Hallmark Christmas to Workplace Romance – Fabulous Festive Reads 2024 #RespectRomFic – Jill’s Book Cafe
Finally Part 2, though I’m sure you’ve already been spoilt for choice with what has gone before. If you’ve found this list by chance, here’s a re-cap – everyone else can jump to the main event!
I started my Christmas reads last month and rom-coms have formed the largest part of that list. I can’t resist them. I know to an outsider they might appear formulaic with a traditional third act break-up and more tropes than you can shake a stick at but who cares, that’s what I love. I love the certainty of knowing what’s coming, that I’ll inevitably get my happy ending, I just have to sit back and enjoy (or occasionally) suffer the differing means/obstacles in the way of getting there. I also like the added humour which makes for a more feel-good, heartwarming read. That said, some rom-coms can still deal with serious themes and are not necessarily the froth that non readers might dismissively view them as. For anyone fairly new to the language of romance, a trope is simply a common element or theme that appears in a particular genre and they’re nothing new. Think enemies to lovers and Pride and Prejudice.
These days you rarely find a rom-com that only has one trope and it some times feels like it’s a competition to see how many tropes an author can include. The list below for that reason is only a guide, each title will invariably include other tropes, I’ve just chosen one. Should I ever decide to dip my toe in the writing water (don’t worry – I won’t) I’ve already got my trope laden plotline set up.
My FMC who has just taken guardianship of her niece (single parent) is travelling out of the area to a job interview and is stranded by the roadside following a break-down. She’s rescued by the MMC who turns out to be her high school nemesis (enemy) and ‘brother’s best friend’. He broke her heart when he rejected her (that damn bro-code) and they haven’t spoken since. Cue awkward silences and muttered thanks as he fixes issue and sees her on her way. Next day she has an interview and lo and behold who is the billionaire CEO (at the age of 24) of the company she’s interviewing for a job with, yup you guessed it. She gets the job (on her own merits) sorts her childcare and settles in, but hovering in the background keeping a safe, though with perhaps less than brotherly intent is our MC. A slow thaw develops between them, she still crushes on him, but hates him for the rejection. He’s always loved her, but couldn’t ever act on it. It’s coming up to Christmas and our FC is planning on flying home to see the family. But on Christmas Eve, a severe snow storm blows in and she can’t get away. In steps our MC suggesting she comes with him to his parents for the week (enforced proximity), but, could she pretend to be his girlfriend (fake dating) to get them off his back because of his playboy ways. She reluctantly agrees, parents love her and her niece, he falls a bit more for them both, but duh – she’s his friend sister but at least now they’re friends and eventually …
To be honest, I’d read it! Plus, I’m copyrighting this, though I suspect it might already have been written.
I feel I should also make a comment on the proliferation of illustrated/cartoony covers because as I’ve said before they really do blur the lines. It’s impossible to judge the content, either by intended readership – a lot look like YA covers, or by how sexually explicit they are. Even with a blurb it’s not always possible to judge. So if you’re a sweet romance, closed door reader, just be wary if it’s an author you don’t know. You can always use the sample option on Amazon to take a peek inside to gauge if it’s your thing. If it says, steamy or spicy you can rest assured that the bedroom door stays open, but again it’s not always clear how wide.
Anyway, enough with the waffle, let’s cut to the chase and lose ourselves in a world of would be cinnamon role boyfriends, reformed players, swaggering alpha males, misunderstood ex’s and male model worthy best friends all tied up with a big Christmas bow (*cough* sorry the tying up is a whole other sub genre). As my list this year is much longer than last year I’ve had to split it, if you missed part 1 you can find it here.
It’s worth mentioning that the majority of books on this list can be found on Kindle Unlimited so it might be worth taking advantage of the offer below. It’s normally £9.49 a month, which is still a bargain if you’re binge reading for Christmas. Just remember to cancel the subscription before the expiry date of the offer (unless you want to continue with it) and you’ve got some fantastic bargain reading.
The usual rules apply to my listings:-
1. The books I include are those that I might be tempted to read, with a little leeway given for the fact that it is Christmas! For the most part I haven’t read the books, I have to rely on the blurb and the sample. As I largely start compiling this list before they are published, I normally only have the blurb.
2. I’ve restricted it to titles that have been published in the year. Though I’m not promising that there won’t be titles I’ve managed to miss. I have found a number of titles published this year in paperback that were originally published in eBook format last year. I’ve not included these as I would have (hopefully) picked up the eBook edition last year. You can take a look at previous lists here.
3. I’ve excluded short novella’s, ie anything under 100 pages, but please check the page count on anything you opt for. As I put this listing together before some titles are published the page count is not always provided.
4. Click on the image for to go through to the Amazon listing. Unfortunately time constraints mean I can’t provide a listing of alternative suppliers and this at least provides eBook, paperback and hardback options.
(NB This post features Affiliate links from which I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases)
Trope Index
Hallmark Christmas (19)
Holiday Romance (14)
One Night Stand (4)
Second Chances (46)
Single Parent (16)
Workplace Romance (10)
Collected Stories (10)
Hallmark Christmas (more of a vibe than a trope)
The Noel Bridge by Jenny Hale
They say there’s a covered bridge that heals the sick and mends the broken. Actual miracles have happened within its green clapboard protective shell. When Alicia Silver faces spending her first Christmas without her fiancé, she knows that the only way she can manage through the season is if she has a little divine intervention. So she heads to the snowy Smoky Mountains to visit that bridge, hoping to reach her fiancé somehow.
But she isn’t expecting to encounter Leo Whitaker when she gets there. He, too, is looking for answers. His father is missing. He hasn’t seen even a trace of him in five days, and with the snowstorm, every day he can’t find him the situation becomes more dire.
Under the sparkle of holiday lights and swags of greenery, the two must face the answers they’re given. Will the bridge be their Christmas miracle? Or will it uncover more than it covers this holiday?
A Buckeye Falls Christmas by Libby Kay
On the first day of Christmas, Buckeye Falls gave to me…
A snow storm…
Uninvited dinner guests…
A Christmas pageant…
And a friends’ reunion dinner to warm your heart.
It’s been ten years since five couples found love in this charming small Ohio town. Families and careers have grown, but the love remains the same.
Max is hosting Christmas at the diner, a final sendoff before the beloved hangout gets a facelift. But the risk of a snow storm and a few uninvited guests threaten everyone’s plans. Will it be a Christmas to remember, or will their holiday get plowed away?
Revisit your favorite couples in this holiday novella, which includes favorite recipes from the series. Warning: this story will make you hungry and may cause uncontrollable swoons.
The Quietest Shop on Main by Laura Ann
He lives for the adrenaline of the high seas while her adventure only happens between the pages of a book…
Can the magic of the holidays help these two find common ground?
Skyla is anything but adventurous. She spends her time taking care of her grandfather and working part-time at the library and her family bookstore. It’s a quiet existence, but not a bad one, especially since Skyla spends much of her time dreaming of writing a book about the type of adventures she’ll never experience herself.
But when her grandfather receives a difficult diagnosis, Skyla decides it’s time to change everything. Life is too short to spend it daydreaming rather than actually living. And who better to help her fulfill her grandfather’s dream of deep sea fishing than Dalton Saunders, a kind boat captain who makes Skyla’s heart pitter patter when he smiles?
Dalton has never been one to believe in love at first sight, but Skyla Bowen has proved him wrong. Beautiful, but shy and quiet, Dalton has been extra careful in approaching her and is trying to work up the nerve to ask her out when she offers him the chance of a lifetime. Help fulfill her grandfather’s dying wish and she’ll be in his debt forever.
Knowing he’ll never get a better chance, Dalton isn’t above using her gratitude, a solitary evening on the moonlit ocean or a sprig of mistletoe if it means bringing Skyla out of her shell and into his arms.
This is going to be a holiday season none of them will ever forget.
Blame it on the Reindeer by Samantha Baca
What’s worse than a man who hates Christmas?
A Christmas-hating man who won’t let me borrow his reindeer.
Living in a Christmas-obsessed town while being a self proclaimed Christmas enthusiast means that I take my role as coordinator for the Frosty Fest very seriously. Everything has to be perfect, and I bust my butt to make sure it is.
Everything was going to plan until Mr. Truman died and left his grouchy grandson in charge of the reindeer. Not only is he the epitome of a grinch, he’s unwilling to even hear me out when I try to explain why this is so important to our town.
But desperate times call for desperate measures, and if Brody Truman thinks that a catastrophic blizzard or getting stuck to his fence post will stop me, he’s got another thing coming.
I’ll get those reindeer, one way or another. Even if I have to put everything on the line and make the man who hates Christmas find some holiday joy in that icy heart of his.
But the clock is ticking, and I have less than two weeks to change his mind and save Frosty Fest.
The Christmas Tree Farm by Melody Carson
When Madison McDowell returns from several years teaching overseas, she has high hopes of picking up where she left off at her family’s Christmas tree farm in Oregon. But between damage from a recent wildfire and the neglect due to her sister Addie’s unwillingness to invest, the farm is in sad shape. In fact, Addie is intent on selling the property. And to top it off, her former high school flame, the now-widowed Gavin Thompson, has plans to break Madison’s heart again by turning his neighboring property into a dusty, noisy dirt bike track for his daughter.
With the odds stacked against her, Madison decides there’s only one thing to do: double down on her dreams. It will take a ton of hard work–and some help from an unlikely ally–to save the farm she so dearly loves. But it may take a miracle to restore her relationship with her sister.
Noelle’s Return by Carolyn L Dean, Patti Larsen and Jenna St James
A Family Loyal to Each Other and Their Traditions
A Town Where It’s Christmas Every Day
Come Visit the Citizens of Jingle Junction
In the charming town of Jingle Junction, love is always in season. Dr. Noelle Silver left Jingle Junction years ago, escaping the guilt of her father’s death. Now a dedicated doctor with Doctors Without Borders, she’s back for her sister’s wedding before heading off to a new mission. But when she runs into Joe Thompson, her high school crush turned Christmas tree farmer, unexpected sparks fly. His sudden interest in her catches her off guard, but when her old rival Bealy Dane stirs up trouble and threatens to ruin everything, Noelle is more convinced than ever Jingle Junction isn’t the place for her.
When Deke’s mother falls critically ill, Noelle is shocked to discover Jingle Junction has been without a town doctor for years. As she grapples with the realization that her skills are desperately needed, she must face a heart-wrenching decision. Amidst the magic of the holidays, will the warmth of home and the possibility of new love be enough to make her stay? Or will Noelle’s return home only be for a short time?
Christmas in Aspen by Anita Hughes
Editor Caroline Holt is on her way to her late mother’s upstate cabin in Hudson to spend the holidays. She was supposed to be in London, having a holiday romance. But this Christmas, she isn’t in the mood to get her heart broken again. Caroline loves being an editor, but in the last year burnout has taken over. She has been mourning her mother, and she is looking to get that spark back.
In the cabin, Caroline finds a letter addressed to her mother. It’s in a red envelope, and the return address is Santa’s Little Red mailbox, in Aspen, Colorado. The letter is from a man declaring his love for her mother. He’ll be waiting for her in front of the Little Red Mailbox at three pm on New Year’s Eve.
Unable to ignore her curiosity, Caroline takes the next flight to Aspen to meet her mother’s mysterious lover, but things start getting complicated when she meets another man in town. The more they run into each other, the more she is drawn to him. And when Caroline finds out the truth about the person her mother had loved, she unravels secrets of her own past.
By the end of Christmas week, Caroline gets a chance to rewrite her own destiny by confronting her fears of loving again and possibly leaving behind what she thought was a perfect life.
A Graceful Christmas by Mary E Hart
When an interfering angel with the best of intentions comes down to Earth to help her charge, will she bring her favorite couple back together, or will she instead learn the true meaning of love during the Christmas season?
High school art teacher Grace Webster thought she’d found her soulmate in Jordan Dixon. But a year into their relationship, Jordan’s wandering eye shattered Grace’s world.
Enter Chloe Valentine, a novice angel with a heart full of hope and a mission to keep Grace and Jordan together. When their relationship falls apart, Chloe is granted a chance to intervene personally on Earth – but with strict conditions. She must team up with her friend, Mitchell, and complete her task by Christmas, or face an eternity as an earthbound guardian, never achieving her full angelic potential.
As the holiday season envelops the town in festive cheer, Grace is caught in a whirlwind of chaos. She juggles teaching, a burgeoning romance with a new suitor, Wyatt, her first art show, Jordan’s unexpected return, and a battle to save the local Recreation Center from demolition.
With only a few weeks to make a difference, Chloe and Mitchell must navigate the challenges of human life and learn about love, sacrifice, and the true meaning of their mission. Will Chloe uncover the essence of real love before the clock strikes midnight on Christmas Eve, or will her well-intentioned nudges derail Grace’s chance at happiness?
The Merry Matchmaker by Sheila Roberts
Frankie Lane knows what’s best for just about everyone but herself. Her divorced sister, Stef, who is too young to give up on love; her shy employee, Elinor; and her daughter, Natalie, who works in Frankie’s shop, Holiday Happiness, and really needs to start her own business selling the delectable chocolates she makes at home; even her best friend, Viola, who is trying to renovate her old Victorian. Frankie knows she could help all of them, if they’d just let her—and if all of her help didn’t end in utter disaster.
Then there’s Mitch Howard, the owner of the local hardware store. They’ve been friends ever since Frankie opened her store, nine years earlier. He got her through the nightmare when she lost her husband in a freak accident, and he’s her favorite shoulder to cry on. He’s been divorced for years, and it’s such a waste of man! Mitch is the fittest, finest man Frankie knows. He’s easygoing, wise and kindhearted. Mitch needs someone. And she’s determined to help him find that someone—whether he likes it or not.
A Novel Christmas by Charity Shane’
A prominent romance author has a slump in her love life and book sales, but a chance encounter with a hot firefighter helps her reignite her muse in this swoony holiday romance, perfect for book romantics.
Saira Wright is a prominent Black romance author who has been signed to the most prestigious publisher of African American works, Brownstone Literature. Her career has been successful for the past five years. However, she’s in a slump, and so are her sales and reviews. The romance she has been known for seems to be zapped out of her stories . . . and her love life.
Eager to get Saira back on top of the charts, her publisher has given her an ultimatum—write a chart-topping holiday romance or be dropped from the publishing house. There’s only one problem: Saira strongly opposes penning holiday books. To her, they are cliché and off-brand, but with her career on the line, she’s forced to give it a shot. To capture the spirit of the holidays, she books a vacation in the most “Christmassy” town she can find.
Sharing the other side of her rented duplex is the owner, Dorian Black, a volunteer firefighter, and the town’s little league football coach. He’s also “Mr. December” in the firefighter’s annual fundraising calendar . . . and every woman’s dream. Years ago, Dorian was happily married to the love of his life until cancer took her away from him. Still coping with the loss, a romantic relationship is the furthest thing from his mind. However, when he encounters his new tenant for the holiday, sparks fly and a fire is ignited that not even he can extinguish.
As the two navigate through various encounters, holiday festivities, and a snowstorm, will the magic of Christmas help them rediscover a long-awaited connection?
Some Like it Cold by Elle McNicoll
After a long absence, 18-year-old Jasper is finally heading home for the holidays – and she’s keeping secrets.
Arthur, a budding filmmaker, is turning the town of Lake Pristine into a small town story worthy of the big screen. His plans are disrupted by the arrival of the town’s golden girl – the antagonist of his school days; a girl he’s never forgotten.
Jasper Montgomery is back in Lake Pristine for one reason: to say goodbye. But before long small-town tensions start to rise, and a certain brooding film buff starts to look like a very big reason to stay . . .
Sleighed by the farmer’s Daughter by Deanna Lilly
He thought his holidays were ruined until he was rescued by… an elf in Santa’s sleigh. Christmas just got interesting.
Seth hasn’t been home for Christmas in over a decade, but now his niece and sister-in-law demand his presence. Last-minute complications at the factory mean driving hours through a snowstorm. One wrong turn, and he finds himself stranded on a farm in the middle of nowhere.
Mackenzie’s overwhelmed running Santa’s village, and this blizzard isn’t helping. The last thing she needs is an unexpected guest. With her family out of town, taking in a tall, handsome stranger may not be wise, but she can’t let him freeze to death.
Can Seth help Mackenzie save Christmas for the small town of Cloverdale before he loses his heart and unwraps a love he never thought he wanted?
Kissletoe Misses by Joanne Markey
Life isn’t a romcom… or is it?
Well, if you ask Jo Willoughby’s family, it is. Or rather, it will be. Enter a great, heaping gob of cousins, crazy family banter, and the determination to send her off to run a family Christmas village and get her away from the temptation to brood over her lost love.
Finding herself in upper New York with a “made to order” lumberjack wannabe who follows her family’s script to the perfect T… well, Jo gets nervous. Nerves bundle up until a side of her emerges that no one recognizes—even herself. And she likes that side. Okay, she likes the part of it that feels free to steal lumberjack—um, Soren’s—coffee at will.
And she likes the flirting. And the promise of a chapter four in the near future. It better be the very near future. But with mistletoe appearing willy-nilly, it should happen.
Is it time yet?
Kisstletoe Misses: one ex-creep boyfriend, one hunky lumberjack (can he shave?) and a totally mixed-up story “babe.” What could go wrong?
A Ho Ho Ho Beau Christmas by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
As the snow begins to fall and the city streets sparkle with festive lights, Meri Winters feels anything but merry. Juggling a demanding job and a strained relationship with her best friend, she’s more focused on surviving the holiday season than enjoying it.
That is, until she meets Beau Starling, a ruggedly handsome hobo who’s been living in the alley behind her building. Despite his disheveled appearance, there’s something mysterious about him—an inexplicable pull she can’t ignore.
As Meri opens her heart to this unlikely stranger, she discovers that Beau isn’t just a wanderer passing through. He has secrets—ones that could change both their lives forever.
In a season known for miracles, Meri will have to decide whether to take a leap of faith and trust in the magic of the holidays, or risk losing the one gift she never expected.
Tides and Tidings by Ashley McConnell
In this feel-good holiday novella set against the backdrop of a charming Southern coastal town, Blythe and Charlie are ready for the perfect weekend getaway. As busy business owners, they are in desperate need of a break from their hectic lives.
Their meticulously planned trip takes an unexpected turn and their well-orchestrated plans go completely off the rails. What starts as a serene escape quickly spirals into a whirlwind night filled with wild adventures, spontaneous decisions, and moments they’ll never remember— but it’s an evening they’ll never forget.
Through the laughter and mishaps, they rediscover what truly matters most: love, spontaneity, and the beauty of embracing the unexpected. Tides and Tidings is perfect for anyone looking for a romantic escape filled with humor and heart.
Ticket to Her Heart by Kate O’Connor
The sixth and final story in the amazing Rocky Mountain Christmas train.
A sweet, small-town romance with a hint of mystery.
Madeline Hayes has been through a lot in her life but this trip on the Rocky Mountain Christmas train might just be the most entertaining, and the most stressful thing she’s ever done. But she wouldn’t trade it for anything.
She’s alive in a way she’s never felt before because she’s finally met the man of her dreams. She’s hoping he loves her back and that his love is strong enough to see past her necessary lies and into her heart.
Are there too many barriers in their way for a romance to blossom? Will her secret keep them apart? Or will the magic of Christmas help them overcome their differences to find love?
Mistletoe and Heartstrings by JC Savoy
In Whispering Falls, love and mystery tangle together under the mistletoe.
When New York Times bestselling author, Donovan Butler, retreats to the cozy town of Whispering Falls to escape his writer’s block and a broken heart, he expects peace and quiet—not a meddling café owner with a penchant for solving mysteries.
Tina Wilson, the spirited owner of the Whispering Willow Café, has her hands full with a secret admirer and a thriving café to run. As Christmas approaches, Donovan and Tina find themselves tangled in a web of letters, laughter, and unexpected love.
Can the pull of heartstrings be enough to turn Donovan’s winter retreat into a forever kind of thing?
The Joy of Christmas Love by Rachael Eliker
Christmas is the key to help them both remember how to love.
As much as Amelia loves weddings, she’s content being the planner, and never the bride. She’s seen her share of heartache, and it’s soured her to the belief that true love is only for the lucky. Only a few are ever blessed by it, and no one can plan or predict where and when it might happen. So, she’d rather stay safely on the sidelines of Peppermint Hollow, celebrating other people’s happily ever afters.
If all that’s required for happiness is wealth, good looks, and an otherwise perfect life, then billionaire Burke Lamont should be satisfied. Except, he can’t shake the feeling that something is missing. Taking a trip to charming, small-town Peppermint Hollow, where he won’t be recognized is what will set him right, he wakes up from an accident to find he can’t even remember his name. It’s not all bad–Amelia is watching over him. She’s gorgeous and straightforward, and apparently entirely immune to his charm. He might not remember anything about his life, but that doesn’t mean he won’t pursue Amelia to convince her that her heart is safe with him.
As Christmas approaches in Peppermint Hollow, the magic of the season changes things between Amelia and Burke. The possibility of a happy ending for them seems within their grasp, until Burke’s past catches up with him. As she predicted, Amelia’s heart is fractured, and she’s sure love has passed her by for good. It’s up to Burke to prove where his loyalties lie, and that Amelia’s the only thing he needs this Christmas.
Christmas at Spruce Hill Farm by Kathryn Springer
It’s three weeks until Christmas, and Lucy Gable is not in the holiday spirit. She’s the assistant to bestselling romance author Brynn Dixon, who’s been suffering from major burnout. Hoping to reduce Brynn’s stress, Lucy’s organized an intimate book tour—one that includes a charming little Christmas tree farm. And they’re still hoping that no one discovers that Lucy was the one who finished writing Brynn’s last book…
But Lucy’s carefully planned book tour is going completely awry. The Christmas tree farm owner is a reluctant host, the fans are going wild for the changes Lucy’s made to the book and Brynn’s adult son—who no one else knows about—is an unexpected (if handsome) distraction. And, as if those challenges aren’t enough, a winter storm at the farm is ensuring that hiding the truth is all but impossible.
Yet somewhere between snowy sleigh rides, a cozy bonfire, caroling and the promise of new love, Lucy is experiencing her first winter wonderland. And Brynn is discovering that it might not be too late to find her own happy ending. With a little courage and a sense of adventure, it might just be the start of whole new chapters for both of them—and an accidentally perfect white Christmas.
Holiday Romance
I Really Can’t Stay by AR Rose
A wise woman once told me no one should have to spend the holidays alone, and with my first Christmas after losing my family quickly approaching, I decide to take her advice to heart.
My plan is impulsive, but simple: create a dating profile and attend a few Christmas parties throughout the month to combat the loneliness.
Never in my wildest dreams did I expect an avalanche of messages full of men eager for me to be their “holidate”. From office parties to family gatherings, there’s no shortage of festivities to fill my calendar.
And with my no strings rule, it should be simple, right?
That’s what I thought, too. Until I meet someone who piques my interest in ways I never imagined, and I single-handedly redefine what it means to ‘make an entrance’.
Now I can’t help but wonder if the term falling in love is more literal than it seems.
The Player Who Stole Christmas by AJ Wynter
THE ONLY THING HE HATES MORE THAN CHRISTMAS… IS A SMALL TOWN AT CHRISTMAS
Nick
The holidays in Chance Rapids are OVER. THE. TOP.
In fact, they even filmed a cheesy holiday movie here.
They do have one good thing going for them—a hockey team. The players are treated like celebrities, and the highlight of the town’s ridiculous Christmas Festival is an outdoor hockey game.
That’s where I come in.
I have a job to do, and it will ruin Christmas for the whole town. But I don’t care. I will make a few bucks, get connected with scouts, and skate the heck out of here before I’m forced to be in the Santa Claus Parade.
Fixing their beloved game will put my life back on track. Nothing will stop me from getting the job done.
When Nick starts spending time with the innkeeper’s daughter, he begins to feel at home for the first time in his life. Life in Chance Rapids with Evie could be perfect, but there’s no way she’ll be able to forgive him if he goes through with his plan. Will he choose hockey…or her?
A Christmas to Remember by Fiona Baker
When the magazine that Margo Stoker works for downsizes and lays her off, it knocks her for a loop. She left her small hometown years ago, eager to explore the world and make a name for herself. But without a job to keep her busy, she decides to visit Evergreen Hollow for the first time in years—just in time for the holidays.
She figures she’ll pop into town, catch up briefly with her parents and her two sisters, and then be on her way… but those plans go out the window when a skiing accident leads to a broken leg, stranding her there for much longer than she anticipated.
Dr. Spencer Thorpe recently took over his father’s medical practice in Evergreen Hollow, and he loves the tight-knit community and the slower pace of life there. Still, when a beautiful and vivacious out-of-towner shows up at his office with a skiing injury, he’s drawn to her right away.
There’s no way that Margo can let herself fall for Spencer—not when she plans to leave town as soon as possible. But as walks in the snow turn to romantic sleigh rides and kisses under the mistletoe, she starts to realize that no matter where she goes… she’ll leave her heart in Evergreen Hollow.
But can she truly stay in the rustic little town forever? Especially when she had a good reason for leaving in the first place?
The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay
Trading places and vacations might just be the Christmas miracle these two best friends need
Holly Beech and Ivy Casey are bury-the-body besties. They’re so in sync, they even look alike. When Holly’s fiancé jilts her, leaving her in shock and with a nonrefundable honeymoon, Holly convinces Ivy to switch places. Ivy will go on the Hawaiian honeymoon her best friend can’t bear to take alone, while Holly escapes to Ivy’s rented Hudson Valley cabin to binge-watch holiday movies and heal.
But Holly’s wallowing is interrupted when her rugged Airbnb host turns out to be her high school academic rival who’s had a major glow-up. Meanwhile, Ivy’s (now Hawaiian) annual solo art retreat is upended when Holly’s ex-fiancé checks into the honeymoon suite—with a new woman. Raging and bed-less, the last thing Ivy expects is for the hot hotel bartender to come to her rescue. Against all odds, this Christmas might prove the most magical yet.
The Christmas Countdown by Holly Cassidy
She’s given up on love and Christmas…but fate has other plans.
All Callie wants for Christmas is to hibernate. She’s still reeling from being dumped by her childhood sweetheart, and under no circumstances will she go home for the holidays considering her ex will be right next door with his new, perfect partner. Callie is officially in grinch mode, but her meddling sister, Anita, won’t let her give up on life, love, and Christmas quite so easily.
Anita stages a Christmas intervention for Callie with a homemade Advent calendar challenge—cheerful tasks to push Callie out of her comfort zone and into the holiday spirit, inspired by a childhood tradition. Callie reluctantly plays along, but when she comes face-to-face with a charming baker who just might be the spoonful of sugar she needs, her strict rules on love and the holidays are tested. As they strike a deal to do the activities together, could the twenty four little doors on Callie’s Advent calendar not only open up one, but two closed-off hearts?
Pretty Unexpected by Arini Vlotman
“Twas not the season to be jolly and everyone could fa-la-la-la-la all the way to the North Pole.”
After being roped into spending Christmas with her best friends and her alluring ex, Thando finds herself questioning her holiday spirit. Sipping cocktails on the beach feels a lot more appealing than fake cheer, plastic decorations, and carols on repeat.
For Jimmy Warner, Christmas means cold beers and comfort food, but reuniting with the captivating, yet prickly, Thando ignites memories of a fiery weekend they once shared.
As their friends grapple with their own holiday disasters, Thando and Jimmy band together—supported by their sweet neighbor, Grandma Holly—to salvage the holiday while uncovering a few unexpected surprises.
Can Thando set aside her inner Grinch to open her heart again? Will Jimmy receive the Christmas miracle he’s yearned for? And how many mishaps can they endure before the holidays truly explode?
If the Fates Allow by Marysa Stevens
A glistening, charming winter wonderland was the last place skeptical Alice wanted to be this holiday season — until fate introduced her to him…Will a little holiday romance be just what she needs to turn her luck around?
Accidentally sending a NSFW image to 30,000 people is enough to get anyone fired. Now, Alice Woods is desperate to flee the sunbaked Arizona desert for a fresh start. On a whim, she accepts a three-month job in snow-covered Tidings, where the locals claim fate has a way of drawing the right people to the town, and to each other.
Silas Hill, Tidings’ golden boy and beloved town physician, seems perfectly content in this picturesque snow-globe town. But after a few chance encounters, Alice recognizes the longing in his eyes that he conceals behind a practiced mask. He yearns for something more: foamy waves, sun-drenched beaches, and a peace that constantly eludes him. When Alice sweeps into his carefully constructed world like a tumbleweed, Silas realizes he isn’t the only one hiding from reality.
As temperatures plunge, Silas and Alice’s chemistry heats up, forcing them to question whether the whispers about Tidings’ magic are more than just local lore. But as Alice’s planned departure draws near, can they both confront what they’ve been avoiding and realize that sometimes the peace you seek isn’t found in a place, it’s found in a person?
The Cowboy Christmas Glow Up by Suzy Langevin
Levi Dearborn, handsome heir to a ranching family fortune, knows exactly what’s expected of him. Get married, take over the family business, and spend his days working the cold plains of Montana. It’s not the life he wants, but the one he seems destined for. But when everything goes wrong one fateful Thanksgiving, he skips town to start over in New York City.
Zara Mitchell is building an empire. The makeup line she started with her best friend while they were still in college is now worth millions. But that’s left her precious little time for anything else, including her long-term relationship that her fed-up boyfriend ends over the phone in the middle of her Black Friday sale. Even though she’s not that broken up about losing the guy, she’s stressed about attending the biggest fashion industry party in the city, one that could make or break the future of their business, and she already said she was bringing a date.
After a messy chance meeting in a coffee shop, Zara learns that Levi might just hold the key to landing the celebrity brand ambassador her business needs. Determined to close the deal, she invites Levi to the party. As they get to know each other in the run up to the event, sparks fly. But when complications and revelations start to swirl like snowflakes, will their holiday romance make it to the new year?
All the Christmas Vibes by Melissa Baldwin
Sophie
It’s Christmas, and I can’t help but believe that magic happens around this time of year—or at least, I really hope it does. I’ve always been obsessed with the holidays, and the best part? I can binge-watch all the Hallmark movies I want. Secretly, I might be hoping for my own love story to play out just like in the movies. It’s possible, right? I mean, it happened for my friend.
A girls’ trip to Tennessee seems like the perfect way to unwind. Then, I meet Jake—the coach of the Tennessee Wolves. Our connection is instant, and I find myself wanting to get to know him better. But there’s one small issue… I don’t know if he’s available.
That’s when I get my reality check—life isn’t a Hallmark movie, and love? It’s complicated.
Jake
This Christmas feels different, like everything is a bit out of place. I guess that’s what an unexpected breakup will do to you. At least I have my career to keep me focused—coaching a professional hockey team is no walk in the park, but it definitely keeps my mind occupied.
The last thing I need is to get involved with someone new. Then Sophie walks into my life—fun, spontaneous, and not afraid to take chances. They say opposites attract, but I’m not sure if I’m ready for that.
To complicate things even more, my ex has started coming around again. I don’t know if it’s easier to stay with what’s familiar or take a chance on something new.
The Trouble with Christmas by Annalisa Daughety
Single mom Shannon Simmons is totally alone for Christmas for the first time in her forty-nine years. With her kids on a tropical vacation with her ex-husband and his new (young) wife, and her parents on a bucket list trip to New York, Shannon’s Christmas spirit has never been lower.
She takes a spur-of-the-moment road trip to nearby Branson, Missouri, hoping that a change of scenery will chase away her holiday blues. Branson is a Christmas wonderland of lights, musical shows, and fun for all ages, and Shannon looks forward to being surrounded by the hustle and bustle of activity.
Country star Jason Richard Hutchison never expected to return to his Branson roots, especially not for a holiday show. But his recent social media snafu prompted his label to cancel his upcoming concerts, and his agent advised him to lay low for a while. So when his former tour manager asked him to come to Branson and perform, he took him up on the offer.
When Shannon and Jason’s paths cross, sparks begin to fly. Love is the last thing on either of their minds though, so it’s going to take a Christmas miracle for them to realize that sometimes life’s best gifts are the most unexpected.
Pity Present by Whitney Dineen
Molly
I haven’t been interested in dating since my ex dumped me for a new girl at his law office. Since then, I’ve thrown myself into my work as a hotel gift shop designer. While being single isn’t what I expected, there’s truth to that old saying, “Once bitten, twice shy.” And the bite of a cheater stays with you.
Christmas can be a particularly vulnerable time, which is why I accepted a job right before the holidays. I had no idea the lodge that hired me was also hosting a singles’ event. Imagine my surprise when they had a last-minute cancellation and asked me if I wanted to join them.
Blake
When I left LA for my dream job in Chicago, I never dreamed by first assignment would be spending two weeks in Elk Lake, Wisconsin, covering the Midwestern Matchmaker’s new venture to set up Chicagoland singles. I’m a sports journalist for Pete’s sake, not some airheaded twit who writes about the lovelorn.
Unfortunately, the job I transferred for isn’t open yet, so here I am. In Wisconsin. Living my worst nightmare. There is no way anybody is going to find love at this thing. No way.
So, imagine my surprise when the most awkward woman in the world trips over me …
Alba Home for Christmas by Lean Macy
Does what happens under the mistletoe stay under the mistletoe?
Reporting on Christmas festivals in Italy? Easy. Figuring out her love life? Not so much. With an unanswered proposal from an older, steady boyfriend waiting for her back home in the Netherlands and her unexpected feelings for a jazz-playing, lovelorn American, Sanne finds herself questioning everything. Between holiday markets and moonlit serenades, she’s stuck between two worlds: the cozy comfort of ‘yes’ waiting at home and the thrilling ‘what if?’ of the here and now. One fling, one holiday, and a lot of laughs later, Sanne must decide: is this holiday dalliance just a detour or a sign she’s not ready to settle down quite yet?
Alba Home for Christmas is a charming, lighthearted tale of holiday surprises, soulful connections, and the joy of embracing life’s surprises.
Mistletoe Mischief by Codi Hall
In need of a distraction from his dumpster fire of a love life, adventure tour guide Pike Sutton is thrilled when his favorite travel podcaster accepts an invitation to experience the gorgeous landscapes and festive charms of Mistletoe, Idaho. He knows her visit will mean great things for the business he shares with his friend Anthony, but Pike has no idea that the real force behind “Exposures” is nothing like what he sees on social media.
Ryler Perkins is perfectly happy being the voice behind the microphone while her cousin stars as the face of their popular podcast. She’s used to men drooling all over Alea, but for once she finds herself wishing a certain sexy hipster lumberjack would notice her instead. Maybe that’s why Ryler completely loses her mind and makes a move on Pike.
Their kiss under the mistletoe is more than steamy, but it abruptly ends when Pike discovers he’s been smooching Alea’s “assistant.” He isn’t about to jeopardize everything by seducing a woman who’s off-limits. But as Pike guides the podcast crew around town and into the great outdoors, Ryler seems determined to get him hotter under the collar than a steaming cup of cocoa . . .
Holding Out for a Holiday Hero by Cynthia Eden
A holiday romance with a dash of romantic suspense and a former military hero who is so not feeling the festive spirit…
Bah humbug. Bounty hunter Jake Hale hates Christmas. He doesn’t do twinkling lights, festive packages, and you definitely won’t ever catch him singing Christmas carols. What he will do? Track down the worst of the scum out there. The former special ops soldier makes merry by tossing the naughty into prison cells and getting a grand pay day. Ho, ho, ho.
Then a ghost from Christmas past walks through his door.
True Blakely is always at the top of the nice list. Beautiful, sweet, with an innocence that—yep, he might have been tempted to destroy once or twice—she’s there to hire him. There have been a string of dangerous accidents in her life, and True fears that someone is trying to kill her. Not at all the sort of case that Jake would usually take—he hunts down the criminals after they jump bail, not before they’ve even been arrested. But one look into True’s bedroom eyes, and he can’t refuse. Maybe he still is a bit too tempted by the girl who got away…and surely one nice act won’t kill him? For her, he can play the hero.
He’ll close the case and be home in time for Christmas dinner.
Except, on the first morning of his investigation, he finds a dead body. One waiting underneath True’s glittering Christmas tree. The attacks are real, and it’s clear that someone is gunning for True. But Jake is on the job now, and no one is going to hurt her. His protective instincts are in overdrive…and so is the desperate desire that he’s always felt for True. This time, he’s done fighting that desire. He’ll finally show True just how fantastic it can be when you aren’t nice. Welcome to his naughty list.
One Night Stand
Once Upon a Christmas Tree by Lulu Moore
Alexander, Lord Burlington, hates the holidays.
But duty calls. This year he’s willing to set his feelings aside for the sake of his eldest brother who’s just been left at the altar – sending shockwaves through British high society – as they escape London for the snow capped mountains of Aspen.
However, it soon becomes obvious that Colorado in December wasn’t the best place to go for someone who usually out-grinches The Grinch.
Haven Wylder has spent the last four years paying off debts her parents left when they died. Between working on her ranch, or in her Christmas store and taking on every other job she can, there’s been no time for fun. But if there’s one thing guaranteed to put a smile on her face it’s the holidays and the annual gingerbread decorating competition.
What she wasn’t expecting was the tall, handsome stranger with the accent to die for who, *gasp*, hates Christmas.
It doesn’t take long for Haven to start changing Alex’s mind. It has nothing to do with her berry red lips and glossy caramel curls tumbling down her back, or her big doe eyes as green as the Christmas trees she’s selling. Or the way she fills out her jeans.
None at all.
Alexander will never not despise Christmas, but a fling with Haven Wylder might be just the thing to make it a little more bearable. That is… if he can leave her and their unforgettable connection behind.
A Spark of trouble by Lucy Limon
It’s lust at first sight, and they’re both in trouble.
Chad, a flirty, hat-tipping park ranger doesn’t date tourists. Iggy, a prickly, bargain-striking demoness doesn’t date at all. This should make their one-night stand a perfect arrangement for both of them, but after one passionate encounter, neither can walk away.
A drunken night with old friends gets Iggy sentenced to probation and confined to Winter Bliss.
She can’t leave.
He can’t stop thinking about her.
What’s worse, the only way for her to avoid jail is to find a local willing to supervise her 250 hours of community service. When Chad lifts his right hand and swears an oath to do just that, she becomes his unwilling volunteer park ranger, and he becomes her court-approved compliance officer.
Now that they’re living together and working together, what’s the harm in them sleeping together?
One Christmas With You by Mari Suggs
Last summer’s secret becomes this Christmas’s sweetest surprise.
Six months ago, Eloise had a one-night stand with a charming stranger and never expected to see him again—especially after sneaking out without so much as a goodbye. Now, with Christmas around the corner, last summer’s secret is about to surface in the most unexpected way.
The holiday season is meant to be the most wonderful time of the year, but for Dr. Eloise Parker, it’s overshadowed by the demands of her residency and a relationship maintained more for her parents’ sake than her own happiness. Her true passion, baking, remains a sidelined dream.
She’s looking forward to a low-key Christmas in the charming town of Maple Hollow with her best friend, Susie. But her plans take a surprising turn when she comes face to face with Trevor Hall—Susie’s brother and her one-night stand.
Trevor, anticipating a serene holiday before his nomadic adventures, finds his plans thrown into disarray by Eloise’s arrival. Their brief, fiery past encounter left an indelible mark, reigniting a mix of old emotions and unanswered questions.
Through Eloise and Trevor’s alternating perspectives, this story delicately weaves together the threads of personal growth and the enduring magic of the holiday season, reminding us that sometimes the greatest gifts are the ones we never anticipated.
Tis’ the Season for Secrets by Kate Callaghan
Gifted an old family chest, aspiring editor Juliet Frost stumbles upon closely guarded family secrets… and her tranquil holiday season transforms into a whimsical circus of revelations. For starters, how is she supposed to process the fact that she is the outcome of a forbidden love affair – let alone that she has connections to some kind of magical Christmas village called Yule?
To complicate matters, the mysterious Will Duncan, whom she never thought she’d see again after a night of passion, reappears with the answers she seeks about her past. It swiftly becomes clear that he has plenty of secrets of his own. Is their chance meeting fate, or the result of a carefully laid plot? Juliet will have to battle her heart and her head to discover who she is… and where she truly belongs.
Second Chances
Blame it on the Secret Santa by Samantha Baca
What to get someone you hate for Christmas…
That’s not something I would typically look up online, but drawing my ex’s name in our company’s Secret Santa exchange left me no choice.
For twelve long years, I was free of him after he broke my heart and moved away. But now he’s back, and thanks to small-town life, he’s everywhere I go.
I tried to shake it off when he first started working at Waldon’s. It’s a big store, and there aren’t a ton of employment options in Sugarplum Falls. Not only did we somehow draw each other’s names in the so-called “Secret” Santa exchange, but we’re constantly being thrown together and being forced to spend time with each other.
As old memories rise to the surface, I’m reminded of the pain and heartache he’s capable of, but it’s hard to focus on that when he’s constantly going out of his way to do nice things for me. They say people change and that forgiveness is healing, but they don’t know the damage he did the last time I allowed myself to love him.
It seems there’s a thin line between love and hate, and suddenly, I’m teetering right over it. No matter how much my heart wants to love him again, it can’t undo the pain he caused all those years ago.
The Albright Hotel by Katie Winters
The grand opening of the Albright Hotel. Two marriage proposals. And a magical Christmas season.
Olivia and Maya are best friends and sisters, newly united after last year’s wild Christmas shenanigans in the town of Hollygrove.
Since then, they’ve transformed part of their Aunt Veronica’s mansion into the glorious and ornate Albright Hotel — a destination for all seasons in Upstate New York.
They’re co-hoteliers, now. But operating a hotel is no easy feat. And the chaos has only just begun.
Robby is the top Hollygrove craftsman and Olivia and Maya’s go-to handyman for the hotel’s transformation. Robby has a heart of gold and a lot of love to give, but he hasn’t known how to get close to anyone since his wife left him twenty years ago.
Meeting Olivia flips Robby’s life upside down.
But Robby and Olivia’s story is not a simple one. And when darker forces get in the way of their flourishing romance, it isn’t clear if they’ll ever find their way back to one another.
And a handsome pastry chef in the Albright Hotel kitchen has all the makings for Olivia’s holiday boyfriend.
But Olivia isn’t sure. Something doesn’t feel right. Not like it did with Robby.
Dive into The Albright Hotel, a Christmas story that celebrates love, second chances, and plenty of delightful Christmas treats—just in time for the holiday season.
Blame it on the Carols by Samantha Baca
When my music career took off six years ago, I had to leave my small-town life and the man I was in love with behind.
But when my mom called, asking for my help, I couldn’t say no. Singing was what I loved, and helping the Sugarplum Sweethearts win the local caroling competition would be an honor. I could sneak in, spend some time with my mother, then get back to LA to prepare for my upcoming world tour.
What I didn’t expect was to have an obsessed fan show up. Safety was the number one priority, and everyone assured me that I would be safer staying with Aiden—the former love of my life and current object of my heart’s affection. But just because I would be physically safe didn’t mean my heart wasn’t in danger. It was clinging to old memories and holding onto hope for a future that wasn’t an option for us.
With each day that passed, I felt myself falling more and more. I was on a steep and slippery slope that I couldn’t afford to go down. Loving and losing Aiden once was enough to break my heart. Allowing it to happen again would shatter me completely.
One Sweet Christmas by Olivia Miles
Hailey Wells has every reason to be a Grinch this holiday. She’s about to lose the lease on her beloved Lincoln Park café, all her friends are too busy with their significant others to make it to her ugly Christmas sweater party, and then there’s the issue with that tree lot across the street…and its ghost of Christmas past.
Pete Cameron never expected to see his college sweetheart again. Eight years ago, they each made a choice: one that led her to the big city and him back to his family’s tree farm in rural Wisconsin. But with the help of a little Christmas magic, this chance encounter might be just the thing they need to believe in their dreams again—and in each other.
The Christmas Cottage by David Bunn
When life is in turmoil . . .
Pushing through his troubled childhood, Dillon Farrow was seventeen when he said goodbye to Miramar and did himself proud, thriving as a successful investment counselor. But a betrayal by a trusted friend has brought everything crashing down. Dillon’s only recourse—return to Miramar, penniless and feeling defeated—more so when a winter flood sweeps away all roads to town. Now he and his fellow stranded travelers are destined to spend Christmas at the only available accommodations—the local jail. Yet it’s in this makeshift inn that Dillon sees her. His first love. The girl he left behind.
There’s always hope if you wait out the storm . . .
After an emotionally and financially devastating divorce, Olivia Greer has no choice but to come back to her hometown of Miramar. Less a retreat than a surrender, it’s the first time in years—since Olivia’s mother, her best friend for life, passed away. In the interim, their hillside cottage has remained empty, as forlorn as Olivia herself. The flood only seems like fate testing her resilience one more time. But providence comes in myriad forms: Dillon Farrow, the sweet boy who once had dreams of better things. Just like Olivia.
The future can hold dreams as well. Crossing paths is a Christmas blessing Dillon and Olivia never expected—a reunion with the potential to impact other lives too. And for both of them, perhaps in the cottage on the hill, Miramar could finally start feeling like home again.
Christmas in Bonaire by Anne Bennett
This Christmas, come home to the place where your heart feels whole.
Annie Martis has left her past behind. With a flourishing career on Wall Street and a successful fiancé, she has everything she’s ever dreamed of—until a frantic phone call from her childhood friend pulls her back to the island she once called home. Just days before Christmas, Annie is forced to confront a past she’s spent ten years trying to forget.
On the island of Bonaire, turquoise waters meet golden sands, palm trees sparkle with lights, the sweet scent of gingerbread fills the air, and candles flicker warmly in shop windows.
As Annie reconnects with old friends, is reunited with her first love, and faces the painful truths that have kept her estranged from her father, she begins to question everything about the life she’s built in New York.
Can the spirit of Christmas—and the healing power of family—be enough to mend the broken bond between father and daughter?
This Christmas, Annie will discover that while some wounds take time to heal, it’s never too late for forgiveness. The greatest gift of all may be the love she’s been searching for her whole life.
Christmas in Dover’s Corners by NC Richard
Ten years after Hannah Hardy trash-talked her hometown of Dover’s Corners and scandalized its residents in her first novel, she’s back in town to write a follow-up story.
Despite their best efforts to avoid each other, Hannah and onetime childhood friend-turned-boyfriend Lewis Gibbs are thrown together again and again. He owns the local bookstore, but he’s never forgiven her for what she wrote, and refuses to sell her books. Things get complicated when Hannah is cast as the female lead—opposite Lewis, naturally—in the town Christmas play. And just when it seems that her life has reached peak craziness, Hannah’s most recent ex-boyfriend, who told her that he “needed space” a few weeks earlier, shows up in town, determined to win her back.
Yet, as Hannah immerses herself in festive activities, rekindles old relationships, and confronts past mistakes, she comes to realize how little the younger version of herself understood about life in Dover’s Corners. Is it possible that the past isn’t all it seemed? It takes a cold, snowy night in a pasture with Lewis and a cow named Merry to make everything clear to Hannah, and by the final curtain on Christmas Eve, her life will be much changed, all for the better.
That Time We Kissed Under the Mistletoe by Julie Christianson
My holly jolly Christmas just went up in smoke. Literally …
Playing nursemaid to Bradford “Three” Fuller is the last thing I need for Christmas.
But for the next few days, I’m stuck in charge of my ex’s sparkling eyes, his ridiculous abs, and his (mostly) accidental kisses.
I don’t have a choice.
You see, Three’s only hurt because of me. And not like he hurt me a decade ago. Like … I literally concussed the man with a fire extinguisher.
Still, a make-or-break mission for my parents is what brought me back to the small town where he crushed my tender heart in the first place.
And if I screw up, I risk my mother’s approval plus the job at my father’s law firm I’ve worked for my entire life.
So I sure hope Santa stuffs my stocking full of self-control. And a defibrillator.
Because my heart just may be broken by this second chance with Three …
Cabin Fever With My First Flame by Madison Love
I’m a chef who can handle the heat. He’s a firefighter that can douse a flame. But when sparks reignite between us and old fires begin to burn, dialing 9-1-1 is the last thing on my mind.
After my divorce, I got the better end of the deal with three sassy daughters, my food truck, and what was left in the bank account.
Two hundred dollars doesn’t go far, but it got me three tanks of gas and a fresh start. The problem is, I needed four.
Being stranded on the side of the road isn’t the end of the world—unless it’s during a blizzard and we’re rescued by the one person I never wanted to see again.
Finn Hollister—a.k.a.—My first love. Heartbreaker. Handsome hooligan.
Based on the three miniature versions of my ex-boyfriend glaring at me, I could also add “Dad” to that list.
Stuck in a cabin with Finn and six kids ready to play matchmaker was not how I planned to spend the holidays. And when it comes time to make our Christmas wish lists, Finn asks for one thing.
I just don’t know if I can afford to give it to him.
Snowbound With My Grumpy Ex by Lily Waters
One blizzard. One cozy guesthouse. One ridiculously oversized Santa sleigh.
When my car skids off the road in the middle of a snowstorm, I’m forced to seek shelter in Devon’s family guesthouse. Little did I know I’d be sharing it with the Grinch himself.
Now I’m decking the halls with the guy who broke my heart, and let me tell you, his attitude is frostier than the weather outside. My mission? Transform this dusty cabin into a winter wonderland before I lose the biggest break of my design career. Oh, and try not to strangle him with tinsel in the process.
But with every ornament hung and every unexpected moment of kindness, something’s melting, and it’s not just the icicles. My desire to shove him into a snowbank is disappearing quicker than my resolve to stay mad at him.
So, Santa, if you’re listening, I don’t need presents this year. Just get me out of here before I do something crazy… like fall for this snow-dusted heartbreaker all over again.
Love Rekindled at Evergreen Inn by Willa Lyons
Our daughter orchestrates a parent trap, hoping for a Christmas miracle.
He’s my first love, my husband, my heartbreak.
Jimmy’s salt-and-pepper hair and rugged face still make my knees go weak.
But memories of the fire that broke our marriage burn between us like dying embers.
The imminent birth of our first grandchild and the resurrection of my parents’ bakery brings us back together.
Now, we’re snowed in at Evergreen Inn, and forced to confront our past.
As we frost cookies side by side, old flames threaten to reignite.
This Christmas reunion could save our family’s legacy or destroy it forever.
The Mobile Bakery at the Christmas Parade by Jodie Homer
Twelve years ago, April left her childhood friend and boyfriend Ben to follow her dreams of being a famous baker, but now she is coming home with her tail between her legs. Ben is still upset about April leaving, so when she comes back he wants nothing to do with her. When April and Ben get thrown into organising the Christmas parade together, can they put their feelings and twelve-year feud aside for the sake of Christmas and give the villagers a parade they will never forget?
Can they work together to make this the best ex-mas parade ever?
The Christmas Catch by Toni Shiloh
When two high school sweethearts reunite, will they take another chance at love or let life sideline them at Christmas?
Benched with a career-ending injury, NFL wide receiver Jahleel Walker is forced to return to his hometown of Peachwood Bay, Georgia, during the holidays to heal, despite his rocky relationship with his father. Nothing shocks him more than running into Lucille “Bebe” Gordon.
Bebe Gordon came home to Peachwood Bay three years ago with a divorce certificate and her daughter. When Jahleel returns–for the first time in eight years–all the memories of the past come rushing back. The connection between them is still strong, but Jahleel has no plans to stay in Peachwood Bay, and Bebe won’t risk him leaving her again. As their hometown’s Christmas festivities bring them together, Jahleel must decide if he’s only home for the holidays or if the Christmas spirit that brought them together will last all through the year.
The Christmas Village by Annie Rains
Once upon a Christmas, she gave him her heart. This year, he’ll have to win it back again . . .
When Lucy Hannigan returned to her childhood home in Somerset Lake, one of the first things she did was join the local book club. And thank goodness, because now that Lucy’s first Christmas without her mother is bearing down upon her, she can use all the help and support she can get. Especially when she has to take in a tenant and the only person interested is Miles Bruno, her ex-fiance.
Lucy’s friends keep teasing her about the way Miles is trying to make up for his mistakes but forgiving and forgetting isn’t coming easily to Lucy. With bills piling up and her mother’s finances in disarray, however, Lucy isn’t in any position to say no.
As the small town prepares for the holidays and competition heats up in the Merriest Lawn decorating contest, Lucy can’t help feeling like a Scrooge. Her mom loved the holidays and won the contest each year, but as much as Lucy would like to carry on the tradition, she isn’t sure she has it in her to deck the halls this holiday.
Yet when Miles shows up with tons of tinsel, dozens of decorations, and lots and lots of lights, Lucy begins to wonder if maybe the spirit of the season will finally mend her broken heart.
The Christmas Inn by Pamela Kelley
Riley Sanders didn’t plan on losing her job as a content marketing manager right before Christmas. When she calls her sister Amy to vent, she learns that their mother has broken her leg and could really use some help at the inn. Riley decides to head home to the inn, nestled along the shores of Cape Cod, in time for the Christmas rush. She is happy to help and needs something to distract her as mistletoe is hung and snowflakes begin to fall.
When she gets there, she not only finds delicious cookies and a crackling fire to lift her spirits, but also the sense of family she’s been missing all along. There’s Franny, a woman who has just lost her sister and has four unopened letters from her that she plans to use to open her up to new experiences on the Cape. And there’s Aidan, her high school sweetheart, now a widower, who is staying at the inn with his nine year-old son, Luke. What begins as a quick stay over the holidays to help her mom turns into something that means much more—a second chance at romance, a deeper sense of found family, and all the joy and wonder that comes with Christmastime on Cape Cod.
Picture Christmas by Eve Blakely
‘Tis the season for second chance love…
Kayla McKinley thought she was content with her life. After scoring her dream job and moving to the city, she’d spent years climbing the ladder to success, but when she returns to the small seaside town of Avalon Cove to spend Christmas with her family, she can’t deny the inescapable feeling that something is missing.
Evan Connelly hasn’t been the same since the girl that lived across the street marched right out of town with his heart stuck to the bottom of her cherry red converse sneakers. Christmas, once their favourite holiday, had never been the same again either. Now that she’s back, will he make the same mistakes and let her go again?
With a dash of holiday mayhem and a sleigh load of soul searching, Kayla begins to wonder whether there may have been another reason for her leaving. Did she really want the life she created or had she simply been running away?
The Mistletoe Wish by Mia Kent
Fifteen years ago, Holly Archer made her very worst mistake. Now that mistake is back in town for the holidays, and doing his level best to pretend she doesn’t exist.
Which is all well and good, until a radio station—helped along by Holly’s seven-year-old daughter—catches wind of her story and decides to make good on a very special Christmas wish. Suddenly, Holly’s life has become a spectacle, with all eyes on her as she embarks on a series of twelve holiday-themed dates in the hopes of finally finding love this Christmas season.
It’s either the very best decision of her life… or her second worst mistake.
But one thing is for certain: as the snow swirls through the crisp mountain air and the golden glow of twinkle lights descends on the town, this Christmas will be one that Holly never forgets.
Tell Me About Snowflakes by Meg Andrews
She thought she had it all… Until he walked back into her life.
Lea’s relationship with Hugo seems perfect. As her best friend’s bridesmaid, she hopes the magical atmosphere of Christmas and the wedding preparations will reignite the romance with her Prince Charming. But love is never that simple.
When a last-minute best man shows up—a man from Lea’s past—the festive season takes an unexpected turn. For the next week, they’ll share stolen glances and whispered conversations, reviving emotions both thought long forgotten. The flame they once had begins to flicker again, forcing Lea to confront her deepest feelings.
Should she hold on to the love she has or dare to follow the pull of a second chance?
New York at Mistletoe Lodge by Amy Rafferty
“If I had known you’d invited Giles Holland to dine with us, I’d have preferred to stay in and order room service!”
Heather Jessop, the free-spirited wildlife veterinary explorer, is back at Mistletoe Lodge for the holiday season…..
What her family doesn’t know is the real reason Heather is home.
She has been forced to take sick leave for three months while she heals. There’s no better place to heal than with family during the festive season at Mistletoe Lodge in Frisco, Colorado.
Two years ago, a fight with her cousins kept her away, and it is time to patch things up. Heather knew things were bad at the lodge but she hadn’t realized just how bad until she meets the lodge’s new investor, the hot and way too charming, Giles Holland.
While she secretly recovers from her injuries she finds herself falling in love with him in the winter wonderland of Mistletoe Lodge.
Giles Holland is looking for a new challenge.
When his good friend Avery Hawthorn offered him a chance to invest in a lodge in Colorado it piqued his interest. Giles has been after Avery for years to head up a new business venture to help save the smaller corporations from being swallowed by the larger ones.
Thrilled at the prospect of his friend finally considering his offer and eager to check out his new investment Giles heads for Frisco where he finds his greatest challenge of all that turns his world upside down—
Winning the heart of a beautiful woman with dazzling eyes,
Snowflake Kisses by Alane Middleton
The last thing Mia wanted for Christmas was to spend it with her ex-boyfriend, Berry. But when her self-centered cousin announces an engagement to one of the prestigious Ryder heirs, Mia has no choice but to return home for the holiday whirlwind.
Her plan? Avoid Berry at all costs. But with her family’s smothering presence and a packed schedule of holiday events leading up to the big day, staying away from him proves impossible. Everywhere she turns, there he is—still as handsome and charming as she remembers.
It’s been almost seven years since Mia walked away from Berry, leaving behind the love they shared for what she thought would be a bright future. But that successful life turned out to be nothing more than an empty shell. Now, with Berry back in her life, Mia is torn between the fear of repeating past mistakes and the undeniable pull of the man who still holds a piece of her heart.
As the holiday season unfolds, Mia must decide if she’s willing to risk it all for a second chance at love or if she’ll let her fears keep her from the happiness she truly deserves.
Second Down Scrooge by Lisa Suzanne
A steamy pro football, second chance, single mom, single dad holiday romance from Amazon Top Ten Bestselling author Lisa Suzanne.
I never planned to give Austin Graham, the tight end for the Vegas Aces and the father of my little girl, a second chance this holiday season. After all, he messed up. Big time.
But the shimmering decorations on the Christmas tree cast him in a totally new light—especially when I get home from a disastrous blind date and find him on my couch with our sweet baby asleep on his chest.
He’s not the villain he so easily plays, but coming in second to everyone his entire life has pushed him to act like a Grinch. I’m getting swept up watching him with our daughter, seeing his eyes twinkle in the Christmas lights, and feeling his hands caressing my skin.
The Christmas Express by Isla Gordon
SIX PASSENGERS . . .
When six ex-friends are invited to a winter wedding in Canada, the last thing they want is a reunion. But bride-to-be Bryn is desperate, so much so that she’s offering to pay for their travel. But there’s a surprise in store: Bryn hasn’t booked them flights, instead she’s bought non-refundable tickets for the cross-Canada Christmas train.
FOUR DAYS . . .
Four days trapped together in a cosy train cabin, travelling through snow-topped mountains, frozen lakes and glistening Christmas trees, over the most magical time of the year. It’s a trip like no other and Bryn hopes it will end their feud just in time for the wedding.
ONE LAST CHANCE AT LOVE . . .
But tensions on board are fraught. Cali and Luke are each other’s One Who Got Away, Joss and Joe are the ultimate sibling rivals, and Sara is stuck with the people who always left her out. Not to mention Ember, Bryn’s ex, who wasn’t even invited and is on her way to crash the wedding.
Then a snowstorm hits and stops them -literally – in their tracks. Will they make it to the wedding? And will it be together?
Merry Little Mix-Up by Lacey Black
Eve
Christmas in Snowflake Falls is the most wonderful time of the year. The lights, sounds, and smells are pure magic. Living here is like being wrapped up in a warm holiday hug. There’s nothing better.
My cozy little world gets shaken like a snow globe when the house next door sells. Worse yet, the new neighbor’s tomcat sneaks over and makes himself at home on my Christmas quilt with my sweet feline. Furious, I storm next door to give the owner a piece of my mind, only to find John Mitchell—my first love—standing there.
It would be so easy to fall back into a rhythm with him, one where only he and I exist. As the holidays pull us closer, I have to wonder, are we just wrapped up in the season…or could this time be different?
John
Returning to Snowflake Falls is exactly what I needed in my life—especially right before Christmas. I’d forgotten how much I missed the holidays in my hometown.
What I didn’t expect was my new next-door neighbor to be the one who got away. The moment she stomps over to my house, bangs on my door, and demands cat-support in the likelihood of a feline pregnancy, I know I’m done for. Eve is every bit as feisty and beautiful as I remember.
Being around her rekindles feelings I thought had faded, and the spark between us makes me think we could pick up right where we left off. First, I have to convince her this isn’t about holiday nostalgia. It’s about forever.
The Best Man by Jessica Whaley
Macy is flying back home to Colorado from college to be the Maid of Honor for her sisters Christmas Wedding. She is eager to see her family and friends. It is not until she arrives to the chalet her parents rented for the wedding party, she learned HE will be there.
Jordan, the guy she is trying to avoid, is not just the grooms best man, he is also the guy who Macy saved the life of many years ago.
Being in the same place, rekindles some past childhood emotions and memories – some hateful and some loving.
But the biggest secret of all may end up ruining the Wedding Day for them all.
Christmas Calling Me Home by Gemma Brocato
Darby Duncross didn’t have much as a teen, a fact that never stopped her from working hard to make a success of herself. But in all the time she was focused only on surviving, and thriving, she never forgot her first love. A new job brought her back to Tennessee and to the man who’d set the bar for every date she’d ever had. When she runs into her first love at a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in Pineridge, she isn’t sure she should go back home. He never looked for her, never bothered to track her down. A sign she took to mean he didn’t truly want the poor girl from the bad side of town.
Wade Shelton couldn’t believe his luck when Darby reappeared in his life. Still beautiful, still driven, still the only woman in the world for him. He isn’t a romantic, so he shouldn’t believe in second chances. She’d vanished as a teen, but that hadn’t stopped him thinking of her. Now a doctor in the very town where they’d grown up, he’d be a fool not to seize the opportunity afforded by this unexpected reunion.
Can the magic of Christmas rekindle the old flame that still burns between them? Or should they let the mutual attraction from their past stay in the past? All Darby knows is that when Christmas calls her home, it sounds like an invitation to a life of love and happiness.
See You Next Winter by Holly June Smith
Kayla
Ryan Richmond and I have spent every Christmas since we were kids in the same snowy Alpine village. As we grew, so did our chemistry.
On our eighteenth winter, we made a ‘festive friends-with-benefits’ pact: take advantage of our limited time together, then wave goodbye with no strings attached.
Those two weeks were the highlight of my year. Until, without warning, Ryan stopped coming here for the holidays. It broke my heart, and I’m determined not to waste another winter pining over him.
Ryan
The best things about Christmas are snow, skiing, and sneaking around with Kayla McInnes.
My oldest friend is funny, adventurous, and gorgeous. She’s everything I’d want in a partner, if only she didn’t live half a world away.
We always agreed a long-distance relationship was pointless, but saying goodbye got harder and harder. I thought if I stopped visiting, I’d get over her. But I was wrong.
I can’t stay away anymore. And I’m hoping this year we can make winter last forever.
The Ghosts of Ophelia’s Past by Afton Seeser
In this modern twist on A Christmas Carol, we meet Ophelia, who’s grappling with her obligations in motherhood, marriage, and small-town life. Unlike her neighbors, she feels misunderstood, longing for something beyond the small-town routines everyone else is satisfied with. Troubled by unfulfilled dreams, haunted by “what could have been”, and a growing disconnect with her easygoing husband, Ophelia teeters on the edge until the Ghost of Christmas Past steps in. With one wild day to reclaim her lost free spirit, Ophelia faces truths about her past, her soul’s purpose, and her relationships with her husband, daughter, and even an old flame. She is about to embark on a whirlwind of a journey to reclaim her power, passions, and ultimately, herself.
Ghost of Ex-Mas Past by Liz Alden
My high school sweetheart left me to pursue his fortune–and I still have to spend every Christmas with him.
It’s what I get for falling in love with the boy next door. His parents are my parents’ best friends, and for every Christmas past we’ve had to stay in the same crappy cabin together stuffed with holiday cheer while our families revel in their perfect lives. I’m not trying to be a scrooge about the whole thing, but it’s hard when I’m chained to my job in New York City.
For Christmas present, things have changed. We’re getting a cabin upgrade and Charlie is NOT flying in with his family…
Because he’s my ride. When our meddling families “arranged transportation” for us, it was all a ploy.
And now I’m stuck in a car with the man who broke my heart, trying desperately not to think of a Christmas yet to come with him or remember why I fell in love with him in the first place.
And he seems different this year–more humble and generous. I still see the ghosts of his past self, though, and he amassed his wealth through drive, ambition, and going for exactly what he wants.
And what he wants this Christmas…is me.
One Foggy Christmas by Kortney Keisel
What if the person you shared your life with couldn’t remember you anymore?
Nash Carter is devastated when a skiing accident leaves his wife with severe memory loss, erasing him and their three-year marriage from her mind.
Not only is Nash a stranger, but Sadie remembers being in love with her ex-boyfriend and can’t understand how she ended up living in a new city, estranged from her family, and married to a man she doesn’t know.
It’s up to Nash to win back his wife and prove that their love is worth fighting for.
Can Nash’s unwavering devotion help Sadie rebuild what was lost, or will he lose her love forever?
Christmas at Fox Ridge by Bailey Hannah
Settle in with a cup of hot cocoa for this spicy, small-town Christmas novella from Bailey Hannah.
Eira Davies thought a bar napkin sketch of her best friend’s handsome brother was harmless fun—until he caught her in the act. One steamy night later, Lucas McKinney was supposed to be nothing more than a fun memory.
Fast forward six months, and Lucas is desperate to save his struggling ranch. Renting out the spare cabin on his property seems like the perfect solution, until his first guest turns out to be Eira, the woman he hasn’t stopped thinking about. A true believer in fate, Lucas can’t shake the feeling that the universe has delivered her to his doorstep with a big, shiny bow.
As sparks fly and the Christmas lights twinkle, they’ll have to figure out if this holiday surprise is just a festive fling or the real deal worth unwrapping for good.
The Mistletoe Mix-up by Codi Hall
Sam Griffin’s nephew meant well when he brought his uncle to the attention of a relationship-advice radio show in Mistletoe, Idaho. But now, Sam is getting publicly roasted for his love life. Faced with the harsh reality of his dating history, he wants to be known as more than the guy who bounces from bed to bed. And if that means falling in love and settling down, all the better.
Back home after a long stint in the big city, police officer Wren Little is pulling double duty protecting the community and her own heart. With two decades behind her, she knows she dodged a bullet when she chose not to run off with Sam when they were teenagers. But it’s proving difficult to avoid being confronted by her infamous ex—everywhere from the airwaves to the local watering hole. And he’s just as sexy as ever . . .
A Not So Merry Ex-Mas by Abby Greyson
For years I’ve been dreaming of a real Christmas back home. Tree trimming, decorating, Christmas carols. What I wasn’t expecting was Cole.
If I was to dream up the perfect man even my wildest imagination would have fallen short compared to Cole Nichols.
Tall, broad shoulders, smile to die for and dreamy green eyes that held a mischievous glint.
Add in a heart of gold, always helping others in need.
We had planned out every detail of our lives together…including his dream of becoming a major league pitcher.
So when my gran got sick and I needed to take care of her, I gave him the push he needed, breaking my heart, and his, in the process.
A decade, and a divorce later, I’m heading back home to start my life over.
That new start begins with Christmas at my best friend’s cabin…and the man I’ve done everything to leave behind.
Is Christmas past here to haunt me, or to bring a future I stopped letting myself dream of?
Puppy Love at Mistletoe Junction by Shannon Richard
Lucy Buchanan and Theo Taylor have never gotten along…like ever. Not when they were children, not when they were teenagers, and definitely not as adults…though that last part might be more Lucy’s doing than Theo’s. It was the summer after she graduated college when their antagonism towards each other boiled over into something… hot.
That is until Lucy left town in a flash, leaving everything behind for warm Los Angeles. But now she’s returned after seven years following a bad breakup, and a newfound disillusionment with La-La Land.
As for Theo, he doesn’t know and doesn’t care about whatever happened to make Lucy come back. His lingering resentment is enough to keep her at arm’s length until she inevitably leaves again. The problem is, being around each other has proven that their friction isn’t going anywhere, especially when it leads to some pretty intense heat.
The two have no idea what they’ve rekindled, but things get even more complicated when they rescue a pregnant dog together, taking on joint responsibility of caring for her.
Lucy and Theo must find a way to overcome their past, first for the sake of the dog and her litter, and for their own wounded hearts.
Second Chance Christmas by Jahquel J
Being known as the daughter of the Sageport’s town drunk always left Faith Stone defending her mother and herself. Her only solace was her boyfriend, Rome. Even as a teenager, Faith knew she wanted forever with Rome Atkins. Their small town, her mother’s struggles, and everyone’s opinions of their relationship couldn’t hold them back forever. After graduation, they would put Sageport behind them and start life anew together . . . but prom night changed everything.
Fifteen years later, Faith, now a divorced, single parent, finds herself back in Sageport for the holidays. The memories and pain are still fresh, as if everything happened yesterday, especially when she runs into Rome, who never left Sageport. Also fresh are the unexpected lingering feelings they still harbor for each other. Do old wounds run too deep, or can the joy of Christmas provide enough healing power for a second chance love reunion?
At Home With You This Christmas by Marie Landry
Hazel Morris is dreading the holidays this year. Not only is it her first Christmas since her beloved mother died, it’s also the first since she made the biggest mistake of her life and ended her relationship with the best man she’s ever known.
After navigating life and grief on her own for the last six months, Hazel is relieved to be spending a quiet Christmas in Honeywell Hollow with her aunt. Except, in keeping with a year where everything has gone wrong, her aunt has forgotten their plans and left town…
Mason Reynolds hasn’t told his family that the love of his life broke up with him six months ago. He meant to, really he did, but he’s been holding onto every last shred of hope that Hazel would come back to him.
So when he walks into his parents’ house the week before Christmas and finds Hazel there, he thinks she’s a living, breathing Christmas miracle. But she’s not there for him. And she’s determined not to stay.
If Mason can convince Hazel to stay, he’s certain he can remind her that they’re meant to be and show her he can be her shelter after so much pain. Otherwise, he knows he’ll have to let her go for good and end up more brokenhearted than before.
Can these two exes embrace an unexpected Christmas together and let the magic of the holiday season heal their battered hearts?
The Ghostwriter of Christmas Past by Amber Eve
Ghostwriter Holly Hart lives in a town where everyone’s obsessed with two things:
1. Christmas
and…
2. Holly’s ex-boyfriend, Elliot Sinclair… who just so happened to write a bestselling Christmas novel based on his relationship with Holly, before disappearing from her life completely.
All of this makes life pretty tough for a Christmas-hating grinch like Holly, who’s completely given up on romance. But when she’s given the opportunity to ghostwrite a Christmas romance novel for popular author Vivienne Faulkner, Holly sees an opportunity to get her revenge on Elliot by using the book to tell her own — true — version of the story.
It seems like the perfect plan.
But now Elliot’s suddenly back in town — and rumor has it he’s working on a new book, too. Can Holly write the perfect Christmas romance, while somehow avoiding her ex… or will the ghosts of Christmas past continue to haunt them both?
Old Flames New Beginnings by Lea Schizas
Nestled in picturesque mountains surrounded by glistening snow-capped peaks, lies the heartwarming tale of Old Flames, New Beginnings. At its core, two remarkable women take center stage: Sophia Andropoulos, a young-at-heart widowed grandmother, and her granddaughter, Jazz, a spitfire with a heart of gold and a mouth to match. Both have felt the searing sting of heartache. Sophia’s innocent heart was stripped of its first taste of love in her tender teenage years, while Jazz’s heartbreak is still fresh, inflicted by the charismatic Jake Alexander Monroe. Ever since, Jazz has fortified her heart with impenetrable walls.
But fate has other plans for these two resilient women.
While Sophia reunites with her long-lost love, Jazz experiences an emotional whiplash, leaving her torn between the past and the unknown promise of a future with Jake.
A Second Chance Christmas Arrangement by Taylor Hart
“C’mon, let’s just be together until Christmas. We can go to town stuff, cliff jump, have fun …” She turned on me, anger in her eyes. “Wait. Hold up. What you’re saying is that since it’s convenient now, we can be together? We’ll just have this stupid arrangement that we’re together for Christmas, and then we won’t be together after that?”
“What’s wrong with a Christmas arrangement?” I asked. She glared at me. “If you can’t see it, then I’m not going to tell you.”
A man who regrets the past. A woman who needs to get away from her ex. Will a Christmas arrangement be just the thing they need to have a second chance at love?
Sebastian King, Navy SEAL, would be happy if he only spent Christmas cliff jumping and training to get back to being a SEAL. After getting shot six months ago, he’s tired of therapy and he’s tired of feeling isolated.
Charlotte Sky is only back in Jewel Cove to help watch her friend’s ‘Doll Shop’ until Christmas. She was unprepared to see Sebastian King again. And even more unprepared to find herself tangled in a fake Christmas arrangement with Sebastian so she can fend off her ex-husband … who, for some reason, has shown up in Jewel Cove to try to win her back.
When this fake relationship starts to feel real, and some psycho stalker blows up Sebastian’s Jeep … all bets are off. As they try to figure out who is after them, they discover that their relationship just might not be fake … but the most real thing either of them has ever had … and they never should have given up on in the past.
Good thing Christmas time is the perfect time to find just the magic both of them need!
Perfect Score by Kenna King
What’s worse than attending my sister’s wedding without a date? Attending it with my ex-fiancé, Liam, as the Groom’s best man… and the guy who dumped me two weeks before our own nuptials.
This weekend was supposed to be simple… witnessing my sister marry the love of her life in a fairytale Christmas Eve wedding in my home town of San Diego, spend Christmas morning at my parents’ house, and then fly back home to Seattle to ring in the New Year while wondering where my life went wrong.
But with the stress of my ex-fiancé bringing the woman he left me for almost a year ago, I’ll have to plaster on a fake smile, a pretend that avoid my ex-fiancé.
Easy enough, right?
But when all hell breaks loose on the flight back to San Diego and I’m seated next to Brent Tomlin, the Hawkeyes hockey golden boy, a groomsman in my sister’s wedding, and the man who stood me up prom night ten years ago, I have to wonder if the universe has it out for me.
Brent offers me a deal: he’ll pretend to be my fake boyfriend for the weekend to make my ex-fiancé want me back, if I agree to go to his grandmother’s birthday party over the weekend.
Now I’m stuck fake dating Brent, who has no problem playing the role of my doting boyfriend. Worse? He’s making it all too convincing.
The goal was to make my ex jealous and want me back, but somehow, I’m the one struggling to keep my feelings in check.
Falling for Brent is definitely not part of the plan.
This was supposed to be fake… so why does it feel so real?
Winter Magic in Port Berry by KT Dady
Welcome to Port Berry, where love and festive magic are just around the corner.
As Christmas approaches, Ginny Dean is happily running Port Berry’s only café and dreaming of opening her own tearoom. But the sudden arrival of gorgeous and enigmatic Will Pendleton disrupts her quiet life.
Will has returned to Port Berry looking for answers about his family. He doesn’t expect to immediately bump into a beautiful and feisty woman, causing sparks to fly. Nor for their chemistry to bubble over at the annual holiday party.
But any chance of romance is shattered when Will announces plans to open a tearoom next to Ginny’s café. In one moment, Ginny sees her future plans melt as quickly as the winter snow.
Despite the tension between them, Ginny and Will can’t keep away from each other. And when they find themselves stranded in the snow, they discover that neither can deny their true feelings.
With Christmas approaching, both Will and Ginny must learn to face their own fears if they are to take a chance on happiness.
And perhaps they need a little winter magic to help . . .
SEALed Under the Mistletoe by RJ Gray
When Victoria “Vickie” Anne, a curvy owner of a thriving real estate company, and Knox, a rugged Navy SEAL, unexpectedly reunite at a posh Colorado ski resort during a week-long pre-wedding celebration, the memory of their hot one-night stand is forefront on both of their minds.
Now, three years later, misunderstandings and unresolved emotions threaten to keep them apart. As they navigate family dynamics, holiday activities, and their undeniable chemistry,
Vickie and Knox must confront their past and overcome their fears.
Is their connection strong enough to last beyond the mistletoe or if it will melt away like the winter’s snow?
Christmas Comeback by Rory London
Maureen and Will have holiday history—
And not the merry kind.
‘Tis the season… for second chances.
Maureen
Seeing Will Yardley again after four years is a shock—an unwelcome, lump-of coal-in-my-stocking, eggnog-spoiling holiday surprise. His dark features and effortless charm may have grown more appealing with time, but he’s still the walking reminder of the biggest mistake I ever made.
In the fashion world, I’ve spent my career developing a reputation for being independent and unflinching. I won’t allow Will to rattle me.
Now that his best friend is marrying my sister, our paths may have to cross. But he’s dreaming if he thinks I’ll forgive him for the past—or let him back into my life.
Will
Nearly half a decade ago, Maureen Davis and I shared a night that could have been the start of something extraordinary. Instead, it all fell apart.
But Maureen doesn’t know the whole story. And she doesn’t know I’ve never stopped thinking about her.
By some Christmas miracle, she’s standing in front of me, reminding me of the free-spirited artist I used to be. I won’t let this chance pass me by. I just need some of that legendary Coleman Creek holiday magic to help me show her we belong together.
Merry Little Hate Notes by Jennifer Peel
Sometimes all love needs is a merry little hate note.
Holly:
A woman does her very best to avoid at least one of the following people in her life: an annoying coworker, her brother’s best friend, and her first kiss. Unfortunately, for me, all three happen to be the same person—Brandon Cassidy. I’ve done my best to avoid the man, even if it means working in the ladies’ room whenever he visits the main office. Sadly, my days of hiding are coming to an end because I’ve been assigned to assist Brandon through the end of the year. The holiday season is already hard for me, but this . . . this is just the icing on the fruitcake that is my life. To add insult to injury, Brandon resurrects our old childhood game—the hate note game. I’m trying to resist the urge to engage, because do I ever have some hateful things to say to him. But that’s only because I really used to love him. Ugh. Please don’t repeat that. Like ever.
Brandon:
Sometimes you want something so badly, you do things you regret. Like kissing your best friend’s little sister on her sweet sixteen and then letting her believe it was all a dare. I’ve tried my best to move on from Holly St. James over the years, but how do you forget the girl you fell in love with before you even liked girls? When the opportunity arises to work closely with Holly, I jump at it. Unfortunately, the woman does her best to ignore me. So, I devise the only plan I can think of to get her attention—the hate note game. Anything to get her to talk to me. Because there are things she needs to know. First, how sorry I am. Second, I’ve never stopped loving her.
One Salty Christmas Angel by Lucy McConnell
Sometimes, a second chance at love is only a Christmas miracle—and one runaway reindeer—away.
Pax Nicholas has been in love with Harmony since they were teenagers. But one holiday mix-up—a kiss with her identical twin sister—left him on thin ice with the girl he’d always dreamed of. Now, years later, Pax has resigned himself to a quiet life on his family’s reindeer ranch, training their herd for Santa’s annual sleigh ride, while keeping the magic under wraps. It’s a secret he’s promised to protect at all costs—even if it means letting go of Harmony for good.
But when Harmony, the new church pageant director, finds herself in desperate need of help, Pax is the only one in town who can step in. And despite the mishaps of the past, Harmony can’t deny the spark that still simmers between them.
As they work together under twinkling holiday lights and snowy skies, Pax’s mischievous reindeer calves, especially one spirited runaway named Starlight, keep them both on their toes—and tugging at their hearts. But as the big night approaches, will Pax find the courage to tell Harmony the truth? Or will secrets, misunderstandings, and one determined reindeer put an end to their Christmas miracle before it even begins?
Winter in Kentbury by Claudia Burgoa
Until a year ago, I had a pretty good handle on my life.
I ran my grandmother’s flower shop, lived in the quaint apartment above it, and everything was perfectly fine.
Until business slowed, bills piled up, and I started wondering if I’d lose everything.
Now, I’m holding it all together by a thread—depending on one major wedding order that could save everything.
But, of course, a blizzard hits, and my delivery van breaks down.
And who shows up to help? Holden Miller.
My first love and the man who broke my heart.
Brooding, distant, and somehow even more infuriatingly handsome.
He’s the last person I want to rely on, but I don’t have a choice.
Now we’re stuck together, forced to confront the past I’ve been running from.
The cold might be the least of my worries.
Because the hardest thing I have to face is the one person I thought I could never love again.
Five Stolen Rings by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
FIVE stolen rings, FOUR calling birds, THREE French kisses, TWO falling in love, and a Partridge in a pear tree…
Stella Partridge never expected to move back to her hometown. She never expected to be a house-sitter for the twelve days leading up to Christmas as a desperate bid to earn some extra money. And she definitely never expected to recognize the thief that breaks into the house she’s watching: Jack Piorra, her childhood best friend, the one who turned cold and distant overnight and never told her why.
Jack insists there’s something in this house that belongs to him. But Stella’s not going down without a fight–not in house-sitting, and not in love. If only locking the windows and doors could keep Jack from stealing her heart…
Single Parent
A Very Merry Nanny by Lyra Parish
He’s a grumpy, single-dad lumberjack, and this Christmas I want to be the ginger in his bread…
Hudson Jolly is, ironically, the biggest Scrooge in Merryville, but I’m not intimidated.
He warns me to stay away from him. However, I’m convinced he’s playing reindeer games.
When I learn he’s searching for a nanny, I offer to help.
Out of desperation, he hires me.
That’s his first mistake.
The attraction is undeniable and after too much spiked eggnog, lines are quickly crossed. I jingle his bells, and Hudson becomes my ho ho ho, but—because there’s always a but with broody men like him—only for the season.
Now I’m wishing for a holiday miracle because the Grinch stole my heart or did I steal his?
The Christmas List by Maren Moore
I love Christmas.
So much so that in my smalltown I’m known as The Queen of Christmas.
And no one knows holiday festivities quite like Strawberry Hollow.
Only this Christmas season delivers an unexpected twist in the form of Wyatt Owens.
The handsome single father of my new student…
Who just so happens to also be my first love.
The one who broke my heart all those years ago.
I haven’t seen Wyatt since he left our hometown behind, but a piece of my heart has always been his.
And all those old feelings come rushing back the moment we see each other again.
Only now the boy I once loved is a charming, delicious and intoxicating man.
One I’m not sure I can resist.
Especially when neither of us can deny his daughter Lucy’s holiday wish- for the three of us to compete together as a team in Strawberry Hollow’s Annual Christmas List tradition.
At first, he’s determined to win every festive challenge on the list but the more things we check off, the more it seems like he wants to win me instead.
Soon things are heating up between us, and suddenly I find myself at risk of falling… for my ex.
But I’m not sure I could survive the heartbreak of losing him again.
Is this just a holiday fling…
Or is this the second chance I’ve always secretly hoped for?
Cold Nights, Warm Hearts by Nora Roberts
Sometimes the gift you need most is the one closest to your heart.
All I Want for Christmas
Wanting a change from her fast-paced life in Manhattan, Nell Davis moves to the small town of Taylor’s Grove, Maryland, to revamp the local music program. Her sweet students identical six-year-olds Zeke and Zack Taylor have already stolen her heart–though she can’t say the same for their brooding father, Mac. A single parent, Mac firmly believes that any romance will only distract him from raising his sons. Little does he know, a mother like Nell is exactly what the boys are hoping for this Christmas…
Captivated
When filmmaker Nash Kirkland reaches out to real-life witch Morgana Donovan to help him reseach his next film, Morgana humors the skeptical writer. She allows him to make foolish assumptions about magic, but quickly grows tired of his close-minded ideas on the modern witch. Working in Hollywood, Nash assumes magic is only special effects and smoke and mirrors–and he’s written enough horror films to know exactly what goes on behind the scenes. But something about Morgana makes Nash want to change. Nash is ready to start believing in magic, but is Morgana ready to open her heart?
Unwrapping Romance by Sandi Lynn
Sierra
I never imagined meeting anyone who despised the holidays more than I did—until I met Mr. Jack Atlas. Tall, impeccably dressed, with a smoldering presence that could melt hearts, he also happened to be my boss.
I was hired as his temporary assistant after he mysteriously fired the last one. Jack’s grumpy demeanor was a constant, but during the holiday season, his Scrooge-like tendencies went into overdrive. I didn’t blame him—I had my own reasons for avoiding the festivities, so who was I to judge?
But when something unexpected happened that amplified his Scrooge-like mood, he demanded my help. Refusal wasn’t an option unless I wanted to join the ex-employee list. Despite the magnetic pull I felt towards him, love was the last thing on my mind.
I usually tried to lay low this time of year, minimizing contact with friends and dodging holiday cheer. But Jack was determined to make sure I didn’t slip away so easily. If he had to endure holiday hell, he was bringing me along for the ride.
Jack
I never had time for romance—casual flings and quick dinners were enough. I ran a multi-billion-dollar company, and my focus was always on work, never relationships. But when the mother of my child unexpectedly dropped our four-year-old daughter at my door for the holidays and vanished, I had to turn to my gorgeous assistant for help. The issue? She hated the holidays just as much as I did.
Now, I was trying to survive the season with a little girl who barely knew me and an assistant I couldn’t stop thinking about. My well-structured life was spiraling—thanks to Christmas trees, mistletoe, Ho Ho Ho’s, and a city constantly reminding me I was in holiday hell.
Hero for the Holidays by Maisey Yates
This Christmas, could the cowboy from her past unlock the key to her future?
When Landry King shows up at Four Corners Ranch with Lila, the teenage daughter no one ever knew he had, it sets the gossip mill churning. Landry’s daughter has lost her adoptive parents and is in desperate need of a new family. So this Christmas, the untamed cowboy is finally getting the chance to become the father he could never have been when Lila was born. Even if it means dealing with his other biggest regret…
Fia Sullivan hates Landry King. That’s how it’s always been. At least, that’s how it’s been since their dramatic teenage love affair ended in a way that shattered their hearts and left them with wounds that never healed. When Landry dredges up her most agonizing secret, Fia’s devastated…and also overjoyed at the possibility of the new life they could have. But there’s only so long she can be near Landry before their simmering desire reignites. Can they finally overcome their past pain to find new love—and new family—this Christmas?
Unexpected Gifts by Tess Thompson
Abigail Parker just wants to get through the holidays, but fate has other plans…
After a year of unexpected twists, Abigail finds herself in the small town of Sugarville Grove, Vermont, as the guardian of her late cousin’s two young children. Leaving behind her bustling city life and dream job at a veterinary practice, Abigail’s only goal is to adjust to her new responsibilities and figure out how to be the mother they need. Falling for her rugged, no-nonsense neighbor is definitely not part of the plan.
Luke Hayes has his hands full raising his lively four-year-old daughter, Lily, while managing his family’s maple syrup farm. With his heart still scarred from being abandoned by Lily’s mother, Luke has sworn off romance. But when a broken fence and a mischievous dog bring Abigail into his life, he starts to wonder if maybe love isn’t as far out of reach as he thought.
As the holiday lights sparkle and the snow falls, Abigail and Luke find themselves drawn together, despite their differences. But with Abigail adjusting to her new life and Luke determined to protect his heart, it will take more than a little Christmas magic to bring them together.
Hung By the Fire by Shea Brighton
How exactly did I end up as the nanny for the single dad next door?
Life isn’t going exactly how I thought it would. Currently jobless, with a string of cheaters in my rear-view mirror, I did what any sensible woman in my shoes would do: I ran.
Straight to Evergreen Lake, a place I swore I’d never visit again.
Helping my aunt at her beloved flower shop while I got my act together was one thing. Agreeing to help her neighbor take care of the infant he had custody of? That was another. Did I mention he’s smoking hot? And a firefighter? Or that we just had a one-night stand?
Cole and I agreed to put what happened behind us while I helped him look after Joy. Only that was before lines blurred and passions ignited. He doesn’t do forever, doesn’t believe in it, doesn’t think he deserves it. I have no intentions of staying in Evergreen Lake past Christmas, but I can’t help asking myself—what if?
The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler
Sienna Naples’s family has taken care of their wild Idaho land for generations and Sienna can’t imagine any other life. But at Christmastime, with her parents gone and her painful marriage finally over, it’s full of memories…and incredibly lonely. Until a tall, handsome stranger and a little girl walk into her life and suddenly the holidays are alive again.
When single father Guy Maple shows up as the result of an ad meant to be a joke, the handsome Montana construction worker isn’t joking. Money is tight this Christmas, and Guy’s four-year-old daughter Emma has stage-five chronic kidney disease. She needs a kidney transplant, but if Guy can’t prove that he can afford Emma’s anti-rejection medications, his daughter isn’t going to stay on the transplant list. Guy’s willing to do anything, including marrying a stranger, to keep her safe. It’s an impulsive marriage of convenience, and Sienna knows this isn’t real, no matter how much she adores Emma, how well Guy fits in to the ranching life—or how much light and laughter is coming into their lives as a result. But the more time she spends with her new family, the more she fears losing the fragile, feisty little girl and the kind, devoted, hard-working, incredibly attractive man who is her husband—but is it only in name?
Gold, Frankincense and Her by Louise Hudson
One actress
One single dad
And one nativity in need of a wise man
Harriet Edwards, the nation’s serial drama sweetheart, is about to lose the only acting role she’s ever known. Heartbroken and uncertain over her future, hiding away from the press in a country cottage seems like the perfect solution, until she finds herself roped into the local nativity by the newest and hottest wise man in the village.
Reverend’s son, Adam Harris is no stranger to the church nativity, in fact, he’s managed to avoid it his whole life, but when the cast find themselves one wise man down, he reluctantly steps up. Remembering a few lines should be easy, but the woman he’s crushed hard on ever since he saw her on TV, has just dramatically descended into his life, throwing his confirmed single dad status into question.
As the nativity hots up so does their attraction, leaving any hope of remaining professional virtually impossible. But as Harriet frets over her career and Adam dwells on the past, they soon realise that keeping their relationship out of the spotlight is easier said than done.
The Unplanned Christmas Family by Angie Dicken
’Tis the season for a fresh start…
and a second chance at love.
After a stressful season, event planner Natalie Cooper has strict instructions from her doctor: rest. But when her grandmother volunteers her to plan her retirement community’s Christmas fundraiser, she can’t say no. Now she’s being roped into working alongside the home’s director, Thad MacDougall. The grumpy single father’s priority is his relationship with his son, and Natalie’s workaholic tendencies have them butting heads over every detail. But through hot cocoa and ice fishing with Thad and his son, Natalie’s about to discover that her chaos-filled holiday break might be just what the doctor ordered…
Evergreen Christmas by Janet Dailey
Barrel racer Jordyn Banks is thrilled to discover affordable land for sale in charming Noel, perfect for breeding her horses. But that’s not all. A nomad with no family—other than her beloved Quarter Horse, Star—she also hopes to find a home within the close-knit Appalachian Mountain community. Yet Jordyn didn’t bargain on inheriting a controversial Fraser Fir—or falling for a handsome single dad whose adorable little girl tempts her to dream of being far more than a property owner . . .
Since losing his wife in childbirth six years ago, Nate Reed has devoted himself to their daughter, Roxanna, and built up their thriving Frosted Firs Ranch. For nine years straight he’s won Noel’s contest for the most perfect Christmas tree for the Town Square. It’s a tradition he began with his late wife. But this year, Jordyn Banks is determined to harvest her Fraser Fir and compete—meaning Nate will finally be challenged—in more ways than one . . .
Throughout the event, Nate can’t help noticing that Roxanna is dazzled by Jordyn’s strength, beauty, and quirky sense of humor. Soon enough, Nate is falling for her, too. But can a feisty wanderer ever really settle down? Is Nate ready to open his heart to someone new? And is it possible that sometimes love does grow on (Christmas) trees? . . .
Sugar Nookie by Marika Ray
I have one job as a nanny—watch the kiddos while their parents attend a fancy celebrity wedding at a remote ski lodge. What I don’t expect is to go on a candy finding mission and run smack into famous country singer Hutton Calder—a scorching hot single dad. And my old hall pass.
When an early snowstorm strands us together, I find myself playing hostess to America’s most eligible bachelor and his adorable five-year-old son. I try to play it cool, but there’s no ignoring the smokin’ hot chemistry between us as we bake dozens of sugar cookies to make his son’s holiday memorable. Hutton proves to be more than just his public persona—kind, thoughtful, and surprisingly down-to-earth. As we dig out from the snow, Hutton not only stays with me longer, he boosts my confidence and encourages my artistic dreams, all while charming the entire town of Snowhaven with his impromptu Santa appearances and involvement in the local Christmas festivities.
But as Hutton’s presence in town draws unwanted attention, including from my nosy ex-husband, I have to navigate small-town gossip, growing feelings, and the fear of losing my heart to the man who has no plans on staying past Christmas. With Christmas approaching, I face my biggest challenge yet: convincing Hutton that the magic of small-town life is exactly what he and his son need.
Christmas with the Nanny Next Door by Susan Hatler
A charming single dad meets nanny next door holiday story about finding love again.
Amanda needs a second job and falls into a nanny position working for single dad Harry who just moved to this small mountain town. Her problems seem solved until a massage client sues her for making her fall asleep, and it turns out Harry is the woman’s lawyer.
With Christmas fast approaching, Amanda must help Harry and his son, Max, start their new lives while keeping hers from falling apart.
More than I Bargained For by Jessica Leigh Johnson
As Anna and Daniel struggle to create the “perfect” Christmas for their loved ones, they may just discover that they’ve been going about it all wrong—and that true joy can’t be found on a store shelf.
On Black Friday, Anna McAllister has one job: secure this year’s most sought-after toy, the TeddyTab, for her niece for Christmas. When she loses the last one to a frustratingly handsome architect, she’s sure to be put on the naughty list for life. Will she be able to find another one before she ruins her niece’s chance at a merry Christmas?
Daniel Hawkins has struggled for almost two years to be both mother and father to his six-year-old daughter. Since his wife’s passing, he can’t seem to get Christmas right. When he learns that the coveted TeddyTab is the one thing his daughter wants for Christmas, he braves the cold on Black Friday morning and snatches the last one off the shelf.
Unfortunately, securing the bear means taking it from the first woman to stir his emotions since losing his wife. Guilt, not to mention those blue eyes, drives him to give the bear back, but unless he can find a way into Anna’s heart, nobody’s going to get what they want this year.
If This Was a Movie by Morgan Elizabeth
A year ago, Jules stumbled upon the man of her dreams in a bar on New Year’s Eve. After a lifetime of watching romantic comedies, she was sure she had found her soulmate. That is, until she learned he has an entire family and blocked him.
A year later, she’s having the worst day she possibly could, leaving her stuck on the sidewalk outside her place in a ballet costume, watching firefighters condemn her house because of a water main break when a little girl grabs her hand and tells her she’s her Christmas wish.
When Nate’s daughter tells Santa all she wants for Christmas is for her dad to marry the real-life version of her favorite doll, he dreads having to tell her the truth. When they run into the spitting image of the doll, ballerina costume and all minutes later, he’s floored to find that it’s his dream woman who disappeared from his life last Christmas.
Nate’s meddling sisters offer his in-law suite and his contracting skills to Jules in exchange for watching his daughter, and he jumps on the opportunity. Now, he has just a few weeks to use Christmas magic to make her realize they are meant to be.
Holiday Hire by Maggie Cole
Widower Alexander Cartwright has one thing on his mind—his kids. He plans on keeping it that way until his mother hires a sassy, free spirited nanny to watch them during the holidays.
Art teacher Phoebe Love needs a job and to take a secret time out from her long-term, not always nice boyfriend. She plans to focus on the two boys and figure her situation out, but their father isn’t making that easy on her.
There are three rules I live by: My boys come first, the rest of my family second, and never mix business with pleasure.
I take pride that I’ve never broken these.
Until her.
She’s a wildcard—the type of woman I never chase.
She has no straightforward plan for her life.
Her version of how to be strict with my boys is laughable.
I swear, she selects her outfits based on what tattoo she wants to peek out, just to make me wonder all day what the rest of it looks like against her flesh.
And that blush she somehow has nailed everytime I look at her, wreaks havoc everywhere it shouldn’t.
The most annoying thing about her?
She’s taken by a neanderthal who treats her like crap (based on the phone conversations I’ve secretly overheard).
So I just have to get through the holidays.
Her two month gig can’t be over soon enough.
Or can it?
Workplace Romance
Dance With Me on New Year’s Eve by Alana Highbury
He’s the last person she wants to see at work.
He’s also the one person she can’t wait to talk to every night.
Ruled by social anxiety, Roxy has felt lonely and self-conscious for as long as she can remember. Her stress and self-doubt multiply when she starts working more closely with her brusque colleague Jeff, who brings out the worst in her. To escape, she immerses herself in an online fan community where she befriends an interesting guy with similar interests.
Unbeknownst to her, this online friend is none other than Jeff. As their real-life interactions evolve from hostility to a tentative friendship, Roxy faces a dilemma: Can she reconcile her feelings for what she believes are two different men?
Battling her self-doubt and conflicting emotions, she must face the challenge of finding happiness, connection, and confidence in both her virtual and real worlds.
Snowflakes and Second Chances by Jane Lark
Falling for danger, risking it all—sometimes the wrong guy feels so right.
A surprise marriage proposal from her apparently perfect boyfriend, Rick, has Ivy Cooper heading for the hills. She isn’t looking for a comfortable future, she wants something more, something that will make her heart race.
Her heart only beats harder when she’s with Jack her playboy boss. While Rick’s comfort is cosy, Jack’s protection makes her feel like she’s in a fortress…and his style of sex…well…
My Secret Snowflake by Kathy Strobos
Burned by love, Sebastian has sworn to remain single, but he may have just met his match.
Sebastian: I admit I’m attracted to my co-worker Iris—and not just because she was wearing glowing cat paw underwear. But even though she’s breached my first line of defense, I’m set in my Grinch ways. I need to prove myself—and dating my co-worker is definitely forbidden.
Iris is the Secret Snowflake for her perfect man—who is definitely not Sebastian.
Iris: No more naughty heartthrobs for me. Catching my rock star ex cheating cured me. All I’m asking Santa for is my work bonus and a nice—dare I say boring?—guy. And that’s my Secret Snowflake recipient: Ernest. My plan: Befriend Sebastian, Ernest’s colleague, to figure out the perfect gift for Ernest to spark his interest.
But now our company has been hacked, and secrets abound. I’m working around the clock to figure out who and why—with our aloof, but oh-so-attractive company counsel, Sebastian—before I get a stocking filled with coal for the holidays.
The last thing I should also be trying to decipher is him.
But then I get blamed.
When things are definitely not what they seem, sometimes it takes the light of the holidays to reveal the clues to love.
We Three Kings by Kristen Bailey
Maggie Field was looking forward to a solo Christmas in her cosy London flat – before her three workmates decided to liven things up for her.
Maggie loves her job as head of IT at a financial firm, and her three geeky but lovable work buddies. And when they invite her to stay with each of them for the holidays, she can’t resist the chance to get to know them better.
But then her boss tells her she has to make one of her beloved team redundant, and Maggie is distraught. Frank’s work is his world, Jasper’s sarcastic humour is everything, and Leo…well, he’s talented, professional, confusingly attractive, dependable, and funny… Maggie definitely doesn’t want to lose him.
With her career and her heart on the line, Maggie sets off on the Christmas adventure of a lifetime, from playing fake girlfriend at a lavish wedding, to rescuing baby foxes on a posh country estate, to chasing a very confused donkey on Christmas Day in the Lake District. She can’t ignore the sparks between her and Leo – but she also can’t avoid her dilemma.
Can she find a way to keep her work family together, and maybe even find true love under the mistletoe?
Schnitzel & Snow Globes by Katie Mettner
Honor Violet:
Age: 35
Looks: A blue-eyed beauty, if you ask her newest colleague
Favorite Food: Black & Blue burger from the Nightingale Diner
Status: Widowed, a single mom, and not looking
Dawson Knight:
Age: 35
Looks: Dark and handsome, accessorizing with a black eye patch and carbon fiber fingers
Favorite Food: Schnitzel
Status: Single and skittish
Bells Pass is abuzz as the bicentennial approaches, and Audrey Violet, the town’s matchmaker, has a plan for the final Christmas couple of the century. Knowing her niece, Honor, can’t resist a good story, she tasks her with writing one for the next year’s celebration. With a little help from the town’s founders, the legend of the gazebo, a helpful bachelor, a heap of Christmas magic, and a willing heart, the story Honor tells just might be her own.
The Anti-Social Season by Adele Buck
It’s beginning to look a lot like romance…
Can they keep their attraction under control?
After working as a firefighter for the past ten years, burnout is real for Thea Martinelli. But just when she’s ready to hang up the hose for good, she’s offered a position as the station’s new social media coordinator. It’s a move that would keep her on the squad and off the truck.
Librarian and social media coordinator Simon Osman is shocked to learn his new responsibilities include showing Thea – his high school crush – the ins and outs of digital engagement. And the fact that she doesn’t even remember him? Not helpful.
But as the chaos of the holiday season unfolds, Thea and Simon find that the closer they work together, the hotter their attraction burns. Are they willing to risk everything they’ve worked toward…for each other?
Christmas on Mistletoe Lane by Annie Rains
Christmas is coming to the North Carolina mountains, and the air is fresh and crisp and filled with promise. After the devastating loss of her job in the big city, the small town of Sweetwater Springs feels like heaven to Kaitlyn Russo. She’s inherited her grandparents’ charming (if a little rundown) bed and breakfast, and it’s just the new lease on life she needs. Only “heaven” comes with a catch-and a handsome and completelyinfuriating one at that.
After what he hopes will be a quick trip, Mitch Hargrove wants nothing more than to put his hometown in the rearview mirror. But his plans get derailed when he learns he’s now half-owner of the Sweetwater B&B. The fact that he’s given only two months to make the inn a success is a huge problem, but it’s his pretty-and incredibly headstrong-partner who’s the real challenge. With the holiday fast approaching and a grand re-opening looming, will Mitch keep running from the ghosts of Christmas past . . . or will he realize the true gift he’s been given?
Secret Santa by Jezabel Nightingale
Carolyn
I’ve tried really hard to be taken seriously in a male-dominated world, so sleeping with my boss doesn’t seem like a good idea.
No matter how much I fantasise about it.
Anyway, Jamie Fitzsimmons would never want me. I mean, he’s one of Melbourne’s most eligible bachelors and son of a media mogul. Plus, he goes for the model types, and that’s definitely not me.
Now, I’ve got to buy him a Secret Santa gift. But the question is, can I shake off the ghosts of my past and have the confidence to give the man who appears to have everything, the one thing he doesn’t have?
Me.
Jamie
Everyone knows my dad—media tycoon, womaniser, cheater. I’ve tried everything to be the total opposite to him, but I can’t help but wonder if I’m destined to follow in his footsteps.
Which is why I can’t act on my feelings for one of my reporters, Carolyn.
Everything about her is perfect and hiding my attraction to her is becoming almost impossible.
So, when I pick her name for Secret Santa, I allow my imagination to run wild.
The only problem is, my dad seems to have set his sights on her as well, and in his world, every woman is his to take.
Could she ever really just choose me?
Can these two shake off the shackles of their pasts to create a future they both deserve, where Secret Santa gives them everything they’ve been searching for?
The Holiday Heartbreak by Katharine Sadler
All my life, I’ve been told I’m not enough. Not smart enough, not capable enough, not proper enough, but Nick Grove looks at me like I’m everything he’s ever wanted.
Christmas is only a month away, and I’m going to make sure everyone gets what they want. I just have to save a toy company to do it.
And, if I’m a very good girl, maybe I’ll get what I want too. I’ll fall in love with my gorgeous boss and get the white picket fence and 2.5 kids. It’s not too much to ask.
Just when my new boss is showing signs of returning my interest, I overhear his brother, toy designer Nick Grove, saying I should be fired. Grumpy, scowling Nick thinks his brother only hired me because I’m pretty and stylish.
Luckily, I manage to keep my job, but my plan to avoid Nick isn’t going great. Especially not after it comes to light that someone is trying to destroy the toy company and that same person is sending threatening emails to my sister, the mayor, from inside corporate headquarters.
Unless I figure out how to fix things, there might not be any toys for Christmas.
Not only is Nick on board with helping me solve the mystery, but he also treats me like I’m smart enough to do it.
I think I might just be crushing on the wrong brother.
The Holiday Games by Lili Valente
My life could have been ripped straight from a Hallmark movie.
My name is Caroline “Candy” Cane, I own a country inn, date a man who runs a Christmas tree farm, and my mom’s peppermint fudge wins first place at the Reindeer Corners’ festival every year. Basically, I’m living every romance-loving girlie’s small town dream.
Until a last minute trip to New York City leads to catching my boyfriend banging a Rockette (in full elf costume).
So, when I’m offered a chance to star in a hospitality-themed reality show, I jump at the chance to serve hot cocoa in roller skates on national television.
The only problem? The smoking hot, broody, perfectly bossy producer, Leo…
He’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a man, but he’s also my new boss and completely off-limits.
And that’s before we realize our lives–and our pasts–are more intimately intertwined than we could have imagined.
Do I dare make holiday magic with the one man I now know I should never kiss under the mistletoe?
Collected Stories
One Winter Weekend by Melissa Hill
Cosy up with a collection of heartwarming winter tales from the No.1 bestselling author of SOMETHING FROM TIFFANY’S (adapted as a holiday romcom by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine!)
Spend a festive romantic weekend in sparkling Venice, explore the magical City of Lights at Christmastime, take a wander through twinkling Manhattan at the holidays, or enjoy a snow-covered winter wedding in Rome.
The perfect winter romance collection for curling up with to warm your days, and heart!
The Christmas Laugh Box by Julia Kent
The Christmas Laughbox contains FIVE holiday novels and short stories, plus one ALL NEW NOVELLA you can’t find anywhere else.
Cozy holidays by the fire, with your hot (book) billionaire, featuring office romances, small towns, enemies-to-lovers conflicts, and of course, that perennial favorite – springing your girlfriend from jail on Christmas Eve after she’s been arrested for lewd acts.
Heartwarming baby’s first Christmases (ignore the cat who sets the tree on fire). Beautiful treks into a winter wonderland amidst New England snow with your boyfriend(s). Hilariously chaotic extended family gatherings with “secret Santa” games so competitive they turn into bloodsport.
Pretend You’re Mine this Christmas by Heatherly Bell
A small town Christmas box set centering around pretend relationships.
This holiday season, love comes wrapped in twinkling lights, cozy fires, and small-town magic.
In this heartwarming collection of three of Heatherly Bell’s series Christmas romances, the charm of a tight-knit community and the wonder of the holidays create the perfect backdrop for pretend relationships.
Whether it’s a rugged cowboy finding warmth in the arms of his best friend’s sister (Cowboy, It’s Christmas), to a single mom rediscovering her heart on the road trip of a lifetime (Crazy for You), or two people faking their way back into a love they lost (The Right Man) each story brims with the hope of the season.
From snowy ranches to quaint Main Street shops, these romances are filled with irresistible charm, swoon-worthy moments, and the kind of happily-ever-afters leave you believing in holiday miracles.
Curl up under a favorite blanket, grab some hot cocoa, and fall in love with the magic of small towns at Christmas.
12 Tropes of Christmas : an anthology
There are a dozen ways to fall in love in this Christmas collection of romcom stories!
12 tropes from 12 amazing authors with 12 brand new romance stories.
Whatever your trope, you’ll find a romantic story in this anthology to keep you merry and bright:
From enemies to lovers, to best friend’s brothers and friends to lovers.
There’s once married twice shy, and also a jilted bride.
Feel the squeeze of forced proximity and the heart-in-your-mouth nerves of a fake date.
Get your fix of reality TV and sports romance, grumpy/ sunshine or bad boy/ good girl.
There are a dozen ways to fill your stockings, from sweet to sassy to outright shocking.
So forget your excuses and find your reason to fall head over heels this festive season!
Sleigh Ride : an anthology
Sometimes the best presents just can’t wait to be unwrapped …
From the snowy English countryside and New Yorker Ness’s wild fling with a gorgeous local, to incurable romantic Candy’s crash course in flirting with sexy Scottish Jamie, to a magical Christmas party for unadventurous Ella and an unexpectedly attractive gift, these are the perfect wintry stories to curl up with this holiday season.
Baby, it’s cold outside, so light the fire and let the flames ignite …
THIS ANTHOLOGY CONTAINS
ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS by Olivia Harvey
LAST CHRISTMAS by Harriet Reuter Hapgood
UNDER THE MISTLETOE by Kate Kingsley
Holidating by Sarina Bowen
Boyfriend: a complete holiday novel with a hilarious premise.
Rent a boyfriend for the holiday. For $25, I will be your Thanksgiving date. I will show up in a nice shirt, talk hockey with your dad and bring your mother flowers…
Everyone knows it’s a bad idea to introduce your hockey crush to your messed-up family. But Abbi really needs a date for Thanksgiving, even if she can’t say why. But when she tears Weston’s number off of a flyer, she accidentally entangles Moo U’s star defenseman in a ruse that neither of them can easily unwind.
Crossroads: a novella of missed connections, broken dreams and two hearts that just won’t quit. Damien Rossi drives a taxi but dreams of more. Specifically, he dreams about Nicolette Overland, his favorite client, a lonely beauty who lives in an actual mansion on a hill.
Nicolette can’t stop thinking about the hunky guy with the soulful brown eyes, either. She looks forward to every Christmas holiday when she knows he’ll be waiting for her at the airport. But when she screws up her courage to finally tell him how she feels, it might be too late…Blonde Date: a novella of hot nerds, basketball and revenge. Katie is done with bad boys after some very poor treatment by a fraternity guy. Now, facing a holiday Greek event, she needs a date. A nice guy this time. Good thing a certain nerdy basketball player wants to audition for the role…
Love, Lattes and Holiday Tales : an anthology
All the proceeds go toward 4 Paws for Ability, a non-for-profit organization matching service dogs with Veterans.
Wednesday Coffee, and Books presents: Love, Lattes, & Holiday Tales a collection of brand new unique short stories for this festive season. Snuggle up with some sweet and spicy romance from multi-award-winning authors, including New York Times and USA Today Bestselling.
These amazing multi-genre holiday stories featuring Hounds & Grounds and a loving pet will leave you believing in love and a happily ever after.
Mistletoe Season : three Christmas stories
Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts
Mistletoe is Hailey Fairchild’s kryptonite. Every time she’s kissed someone under the mistletoe it’s led to love disaster. Not a good thing for a romance writer! When she was a gawky high school girl, her hunky neighbor, Carwyn Davies, star of the basketball team (and her dreams), kissed her under the mistletoe on a dare. But the kiss wasn’t a dream come true. It was a mortifying moment she’s never forgotten, and now she’s about to go home for the holidays, unengaged and . . . determined to say no to mistletoe. Especially if Carwyn is anywhere around.
Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller
Emmy Banks has always loved Christmas. How could she not when she lives in Mistletoe, Missouri? Kieran O’Neill has spent years abroad, renovating an old Irish castle, but returns to Mistletoe for his mother’s seventieth birthday. He reconnects with Emmy, his sister’s close friend, and spends time with her in her charming antique shop. When the weather turns colder, things start to warm up between Emmy and Kieran. But can Emmy risk her heart when she knows he’ll never stay in Mistletoe and she’ll never leave?
The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham
Prince Arran St. Clare has lost his freedom and fairytale life in exchange for a three-month “punishment” in the small town of Ransom, North Carolina. To prove he is ready for the royal life for which he was born, Arran must engage in the Christmas charity fundraiser, The Mistletoe Wish. But when kindness, authenticity, and hard work prove more appreciated in Appalachia than a royal pedigree, Arran must face the mirror and find out who he is beyond the crown. Add a beautiful and intelligent woman who doesn’t recognize her own worth, some mistletoe, and a little Christmas magic, and it all might be enough to help the rebel-prince understand what truly matters most.
A Cowboy Christmas
Rancher’s Snowed-In Reunion by Maisey Yates
Bull rider Flint Carson has only ever opened his heart to one person…and she turned his heartbreak into a hit song! As if that wasn’t torture enough, now country music star Tansey Sands is at his hotel—and when a blizzard hits, they’re stranded—together. What starts as a confrontation may just end up a reunion hot enough to melt the snow! But will this time together mean repeating old mistakes, or will they take a chance on a new love song?
A Texan for Christmas by Jules Bennett
Black sheep Beau Elliott came home for his baby and to prove to his family that he’s a changed man. The last thing he needs is temptation at his door… but that’s what he gets with the new nanny who’s living on his ranch! Will their holiday kisses end with a Christmas engagement or a New Year’s dissolution?
Cowboy Unwrapped by Vicki Lewis Thompson
For cowboy and firefighter Jake Ramsay, Christmas at Thunder Mountain Ranch is all about family, food and celebration. Okay, and maybe a chance to run into his high school sweetheart, singer Amethyst Ferguson. Six months ago, they had a scorching-hot, wild reunion…and this cowboy can’t wait for another chance to play with fire.
Baby, it’s Hotter Inside by Kat Baxter
Craving some small-town holiday shenanigans? From tree decorating to candy canes, this collection is hot enough to warm your heart and curl your toes.
A Very Cheeky Christmas: An LOL Instalove/Curvy Girl Romance: It’ll take all my small-town Texas charm to woo this curvy California grump that I’m in it, to win it. And by it, I mean her.
Grumpy Santa: A Bully Reunion/Curvy Girl Romance: All it takes is one hot night between her grumpy boss to lead to their forever. And two little pink lines.
Joy and Payne: A Grumpy Sunshine/Curvy Girl Romance: When the grumpy horror writer gets snowed in with the sunshiny small-town Texas girl, they’ll realize they’ve just found where they both belong…together.
Kiss Me: A Reverse Age-Gap/Curvy Girl Romance: Hooking up with my nemesis’s sister was not on my bingo card. Yet one night with the older woman and I’m ready to go all-in.
Happy Reading!!
