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The Little Shop of Merry and Bright

Paperback
$19.00 US
5-3/16"W x 8"H | 10 oz | 24 per carton
On sale Sep 22, 2026 | 352 Pages | 9798217182626

From the "Christmas book queen" (PEOPLE) comes a charming wintertime tale about a young woman who is given a chance to right a wrong…but at what cost?

Three years ago, Casey declined her then-boyfriend’s marriage proposal . . . and it went viral. Her face became a meme. After years of dealing with the backlash online, Casey now leads a quiet life, working as a stock replenisher for a family-owned department store. No risk of public humiliation, and . . . no possibility of a boyfriend. 

Until the night before Christmas, during a work shift, Casey notices a strange woman in the homeware department. But when the police arrive, the intruder is nowhere to be seen. It soon becomes clear that this woman, Margo, is the Spirit of Christmas Present, who has chosen to sit this holiday out. 

Casey attempts to exorcize the spirit until finally Margo makes a bargain: she will use her powers to erase the meme that made Casey notorious. There’s just one catch. Casey must witness five of her alternate realities—in which the meme never happened—and if after all five she still wants it wiped, Margo will grant her wish. But what might Casey lose in the process? What if the life she's led has actually been brighter than she's ever let herself believe?
© Dominic Jennings
A former professional cake baker, Jenny Bayliss lives in a small seaside town in the UK with her husband, their children having left home for big adventures. She is also the author of The Twelve Dates of Christmas, A Season for Second Chances, Meet Me Under the Mistletoe, and A December to Remember, Kiss Me At Christmas, and I'll Be Home for Christmas. View titles by Jenny Bayliss

About

From the "Christmas book queen" (PEOPLE) comes a charming wintertime tale about a young woman who is given a chance to right a wrong…but at what cost?

Three years ago, Casey declined her then-boyfriend’s marriage proposal . . . and it went viral. Her face became a meme. After years of dealing with the backlash online, Casey now leads a quiet life, working as a stock replenisher for a family-owned department store. No risk of public humiliation, and . . . no possibility of a boyfriend. 

Until the night before Christmas, during a work shift, Casey notices a strange woman in the homeware department. But when the police arrive, the intruder is nowhere to be seen. It soon becomes clear that this woman, Margo, is the Spirit of Christmas Present, who has chosen to sit this holiday out. 

Casey attempts to exorcize the spirit until finally Margo makes a bargain: she will use her powers to erase the meme that made Casey notorious. There’s just one catch. Casey must witness five of her alternate realities—in which the meme never happened—and if after all five she still wants it wiped, Margo will grant her wish. But what might Casey lose in the process? What if the life she's led has actually been brighter than she's ever let herself believe?

Author

© Dominic Jennings
A former professional cake baker, Jenny Bayliss lives in a small seaside town in the UK with her husband, their children having left home for big adventures. She is also the author of The Twelve Dates of Christmas, A Season for Second Chances, Meet Me Under the Mistletoe, and A December to Remember, Kiss Me At Christmas, and I'll Be Home for Christmas. View titles by Jenny Bayliss