9780062867483
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Christmas on the Island audiobook

  • By: Jenny Colgan
  • Narrator: Sarah Barron
  • Category: Family Life, Fiction
  • Length: 7 hours 35 minutes
  • Publisher: HarperAudio
  • Publish date: October 16, 2018
  • Language: English
  • (7156 ratings)
(7156 ratings)
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Christmas on the Island Audiobook Summary

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Cafe by the Sea–whose novels are “an evocative, sweet treat” (JOJO MOYES)–comes this heartwarming holiday novel set on a charming Scottish island.

On the remote Scottish island of Mure, the Christmas season is stark, windy, and icy–yet incredibly festive and beautiful…

It’s a time for getting cozy in front of whisky barrel wood fires, and enjoying a dram and a treacle pudding with the people you love–unless, of course, you’ve accidentally gotten pregnant by your ex-boss, and don’t know how to tell him. In the season for peace and good cheer, will Flora find the nerve to reveal the truth to her nearest and dearest? Will her erstwhile co-parent Joel think she’s the bearer of glad tidings–or is this Christmas going to be as bleak as the Highlands in midwinter?

Meanwhile Saif, a doctor and refugee from war-torn Syria is trying to enjoy his first western Christmas with his sons on this remote island where he’s been granted asylum. His wife, however, is still missing, and her absence hangs over what should be a joyful celebration. Can the family possibly find comfort and joy without her?

Travel to the beautiful northern edge of the world and join the welcoming community of Mure for a Highland Christmas you’ll never forget!

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Christmas on the Island Audiobook Narrator

Sarah Barron is the narrator of Christmas on the Island audiobook that was written by Jenny Colgan

Jenny Colgan is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels, including The Cafe by the Sea, The Bookshop on the Corner, Little Beach Street Bakery, and Christmas on the Island. Jenny is married with three children and lives in Scotland.

About the Author(s) of Christmas on the Island

Jenny Colgan is the author of Christmas on the Island

Christmas on the Island Full Details

Narrator Sarah Barron
Length 7 hours 35 minutes
Author Jenny Colgan
Category
Publisher HarperAudio
Release date October 16, 2018
ISBN 9780062867483

Subjects

The publisher of the Christmas on the Island is HarperAudio. includes the following subjects: The BISAC Subject Code is Family Life, Fiction

Additional info

The publisher of the Christmas on the Island is HarperAudio. The imprint is HarperAudio. It is supplied by HarperAudio. The ISBN-13 is 9780062867483.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

DJ

December 19, 2018

Favorite Quotes:…when you grow up somewhere with a population of about a thousand, secret internet shopping came as a boon on par with electricity… I am definitely and absolutely in the process of considering getting around to telling Joel… I just wanted to say, if you guys want to keep this secret, you have to stop ignoring everyone else to stare at each other like you want to eat each other up. I mean it, honestly, it’s gross. It’s putting people off their mince pies.My Review:This was the third book in the series but my first visit to the island of Mure, so I was unfamiliar with the daunting number of characters residing there, although I quickly grew to adore their individual oddities and the quirkiness of the small community and greedily covet all the previous books as well as all books written by this gifted scribbler. The writing flowed smoothly and easily drew clear visuals across my gray matter as effortlessly as a movie reel. I was transported and felt the chill of their winter and heard the howl of the wind. The storylines were insightfully written and eloquently hit all the feels, although considerable tragedy and real-world problems were front and center despite the season. My eyes may have been stinging and my throat may have closed up a few times, sigh. This author has to have mad skills to have squeezed my cold heart. Her word voodoo is strong.

Mandi

November 06, 2018

I can't say enough good things about this series (I would def read in order)Everyone is adorable but there is also heartbreak and heavy things. I want to live in Mure basically, and have all of these characters be my BFF. And maybe shove Lorna aside, so I can have Saif to myself?? ;)I could also listen to Agot talk all day - which is huge since I normally don't love kids in books.Just the best series

Alayne

November 02, 2020

This was another goodie from Jenny Colgan I have read most of her books and they are all wonderful. Warm, funny can be sad but, also they always end up happy. If you want a book that makes you feel warm and fuzzy and very satisfied then you should give Jenny’s books a go. This one was the third in the Isle of Mure series and it continued on from the last one so you do really need to read them in order. Lovely series.

Agi

October 12, 2018

Flora lives on Mure and she runs the Seaside Kitchen, the most beloved cafe that offers the most delicious things ever. Her boyfriend Joel, the one who's American, a high - flying lawyer with quite a few issues from his childhood finally start to open and feel happy. But then something happens - how are they going to cope with it? Dr Seif and his two boys are still trying to settle into their new family life on the island, and even though the villagers are so welcoming, do they feel like at home? Maybe the school nativity play is going to help? Or not? Will the lovely doctor finally find peace and happiness on Mure?And Fintan and Colton, who's terminally ill, and then a very unexpected guest arrive - how are they going to cope with all the things that fate and life thro at them?The Summer Seaside Kitchen series by Jenny Costello must be one of my favourite series ever and I would love to see more and more of them - and after reading the newest book "An Island Christmas" I see a lot of place and potential for another story. Or two. This book could be read as a stand alone but only just, and I would really heartily recommend reading all the other previous stories - they're simply gorgeous, you'd miss beautiful stories and to get the characters and what make them tick it's just better to read them in order.It was brilliant to be back on Mure, this beautiful and wild island and this being December it showed us also the other face of it - darkness, never ending winds but still there was such a beauty to it, but the author so lovely and lovingly brings it to life and the descriptions of it, and the weather, and how it was like living there were atmospheric, vivid and it was such a great thing to see that the island somehow adjust to the things and events that happen to the characters.Next to the characters that I know are going to stay with me for ever, I think, they all truly have place in my heart and that I adored to see again, the author introduces us to some new ones. I love how Jenny Colgan creates her characters - they may seem horrible and unpleasant but she still lets them open and blossom and in the end you're going to love all of them, no matter what. I adored how they all seem rough and as if they don't give a damn but in fact they all have hearts in the right places, they're warm and quirky and genuine. I think I have already said it in my reviews of the previous books but the characters are exceptional - realistic, so different to each other, they represent different views and ideas, they have different life goals and this all makes the reading so much more interesting and deep.Of course, I ended reading in tears. Jenny Colgan has such incredible way with words that they simply touch at your heartstrings and strike in all the right places. As in the previous books in the series, here the author also touches upon heavier issues, and the way she writes about them, guys, it's indescribable. She mixes lightness and sadness and seriousness in such a way that you would never expect. It was a special book, in many ways, poignant and cleverly funny, heartbreaking and heart - warming and I literally couldn't put it down. Full of Christmas and festive mood, wonderful and full of heart characters, and not only the main ones but also the villagers of Mure have made me cry, as they're simply amazing. It was one great rollercoaster of emotions and it's really hard to do this book justice with a short review. Just treat yourself to it, you're going to love it!Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.

Rachel

September 28, 2018

I honestly didn't think I was going to read a better book this year than The Endless Beach, the previous book set on Mure, but I think his is just as amazing if not even better. Annoyingly I can't say too much about any aspects of the plot, because this is book three in a series and I would wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend you read all three of these in order, to get the full emotional impact and to really care about the characters. Hence anything I say is likely to spoil your enjoyment of the first two. That being said just wow, I was almost in tears towards the end, and throughout I was continually compelled to read on. Flora and her family, and the island's doctor Saif will forever have a piece of my heart. There are some huge storylines going on, so in some respects its good that its set in December as it allowed some of the lightness of the festive season to shine through and there were some smiles to be had. Equally though the December setting on Mure was perfect as the darkness of the island at this time of year was so atmospheric, and really added to the mood especially with one particular plot line. Tripp was a rather interesting new character, I hated him at first, he has horrible views on things but the more time he spent on Mure, the more his horizons started to open and towards the end I at least liked the guy, and felt a bit sorry for him. He is related to someone on the island but that is all I am saying. Between The Endless Beach and An Island Christmas these are without a doubt Jenny Colgan's best ever books, and if she continues to write in this more slightly grittier way with some heavier subjects in amongst the lightness, then I am incredibly excited to see what her next books are. I'm not sure I can find the words to express just how amazing this book truly is, but rest assured it is one rather special book, and definitely one worth reading whether you are a fan of the author or new to her. I desperately hope this isn't the last book set on Mure, but have a weird feeling it may be in which case, it is a great way to tie up a series, but I love the setting and characters so much that I really hope for more in the future. Thank you to Sphere and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Deb

January 01, 2019

Jenny Colgan books are good for when the world overwhelms and you need a sweet and engaging escape. As this is the third book set on the Scottish island and quirky community of Mure, it is like visiting and catching up with old friends. (That's also why you really should read the first two books before this one--so you can come into Christmas on the Island knowing and appreciating all of the characters and storylines.) In this book, winter and the holidays are ramping up which is keeping Flora and her team at the Seaside Kitchen very busy. Flora finds out she's pregnant (not a spoiler, it's in the publisher's blurb) and is nervous about Joel's reaction with good reason of course as Joel is still recovering from his challenges in the last book while traveling for Colton, and his and Flora's relationship still tenuous. The supporting cast is back with continuations of their stories (I won't go into those as I don't want to give away anything) and although this one does wrap up without any real cliffhanger, it feels open enough to come back for more stories about the community (perhaps a Saif-centered plot line?) which I like. Jenny Colgan creates enjoyable, often quirky characters that you can't help but root for and fills her books with both humor and poignant moments. She also fills them with food and includes a few recipes at the end. If you are looking for something not too heavy and a holiday read that will tug at your heartstrings, this is a great book to snuggle up to with a cup of tea and a piece of shortbread or two.You can see my review and a recipe inspired by the book here: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...Note: A review copy of "Christmas on the Island" was provided to me by the author and the publisher Harper Collins via TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own. You can see the stops for the rest of this TLC Book Tour and what other reviewers thought about the book here.

Mayda

December 10, 2018

If you are not a regular reader of this series, keeping track of all the characters that are thrown at you may be a bit daunting at first. But it won’t take long to sort them out, being that they are so well-developed and described. It’s Christmas, but that doesn’t mean that happiness automatically flows to everyone. In fact, there is an element of tragedy to the story, but somehow, it doesn’t make it a sad book. Indeed, the strength and spirit of the inhabitants of the island shine through the darkness, both figuratively and literally, to aid others who need a helping hand. Flora finds herself in a fix, but her best friend Lorna is also in need of support in her unhappy situation. Together, they bolster each other, and the whole community is there for Fintan and Colton, especially when Colton’s brother Tripp shows unexpectedly. Tripp’s visit turns into a much needed learning experience for him. This delightful book is vastly entertaining, but is has depth and much meaning in its pages. Highly recommended.

Asheley T.

October 19, 2019

4.5/5Flora lives on the island Mure in the North Atlantic with her large family of brothers and her father. She runs the Seaside Kitchen and is very happy and in love with the American Joel, who has relocated to the island. Flora has just found out that she is pregnant but is very nervous about telling Joel her news as he has trauma from his childhood and she worries that he may not want to be a father. As the novel begins, Joel has been away in the US on a business trip, but he is due to return and Flora knows she can't keep the news from him. Meanwhile Flora's best friend Lorna is the island's schoolteacher. She's in love with Saif, the island's doctor. Saif is Syrian refugee with two young sons. They're all settling nicely into life on the island-doing well in work and school, making friends, experiencing Christmas for the first time. But Saif's wife and the boys' mother has been missing in war-ravaged Syria for a long time and Saif has major feelings of guilt over moving on with life without his wife. These characters and so many others pulled at my heartstrings. But honestly I expect nothing else from a Jenny Colgan book. She has this way of writing these accessible people that are quirky and vulnerable and funny, and I always fall in love with them. Mure is very different from where I live here in Eastern NC, on the east coast of the US. The weather, for one, is so different from the weather as it is described there and the darkness throught the day makes for a difference too. But island life in general in Ms. Colgan's books is something that is so foreign to me-I absolutely love reading about all of it. I love the way the islanders live life together: I love the way they come together to face tragedy and heartache, because there is some of that in this story. I also love the way they help one another out when there are needs, and they encourage their own, and they lift one another up. It all has a very, very cozy feel to it. So much happened on this little tiny island as the book progressed-it was so entertaining! As I got toward the end, though, things started happening very quickly. With EVERYONE. It was fine; I'm not saying this is a bad thing. What I'm saying is that my heart was beating quickly because I felt lots of things for all of these characters, wondering how everyone would fare in the end. And in the end, I was sad to close the book. This is a familiar, comfortable feeling for me with Ms. Colgan's books. Her worlds are worlds that I just want to BE IN. It's interesting (and very frustrating) that I had no idea that this is actually the third book in the Summer Seaside Kitchen series when I started reading. Certainly the book read just fine as a standalone, but there are places throughout the story where it is obvious that people that started with the first book and have kept up must be in the know about Joel's traumatic background, for example, or about Saif's arrival on Mure as a refugee. On the one hand, all this will do is make me pick up the first two books right away because I'm dying to know more about every single one of these characters from the very beginning. On the other hand, I was gritting my teeth that I didn't know everything already. That's silly, I know, but I LOVE Jenny Colgan's books. (Amazon and Audible do not have these books tied together as a series, as far as I can tell, so I thought I was reading a standalone. Doggone it.)This book is an absolute delight, but there is certainly plenty of story that remains to be told. In any case, whatever Ms. Colgan decides to write, I'm here for it. While I'm waiting, I NEED to get my hands on the beginning of this series, and then I'm sure I'll be reading this one again. I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, William Morrow Books!Find this review and more like it on my blog, Into the Hall of Books!

Melissa (Way Behind!)

June 03, 2020

I thoroughly enjoyed my third outing to Mure, and I'm very hopeful there will be a fourth because there are many loose ends that still need resolving.The storyline with Colton was heartbreaking, I knew it was coming but it still hit me quite hard. I really loved the furthering of the relationships between Saif and Lorna, and the addition of Tripp.Not a fan of Joel, really haven't been all through this series. I cannot relate to his reticence and find him to be quite selfish. I wonder what Flora sees in him honestly, the past two books he's been a very unsympathetic character, and in the last book it was understandable with all of the secrets he had been keeping. But those are out in the open now, I just wanted him to either decide to commit to and love Flora or step away completely. Overall, I'm bonded with all of the people on the island and want only the best for them. I particularly adore Agot, she's so touchingly and accurately portrayed.

Marjolein

November 17, 2019

Such a lovely Christmas story, was so great to read about all the wonderful characters from this series again. It was romantic and funny and very sad and heartbreaking at the same time. Another great read by Jenny Colgan.

Kathryn

October 28, 2018

Loved it. Perfect narration again and just adored meeting up with the people from the Island of Mure. More please!

QNPoohBear

November 17, 2018

Christmas is coming to the remote Scottish island of Mure and Flora Mackenzie is busy preparing fruitcakes and other delectable goodies from her cafe by the sea. This season she is more exhausted than ever. The reason for her exhaustion is a secret from the island and a secret from Joel. Flora doesn't quite know how to tell him she's accidentally fallen pregnant! She doesn't know yet how he will feel about becoming a father but she's certain she's ready to become a mother. Her memories of her own late mother are of a cozy fire in the crowded farmhouse, in the kitchen cooking delicious farm fresh meals. Flora knows Joel never had a family and has no idea what that even means. Will he stay with her when he finds out? Flora's best friend Lorna, the local school teacher, is busy with Christmas preparations and avoiding dealing with Saif, the local doctor and Syrian refugee, with whom Lorna is desperately in love. It's coming on Christmas and Saif has no idea what that means. He's lost without his beautiful, clever, kind wife Ameena. How can he raise his boys without her? Will she ever be found alive? Meanwhile, Finatan is grieving for his beloved Colton who will surely not live until the new year. Colton grows weaker every day and there's nothing else to be done. It's as Coltan wishes it but that doesn't mean Finatan has to like it. Then Colton's estranged brother from Texas shows up unexpectedly, loudly proclaiming his views on homosexuality and his less traditionally masculine brother. His arrival poses a dilemma for Fintan. Oh my gosh. Once again Jenny Colgan has written a book with ALL THE FEELZ! I was expecting a bit more holiday cheer and lightheartedness but this book is very much a follow up to the previous one. I don't recommend it as a stand alone. You'll need some tissues to get through it. I couldn't put it down because I was already so invested in the characters' lives. Thankfully there's very little Agot, although her story is very much present here. There has to be another book about these characters. The epilogue isn't exactly an epilogue-just an extra chapter. I didn't really like the massive quick head jumping between characters. There are even scenes from the point-of-view of Bramble, the old sheep dog on the Mackenzie farm. There are two voyeuristic love scenes I skipped and some language that keep me from giving this 5 stars. I really really don't like Flora and Joel as a couple. His drama and lack of communication would make me want to stay far far away. What was wrong with Charlie? I really like his calm, happy demeanor. Someone needs to slap Joel and tell him that all (many?) new parents to be worry about the same things, even without the traumatic events he experienced. His parents and grandparents made choices freely on their own and all he can do is raise a child with love and the values of Mure and hope for the best. Who's to say the child won't be another Flora or even like Fintan, Hamish, Innis or even little Agot? There's two parents' worth of DNA here. Mark and Marsha are wonderful but I could have sworn they had their own boys needs to consider and that was why they didn't adopt Joel. I forgot they were childless and not by choice. This adds an extra layer of feels on top of the already emotional story. I really wasn't as invested in this storyline as the other two.Lorna needs to grow up. What she does here is unprofessional and what she does to Ib and Ash in the school nativity play is insensitive. Neda should have told Saif about state sponsored schools force feeding the Christian religion down kids' throats and how their parents blindly put up with it. He should have known that since there were no other Muslim kids on the island, his kids would feel left out. That was really Neda's job to help them. Mrs. Laird means well and comes up with a nice solution but then it goes overboard and Christmas appears again, but I think I would feel the same way if I were here. These are the ONLY two kids on the island not celebrating Christmas, they've had a tough life the last few years, why not do something to show them the magic and wonder of the season in a secular way? Saif is my favorite character. He's so lovely and kind to all his patients and trying so hard to balance work and fatherhood all while grieving his lost wife. The romantic drama is sad and I felt for Saif more than Lorna. I can't imagine not knowing what happened to my spouse. I think, in his head, he knows Ameena can't be alive but his heart isn't ready to let go yet. By far my favorite storyline was Colton's. I was already ready to cry when Tripp shows up. I have a problem with the American stereotypes in Jenny Colgan's books. Has she actually met many Americans? We're not all wealthy business people or "rednecks." Not everyone from Texas is a homophobic, over the top masculine live or die by football kind of person. That being said, Tripp's transformation is a bit unbelievable and quick. I will chalk that up to the magic of the island. As Colton's story progresses, more tissues are needed! I couldn't stop until the end. The local people on Mure are so quirky and enjoyable. Inge-Britt who runs the local bar is beautiful but tough. Flora's brothers are all unique. Hamish is my favorite, followed by Fintan. Little Agot steals every scene she's in if you like precocious, annoying little moppets. I don't so I was glad she wasn't in too much of this book. She provides the much needed humor. I love the lonely old ladies who visit Saif for no good reason and walk away with "magical" herbal remedies from his country LOL! All these quirky people provide a sense of community to all who chance to visit. When people visit Mure they never want to leave and the reader won't either.

Kate

December 14, 2018

🎄Lovely 🌊 Thx to @tlcbooktours for this free review copy!I own book one in this series and read book two from the library, and was ecstatic to get a copy of book three for review ❤️ Jenny Colgan is one of my very favorite happy cozy authors and her setting in this series on a remote Scottish island is absolutely delightful. This one has a hearty dose of hardship as well, but the Christmas spirit shines through brightly in spite of it all.And before you ask, of course I’m going to say you have to read books one and two first ~ I could no more read books in a series out of order than wear leggings to work without my booty covered ~ it’s just not DONE in my world.Start with The Cafe by the Sea, then devour Then Endless Beach, and THEN settle in with this one! And add all of her other series to your list as well if you haven’t read them yet.

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