I would like to thank Net Galley and Alcove Press for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. This is a hard book to categorize. Is it fantasy, cozy fiction, or just bonkers? It is a little of all three. I liked it, but I also thought it was a bit much. Meredith Villard Bingham ( Merry), is a wife and mother of 3.She has a job scouting out old and rare books. She has a dog who talks to her. She also has an autographed copy of A Christmas Carol that is a family heirloom. She loves Christmas. A few weeks before Christmas, she falls from the roof where she was decorating. Not only does she have some cracked ribs, but there is a nodule on her lung. She needs tests to determine if it is cancer. She has the tests, but doesn't tell her family. Instead she sells her heirloom book to take the family to London for a Christmas to remember. Merry gives it her all, but her family is not cooperating. They all have their own problems. And them Merry starts seeing the ghost of Charles Dickens. There is a lot going on in this book, both characters and plot wise. It may be a bit overstuffed actually. However, if like me, you have threatened your family to have a good time or else. you will relate to a lot of it.

This is a Christmas story with a twist—this isn't your typical holiday fluff. Merry Bingham, determined to make her last Christmas unforgettable after discovering a serious health issue, takes her family on a trip to London. But things don't go as planned, and on top of the chaos, she starts being haunted by Charles Dickens himself.

The book dives deep into family dynamics and the complexities of love, grief, and trying to hold onto traditions. It’s a lot more emotionally intense than your average holiday read, but in a good way. If you're in the mood for something that balances a little sadness with heart, and don’t mind a bit of Dickensian haunting, this one hits all the right notes for a meaningful holiday read.

Merry by Susan Breen is a story for those you love Christmas.

It’s the story of Merry Bingham a book scout with world wide clients and her heirloom copy of ‘A Christmas Carol’ that was signed by Charles Dickens himself. This book has been handed down from one generation to the next in her family. This heirloom is her prized possession and she treasures it with all her heart. She loves the Christmas Season and all the joys it brings.

That is until this year when her family doctor delivers bad news advising her of nodules they found in her lungs and an urgent PET Scan is required to see how badly her lungs are damaged and to see the progression of her cancer.

Merry is married to her loving husband Sully and has three grown up children Nick, Bessie and Song Lee. She has a difficult time with her diagnosis and is unable to speak to them about it. Her only wish is to be able to pass on the family heirloom, but to who?

Nick is the eldest and technically should have the book. He lives a life well traveled with work and Merry is unsure about his interests in the book. He suggests that Song Lee should have it instead.

Bessie her second child has never really showed much concern about the family keepsake especially as a child. Merry decides to contact Song Lee first.

Song Lee is a hardworking young adult she seems the right choice to give her book too. However, Song Lee recently has had troubles with her employment. Accused of fraud and Merry is worried about her.

Then Bessie finds out that Song Lee was offered the heirloom book first and was upset that it wasn’t offered to her. Merry is even more confused and doesn’t know what to do next.

Merry decides to take them all on Christmas Trip to London. It might be their last family Christmas trip together.

As Merry starts worrying about her family, financial problems, her health and death. Family disagreements emerge and things go horribly wrong. Merry wants Christmas to be a happy holiday for her family but she can’t seem to find a way to peace and joy of the season. The Ghosts of Christmas and that of Charles Dickens seem to appear everywhere Merry is…..He is not happy with her and with what is happening.

Will she find her happy ending and will the book be retained by her family and preserved for future generations?

I thank the publishers and NetGalley for the copy of this book. A beloved tale of the classic….. A Christmas Carol from the point of view of his future family member. The book shows how much love future generations have for their ancestors and family history and heritage. I rate this book 4 star.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC of Merry by Susan Breen in exchange for my honest review. It’s almost Christmas and Merry’s favorite time of the year. She loves Charles Dickens. She receives some health news and decides to spend Christmas with her family in London where Charles Dickens spent his life. As she gathers her family all together for Christmas they have to navigate some family issues. It’s a wild ride. I enjoyed this book. Recommend it around the holidays.

The characters shine with depth and relatability, the writing captivates, and the narrative strikes a delightful balance of heartwarming moments and humor.

When Merry Bingham sets out to sell her family’s beloved copy of A Christmas Carol to fund a trip to London, her plans take unexpected turns—but that’s where the true magic unfolds.

Susan Breen weaves warmth, humor, and a hint of the supernatural into a tale of love, legacy, and the authentic spirit of Christmas—a must-read for anyone who adores uplifting, festive fiction.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book and read it with pleasure. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review. Thank you, Alcove and NetGalley. #Merry #NetGalley

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Well-written, sweet, and poignant book for and of the holidays. Very different from my previous Susan Breen experience. Quite sad, though, obviously.

Merry is a cozy, heartfelt holiday read with a dash of Dickensian magic. When Merry Bingham decides to sell her family’s cherished copy of A Christmas Carol and take her family to London, things don’t go quite as planned—but that’s where the charm begins.

Susan Breen blends warmth, humor, and a touch of the supernatural in a story about love, legacy, and the true spirit of Christmas. A perfect pick for fans of festive, feel-good fiction.

A well written story which out of my expectation, its kinda sad for me not usually what I expected in Christmas holiday story.
The story was easy to read and its worth the reading.
I enjoy it and love it.

I received a free copy of, Merry, by Susan Breen, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Merry Bingham loves Christmas and Charles Dickens. This year is not like other years, Merry is waiting on words from her doctor. Merry decides to bring her family to London for the holidays. This was a sad read.

This is written horribly. The book jumps around so much I had to reread chapters multiple times thinking I missed something. Meredith acts like this book is what keeps her breathing and gives anything that has happened to her family meaning but the mere sight of something on her x-ray has her shoving it off on her horrible, self centered, and ungrateful children. When they don't want it she decides to just sell it. She has this book in a safe, makes everyone wash their hands if they touch it but she just decides to sell it. Leading up to her selling it, its made pretty apparent this lady in her mid 50's has a ton of debt. So she uses the books revenue to....fund a Christmas trip to London?? to get back at her husbands friends who already took the trip? This was just terrible and I gave up at 25%. I think some editing, maturing of the MC, and thinning of the attachment to the book would make this story 100 times better.

Rounded up from 3.5

A tale as old as time-a woman with adult children who grow up and take their mother for granted. Dealing this is her last Christmas, Merry takes a trip to London for Christmas with the family to give them a picture perfect Christmas together, but is a family Christmas ever picture perfect? Sometimes we have to figure out what really matters.

This was not the lighthearted, joyous tale I expected it to be from the description but the author was easy to read and the story is well worth the read.

Thank you Alcove Press, Susan Breen and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions stated are my own.

***ACTUALLY 3.5 STARS***

Received as an ARC and it wasn’t a bad read. It had my interest from the start but then it lost it a little, however it pulled it off in the end.

Merry’s family was relatable because they’re not perfect…they have flaws, they argue, they can’t stand each other at times but they love each other. All the Dickens info was interesting, learned a lot about the man.

Overall, not my favorite holiday read but it was still enjoyable.

Christmas is almost here and Merry wants to make it memorable for her family! She wants them to have togetherness.
It is her favorite season of the year!
Will her slightly dysfunctional family able to help their Mother to also enjoy her holiday and grant Merry her wish for time?

This is definitely an interesting if perhaps crazy Christmas novel that people who love Charles Dickens will truly enjoy.
There is mystery, cheer, fear and lots of family love among these pages!
My sincere thanks to @NetGalley and to @Alcove Press for this ARC and allowing me to read and provide my own review.
Happy Christmas!

Merry is quite the character! I absolutely loved her quick witted bantering. Merry adores Christmas and loves Charles Dickens The Christmas Carol. Just before Christmas Merry gets a frightening medical scare but she is determined to enjoy Christmas with her family. It's a festive and joyous read!

Merry is a character. But all she really wants is for her family to be together for the holidays and get along. Through many antics and history connection to Charles Dickens we see things start to come together. A family filled holiday read.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

If you are a fan of Charles Dickens this is the Christmas story for you! This is a story of a family, with grown children, going through the Christmas season together. They all have their own disappointments and difficulties they’re bringing together. The family heirloom of A Christmas Carol book signed by Charles Dickens is the mom’s most prized possession and what she uses to guide her through life.

My favorite part of this novel is the banter and arguing among the siblings. To the mother it seems so dire and like she’s failed, but as someone with siblings it seems just like family 😂

The first half of the book was very slow moving. Once the pace of the story picked up I couldn’t put it down. The ending didn’t feel like it would be that healing for the trauma each person had gone through, but it was definitely a step in the direction they all needed. I loved the growth you could see in each character as the story was closing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy for an honest review.

I liked this book! It made me feel the christmas spirit in the middle of March lol. I do think it is a good book, and will be great to read around the christmas holidays once they come back around.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

ARC Review

Merry by Susan Breen is a Christmas story.


Merry Bingham comes from a family that adores Christmas. Their favorite book has always been A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

During her annual holiday decorating, an accident leads to the discovery of a serious health issue. Fearing this may be her last Christmas, Merry is determined to make it unforgettable for her family. When none of her children express interest in keeping a cherished family heirloom, she makes the difficult decision to sell it and take them all on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to London. She’s convinced that celebrating the season there will bring them closer together. However, the more she pushes for a perfect holiday, the more things fall apart. To make matters worse, the ghost of Dickens himself begins haunting her—and she has no idea why.

This is not a lighthearted Christmas story. Instead, it delves into the complexities of family relationships, especially during challenging times. It explores how people can support one another’s wishes, even when they don’t fully understand them. The novel carries a deep emotional weight, filled with moments of sadness and conflict, yet it ultimately delivers a poignant and meaningful ending. It reminded me of classic literature in its depth and storytelling.

If you’re looking for a heartfelt family novel to read during the holidays, this might be the perfect choice.

Merry is an unexpected delight of a book. Meredith, or “Merry,” is facing a troubled Christmas and wants nothing more than to gather her family together. She first is crushed when she learns her three grown children don’t want her prized possession—an early edition of Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol,” so she decides it’s time to sell and use the money to create one fantastic Christmas holiday.

The trip to London to explore Dickens’s favorite haunts doesn’t go as planned (even though Merry made beautifully laminated itineraries for them). Over the course of their days in the city together, the family members must deal with old wounds and recent slights. I loved seeing the details of each of their lives unfold, seeing Merry desperately clinging to her hopes of a perfectly Dickensian holiday. It’s not your typical Christmas family story, but I absolutely recommend it for fun and surprises and unique characters. (Be sure to watch for the two Leroys!)

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the chance to read an advance copy of the book!