By Sarah Morgan
A long-lasting friendship
Every year, Erica, Claudia, and Anna reunite for their book club holiday. They’re bonded by years of friendship and a deep love of books, but there is still so much they keep from each other …
A perfect Christmas escape
At the cosy Maple Sugar Inn, Hattie specialises in making her guests’ dreams come true, but this Christmas all she wants is to survive the festive season. Between running the inn and being a single mother, Hattie is close to breaking point.
The start of a brand-new story…?
Over the course of an eventful week, Hattie sees that the friends are each carrying around unspoken truths, but nothing prepares her for how deeply her story will become entwined in theirs. Will this Christmas be the end of the book club’s story or the start of a whole new chapter?
Review
This was one of those audiobooks that slowly worked its way into my days and made everything feel a little more Christmassy. I’d put it on during quiet afternoons or while pottering about, and before long it became something I actively looked forward to returning to.
The setting alone feels like a deep breath. A snowy inn, familiar faces returning year after year, books being shared and talked about in that slightly rambling, affectionate way real book clubs do. Hattie’s story, in particular, feels very grounded — she’s capable and warm, but also tired, carrying loss and responsibility without ever making a fuss about it. There’s something very comforting in that.
Listening to this as an audiobook made it feel even more intimate. The narration has a calm, friendly rhythm, and the conversations sound natural, as though you’re overhearing them rather than being read to. It’s the sort of audiobook you can walk with, cook with, or listen to late at night when the house is quiet and you want company without noise.
What I loved most was the focus on friendship and familiarity. This isn’t a story driven by big twists or high drama. It’s about people who know each other well, who show up year after year, and about how books can be a thread that holds those relationships together. The romantic elements are there, but they sit gently alongside everything else, never overpowering the heart of the story.
The Christmas Book Club feels like a reminder of why we return to comforting stories at this time of year — not for escapism exactly, but for that sense of warmth and belonging that lingers long after you press pause.
Sarah Morgan is a USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling author of romance and women's fiction. She has sold over 21 million copies of her books and her trademark humour and warmth have gained her fans across the globe.
Sarah lives near London, England and when she isn't writing or reading, she likes to spend time outdoors hiking or riding her mountain bike.
Join Sarah's mailing list at www.sarahmorgan.com for all book news. For more insight into her writing life follow her on Facebook at www.facebook/AuthorSarahMorgan and on Instagram at @sarahmorganwrites Contact Sarah at sarah@sarahmorgan.com
