THIS IS “TAKE 2” OF THIS BOOK REVIEW. MY APOLOGIES. I ACCIDENTALLY HIT PUBLISH BEFORE IT WAS FINISHED!

Robin’s Rave Reviews 2025

THE SECRET CHRISTMAS LIBRARY by Jenny Colgan is a comfort read for this holiday season and beyond into winter. Set in the Scottish highlands, the story takes place over Christmas week, but it’s more of a read-in-front-of-the-fire-with-a-cup-of-cocoa-while-the-snow-piles-up-outside kind of story. You can preorder now. It comes out on October 14, 2025.

Book Summary

Finding a rare, priceless book in her great aunt’s attic turned Mirren Sutherland’s ordinary London life into an adventure. A year later the book now resides in the British Museum with a plaque, giving Mirren credit for finding it. There, in the museum, she is approached by a Scottish man, Jaimie McPherson. He is looking for help finding a book, located somewhere in his home. Mirren agrees to help. When she boards the train for the highlands, she discovers Theo Palliser, an antique book hunting rival and past fling, is also along for the ride.

Jamie picks them up from the train and drive them to his home. Mirren and Theo are astonished to find it’s a castle overflowing with books from his late, literature-hoarding grandfather. He stashed thousands upon thousands of books in every nook and cranny of the huge, crumbling castle. Jamie believes the book they’re looking for may be the key to saving the castle from ruin.

Grandfather was also a lover of puzzles, and Mirren and Theo help Jamie follow the breadcrumbs. Shortly after they arrive, a blizzard snows them in. With no connection to the outside world, they focus on the book search turned treasure hunt with cryptic messages. The puzzles send them searching all through the castle and castle grounds.

Mirren, who had a short relationship with Theo on her first book hunt, is momentarily tempted to fall back under his spell, but she realizes that isn’t a good idea. As days pass, she realizes she and Jamie may have a romantic connection. Time is running out to find the book, get resources to save the castle, and see if the average working girl can be a match for a Scottish laird romantically.

My Thoughts 

This was my first Jenny Colgan novel. I would definitely read another.

THE SECRET CHRISTMAS LIBRARY by Jenny Colgan is more of an adventure/mystery than romance or Christmas novel. It’s a great choice to curl up with on any cold, winter’s night. A castle, a snowstorm, a mystery, old books, and a small romantic subplot with a Scottish laird—named JAMIE!  What more could you want?

Apparently there is a prequel, a short story called The Christmas Book Hunt, which is the story of Mirren and Theo looking finding book that ends up in the museum at the start of this novel. I hadn’t read the short story, and it wasn’t necessary at all for me enjoy this novel as a standalone.

The book hooked me right away. I loved the description of the train car they traveled in and the atmosphere created for the castle. Theo is an interesting character to add to the mix. He ups the competition in the story, both for finding the book and for Mirren’s attention. Jamie’s family history was another area that sparked my interest. I also enjoyed the puzzles the group had to solve to find the next clue. However, concerning the romance between Mirren and Jamie, it came late in the book. I would have liked more development of their love story. Be forewarned: There is a spicy bedroom scene late in the book. 

Don’t let the title fool you. It wasn’t a good choice, in my opinion. I kept expecting the group to discover a library in the castle that was somehow the “secret Christmas” library. Instead, the books were strewn everywhere throughout the castle, and the story takes place during the Christmas season. Although the castle was cold and crumbling, the story felt warm and cozy. Unfortunately, the ending didn’t satisfy me. Overall, I did enjoy the book and have no qualms recommending it to you.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC of this novel.

About the Author

Jenny Colgan lives in Scotland with her family. She is a New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling novelist, selling more than 15 million copies of her books worldwide.

If You Like…

As I read THE SECRET CHRISTMAS LIBRARY by Jenny Colgan, I kept thinking this feels like a Patti Callahan Henry book. So, if you like the sound of  THE SECRET CHRISTMAS LIBRARY, you’ll also love Patti Callahan Henry’s books. Check out these past reviews I’ve done of some of her novels: The Story She Left Behind, Once Upon a Wardrobe, and The Secret Book of Flora Lea.

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