‘Tis the season for all the best holiday reads ever!
Curl up by the fire and dive into the festive spirit with some of these amazing holiday books, each holding a magical delight perfect for the holiday season. Ranging from some serious fiction to your typical holiday rom-coms to some romance too, they’re full of holiday charm, love, and the best time of the year!
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Wondering What to Read this Holiday Season? Check Out these Amazing Holiday Reads!
Since holidays are the best time of year to cozy up with a good entertaining book, we have rounded up a list of all the best holiday reads of 2023.
1. In a New York Minute by Kate Spencer
A sweet, fun rom-com story with some LOL moments, In a New York Minute is about Franny and Hayes who end up going viral for their subway encounter and then find themselves running into each other around the city. It’s a slow burn but in a good way, like a real-life romance where you’re getting to know someone and figuring out your feelings for each other.
It’s definitely one of heartwarming and romantic Christmas reads with a clever reminder that fate can have a sense of humor!
Available at: Amazon | Bookshop | Audiobook
2. Duke, Actually by Jenny Holiday
A great follow up to A Princess for Christmas, Jenny Holiday’s Duke, Actually is a wonderful romance woven around the holidays with just enough spice. The story follows Dani, a divorcee struggling with how she wants to live her life post breakup, and Max, a baron struggling to find purpose in his life. As the two get closer in the upcoming Eldovian royal wedding, their friendship grows and so do sparks.
Witty banter, royal shenanigans, great characters and a slow burn make this one a great holiday romance!
Add to Cart: Amazon | Bookshop | Audiobook
3. The Collective by Alison Gaylin
Extremely engrossing, dark and thrilling, The Collective is a riveting tale of female revenge, social media and the test of just how far some people will go for closure. Camille lost her 15 year old daughter five years ago at the hands of a frat boy, who only received a slap on the wrist for assaulting and killing her. Grief, anger, and revenge consume Camille, and she discovers a corner of the dark web full of mothers who work to serve their own form of justice to their children’s killers, when it isn’t served by the criminal justice system.
If you want a unique thriller for this holiday season, The Collective certainly fits the bill!
Available at: Amazon | Bookshop | Audiobook
4. The Secret of Snow by Viola Shipman
One of the best holiday reads, The Secret of Snow is a beautifully written story about second chances. Sonny Dunes has a breakdown after losing her meteorologist job in sunny Southern California. With nowhere else to turn, she ends up moving home to Michigan since her hometown news station is the only one willing to give her a job. But taking that job unearths some unwanted memories. And to distract herself from these memories, she throws herself into all the fun winter activities that Michigan has to offer.
If you love the magic of snow and a heartwarming story about finding yourself and second chances, this book is a must-read holiday book!
Add to Cart: Amazon | Bookshop | Audiobook
5. Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan
From Patti Callahan, the bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis, comes another enchanting story, Once Upon a Wardrobe, that pulls back the curtain on the early life of C. S. Lewis. The book follows a woman whose dying brother begs her to discover where Narnia came from, after reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. To bring comfort to her brother, she tracks down C.S. Lewis and attempts to discover the meaning behind the author’s fictional creation.
Definitely one of the best holiday reads to dive into the festive mood!
Available at: Amazon | Bookshop | Audiobook
6. A Cross-Country Christmas by Courtney Walsh
Courtney Walsh’s A Cross-County Christmas has it all, depth, romance, great dialogue, chemistry, perfect pacing, and every wonderful Christmas moment you could ask for.
Lauren is going home for Christmas, not because she wants to, but because her brother is about to become a father. She hates flying and her only option is to hitch a ride with Will, her childhood crush. But she’s over him and his jolly attitude is extra annoying to her grinchy heart.
If you’re looking for a festive book you can devour in a day, then look no further!
Add to Cart: Amazon | Audiobook
7. The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer
Charming and engaging, The Matzah Ball is the perfect blend of reality and a funny fresh holiday romance. Rachel is a Jewish woman who secretly loves Christmas and only writes Christmas romances. She successfully hides this dark, horrid, and tragic secret from her parents. Then her publisher tasks her with writing a Hanukkah romance, and her inspiration well runs dry. But Rachel is determined to pull this off even if it means asking for help from her arch enemy Jacob Greenberg.
One of the best holiday reads to start off the holiday season!
Available at: Amazon | Bookshop | Audiobook
8. Eight Perfect Hours by Lia Louis
A perfect blend of contemporary romance, women’s fiction and serendipity, Eight Perfect Hours is completely delightful. While being stuck on a highway in a blizzard with no food, no water or a working phone charger, Noelle meets the stranger in the car next to her, Sam. He offers her the warmth of his car and his phone charger for the time being. After the eight perfect hours stuck in a car the two part ways unaware that fate has different plans for them.
If you’re looking for a quirky-sweet, modern story, this is the book for you!
Add to Cart: Amazon | Bookshop | Audiobook
9. Meet Me in London: A Novel by Georgia Toffolo
Set against the charming Christmas time in London backdrop, Meet Me In London is an irresistible holiday treat. Fans of Christina Lauren’s In a Holidaze and Josie Silver’s One Day in December will love watching Oliver and Victoria’s pretend engagement dissolve as their genuine chemistry threatens to upend all their carefully laid-out secrets. The writing is fresh, adorable, charming, and so delightfully British.
For lovers of rom-coms, Christmas, and all things British, this book is the irresistible seasonal treat you need to get into the holiday spirit!
Available at: Amazon | Bookshop | Audiobook
10. Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory
One of the best holiday reads, Royal Holiday is a fantastically fluffy romance perfect for a little festive cheer. Every Christmas for Vivian Forest consists of family, food and lounging around. This year is completely different and full of luxury, personal chefs and royalty. Vivian can’t believe she is able to tag along with her daughter Maddie all the way to England and in a Duchess’s mansion. But what is most unexpected is to smitten with a man working for the Queen.
If you’re looking for a feel-good holiday story to devour by the Christmas tree with a cup of hot chocolate, pick up Royal Holiday!
Add to Cart: Amazon | Bookshop | Audiobook
11. The Simple Wild: A Novel by K. A. Tucker
A poignant, authentic story, The Simple Wild is about family and love. The day Calla gets laid off from her job is also the day she receives a call that her estranged father is ill. Having not heard from him in years, she decides to pack up, leave her life behind for a week, and make the long trip to the small town of Bangor, Alaska. While getting to know him and the charter plane company that has been his first love, Calla falls for Jonah, a handsome, young pilot.
If you want a romantic plotline with vivid descriptions of Alaskan life, this book is a must-read!
Available at: Amazon | Bookshop | Audiobook
12. Landline by Rainbow Rowell
Magical and satisfying in every possible way, Landline is one of the best holiday reads. It tells the story of Georgie who goes through a difficult time especially with her husband after 14-year-marriage. And to put salt on the wound, they have to spend the holiday apart when Georgie has to work. But amazingly this physical distance makes her think about the past and see how everything has begun. And more amazingly with the magic of the landline she has the chance to connect with the young version of her husband.
Light yet intriguing, it’s a great journey book that explores what love and marriage really means, and whether love is enough to stay together.
Add to Cart: Amazon | Bookshop | Audiobook
13. Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
A great escape reading for the holidays, Daisy Jones & The Six is highly immersive, entertaining and captivating. The book follows a fictional highly successful band through the 70s and the height of their fame and career. The story unfolds in an interview style about how Daisy Jones & The Six came together and created an album and sound that was iconic to their world. We encounter the internal struggles behind each band member with a true focus on Daisy and Billy.
If you’re even a bit interested in rock music and band life, this book is highly recommended.
Available at: Amazon | Bookshop | Audiobook
14. Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Demon by James Lovegrove
A terrific page turner, Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Demon is a fun, seasonal take on Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. A young lady calls upon Holmes and Watson to discover whether or not she’s going mad or someone is trying to trick her out of her inheritance. Lovegrove has done a wonderful job capturing the atmosphere as well as tone of the original Doyle books. There’s mystery, murder, Christmas and a Yorkshire demon.
What better way to get into the Christmas spirit than a cozy Sherlock mystery novel? It’s a perfect festive story to curl up with this year!
Add to Cart: Amazon | Bookshop | Audiobook
15. Sleigh Bells Ring by RaeAnne Thayne
A heartwarming tale about the magic of the holiday season, Sleigh Bells Ring deals with strong themes of family, romance, and forgiveness. Set at the Angel View Ranch, our main characters reconnect having had complex journeys and facing uncertain futures. There’s something about snowy mountains, small towns, Christmas trees, festive cheer, and serendipitous encounters that can effectively soothe your often skeptical and tired soul.
If you need a light, snowy, Christmassy romance that warms your heart this time of year, do check this out! It’s definitely one of the best holiday reads!
Available at: Amazon | Bookshop | Audiobook
