As already highlighted in my previous post, there’s a change in format over my previous year’s Festive Reading list/s. However, there’s still plenty of titles to choose from. Plus, if you don’t read eBooks, most of these titles are also in hard copy so you’re not missing out on reading choices. All the titles listed have been published this year. If you want to dig about in the archives take a look here
Just a reminder, I don’t have access to a master list of bargains, and my choices are based on the cover, blurb, gut instinct and what takes my fancy at the time, as well as the fact that at the time of listing they were 99p!
Just click on the image to link to Amazon
(NB This post features Amazon and Blackwell’s affiliate links from which I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases)
Index
Crime, Thriller and Mystery (includes Historical Crime/Mysteries)
Historical (I tend to take this as pre 1960’s ie not in my lifetime!)
Crime, Thriller & Mystery
The Midwinter Martyr by SJ Parris
Giordano Bruno, heretic, philosopher and spy, is on the run from the Inquisition. He flees to Venice, but the beautiful city proves no safe haven.
The killing of an aristocrat and the arrest of his wife and secretary for murder are causing unrest. When an anonymous letter, written in code, proclaims the woman’s innocence, the city’s chief of intelligence employs Bruno to find the writer.
But the death is mired in a tangle of dangerous secrets, and Bruno soon learns there are some very powerful people who will stop at nothing to suppress the truth…
The Austen Christmas Murders by Jessica Bull
I sincerely hope your Christmas may abound in the mysteries which the season generally brings…
The festive season is fast approaching.
Jane Austen fears that without her lively siblings at home, there won’t be much Christmas cheer in the Austen household this year.
But when she uncovers a skeleton in the cellar of Deane Parsonage, Jane soon forgets her woes. For who needs merriment, when there’s a mystery to solve?
Jane quickly learns of a missing young bride, who after fleeing her wedding breakfast, was never seen again. Locals have long believed she haunts the woods nearby. Could Jane have found her at last?
Or does the truth of this mystery lie closer to home?
Over the twelve days of Christmas, Jane will embark upon festive delights, making merry, and solving murders…
The Christmas Tree Killer by Chris Frost
In the dead of winter, the Pennine Way is treacherous. As snowstorms hit, hikers have been told to stay away. But not everyone has heeded the warning: a lone walker finds a parcel in the snow, addressed to her. But there’s no festive treat inside. Instead? A severed limb.
DI Tom Stonem is called in to investigate as more gruesome packages appear under the trees. Each is wrapped like a Christmas present, with tags addressed to local residents. Are the intended recipients of these sinister gifts involved in the bloodshed? Or victims of a killer’s cruel game?
As Stonem unwraps the case, the secrets of the forest get ever darker. As December ticks down, it looks like this Christmas, murder is the gift that keeps on giving…
A Body at the Christmas Book Fair by Helen Cox
While making merry at the York Christmas Book Fair, Kitt Hartley finds herself drawn into a murder mystery with a festive twist. The victim is Leonard Bell, a festival volunteer who suddenly drops dead during his performance of A Christmas Carol.
The next day, police identify the cause of death as an unknown toxin. Fearing for his own life, Bell’s lab partner Kevin Ripley enlists Kitt’s help to track down the killer – before it’s too late.
As Kitt and her team begin to investigate the poisoning, they uncover a twisting web of long-held grudges and stolen antidotes. But even with surprise help from some very old friends, can Kitt unravel the truth? Or will the invisible assassin escape unpunished?
The Christmas Magpie by Mark Edwards
It’s Noel and Dani’s first Christmas in their new home and they want everything to be perfect – lavish presents, a beautiful tree and outdoor decorations to join in with the festivities in this welcoming community.
But they quickly wonder if this street is as perfect as it appears.
First, there are the unwelcome presents left anonymously on their doorstep.
Then they are sure someone is watching them…
And why are the neighbours all obsessed with a notorious killer who is housed at the nearby women’s prison?
After tragedy strikes at a Christmas party, Noel and Dani try to find out who is targeting them – but, in this case, it might be safer not to know . . .
Murder at Midwinter by Ada Moncrieff
A SCHOOL REUNION… A CHRISTMAS PARTY TO DIE FOR.
December 1937. Daphne King is attending the twentieth anniversary reunion at her secondary school, Midwinter Academy, a weekend that will see resurrected rivalries and alliances amidst the Christmas festivities. But a string of peculiar incidents prompts Daphne to suspect that she and her friends are being sent messages – or threats – related to the disappearance of a classmate twenty years ago.
It was a mystery which clouded their final year at the school – and one which Daphne, as a budding eighteen-year-old sleuth, solved.
When, the morning after the reunion, one of Daphne’s old school friends is found dead, Daphne finds herself in the role of investigator once more. Are the two cases linked? And has Daphne learned from the mistakes of her past?
The Cat and the Christmas Kidnapper by LT Shearer
Join Lulu Lewis, a retired detective with a knack for uncovering secrets, and Conrad, her extraordinary talking cat, as Christmas cheer gives way to festive fear . . .
❄❄❄
Hoping for a relaxing festive break, Lulu sets off with Conrad on her canal boat, The Lark, to the picturesque city of Bath to visit friends. But when the pair arrive, they learn of a ruthless kidnapping plot that is plaguing parents in the area.
As the kidnappers fuel panic with further demands, the pair must unravel clues faster than Conrad can charm with his witty banter. That is, if they are to stand any chance of bringing the criminals to justice in time to save the holidays .
Murder Most Haunted by Emma Mason
A grand country estate.
On her last day as a Detective, Midge McGowan is given the retirement present from hell: a ticket to take part in a haunted house tour. She’ll have to spend the weekend before Christmas ghost-hunting in an isolated mansion with a group of misfits, including a know-it-all paranormal investigator and a has-been pop star.
An impossible crime.
It isn’t long before the tour starts to spiral out of control. Midge and the guests see an unsettling figure walking the grounds late at night. Then the unthinkable happens – someone is murdered in a room that’s been locked from the inside.
A Christmas they might not survive.
Heavy snow cuts them off from help, the house’s own dark secrets begin to surface, and Midge can’t shake the creeping sense that they are walking into a nightmare. Could a ghost really be responsible, or is the culprit one of the guests?
Ring the Bells by CK McDonell
It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . .
For most people, that means a time of celebration, relaxation and inebriation, but not for the staff of The Stranger Times. While a book club meeting ending in a triple murder isn’t unprecedented, it is at least noteworthy. It quickly emerges that this is no ordinary book-club-triple-murder either, as it features a librarian possessed by a chaotic entity who has broken through from another dimension and is hellbent on vengeance. He’s made a list, but he’s not checking it twice as the whole of humanity is on it. Who would want to summon such a thing? And how is anyone going to be able to send it back?
As if that wasn’t enough to be dealing with, a shocking revelation about a member of The Stranger Times team’s past brings family together, but not in a way that’s ever going to make it into a Hallmark movie.
Featuring demonically possessed Santas, blood-thirsty books and the ghost of a legendary nightclub, it’s beginning to look a lot like a Christmas apocalypse . . .
The First Snow of Winter by Morgan Greene
As winter closes in, a deadly game begins …
With tensions at an all-time high, the team is divided, pulled in different directions as they hunt different prey. Jamie doesn’t know which way to turn, but when the killings begin, things become blindingly apparent. They’re not just dealing with a killer doing this out of necessity, but one doing it out of pleasure.He’s skilled, experienced, and he knows who is chasing him. And, seemingly, how to avoid them at every step.
Can Jamie outwit a killer who’s been trained to beat her? And can she keep her nerve as the stakes grow ever higher? With old friends and new enemies swarming around her, this is Jamie’s toughest case yet and will push her to the breaking point. She’ll need to call on all of her experience, and all of her contacts, if she hopes to win this fight. But, even if she does, what will it cost her?
Dead of Winter by Rebecca Zanetti
Welcome to Knife’s Edge, Alaska, where the four Osprey brothers return from military service with shadows in their eyes and secrets in their hearts. As danger looms, new romances ignite, and these rugged men must fight for love…and survival.
Brock Osprey has spent years in the rugged Alaskan wilderness, far from civilization and even farther from his past. A former Navy Seal, Brock is now the unwilling protector of Knife’s Edge, a remote town with more secrets than residents. But when FBI agent Ophelia Spilazi arrives to investigate the unsolved murder of his guardian—and recent unexplained deaths in the area—Brock’s carefully guarded world is thrown into chaos.
Agent Ophelia Spilazi has one last chance to save her career, and Knife’s Edge is her shot. The isolated town is full of secrets, and she’s certain Brock knows more than he’s letting on. The town’s recent string of mysterious deaths only heightens her suspicion, but the more time she spends with the brooding Alaskan, the harder it becomes to ignore the dangerous chemistry between them.
As a brutal storm traps them in the isolated wilderness, Brock and Ophelia’s growing attraction ignites, even as shadows from their pasts threaten to tear them apart. But with a dangerous conspiracy and powerful enemies lurking in the shadows, their only hope is to trust each other—before the wilderness consumes them both.
How to Slay at Christmas by Sarah Bonner
She’s making a list, she’s checking it twice…
Jessica Williams loves Christmas: the food, the drink, the fairy lights, the opportunities to take out all the miserable people who ruin the festive season for others. And what better cover for her murderous intentions than taking a job as Mrs Claus at the Ellsbury Christmas Market grotto? After all, who would possibly think Mrs Claus could stab a man through the eye with a Phillips-head screwdriver?
Fearne Dixon hates Christmas. As the long-suffering wife of the Ellsbury Christmas Market’s manager, she’s sick to the back teeth of it and it’s still only November. But then the bodies start piling up, an old rival arrives back in her life, and Fearne reaches breaking point.
When the lives of the two women collide, who will end up on the Naughty List?
General/Contemporary Fiction
All We Want for Christmas by Phillipa Ashley
At Ravendale Castle, nestled in the snowy heart of the Lake District, Lara is busy preparing for the Winter Spectacular — a glittering light trail that will fill the grounds with the magic of Christmas. It’s the perfect distraction from her recent heartbreak until Flynn, the ruggedly handsome technical manager, arrives and sparks start to fly.
Flynn is determined to prove he’s worth taking a chance on. But just as Lara begins to believe in love again, someone from Flynn’s past arrives at the castle, bringing a secret that could tear them apart.
As Christmas draws closer, can Lara and Flynn take a leap of faith toward the happily ever after they’ve always wanted?
The Christmas Retreat by Trisha Ashley
Ginny Spain usually loves Christmas: wrapping up warm by a cosy fire, putting twinkling lights on the tree… But after breaking up with her ex, her festive spirit has deserted her. This year, she plans to hide away and spend the holiday alone.
Her formidable mother, Evie, has other ideas. Dragging Ginny out of isolation, Evie takes her to an artist and writers retreat at Triskelion, a remote old house in the tiny coastal village of Little Star, determined to uncover the secrets of an ancestor who once lived there.
Triskelion is now home to rugged Rhys Tarn and his ten-year-old daughter – and Ginny is in for a shock when she discovers Rhys and her share an unexpected connection.
Before Twelfth Night, and with the help of Rhys, can Ginny unlock her past and bring back her Christmas cheer?
The Secret Mistletoe Promise by Cressida McLaughlin
Is a new beginning waiting for her this Christmas?
When Imogen leaves her fiancé at the altar and escapes to her grandmother’s cottage by the sea, the only thing she wants to do is disappear.
But in a village curious about their new arrival, Imogen finds hiding out harder than expected, especially with the charming local baker Dexter around to distract her.
As secrets unravel and the festive season draws near, Imogen wonders if she’s been running from the wrong things all along.
Will the runaway bride find her happy ever after under the mistletoe?
Escape to the Northern Lights by Carrie Walker
High-powered lawyer Sara thought she had life figured out – until her whirlwind marriage ends in divorce, her dream promotion slips away and a burnout diagnosis forces her to take a break.
Desperate for a reset, she books a four-week spa retreat in Norway, imagining a luxurious escape. Instead, she finds herself in the rugged wilderness of Firefly Forest, knee-deep in reindeer droppings and stuck with an annoyingly bohemian – and ridiculously attractive – outdoorsman, Henrik.
What starts as a nightmare turns into a journey of self-discovery as Sara swaps designer heels for bare feet, legal briefs for tree-hugging, and fleeting flings for something far deeper…
All Together for Christmas by Sarah Morgan
This Christmas, the Balfour family will have more secrets to unwrap than presents …
Becky is stranded at the airport, so when she bumps into her brother’s best friend, Will, and he suggests they drive home together, Becky reluctantly agrees. For the first time, Becky is dreading Christmas, and only Will knows why. Can she trust him to keep her secret?
Rosie married Declan after a whirlwind romance, and now the cracks are starting to appear. Rosie and Declan have agreed to hide their problems from her family, but will this Christmas bring them closer or drive them apart?
Hayley can’t wait for her first Balfour family Christmas with Jamie, but she’s worried about her place in this close-knit family. Will there be room for her too? And how will they react to the secret she and Jamie have been keeping?
All this secrecy could derail everyone’s happy holidays. Can the siblings open up to each other in time to enjoy a perfect family Christmas?
A Ferry Merry Christmas by Debbie Macomber
When the holidays don’t go to plan, can love chart a new course?
Avery and Reed Bond might drive each other up the wall, but as siblings, they’ve always had each other’s backs – through every triumph, every heartache, and every ill-advised attempt at matchmaking.
This Christmas is their first without their beloved Gram, the woman who raised them and made the season magical. Determined to honour her memory, they plan a holiday escape together. But when their ferry breaks down mid-journey, the festive spirit is in short supply.
Then Avery strikes up an unexpected connection with a dashing sailor who reminds her what magic really feels like. And Reed finds himself seeing his workmate in a whole new – and very unexpected – way.
As the snow falls and the Christmas lights twinkle, the Bond siblings discover that life has a funny way of surprising you. So, could a holiday hiccup turn into the season that changes everything?
New Beginnings for Christmas by Sally Page
🎄❤️✨A single Christmas can change everything…✨❤️🎄
This Christmas, Malcolm is determined to give his dearest friend Rev Ruth the perfect festive lunch – a heartfelt thank-you for her boundless generosity.
But when Ruth’s kind spirit turns their quiet meal into a community feast, Malcolm’s dreams – and nerves – begin to unravel.
As snow begins to fall, tensions rise with the arrival of more unexpected guests…
But new beginnings often come wrapped in chaos. If Malcolm can find the courage to open his heart, he might find the most magical Christmas gift of all…
The Christmas Visit Box Set by Hayley Summers
Grandmother always had her secrets. But secrets don’t stay hidden forever…
When the old Hamlin family matriarch passes, it’s down to Heather to sort the estate. Despite life’s demands causing her family to drift apart, Heather and her siblings are excited to reunite and spend Christmas as a family at their grandmother’s massive house on the shores of the beautiful La Luna Bay. But there was one thing Heather didn’t account for.
After she discovers a blast from her past camping out in her grandmother’s apartment, Heather is plunged back into a dizzying mix of old feelings. River Thompson never stopped loving her – even if their failed marriage ended in heartbreak. The undercover officer has his fair share of secrets…but all Heather knows is that her ex has suddenly been thrust back into her life.
Faced with a seemingly endless stream of siblings and unexpected visitors, Heather quickly begins to feel like she’s at the end of her rope. She’s determined to get rid of River, but their attraction never really died… and when she uncovers something while hunting for some lost Christmas ornaments, the pair are unwittingly plunged into a mystery that will change everything Heather knew about her past.
The Christmas Visit is a charming contemporary fiction read that’s perfect for anyone who wants to lose themselves in a cozy Christmas adventure that hides surprises around every corner.
Snowy Surprises in the Highlands by Lisa Hobman
Magic happens when you least expect it…
Bella Douglas is living her dream life on the Isle of Skye but misses her friends at Drumblair Castle. She has the love of her life by her side, Granny Isla just up the road and has landed a big job to renovate the interior of a gorgeous Victorian hotel for an American client. What could possibly go wrong?
When Bella’s new client sends their son to project manage the hotel renovation, things take an unexpected turn for the worse. Ex-model Carlton Somers has set his sights on Bella and doesn’t seem to understand the word ‘no’. But her relationship with Harris is rock solid; nothing can break that foundation … can it?
Meanwhile Granny Isla’s ‘friendship’ with her neighbour Tam Guthrie is going from strength to strength but when drama hits Pabay View Residential Home Bella’s life is quickly sent into a tailspin.
What will it take to get her life back on track?
And can she ever find time to focus on her own happiness and future?
Historical
Three Sisters in the Snow by Annie Groves
It’s 1942 on Victory Walk in East London, and the Harrison sisters are wishing for some winter magic…
With the men fighting Hitler in Europe, and everything including good cheer in short supply, the sisters are determined to keep their spirits up.
Daisy wants to do her bit, but will life in the Land Army be harder than she bargained for? Will nurse Rose carry on bravely while hiding a bruised heart? And can Clover keep a secret from her sisters when she is posted to a place called Bletchley Park?
As the cold snap tightens its grip on the country, will the three sisters keep hope in their hearts for a better tomorrow?
The Winter Bride by Katie Flynn
Liverpool, 1942.
As the threat of war draws closer, Isla Donahue seeks solace in her sweetheart, Rory.
Their love for one another has never been stronger, but Isla struggles to ignore doubts surrounding her beau’s tainted past.
So when Rory unexpectedly comes face-to-face with his first love, her world is shaken.
Can Isla draw on her own grit and determination to build a brighter future? And can she make her dreams of a perfect white wedding come true this Christmas?
The Winter Belle by Dilly Court
As snowflakes carpet London’s cobbled streets, can Kitty protect her loved ones?
When her family falls on hard times, Kitty refuses to give in to despair. With a talent for painting, she earns a few shillings selling her portraits at the bustling Soho Bazaar.
But danger waits in the shadows, and when her mother is swindled out of almost everything and her sister is drawn into a reckless affair, their future hangs by a thread.
As winter tightens its icy grip, can Kitty give them hope when all seems lost?
The Rag Princess by Rose Goodwin
Nuneaton, 1904
Abandoned on the steps of the workhouse shortly after her birth, little Annie never felt the love of a family. When she’s taken from the only world she has known to a smart home on Swan Lane, she dares to hope her life might be changing for the better. But hope is fragile. Grieving the loss of her own child, Maggie Lilburn didn’t adopt Annie out of kindness – she wants her as a servant, not a daughter.
Despite Maggie’s coldness, Annie finds flickers of warmth elsewhere: in the bond with her adopted brothers and in the quiet kindness of Maggie’s husband Levi, the local rag-and-bone man. He sees Annie’s potential and takes her under his wing and into his trade. As Maggie crumbles beneath the weight of her sorrow, Annie is determined to hold the fractured family together – and carve out a place of her own.
Through all of this one question remains for Annie: who were her parents and why did they abandon her at the workhouse all those years ago?
The Palace Girls at Christmas by Emma Royal
Buckingham Palace, Christmas 1952
When plucky young Caroline Stratton is offered a secretarial job at the Palace, she can’t believe her luck. Moving upstairs from her friends in the Royal Household’s staff is daunting, but she’s determined to make her East End family proud.
Then, just days later, her brother is framed for murder and arrested. Caroline is devastated. How can she help him, when she risks losing the livelihood that keeps her family afloat if the story came out?
With the Palace preparing for the first festive season of the new Queen’s reign, can Caroline find the strength to trust her friends, and prove her brother’s innocence in time for Christmas?
Romance
A Pack for Winter by Eliana Lee
Ivy Noelle Winter is content with being a 31-year-old unbonded omega with no prospects of a pack.
She adores teaching fifth grade, she has wonderful friends — and that baking show marathon isn’t going to watch itself.
Until a snowstorm and power outage traps Ivy in her classroom after hours…with three men:
Rome, the new alpha music teacher.
James, the flirtatious beta vet he’s bonded to.
And Logan, the town’s grumpy alpha electrician.
Their scents call to Ivy and her body answers, setting off her first-ever mini heat. When the pheromones settle, she gets a proposition beyond her wildest dreams — a chance to be a pack.
But there’s no such thing as a perfect courtship, especially when the biggest roadblock to happiness might be Ivy herself.
Snowed in at the Wildest Dreams Bookshop by Gracie Page
Ivy’s first term at art college hasn’t gone to plan. Lacking in friends and inspiration, she’s looking forward to a quiet, cosy, antisocial winter holiday working at the Wildest Dreams Bookshop.
Except, her sleepy small town is suddenly full of chirpy tourists, including Trip – her most annoyingly sunshine-y (and annoyingly handsome) new customer of all, who’s desperate for Ivy to show him the sights of Fox Bay.
Ivy doesn’t think there’s much of interest in her hometown, but can seeing it through Trip’s eyes give her a fresh perspective? And when they both get roped in to helping save the local school show, might Trip be the unlikely inspiration Ivy needs to get her creative sparks flying again?
A Knight Before Christmas by Cara Stout
Just like Romeo, he’s falling for Juliet.
Juliet Ripley doesn’t believe in love. She’s witnessed more than her fair share of tragic endings and has sworn off the cursed thing for good. But when Beeloved, the dating app her overbearing mum runs, needs a PR boost, she agrees to help create a reality dating show.
Garrick Walton keeps love at arm’s length but when asked to take part in the dating series as the shows Knight in Shining Armour he can’t say no. Flirting is his forte and the theme park his family runs could use some good press after the charity fraud fiasco.
Except it’s not the contestants that have caught his eyes, it’s the brutally honest producer, Juliet, he’s really drawn to.
The more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to deny their feelings.
Will they risk it all for their own happily-ever-after??
Merrily Ever After : Short Stories by Catherine Walsh
Close your eyes and make a Christmas wish . . .
Oliver wants to give his best friend Lara the happy Christmas she deserves, and he hatches a plan – with disastrous consequences.
Zoe just hopes the season will pass without a hitch for her and her almost four-year-old – but the universe seems to have other ideas.
Hannah is determined to show her girlfriend just how much she loves her – if only she could think away from the chaos of the Fitzpatrick household.
And Sean knows it will take something pretty spectacular to sweep Colleen off her feet…
Four short stories. Four Christmas wishes. But will it all end merrily ever after for the Fitzpatrick gang this holiday season?
All You Need is Gloves by Kanitha P
‘Tis the season to sneak around!
When snowboarding champion Diego tries pulling off a dangerous stunt, it goes as well as you’d expect. Stuck with an injury, and some very angry sponsors threatening to pull their deals, he’s in the doghouse. 🌟
Banished to his small town of Blue Ridge Springs, Diego must think about his actions, stay off his snowboard and clean up his image. . . by playing assistant to ski-instructor Alara, his best-friends sister. Diego should be livid, but Alara’s way prettier than he remembers. 🌟
Your brother’s best friend is always off limits, Alara knows that rule better than anyone. But turns out her old teen crush on him never actually went away, and it’s hard to remember the rules when Diego’s smile jumpstarts her heart. Besides, he’s just here for the holidays, and she can keep a secret. 🌟
Secretly hooking up isn’t the best idea she’s ever had, but weren’t rules made to be broken? 🌟
House Party by Chloe Ford
Hattie has spent half her life secretly crushing on Freddie – her best friend Sam’s irresistibly gorgeous older brother. But Freddie? He’s barely spared a glance for Hattie, the girl Sam befriended one fateful New Years’ Eve when they discovered they were birthday twins.
Fast-forward to now: Hattie finds herself single for the first time in years – just before the holidays. Enter Sam, who, in classic best-friend fashion, whisks her away to a remote cabin in the Forest of Dean to cheer her up. Snowy woodland views? Check. A crackling fire and a steamy hot tub? Check. Zero cell service, ravenous wild boars, and an incoming snowstorm of apocalyptic proportions? Also check.
And to make matters even more intense, Freddie joins them, unexpectedly. Still infuriatingly gorgeous, and still ridiculously off-limits. Except this time, he’s actually noticing Hattie. But then again, maybe he’s been noticing her all along.
Fifteen years of longing. One night to change everything. This New Year’s Eve, they’re playing with fire.
Christmas at the Ranch by Julia Mckay
She hasn’t been in love in ten years, but she’s about to get back in the saddle. What better gift to curl up with this Christmas than a swoon-worthy cowboy?!
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to a run-in with my ex, two flat tires, and a miracle horse to help me find love.
With the holidays around the corner and her father under arrest for financial fraud, journalist Emory Oakes doesn’t know where to turn. She’s only certain of one thing: she needs to get away.
Fate takes the wheel, leaving her stranded in snow-dusted Evergreen Lake, the picturesque town where she spent her happiest Christmas as a teen – and chronicled every moment in her journal as she fell in love with handsome local, Tate Wilder, at his family’s idyllic horse ranch – until it all went wrong.
Emory isn’t ready to face Tate again, but Christmas magic has other ideas. Between snowy horseback rides and Christmas cookie tastings, it isn’t long before Tate Wilder and his ranch feel more like home than anywhere ever has. But Emory can’t stop the betrayals that kept them apart for a decade from resurfacing, and as her family scandal reaches the small town, Emory faces an impossible choice.
Will Emory and Tate’s alchemy fizzle, or will their Christmas wishes come true?
Holiday Ever After by Hannah Grace
Clara Davenport wants to solve Fraser Falls’ biggest problem.
According to Jack Kelly, Clara is Fraser Falls’ biggest problem.
All Clara Davenport has ever wanted to do is climb the ladder at Davenport Innovation Creative. Everything was going to plan until the company was accused of stealing a doll design from an independent toy maker. With a promotion dangled in front of her, Clara is tasked with charming the locals of the small town of Fraser Falls and solving the PR nightmare by any means necessary.
Jack Kelly would happily never hear the name Davenport ever again. So, when Clara, with her long legs and dazzling smile, prances into town hoping to convince them that her company is not the enemy, Jack is determined not to be fooled by Davenport twice.
Clara’s plan to win over the community should have been easy, but she didn’t account for Jack getting in her way, and under her skin, at every turn. And when the tension between them starts to boil over, she realises that beneath his frosty demeanour lies the key to the town’s heart – and maybe her own.
He Knows When You’re Awake by Alta Hensley
This Christmas, it’s all about getting what you really want in this dark billionaire stalker romance sequel to He Sees You When You’re Sleeping.
Stalking in a winter wonderland…
Jewelry designer Sloane dreams of launching her own custom line—but she needs a Christmas miracle to pull it off. With traditional banks turning her down left and right, she can’t resist when a mysterious stranger offers her a lifeline.
I see what she creates in those stolen moments when she thinks no one’s watching. I see everything. There’s a darkness at her core and I will unravel her until I find it.
Reclusive billionaire Cole Asher offers to fly Sloane out to an ultra-luxurious Swiss resort for a meeting. Reluctantly, she agrees—only to realize she’s met him once before in a New York bar.
She is crucial to my plans, and I need her close. She insists that we keep things professional, and I comply. But soon she will realize that every line is blurred when it comes to her and me.
Cole offers to back her company—but there’s a cost. To secure his investment, Sloane must move into his Manhattan penthouse, where she’ll complete her first round of designs for him to review before Christmas.
Sloane throws herself into her work, yet soon the attraction between her and Cole becomes undeniable. As the city sparkles with Christmas splendor from her penthouse view, Sloane wonders if she has stepped into a fairy tale—until Cole’s powerful enemies close in. They will stop at nothing to destroy him, including going after the woman he loves.
I will burn down the world to get her back…and it will be in time for Christmas.
Christmas Spirits at Honeywell House by Sharon Booth
In the beautiful Cotswold village of Rowan Vale, tourists mingle unknowingly with the ghosts of Christmas past…
When Clara first arrived in the village to visit her boyfriend Jack at his family home, Honeywell House, she’d no idea her life was about to change forever. Now, years later, she’s struggling to cope with hormonal changes and three boisterous sons – and her and Jack’s relationship has never felt more precarious.
Meanwhile, over at Harling Hall, tensions rise between resident ghosts, Agnes and Aubrey, over a Dickensian-themed weekend planned for the village.
While Aubrey prepares to defy Agnes, Clara’s secret is about to be revealed. She wasn’t entirely honest with Jack when she first arrived in Rowan Vale, and as time passed, it seemed too late to come clean. Now she doesn’t have a choice…
With both relationships already under strain, the Christmas spirit has its work cut out, this festive season..
A Billionaire for Christmas by Jo Lyons
When talented chef Molly’s best friend and business partner, Ava, passes away, she leaves Molly their beloved restaurant – and a wild, impossible bucket list to complete. But thanks to a legal mix-up, Molly’s inheritance is at risk unless she ticks off every outrageous item before the Christmas Eve deadline: just twelve days away.
Determined to honour Ava’s wishes and desperate to save her dream, Molly searches for a billionaire willing to share Champagne with her in a hot tub – one of the more extravagant challenges on the bucket list. She’s in a luxurious ski resort in the French Alps, so it might just be doable. But then she meets Levi. A devastatingly handsome billionaire, yes, but infuriatingly resistant to getting involved!
As the snow falls and sparks fly, Molly is entangled in a series of increasingly embarrassing escapades. With time running out, can she pull off the impossible – and maybe even find love along the way?
Hot enough to melt the Alpine snow, this romantic comedy will sweep you off your feet
Snowed in his Cabin for Christmas by Stella Wilkinson – pre-order due 9th December
A grumpy recluse. A sunshine city girl. One blizzard. No escape.
All Georgie Winters has to do is convince a mountain man to sign over land rights to help save an endangered fluff-ball species. Easy—if he’d answer his phone.
Instead, she crashes her car in a snowstorm and ends up stuck in his off-grid cabin until Christmas.
Vince Garrett wants nothing to do with Georgie, her agenda, or the holidays. But with roads closed and tempers flaring, the sparks start flying in more ways than one.
Cue the survival lessons, sabotaged decorations, one deeply inconvenient kiss… and a Christmas neither of them saw coming.
A cozy grump-meets-sunshine holiday rom-com for fans of forced proximity, snowy slow burns, and festive chaos.
Growing Love by Nina Potter
He reads Hemingway. She writes happily ever afters. This Christmas, they’ll write their own.
Grumpy meets sunshine in Silver Sound, Alaska.
Axel Lindstrom—a widowed lumber baron, serious reader, and self-imposed hermit—hasn’t celebrated Christmas in twelve years. He believes in hard truths, not happy endings.
Vanessa Saunders—a cheerful librarian, secret romance novelist, and eternal optimist—decorates for Christmas in October and believes every story deserves a happily ever after.
They couldn’t be more different.
But when matchmaker Eleanor Matthews engineers their meeting, something unexpected happens: the gruff businessman who intimidates everyone else makes the sunny librarian feel safe. And the warm, brilliant woman who lights up every room helps the isolated widower remember what living feels like.
As December snowstorms blanket his mountain cabin and Christmas approaches, their connection deepens into something neither expected. However, Vanessa is hiding the truth about her successful writing career, terrified Axel will judge her the way her ex-husband did. When he discovers she writes the romance novels he has always dismissed as frivolous, everything shatters.
Now Vanessa must defend not just her career, but her worth. And Axel must choose between his intellectual prejudices and the woman who has brought light back into his carefully controlled life.
This Christmas, two wounded hearts will learn that second chances require courage—and that real love means respecting all the parts of someone, even the ones you don’t understand.
The Duke Who Saved Christmas by Emma Hart
Sylvie Harding once swore that the only reason she’d ever return to Castleton was to plan her sister’s wedding… And here she is.
After eleven months of planning, the Christmas Eve wedding of her little sister’s dreams is only three weeks away, and professional wedding planner Sylvie is all hands-on deck from the moment she arrives home. Swept up in the magic that is Christmas in her hometown, the only thing that can possibly dampen her spirit is coming face to face with her childhood frenemy.
Thomas, the Duke of Castleton.
The man she spent her childhood feuding with thanks to an errant cricket ball is just as snarky, annoying, and gorgeous as she remembers. Despite running the village tree farm and his mother being the ringleader of all things Christmas in town, the past few years have turned him into a right little scrooge.
When a string of tragedies hit the wedding plans, Sylvie only has one person she can turn to: Thomas. Not that she has a choice—he has a habit of showing up exactly when she needs him to save the day, and she can’t stand it.
And when the ultimate disaster befalls the wedding just three days before the ceremony, Sylvie doesn’t see how it can go ahead.
But Thomas can.
And it just might be his chance to prove to Sylvie how he truly feels about her—and save Christmas at the same time.
Christmas Secrets Box Set by Kirsty Ferry
Book 1: A LITTLE BIT OF CHRISTMAS MAGIC
Wedding planner Ailsa McCormack is enchanted by Carrick Park at Christmas. She’s long been intrigued by its history, particularly the tragic story of the beautiful Ella Carrick, whose portrait still graces the top of the staircase. When an encounter with a tall, handsome and strangely familiar man sets off a chain of events, Ailsa’s quiet Christmas is transformed into something far more extraordinary than she could ever have imagined . . .
BOOK 2: WATCH FOR ME AT CHRISTMAS
In search of some festive cheer, Emmy Berry takes a job at the Christmas Frost Fayre in Hartsford Village, where she meets Tom Howard. When a storm hits the village and Emmy is forced to stay longer than she planned at Hartsford Hall, she begins to dream of a couple from two centuries prior. But why does she feel that Tom may have a connection to these dreams . . . ?
BOOK 3: SHADOWS OF THE PAST
It’s almost Christmas at the Pencradoc estate. Tearoom owner Sorcha Davies is baking up a festive storm for the Christmas exhibition being organized by Locryn Dyer. But as Locryn and Sorcha spend more time together, they begin to uncover a story of Christmas past that played out at Pencradoc over a century before, involving a festive dinner party and an encounter with a famous author . . .
BOOK 4: MIRRORS OF THE PAST
When Tegan Burton arrives at Pencradoc House on the edge of Bodmin Moor, she’s instantly drawn to its haunting beauty and hidden past. Teaming up with the brooding Ryan, she uncovers a mystery surrounding a young woman from a century ago. As echoes of love and loss surface, Tegan feels an inexplicable bond to the house — and must confront secrets that could change her future, and that of Pencradoc, forever.
Rescuing Christmas by AJ Marchant
So far, Maggie’s morning has been a roller coaster. She’s traversed a rooftop rescue, fended off an attempted setup by a well-meaning grandmother, been roasted by her friends about her love life and found out she has to work on Christmas Day.
As if that wasn’t enough, the newbie joining the 121 firehouse crew turns out to be her ex, who left ten years ago without so much as a goodbye…
What is she doing here? Why did she leave? And why is she back?!
It’s Jacq’s first day at her new job after recently moving back to Pierce. Walking into the station, she’s distracted by the amount of Christmas decorations around the place. It takes her by surprise when she finds out who’s responsible for the festive vibe, and who else is in the crew she’s about to meet. Though to be fair, she’s come back with a surprise of her own in tow, one that might make her homecoming a bit of a bumpy ride…
Rescuing Christmas isn’t just burning fires and old flames. It’s a sweet romantic comedy, with a touch of action and suspense, and all the beloved Christmas Traditions.
There’s dangling damsels, house fires and even Santa stuck in a chimney. A troublesome, meddling, loveable brother. A dinosaur-hunter in the making. Even a nod to a classic Final Destination scene.
With a cast of tight-knit, oddball firefighters and a family filled with humor and heart, who else would you rather spend your festive holidays with?
Our Bright Christmas Town by Zarah Detand
One knows it’s love. The other is just figuring it out.
Ashby is not in love with his best friend.
Except that he is. And has been. Since forever.
Kieran left their tiny hometown to become a doctor in London, and Ashby—well, Ashby stayed behind, running his dad’s old business and doing odd jobs for everyone and their nan. The kind of guy you call when the sink leaks or the fairy lights need hanging. Reliable. Predictable. Entirely fine.
But now Kieran is back for Christmas, newly curious about kissing boys, and very interested in Ashby’s opinion on the matter. Ashby knows one thing: he can’t be Kieran’s “safe” experiment. Not when he’s spent half his life trying to forget he wants more.
So he offers to wingman instead. Take Kieran to a gay bar. Help him find someone else. But when Ashby’s ex shows up and Kieran kisses him just to make a point—everything changes. Because that kiss?
It doesn’t feel hypothetical.
It feels like home.
Any Trope But You by Victoria Levine
Popular romance author Margot Bradley has a secret: she doesn’t believe in Happily Ever Afters. Not for herself, not for her readers, not even for her characters. When a super-fan leaks this to the world, Margot is dropped faster than you can say ‘enemies-to-lovers.’
Her sister thinks she needs a change of scene and sends Margot off to a remote Alaskan cabin on a writing retreat that could be the perfect chance to say goodbye to romcoms and write something new – maybe swap meet-cutes for murder mysteries? But then she meets the handsome owner, Forrest:
She’s a city girl; he’s a lumberjack – of course he is.
He’s grumpy – wait, is she sunshine? Oh no.
At least there’s no forced proximity.
But that snowstorm is heading straight for their cabin…
As one trope after another draws them together over long snowy nights, one thing is clear: Margot and Forrest have landed in a romance novel of their very own. But will they each be able to overcome their fears, or risk becoming another of Margot’s Happily Never Afters themselves…
Merry Christmas You Filthy Animal by Meghan Quinn
The perfect festive romance involving a very creative misuse of a popcorn garland, a grand Christmas romantic gesture and getting snowed in with only one bed . . .
There are two things you should know about Atlas ‘Max’ Maxheimer. One: he has the presence of a six-foot-four lumberjack with a knack for making people smile. Two: he lives and breathes the holidays. Not only is he the reigning victor of the annual town Christmas contest, but his family have a literal Christmas tree farm. ‘Tis his damn season.
And she’s going to ruin everything.
Betty is new in town, full of holiday cheer and, worst of all, is helping her uncle open a rival tree farm next door. Max is convinced she’s out to destroy everything he loves. Betty thinks Max might be one sleigh short of a winter parade.
And they’re having way too much fun trying to outdo each other.
After Christmas chaos, public humiliation and booby traps that Home Alone would be proud of, it only takes a blizzard, a romantic cottage and only one bed for the sparks between Max and Betty to ignite . . .
A Copenhagen Snowmance by Pernille Hughes
She only packed for a flying visit. Now she’s stuck with no flights, no hotel and no plan B.
Anna Lundholm was only supposed to be in Copenhagen for a few hours. Just long enough to tie up some loose ends, grab one of the city’s famous hot dogs and be on her way. No stops, no distractions, no goodbyes.
Until a snowstorm grounds her flight.
With the beautiful city at a snowy standstill, Anna turns to Jamie – a gorgeous Scot with an open door and a raised eyebrow.
Could Copenhagen work its magic one more time?
A Heart for Christmas : An Advent Romance by Sophie Jomain
Fall in love this Christmas and open a chapter a day in a swoony festive romance that will open your heart. A slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance in the snow, in a groundbreaking bestselling advent calendar format that delivers a sealed chapter each day. With stunning gilt edges, full colour artwork and ribbon marker, this is the perfect pre-Christmas gift for readers of Lynn Painter, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan.
When eighteen-year-old April heads to the foothills of Mont Blanc in the Alps to spend her first Christmas at her father’s chalet, she’s hoping for a change. Ever since a heart operation two years ago, she’s lived as carefully as possible. But she knows there’s a world out there that she’s missing and she’s determined to experience it all.
When April’s ski instructor turns out to be her best friend’s older brother, Augustin. He’s no longer annoying: he’s daring and caring and . . . HOT. As he encourages her to take risks, April starts to feel her heart really heal – but is it ready for a Christmas miracle?
A Winter Wedding Adventure by Leonie Mack
Adventure guide Kira Watling is not a natural with guest lists and flower arranging…
But the destination wedding agency she works for always goes above and beyond. And it’s her job to escort an important guest from Salzburg to the venue, a gorgeous chalet nestled in the mountains. It should be simple, but an overnight delay due to heavy snowfall leaves her stuck in close quarters with her very handsome, very eccentric charge, Italian opera singer Mattia.
Clumsy, yet sensitive, Mattia is unlike anyone Kira has ever met. Spending an evening exploring the Christmas markets and then making their way through the snow-covered mountains to the wedding the following day, Mattia gets under Kira’s skin in a way no one else has. They can’t ignore the very unexpected attraction, but Kira has a job to do. And whilst Mattia is open to love, bitter life experience has taught Kira to guard her heart.
Continually thrown together by wedding disasters, Kira finds her resistance to commitment sorely challenged by growing feelings for the charming Mattia – and the determination of the bridal party to make these snowbound nuptials a success. But can there be a future for a tough outdoor guide and an opera singer when the snow is finally cleared?
A Cornish Winter’s Kiss by Jo Bartlett
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…isn’t it?
Emily Anderson adores romance—both in books and in real life (though her own love life is more ‘tragic subplot’ than ‘happily-ever-after’). As an audiobook narrator, she spends her days bringing love stories to life, convinced that one day, her own perfect romance will come true.
Jude Cavendish thinks romance is a fairy tale for fools. A crime author with a serious case of writer’s block, he’s horrified when his publisher asks him to add a love story to his latest novel. He knows murders, mysteries, and mayhem—not grand gestures and stolen kisses.
Desperate for help, Jude reluctantly turns to Emily, whose sunshine personality is the complete opposite of his grumpy cynicism. She’s determined to show him that love is more than just fiction, and he’s determined to prove her wrong. But as Christmas magic sparkles over the Cornish coast, Jude starts to wonder… what if Emily’s right?
Could the festive season bring them both the plot twist they never saw coming?
The Night Shift by Nancy Peach
Hearts are set to race on the night shift before Christmas…
Violet Winters is starting her first week of nights and she is petrified. She’s a straight-A student, but practising medicine on real people is another matter entirely. Seems like being a straight-talker can get you in hot water when it comes to patient care… With no one special to spend Christmas with, she signs herself up for the holiday night shift. How much damage could she possibly do?
Dr Gus Jovic, on the other hand, is universally popular, famously unflappable in a crisis and appears to charm patients with ease. But Violet can’t help but wonder … how come Mr Perfect is avoiding a Christmas at home too?
Mistletoe and Magic by Helene Sula
Mulled wine, mince pies and a Yorkshire adventure…
Eva Coleman has lost her glow. She’s missed a well-deserved promotion at work and been left heartbroken at what she thought was a proposal dinner. Who the hell said this was ‘the most wonderful time of the year’?
Unable to face her family, Eva decides she needs a solo break to rediscover her passions and live life by her own rules. So, she swaps her Nashville hometown for a festive UK getaway.
Stumbling into an antiquarian bookshop, she discovers a book that might just bring her spark back and give her the adventure she’s been seeking…
Eva knows what it’s like to be left unheard, but can she be the person to finally tell this forgotten story, or is a grumpy Yorkshireman going to stand in her way?
A Taste of Christmas Spirit by Susan Buchan
The Sugar and Spice bakery sparkles with holiday spirit as Jacob serves up more mouthwatering festive treats, and Christmas spirit Lara tries to sprinkle her magic over those finding the time of year difficult.
Ollie is at his wits’ end. A debt from years ago comes back to haunt him just as he and his girlfriend are buying their dream home.
Rose is dejected as her college sweetheart has dumped her now they’re in their final year. She’s not looking forward to Christmas alone, nor her twenty-first birthday on Christmas Eve.
Sacha has recently moved to Winstanton following the failure of his business. He’s too embarrassed to confide in his family, but can he find the friendship he so desperately needs and begin to trust again?
Diana tries to find her new normal after the unexpected death of her husband earlier this year. All her plans for retirement have been thrown out the window and she feels lost. She needs a renewed sense of purpose and to find her place in the world.
Can Lara provide the answer to a joy-filled Christmas?
Non Fiction
A Little Book of Christmas and Hogmanay by Anna Marshall
From Celtic druids and Viking Yule to the outright banning of Christmas for 400 years, The Broons, first footing and the Loony Dook, this is a joyous miscellany that showcases the creative, elaborate and sometimes downright bizarre aspects of Scottish Christmas and New Year, from the ancient past to the more recent present. It includes different local traditions, from those practised in the Borders all the way to the islands of Orkney and Shetland, as well as the nationwide pastimes enjoyed by everyone.
The book is packed with tradition, lore and legend, as well as poems, stories, carols, recipes, history, jokes and fun facts. Illustrated throughout with line drawings and black and white photographs.
Best enjoyed in front of an open fire with a glass of whisky and a black bun.
Charles Dickens’ Christmas : A Yuletide Journey Through Christmas Past by Andrew Hubert Von Staufer
‘I will honour Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all year.’ – Charles Dickens
Between Charles Dickens’ birth in 1812 and his death in 1870, Christmas had transformed from what was essentially a quiet family day to a bustling commercial celebration with cards, advertisements, pantomimes and even public decorative displays.
Through Dickens’ writing, family recipes, time at the pantomime and festive tours of America, Charles Dickens’ Christmas explores the sweeping social and technological changes of Dickens’ lifetime that led to this surge of Christmas popularity – which Dickens so ably harnessed.
This festive season, step back in time with this delightful compilation to explore the delights of a Victorian Christmas through the eyes of a literary icon.
Happy Christmas Reading!
![Seyoon and Dean, Unscripted by Sujin Witherspoon [BOOK REVIEW]](https://som2nynetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Book-Review-Banner14-336x220.png)
