Recommendations based on "Christmas Days 12 Stories and 12 Feasts for 12 Days"

A surprise present, a mystery sender and a sprinkling of secrets. Escape with bestselling author Cressida McLaughlin! 'A warm and comforting read' Woman & Home 'Wonderful' Woman's Own ___________________________________ Can their Christmas love story last a lifetime? In a village by the sea, where wintry skies bring a dusting of sparkling snow, somebody is opening an unexpected gift... When Sophie receives a surprise package, she's intrigued to find a beautifully bound book inside. Sophie is desperate to discover the mystery sender, and her hunt draws her to the enigmatic Harry. The subject of much gossip since his return from London, Harry keeps to himself in his crumbling manor house. But they are both about to learn that the best stories can take on a life of their own. ___________________________________ *Readers LOVE The Secret Christmas Bookshop* 'The perfect Christmas cosy read...I happily lost myself in it in one whole sitting' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A beautiful wintery tale' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A heartwarming and festive romantic escape' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Filled with warmth, hope and just the right touch of Christmas magic' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Impossible not to feel a glow when reading it' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Everything you could want in a festive book' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A lovely festive read full of wintery wonder and community' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Laughter and tears, Christmas and books - who could want anything more' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Heartwarming and festive with a little mystery. Absolutely fantastic' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Cressida never fails to deliver...beautifully written!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dating Matthew O'Brien—a playboy and a younger man—cost Laila Riley her career and her parents' respect. A high price, even for love—and when Laila decides it was just a fling, she breaks it off, despite Matthew's objections. But the O'Brien family has other ideas, and they conspire to get Laila to join them on a Dublin holiday. It's a great time to get away from it all, but Laila has reservations about the trip. Matthew's bound to be there, and she's far from immune. What if she can't resist temptation? Meanwhile, the O'Briens are in an uproar over matriarch Nell's unexpected romance with an old flame. Will she follow her heart despite the risks? And will Laila discover that some risks are actually once-in-a-lifetime opportunities?

Christmas is over, but at Pippi Longstocking's house, the fun has just begun! A dance around the Christmas tree, a feast of hot chocolate and cream cake, and a sled ride down the roof of Villa Villekulla are only a few of the events planned for Pippi's after-Christmas party. There are new people to meet and old friends like Tommy, Annika, and Mr. Nilsson to see again. Come join the festivities at Pippi's. "Sure to be a hit with Pippi's many fans as well as a nice introduction for the uninitiated." -- "School Library Journal"

Comedy / All Groups / 4m 6f plus 8 boys and 9 girls In this hilarious Christmas tale a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids - probably the most inventively awful kids in history. You won't believe the mayhem - and the fun - when the Herdmans collide with the Christmas story head on! This delightful comedy is adapted from the best selling book and the only story ever to run twice in McCall's Magazine. "An American classic." -McCall's

Curl up with THE heartwarming tale for Christmas... ‘A perfect festive read' Mandy Baggott ‘A scrumptious and heartwarming festive read’ Sandy Barker ‘Christmas plus comfort food! Katie has the perfect recipe for a fabulous festive feast.’ Heidi Swain

This year’s pageant is definitely like no other, but maybe that’s exactly what makes it so special.Laughs abound in this bestselling Christmas classic by Barbara Robinson! The Best Christmas Pageant Ever follows the outrageous shenanigans of the Herdman siblings, or “the worst kids in the history of the world.”The siblings take over the annual Christmas pageant in a hilarious yet heartwarming tale involving the Three Wise Men, a ham, scared shepherds, and six rowdy kids. You and your family will laugh along with this funny story, perfect for independent reading or read-aloud sharing.Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys Herdman are an awful bunch. They set fire to Fred Shoemaker’s toolshed, blackmailed Wanda Pierce to get her charm bracelet, and smacked Alice Wendelken across the head. And that’s just the start! When the Herdmans show up at church for the free snacks and suddenly take over the Christmas pageant, the other kids are shocked.It’s obvious that they’re up to no good. But Christmas magic is all around and the Herdmans, who have never heard the Christmas story before, start to reimagine it in their own way.

A new Christmas classic from a magical pairing: Dame Emma Thompson and Axel Scheffler. The story of Jim: a very lucky, very special, very grubby dog, who lives, improbably, in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Emma Thompson magically weaves the real-life tale of Jim - beloved dog of Sir Henry Cole who created the first Christmas card - with a fantastically warm and heartfelt Christmas romp, brilliantly illustrated by bestselling illustrator, Axel Scheffler. A Christmas book to treasure, and an adventure filled with high emotion, guilt, redemption, unexpected presents and a life-changing brush with royalty.

A sentimental advertising creative and a blunt, no-nonsense bar owner find a second chance at love while binge-watching iconic holiday movies in this poignant and heartwarming romance, from the author of Charm City Rocks and All Together Now. “Norman weaves nostalgic references to modern holiday classics . . . throughout this comforting romance.”—The Washington Post (Noteworthy Books of the Month) The new year had barely begun when Grace White and Henry Adler both lost their spouses. Now, nearly a year later, the first holiday season since their "Great and Terrible Sadnesses" approaches. Although their mothers scheme to matchmake the two surviving spouses, it’s clear that neither is ready to date again. Yet no one understands what they are going through better than each other, and a delicate friendship is born. When Henry sees an ad for a Christmas movie marathon—once an annual tradition for him and his wife—Grace offers to watch some films with him, despite her aversion to a few of his picks. Her two young kids, Ian and Bella, also join in whenever possible—bedtimes permitting, of course. With each movie, Grace and Henry’s shared grief eases as they start to see a life beyond the sadness. But as they draw closer, other romantic possibilities leave them uncertain about their future together. Is their bond merely the result of loneliness and shared circumstances, or have they found something that’s worth taking a shot at . . . again?

Reunited in paradise ... Arriving in Laos, Dr Ellie Thompson is determined to look to the future. The last thing she expects is to come face-to-face with her past, in the shape of her one-time best friend Dr Luca Chirsky -- or to find him so very attractive!Luca knows first-hand that love doesn't last, and he won't surrender his emotions to anyone. But after four years apart he's looking at Ellie with new eyes. And this time he knows that one Christmas kiss will never be enough ...

FATAL CHRISTMAS FBI agent Sara Vaughn believes a group of pharmaceutical businessmen are engineering drugs with deadly results. Her boss won't approve a sting operation, so she goes rogue--following the suspects on a hike in the Cascade Mountains to record evidence. But when Sara witnesses them murder one of their own, they target her. Saved by a handsome volunteer mountain rescue worker, Sara at first suspects Will Rankin is another bad guy hunting her. But when the widowed father of two risks everything to save her, she knows that Will is all that's standing between her and seeing Christmas morning. Echo Mountain: Saving lives and finding love in the mountains of Washington State