One of the many things to enjoy when reading Jenny Colgan’s novels that are all set in the United Kingdom are the specific locations, each one unique and described so thoroughly that we feel as if we are there. So in “Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop,” we are transported to Edinburgh, Scotland, and Colgan’s narration is enticing and filled with enough details about the beauty and charm of Edinburgh that readers will want to book their next trip there.

Some romances are filled with historical references while others, like “Hello Stranger,” are filled with touching tales of mixed signals and star-crossed communication. But what I really love about Katherine Center’s newest book is the way that by the time we finish the first page, we’re hooked. Sadie, the main character, has already shared that she doesn’t have a close relationship with her father, that she’s won a place as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society’s yearly contest, and that she struggles financially. The first person narrative is quite engaging, and we like Sadie from the start.