Christmas By the Book by Anne Marie Ryan

It's Christmastime in the Cotswold village of Stowford and bookstore owner Nora Walden is hoping for a miracle. The bookstore is losing money every month and she's reluctant to tell her husband, Simon, how bad things are, because she's worried how it will affect his health. Nora and Simon decide to have a contest, sending six holiday books to local residents who have been nominated by someone who thinks they need a boost. The books are sent to unemployed single dad Will, retired schoolteacher Olwyn, up and coming actor Mateo (who works at the local pub), teen Harry (who is mourning the death of his older sister), local MP David Langdon, and Sam, who has a high-powered job in London. In Christmas By the Book the reader meets all six of the recipients and follows the lives of Nora and Simon as they attempt to save their bookshop. The novel is filled with heartwarming characters and vivid descriptions of small town life. A great read-alike for those missing the novels of Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher.