Best Holiday Romance Novels of 2025 to Cozy Up With This Season
Okay, I know—it’s not even Halloween yet. The pumpkins are still on the porch, the candy’s barely been opened, and here I am talking about twinkle lights and mistletoe. But let’s be honest: the festive season starts earlier and earlier every year, and if you’re anything like me, you’re already plotting your holiday TBR before the turkey’s even in the oven.
I wanted to get these cozy, festive reads out to you early so you can start planning (or preordering!) your December lineup. Because —between gift wrapping, holiday parties, and school concerts, it’s hard to find reading time once December hits. So this is your chance to stack your nightstand with stories that feel like Hallmark movies, peppermint mochas, and stolen kisses under fairy lights.
From small-town snowstorms to fake dating under the mistletoe to ghostly Christmas love stories, these are the holiday romance novels of 2025 that deserve a spot on your reading list—long before Mariah Carey officially thaws.
So grab a fuzzy blanket, light your favorite cinnamon candle, and let’s talk about the most magical thing of all: falling in love during the holidays.
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Cozy, Feel-Good Holiday Romance Novels
If your perfect December night involves hot cocoa, a roaring fire, and stories that leave you smiling like you’ve just unwrapped the perfect gift—these are for you.
Merry Little Kissmas
By Lauren Blakely
Summary
When matchmaker Evie Hartwell agrees to find her brother’s best friend a date for his team’s Christmas Eve gala, she doesn’t expect the job to come with a side of frostbite—from Rowan, the brooding single-dad hockey star who’d rather body-check Cupid than let love back into his life.
But when Rowan bets Evie she can’t find him a “holidate,” her competitive streak flares brighter than the town’s Christmas lights. To prove him wrong, she volunteers herself as his fake girlfriend—purely for professional purposes, of course.
Soon, what starts as a festive ruse turns into something much more tempting. Between snowball fights, cocoa-fueled flirting, and one unforgettable night snowed in at his cabin, Evie discovers the grinchy single dad has a soft spot buried beneath the ice.
Now she’s facing her toughest matchmaking challenge yet: convincing the man who’s lost faith in love that sometimes, the best holiday miracles are the ones you never planned for.
Christmas Fling
By Lindsey Kelk
Summary
When Laura agrees to flat-sit over Christmas, she expects a quiet holiday alone. But when her host’s parents mistake her for their son Callum’s girlfriend, she’s whisked off to his family’s estate in the snowy Scottish Highlands. What starts as a harmless fake-dating mix-up quickly turns into a festive whirlwind of cosy train rides, pub nights, and undeniable chemistry.
As sparks fly amid log fires and mistletoe, Laura begins to question whether this Christmas fling could actually be something real. Funny, heartfelt, and full of holiday magic, Christmas Fling is Lindsey Kelk at her most charming—a story about unexpected love, second chances, and the joy of letting life surprise you.
The Gingerbread Bakery
By Laurie Gilmore
Summary
In The Gingerbread Bakery by Laurie Gilmore, Dream Harbor is dusted in snow and sprinkled with just the right amount of tension between baker Annie Andrews and bar owner Mac Sullivan. Annie pours her heart into her cozy bakery, crafting gingerbread dreams for everyone—except herself. Mac, the charmingly infuriating man from down the street, seems determined to get under her skin with every teasing grin and witty remark.
But when their friends’ winter wedding forces them into each other’s orbit, Annie and Mac discover that behind all the banter and baked goods might be something warmer than the ovens at the Gingerbread Bakery.
Filled with sugar, spice, and small-town charm, this enemies-to-lovers romance serves up found family feels, plenty of slow-burn chemistry, and a holiday happily ever after that’s as satisfying as the perfect cookie.
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
By Jenny Bayliss
Summary
After a breakup and a sudden eviction, Fred Hallow-Hart has no choice but to trade city chaos for small-town Pine Bluff—a place full of twinkle lights, eccentric great-aunts, and memories she’s tried hard to forget. Her family’s Christmas Cracker shop is in full festive swing, and before she knows it, Fred is knee-deep in glitter, ribbon, and holiday chaos.
But Christmas in Pine Bluff comes with unexpected complications: her childhood best friend Ryan, who still knows how to make her laugh, and Warren, the handsome journalist covering the local market who sees more in her than she’s ready to admit. As Fred juggles old wounds, new possibilities, and a few family secrets, she’ll have to decide whether she’s ready to stop running from her past—and maybe, finally, come home to love.
Grumpy/Sunshine & Enemies-to-Lovers Holiday Romances
Because nothing says festive fun like a little tension under the tinsel. These stories prove that sometimes the best gift is realizing your sworn enemy looks annoyingly good in a Santa hat.
Merry Christmas You Filthy Animal
By Meghan Quinn
Summary
Atlas “Max” Maxheimer has enough on his plate trying to keep his family’s beloved Christmas tree farm from collapsing under financial stress. The last thing he needs is Betty—quirky, cheerful, and brand new in town—setting up shop with her uncle at the rival farm right next door. To Max, she’s a walking disaster wrapped in tinsel, threatening everything his family has worked for. To Betty, Max is a grumpy lumberjack with zero holiday spirit and a knack for melodrama.
When snowstorms, sabotaged reputations, and a few wildly ill-advised “grand gestures” throw them together, the battle of Evergreen quickly turns personal. Between outrageous small-town shenanigans, one unfortunate ornament heist, and more sparks than a string of faulty Christmas lights, Max and Betty discover that maybe their rivalry is just the beginning of something even more explosive—like falling in love under the mistletoe.
Tropes you’ll love: rivals-to-lovers, holiday hijinks, small-town chaos, grand romantic gestures gone wrong
Elf Against the Wall
By Alina Jacobs
Summary
All Felicity wanted was a picture-perfect Christmas—the kind with mistletoe kisses, cozy sweaters, and maybe a promotion at her dream job. What she got instead? Her boss turning out to be her cousin’s secret fiancé…and a family ready to roast her chestnuts over an open fire.
Now branded the holiday homewrecker, Felicity’s determined to clear her name. Her master plan? Team up with Anderson Wynter—the tattooed, motorcycle-riding menace her family really can’t stand. He’s chaotic, cocky, and completely wrong for her, but desperate times call for scandalous measures.
What starts as a fake relationship designed to expose her ex soon spirals into late-night bickering, electric chemistry, and way too many moments that feel suspiciously real.
Between awkward family brunches, drunken caroling, and one very unholy attraction, Felicity discovers that maybe the best kind of Christmas magic is the messy, rule-breaking kind.
Elf Against the Wall is a laugh-out-loud, enemies-to-lovers holiday rom-com brimming with family drama, bad decisions, and one unforgettable bad elf who might just be the best gift of all.
The Holiday Hate-Off
By Angela Casella
Summary
When coffee shop barista Lucy declares war on Enzo Cafiero—the infuriatingly hot guy running the Italian market next door—Hideaway Harbor becomes the battleground for the most chaotic Christmas feud in town. He blames her for his breakup, she blames him for ruining her holiday vibe, and between sabotaged events and competitive price wars, their rivalry is equal parts hilarious and sizzling.
Enzo might have left New York to save his family business, but sparring with Lucy quickly becomes his favorite small-town pastime. And the more they clash, the more their so-called “hate-off” starts to look a lot like foreplay.
While not strictly a holiday romance, The Holiday Hate Off delivers all the festive chaos—dueling shopkeepers, secret letters à la You’ve Got Mail, and enemies-to-lovers heat that burns hotter than a peppermint mocha.
Christmasholic
By Joss Wood
Summary
Sutton Alsop has made it her personal mission to avoid all things holly, jolly, and bright. Christmas is chaos, and she wants no part of it—until one too many drinks leads her to wage war on the most festive house in town. Unfortunately, the twinkling wonderland she demolishes belongs to Gus Langston: devoted single dad, proud owner of a year-round Christmas shop, and the village’s very own Mr. Christmas.
Cleaning up her mess means Sutton can’t escape Gus—or his relentless holiday cheer. But beneath his perfect Christmas-card exterior, Gus is hiding a secret that only Sutton knows, a truth that draws them closer even as they clash over every garland and candy cane.
Forced into each other’s orbit, Sutton and Gus discover that sometimes the merriest surprises come from the unlikeliest pairings. With humor, heart, and enough festive sparks to light up the season, Confessions of a Christmasholic is a romcom about second chances, family, and finding joy where you least expect it.
Small-Town & Family-Filled Holiday Romance Books
For readers who believe the best love stories come wrapped in family traditions, snow-covered porches, and Main Street tree lightings.
Forever in Alaska
By Belle Calhoune
Summary
When Landon Stone returns to his hometown of Moose Falls to help his beloved grandmother, the last thing he expects is to get tangled in a fake relationship. But when Grandma Hattie mistakes his friendship with his coworker Bailey Daniels for something more, Landon decides to lean into the lie—especially if it’ll make Hattie’s Christmas wish come true.
Bailey agrees to play along, partly out of gratitude to the woman who once helped her family, and partly because Landon’s quiet charm is melting her resolve faster than a snowflake on her mitten. Between late-night strategy sessions, community festivities, and Hattie’s matchmaking meddling, their pretend romance starts to feel heartbreakingly real.
While not strictly a holiday romance, Forever in Alaska offers cozy small-town charm, a heartwarming fake-dating setup, and just enough festive sparkle to make you believe in love under the Northern Lights.
The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah
By Jean Meltzer
Summary
For Mallory Klein, Hanukkah has always been a time of family, tradition, and… heartbreak. After a string of romantic misfires and awkward holiday encounters, she’s come to dread the season of menorahs, latkes, and love gone wrong. But this year, things are different—or at least she hopes they are.
When Mallory’s carefully planned holiday is thrown into chaos by unexpected guests, surprising sparks, and the reminder that love doesn’t always follow a schedule, she must navigate her eight nights of Hanukkah with humor, heart, and a little help from friends and family. Along the way, she discovers that sometimes the path to happiness is messy, unpredictable, and entirely worth the risk.
The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah is a witty, heartwarming romantic comedy about learning to embrace love in all its imperfect, beautiful forms—just in time for the holidays.
A Cozy Holiday
By Kels and Denise Stone
Summary
When big-city vet Joy Winters catches her boyfriend cheating, she swaps heartbreak for a snowy escape in Cranberry Hollow, Maine—home to a struggling reindeer sanctuary and one very grumpy single dad. Jamie Wilder’s only goals this season are keeping his sanctuary afloat and giving his twins a magical Christmas—not falling for the snarky, gorgeous veterinarian who’s suddenly invading his quiet life.
But between mischievous reindeer, twinkling lights, and more than a few heated moments in close quarters, Joy and Jamie’s chemistry proves impossible to ignore. As walls come down and sparks fly, both start to wonder if this holiday fling could turn into something real.
While not strictly a holiday romance, A Cozy Holiday is filled with festive charm, found family warmth, and enough spice to keep you toasty through winter.
For the Hallmark Movie Lovers
Cue the cozy sweaters, snowball fights, and predictably perfect kisses—these Christmas romance books are basically made for your holiday movie marathon.
Christmas People
By Iva-Marie Palmer
Summary
In Christmas People, Iva-Marie Palmer serves up a witty, meta holiday rom-com that’s equal parts festive chaos and emotional heart. Jill Jacobs is the definition of a Christmas cynic—thanks to a devastating breakup under the mistletoe three years ago. Now a screenwriter in L.A., she’s sworn off tinsel, small towns, and her ex. But fate (and maybe too much spiked eggnog) has other plans.
After one fuzzy night back home in Illinois, Jill wakes up inside what feels suspiciously like a Hallmark movie—complete with snow-dusted streets, twinkling lights, and a town full of people acting like Christmas cheer is a competitive sport. Worse yet, her old flame is there, flannel-clad and infuriatingly charming, and her ex is suddenly part of the supporting cast.
To escape this holiday fever dream, Jill has to finish the story—bake-offs, snowball fights, love triangle and all. But as she plays her part in this too-perfect plot, she starts to wonder if life inside a Christmas movie might be giving her the rewrite she didn’t know she needed.
Funny, flirty, and surprisingly heartfelt, Christmas People is a sparkling reminder that sometimes the most magical stories are the ones we don’t script.
Christmas with the Princes
By Hannah Langdon
Summary
When private nurse Laura Wilde escapes her sister’s wedding drama for a quiet holiday job at the stately Lyonscroft estate, she expects peace—not a brooding heir and a royal-level tangle of secrets. Nick Prince wants nothing to do with Christmas or his crumbling inheritance, but Laura’s warmth and determination soon start thawing even the iciest corners of the old manor—and his heart.
As she tends to his spirited grandmother, Princess Marilise, and brings festive life back to the once-dreary halls, Laura discovers that both grandmother and grandson have more to heal than they let on. Between a mischievous dog rescue, mistletoe moments, and glimmering holiday magic, Laura must decide if she’s ready to risk her carefully guarded heart for a love that could change everything.
While not strictly a holiday romance, Christmas with the Princes delivers royal charm, second chances, and cozy Christmas magic that feels straight out of a Hallmark movie.
The Christmas Express
By Isla Gordon
Summary
When six estranged friends are roped into a cross-country train ride to a Canadian winter wedding, none of them expect the journey to be quite this…intimate. Bride-to-be Bryn has a plan to heal old wounds by forcing everyone onto the Christmas Express—a four-day trip through snowy mountains, glittering forests, and a storm of unresolved feelings.
For Cali and Luke, it’s a painfully close reunion with the one who got away. For Joss and Joe, it’s a battle of sibling egos. And for Sara—stuck with the group that always left her out—it’s a test of patience and forgiveness. But when a snowstorm brings the train to a halt, hearts and tempers heat up faster than the cocoa car can keep up.
While not strictly a holiday romance, The Christmas Express is brimming with festive cheer, forced proximity, and a heart-tugging second-chance love story that proves sometimes the longest journeys lead you right where you’re meant to be.
While It Was Snowing
By Julia London
Summary
When single mom and artist Amy Casey finally steals away a few weeks for herself, she dreams of nothing but quiet days and blank canvases at a borrowed lake house in North Texas. Instead, she finds her solitude double-booked—with none other than Harrison Neely, a charming pro golfer sidelined by an injury and nursing his own bruised dreams.
Between the cozy chaos of shared space, a blind dog with a mind of his own, and an army of decorative nutcrackers standing guard, Amy and Harrison strike an unlikely truce that soon melts into something much warmer. As snow falls and the holidays close in, what begins as an accidental cohabitation turns into a connection neither expected.
But when reality waits on the other side of the New Year—his career calling him back, her family pulling her home—they must decide whether their snowy holiday romance is just a season’s fling or the start of something lasting.
Perfect for readers who love small-town charm, second chances, and slow-burn chemistry by the fire, While It Was Snowing is a heartfelt reminder that sometimes the best gifts aren’t wrapped—they’re found when you least expect them.
Yule Be Mine
By Piper Rayne
Summary
When overworked city guy Carter lands in the festive town of Mistletoe Falls for his best friend’s Christmas wedding, he expects spreadsheets, not sleigh bells. But one big mix-up—a missing motel room—forces him straight into the path of Ashley, the one woman he probably shouldn’t ask for help. She’s his best friend’s bride’s sister, the maid of honor… and the woman he once turned down.
Now stuck under the same twinkling roof at her cozy bed-and-breakfast, Carter and Ashley are thrown together to save a wedding that’s quickly turning into a holiday disaster. Between planning mishaps, blizzard-induced snow-ins, and the town’s over-the-top Santa Festival, their frosty truce starts to thaw—and so do their hearts.
Full of witty banter, slow-burn tension, and small-town Christmas charm, Yule Be Mine is a second-chance holiday romance that proves sometimes the best gifts come wrapped in forgiveness, fresh snow, and a little bit of mistletoe magic.
Holiday Ever After
By Hannah Grace
Summary
In Holiday Ever After, Hannah Grace brings her signature warmth and wit to a small-town holiday romance that’s equal parts cozy and chaotic.
Clara Davenport is used to fixing problems—preferably from behind her sleek corporate desk at her family’s toy empire. But when Davenport Innovation Creative is accused of ripping off a local artisan’s design, Clara’s dream promotion depends on doing the one thing she dreads most: charming the residents of Fraser Falls, the quaint mountain town her company’s scandal has enraged.
Enter Jack Kelly—the very craftsman Davenport wronged, and the last person Clara expected to find herself drawn to. Jack has sworn off smooth-talking suits and PR stunts, but Clara’s earnest attempts to make things right—and her genuine holiday spirit—start to melt his defenses faster than snow in a spring thaw.
As the lights of Fraser Falls twinkle and Clara’s corporate mission turns personal, she’s forced to choose between the career she’s always wanted and the unexpected magic of second chances, forgiveness, and falling in love at Christmastime.
Second Chances & Emotional Holiday Reads
The holidays are the perfect backdrop for second chances—the snow is falling, the lights are glowing, and love has a way of showing up right when you least expect it.
Yours for the Season
By Emily Stone
Summary
In Yours for the Season by Emily Stone, heartbreak and holiday cheer collide in the Scottish Highlands. After being publicly dumped by her ex, Finn, at his sister’s engagement party, Melanie has sworn off both him and the idea of happily ever after. But when Finn reappears on her doorstep just before Christmas, begging her to pose as his girlfriend for one last family holiday, Mel sees a chance for the ultimate revenge—one final “dumping,” this time on her terms.
It’s supposed to be a week of fake smiles and holiday pretense, but between cozy fires, twinkling lights, and the undeniable pull of shared memories, Mel starts to question whether she’s faking her feelings—or rediscovering them. Full of warmth, wit, and emotional depth, Yours for the Season is a tender second-chance romance about forgiveness, finding joy again, and learning that love doesn’t always go according to plan.
Christmas at the Ranch
By Julia McKay
Summary
After a decade of running from her past, Emory Oakes never expected to end up back where it all began—snowed in at Wilder Ranch, the place where she first fell in love and where everything fell apart.
With her father’s crimes splashed across the headlines and her career in ruins, Emory escapes to the small mountain town of Evergreen, hoping for anonymity and a little peace. Instead, she finds Tate Wilder—the boy who once made her believe in forever, now a man who’s never forgiven her for leaving.
As falling snow turns the ranch into a postcard-perfect wonderland, old wounds thaw and long-buried feelings resurface. But the same secrets that tore them apart still linger, threatening to undo the fragile second chance fate has handed them.
Heartfelt, nostalgic, and full of small-town Christmas charm, Christmas at the Ranch is a tender second-chance romance about forgiveness, family, and finding your way home—just in time for the holidays.
Holiday Rider
By Maggie Cole
Summary
When bull-riding legend Wyatt Houston’s career takes a nosedive, the last person he expects—or wants—to rely on is the woman whose heart he shattered years ago. But fate, and a little family meddling, lands him face-to-face with Hadley King—the one who got away and the only PR powerhouse who can salvage his reputation.
Hadley built her empire from the ashes Wyatt left behind. She’s wealthy, confident, and determined to keep her distance from the cowboy who once made her believe in forever. But working together over the holidays stirs up old memories—and even older chemistry.
Between professional boundaries, buried grudges, and the kind of desire that burns hotter than a Christmas bonfire, resisting Wyatt becomes impossible. He’s ready to fight for the woman he lost, but Hadley isn’t about to make it easy.
Holiday Rider is a fiery, emotional second-chance romance brimming with slow-burn tension, small-town holiday charm, and a cowboy who’s finally ready to risk it all for love.
Merry Me
By CR Jane
Summary
Natalie Bennett’s plan for her sister’s Christmas Eve wedding is simple: keep her emotions in check, dodge her estranged father, and definitely avoid her ex. But fate—and a Santa suit—have other ideas. When her former love, now-Hollywood heartthrob Easton Maddox, shows up playing Saint Nick, all of Natalie’s carefully buried feelings come rushing back faster than sleigh bells on Christmas morning.
Between a snowed-in mountain lodge, a meddling grandmother, and one dangerously flirty duet, Natalie finds herself questioning the choice she made years ago. Easton isn’t just the boy she left behind—he’s the man who still knows how to make her believe in love, no matter how messy it gets.
While not strictly a holiday romance, Merry Me is a heart-tugging, second-chance love story packed with festive charm, emotional depth, and the kind of chemistry that makes Christmas miracles feel possible.
Big Nick Energy
By Kristen Bailey
Summary
When small-town librarian Kay crosses paths with her ex, Nick, at a cozy London Christmas market, she thinks the universe is finally granting her a do-over with the one who got away. But one tangle with a tree-netting machine later, and fate delivers another Nick—one who rescues her, patches her up, and leaves her head (and heart) spinning.
Now Kay’s juggling two Nicks and one very complicated holiday season. There’s Finance Nick—ambitious, charming, and ready to plan their shared future—and Farmer Nick—warm, grounded, and quietly encouraging her creative side. Between book deliveries, glittering holiday dates, and a reindeer onesie or two, Kay’s double life is as chaotic as it is heartwarming.
As Christmas draws near, she’ll have to decide which Nick—and which version of herself—feels like home. Big Nick Energy is a laugh-out-loud festive romcom filled with witty banter, cozy charm, and a sleighful of holiday feels for fans of Love Actually, The Holiday, and perfectly imperfect Christmas love stories.
Steamy Holiday Escapes
If your reading taste leans spicy with a side of snow, these are the festive romance reads that’ll keep your winter nights hot.
Bossing My Holiday
By J. Saman
Summary
When an unexpected debt threatens to ruin her Christmas, Charlotte finds herself agreeing to the most unconventional deal of her life—pretend to be her boss’s girlfriend during his family’s holiday in Paris. Tristan Ouest might be a billionaire Scrooge with a permanent scowl, but his business partner, Braxton Hicks, insists this arrangement will solve both of their problems.
What she doesn’t expect is for the fake dating charade to turn into something far more complicated—and far more tempting. Between Tristan’s brooding charm and Braxton’s teasing confidence, the line between “pretend” and “very real” blurs fast.
Snow falls, sparks fly, and one impulsive agreement spirals into a Christmas she’ll never forget—filled with passion, partnership, and the possibility of something that feels dangerously like love.
Bossing My Holiday is a sizzling MFM holiday romance full of fake dating fun, workplace tension, and a Parisian backdrop made for scandal—and for falling hard.
Big Nick Energy
By Morgan Elizabeth
Summary
When newly divorced single mom Shae accepts a Thanksgiving invitation from a kind Tinder match, she doesn’t expect to end up at a Christmas tree farm—and she definitely doesn’t expect to fall for his dad. Nick Finch is tall, charming, endlessly patient, and just the kind of cowboy who believes in Christmas magic…and apparently in the power of the Elf on the Shelf.
After accidentally overwhelming Shae with his holiday enthusiasm, Nick sets out to make it right—by secretly driving two hours each night to bring her daughters some elf-inspired joy. But between twinkle lights, late-night visits, and small-town wonder, Nick starts to believe this connection might be fate.
While not strictly a holiday romance, Big Nick Energy is a heart-melting, age-gap, single-mom love story full of festive warmth, found family, and a cowboy who proves that sometimes, the magic finds you.
He Knows When You’re Awake
By Alta Hensley
Summary
In He Knows When You’re Awake, Christmas sparkles a little darker—and desire burns a little brighter.
Sloane Winters is done waiting for her big break. The talented jewelry designer has the vision, the grit, and the hunger to make her own mark—but not the money. So when a reclusive billionaire offers to fund her dream, she tells herself it’s just business. But Cole Asher has been watching Sloane far longer than she realizes, and his interest is anything but professional.
An invitation to a secluded Swiss resort becomes the beginning of an unsettling—and irresistible—entanglement. When Cole demands she live and work from his Manhattan penthouse, Sloane finds herself trapped between the thrill of his obsession and the danger that comes with it.
As passion blurs into possession and enemies close in, Sloane must decide whether the man who sees her darkest depths is her savior…or the most dangerous wish she’s ever made.
A dark, twisted, and deliciously steamy Christmas romance—He Knows When You’re Awake unwraps a love story that’s equal parts obsession, danger, and devotion.
The Holiday Fakers
By Evie Alexander
Summary
When small-town bookworm Piper Locke promises her mom she’ll finally bring a boyfriend home for Christmas, she never expects Hollywood’s favorite bad boy to show up as her plus-one. Brody King—her brother’s best friend, her teenage crush, and the man who left town (and her) behind twelve years ago—is suddenly back in Hideaway Harbor with a smile that spells trouble.
Their fake relationship is supposed to be a simple cover story—one bed, no feelings, and definitely no repeat heartbreak. But between snowy nights, town gossip, and sparks that refuse to stay buried, Piper starts to wonder if Brody’s playboy reputation hides a man who’s finally ready to stay.
While not strictly a holiday romance, The Holiday Fakers delivers all the cozy festive vibes—complete with fake dating, one-bed tension, and small-town charm wrapped in Christmas lights.
Magical, Whimsical, and “Not-Strictly-Holiday” Romance Books
If you love your festive reads with a sprinkle of magic—or a twist of fantasy—these stories will light up your imagination like a string of fairy lights.
All in for Christmas
By Ginny Baird
Summary
When practical and career-focused Paige Pierce reconnects with her old college sweetheart at a school holiday party, she doesn’t expect the universe to intervene—literally. After a strange encounter at a Christmas market and a flash of cosmic magic, Paige wakes up in an alternate reality where she’s married to Dean, they have two kids, and her biggest challenge is surviving potty training and PTA meetings.
At first, Paige is desperate to get back to her carefully organized life, but the warmth of this new world—complete with snow-dusted mornings, adorable chaos, and Dean’s heart-melting devotion—makes her question what truly matters. As Christmas approaches and the comet’s magic begins to fade, she must decide whether the life she built or the one she stumbled into holds her real happily ever after.
While not strictly a holiday romance, All in for Christmas is a heartfelt, whimsical rom-com that blends festive wonder, second chances, and the timeless magic of choosing love over perfection.
Good Spirits
By B. K. Borison
Summary
When Harriet York finds herself haunted just weeks before Christmas, she’s more confused than frightened. After all, she’s always tried to do the right thing—so why is the Ghost of Christmas Past knocking on her door?
For Nolan Callahan, haunting is just another seasonal assignment in his endless afterlife. He shows up, nudges people toward reflection, and disappears back into the in-between. Simple. Until Harriet. She’s warm, kind, and frustratingly hard to let go of. The more time he spends walking through her memories, the more he longs for something he hasn’t felt in years: a future.
As Christmas Eve draws closer, Harriet and Nolan discover that their pasts are unexpectedly intertwined, and the line between ghostly duty and genuine connection begins to blur. With snow swirling outside and the magic of the season pressing in, they must decide whether to let go—or hold on to the impossible hope of love that defies time itself.
Full of charm, heart, and holiday sparkle, Good Spirits is a whimsical romance that proves sometimes the best gift is the one you never saw coming.
A Billionaire for Christmas
By Jo Lyons
Summary
When chef Molly unexpectedly inherits her late best friend’s restaurant—along with a chaotic twelve-day Christmas bucket list—she has no choice but to dive headfirst into a flurry of outrageous dares, heartfelt memories, and one very inconveniently attractive billionaire.
Stranded in a luxurious French Alps resort, Molly’s mission is to tick every item off the list before Christmas Eve or risk losing everything. Enter Levi: gorgeous, guarded, and absolutely refusing to play along… until sparks start flying faster than the snowflakes. Between hot tubs, Champagne, and hilariously disastrous challenges, Molly discovers that some items on the list might lead to more than just closure—they might lead to love.
While not strictly a holiday romance, A Billionaire for Christmas is a laugh-out-loud, high-heat adventure brimming with festive chaos, swoony charm, and a heroine you can’t help but cheer for.
A Spell for Midwinter’s Heart
By Morgan Lockhart
Summary
Rowan Midwinter has spent years avoiding both her hometown and her magic—but when the snow fails to fall and her small mountain town’s winter festival is on the brink of collapse, she’s dragged back home to save it. Between fending off a soulless megacorporation and her meddling former coven, Rowan’s determined to stay focused and keep her powers buried.
Then Gavin McCreery—the infuriatingly charming boy who once bested her at every spell—shows up offering his help. Their reunion sparks more than just arguments; their simmering chemistry has a habit of igniting actual magic. As Rowan battles her fears, her feelings, and her growing connection to Gavin, she realizes that saving the festival might mean reclaiming the parts of herself she’s tried hardest to forget.
While not strictly a holiday romance, A Spell for Midwinter’s Heart is a cozy, enchanting tale filled with second chances, reluctant magic, and the kind of winter wonder that glows brighter when love is involved.
Honorable Mentions: Cozy Winter Vibes
Ann of Avenue A
By Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding
Summary
Eight years ago, Anne Elliot chose practicality over passion, ending things with the man she loved to chase her five-year plan. Now thirty and still stuck living at home, her carefully plotted future has unraveled—just in time for her past to move in next door. Freddie Wentworth, the one who got away, is back in New York and renting Anne’s childhood apartment in the heart of Greenwich Village.
Freddie has built a successful life since Anne turned him down, but the sight of her—still infuriatingly lovely, still lodged in his heart—throws his carefully managed detachment into chaos. Between awkward holiday gatherings, nosy neighbors, and a string of New York mishaps, old feelings start rekindling faster than either expected.
While not strictly a holiday romance, Anne of Avenue A sparkles with festive city charm, witty banter, and a slow-burn second chance that proves sometimes love deserves a rewrite.
Honeymoon Phase
By Amy Daws
Summary
While not strictly a holiday romance, Honeymoon Phase by Amy Daws delivers all the cozy, feel-good vibes perfect for the season.
Addison “Roe” Monroe has zero interest in love—just in saving her late father’s lumberyard. The only catch? She needs a husband to inherit it. So when she announces she’s going husband-hunting at the local lumberjack competition, her best friend Beckett can’t let her go through with it.
His solution? Offer up a fake proposal to keep her—and her heart—safe. After all, that’s what best friends are for. Right?
But when Roe refuses his plan, Beckett does the unthinkable: he signs up to become a lumberjack himself. Between flannel, flying axes, and enough sexual tension to set the forest on fire, Beckett realizes his “fake fiancé” idea might be the only way to show Roe that the love she’s avoiding is already right in front of her.
Sweet, funny, and full of heart, Honeymoon Phase is a best-friends-to-lovers, marriage-of-convenience rom-com that’s the perfect cozy escape—even without the mistletoe.
A Little Holiday Fling
By Farah Heron
Summary
Ruby Dhanji believes in two things with unshakable faith—Christmas magic and the dream of starting fresh in England. With her late mother’s holiday spirit guiding her, she’s one step away from making it happen—if she can just get the hotel experience she needs first.
Enter Rashid: the brooding Brit who can’t stand Christmas but can’t resist helping the woman struggling with an oversized tree at the Winter Market. He’s practical where she’s sentimental, reserved where she’s bursting with cheer—and completely unprepared for how quickly Ruby lights up his carefully ordered world.
When Ruby learns that Rashid’s family owns a luxury hotel chain in London, she proposes a festive trade: she’ll make his nieces’ Christmas unforgettable if he helps her get her foot in the door. But as twinkling lights and late-night cocoa turn their partnership into something deeper, Ruby faces a bittersweet choice—chase the future she’s always dreamed of or stay for the unexpected love she’s found.
Brimming with warmth, wit, and holiday sparkle, A Little Holiday Fling is a cozy grumpy/sunshine romance about finding love where you least expect it—and discovering that sometimes, home is a person, not a place.
Meet Me Under the Northern Lights
By Mandy Baggot
Summary
When Chloe Bellamy lands in Iceland, she’s got one goal—crush this work trip and climb the corporate ladder. But between a snowstorm, a nonexistent hotel booking, and the tiny problem of not actually speaking Icelandic (despite what her résumé says), things are looking… frostier than expected.
Enter Gunnar Eriksson: local hero, accidental rescuer, and man who seems determined to thaw the walls Chloe’s built around herself. He’s used to helping people—whether it’s saving a child from a volcano or taking in a stray grandma—but the ambitious Londoner who’s suddenly in his guest room is a challenge of a different kind.
As twinkling lights dance across the Icelandic sky, Chloe and Gunnar find themselves tangled in laughter, late-night confessions, and something that feels dangerously like hope. Because sometimes, all it takes is one kiss beneath the Northern Lights to remind you that love—like the aurora—is worth chasing, no matter how unpredictable it is.
Closing
So yes, the pumpkins are still out and the skeletons haven’t even been packed away—but if the festive spirit’s already whispering in your ear (or maybe shouting from the Target aisles), consider this your official permission slip to start your holiday reading season early.
Whether you’re craving something heart-meltingly sweet, deliciously spicy, or just plain cozy, this list has a story for every kind of reader and every kind of December mood.
So go ahead—grab your fuzzy socks, pour that early peppermint mocha, and dive headfirst into your next favorite holiday romance novel. Because let’s be honest—if the season’s going to start early, your reading list might as well too.