogant and rude. A bonus for me was some very hard-hitting situations with those who would put down the Romance book genre as “less than” other “more important” styles of writing. I absolutely loved those clapbacks because no one should ever put down a category of books simply because they have no real clue of what lies between the pages of those titles. So, yeah, a touch of fist pumps along the way for my favorite books.

Megan has retreated to the safety and comfort of her family’s home and bookshop in York after the death of her husband. While she might believe she’s coping with her loss, in reality, she’s hiding from the emotions that are brewing just beneath her surface. It was so easy to identify with Megan, she’s functioning, even making new friends among the customers and staff of the bookshop but she still is in a cocoon of sorts… until Xander arrives on the scene.

Xander made it very hard for me to even pretend to like him at first, but the guy grew on me as more of his past is revealed. Plus who can really dislike a guy who travels with his beloved little dog, right?

A Bookshop Christmas has layers to it, and I enjoyed unveiling each one along the way. We all deal with grief differently, there is no “right” way no matter what others may try to force on someone. Watching Megan, and eventually, Xander open up, let their real selves be shown, and do a bit of healing while dealing with an attraction neither wanted at first was an emotional journey. I enjoyed their story, loved the interactions among the book club members, and fell in love with a tiny dog.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I know it is only the beginning of September and months until Xmas but this is a lovely read, great characters and one I shall read again before the festive period.

A Bookshop Christmas
author: Rachel Burton
Aria & Aries, Aria

With the English setting of the historic Taylor's Bookshop in York during the Christmas season, Burton's new novel has all of the cozy components of a booklover's dream story. Megan runs her family bookshop, where the Die Hards Romantic Book Club meets. Her life takes a turn when she meets the famous, handsome author Xander Stone. Others in the book's pleasing, literacy loving cast include Megan's book club friends, book shop employees, and family, as well as Xander's publisher and special friend Gus.
Megan and Xander both have experienced painful losses, and are now focused on their careers. Burton's story flows beautifully as the characters are involved in all kinds of bookish happenings and interactions as the Christmas season approaches. Since the genre of romance is central to the book, an unexpected layering of snow provides a picturesque backdrop for Winter sparks.
Author Burton has allowed the people in her book to have conversations and discussions about many layers of literacy, including books, authors, genre selections, writing processes and more, which add layers of depth to this romantic winter read. The Book Club meetings are especially enjoyable, even when the members stray off topic!
Thank you to Net Galley and Aria & Aries, Aria for the advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to provide my unbiased review.
#ABookshopChristmas #NetGalley