‘Life-affirming, joyful and tender. Beth Moran has written the perfect Christmas story to brighten up even the darkest Winter’s evening.’ Zoe Folbigg, author of The Note
When Jenny inherits her estranged grandmother’s cottage in Sherwood Forest, she has nothing to lose – no money, no job, no friends, no family to speak of, and zero self-respect. Things can only get better…Her grumpy, but … only get better…
Her grumpy, but decidedly handsome new neighbour, Mack, has a habit of bestowing unsolicited good deeds on her. And when Jenny is welcomed into a rather unusual book club, life seems to finally be getting more interesting.
Instead of reading, the members pledge to complete individual challenges before Christmas: from finding new love, learning to bake, to completing a daredevil bucket list. Jenny can’t resist joining in, and soon a year of friendship and laughter, tears and regrets unfolds in the most unexpected ways.
Warm, wise, funny and utterly uplifting, what one thing would you change in your life before Christmas comes around?
Praise for Beth Moran
‘Every day is a perfect day to read this heartwarming Christmas gem’ Shari Low
‘A British author to watch.’ Publisher’s Weekly
‘A wonderfully warm-hearted story full of love and laughter.’ Victoria Connelly, bestselling author of the Austen Addicts series
What readers are saying about Christmas Every Day:
’ Beth has crafted a compelling story with a wonderful supporting cast and some genuine heartfelt moments.’
‘Couldn’t put this book down, such an enjoyable read!’
‘I LOVED how unique the storyline was, and I adored how every little path came together to create a storyline that was full of multiple, beautiful journeys all incased under one umbrella: hope.’
‘Engaging and witty from the very beginning, there was a real freshness to this story which made it stand out.’
‘This is a humorous book that has some of the most delightful characters I have ever met. It is warm, inviting and a whole lot of fun from beginning to end.’
‘I could have never ever dreamt that something with the sweetest cover would play such a game with me.’
‘This beautiful story by author Beth Moran was what I would call a home. It took me into its loving arms and made me feel as if I belonged in its pages.’
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This is one of the best books I’ve read all year! Elements of the beginning of the story are straight out of “The Holiday,” but that’s okay, I love that film. The rest felt original to me, and even had some twists and turns that I didn’t see coming.
The story follows Jenny, a British 20-something at the lowest part of her life–and that’s saying something. As per most chick lit heroines, at the exposition of the story, everything is going wrong for her. She grew up in a less than supportive family, twin sister to her outrageously beautiful and glamorous sister Zara, and daughter to a mother who did not know how to support or show her love. After mental health crises precipitated by living in Zara’s shadow, Jenny falls for her boss, Richard, whom she dates in secret. She’s sure he’s going to propose to her at the office holiday party in front of everyone–when, suddenly, he proposes to her twin sister instead. She’d been seducing him behind Jenny’s back.
Jenny retreats into the woods of Sherwood Forest, outside a small town that might as well be Star’s Hollow, where her grandmother raised her mother in seclusion. She finds that the cottage she’s inherited should be condemned… and yet, it’s also a duplex. The other side happens to be inhabited by a reclusive, gruff, and absolutely gorgeous man named Mack. (Of course.) Jenny has no money, and also can’t give references to potential employers, because she was fired from her former employer from breaking his new fiancee’s nose and having the cops called on her. (Oops.) But, the town is full of quirky characters with big hearts, willing to give her a chance. She soon becomes nanny to five kids with whom she falls in love, and joins a book club whose members quickly become the best friends she’s ever had. The mysterious Mack, unfriendly though he seems, sneaks into her half of the duplex when she’s not there to perform random acts of kindness when he sees her pitiful living situation.
In time, the book club morphs into more of an accountability group for a life challenge: to achieve each member’s chosen goal by Christmas. For Jenny, it’s to learn more about her family and to make her cottage into a home. For another member, it’s to find her absolute favorite reclusive author, who is supposed to live somewhere in Sherwood Forest. One single mom decides she wants to find love again. One married mom who might as well be single decides she wants to climb a mountain. One sweet secret agent man wants to learn to bake. One elderly woman with cancer wants to go out with a bang, experiencing every adventure she can think of.
Meanwhile, Jenny falls for Mack, but unfortunately learns he’s married–though she has no idea where his wife is. A strange man lurks to try to buy her property or scare her into selling. Jenny’s twin’s wedding looms, and she decides as part of her own self-discovery, she should go. Mack’s wife turns up after all… and she’s not what anybody expected. The story is episodic, much like “Anne of Green Gables” or “Gilmore Girls,” but it definitely leaves the reader with the feeling that what really matters is relationships–of all kinds. (And yes, there’s a Christmas theme too, woven into several key scenes.) It’s the literary equivalent of a cup of hot cocoa.
My rating: *****
Language: if there was any, I don’t remember it
Violence: none to speak of (though there was one weird attempted rape scene that never got very far and was over quickly. Could have done without that.)
Sexual content: none except the above (and again, nothing actually happened).
Political content: none
Listened on Audible (Included). Not necessarily a Christmas book. Very enjoyable storyline with interesting characters and a sweet community theme. Another new-to-me author that I’ll be reading more of soon.
I loved this so much! A holiday story that wasn’t truly a holiday story, but still fabulous.
I always download a Christmas audio to listen to while I wrap, cook, etc. and while this one wasn’t heavily focused on the holidays, I didn’t care. It was witty, poignant and romantic. I enjoyed the main protagonist and her crushing reasons for moving into her deceased grandmother’s cottage. I also enjoyed the broody neighbor who slowly got under her skin and helped her out of and through a number of debacles. But mostly, I loved this village that surrounded Jenny and became her true friends and support system. This is where the story showed some wonderful depth and poignancy. I even got a little misty-eyed. Jenny touched and was touched by each of these women and as they reveal more of themselves, the story became even richer. But still, since I’m a romance reader at heart, I loved the slow burn romance with the lovely Mac.
Overall, the strong writing was fun and the characters were wonderfully imperfect. Now that I’ve discovered this author, I’m excited that she has a back list I can tackle.
This was my first Beth Moran book and I was very much drawn in by the gorgeous cover.
Jenny’s life has pretty much fallen apart. With no job, no friend, no family and no money, she moves into her estranged grandmother’s cottage in Sherwood Forest but it’s not quite the cosy retreat she might have hoped for. The house needs a serious amount of TLC. And so does Jenny. Has she come to the right place to find it?
Jenny is a great character, who has had a difficult past and who could potentially crumble whilst facing her future alone. Except she’s not alone. Gradually, she lets some of the villagers in and soon finds herself part of an unusual book club where the members can’t agree where books are ditched and the members work on personal challenges instead.
This is a heartwarming book and it’s lovely to watch Jenny blossom and learn to trust again. The ending is just lovely (no spoilers). Because the book is set across the year, it isn’t all Christmas. Christmas does feature on a few occasions (not just the calendar Christmas), hence the title, but it’s a book that can be read and enjoyed all year round.