The perfect book to get you into the Christmas spirit

We're slowly embracing the Christmas spirit as we inch closer and closer to the big day.

There's just a little over a month to go until Christmas Day, and there's nothing quite like a festive read to get you into the Christmas spirit.

One of the most perfect books to read this year is by Irish author Emma Heatherington.

Her novel Every Christmas Eve is perfect if you're looking for a rom-com that'll remind you of the magic of Christmas.

Every Christmas Eve is a story of hope, of second chances and of finding your way back to your person.

Lou and Ben fell in love as teenagers at the Ballyheaney Christmas Eve party. Every winter, they saved the date for each other. Until everything changed one fateful night…

Now, after years away, widower and single dad Ben is back, determined to revive the legendary party. But with only two weeks to make it happen, they need help. So Ben turns to the one person he could never forget: Lou.

As the days tick down to another Christmas Eve together, old feelings and memories resurface.

Will Lou and Ben seize this chance to rewrite their very own love story?

"Bring that magic into your life"

In an interview with Her.ie, author Emma Heatherington opened up about why she loves to write about Christmas.

"I believe that Christmas, even if you're the Grinch or Scrooge, or you don't particularly look forward to it, is about bringing magic back into your life."

"I'm not claiming that all my memories of Christmas have been, you know, jingle bells and snow and all that, but I love bringing some wholesomeness and magic with layers of reality," Heatherington said when discussing her new book.

Books have the power to help us forget about our worries, even if it's only for an hour or so, but knowing we can lean on them in times of need is hugely comforting.

Emma shared, "Even if it's just for a couple of hours a day or an hour, half an hour, 15 minutes on the school run, if you want to snatch a bit of escapism.

"All my characters have real-life back stories; they're not walking in this picture-perfect lifestyle at all. They have struggles, and it's about inspiring people that if you are going through a hard time at the moment that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel."

"There's always something to pick you up," Emma stressed.

She hopes her novel will serve as a reminder that we all need each other and Christmas is a lovely time to show that you care, whether it's checking in on someone you haven't seen in a while or inviting someone around to share part of the celebrations who you think is on their own."

You can buy Every Christmas Eve by Emma Heatherington on Kindle here.

Buy a physical copy of Every Christmas Eve by Emma Heatherington here, or from your local bookshop.