The Christmas Postcards cover art

The Christmas Postcards

Cosy Up With This Uplifting, Festive Romance From the Sunday Times Bestseller

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The Christmas Postcards

By: Karen Swan
Narrated by: Kristin Atherton
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About this listen

'There’s nothing quite like a Karen Swan novel to get you in the festive mood' – Woman & Home

The right words can change everything . . .

It had been a make-or-break winter holiday for their marriage, but Natasha and Rob’s rekindled romance is short-lived when their daughter’s beloved soft toy disappears on the journey home. As Natasha comforts her distraught child, she turns to social media for help. Miraculously, the toy is found, but it has become the lucky mascot of a man named Duffy, who is thousands of miles away trekking in Nepal.

When Duffy promises to keep Natasha updated with pictures, a correspondence begins that soon becomes more meaningful. Sometimes, Natasha feels this stranger half way across the world understands her more than the man lying next to her.

But as the weeks pass and Duffy heads deeper into the mountains, Natasha notices a change in him. Then, one day, the messages stop. Too late, Natasha wonders why he had ever needed a lucky mascot at all . . .

Set in a snow-covered Cotswolds village, The Christmas Postcards is a cosy, escapist festive delight about distant connections from Sunday Times bestselling author of The Stolen Hours.


Readers are falling in love with The Christmas Postcards . . .

'I read this in two sittings, I literally didn't want to put the book down'

'The story gripped me right from the start and still hasn't let me go. I loved it'

'In those last moments I was holding my breath and struggling to hold back the tears'

'Definitely my favourite Karen Swan book so far'

'I was enthralled from the first pages'

'Allows you to fall into its pages with delicious escapism'

'Atmospheric, heartfelt, and enchanting!'

'I have to say Karen Swan has created another perfect festive read'

'This was super enjoyable, another really interesting read from Karen Swan'


Praise for Karen Swan

'Feel good stories to curl up with over Christmas . . . Escapist romance at its best' – Heat Magazine

'A romance you won’t be able to put down' – Metro

'With well-drawn characters and plenty of romance and drama, this page-turner will leave you with a warm festive glow' – The Mirror

Action & Adventure Contemporary Contemporary Romance Fiction Genre Fiction Holidays Romance Women's Fiction Heartfelt Winter Christmas Nepal

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Critic reviews

A well-crafted journey, this read details the intricacies of complicated romance and allows you to fall into its pages with delicious escapism
It’s a romance you won’t be able to put down, which blossoms by happenstance
Escapist romance at its best
From first page to last, this is a captivating and sometimes heartbreaking wintertime odyssey filled with tears, laughter, a dazzling array of superbly portrayed characters, page-turning suspense, and unexpected twists and turns. Sprinkled throughout with Swan’s trademark insight, natural warmth and eye for comedy, this is the perfect reading warm-up for the Christmas season
The queen of destination fiction
All stars
Most relevant
From start to finish this story held me captivated. The narrator(s) were brilliant and just brought everything to life. The twists and turns were great and not always as I imagined. Definitely an audiobook to immerse yourself in. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Best book in years

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The only problem with this book was that it had to come to the end. Wonderful story leaving me wanting more. Thank you Karen Swan 🐮🗻⭐️

I loved it 🥰

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I’ve listened to all (bar one) of Swan’s books and, whilst naturally, there are favourites* I’m never disappointed, and once I’d really ‘clocked her’ as one of my best-loved authors** I now pre-order knowing I’ll be in for an absorbing, thoroughly enjoyable, evocative and compelling listen.

She deserves many more superlatives, and I’d adore to see her more recognised for her unique brand of entertaining, engaging stories with love - romantic yes - but always with so many other facets to this uncontainable force that drives and compels us to behave, act, cope and wend our way through life in innumerably unique and varied ways.

I’m so thankful for the prolific talent, energy and dedication Swan has been gifted to give us two books a year. But she stands head and shoulders above the surfeit of authors I listen to who are ring-fenced by the publishing world’s obsession with Christmas and summer themed reads.

As someone bedridden with a severe, often excruciatingly painful illness, I don’t have the bandwidth for more ‘literary’ tomes and the gritty, graphic suffering I used to engage with.

Where, as a callow literature student, I scorned a ‘happy ending,’ I now actively need this. But some of the saccharine fare I lean on to get me through is, to put it generously, weak, and requires otherwise intelligent, rounded enough characters to be positively dim in the arena of romance.

With the aforementioned requirements, one enters into the storyteller-listener contract that necessitates a certain amount of suspended disbelief. But Swan writes with such élan, and even, as with this book, where the premise is somewhat zany, one is drawn in and appreciative of emotionally layered characters, charged situations against a backdrop that evidently required impressive research.

Like another reviewer, I found myself looking up the Annapurna range, just as I found myself looking up St Kilda, the setting of The Last Summer - a sublimely rich, pacey and potent start to her new series of books to be released each summer. This alone, is testament to work that transcends titles in an often derided category of ‘genre-fiction.’

And whilst there were a few somewhat slower passages and this isn’t in my sizeable handful of personal Swan-über-hits**, it still had me gripped, both savouring and whipping through the listen only to be left, as always, wishing cloning were possible so I could indulge in more Swan treats.




[* The Spanish Promise, The Last Summer, The Christmas Secret, The Paris Secret, The Christmas Party and more.
**Swan plus the tragically late Lucinda Riley and Santa Montefiore]

Karen Swan is in a league of her own - always a treat

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Thought I was choosing a sedate Christmas story and have been on an emotional rollercoaster in the best ways!

Surprisingly deep and emotional!

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Totally gripping. Brilliant story line away from the norm. Favourite book I’ve listened to this year.

One of the best I’ve ever read!

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