In all of Jenny Colgan’s books, the setting is truly as important as any character; whether it’s the seaside or a charming corner of Edinburgh, her settings never fail to enchant and charm us. “The Secret Christmas Library” is no different. The setting, in a castle in northern Scotland in freezing winter, is breathtaking as Colgan describes the huge heaps of brilliant white snow, the sparkling sea, the majestic stag, and the centerpiece: a massive, decaying, neglected, isolated estate.

The main character, Mirren Sutherland, loves books. She was featured in a short story by Colgan, “The Christmas Book Hunt,” and her discovery of a valuable book is referenced. In this story, she is reunited with Theo Palliser, an antiquarian bookseller with whom she had a romantic relationship in the short story. He ghosted her and she’s not sure she is still interested.

Both Mirren and Theo were hired by Jamie McKinnon, a Scottish Laird, to find a valuable book. He lives in a crumbling castle on the northern coast of Scotland, and he desperately needs money to keep the huge estate from ruin. His grandfather left hints that somewhere there is a very valuable book. But Jamie’s grandfather was a book hoarder, and there are literally thousands of books crammed and stacked not only in every room of the huge building, but in all the outbuildings and barns.

In true Colgan style, we meet characters who are mostly likable, all of whom are flawed, but each has redeeming qualities. Mirren is insecure, especially when confronted with “posh” people like Jamie, his sister Esme, and Theo. Jamie is the laird, but he really wants to be a gardner. Esme lives an extravagant lifestyle hanging on to the wealthy friends she made at her private school, living in their vacation homes and on their yachts, but it’s not the lifestyle she’d choose. She desperately wants the money to enable her to live as she desired. Theo grew up as the poor relation in an upper class family. And there is also the housekeeper at the castle, Bonnie. Mirren can’t understand why Bonnie would stay in the remote location instead of leaving for university or living in a city where she could meet other young people.

It’s winter, and Colgan brilliantly communicates what it means when the air temperature is below freezing and there’s no central heat. The windows in the huge building are ancient, single-paned, and the wood is crumbling and damp. The corridors are cavernous and the wind doesn’t stop blowing.

In fact, when a winter storm brings a massive amount of snow, the electricity goes off. The four must search for the valuable book by sunlight during the day and by candlelight after the sun goes down, which in that northern region happens early in the afternoon. Jamie’s grandfather left clues, and the four must solve each one before finding the next clue. They aren’t even sure that there is a treasure at the end of the line, but Jamie is desperate, so they keep looking.

Part of the story line is about Jamie’s curmudgeonly grandfather. Colgan’s stories are all about family and what ties us together. In this touching novel, as they uncover more clues about the book, Mirren and Jamie also learn more about his grandfather and his tragic life. Things are not always as they appear, and Jamie must decide if he will make the same mistakes his grandfather made.

There’s action, there’s danger, there’s humor, and of course there’s romance. I found that when I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about the story and the characters and wondering what would happen next. That’s the sure sign of an engaging story and characters we admire. I shivered along with the characters as they braved deep snow drifts, and I wished I had an AGA stove to warm me up.

Escape your easy life with central heat and windows that keep the cold out. Travel to Scotland and feel the cold, feel the desperation of trying to figure out cryptic clues to find a treasure before a crumbling castle falls down about your head. Enjoy the sweet romance and be amused at the doings of Jamie’s posh sister. This lovely holiday story will warm your heart and put a smile on your face, no matter the season.

This review was first posted on Bookreporter.com.