Book Review: The Cotswold Christmas Bookshop by Jill Steeples

I am so happy to be welcoming Jill Steeples back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her new book, The Cotswold Christmas Bookshop.

Isla Stewart has a glittering publishing career in London, but when she’s unexpectedly made redundant, she faces an uncertain future.

Licking her wounds, Isla heads home to the Cotswolds. Keeping her devastating redundancy a secret from her proud parents, she seeks refuge at Finch’s, the enchanting bookshop she worked in as a teenager. With the owners struggling with their health, Isla steps in to manage the shop hoping to convince them that the business has a future.

Isla likes nothing more than chatting to people about books, but her safe haven is soon disturbed when she comes face-to-face with her first love, Charlie Brace, made worse by the arrival of Guy Madley, the incredibly handsome property consultant who has advice for owners Jon and Miriam.

As Christmas approaches, Isla has decisions to make. Does her future lie in London or can a whole heap of books and a sprinkling of festive magic offer a life that she could never even have dreamed of?

*****

Isla’s life in London lays in ruins after being made redundant. She heads home to the Cotswolds defeated, not wanting to tell anyone her news. When she begins to help at the bookshop she spent much of her teenage years in, she starts to remember why she loved publishing and literature in the first place. Little by little, can books, a guy named Guy, and a cat called Heathcliff help bring some magic back into Isla’s life right in time for the festive season?

Anyone who has been a fan of Novel Kicks for a while will know how much I love a novel by Jill Steeples. When I got invited onto the blog tour for her latest book, The Cotswold Christmas Bookshop, it was an immediate yes. Plus, this is officially my first festive novel of 2026. The Christmas reading has begun. Haha.

As usual, I am going to try and review without revealing too many spoilers. This book does explore themes of job loss, self-belief and new beginnings.

As I have come to expect with this author’s novels, the plot unravels at a good pace whilst feeling realistic. It kept me engaged all the way through and I was very sad to get to the end.

The festive setting had me feeling like I was in The Holiday, and I wanted to step into the book. I want to visit the bookshop and get lost for a while. Why doesn’t the technology to do this exist???

At the beginning, Isla felt a little lost. Not surprising considering her life situation. I have gone through redundancy and there is that time frame where you sit and think “what do I do now?” I sympathised. I loved seeing her development throughout and seeing how her mindset changed. Guy is a factor for sure, but she does most of it herself as she gives herself time to figure out what she’s going to do next.

Speaking of Guy. I found him to be such an uncomplicated person. He is confident without being arrogant. He’s supportive and not pushy. I loved him. I find this with Jill Steeples characters in general. Decency is present within her stories without it feeling forced.

The supporting cast were a lovely mixture. Henry is so sweet, Jake feels like he should have his own novel, and even Tess, the main character from the Lower Leaping series, makes a small appearance. Don’t worry if you don’t know who I am taking about. This book can be read as a standalone and nothing is lost from not having read previous novels. I recommend them though. They are ace.

Heathcliff the cat – I say Pssspssspsss.

The Cotswold Christmas Bookshop is full of warmth, love and festive joy. If you’re looking to get the December feels early, this book is perfect. Another great novel from Jill Steeples and a good way to get my Lower Leaping fix until the next book is published in 2027.

Happy publication day, Jill.

(Thank you to Boldwood Books, Netgalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review). 

About Jill Steeples –

Jill Steeples is the bestselling author of feel-good, escapist fiction. Her stories are perfect for fans of Heidi Swain and Cathy Bramley. Set in the close communities of cosy English villages, her books explore the themes of starting over, friendship and love across the ages, as well as the healing properties of nature and the great outdoors.

Her novels are described as heart-warming and uplifting, designed to leave a smile on your face.

Say hello to Jill on Facebook, X and Instagram.  

The Cotswold Christmas Bookshop was released by Boldwood Books on 31st August 2026. Click to buy on Amazon UK, Amazon US, Barnes & Noble and Waterstones. 

by

Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.