I liked this, although I didn’t expect it to be so sad. If you are a fan of Dickens, you will potentially like pieces of this story. The writing is good too, the pacing makes sense it didn’t feel rushed or too slow.

“This could be the year that Merry Bingham is sensible about Christmas.”

This story reinforced for me the potential for misunderstandings and relationship damage when we aren’t upfront and honest with those we love. It also reminded me of the importance of sharing our values with loved ones. Had Merry approached the sale of her treasure differently, she could have avoided further heartache.

Spotlighting the different ways we cope with guilt and shame was a wonderful thread that ran through this story. It’s good to be reminded to step back and see others’ reactions through the lens of THEIR coping mechanisms.

Finally, it was good to see that family is elevated and bonds strengthened despite forces that work to tear it apart. I may have wanted to take some of the characters aside and ‘talk to them’ for their thoughtless comments/reactions, but my viewpoint is with as many years behind me as their mother has! Treading delicately with intergenerational interactions is the best policy; Merry could have used some of that advice.

As a result of this book, I made sure that my family knows the value I place on my treasures so that there are no misunderstandings ‘when the time comes.’

I was gifted this book by Alcove Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Merry by Susan Breen is a well-written story that I’d suggest to anyone who’s into books about books—especially Dickens fans. It’s set in London at Christmas and feels like a “middle-aged coming of age” tale. There’s also unresolved guilt, a messy but loving family, and a dash of the supernatural thrown in.
The book got a little sadder than I expected for a holiday story, but it still stayed hopeful. London feels super alive in the telling—I’ve never been, but it pulled me in anyway. I’m guessing people who know the city would enjoy it even more.
Note: I was happy to receive this as a free ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are my own.

I just finished Merry by Susan Breen. This was a fun holiday read to watch out for this fall. You won’t want to skip it.