I love the atmosphere Colgan sets for this book, first with the train, then with the Scottish castle. Having Theo and Mirren paired up again thrilled me. With the exception of them, I did have a bit of trouble connecting to the other characters. Despite that, I did enjoy the romance, but appreciated that it took a back seat to the plot. While I did enjoy the book, I did struggle with the fact that there seemed to be a distraction every time they were deciphering a clue, it made it difficult to keep up. I’ve enjoyed all Colgan’s past books, but unfortunately this just wasn’t a favorite of mine.

Mirren went on a search. A search to find a lost book for her aunt. That lost book ended up being very valuable and can now be found in the British Museum. When she's feeling a little down, like now as the Christmas season is arriving and she is reevaluating her life, Mirren likes to go and watch other people admire the book she found. While she's there she happens to stumble upon someone who is on the hunt for their own very valuable book. At first Mirren isn't sure if the gentleman is serious, but she decides to take a chance. What does she have to lose? Well, for one thing, her phone. The trip starts off on a bad note when Mirren's phone is stolen at the train station, but then the fairy tale begins. Mirren is led to a private train car that will take her to a castle in the Scottish Highlands. As she boards she is in awe of her surroundings, and then notices the guy who ghosted her also aboard. Turns out they have both been hired to find the missing book. When they arrive at the castle, Jamie, the mystery man from the British Library is there to greet them, and give Mirren more to think about then just finding a book. Jenny Colgan sets her reader on a cozy adventure in a Scottish castle at Christmas time using her ability to write heartwarming characters, and settings that have you feeling as though you are right there in the story. ***Spoiler ahead*** Let me start by saying I love Jenny Colgan's books. I love how she crafts her characters and I love how I feel I am right there in the story with them. This holds true for this book as well. It did feel though that the ending was rushed and details left out. As they escape the house it isn't clear if Theo, Bonnie, and Esme actually have time to get dressed as they were in the pajamas. If they didn't get dressed they would have died from exposure with the temperatures and weather being what they were. Maybe I'm just being too picky, but this bothered me.

Mirren finds herself on a train to Scotland for the holidays, heading straight toward James, a laird living in the crumbliest castle in the Scottish Highlands. He needs help locating a valuable book alluded to in his grandfather's will, and Mirren has built a reputation for tracking down lost books. Add in James’s sister Esme, book expert Theo, endless snow, and piles upon piles of books in a castle without electricity, and you’ve got the perfect Christmas setup.

I’ll admit it: I’m a complete sucker for a Jenny Colgan novel. She writes my dream scenarios every single time. This one is a quick, cozy Christmas read that ticks every single box:

Christmas magic? ✅

Forced proximity in a snowstorm in a drafty old castle? ✅

A love rectangle (or is it a pentagon)? ✅

A treasure-hunting mystery inside the castle? ✅

And, of course, the farthest reaches of Scotland as the setting? Perfect.

Just read it. It’s a fun, adventurous holiday romp—and by the end, if you haven't read any Jenny Colgan, you will sprint straight to all of her previous books because she's so delightful.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Christmas in the Scottish Highlands, snowbound in a castle filled to overflowing with books? I'm in!

Jenny Colgan has an incredible way with words and telling a story that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. I read the book in one sitting, far into the night.

The descriptions of the setting brought the story to life. I was in that castle, feeling the bitter cold, searching for hidden treasure along with the characters.

I very much enjoyed this book. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for allowing me to read and review the book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Secret Christmas Library by Jenny Colgan

Mirren Sutherland has been hired by Scottish Laird Jamie McPherson to find a rare book that could help him save his estate.

Much to her chagrin, her rival Theo Palliser is trying to beat her to the draw.

I was already familiar with the characters Mirren and Theo from Colgan's previous short story "The Christmas Book Hunt".

The setting, a run-down castle at Christmastime, is fascinating (as was the train car they travelled in to get there), and I revel in mysteries like this one where riddles and puzzles are involved.

I hope there will be more stories in this series!
I would really enjoy reading more about the estate and the people who live there.

Reviews are posted on Goodreads, and
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Thank you, William Morrow, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

William Morrow Paperbacks
October 14, 2025

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Wow! Whar a sweet cozy, christmas romance from beloved author Jenny Colgan. Readers will be transported to Northern Scotland during the most magical time of the year. Join characters: Mirren Sutherland, Theo Pallister, and Jaimie McPherson as they search through the old, crumbling down Forres Castle in search of one piece of treasure (a rare and valuable book)! Romance lovers, bibliophioles, and fans of a bit of mystery will fall in love as family secrets are learned, and a bit of romance as Jaimie and Mirren learn about themselves and what is truly important.
The characters are loveable and interesting. The story line keeps one guessing all the way to the end. But most importantly, Je ny Colgans breathtakingly vivid imagery places readers right there wirh the characters in Forres Castle!!

This book brings back the two main characters from “The Christmas Book Hunt,” Mirren Sutherland and Theo Palliser. In the previous story, the two seemed to have a connection, but after Mirren found the antique book they were searching for, Theo ghosted Mirren. Now, a year later, they both (unbeknownst to them in advance) have been hired by Jamie McKinnon, a handsome Scottish laird, for another book search.

Jamie arranged for them to come to his ancestral home in the Scottish highlands the weekend before Christmas. The home - more like a castle - contained hundreds of thousands of books. A mysterious riddle left by Jamie’s grandfather alluded to the existence of an incredibly valuable book somewhere in the castle, and Jamie hoped to find it and use the proceeds to restore the house. It would be no easy task; the house had about two miles of corridor and some sixty rooms, all filled with books in no particular order. Moreover, the lights are dodgy, as is the heat, and a heavy snow has started to fall.

Mirren, Theo and Jamie are trapped in the castle along with Bonnie - the housekeeper-cook, and a last-minute arrival, Esme, Jamie’s sister. They take time out from searching to celebrate Christmas and enjoy a whole new experience for the London-based Mirren: a fairy-tale castle buried in snow where you could actually hear the wind and the winter birds “but apart from that, nothing. . . . No sirens. No car horns or reversing lorries or screeching boy racers… A world untouched by time.”

As they struggle to keep warm and search through all the books, they have to skirt disaster to find the treasure and even survive. But in the process, they also discover great food, camaraderie, and even love.

Evaluation: Although this book is a sequel to “The Christmas Book Hunt,” it can easily be read as a standalone. Although I am a big fan of Jenny Colgan, this story moved rather slowly for me, and lacked the laugh-out-loud moments of some of her other books. But this one is entertaining in a different way; it is more like a slow, dreamy, Christmas fantasy for those who love books, food, friendship, and romance.

A lovely Christmas read. Looking for one special book in a giant, rundown castle during a snowstorm. Cozy, romantic, mysterious. Fans of Colgan won't be disappointed.

In the end, the mystery of the secret was cleverly revealed and the loose ends tied up nicely.

I struggled through the first 100 pages or so. The tension between Mirren and Theo reads as though it was a sequel, though it isn't. It read rather choppy at points and then the point of view would oddly switch for a paragraph. I didn't like Esme's character at first, though as the story progressed, everyone's role smoothed out quite well. For some reason, the blurb has James's last name as McPherson, but in the book, his last name is McKinnon. His character was the best. There is less of a Christmas backdrop than expected, but the moments where it shines are lovely.

What an adventure this turned out to be! Mirren Sutherland found a rare book in her aunt’s attic, and now she’s in demand. At least, one person requests her services, and is willing to transport her and another book seeker, Theo Palliser, via a private train from London to the Scottish Highlands at the peak of the Christmas season. The train is rather mysterious and magical, which sets the tone for what is about to transpire in Jenny Colgan’s new romantic mystery novel, The Secret Christmas Library

When they arrive, they are met in a Land Rover by Jamie McKinnon and his working dog, Roger. Much to their surprise, their destiny is not a house, an ordinary residence, but a castle. A very old castle. It is even more astonishing once they get inside. There are books everywhere ! Jamie explains that he grandfather, who left him the castle, was a collector of books. One book is so rare that it will be worth a fortune. That is why Jamie has enlisted the help of Mirren and Theo. The house is so run-down that he is concerned about its future, and his.

I felt like a fly on the wall at times peeking over Mirren’s shoulder, as it is her perspective I watched the most. She and Theo have a history, but she’s more curious about Jamie and what his relationship is to the housekeeper-cook Bonnie. Bonnie is a hard worker who seems to have had a soft spot in her heart for the old man. Jamie, on the other hand, has different memories of him from his childhood as his grandfather being difficult to relate to.

Although this is supposed to be a working holiday, the guests and their hosts find plenty of time for eating, drinking, and making merry. Jamie’s sister Esme shows up unexpectedly, which changes the atmosphere a bit. Add in a snowstorm, and things change over the course of several hours as the snow keeps coming. A white Christmas? And then some. Remember, it’s an old castle ! But the search goes on. Oh, did I mention this was a romantic mystery? Yes, there’s some of that too. A girl’s got to keep warm, you know!

With Jamie worried about finding the mysterious book that may lead to him finding his way out of his money troubles with the castle, I had to wonder where this all was going to was going to lead. Would there be a huge disaster, or would Mirren, Theo, or even Esme or Bonnie save the day? I didn’t feel the title The Secret Christmas Library doesn’t exactly fit, but by the end, a title from Shakespeare came to mind: All’s Well That Ends Well.

I received a digital copy of The Secret Christmas Library as an ARC. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow.

3.5 rounded up

The Secret Christmas Library
By: Jenny Colgan

4 Stars

This was a magical story filled with adventure and christmas novelty. Mirren ends up at a beautiful castle as she is hired to find a mysterious book. The castles lord, Jamie, has an inheritance that is literally crumbling down around him. Searching for a final piece to his fathers puzzle will help to change his life, even if not in the way he thought.

I loved this story. It was so beautifully descriptive and full of mystery and adventure. Plus, what's better than a christmas book in the heat of summer? This book was well written and kept me wanting more. I loved the mystery, the crumbling castle, and of course, the romance. Ultimately, that's what this was a fairy tale romance. It was beautiful.




*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Reviews

Mirren Sutherland, who tracked down a rare book a year ago is back. Unfortunately, she is back in her rut of a life - facing a drab Christmas. But a chance meeting in the British Museum leads to a job offer. A Scottish laird needs help to track down a precious book stashed somewhere on his crumbling estate by his grandfather. She accepts the offer and heads for the Highlands, as does Theo, her old book hunting competitor.

I am a big Jenny Colgan fan, so I loved The Secret Christmas Library. This book is a follow up to the short story The Christmas Book Hunt in which Mirren went on a book hunt last Christmas to find a rare children's book. She was working against Theo, who works for a professional rare bookseller. Mirren finds the book and falls in love with Theo, who then ghosts her. The following holiday season, she is hired by a Scottish heir to a crumbling castle, to find a possibly valuable book that could save his estate from financial ruin. When she gets on the train to head to Scotland, Theo is also on it. They arrive at the estate, to find James, the heir, and Bonnie, his estate manager, are the only people living in a castle filled with books. James' grandfather was a book hoarder, but also loved puzzles and scavenger hunts, so he left clues that Mirren, James & Theo are trying to follow. James' sister, Esme, get wind of the hunt, and shows up to make sure she doesn't miss out on any inheritance she may be entitled to. What I enjoy about Jenny Colgan's books is that they are often set in the English or Scottish countryside, and it always makes it sound so romantic and charming. I highly recommend any book she writes. Thank you to #NetGalley and #HarperCollins for an advance reader's e-proof to review.

Entertaining enough story, but trite, silly nonsensical at times. Descriptions of countryside, vistas, surrounding world were enjoyable,

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read The Secret Christmas Library by Jenny Colgan. What fun to discover Mirren and Theo are back! Scotland, a castle, books, a mystery, a snowstorm - what's not to love?!

Let me set the scene: snowed in at a Scottish castle, surrounded by dusty books, secret passageways, and unresolved romantic tension? Yeah, I was in from page one.

Mirren, our bookish heroine (LOVE HER!!!), gets hired to hunt down a possibly mythical, definitely valuable book hidden somewhere in a crumbling Highland estate. Her client? A stressed-out laird trying to save his family’s legacy. Her unexpected travel companion? Theo, her rival-slash-ex-fling who ghosted her and is now suddenly along for the ride. Yeah, it’s complicated.

This book has all the cozy ingredients:
📚 Rare books
🏰 Spooky old castle
❄️ Snowstorm lockdown
💔 Enemies-to-something-more
🕵️‍♀️ Clues, riddles, hidden rooms

The vibes? Immaculate. The romance? Slow-burn, with just enough spark to keep you turning the pages.

I will say it leaned a little slow in spots - I could so have done WITHOUT the lame poetic riddles which totally dragged for me

I enjoyed this lovely little book but it’s not one I will think about after a few days. It’s perfect for a rainy afternoon or if you’re looking for a pleasant diversion — particularly if you’re a book lover. It was wildly improbable but that didn’t affect my enjoyment.

I love Christmas, and I love reading books set around Christmas.

I read The Christmas Book Hunt last year and was pleasantly surprised to see Mirren Sutherland back for another holiday bookish adventure! This time, she’s hired by Jamie McPherson to track down a valuable book hidden somewhere in his crumbling family estate. From the private train car ride to the run-down estate, and the unexpected reappearance of Theo Palliser, this story had plenty of charm and cozy mystery vibes.

I really enjoy these characters, especially Mirren’s enthusiasm for rare books and her knack for getting wrapped up in quirky situations. New additions like Esme (Jamie’s sister) and Bonnie (the housekeeper) added some nice layers to the story. There’s also a touch of romance, which felt sweet and natural without overpowering the plot.

My only complaint is that some of the lengthy descriptions slowed the pacing a bit for me. I'm not sure why, as the descriptions set the stage effectively, but I found myself skimming a few passages to get back to the heart of the mystery and character moments.

Still, it’s a cozy, festive read perfect for book lovers, and I hope Jenny Colgan brings Mirren back for another Christmas adventure next year!

This was a delightful Christmas’y read with a slight romantic portion mixed with a little mystery scavenger hunt.

I enjoyed the characters and really liked how they all fit together. I liked the scavenger hunt that dead grandpa sent them on to save the family castle. There were some parts that felt slow/sluggish and a few that we probably didn’t need but overall, I enjoyed the book and will be checking out more by this author.

Whoo hoo! A ‘Christmas in July’ read! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. I really enjoyed this cozy, Christmas mystery. It was a missed opportunity that I didn’t whip myself up some hot cocoa to pair with this read!

Set in an isolated and dilapidated castle in Scotland, Colgan really knows how to set the scene and the mood for such a magical yet eerie adventure. I loved following Mirren, Jamie, and the rest through the ancient behemoth of a building as well as the outside property as they searched for clues to a supposed valuable, rare book. The riddles were a bit exhausting and difficult for me to follow along, but it was fun to see how the characters worked it out to get to the next clue.

Going into this, I didn’t realize this story followed the events of Colgan’s novella THE CHRISTMAS BOOK HUNT, as there were no indications on NetGalley or Goodreads that there was a prequel. I was feeling a bit lost and confused when past characters and events were referenced; it just felt like l skipped over some important context. I finally had to do some digging after a few chapters in to locate the prequel, pause this story, read the novella, and then return to this story. This did dampen my reading experience overall. I highly recommend reading THE CHRISTMAS BOOK HUNT before delving into this one.