Five Gold Rings

Five Gold Rings: Christmas tales about hope, longing and the wonderfully messy people we love

From deserted doorsteps to algorithm-controlled festive "joy", these darkly funny, deeply human Christmas tales celebrate the people who feel left out of the holiday spirit - and the thin thread of hope that pulls them back in.

A grieving dog-lover finds a new reason to hang a stocking.

A gay couple revolt against a world where Christmas comes twelve times a year.

A locksmith spends Christmas Eve rescuing everyone except herself.

Neighbourly one-upmanship turns into tragedy on a shiny new estate.

A lonely widow rewrites tradition - and discovers belonging in the wrong place at the right time.

Tender, sharp and full of the strange magic only December can conjure, Five Gold Rings is a collection for anyone who knows that family is complicated, joy is fragile, and Christmas isn't always kind - but redemption sometimes arrives wrapped in the most unexpected package.

Perfect for fans of Matt Haig, David Nicholls, Marian Keyes, and heart-first festive fiction with a twist.