The Gift: A Novel

The Gift is a magical, fable-like Christmas story from Cecelia Ahern, the celebrated New York Times bestselling author of P.S. I Love You and Thanks for the Memories. The story of Lou Suffern, a successful executive frustrated by the fact that he spends more time in the office than with his doting wife and two young children, The Gift is “a tantalizing tale wrapped in a tale....[the] perfect treat for the holidays.” (Sara Gruen)

Lou Suffern’s successful career demands that he be in two places at one time—and neither of those is with his devoted wife and children. One frigid morning Lou meets a homeless man named Gabe and buys him a cup of coffee . . . then gives him a job—a random act of kindness that surprises Lou most of all. But soon Gabe is meddling uncomfortably in Lou’s life, popping up at the most inopportune times—as if Gabe actually can be in two places at once. With Lou’s personal and professional fates at important crossroads and Christmas looming, Gabe resorts to some unorthodox methods to show his stubborn patron what truly matters and how precious the gift of time is. But can he help him fix what’s broken before it’s too late?

“Utterly irresistible . . . I devoured it in one sitting. . . . If The Gift is a fairytale, then it’s from the same template used by Hans Christian Anderson.” - The Irish Times on The Gift

“A moving tale . . . The Gift weaves magical elements into modern-day setting, and will certainly appeal to readers looking for a touching supernatural tearjerker.” - Booklist

“An updated version of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol . . . with some surprising twists.” - Boston Globe

“A winning tale of magic and redemption. . . . Ahern’s an accomplished storyteller, and her writing chops elevate this far above the normal holiday fare. There’s magic, but it’s not campy, and the sentiment is real.” - Publishers Weekly

“THE GIFT is a tantalizing tale wrapped in a tale that I devoured in one sitting. It’s a perfect treat for the holidays.” - Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants

“Light holiday fare with a lesson . . . [that] encourages readers to appreciate the important things. . . . Ahern has a way with character.” - Kirkus Reviews

“[A] holiday treat . . . This clever twist on the guardian angel story will appeal to Ahern’s fans and lovers of holiday fiction.” - Library Journal

“This modern-day Scrooge tale is a delightful read with plenty of fun twists and turns.” - USA Today

“Charming . . . The Gift is like a warm sweater.” - Associated Press