I’ve been ready for the holidays since October hit. That’s not the usual for me. I love the Christmas season, but I usually look forward to Halloween and then Thanksgiving and then it’s time for a month of Christmas vibes. Every year I try to read a couple of holiday themed books to help me get in the spirit of things.
However with all the craziness 2020 has brought, I’ve been looking forward to the comfort of the holidays for months. I started watching Christmas movies in October! Even my NaNoWriMo project this year is a holiday romance!
If you are ready to embrace the season this December, here’s a Christmas book list to fill up your holiday TBR:
Romance Series with Holiday Editions
The Present by Johanna Lindsey
This is a regency romance that brings together Johanna Lindsey’s entire Malory clan for Christmas. It can be read as a standalone but if you love big crazy families with a bunch of charming rakes, adventurous ladies, and witty banter, I recommend giving this series a try. I have reread it many times over the years. The Present is book six in the series.
The Malory family is gathered at their family estate to celebrate the holidays when a mysterious present arrives. It’s an old journal that tells the story of their ancestors, Christopher Malory and Anastasia, who according to legend was a gypsy. As the Malorys take turns reading the journal each night, they learn how their ancestors overcame their forbidden romance and it might inspire one of the family members to embrace their own.
An O’Brien Family Christmas by Sherryl Woods
Sherryl Woods’ Chesapeake Shores series is currently at 14 books and has been made into a Hallmark TV show. The TV series is fun but doesn’t have much to do with the books beyond the first one. Chesapeake Shores also contains four different holiday editions. My favorite is An O’Brien Family Christmas, which can be read as a standalone without giving too much away. You’ll know what couples are together but not the stories of how they got there.
An O’Brien Family Christmas is the eighth book of the series. It takes place in Dublin, Ireland where the whole family is taking a holiday trip. Laila Riley broke things off with Matthew O’Brien months ago when their fling got her fired and in hot water with her parents. But when she’s talked into joining her brother’s in-laws on their trip to get away from everything, she finds that things maybe aren’t as over as she thought.
Moonlight Over Manhattan by Sarah Morgan
I listened to Moonlight Over Manhattan earlier this month. It’s the sixth and possibly final book in Sarah Morgan’s From Manhattan with Love Series. It can be read as a standalone romance. The book doesn’t focus hugely on Christmas but the story does take place over the holidays.
Harriet, a professional dog walker who’s challenging herself to get out of her comfort zone, is thrown together with Ethan, a grumpy ER doctor, when his sister asks him to watch her dog, Madi, while she deals with an emergency. As Madi’s regular walker, Harriet can tell her charge is unhappy with her new living arrangements based on the destroyed apartment she walks into. Harriet offers to take Madi home with her over the holidays, but Ethan comes up with a different solution so he doesn’t let his sister down. Harriet can simply move in with him to be Madi’s 24 hour sitter. Neither one of them factored in their attraction.
Romance Series with Holiday Novellas
Some Kind of Wonderful by Beth Ciotta
I adore Beth Ciotta’s Cupcake Lovers series and really hope she writes more for it someday. Currently there are four books and one holiday novella, Some Kind of Wonderful. This small town Christmas story is #3.5 in the series.
Maya and Zach were best friends growing up in Sugar Creek, Vermont. After high school they went their separate ways. Maya went to Florida to explore her passion for baking and started her own business while Zach joined the military eventually becoming a sniper. For the first time in years, they’ll both be home for the holidays. At first they seem to have nothing in common anymore, but being stranded together in a blizzard forces them to take another look at their connection.
One Snowy Night by Jill Shalvis
One Snowy Night was another new pick for me. This was my first time reading Jill Shalvis. I read this novella in October when I was looking for holiday comfort books. This was a quick read that takes place on Christmas Eve. It’s #2.5 in her Heartbreaker Bay Series but can be read as a standalone.
Rory is trying to get home to her family for her first Christmas in years. Max, who is from the same town and works in the same building in the city, offers to give her a ride along with his big adorable dog Carl. They encounter a few mishaps including a massive blizzard on the way which may force them to confront their shared history and attraction to one another.
Mystery Series with Holiday Editions
The Hannah Swensen Series by Joanne Fluke
I began reading this cozy mystery series by Joanne Fluke last year after I watched the Hallmark movie adaptations. The series follows Hannah Swensen, owner of the Cookie Jar bakery and amateur detective, as she helps solve murders in her small town.
So far in this series I’ve read two holiday novellas, Candy for Christmas and Sugar Cookie Murder. Candy for Christmas takes place between the first and second books and is a sweet story with no murder to it. The mystery is discovering who has been breaking into The Cookie Jar to sleep. Whoever it is has been nice enough to clean up before they leave each time. Hannah plans to catch the intruder in the act with Norman’s help.
Sugar Cookie Murder is listed as book six of the series but it was more novella length. At least the last third of the book is holiday recipes. In this mystery, the annual Christmas Buffet takes a turn for the worst when one of the newest town members is murdered in the parking lot. A blizzard keeps everyone stranded at the community center even if they wanted to leave and most of the police force can’t make it to the event. Hannah helps those who are there investigate.
Book six is the farthest I’ve made it in the series. The subplot threads that run through the books have been very slow so far. I think you could read either of these books as standalones and it won’t ruin anything. I’ve been tempted to jump ahead a few books to see if things pick up. If you’ve read these please let me know if I should keep going.
Shakespeare’s Christmas by Charlaine Harris
I read this mystery series by Charlaine Harris several years ago. The series follows Lily Bard as she attempts to move on from her traumatic past in the fictional town of Shakespeare, Arkansas. She wants to keep a low profile but finds that impossible when she’s forced to uncover a murderer to prove her own innocence. This five book series is best read in order. It’s also one of Harris’ darker works with trigger warnings for kidnapping, assault, rape, and obviously murder.
Shakespeare’s Christmas is the third book. Lily Bard must return home for the holidays to attend her estranged sister’s wedding. When a murder takes place and her detective boyfriend shows up investigating an eight year old kidnapping, it appears the two cases may be linked and involve her sister’s fiancé.
A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny
This is the second book in Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache series. It should definitely be read in order. The series comes highly recommended from so many of my reading sources. I’m loving it so far. I read A Fatal Grace this October and was presently surprised to find it took place over the holidays.
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache finds himself called back to Three Pines right after Christmas to investigate the murder of new resident, CC de Poitiers. The whole team arrives to help uncover how CC was electrocuted during the middle of a town event with everyone present, yet no one saw a thing.
More to Keep in Mind
One Day in December by Josie Silver
One day in December, Laurie locks eyes with a man she knows immediately is the one, but her bus drives away before she gets a chance to speak to him. After a year of searching London for him, they are reunited at a Christmas Party where her best friend, Sarah, introduces him as her new boyfriend, Jack. The story follows Laurie, Sarah, and Jack for ten years as they navigate love, friendship, and heartbreak.
Landline by Rainbow Rowell
Georgie knows her marriage to Neal is in trouble. Especially when she has to cancel their trip to visit his family for Christmas. She wonders if she has really ruined it for good when Neal packs up the kids and goes home without her. That night Georgie uncovers her old yellow phone and discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. This quick read is light with a touch of holiday magic to offer second chances.
My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories edited by Stephanie Perkins
I love this short story collection from twelve popular young adult authors including Rainbow Rowell, Jenny Han, Kiersten White, and Gayle Forman. These holiday stories celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, and New Year’s. There’s a little holiday romance for everyone.
My 2020 Holiday TBR
- Mistletoe and Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler
- Faking Under the Mistletoe by Ashley Shepherd
- The Boss Who Stole Christmas by Jana Aston
- This Christmas by Sarah Spade
What’s on your to-be-read list for the holidays? Share your favorite Christmas books in the comments below.
