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La pequeña librería de los secretos
Los grandes almacenes del pueblo cierran sus puertas y Carmen se queda sin trabajo, con los bolsillos vacíos y sin una alternativa viable. Su vida es un desastre, pero, por suerte, existe su hermana Sofia, la chica perfecta. Cuando esta le ofrece una oportunidad para redirigir su vida, Carmen se ve obligada a aceptar el trabajo en una pequeña librería en el centro histórico de Edimburgo y a instalarse en casa de su hermana.
Trabajar con el señor McCredie es complicado, la campaña navideña está a punto de comenzar y Carmen desconoce que la librería está endeudada y el cierre parece inevitable. Además, para complicar aún más las cosas, dos hombres aparecen en su vida.
Para salvar el negocio hará falta un milagro, pero puede que esta Navidad les tenga reservada una dulce sorpresa...
Trabajar con el señor McCredie es complicado, la campaña navideña está a punto de comenzar y Carmen desconoce que la librería está endeudada y el cierre parece inevitable. Además, para complicar aún más las cosas, dos hombres aparecen en su vida.
Para salvar el negocio hará falta un milagro, pero puede que esta Navidad les tenga reservada una dulce sorpresa...
436 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 14, 2025
1439 people are currently reading
26091 people want to read
About the author
Jenny Colgan
101 books11.9k followersJenny Colgan is the author of numerous bestselling novels, including 'The Little Shop of Happy Ever After' and 'Summer at the Little Beach Street Bakery', which are also published by Sphere.' Meet Me at the Cupcake Café' won the 2012 Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance and was a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller, as was 'Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams', which won the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2013.
For more about Jenny, visit her website and her Facebook page, or follow her on Twitter.
Jenny Colgan has also been published under the name Jenny T. Colgan.
For more about Jenny, visit her website and her Facebook page, or follow her on Twitter.
Jenny Colgan has also been published under the name Jenny T. Colgan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,870 reviews
November 27, 2025
Okay... so this book had me at “snowstorm + magical library + old castle.” I was READY for cozy chaos. 🎄📚✨
But instead of whisking me away, this one sort of… gently nudged me? With a mittened hand? Very softly? 😅
The vibes? Immaculate.
The execution? Like a Christmas TV movie filmed after someone said, “We only have one weekend and half a budget... Let's GO!” 🎬❄️😂
Characters were sweet but flatter than leftover sugar cookies 🍪, and the dialogue sometimes felt like it was written during a caffeine crash. I kept waiting for magic… or momentum… or literally anything exciting to happen. Instead, the plot took its time. A lot of time. 🐌💨
And then suddenly at 80%: Surprise! Spice! It was like the book woke up and went, “Wait... heat?? Oh yeah, throw some in!” 🌶️🔥🤣
The ending wrapped up faster than a last-minute Christmas gift in the Target parking lot. 🎁💨
BUT… the atmosphere was charming, some moments were genuinely cute, and I didn’t hate being along for the snowy ride. It was just… ok. Cozy enough. Not unforgettable. A soft 3 stars from me. ☕️🎄✨
But instead of whisking me away, this one sort of… gently nudged me? With a mittened hand? Very softly? 😅
The vibes? Immaculate.
The execution? Like a Christmas TV movie filmed after someone said, “We only have one weekend and half a budget... Let's GO!” 🎬❄️😂
Characters were sweet but flatter than leftover sugar cookies 🍪, and the dialogue sometimes felt like it was written during a caffeine crash. I kept waiting for magic… or momentum… or literally anything exciting to happen. Instead, the plot took its time. A lot of time. 🐌💨
And then suddenly at 80%: Surprise! Spice! It was like the book woke up and went, “Wait... heat?? Oh yeah, throw some in!” 🌶️🔥🤣
The ending wrapped up faster than a last-minute Christmas gift in the Target parking lot. 🎁💨
BUT… the atmosphere was charming, some moments were genuinely cute, and I didn’t hate being along for the snowy ride. It was just… ok. Cozy enough. Not unforgettable. A soft 3 stars from me. ☕️🎄✨
June 8, 2025
I struggled to finish this book. I found myself skimming the pages and unable to connect with any of the characters.
August 2, 2025
I received a free copy of, The Secret Christmas Library, by Jenny Colgan, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Mirren Sutherland search for old books, a treasure hunter of sorts. I expected a lot more from this book the I got out of it. It started off well, but then got a bit boring.
December 22, 2025
¡QUE LO SEPÁIS, ESTE AÑO OS HABEIS LUCIDO😱!
O lo que es lo mismo: una velita negra para todas las que habéis leído a la Colgan y no me habéis dicho lo adictivas que son sus historias😍.
Que no cuesta nada pasar una notificación, una circular o un memorándum de última hora…Que una va despistada por la vida y, claro, enganche masivo que se lleva…🔥
Y que conste, no me quejo de lo adictiva que es esta historia, para nada, pero es que me ha cogido con el pijama viejo puesto y, claro, hay lecturas que merecen ser devoradas como si fuéramos a dormir en un hotel de cinco estrellas
(Por cierto, el servicio de habitaciones debería de estar incluido en la lectura, que el que tengo en casa es bastante regulinchi, la verdad🤭)
A todo esto, ¿aún no os he dicho de qué va la novela, cierto😏?
Así que…
¡Prepárate!
¡¡¡Más de 9 millones de ejemplares vendidos en todo el mundo🎄!!!
Preciosa. Me encanta. Magia Navideña. Perfecta. Fantástica. Muy Feel good. Amazing… Son solo algunas de las miles y miles de opiniones que han dejado las lectoras que ya han sucumbido a esta novela en Amazon…
(Chisme de última hora: creo que la versión Kindle está en OFERTA FLASH… Ahí lo dejo…)
O lo que es lo mismo: una velita negra para todas las que habéis leído a la Colgan y no me habéis dicho lo adictivas que son sus historias😍.
Que no cuesta nada pasar una notificación, una circular o un memorándum de última hora…Que una va despistada por la vida y, claro, enganche masivo que se lleva…🔥
Y que conste, no me quejo de lo adictiva que es esta historia, para nada, pero es que me ha cogido con el pijama viejo puesto y, claro, hay lecturas que merecen ser devoradas como si fuéramos a dormir en un hotel de cinco estrellas
(Por cierto, el servicio de habitaciones debería de estar incluido en la lectura, que el que tengo en casa es bastante regulinchi, la verdad🤭)
A todo esto, ¿aún no os he dicho de qué va la novela, cierto😏?
Así que…
¡Prepárate!
¡¡¡Más de 9 millones de ejemplares vendidos en todo el mundo🎄!!!
Preciosa. Me encanta. Magia Navideña. Perfecta. Fantástica. Muy Feel good. Amazing… Son solo algunas de las miles y miles de opiniones que han dejado las lectoras que ya han sucumbido a esta novela en Amazon…
(Chisme de última hora: creo que la versión Kindle está en OFERTA FLASH… Ahí lo dejo…)
January 27, 2026
Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed this read, if you love books about books then this one's for you. After reading The Christmas Book Hunt; I and really enjoying it, I decided to give this book a go and let me tell you the author didn't disappoint! This was very atmospheric in a sense that it had me immersed in the plot as if I was there, now with that being said this had cosy feels YES but the solving puzzles/clues type mysteries. I will definitely be reading more from this author, I've saved her other books to my Christmas 26 TBR list, let's hope I stick to that because the mood reader in me gets the best of me sometimes lol and in full transparency I'm thinking of reading past festive releases in general to make time for new ones as I'm not much of a seasonal reader ( YET)
Plot Summary
Antiquarian book hunter Mirren Sutherland is hired just before Christmas to help uncover a legendary lost book hidden somewhere within a crumbling Highland castle—one that could save the estate of its young laird, Jamie McKinnon. But the search grows complicated when Mirren crosses paths with her charming rival, Theo Palliser, whose arrival is anything but accidental. Snowed in and cut off from the outside world, the trio must untangle old clues and family secrets, navigating shifting alliances in a tense race to uncover the castle’s greatest treasure.
My Bookstagram
I thoroughly enjoyed this read, if you love books about books then this one's for you. After reading The Christmas Book Hunt; I and really enjoying it, I decided to give this book a go and let me tell you the author didn't disappoint! This was very atmospheric in a sense that it had me immersed in the plot as if I was there, now with that being said this had cosy feels YES but the solving puzzles/clues type mysteries. I will definitely be reading more from this author, I've saved her other books to my Christmas 26 TBR list, let's hope I stick to that because the mood reader in me gets the best of me sometimes lol and in full transparency I'm thinking of reading past festive releases in general to make time for new ones as I'm not much of a seasonal reader ( YET)
Plot Summary
Antiquarian book hunter Mirren Sutherland is hired just before Christmas to help uncover a legendary lost book hidden somewhere within a crumbling Highland castle—one that could save the estate of its young laird, Jamie McKinnon. But the search grows complicated when Mirren crosses paths with her charming rival, Theo Palliser, whose arrival is anything but accidental. Snowed in and cut off from the outside world, the trio must untangle old clues and family secrets, navigating shifting alliances in a tense race to uncover the castle’s greatest treasure.
My Bookstagram
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October 24, 2025DNF @ 65%
Great premise (puzzles, clues!!) but ultimately disappointing. It seems to meander and I lost interest. I miss Jenny Colgan’s older series. They had such a sense of community, which I loved.
Great premise (puzzles, clues!!) but ultimately disappointing. It seems to meander and I lost interest. I miss Jenny Colgan’s older series. They had such a sense of community, which I loved.
July 2, 2025
I've read the past few Christmas books by the author and just knew I had to read the latest.
A Scottish castle is just how you'd imagine it to be, dark, drafty and cold with endless hallways lit by wall scones attached to cold dripping stone walls.
Now this isn't to say I didn't like the castle because I'd visit it in a heartbeat. This is just how I imagine the inside of a castle to be.
Geeting snowed in at Christmas time in a Scottish castle may not be ideal for some but for Mirren Sutherland it gives this antiquarian book hunter ample time to search for a rare book for the laird of the castle. Jamie McPherson knows he must have this family book belonging to a past family member if there is any hope in paying for repairs to the crumbling castle.
When another treasure hunter who has quite the reputation for finding things quickly shows up Mirren knows she has to work quickly and efficiently but who will win the race.
It was entertaining reading the clues dispersed amongst the pages, clues around the castle in the most unusual places.
There was a shadow of romance but not the main focus of the story which allowed for the focus on the great character development and of the story.
A fairytale feeling I was swept up in the story and enjoyed it very much.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
A Scottish castle is just how you'd imagine it to be, dark, drafty and cold with endless hallways lit by wall scones attached to cold dripping stone walls.
Now this isn't to say I didn't like the castle because I'd visit it in a heartbeat. This is just how I imagine the inside of a castle to be.
Geeting snowed in at Christmas time in a Scottish castle may not be ideal for some but for Mirren Sutherland it gives this antiquarian book hunter ample time to search for a rare book for the laird of the castle. Jamie McPherson knows he must have this family book belonging to a past family member if there is any hope in paying for repairs to the crumbling castle.
When another treasure hunter who has quite the reputation for finding things quickly shows up Mirren knows she has to work quickly and efficiently but who will win the race.
It was entertaining reading the clues dispersed amongst the pages, clues around the castle in the most unusual places.
There was a shadow of romance but not the main focus of the story which allowed for the focus on the great character development and of the story.
A fairytale feeling I was swept up in the story and enjoyed it very much.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
October 24, 2025
I have read many books by this author and I was looking forward to it. In the second or third paragraph there are two sentences are repeated. I reread it a few times thinking I had somehow lost my place. This repition was not for dramatic effect but because of poor editing. I closed the book and will be returning it. It was off putting. If it was this sloppy out of the gate I can’t imagine how bad it will get. Buyer beware.
December 2, 2024
Pues cinco estrellas que le casco a nuestra querida Jenny, porque no sé qué tiene que todos sus libros consiguen dejarme una sonrisa en la cara y una agradable sensación de calidez en el cuerpo. No soy lectora asidua del género romántico, pero libro que publica esta chica, libro que leo, y hasta ahora ninguno de ellos me ha defraudado, pese a que la mayoría siguen todos un mismo patrón y podemos encontrar en ellos un montón de clichés. Por eso quizás una valoración objetiva no llegaría a las cinco estrellas ni de lejos, pero como ésta es mi opinión y califico como quiero, pues mi valoración totalmente subjetiva le da cinco estrellas como cinco soles. Porque aquí tenemos un libro sobre una librería, que se desarrolla en Edimburgo (una de mis ciudades favoritas del mundo) y encima en época Navideña. Pues si es que estaba claro que tenía todas las papeletas…
Dice la sinopsis: “Los grandes almacenes del pueblo cierran sus puertas y Carmen se queda sin trabajo, con los bolsillos vacíos y sin una alternativa viable. Su vida es un desastre, pero, por suerte, existe su hermana Sofia, la chica perfecta. Cuando esta le ofrece una oportunidad para redirigir su vida, Carmen se ve obligada a aceptar el trabajo en una pequeña librería en el centro histórico de Edimburgo y a instalarse en casa de su hermana.Trabajar con el señor McCredie es complicado, la campaña navideña está a punto de comenzar y Carmen desconoce que la librería está endeudada y el cierre parece inevitable. Además, para complicar aún más las cosas, dos hombres aparecen en su vida.Para salvar el negocio hará falta un milagro, pero puede que esta Navidad les tenga reservada una dulce sorpresa...”
Es cierto que el personaje protagonista, Carmen, en ocasiones nos puede llegar a enternecer y caernos muy bien, y en otras parecer egoísta, infantil, con un gran complejo de inferioridad y una exagerada tendencia al victimismo. Pero finalmente gana su parte positiva yes capaz de reconciliarse con todos los aspectos de su vida que estaban trastocados, lo que hace que no podamos permanecer mucho tiempo enfadados con ella. Porque, al fin y al cabo, nosotros no somos tampoco siempre blancos o negros, la mayoría de las veces rodamos por toda la escala de grises…
En resumen: lectura perfecta para las fechas en las que estamos, ligera, sin rompedoras de coco, que se lee rápido y te deja muy buen sabor de boca. Todo ello hace que pueda recomendar su lectura sin miedo 🙂
Dice la sinopsis: “Los grandes almacenes del pueblo cierran sus puertas y Carmen se queda sin trabajo, con los bolsillos vacíos y sin una alternativa viable. Su vida es un desastre, pero, por suerte, existe su hermana Sofia, la chica perfecta. Cuando esta le ofrece una oportunidad para redirigir su vida, Carmen se ve obligada a aceptar el trabajo en una pequeña librería en el centro histórico de Edimburgo y a instalarse en casa de su hermana.Trabajar con el señor McCredie es complicado, la campaña navideña está a punto de comenzar y Carmen desconoce que la librería está endeudada y el cierre parece inevitable. Además, para complicar aún más las cosas, dos hombres aparecen en su vida.Para salvar el negocio hará falta un milagro, pero puede que esta Navidad les tenga reservada una dulce sorpresa...”
Es cierto que el personaje protagonista, Carmen, en ocasiones nos puede llegar a enternecer y caernos muy bien, y en otras parecer egoísta, infantil, con un gran complejo de inferioridad y una exagerada tendencia al victimismo. Pero finalmente gana su parte positiva yes capaz de reconciliarse con todos los aspectos de su vida que estaban trastocados, lo que hace que no podamos permanecer mucho tiempo enfadados con ella. Porque, al fin y al cabo, nosotros no somos tampoco siempre blancos o negros, la mayoría de las veces rodamos por toda la escala de grises…
En resumen: lectura perfecta para las fechas en las que estamos, ligera, sin rompedoras de coco, que se lee rápido y te deja muy buen sabor de boca. Todo ello hace que pueda recomendar su lectura sin miedo 🙂
December 26, 2025
The Secret Christmas Library was a wonderful winter escape. It can be read as a stand alone, or the follow up to the novella The Christmas Book Hunt. Mirren and Theo are reunited in this full length novel. It is set in a run down estate at the furthest reaches of the Scottish highlands. They are enlisted to help the owner, Jamie, find a book his grandfather left somewhere in the estate. Mirren and Theo are transported to the estate by a private railway car that is absolutely magical.
Jamie’s grandfather was a book hoarder, therefore finding the book referenced in a poem/riddle crafted by his grandfather is going to be a monumental undertaking. There are numerous obstacles including secret codes, secret passages, loss of electricity, and the arrival of Jamie’s sister, Esme. What a character! She adds some life to the story and stir things up.
I loved the banter. I loved the dog-Roger!!!! I loved the hedge maze! I loved that books were featured throughout the novel and Colgan even snuck in a Dr. Who reference! (She is a huge fan and has written a few Who novels). The reader peels back the layers of the lives of several characters. It is a heartwarming story and a perfect read for this time of year.
Jamie’s grandfather was a book hoarder, therefore finding the book referenced in a poem/riddle crafted by his grandfather is going to be a monumental undertaking. There are numerous obstacles including secret codes, secret passages, loss of electricity, and the arrival of Jamie’s sister, Esme. What a character! She adds some life to the story and stir things up.
I loved the banter. I loved the dog-Roger!!!! I loved the hedge maze! I loved that books were featured throughout the novel and Colgan even snuck in a Dr. Who reference! (She is a huge fan and has written a few Who novels). The reader peels back the layers of the lives of several characters. It is a heartwarming story and a perfect read for this time of year.
January 2, 2026
Previous book "The Christmas Book Hunt".
A year has passed since the search for the book "A Child's Garden of Verses", for her great-aunt Violet, and Mirren Sutherland, a book obsessive, working as a quantity surveyor, not only finds her life dull but has a broken heart.
Theo Palliser, devastating handsome, ghosted her!
The book was donated by June, the rightful owner, to the British Museum and she often goes there on her lunch hour to watch people be amazed by it.
And one day she meets Jamie McKinnon who's asking about the "find" person on the plaque and Mirren introduces herself.
He gives her a card with just a name and phone number, and that he has a job for her if she's interested.
Phoning him, he says he wanted a book found, that it was in his house, but didn't know what it was called!
He talks to her boss for a surveyor job, sends her a train ticket to Scotland, for a week before Christmas.
At the station a kid in a bike stole her phone, all her life was in there, and also the ticket, and there's no other place vacant in the train!
But she is wrong because she is taken to an amazing red carriage before the engine.
The MacKinnon Carriage!
It has everything: a bar, a fire, a butler, rooms, books in careful bookshelves and Theo Palliser seated in an armchair!
They arrive a their destination without her killing him and are picked up by Jamie at the terminal, in the middle of nowhere.
And then she understands why he said he didn't know where the book was.
The house is actually a huge castle, Forres, and his grandfather was a hoarder of books.
He can't sell it, build a better road, it's not safe for an hotel, has lots of debts and the Council taxes to pay.
From afar the castle looks magnificent, but close to it is falling apart, and he's the laird.
The only clue his grandfather left him is a piece of paper with a poem!
Mirren had wanted an adventure and there she was in a crazy old castle in The Highlands.
The views are stunningly beautiful but it's so cold, the kitchen and a small living room the only places that are hot.
Bonnie, the only and last member of the staff, takes care of the food, the fire places, and everything they might need.
Jamie, Mirren, Theo and then also Esme, Jamie's sister, start going through the books in the corridors, libraries, everywhere.
A treasure hunt based on a poem!
And to turn it more difficult they are snowed in by a storm, no phone sign, no electricity.
But Bonnie's food is so good.
The first clue found is in a thick book with a swan origami in it and it's all numbers.
Using the Directory of the land line Mirren is able to call the nurse home where her mother works and the recepcionist, who used to be a librarian, tells them the easy way to find a book is the ISBN number.
And they find the name of the book.
But this clue leads to another clue, which leads to another one, and to excursions out of the castle, to a maze, to a fire, to almost dying, to a past love story, to family secrets, to Theo being forgotten by Mirren, to a future love story!
This book is written like a gripping, addictive thriller, with lots of twists.
With lovable and relatable characters.
About books and book lovers.
And with a wonderful ending!!
A year has passed since the search for the book "A Child's Garden of Verses", for her great-aunt Violet, and Mirren Sutherland, a book obsessive, working as a quantity surveyor, not only finds her life dull but has a broken heart.
Theo Palliser, devastating handsome, ghosted her!
The book was donated by June, the rightful owner, to the British Museum and she often goes there on her lunch hour to watch people be amazed by it.
And one day she meets Jamie McKinnon who's asking about the "find" person on the plaque and Mirren introduces herself.
He gives her a card with just a name and phone number, and that he has a job for her if she's interested.
Phoning him, he says he wanted a book found, that it was in his house, but didn't know what it was called!
He talks to her boss for a surveyor job, sends her a train ticket to Scotland, for a week before Christmas.
At the station a kid in a bike stole her phone, all her life was in there, and also the ticket, and there's no other place vacant in the train!
But she is wrong because she is taken to an amazing red carriage before the engine.
The MacKinnon Carriage!
It has everything: a bar, a fire, a butler, rooms, books in careful bookshelves and Theo Palliser seated in an armchair!
They arrive a their destination without her killing him and are picked up by Jamie at the terminal, in the middle of nowhere.
And then she understands why he said he didn't know where the book was.
The house is actually a huge castle, Forres, and his grandfather was a hoarder of books.
He can't sell it, build a better road, it's not safe for an hotel, has lots of debts and the Council taxes to pay.
From afar the castle looks magnificent, but close to it is falling apart, and he's the laird.
The only clue his grandfather left him is a piece of paper with a poem!
Mirren had wanted an adventure and there she was in a crazy old castle in The Highlands.
The views are stunningly beautiful but it's so cold, the kitchen and a small living room the only places that are hot.
Bonnie, the only and last member of the staff, takes care of the food, the fire places, and everything they might need.
Jamie, Mirren, Theo and then also Esme, Jamie's sister, start going through the books in the corridors, libraries, everywhere.
A treasure hunt based on a poem!
And to turn it more difficult they are snowed in by a storm, no phone sign, no electricity.
But Bonnie's food is so good.
The first clue found is in a thick book with a swan origami in it and it's all numbers.
Using the Directory of the land line Mirren is able to call the nurse home where her mother works and the recepcionist, who used to be a librarian, tells them the easy way to find a book is the ISBN number.
And they find the name of the book.
But this clue leads to another clue, which leads to another one, and to excursions out of the castle, to a maze, to a fire, to almost dying, to a past love story, to family secrets, to Theo being forgotten by Mirren, to a future love story!
This book is written like a gripping, addictive thriller, with lots of twists.
With lovable and relatable characters.
About books and book lovers.
And with a wonderful ending!!
December 29, 2025
It's just days before Christmas and Mirrin Sutherland and Theo Palliser are back working together to find a rare book among thousands in Forres Castle in northern Scotland. Laird Jamie McKinnon has inherited the crumbing castle after his grandfather's death and must pay the taxes in January or lose it.
Jamie's grandfather was a great collector of books, a hoarder really, and every room and even some hallways of the castle are stacked with books. He was also a lover of puzzles and treasure hunts and has left Jamie one last challenge, a poem with clues to lead them to the treasure if only they can figure it out.
I was totally immersed in the story, enjoyed the characters, and nearly froze to death in that drafty old Scottish castle during the snowstorms that hit. There's a bit of mystery, a nice touch of romance and a very exciting and satisfying ending.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new novel via
NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
Jamie's grandfather was a great collector of books, a hoarder really, and every room and even some hallways of the castle are stacked with books. He was also a lover of puzzles and treasure hunts and has left Jamie one last challenge, a poem with clues to lead them to the treasure if only they can figure it out.
I was totally immersed in the story, enjoyed the characters, and nearly froze to death in that drafty old Scottish castle during the snowstorms that hit. There's a bit of mystery, a nice touch of romance and a very exciting and satisfying ending.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new novel via
NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
November 30, 2025
Cute story. Way, WAY too many errors!
January 16, 2026
*Discoveries*
**3.5 Stars**
Having enjoyed ‘The Christmas Book Hunt’, The short story that preceded it was quite enjoyable, but I found this one a bit longwinded.
In this story, Mirren is thrilled to have found a rare book that was one of her great Aunt Violet’s last wishes. However, she feels unfulfilled until she bumps into a man who wants to use her skills to hunt down a book. This chance encounter leads her to Scotland on a quest to find the book. Given that it’s almost Christmas, she boards the train and is shown to an extraordinary carriage belonging to the castle where she needs to find the book. Much to her dismay, she finds Theo who ghosted her sitting inside, looking right at home.
Upon arrival, Mirren is amazed to discover that the owner lives in a grand castle. It’s in a state of disrepair and all the male children inherit it. The task ahead is enormous, as the castle is vast and a significant portion is dedicated to books, with numerous libraries and floors.
Throughout the story, Mirren encounters a series of seemingly useless clues. The rare book is believed to be highly valuable and could potentially lead to updates or renovations of the castle. There’s a hint of romance, but it’s not the main focus.
The question remains: will Mirren and Theo ever find the book? With a small cast of characters, it’s easy to keep track of everyone. What will they learn about themselves along the way?
If you enjoy treasure hunts and deciphering cryptic clues, this book is definitely worth reading.
**3.5 Stars**
Having enjoyed ‘The Christmas Book Hunt’, The short story that preceded it was quite enjoyable, but I found this one a bit longwinded.
In this story, Mirren is thrilled to have found a rare book that was one of her great Aunt Violet’s last wishes. However, she feels unfulfilled until she bumps into a man who wants to use her skills to hunt down a book. This chance encounter leads her to Scotland on a quest to find the book. Given that it’s almost Christmas, she boards the train and is shown to an extraordinary carriage belonging to the castle where she needs to find the book. Much to her dismay, she finds Theo who ghosted her sitting inside, looking right at home.
Upon arrival, Mirren is amazed to discover that the owner lives in a grand castle. It’s in a state of disrepair and all the male children inherit it. The task ahead is enormous, as the castle is vast and a significant portion is dedicated to books, with numerous libraries and floors.
Throughout the story, Mirren encounters a series of seemingly useless clues. The rare book is believed to be highly valuable and could potentially lead to updates or renovations of the castle. There’s a hint of romance, but it’s not the main focus.
The question remains: will Mirren and Theo ever find the book? With a small cast of characters, it’s easy to keep track of everyone. What will they learn about themselves along the way?
If you enjoy treasure hunts and deciphering cryptic clues, this book is definitely worth reading.
January 1, 2026
This isn’t the type of book I’d normally read but it was a gift so I embraced the change.
This is a charming escapist tale of a hunt for a valuable book hidden away in a Scottish castle; a series of clues that lead to a treasure hunt ; simmering romance and lots of great food.
Picture winter storms…. Ice skating …hidden passage ways and off you go..an Enid Blyton for adults.
I’ll say no more but if you want some winter enchantment then seize this book
Great fun
This is a charming escapist tale of a hunt for a valuable book hidden away in a Scottish castle; a series of clues that lead to a treasure hunt ; simmering romance and lots of great food.
Picture winter storms…. Ice skating …hidden passage ways and off you go..an Enid Blyton for adults.
I’ll say no more but if you want some winter enchantment then seize this book
Great fun
October 23, 2025
I absolutely love Jenny Colgan's Christmas novels and am always ready to read her newest one. The Secret Christmas Library definitely delivered what I was expecting with her newest Christmas tale!
Mirren and Theo are once again on a chase for an elusive book. Both Mirren and Theo appeared in Jenny Colgan's "The Christmas Book Hunt" novella in 2024, and we are off on a second Christmas book hunting adventure with them. This time, Mirren and Theo are off to Scotland and a castle to find a book that is worth enough money to possibly save the castle.
Jamie is the heir to a grand castle in Scotland and moves from Edinburgh and life as he knew it to try and manage what he's left by his late grandfather. However, he is in desperate need of help because the castle is stuffed full of books that have been hoarded, and he has no idea where to begin.
This book was another bookish Christmas adventure by this amazing author, and I was definitely surprised by it, especially where the smidgen of romance is concerned, and I think other readers will be equally surprised as well. Once again, this author has created a lovely Christmas tale that I completely enjoyed. The characters were mostly lovable, and the setting of this book was deliciously beautiful.
I think any lover of both holiday fiction and books about books and especially holiday fiction that isn't solely focused on romance should definitely add this book to their holiday reading this year.
This book is available for purchase NOW!
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Jenny Colgan for the opportunity to read this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Mirren and Theo are once again on a chase for an elusive book. Both Mirren and Theo appeared in Jenny Colgan's "The Christmas Book Hunt" novella in 2024, and we are off on a second Christmas book hunting adventure with them. This time, Mirren and Theo are off to Scotland and a castle to find a book that is worth enough money to possibly save the castle.
Jamie is the heir to a grand castle in Scotland and moves from Edinburgh and life as he knew it to try and manage what he's left by his late grandfather. However, he is in desperate need of help because the castle is stuffed full of books that have been hoarded, and he has no idea where to begin.
This book was another bookish Christmas adventure by this amazing author, and I was definitely surprised by it, especially where the smidgen of romance is concerned, and I think other readers will be equally surprised as well. Once again, this author has created a lovely Christmas tale that I completely enjoyed. The characters were mostly lovable, and the setting of this book was deliciously beautiful.
I think any lover of both holiday fiction and books about books and especially holiday fiction that isn't solely focused on romance should definitely add this book to their holiday reading this year.
This book is available for purchase NOW!
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Jenny Colgan for the opportunity to read this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 27, 2025
našla sam na razmeni neku knjigu od ove dženi i znam da je ljudi baš gotive i rekoh ajd da uzmem ovo božićno sad a ono s razmene ću da ostavim za leto, pošto je kao neka pekara na plaži nešto. hvaljen isus pa sam sirotinja koja ne može da kupi svaku knjigu s lepim koricama (a ova je baš mamipara faking laguna i njeni novci!). kako bih vam rekla, verovatno ću vratiti i ovu plažnu nazad na razmenu, imam ja svoju jba i to mi je dosta, ne moram ja baš sve trešiće da pročitam. :)
November 20, 2025
I’m so sorry to type this but this book was an absolute snooze fest
January 18, 2025
Jenny Colgan é um dos meus guilty pleasures literários. Sempre que é editado um novo livro da autora, quero muito lê-lo de imediato.
Foi o que aconteceu com “A Livraria dos Segredos”. E, de facto, foi como regressar a um lugar de conforto, onde conheço os cantos à casa e não antecipo surpresas. Mas, ainda assim, me sabe tão bem!
Carmen não está a viver dias fáceis, perdeu o seu emprego e deixou de ter forma de se sustentar. Para complicar ainda mais a sua vida, a sua irmã Sofia aparenta ter uma vida de sonho, tornando inevitáveis as comparações dos pais... E será a irmã que lhe vai arranjar uma solução, ao propor-lhe reerguer uma livraria à beira da falência, já que o seu dono, embora amoroso, quer mais falar sobre livros do que vendê-los!
Obviamente que pelo meio teremos romance, com os devidos malentendidos, típicos deste tipo de livro. Carmen acaba por ser uma daquelas personagens de que inevitavelmente gostamos, porque não tem maldade, apenas inocência.
Jenny Colgan volta ao seu registo, com a cereja no topo do bolo de envolver uma livraria, o que torna qualquer livro logo mais especial, oferecendo aqui um romance bonito e quentinho.
Opinião mais detalhada em video:
https://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.co...
Foi o que aconteceu com “A Livraria dos Segredos”. E, de facto, foi como regressar a um lugar de conforto, onde conheço os cantos à casa e não antecipo surpresas. Mas, ainda assim, me sabe tão bem!
Carmen não está a viver dias fáceis, perdeu o seu emprego e deixou de ter forma de se sustentar. Para complicar ainda mais a sua vida, a sua irmã Sofia aparenta ter uma vida de sonho, tornando inevitáveis as comparações dos pais... E será a irmã que lhe vai arranjar uma solução, ao propor-lhe reerguer uma livraria à beira da falência, já que o seu dono, embora amoroso, quer mais falar sobre livros do que vendê-los!
Obviamente que pelo meio teremos romance, com os devidos malentendidos, típicos deste tipo de livro. Carmen acaba por ser uma daquelas personagens de que inevitavelmente gostamos, porque não tem maldade, apenas inocência.
Jenny Colgan volta ao seu registo, com a cereja no topo do bolo de envolver uma livraria, o que torna qualquer livro logo mais especial, oferecendo aqui um romance bonito e quentinho.
Opinião mais detalhada em video:
https://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.co...
December 28, 2025
C'était très mignon et pas forcément si prévisible ! J'ai beaucoup aimé le style de l'autrice. Une bonne lecture de Noël, encore plus agréable lorsqu'elle est partagée avec l'être aimé ❤️
December 18, 2025
This was a cute read that i picked up at an airport, with a goal of finishing at least one Christmas-themed book this year!
I succeeded, but it did take me a good 50% to get into the story, which seems unusual for a Jenny Colgan book.
Theo and Mirren are in Scotland after being hired by a laird to find a mysterious book buried somewhere in his inherited and severely dilapidated castle. Naturally it’s December, and this is a holiday book, so they’re snowed in pretty much immediately. Clues upon clues abound as they pour through the stacks of ancient books stored throughout the castles many rooms and bookshelves.
The usual Jenny Colgan romance takes place, some dramatic turns take shape, and Merry Christmas you’ve reached the epilogue.
If you can stick it out to the 60% mark, you’ll find this an enjoyable read! 3 stars.
I succeeded, but it did take me a good 50% to get into the story, which seems unusual for a Jenny Colgan book.
Theo and Mirren are in Scotland after being hired by a laird to find a mysterious book buried somewhere in his inherited and severely dilapidated castle. Naturally it’s December, and this is a holiday book, so they’re snowed in pretty much immediately. Clues upon clues abound as they pour through the stacks of ancient books stored throughout the castles many rooms and bookshelves.
The usual Jenny Colgan romance takes place, some dramatic turns take shape, and Merry Christmas you’ve reached the epilogue.
If you can stick it out to the 60% mark, you’ll find this an enjoyable read! 3 stars.
November 30, 2025
A fun read for Christmas and for people who love books! Imagine an ancient Scottish castle, and a hunt for a book among the hundreds of rooms over the snowy Christmas holidays.
October 14, 2025
This is an ARC review thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow Paperbacks.
Let’s be honest here. I had to DNF this book about 60% thru. I am sad to admit this because I usually LOVE Jenny Colgan’s books, especially her Christmas ones. However the last 2 books I read of hers fell so flat for me. Regardless, I had hoped this book would redeem her for me, especially as it is supposed to be a Christmas theme which is what made me fall for her stories to begin with. First issue is, this has NOTHING to do with Christmas. 60% in and is mentioned Christmas on 1 page for a few sentences. This was painfully drought out. Just when I thought the story was getting somewhere and had hoped, it took 10 steps back. I finally had to just stop and DNF because I didn’t want to waste anymore time on a book that was going no where 60% into it.
Let’s be honest here. I had to DNF this book about 60% thru. I am sad to admit this because I usually LOVE Jenny Colgan’s books, especially her Christmas ones. However the last 2 books I read of hers fell so flat for me. Regardless, I had hoped this book would redeem her for me, especially as it is supposed to be a Christmas theme which is what made me fall for her stories to begin with. First issue is, this has NOTHING to do with Christmas. 60% in and is mentioned Christmas on 1 page for a few sentences. This was painfully drought out. Just when I thought the story was getting somewhere and had hoped, it took 10 steps back. I finally had to just stop and DNF because I didn’t want to waste anymore time on a book that was going no where 60% into it.
June 23, 2025
Castles in the Scottish snow, cliffs on the sea; magical story! I miss these characters already.
Mirren and Theo are hired to find a valuable and rare book by a Scottish man. What they don’t know is that this man has inherited a huge castle in northern Scotland and has a royal title.
Taken by a private train car 500 miles from London they disembark to a remote area with a huge but dilapidated castle. Bonnie, one of the last servants, keeps several rooms in good shape. Bedrooms for sleep, the kitchen and a dining/living room. It’s enough for them to spend the weekend there.
Jamie, the laird who inherited the castle from his grandfather knows there’s a valuable book somewhere but needs help finding it. Thousands upon thousands of books are in every room and cupboard. The grandfather started collecting books that turned into a hoarding obsession.
When snow starts to fall they’re charmed by it all until it doesn’t stop for days. Now snowed in without power they have plenty of time to search and try to stay warm.
I loved this beautiful adventure in a remote land with a touch of romance, and at Christmas time. Descriptions of the castle as it once was are breathtaking. Please write a sequel!
Thanks Edelweiss and William Morrow.
The best Jenny Colgan book ever!
Mirren and Theo are hired to find a valuable and rare book by a Scottish man. What they don’t know is that this man has inherited a huge castle in northern Scotland and has a royal title.
Taken by a private train car 500 miles from London they disembark to a remote area with a huge but dilapidated castle. Bonnie, one of the last servants, keeps several rooms in good shape. Bedrooms for sleep, the kitchen and a dining/living room. It’s enough for them to spend the weekend there.
Jamie, the laird who inherited the castle from his grandfather knows there’s a valuable book somewhere but needs help finding it. Thousands upon thousands of books are in every room and cupboard. The grandfather started collecting books that turned into a hoarding obsession.
When snow starts to fall they’re charmed by it all until it doesn’t stop for days. Now snowed in without power they have plenty of time to search and try to stay warm.
I loved this beautiful adventure in a remote land with a touch of romance, and at Christmas time. Descriptions of the castle as it once was are breathtaking. Please write a sequel!
Thanks Edelweiss and William Morrow.
The best Jenny Colgan book ever!
December 31, 2023
♥︎Una storia dolcissima che nel suo piccolo insegna tanto.
Mi è piaciuto moltissimo che la parte romance è stata messa totalmente in secondo piano e questo rende la vicenda molto più realistica.
L'autrice si è concentrata sulla vita della protagonista in tutti i suoi aspetti, assistiamo a una sua crescita personale. Un libro che vi sembrerà una coccola, una carezza e che mi ha aiutato in un momento difficile. Adoro l'ambientazione di Edimburgo e soprattutto amo follemente che uno dei luoghi cardine è proprio una libreria di libri antichi.
Ho apprezzato che si seguissero indirettamente più punti di vista dei personaggi , ne ho detestato alcuni, ma amati tanti altri. Diciamo che di segreti non ce ne sono molti, ma è giusto così.
Una lettura che vi farà sognare di trovervi lì. ♥︎
Mi è piaciuto moltissimo che la parte romance è stata messa totalmente in secondo piano e questo rende la vicenda molto più realistica.
L'autrice si è concentrata sulla vita della protagonista in tutti i suoi aspetti, assistiamo a una sua crescita personale. Un libro che vi sembrerà una coccola, una carezza e che mi ha aiutato in un momento difficile. Adoro l'ambientazione di Edimburgo e soprattutto amo follemente che uno dei luoghi cardine è proprio una libreria di libri antichi.
Ho apprezzato che si seguissero indirettamente più punti di vista dei personaggi , ne ho detestato alcuni, ma amati tanti altri. Diciamo che di segreti non ce ne sono molti, ma è giusto così.
Una lettura che vi farà sognare di trovervi lì. ♥︎
September 20, 2025
With thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the arc. Is the storyline preposterous? Yes. Is it great literature? No. Is this just the thing if you want to curl up with a cosy romance and forget the depressing world outside for a bit? Absolutely yes.
I have read a number of Jenny Colgan’s books now and tend to find her a bit of a hit and miss author for me. Some of them, like the earlier books set on Mure, I have really enjoyed, and some (like Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop) just seem like rushed and unbelievable Christmas lit churned out for the seasonal market. The Secret Christmas Library does stray a little bit into that territory but redeems itself with some properly funny scenes and dialogue and unashamedly over-the-top Christmas vibes with a Scottish castle, snow, skating - the works. There is a little bit of smut in here but it is easily skipped past if, like me, you find that type of writing a little too cringey. A solid Christmas romance read.
I have read a number of Jenny Colgan’s books now and tend to find her a bit of a hit and miss author for me. Some of them, like the earlier books set on Mure, I have really enjoyed, and some (like Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop) just seem like rushed and unbelievable Christmas lit churned out for the seasonal market. The Secret Christmas Library does stray a little bit into that territory but redeems itself with some properly funny scenes and dialogue and unashamedly over-the-top Christmas vibes with a Scottish castle, snow, skating - the works. There is a little bit of smut in here but it is easily skipped past if, like me, you find that type of writing a little too cringey. A solid Christmas romance read.
October 25, 2025
DNF. Found the premise ridiculous less than 30 minutes in.
January 3, 2026
Books and a Scottish castle, what more do I need? Very festive too, so all in all a great way to end the festive season.
December 3, 2025
not sure how this book ever made it to a 3.7 average rating
October 7, 2025
This is a book nerds’ story: a book about finding a special book in a castle full of bizarre books. I got a kick out of all the different kinds of books that Mirren, Jamie and Theo discovered and their thrill of discovering an amazing book. Once Jamie’s sister, Esme, entered the story (in the first half), I enjoyed all the reminiscing about the memories they had of growing up and hanging out with their eccentric grandfather, the castle among all of his books, and engaging in all of his treasure hunts and games. I have memories like that of certain people and special books. Do you?
Anyway, the book summary pretty much lays out the whole primary storyline. After meeting Jamie at the London Museum, in front of the rare book that Mirren found, Jamie offers Mirren a job to find a book for him. It’s not long before she is on a train from London to the northern Highlands, along with her gorgeous (of course) and annoying ex (who she is still very much attracted to), Theo, who is on assignment to find a book too. It’s at this point that I discovered that this book is actually a sequel to another book. It’s not clear that this was a sequel because it wasn’t posted as part of a series, which it may not be, but it is definitely a sequel. Apparently, last year, Mirren and Theo’s story was told in The Christmas Book Hunt
What the book summary kind of glosses over is the state of the “castle” they find themselves at. A “vast and crumbling castle” doesn’t adequately describe the place that Mirren and Theo end up at and now that they’re there, they are stuck for an indeterminant amount of time. They’re snowed in at a place that is at the end of the train line, with no roads to them and no cell service or internet signal, and eventually, no electricity.
Most of the story revolves around Jamie, Mirren and Theo finding clues and working the leads to finding the book that supposedly will save Jamie’s family legacy. The castle is a bad episode of Hoarders, and an overwhelming nightmare for Mirren and the guys. Pretty early in the story, Jamie’s sister, Esme, braves the ordeal in getting to the castle, after she gets word, that Jamie has hired people to find something that will save the family. Esme thinks it’s some kind of treasure or some valuable artifact and is going to make sure she gets her share of any money Jamie gets.
The character development of the MC’s was well done. Like Mirren, I was really curious about Bonnie throughout the entire story; wish there was a little bit more about her. The pacing was steady and the storyline interesting and engaging, and the writing on par for this genre. I’m looking at an overall rating of 3.9 that I will be rounding up to a 4star review. I want to thank NetGalley and William Morrow for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #WilliamMorrow #TheSecretChristmasLibrary
Anyway, the book summary pretty much lays out the whole primary storyline. After meeting Jamie at the London Museum, in front of the rare book that Mirren found, Jamie offers Mirren a job to find a book for him. It’s not long before she is on a train from London to the northern Highlands, along with her gorgeous (of course) and annoying ex (who she is still very much attracted to), Theo, who is on assignment to find a book too. It’s at this point that I discovered that this book is actually a sequel to another book. It’s not clear that this was a sequel because it wasn’t posted as part of a series, which it may not be, but it is definitely a sequel. Apparently, last year, Mirren and Theo’s story was told in The Christmas Book Hunt
What the book summary kind of glosses over is the state of the “castle” they find themselves at. A “vast and crumbling castle” doesn’t adequately describe the place that Mirren and Theo end up at and now that they’re there, they are stuck for an indeterminant amount of time. They’re snowed in at a place that is at the end of the train line, with no roads to them and no cell service or internet signal, and eventually, no electricity.
Most of the story revolves around Jamie, Mirren and Theo finding clues and working the leads to finding the book that supposedly will save Jamie’s family legacy. The castle is a bad episode of Hoarders, and an overwhelming nightmare for Mirren and the guys. Pretty early in the story, Jamie’s sister, Esme, braves the ordeal in getting to the castle, after she gets word, that Jamie has hired people to find something that will save the family. Esme thinks it’s some kind of treasure or some valuable artifact and is going to make sure she gets her share of any money Jamie gets.
The character development of the MC’s was well done. Like Mirren, I was really curious about Bonnie throughout the entire story; wish there was a little bit more about her. The pacing was steady and the storyline interesting and engaging, and the writing on par for this genre. I’m looking at an overall rating of 3.9 that I will be rounding up to a 4star review. I want to thank NetGalley and William Morrow for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #WilliamMorrow #TheSecretChristmasLibrary
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