This story is set in a classic British department store, which seems to have lost it sparkle. in it���s heyday it was the top store of it���s kind. Everyone loved Hardy���s. we being on the 1st December and each chapter counts down to Christmas stating how many shopping days are left. I loved this. as each chapter passed my Christmas spirit increased. I absolutely LOVE Christmas and Christmas shopping. this store sounded like the kind of Christmas I used to watch in films. Films like Miracle on 34th Street. I didn���t understand Evie at first. she seemed to be stuck in this dead end job and she wasn���t happy. None of the staff knew her actual name and just seemed to see her as someone to unload their problems on. I soon realised that Evie was a bit broken. After her ex unexpectedly dumped her she crumbled. she didn���t know what to do. By fading into the background she attempted to prevent herself from being hurt again. One day she decided she was fed up of being invisible and wanted to be noticed. When she hears of the problems with the store and how they have 3 weeks to increase their profits or the store will close she just has to do something. this store means everything to her. When she was a child her parents would take her here every year and these trips meant the world to Evie. She just couldn���t face the thought of Hardy���s not being around any more. So she set about anonymously remaking parts of the store.I don���t want to ruin the book too much but Evie���s little helpers are the best. I loved each and every one of them. This book was excellent. A fantastic example of Christmas Chicklit at it���s best. It has everything that will make you warm and fuzzy on a cold winter night. This has definately got me in the mood for Christmas. I don't really know what I think about this book. It was nice reading if you don't have anything else to read. Is the first book of this author that I get to read and so I am not sure whether this is the actual writing stytle of the author or not, but if that is the case I don't think I will be reading more of his books if they are not christmas theme as what I most like about it was Eve's christmas spirit.I really liked the story, Eve and all of the characters but there was something about the book that didn't convince me at all. I think there was too much description about the environment and not enough focus on the real story.
Couldn't finish--nice story, but couldn't get through all the discussion of merchandising.
—viv
Favourite chick-lit novel read in 2012. Nuff said.
—woodslawson
a wonderful absorbing read.
—priya
