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 intwo places at one time—and neither of those is withhis devoted wife and children. One frigid morning Loumeets a homeless man named Gabe and buys him a cupof coffee. . .then gives him a job—a surprising random actof kindness. But soon Gabe is meddling uncomfortablyin Lou’s life, popping up at the most inopportune times—as if Gabe actually can be two places at once. With Lou’spersonal and professional fates at important crossroadsand Christmas looming, Gabe resorts to some unorthodoxmethods to show his stubborn patron what truly mattersand how precious the gift of time is. But can he help him fixwhat’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