Gifts: The perfect stocking filler for book lovers this Christmas

Great read. Loved this book. Very descriptive and I liked the array of characters who were all linked is one way or another. Wished the book had been longer because I didn't want it to end. Highly recommend and will be looking at the author's other books now.

It took me a while to finish reading this Christmas book, unusual and beautiful as it was. I think I took advantage of the separate stories, despite the fact that they were all joined in some way. I read a few books at the same time, so my time is spent between them all.I liked the fact that the Covid pandemic was present in the stories but not a huge feature. Setting the book in December 2021, the first Christmas following the start of the global pandemic, it allowed the focus to be on the fallout of the pandemic where baby steps are being taken back to normalcy. It was quite a sad tale overall, quite heavy for a Christmas book. I enjoyed the different ages of those involved in the story, it gave a more rounded view of community. However, by the time that I finished the book, I had forgotten the first story. There were so many characters at the beginning I failed to sort them all out. My fault for dipping in and out so regularly. When the end came, it felt like it was too soon and too sudden.I love selecting Christmas presents, particularly for my best friend. I don’t have the difficulties of those featured in the book. The book is so much more than that though, it is about life choices and treasuring those we love.

The long convoluted sentences, rattling out a stream of consciousness left me confused. Who is speaking? Whose mind am I trapped on? Where is the action? Why include ALL the noise of an unfocused brain? The sketchy clicheed descriptions of places and people made my head spin. Mostly, I could not care less about the characters or situations to go back and re-read sentences, through the cacophony of punctuation marks.Sneno I did re-read some sentences, I realised some sentences were as long as paragraphs. Does the author know any good editors?

This is a collection interlinked by the characters set at Christmastime which helped to get me in the mood for the celebrations.Maddy runs the bookshop but it struggling to find the perfect gift for a friend whilst Peter is struggling on how to show how much his daughter Chloe means to him. Through their search for the perfect gift we meet the characters and those they are linked with.I am a fan of interlinked storytelling and this was a perfect example of the genre.

This was such a lovely Christmassy read. I loved reading about each of the characters in the 12 separate stories and dipping into their lives in the lead up to Christmas.The book follows 12 people as they each buy a gift for a family member, friend or loved one in December. Each of the stories are interconnected and I liked making links as I read the book. This was a creative and very different approach to a novel but I found it a heartwarming read and perfect at this time of year. I really wanted to visit the bookshop in the story too. It sounded amazing!

Appealingly packaged in a most attractive way this jumps off the shelf as an A 1 choice for Christmas. So I say nice cover shame about the content. I read it as a book rather than as a collection of short stories as none of the stories appear to actually end. So I became totally bogged down by the dozens of different characters, dozens of names, and their back stories, mundane and muddled, which became all too much and I wanted to throw the book against the wall. Then it just stopped! Sorry this is just too bitty and random I wish I hadn’t bought it.Honestly the characters do appear to be related/connected etc and perhaps lightly resemble a Maeve Binchy novel but it did my brain in trying to join the dots! Definitely wouldn’t recommend.

Caught the author on radio 4 and decided to buy the book on a whim. A lovely book for Christmas, I really enjoyed the individual stories and how the people fitted together. I didn't want to put the book down.

I don't normally like short stories as I don't feel they allow you to really know your characters but this book.is an exception as all the stories are linked.Well written a joy to read at Christmas.