Holiday Reading Guide

With the holiday season quickly approaching, I have seen lots of holiday themed books popping up on my social media. It can be overwhelming when everyone is sharing an abundance of different books, so I wanted to make a separate post to detail what books I'm looking forward to this holiday season!

This post will cover Christmas romance, non-Christmas holidays, non-romance holiday, and winter themed books!

CHRISTMAS ROMANCE

In no particular order, here are some Christmas romance books I have been eyeing!

1. Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews

A small-town holiday romance set at a family Christmas tree farm.

2. It Happened One Christmas by Chantal Guertin

A holiday rom-com with grumpy x sunshine characters.

3. Along Came Holly by Codi Hall

A small town romance with grumpy x sunshine characters.

4. Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin

I included this one here because it has Hanukkah and Ramadan celebrations but I still felt the main theme of this is Christmas romance.

5. A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss

3 estranged half sisters navigating their fathers complicated will, the holidays, and some romance.

6. Home Sweet Christmas by Susan Mallery

A small town romance with all of the 'Hallmark" vibes.

7. In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren

A Christmas romance with childhood friends-to-lovers and a little bit of time travel.

8. The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews

A small-town romance with a touch of Christmas magic.

9. The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox

A holiday rom-com about twins with very different lives, who switch places leading up to the holiday season.

10. Kiss Her Once For Me by Alison Cochrun

A rom-com with some family drama and LGBTQ+ representation!

More *SPICY* Christmas Romance (not to say the above don't have spice, just these to my knowledge, are a bit spicier):

11. Wreck The Halls by Tessa Bailey

A rom-com about the adult children of two former rock stars who team up to convince their estranged mothers to play a Christmas Eve concert.

12. How The Grump Saved Christmas by Claire Kingsley

A family Christmas tree farm that needs saving, a small town, second-chance romance, grumpy x sunshine... this book seems to have a lot of tropes that are sure to create a very fun read.

13. A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

An actress starring in a steamy Christmas movie (who has little personal experience in the steam department), faced with a co-star known for his experience thanks to a leaked tape... they become co-stars with benefits (for research purposes only of course) and try to keep feelings out of it.

NON-CHRISTMAS

There are so many holidays to celebrate this season, not just Christmas! So here are some recommendations for other holidays to read about.

1. A Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli

A romance story set at a wedding in Mumbai during Diwali

2. Salaam With Love by Sara Sharaf Beg

This book is set in New York during Ramadan and has romance themes and lots of family.

3. The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer

A romance book set around Hanukkah.

4. Once Upon an Eid by S. K. Ali & Aisha Saeed (editors) and various authors

A collection of short stories that take place around Eid.

NON-ROMANCE

Not everyone enjoys romance books, so here are some holiday themed books I have found that aren't romance focused.

1. The Christmas Orphans Club by Becca Freeman

This book has a touch of romance but appears to have the main theme of found family.

2. The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett

A Christmas themed mystery focused on a death in the theatre during the Christmas play.

3. The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict

A murder mystery that takes place over the 12 nights of Christmas

WINTER READS

In case the holidays just aren't your thing, here are some winter reads that don't focus on the holidays.

1. Dead and Gondola by Ann Claire

A winter mystery involving a family bookshop and a murder on the Gondola. It sounds like a good mix between chilling and cozy!

2. The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan

This book does take place around the holiday season, but is more focused on grief, friendship, and just trying to get through. I added it to this list as the main themes do not appear to be holiday related.

3. Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

A winter thriller that gave me all the 'snowed in' vibes.

4. Winter in New York by Josie Silver

December romance that doesn't revolve around the holidays. Main themes are romance in snowy New York. Another one to check out is One Day In December by this author too - which has similar vibes.

5. One By One by Ruth Ware

Another winter thriller that gave me 'snowed in' vibes!

6. Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

Powerful, emotional, and had me shivering.

What are some holiday themed books on your TBR? Did I miss any you're looking forward to? Let me know in the comments!