7 Holiday Romances Actually Worth Reading
It takes more than a little holiday magic to impress me.
Holiday romances aren’t really my thing. As someone who loves the holiday season, I’ve read plenty of them over the years — and always find myself inevitably disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, I love a cute and cozy read, but I want to be a little emotionally invested, you know? More often than not, I find these books prioritize gimmicks over actual good storytelling. It’s going to take more than some holiday magic to impress me.
These days, I only read the ones by authors I trust or ones that genuinely sound appealing to me. In my opinion, a good holiday romance is one that can stand on its own if you took away all the holiday elements. Move the timeline from December to March, for example, and the setting from a dreamy snowy landscape or idyllic small town to Los Angeles — can the concept, writing, and connection between the characters still deliver? If so, you’ve got yourself a book that’s good in general — not just good for the holidays. December or not, I’d re-visit any of the books below.
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
The vibe: fast-paced, adventurous
Let’s start with my 2024 pick: a locked-room mystery with a romantic twist. My first encounter with Ally was with her book The Blonde Identity, which I love, so I was certain she would bring that same adventurous charm to a holiday romance. Think of the board game Clue, throw in an English countryside setting and a dashing hero, and you get this book. It’s thrilling and keeps you on your toes as both the mystery and the love story unfold.
A successful cozy mystery author gets a mysterious invitation to spend Christmas at the estate of her idol, the most successful and prolific mystery writer of her time (think: Agatha Christie). Only, when she arrives, she’s not the only author in attendance. Her professional rival, a hotshot thriller author, is also there. The next day, when her idol vanishes without a trace, she’s convinced it’s all one big test to see which one of the two authors has what it takes to be her successor. But as the danger escalates, she realizes there’s more at stake than her career, and her only hope of making it out alive is to team up with her nemesis.
Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle
The vibe: quirky, charming, entertaining
I honestly don’t know why this book only has 3.5 stars on Goodreads; it’s such a standout! After my spiel about gimmicks, I will admit that this book relies on a lot of them and is a tad over the top at times, BUT Sarah’s storytelling is just too good for me to ever find fault in any of her books. Her writing has this specificity to it that makes it unique and enjoyable. Between the fun pop culture references and the hilarious antics, this book is a riot, but it also has a surprising amount of emotional substance (your warning that tears will be shed). The character growth of the main character alone is heartwarming to read.
In the book, a spoiled, self-centered, unhappy socialite is dreading celebrating Christmas with her family in case they discover just how far she’s fallen. So when she accidentally conjures up the spirit of Christmas himself in the form of a handsome, quirky, endearing man, she recognizes her chance to get back the lifestyle she once had. He’ll grant her wishes, and in return she has to learn to enjoy the holidays. But the happier she becomes, the more his spirit begins to disappear — even as she falls in love with him. Yes, the story is totally outlandish (Sarah herself calls it "bonkers"), but my advice is to suspend disbelief and let the story sweep you up — I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison
The vibe: cozy, sweet, wholesome
I doubt there’s a romance reader out there who isn’t familiar with the Lovelight series, but in case you aren’t — yes, the hype is deserved. The holiday elements are a bit more subdued in this book (I really had to think in order to remember that it does in fact count as a holiday romance), which I consider a pro since that means it’s still memorable despite the seasonality. Great chemistry and mounting tension, great MMC, great supporting characters! All around a sweet and swoony read.
It’s a true friends-to-lovers plot about two people who have been best friends for a decade and who are so obviously in love with each other but are scared to take the risk. The owner of a struggling Christmas tree farm enters a social media competition for the chance to win the money that could turn her business around. But in a misguided attempt to make her story sound more appealing, she lies and says she owns the farm with her nonexistent boyfriend. Enter: her best friend. As they pose as the perfect (fake) couple, the line between “friends” and “more” begins to blur.
In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
The vibe: fun, breezy
This isn’t the best Christina Lauren book, but for a holiday romance, it was one of my faves for a long time. It doesn’t require a lot of emotional commitment but it will make you smile and keep you entertained. The classic CoLo banter is present, along with some decent tension and a few really swoony moments. I will say the MMC isn’t the most memorable, but only because he doesn’t start liking the FMC until after he realizes she likes him. Not a dealbreaker for me, though.
After a miserable Christmas spent with her family and their circle of friends, including the guy she’s had a crush on for half her life, a woman makes a desperate wish to be happy again. The last thing she expects is the universe to force her to relive the same holiday over and over again in a frustrating time loop. Fed up when the outcome is the same each time, she finally decides to give up control and boldly go after the things (and person) she wants, consequences be damned.
The Christmas Wish by Lindsey Kelk
The vibe: humorous, heartwarming
I hesitated about putting two time loop books in this post, but other than the fact that this is also a “fun in the moment” book, they’re both very different. The time loop element stops about a hundred pages into In a Holidaze while in this book, it doesn’t start until then. And it’s not repetitive either — each day that the main character relives plays out completely differently. I just love dry British dialogue and banter and there’s a lot of that in here. The romance is very cute, but the heroine’s struggle with her family also plays a big part in the plot. Overall a very funny story that will have you feeling warm and fuzzy.
The story starts with an unhappy woman heading home to spend Christmas with her family. She’s barely hanging on to the job she hates and her long-term boyfriend recently left her for his receptionist. Things at home aren’t much better, with tense family dynamics. After waking up in a time loop, she decides to spend each day understanding a different member of her family and trying to fix their problems in the hope that it’ll fix hers. The one bright spot through it all are the moments she shares with her childhood neighbor and crush.
Cruel Winter With You by Ali Hazelwood
I featured this novella in my November book recommendations, so head there to read my review!
I also just listened to Ali’s audiobook Two Can Play this week, which I wouldn’t necessarily describe as a holiday romance, but it does take place in December. Very cute!
This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens
The vibe: romantic, captivating
I’d consider a book centered around New Year’s Eve a holiday romance. This was Sophie’s debut novel in 2020 and it blew me away; I couldn’t stop recommending it to my friends. It’s definitely a “quiet” romance that’s more character-driven, but it’s a very romantic look at how two people can slowly build a strong connection and fall in love over the course of a year while also working on themselves. The storytelling is, as usual for any Sophie book, well-developed, and the ending is really memorable.
This book basically took the invisible string theory and turned it into a story. It’s about a boy and a girl who were born on the same hospital on the same day, and have been unwittingly connected ever since through a series of missed connections. The girl has always considered her birthday — January 1 — to be cursed because of the unique birth story she shares with the boy. Years later, when she finally crosses paths with her birthday twin on night before she turns 30, they can’t help but connect because of their history and a tentative friendship forms. I love how there are also flashbacks to how each character spent their birthdays throughout the years — in each other’s orbit but never quite meeting.
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I have to remember this post during the fall when I’m craving a holiday book. I agree with your points on what makes a good one! From this list I’ve only read In a Holidaze and the others sound great!