Christmas by the Book by Anne Marie Ryan
Nora and Simon are facing closing the bookstore that Nora’s mother started and the two have raised their family in. With the roof literally leaking on their dreams an idea comes to these two one night as they are deciding if they should sell the bookstore or how they might be able to save it. Nora and Simon decided that they will not give up hope and decide to give away 6 books to those in the town who need some hope this holiday season. After picking 6 books and wrapping them up Nora and Simon realize they are not sure which book is which and so it will be a true random act of kindness on who gets each book. From the hundreds of entries 5 people are selected at random and Nora picks one person who was in the store earlier and Nora could sense that she needs something to help her navigate the new chapter of her life (retirement). After delivering the books, Nora and Simon exhaust their options and decide they will have to sell the bookstore, but wait to do so until after Christmas. As the story unfolds each of the 6 people who receive a book, do need hope and the book gives them that in a strange way.
David receives a book that helps him realizes he does need help with his depression and maybe re-evaluating what is really important in his life. He also connects with Nora and Simon and the problem so many locally owned stores are facing. Simon unknowingly saves David’s life and David realizes that these two are somehow his guardian angels and wants to help them. David also realizes his daughter is so caring and wonderful with all the people in town that he encourages her to take over his position, and asks for Nora to help with this.
Mateo receives a book that helps inspire him to keep acting and not give up on his dream. He also connects with another person who received a book at the Bookstore’s Christmas Eve Party. Nora and Simon are excited that they unknowingly helped two people find love. Half a world away from his family and not sure he will really achieve his dream of being an actor for the Royal Shakespeare Company Mateo receives a book that helps him continue on and find his love of acting again. He also finds love in what would be be described as a meet cute in a rom-com if those two had their own book.
Will receives a book that he can read to his kids and helps try to make their Christmas brighter as he is out of work and looking for a job in the countryside is hard. His connection to Nora and Simon help him connect with others and a possible job offer is his Christmas miracle at the Christmas Eve party.
Olwyn receives a book that helps her start a new chapter in her life and inspires her to do something she had only dreamed of doing. In a small way the book also helps Olwyn reach out and use her former teaching skills to help Will (encouraging him to become a teacher and soccer coach) and Liz with her two boys who are struggling in school by offering to help tutor her two sons. Olwyn helps, unknowingly, with giving other book recipients hope for the holidays after she herself received a renewed sense of purpose from her book.
Harry receives a book that breaks his heart and causes a scene at the Christmas Eve party and Olwyn helps him realize it is OK to grieve his sister. Nora being her loving self helps Harry understand that grief is something everyone feels and suggests swapping the book he received with a book by C.S. Lewis that helped her when her mother died. Harry helps with Will’s children as they remind him of him and his sister when they were younger and that Olwyn was right they fought but they would make up and fight again, and his last fight with his sister was not a sign they did not love each other.
Sampriti “Sam” receives a book that helps her acknowledge that her job is responsible for why she is able to afford luxury but that she is not as happy as she pretends to be. Sam does not look forward to Christmas as she does not want to answer questions about why she is single and after meeting another book recipient decides to fake a relationship on Christmas to avoid her family asking too many questions. Sam is surprised to realize how Nora was right when she finds the right person she will slow down and make time for that romance. The ending leads to a special request for a book from Nora that shows how a fake relationship quickly turned into a real one.
The 6 books given as random acts of kindness
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
- The Adventure of Blue Carbuncle by Arthur Conan Doyle
- A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas
- Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
- The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale by Philip Van Doren Stern
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