There’s nothing like curling up with a good Christmas book and a warm drink to get you in the festive spirit! These 21 new Christmas books for 2024 are perfect for your holiday season reading list and they also make great gifts if you would like to spread the holiday cheer!
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1. The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler
Setting: Idaho
Newly divorced Sienna Naples lives alone on the ranch in a small community in Idaho that has been home to her family for generations. She has a couple of close friends but she spends more time with her animals than people since her dad’s dementia necessitated a move to a long-term care home. On the day that her divorce is finalized, Sienna’s friend places a ‘husband for hire’ ad in the local newspaper under Sienna’s name – a position that includes health benefits.
The ad was meant as a joke but single dad Guy Maple who’s new in town shows up to apply. Guy’s 4 year-old daughter, Emma, has late stage kidney disease and is going to be removed from the transplant list without proof they would be able to afford the anti-rejection medications and Guy is willing to do anything to save his daughter – even marry a stranger for access to her health insurance. Sienna is taken aback at first but can’t stop thinking about Guy and his devotion to his little girl so she marries him at the courthouse within 24 hours of their first meeting and Guy and Emma leave the run-down motel where they were staying and move to the ranch with her.
I started The Christmas You Found Me expecting the typical holiday romance but this heartwarming story is so much more. Fake marriage isn’t my favourite romance trope because the reasons for getting married rarely make sense but I can get behind a sham marriage that’s entered into in order to save a wee girl who has been sick most of her young life.
The characters feel authentic and I loved all of them – even the ex-husband has a bit of a redemptive arc. Guy is a good man trying his best to provide for his daughter and it makes perfect sense for Sienna to fall in love with both of them. Their relationship starts as a marriage of convenience but leads to a slow-burn romance and also to the formation of a loving family.
This is an emotional read – I literally sobbed so hard through the last few chapters of the book that my eyes were swollen so be sure to have kleenex on hand if you’re a weeper. The moving story takes place during the lead-up to Christmas and the sentiment suits the spirit of the season but it’s not particularly festive so could be enjoyed any time of the year. It also appears to be the first in a new series which I’m looking forward to because I loved the author’s Moose Springs, Alaska series!
2. Kiss Me at Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
Setting: England
Christmas can officially get stuffed because Harriet Smith is not feeling bright and merry this year. She hasn’t for a while. So when her college-aged daughter opts for Manhattan’s winter wonderland instead of Christmas at home, Harriet finds herself seeking solace in a wine-soaked one-night stand.
But how Harriet will spend the holidays is swiftly decided for her after she takes the fall for some students who break into the town’s old Winter Theater. To get the students off the hook, the theater’s elderly owner requests that Harriet direct the washed-out stage’s final Christmas performance. And Harriet will do anything to help the kids . . . even work with the owner’s lawyer who, as it turns out, is her less than impressed one-night stand.
Directing the play with him won’t exactly change her life. But it might just reignite the Christmas spirit and remind her what makes life merry and bright again.
3. All I Want for Christmas by Karen Swan
Setting: Copenhagen, Denmark
Christmas in Copenhagen is a magical time of the year but Darcy Cotterell isn’t feeling very festive after breaking up with her cheating boyfriend. Despite her plans to do nothing but work on her art history PHD during the Christmas holidays, Darcy’s roommate, Freja, signs her up for an elite online dating app. Darcy reluctantly agrees to go on three dates but before she can connect with any of her matches she receives an important summons from her advisor that upends her plans for the holiday season.
An unknown portrait has been found hidden in the backing of a masterpiece painted by Denmark’s greatest artist, Johan Trier, and Darcy is tasked with conducting the research to identify the mysterious woman in the painting. She sets to work going through the archives of a foundation devoted to Trier and his work – the same organization where Max Lorenson, an attractive and arrogant lawyer who she matched with, works.
The attraction is instant but Darcy and Max mutually agree that they should keep things professional while they are working together. The chemistry between the two of them is hard to ignore though until one of Darcy’s discoveries puts them on opposite sides and she realizes that Max might have an agenda of his own.
Another cozy winter romance from one of my favourite authors! Karen Swan’s books are the perfect bit of escapism for me – a great story with some element of mystery, a bit of romance and a fabulous setting! I like that her Christmas novels tend to have more of a plot than many Hallmark-style Christmas romances – here we have an intriguing art-world mystery set in Copenhagen – a city I visited and fell in love with years ago (but, unfortunately, not during Christmas season).
All I Want For Christmas takes place during the holiday season in Copenhagen but the city’s seasonal festivities are more in the background and not the focus of the story. I thought this was an enjoyable read but if you’re looking for a book that feels very Christmas-y then it might not be the best choice.
4. The December Market by RaeAnne Thayne
Setting: Small mountain town in Idaho
In a small mountain town in Idaho called Shelter Springs, Amanda Taylor tries to forget her painful past by focusing on running her business and helping others. There’s no time for her to even consider a social life between her soap shop, organizing the town’s annual holiday market and helping her beloved grandmother, Birdie, who has moved into the Shelter Inn retirement community because of her failing eyesight. This season brings an additional concern as Birdie seems to have a new boyfriend at the retirement home and Amanda doesn’t think her grandmother should be taking the risk of getting hurt.
Amanda also keeps crossing paths with Rafe Arredondo, a widowed firefighter/paramedic with a young son, who is working at the market’s first aid station and just happens to be the grandson of Birdie’s new beau. Both have been avoiding relationships because of past heartbreak but it’s impossible to ignore how drawn they are to each other and soon both are wondering if perhaps it’s time to take a chance on love again.
The December Market can be read on its own but it’s the second in the Shelter Springs series following Christmas at the Shelter Inn which was published last year and it’s nice to read them in order for the continuity. Both are set in the same small town and many of the characters are common to both books with The December Market taking place during the holiday season a year after the first.
This is a sweet second chance holiday romance. It’s a simple yet engaging story that highlights the warmth and magic of the Christmas season and the importance of family and community. An enjoyable read for the holiday season!
5. A Winter Wish by Emily Stone
Setting: Bath, England and various locations in Europe
Lexie, who is a bit of a wanderer, is shocked to learn that she has inherited half of her estranged father’s niche travel business which specializes in trips that explore the holiday traditions of cultures all over the world. Even more surprising is the fact that Theo, the handsome but bad-tempered young executive who her father mentored, shares the inheritance which is conditional upon the two of them working together for a year and turning a profit before they have the option to sell the company.
Lexie and Theo are opposites who get off on the wrong foot but agree to work together to make the company profitable although Lexie is determined to sell after a year and Theo hopes to persuade her not to.
A Winter Wish is an enjoyable enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, slow burn romance. It’s a bit of a departure from the author’s previous novels as it’s more like a typical romance – although it starts with a death and both main characters have issues that they are working through, I found it to be less sad and more lighthearted than her other books.
This also didn’t turn out to be a particularly festive read as it takes place over the course of a year with only a small part of the story during the actual Christmas season. I did love reading about the tours that Lexie and Theo designed and led from Christmas markets in Vienna to the Lemon Festival in Menton, France to the Fiesta de San Isidro in Spain – I’d book any of them!
6. The Holiday Cottage by Sarah Morgan
Setting: London and the Cotswolds, England
Imogen is a high-achieving event manager in London whose colleagues don’t know that her happy childhood stories, her dog and her boyfriend are all made up and that the only way she gets through the lonely Christmas season is by working 24/7. But when burnout leads to a mistake, Imogen’s boss forces her to take a month-long vacation and she has no idea how she’ll get through the holidays without work to keep her busy.
When Imogen’s favourite client Dorothy who is the head of a family-owned vineyard in the countryside hears about the enforced holiday, she offers Imogen use of the guest cottage on her property in the Cotswolds. Dorothy wants to help Imogen and also sees it as an opportunity to atone for the past but her daughter, Sara, is convinced that inviting Imogen is a big mistake.
Told from the alternating points of view of Imogen, Dorothy and Sara, The Holiday Cottage is a heartwarming holiday story about family, friendship and self-discovery with a bit of romance as well. The Cotswolds are a lovely setting for a Christmas book and the descriptions of cobblestone streets lined with shops and cafes, stone buildings with thatched roofs, and bustling Christmas markets with a dusting of snow made me want to visit during the holiday season. This is the 4th Sarah Morgan Christmas novel that I have read and the charming feel-good stories have all been among my favourite holiday season reads each year!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
7. The Christmas Countdown by Holly Cassidy
Setting: Upstate New York
Christmas is just around the corner but Callie is feeling anything but festive. She’s still reeling from being dumped by her childhood sweetheart after moving with him from Virginia to Upstate New York and plans to skip her family’s Christmas celebration back home because he’ll be next door with his glamorous new girlfriend.
Her meddlesome sister, Anita, however, has a plan to get Callie out of her comfort zone and into the holiday spirit which involves a life size advent calendar of wrapped presents containing treats and challenges to be opened each day from December 1-24. Callie reluctantly agrees to play along and soon finds that she’s enjoying herself – particularly after she meets a charming baker who agrees to complete the challenges with her.
A sweet closed door romance with cozy Hallmark movie vibes, The Christmas Countdown is a very festive read that is sure to get you in the holiday mood as Callie counts down to Christmas with holiday season activities like cookie making, tobogganing, caroling, sipping hot chocolate, toy drives, ugly Christmas sweaters and more!
The author lives in my Oakville, Ontario hometown and I loved all the fun little references that she included to local places even though the book was set in New York state. I particularly enjoyed reading about Callie’s outing to Lion’s Valley Park on the same day that I had been hiking there!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
8. The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose
Setting: An unspecified North American city
It’s holiday season at the Regency Grand and Head Maid Molly and the rest of the staff are busy making sure that each hotel guest has a wonderful stay while also planning their own staff Secret Santa gift exchange. Molly is still missing her late grandmother and all of their cherished traditions but her beloved boyfriend Juan Manuel is going out of his way to make the holidays special for her. When Molly realizes that Juan Manual is keeping a secret, however, she starts to have doubts about who she should and shouldn’t trust and kept help but wonder if she has once again mistaken a frog for a prince.
The Mistletoe Mystery is a fun addition to the Molly the Maid series by Canadian author, Nita Prose. Molly’s Christmas special novella is a sweet, heartwarming read even though the mystery is fairly obvious from the beginning. It’s not much more than 100 pages so there’s a limit to how much character development and plot there can be but it’s always enjoyable to catch up with Molly and her friends at the Regency Grand.
9. Time of the Child by Niall Williams
Setting: A small fictional town on the west coast of Ireland
In Time of the Child, Niall Willliams returns to the fictional remote village of Faha on the west coast of Ireland which was the setting of his critically acclaimed novel This is Happiness. This book takes place during the Christmas season of 1962 four years after the electricity came to Faha. The town’s widowed doctor, Jack Troy, who tends to his patients with the help of his eldest unmarried daughter, Ronnie, is in his late ’60s and feeling a bit melancholy about what’s left of his life, the two women he loved and lost, and the fact that he may have caused Ronnie to miss out on a chance at love and happiness.
As the town readies itself for Christmas, Dr. Troy and Ronnie’s lives are turned upside down when a baby is found abandoned in the churchyard. Among the other townspeople who are central to this story are 12 year-old Jude Quinn who often bears responsibility for getting his drunken father home, a priest whose health is failing, and an elderly couple known as Doady and Ganga.
The author’s writing is lyrical and rich with description and I found that it took a while to adjust to the rhythm of the storytelling. It starts off slow as the author takes his time spinning his tale and I was feeling a bit impatient at first but once the baby was found I was captivated by how the story played out and the beauty of the words.
Time of the Child is a gentle, beautifully crafted and heartwarming story of community that is perfect for the holiday season. This is easily read as a standalone but I wasn’t ready to let go of these characters when I finished reading so will now have to go backward in time and read This is Happiness to learn what happened in the lives of the people of Faha prior to the 1962 Advent season.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
10. Most Wonderful by Georgia Clark
Setting: The Catskills, New York State
In Most Wonderful, three adult siblings whose lives are a bit messy reunite at their larger-than-life mother’s manor in upstate New York for an unforgettable holiday season.
Liz, the responsible eldest daughter and a Hollywood showrunner, is working on an idea for the second season of her hit show while also trying to ignore the fact that she has a crush on the actress who plays the lead. Middle child Birdie, a stand-up comic who spends more time drinking and wooing women than working on her material, has been ditched by her manager and needs a break from the city. Rafi, the baby and golden boy, is mortified after his girlfriend/coworker turns down his public proposal at the company holiday party and is working remotely to avoid colleagues until it all blows over.
The three siblings arrive one-by-one in early December at the home of their mother, famed actress and singer Babs Belvedere, determined to work and focus on themselves but, during the countdown to Christmas, their plans are derailed in delightful ways.
Three queer romantic subplots are woven into this emotional and heartfelt family drama that takes place at a cozy country house in the Catskills over the holidays. It’s a rom-com with humour and steamy open door romance but also a family drama with some depth covering a lot of issues including mental health, excessive drinking and finding one’s purpose in life.
I loved the family dynamic between the siblings and their mom, the personal growth that each of the siblings experience along with their romances and the magic of the holidays that overlays the plot. The ensemble cast in Most Wonderful is a quirky and likeable bunch and this is an enjoyable read for the holiday season – a celebration of love, family and the arts!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
11. Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot
Setting: Vermont, New York City
A cute holiday romance centred around Hanukkah celebrations that takes place mostly in New York City during the holiday season.
Abby Cohen is the stressed-out owner of a cafe in a small town in Vermont and Seth is a frequent patron who comes in for a pumpkin spice latte every morning annoying her with his sunny attitude. When the head of the local business association comes up with the idea of holding a post-holidays Hanukkah festival to attract visitors, she ropes Abby into organizing since she’s the only Jewish business owner in town.
Abby reluctantly takes on the responsiblity and her online search for support reveals that there is at least one other Jewish person in town – Seth. The two meet for drinks and Seth agrees to help Abby source vendors and suppliers but on the condition she’ll go to New York City with him to stay with his parents for the 8 days of Hanukkah and pretend to be his girlfriend.
It’s a nice change to read a seasonal romance that’s focused on one of the other holidays that are celebrated at the same time of year and I enjoyed learning more about the Jewish holidays in a lighthearted way. Love You a Latke is a fun read using some of the best romance tropes (grumpy/sunshine, fake dating) plus it takes place in New York City which is at its absolute best during the holiday season!
Abby and Seth get to know each other while meeting up with his friends roaming the city enjoying holiday activities (both Hanukkah and Christmas) and festive food and drinks. A sweet (light on spice) romance between Abby and Seth but also Abby finding her way back to the Jewish community that she hadn’t realized she was missing – a great read for the holiday season!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
12. One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery
Setting: A mountain cabin in the Pacific Northwest
Julie Parker’s adult kids, Nick and Dana, have their own plans for the holidays and she is looking forward to spending a quiet Christmas at home in Seattle with Heath, the much younger man that she’s secretly dating. But when the kids announce that they want to spend Christmas together at the family cabin in memory of their father (Julie’s ex-husband) who died earlier in the year, Julie doesn’t hesitate to change plans even though she’s nervous about her kids meeting Heath. As Julie arrives at the cabin to prepare for a 10 day holiday, the guest list continues to expand as she can’t bear to say no to anyone faced with the prospect of spending Christmas alone.
Susan Mallery is an excellent storyteller and she has delivered a fun holiday read with One Big Happy Family! There’s family drama, secrets and surprises, romance and even an adorable dog all in the festive setting of a snowy “cabin” in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. A humourous and heartfelt story of compassion, forgiveness and understanding in the context of a big, messy, “the more the merrier” Christmas with a family that I would love to spend more time with. A great choice for holiday season reading!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
13. The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Jayne Allen
Setting: Chicago, Malibu
A holiday house-swap story that bears some similarity to popular Christmas movie The Holiday.
Chelsea, living on the beach in Malibu, was once a young star of the LA art scene but is now struggling to pay her bills as she hasn’t been able to create anything meaningful since the tragic death of her parents a few years earlier. At her condo on the Gold Coast in Chicago overlooking Lake Michigan, Ramona is dreading the upcoming holiday season. It has been months since her fiancé, Malik, ended their relationship but she has not yet told her parents because she was hoping the break-up would be temporary. Desperate to avoid her family’s Christmas celebration, Ramona agrees to a house swap arranged by her best friend and Chelsea’s agent/godmother.
Shortly after arriving at the Malibu beach house, Ramona accidentally locks herself out and the neighbourhood’s private security firm arrives to investigate. As a Black woman, the incident leaves her feeling unsafe and unsure whether she should trust Chelsea’s meddling Malibu neighbour, Joan, or Jay, the fitness instructor who leads a class on the beach every morning. In Chicago, Chelsea is feeling a resurgence of creativity after she connects with a photographer friend of Ramona’s, and is desperate to smooth over the misunderstanding in Malibu so Ramona will be comfortable staying for the week as planned.
The Most Wonderful Time is a story of two women on a journey of discovery over their Christmas week home exchange. Both of the women have issues they are grappling with – Chelsea finding a way to move past her overwhelming grief and find her artistic spark again and Ramona dealing with the weight of parental expectations and not knowing what she really wants in her life. Through Ramona’s story, the novel also touches on issues of race and what it’s like to be a black person in a world where racism is still prevalent.
Both Ramona and Chelsea have new relationships during the week of their house swap but this isn’t a romance novel so readers shouldn’t expect a perfect happily-ever-after and the story is light on the Christmas vibes – overall an enjoyable read from the author of the Black Girls Must Die Exhausted trilogy.
14. The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay
Setting: Hudson Valley, New York and Kauai, Hawaii
Holly Beech and Ivy Casey have been besties since meeting in college so Ivy is at her best friend’s side providing support when Holly’s fiancé breaks up with her the night before their holiday season wedding. Holly’s parents paid for a non-refundable honeymoon in Hawaii and she can’t bear to go alone so she decides the solution is for Ivy to switch vacations with her.
Ivy reluctantly agrees to spend Christmas at a luxury resort in Kauai while Holly will spend the holidays binge-watching her favourite holiday movies and healing from her heartbreak at the remote eco-cabin that Ivy had booked in New York’s Hudson Valley for her annual solo art retreat.
There’s a surprise in store for both women, however, as the Airbnb host in the Hudson Valley turns out to be Holly’s highschool academic rival and Ivy’s vacation in Kauai is upended when Holly’s ex checks into the honeymoon suite with a new woman and she needs help from a hot bartender to find someplace to stay. Who knew best friends switching vacations could lead to unexpectedly falling in love?!?
This lighthearted holiday romance read set in two beautiful destinations – one snowy and one beachy – during the Christmas season will appeal to anyone who loves the movie The Holiday! The Holiday Honeymoon Switch is a dual storyline romance with likeable main characters and a great supporting cast. There are two romances but it’s also about the strong friendship between the two female main characters and about taking chances and new beginnings. It’s not overly festive so would be a fun read at any time of the year.
15. The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
Setting: An estate in Northern England
Authors with the same publishing company, Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt are rival mystery writers who just don’t like each other at all. She hates him because he’s just too cool and he thinks her name is Marcie no matter how many times she tells him otherwise. Thankfully, their interactions have been mostly brief until they both receive a cryptic invitation to join a reclusive fan for Christmas at a rural estate in the north of England and the fan turns out to be Eleanor Ashley, the most famous mystery writer in the world.
Maggie and Ethan arrive at Eleanor’s home a few days before Christmas joining a group that includes various family members, household staff, Eleanor’s lawyer, a doctor and a local police officer. Amidst a worsening winter storm, the bridge goes out and phones lines down leaving the occupants of the mansion snowbound and by the next morning, Eleanor has vanished from a locked room. It might just be a test of some sort but Maggie fears that Eleanor is in danger and joining forces with Ethan to solve the mystery might be the only way to save her…if they don’t kill each other first!
This rivals-to-lovers romance/locked-room mystery was such a fun read! The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year has an intriguing mystery with clues sprinkled throughout, fun and flirty banter, great chemistry and some emotional depth as the two characters work through their past. I loved this duo and would be happy if this were to be an ongoing mystery series. A few plot twists and a satisfying conclusion to the whodunnit plus a HEA – if you want something a little different from the typical holiday romance then this one is a delight!
16. All I Want Is You by Falon Ballard
Setting: Remote inn in Upstate New York
Nick and Jessica are romance writers who were also a couple until he broke up with her five years ago for no apparent reason. Even though they are with the same publishing company, Jessica has avoided Nick ever since and continues to write happily-ever-afters while working as a barista to pay the bills. Nick, however, has become a bestselling author writing romances without happy endings and is to be named Romance Author of the Year at an upcoming ceremony – an award that Jessica has been asked to present.
Jessica hates the idea but knows she has to agree for the sake of her career so heads upstate a few days before Christmas to attend the awards dinner being held at a remote inn. Delayed by stormy weather, Jessica arrives just before the ceremony and when she tries to check-in after discovers that her reservation has been lost and she has no choice but to share a room at the fully-booked inn with Nick. Morning brings news that they’re snowed in which means plenty of time for writing since the friction between the two seems to be the cure both needed for writer’s block.
A second chance enemies-to-lovers romance about two romance authors writing a second chance enemies-to-lovers romance. Throw in some forced proximity, one bed and being snowed in at a cozy inn a few days before Christmas and All I Want Is You has all the ingredients for a steamy holiday read! This is a short book that I read in one afternoon and, while it won’t be one of my favourite holiday romances, I did enjoy the festive vibes.
17. The Merry Matchmaker by Sheila Roberts
Setting: Small town in the Pacific Northwest, USA
Frankie, a 50 year-old widow who owns a holiday-themed shop in a small town called Carol, can’t help meddling in the lives of family and friends even though her efforts often end in disaster! Whether it’s her younger divorced sister, her shy employee or her good friend, Mitch, who owns the local hardware store, Frankie is determined to help everyone she cares for find their happily-ever-after but is afraid to take a chance on love again herself.
Inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma, The Merry Matchmaker is a very loose retelling set in a small town in the Pacific Northwest during the holiday season. There’s a large cast of characters to keep track of and it’s heavily reliant on dialogue but this is a sweet holiday story set in a charming town with lots of festive spirit and a happy ending for everyone. It’s also a good choice for anyone looking for a heartwarming holiday romance without spice.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
18. Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson
Setting: Blue Mountains, Australia
Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret is a holiday novella in the Ernest Cunningham series of cozy murder mysteries following Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone and Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect.
In the days leading up to Christmas, Ernest travels to Katoomba in Australia’s Blue Mountains after he receives a call from his ex-wife Erin who has been arrested for murder. Erin’s boyfriend, a wealthy philanthropist, was brutally murdered in their home while Erin was upstairs sleeping. Ernest must prove Erin’s innocence by identifying the real murderer before Christmas (and his wedding).
This well-plotted Christmas-themed whodunnit is a fun (and laugh-out-loud funny) read that can easily be consumed in one sitting. In the alternative, if you have the self-discipline, you can read one chapter a day from December 1-24 as the book is cleverly structured like an advent calendar with 24 chapters and 24 clues.
As with the first two novels, this brisk-paced mystery is told through first-person narration with the likeable Ernest talking directly to the reader and, although it’s shorter, it still follows the same Golden Age mystery rules as the first two novels in the series with the addition of Ern’s rules for Christmas Specials. It helps to have read the previous two books but this book could be enjoyed as a standalone as well.
19. Christmas With the Queen by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb
Setting: Norfolk, England
December 1952. While the young Queen Elizabeth II finds her feet as the new monarch, she must also find the right words to continue the tradition of her late father’s Christmas Day radio broadcast. But even traditions must evolve with the times, and the queen faces a postwar Britain hungry for change.
As preparations begin for the royal Christmas at Sandringham House in Norfolk, old friends—Jack Devereux and Olive Carter—are unexpectedly reunited by the occasion. Olive, a single mother and aspiring reporter at the BBC, leaps at the opportunity to cover the holiday celebration, but even a chance encounter with the queen doesn’t go as planned and Olive wonders if she will ever be taken seriously.
Jack, a recently widowed chef, reluctantly takes up a new role in the royal kitchens at Sandringham. Lacking in purpose and direction, Jack has abandoned his dream to have his own restaurant, but his talents are soon noticed and while he might not believe in himself, others do, and a chance encounter with an old friend helps to reignite the spark of his passion and ambition.
As Jack and Olive’s paths continue to cross over the following five Christmases, they grow ever closer. Yet Olive carries the burden of a heavy secret that threatens to destroy everything.
Christmas Day, December 1957. As the nation eagerly awaits the Queen’s first televised Christmas speech, there is one final gift for the Christmas season to deliver…
20. Christmas Eve Love Story by Ginny Baird
Setting: New York City
A wholesome Groundhog Day-style love story about a young woman repeating Christmas Eve until she finds everything that has been missing from her life.
There’s a major storm about to hit New York City on Christmas Eve and Annie, a hardworking department store window designer, had been hoping for news of a promotion before heading home to spend Christmas Day alone with her foster cat. When a couple of rambunctious boys destroy her window display, Annie receives decorating tips from the store’s Santa Claus and help from Braden the friendly security guard to set everything to rights before she leaves for the day. The next morning, however, Annie wakes to the realization that it’s Christmas Eve again and finds herself stuck in a time loop that she’s not sure how to get out of.
This is a sweet Christmas romance and a heartwarming story of friendship, love, community and the magic of the holiday season. A quick read that’s perfect for anyone looking for a clean romance!
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
21. The Christmas Inn by Pamela Kelley
Setting: Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Riley Sanders unexpectedly loses her job in New York City a few weeks before Christmas at the same time that she learns that her mother, Beth, has fallen and broken her leg. Deciding that her job search can wait until after the holidays, Riley leaves her workaholic lawyer boyfriend behind in the city to head home to Cape Cod and help her mother run the inn during the busy holiday season.
Back in Chatham, Riley finds herself relaxing and appreciating the slower pace of life on the Cape. She’s surprised by how much she enjoys helping her mother at the inn and spending time with the inn’s guests including Franny, a woman in her ’70s grieving the recent loss of her sister, and Aidan, Riley’s highschool sweetheart, who is a now a widower staying at the inn with his young son. What begins as a quick stay over the holidays turns into something more as the joy and wonder of the holiday season on Cape Cod works its magic on everyone.
This holiday story, set at a bed & breakfast on Cape Cod, features three women at different stages in life who find friendship and romance during the holiday season. A feel-good story about found family and second chances at love, it’s slow paced and heavy on description but I loved the Cape Cod setting and all the holiday activities including sipping hot chocolate, baking cookies, trimming the Christmas tree, building snowmen, and the town’s traditional Christmas Stroll. It made me want to visit Cape Cod during the holiday season!
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