X-Book

The Woman Who Got Her Spark Back

Get in the xigxag app
Already purchased

Click to open directly in the xigxag app.

This book is not purchasable in your country. Please select another book. Pre-order Buy Now €{{ price }} Send as a gift

Listen to a sample

What to expect

✨ The BRAND NEW hilarious, feel-good read from Fiona Gibson, smash hit bestselling author of The Woman Who Ran Away from Everything

'I absolutely love Fiona Gibson's funny, emotional, relatable writing.’ Jenny Colgan

🌸 Is it ever too late to bloom? 🌸

Meet Celia. Life hasn’t worked out quite how she’d planned.

Since her son left for university, Celia has felt stuck at home – battling with her husband Geoff over control of the thermostat, and without the merest glint of a social life. Her only joy comes from the plants she nurtures in her makeshift plant hospital in their Glasgow flat.

Then three unexpected things happen:

  1. She catches Geoff in bed with a secretary from his sausage factory (no pun intended).
  2. Her high-flying best friend Amanda arrives on her doorstep without warning (but with a very large suitcase).
  3. A tall handsome French teacher asks her to tend his daughter’s cactus back to health.

🪴

Suddenly, Celia finds her life in freefall, but she makes a decision: she won’t let this be the end of her. She’ll bring herself back to life, just like the plants she works her magic on. But just how do you change the habits of a lifetime?

Praise for Fiona Gibson:

'Hilarious, sparky and joyful, relatable and brilliant! Highly recommended, whatever the time of year.' JUDY LEIGH

'Snowy, sparkly and satisfying. Highly recommended.' MADDIE PLEASE

'Fun, festive and full of good cheer, Tis the damn season! should be on the top of your Christmas reading wish list.' SARAH BENNETT

'This book isn't just for Christmas... it's the perfect escapist novel for any time of the year!' KATE GALLEY

'A festive, funny and heartfelt story of friendship and finding your way. I loved it.' FREYA KENNEDY

'Warm, witty and wonderfully relatable. Perfect escapism for women struggling to juggle everything, especially at Christmas!' KATHLEEN WHYMAN

‘Fun, witty, and sassy. It’s just what I needed to get me through a break up.’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Wonderful easy reading. Heart warming, characters that are uplifting and a story full of friendship. Take This book on holiday and enjoy getting lost in this beautiful story.’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Heartily recommended as a warmhearted story with emotional depth that you will want to read in one go.’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘I love Fiona's style of writing, it's totally absorbing, always relatable in some way, emotional & hilarious! I don't think I can ever look at a Scotch egg in the same way ever again! 🤣’⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘I absolutely loved this book and devoured it in less than a day. It was fun, relatable and an easy read. This was one of my favourite books by Fiona Gibson!’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Marvellous at any time of the year! You’re never disappointed with a Fiona Gibson novel and this one is no exception. Simple storylines, lovely ending, characters you can relate to and root for, what’s not to love?’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘I adored this book! I love Fiona’s books anyway and definitely have more on my wishlist! This is the perfect festive read. Wouldn’t we all like to escape sometimes from the festive build up?’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘This book is honestly very funny… I am probably going to reread this story again in the next couple of days, I liked it that much.’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

User Reviews

Book 5.0
Narration 2.0
5.0
2.0
Great story telling as usual for Fiona Gibson

Strange issue with narration - lots of mini breaks /breaths in the middle of sentences which make you think it is the end of chapter or sentence and then it isn’t 🤔.
Teaeee 29/08/2025

About xigxag and the x-book®

Discover the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed to simplify finding, purchasing, and enjoying your favourite books in audio format. Our flexible pricing model makes bestselling audiobooks affordable, offering the best audiobook deals without the need for a subscription. You can also give the perfect gift with our convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

A core differentiator of xigxag is our groundbreaking listen-and-read x-book® technology, which delivers a truly immersive digital book experience. This unique innovation seamlessly combines the audiobook, text, and images into a brilliant, integrated format, complete with exclusive audiobook features and a next-generation digital reading experience. Our growing x-book selection is easily discoverable by looking for the distinctive purple x-book® ribbon, or by simply filtering your search by ‘x-book’.

Beyond our technology, xigxag is committed to sustainability and ethical practices, ensuring a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we stand as a leader in audiobook innovation and a compelling alternative to big tech. Our commitment extends to delivering extraordinary customer service, provided by our friendly UK support team.

Effortlessly search audiobooks, gain insights from honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. You can download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere, guaranteeing the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Experience the future of audiobooks today.