About
Gifts Synopsis
'Warm and uplifting storytelling: a delightful treat' Clare Chambers, author of Small Pleasures 'If you're not in the Yuletide mood yet, you will be after this' Telegraph 'An ode to the strange and wonderful time that is Christmas' Stylist 'A novel that's sure to warm the heart of any Scrooge' Radio Times 'Tender and moving, Gifts is infused with Christmas magic - that bittersweet mix of joy, yearning, sadness and hope that accompanies the festive season' Daily Mirror 'A gorgeous festive tale... Beautifully written and highly emotionally intelligent' Daily Mail 'I loved The Versions Of Us by Laura Barnett and her new novel is just as wonderful... The ideal warm, bittersweet read to get you in the festive spirit' Good Housekeeping 'Full of warmth, poignancy and a huge dose of Christmas spirit' Red
Twelve people Twelve gifts. One Christmas to remember. Maddy runs the bookshop on Market Square. She's struggling to choose a gift (a watch? a wine subscription? a weekend bag? all too much?) for her old school friend Peter, who's just moved back from London following a messy divorce.
Peter doesn't have a clue what to get for his teenage daughter Chloe - furious with her mother, she's decided to up sticks and move to Kent with him, but he worries that he really doesn't know her at all.
Chloe wants to buy something special for her grandmother Irene, who lives alone on the other side of town. Irene doesn't get out much these days, but she'd really like to find the right gift for Alina, who's so much more than a carer, really - always stops to chat for a bit, have a cup of tea, even if it makes her late. And Alina, meanwhile, has her eye on something for...
From the no. 1 bestselling author of The Versions of Us comes a novel about how wonderful and sad and difficult and happy and strange Christmas can be. Stories to inspire, move and comfort. 'He felt it: the lightness, the expansiveness, the anticipation, the sense that something good was coming. And it was, wasn't it - though the world was still licking its collective wounds and there was still suffering everywhere, suffering and loneliness and sadness. Despite all this, it was good: it was kindness, it was giving without thought of recompense, it was light in the darkness'
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781474624404 |
| Publication date: |
10th November 2022 |
| Author: |
Laura Barnett |
| Publisher: |
Weidenfeld & Nicolson an imprint of Orion Publishing Co |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
214 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Shorter Reads
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| Other Genres: |
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Press Reviews
Laura Barnett Press Reviews
'Warm and uplifting storytelling: a delightful treat' Clare Chambers, author of SMALL PLEASURES
'The ideal warm, bittersweet read to get you in the festive spirit' Jo Finney - GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
'In her third novel, set in a fictional English village, Barnett weaves together 12 interlinking stories set at Christmastime. We meet a single dad, a grieving daughter, a guilt-ridden ex-convict and a sprightly pensioner, and what connects them is a desire to do right by the people they love and choose the perfect gift. If you're not in the Yuletide mood yet, you will be after this' TELEGRAPH
'I thoroughly enjoyed this gorgeous festive tale. Told in the form of interlinked short stories, it's beautifully written and highly emotionally intelligent' Sara Lawrence - DAILY MAIL
'Full of warmth, poignancy and a huge dose of Christmas spirit' Sarra Manning - RED
'The best gift of all is a book you can curl up under a blanket with over the Christmas and New Year holidays and happily transport yourself. Leading the way is Laura Barnett's Gifts which is an ode to the strange and wonderful time that is Christmas told through a series of moving stories about characters trying to find gifts for awkward-yet-loved people in their lives' Francesca Brown - STYLIST
'This book will inspire, comfort, and move anyone who reads it' HOOD MAGAZINE
'Celebrating the power of community and exploring the emotional ups and downs the festive season can bring, it's a novel that's sure to warm the heart of any Scrooge' RADIO TIMES
'This gem of a book is well observed, poignant and hopeful. -- Deirdre O'Brien' BEST
'Tender and moving, Gifts is infused with Christmas magic - that bittersweet mix of joy, yearning, sadness and hope that accompanies the festive season' Mernie Gilmore - DAILY MIRROR
'They say don't judge a book by its cover but in this case, go right ahead. Like chocolate for the eyes, Gifts tells the bittersweet story of 12 interconnected characters on the hunt for the perfect gift for the people who matter most to them. An immensely readable book made for a cosy day at home, preferably with a snoozing dog on your lap'ZOELLA
'Heartwarming and comforting, this beautiful festive gift of a book allows you to connect with a vivid cast of characters and soak up the festive spirit of hope which is infused in every page. A wonderful piece of storytelling that is a must read for your festive fiction book selection' MY WEEKLY
Author
About Laura Barnett
Laura Barnett is a writer, journalist and theatre critic. She has been on staff at the Guardian and the Daily Telegraph, and writes for a number of national newspapers and magazines. Laura was born in 1982 in south London, where she now lives with her husband. She studied Spanish and Italian at Cambridge University, and newspaper journalism at City University, London.
Her first non-fiction book, Advice from the Players - a compendium of advice for actors - is published by Nick Hern Books. Laura has previously published short stories, for which she has won several awards. The Versions of Us is her first novel and has sold in 24 countries, with television rights optioned by Trademark Films. Laura is currently working on her second novel Greatest Hits.
Author photo © Rick Morris Pushinsky
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