William Morrow & Company
The Secret Christmas Library
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A new holiday story set in the Scottish Highlands to warm booklovers' hearts by Jenny Colgan, New York Times bestselling author of Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop.
Mirren Sutherland stumbled into a career as an antiquarian book hunter after finding a priceless antique book in her great aunt's attic. Now, as Christmas approaches, she's been hired by Jamie McKinnon, the surprisingly young and handsome laird of a Highland clan whose ancestral holdings include a vast crumbling castle. Family lore suggests that the McKinnon family's collection includes a rare book so valuable that it could save the entire estate--if they only knew where it was. Jamie needs Mirren to help him track down this treasure, which he believes is hidden in his own home.
But on the train to the Highlands, Mirren runs into rival book hunter Theo Palliser, and instantly knows that it's not a chance meeting. She's all too familiar with Theo's good looks and smooth talk, and his uncanny ability to appear whenever there's a treasure that needs locating.
Almost as soon as Mirren and Theo arrive at the castle, a deep snow blankets the Highlands, cutting off the outside world. Stuck inside, the three of them plot their search as the wind whistles outside. Mirren knows that Jamie's grandfather, the castle's most recent laird, had been a book collector, a hoarder, and a great lover of treasure hunts. Now they must unpuzzle his clues, discovering the secrets of the house--forming and breaking alliances in a race against time.
A treat for booklovers and treasure hunters alike, The Secret Christmas Library serves up a delicious mystery with a hint of romance, and plenty of holiday spirit!
- A touching holiday read Perfect for fans of uplifting winter romances
- A delightful Christmas gift
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Book Details
ISBN:
9780063455443
EAN:
9780063455443
Binding:
Hardcover
Pages:
320
Authors:
Jenny Colgan
Publisher:
William Morrow & Company
Another great book by Jenny Colgan. She does such an amazing job with not just the heartstring tugging story but also the description of the surroundings. I hate cold and winter but by the end of the book wanted to live in this story. I can’t wait for the next one.
I love the setting for most of this book, a Scottish castle. The author described it as it really is, drafty and cold during the winter. I imagined the beautiful snow-covered lands surrounding a castle that has seen better days. Too me, it sounds perfect! What made it even better is to hear about the books that were all over the castle, as a book lover myself, I felt a kinship with the previous laird. I would have arranged them in a beautiful library though (think the library in the Beauty and the Beast).The mystery aspect kept me engaged. I will admit that there were lulls in the book, although for the most part I found it entertaining.I'm not sure how I feel about the romance in the book. I almost feel like the spice could have been left out. The romance was enough in itself. Although I didn't mind it either. It is definitely a slow burn.The narrator definitely helped set the scene with the accents. I truly felt I was right there in the story. I had to look up to see if there was a male narrator, which means, the female narrator did a really good male voice.Thank you Harper Audio and Netgalley for letting me listen to this ALC!
Another escape from Jenny Colgan, one of my favorite escape artists!This story reunites us with Mirren and Theo from Colgan’s short story THE CHRISTMAS BOOK HUNT, but it is a fully standalone novel.Days before Christmas, Mirren is hired by Jamie McKinnon, the young laird of a Highland clan whose ancestral holdings include a vast crumbling castle, to find a rare book. Family lore suggests the book is so valuable it could save the entire estate – if they only knew where it was. Jamie needs Mirren to help him track down this treasure, which he believes is hidden in his own home. To her surprise, she encounters Theo on the train to Scotland, and with his uncanny ability to appear whenever there’s a treasure to be found, she knows it’s no coincidence. With an unexpected snowstorm cutting them off from the outside world, the race is on to solve the puzzle left by Jamie’s grandfather and find the treasured book before everything – including the castle! – falls down around them.In typical Jenny Colgan style, this book was a fun jaunt into the picturesque Scottish highlands, complete with snow, Christmas feels, and (of course!) a bit of romance. A quick read with that signature Colgan ending, it a perfect book to pick up during the holiday season.Spice level: Just a few ineunedos until about 80% in, and then things got a bit heated with an open door scene.This book is on shelves now, just in time to start bringing the holiday spirit!Thank you to William Morrow, NetGalley, and author Jenny Colgan for the complimentary advance copy. It was my pleasure to write this candid review.Rounded up to 4 stars.
Nice relaxing cozy read
Jenny Colgan has been on my "Instant Buy list" since I discovered her books, but is off the list as of now. The author has now joined the graphic sex included club. Along with some other authors I loved and could trust to not have in their books. I personally don't like reading it. It's happening more and more often so apparently it's popular. I think everyone should be able to choose whether or not they choose to read it . I applaud the warnings of graphic or detailed sex included with some listings and I wish all books had that information. As it stands now I'll simply have find out before I make the purchase. Very disappointed.
