'Tis the Season: 40 Holiday Romance Books to Light You Up This Christmas

Christmas, cruise ships, and an Antarctic mystery—Bring Me Sunshine truly has it all. After an unfortunate romance with her professor, marine biologist Jenny decides to escape with a tropical Christmas cruise. But she can't sail away from trouble. Before long, Jenny finds herself in the South Pole and falling swiftly for a mysterious fellow passenger who rarely leaves his cabin. The stern Kit Walker is hiding something ... and his secret might sink Jenny, too. With choppy waters ahead, Jenny will have to decide if she's willing to risk it all—including her life—to pursue her attraction to the mysterious seafarer. 

Timothy Crawford needs to present a bride to his grandfather this holiday at their ancestral estate, but Timothy's as single as they come. He spins a web of lies about his fictitious fiancée, Serenity Adams, but he's got no way of delivering on his bold claims. 

When Timothy rescues a woman from a carriage accident—a woman who conveniently has no memory of who she is—he desperately asks her to join him in a little festive deception. Before long, the fake lovebirds develop very real feelings for each other. But their lies, and their newfound love, may be torn apart at the annual Crawford Christmas Ball. 

This fantasy romance proves that winter magic can bend the very fabric of time (talk about having high expectations for the holidays!). Grad student Emma is pregnant, single, and massively depressed on Christmas Eve. Rather than face the night alone at home, she makes an evening pilgrimage to the gravesite of Wyoming historical figure J.D. McNulty, the subject of her thesis. 

On the way home, Emma crashes her car—and wakes in 1870s Wyoming. Her baby is on its way, and Emma herself is half-dead, but she struggles to the doorstep of a good samaritan ... one J.D. McNulty himself. J.D. saves the life of Emma and her child, and soon the single mother and the subject of her thesis fall deeply in love. But their time-spanning romance has one major flaw. Emma knows J.D.'s whole life story. And she knows he's about to die—soon. 

This second-chance regency romance will delight you no matter the season. Political skullduggery! A sullen, heartbreaking duke! A brave young woman determined to prove her heart has healed! What more could one want from a tale of wintry passion? 

When Lady Astley requests the company of her paid companion Elizabeth at Stenton Castle's Christmas party, Elizabeth is in no position to refuse. Besides, it's been years since her heart was broken by Clive Rowland, Fifth Duke of Stenton, and in that time she's become more proud and sure of herself than ever before. At last, Elizabeth is ready to face the duke who once made her weak in the knees. But when they come face-to-face at Stenton Castle, the Duke is preoccupied. There are traitors at the Christmas ball—including his heart, which pines for Elizabeth despite his common sense. 

Antonia planned to enjoy a quiet Christmas alone in her pajamas. But when her friend Jules finds herself unable to travel, Antonia takes her place on a trip to the Yorkshire Dales. There Antonia meets the handsome Oliver, and an instant attraction forms between them. 

Returning home might make for a peaceful holiday, but Antonia will soon learn that two can make things really merry …

A tale of loss and transcendent love, you'll need a box of Kleenex close by when reading Heather Graham's magical An Angel's Touch. College sweethearts Don and Cathy Angel have it all—but their perfect life ends abruptly when a train smashes into their car on a snowy Christmas Eve. Soon, the young couple are looking down at their bodies. Now spirits, these soulmates only have until midnight to manifest six miracles on the Earthly plain in order to move on to the next life. But how can two inexperienced angels work magic on a deadline? 

The Aspen wedding of Rosie White means something different for each member of the White family. Rosie can feel second thoughts nagging at her as the day comes nearer, and her older sister Katie certainly isn't helping. Worried that Rosie is making a mistake, Katie seems set on making her sister see the error of her ways. If only the best man Jordan would stop getting in her way.

But those frustrations are nothing compared to the bride's parents, Maggie and Nick, who are on the brink of divorce. Not to worry, though: A Wedding in December weaves each storyline together in a way that Publishers Weekly says “will leave readers feeling optimistic and satisfied.”

Much to her chagrin, Angie Roux is returning home to Cape Town, South Africa, for Christmas. A quick stop in Caledon, however, leads her into a very unexpected comedy of errors that ends with that age-old romance trope of the fake relationship (we love it!). The extremely handsome Ezra Johnson is the fake boyfriend in question, and the ideal distraction from family drama and a wedding Angie wants nothing to do with. They only have 24 hours to keep up the charade. But their chance meeting ignites something bigger and leads them both to deal with years of emotional scars they've kept hidden away.

When a snowstorm traps gruff Sergeant Major Nicholas Nowick in town with overly enthusiastic do-gooder Teddy McNally, what starts out as a stress-free holiday fling turns into something far more serious. Despite their differences in dispositions—despite the fact that Nick's days on the military base are coming to a close—Teddy can't imagine his life without Nick, and Nick has no intention of leaving his man behind.

Cash Evans has had a tough life but after many years of struggle he's managed to make a career for himself as an in-demand tattoo artist. That doesn't mean he's exactly open to love, even if he does enjoy a bit of flirting with Bailey, the cute barista who he then offers a job. Bailey's got her own issues to deal with too, ones that have left her completely averse to romance. But how is she supposed to resist this tattooed Prince Charming, especially during the Christmas season? Talia Hibbert knows how to write a cute but seriously steamy novel and Merry Inkmas is no exception!

The romance world has been heavily inspired by the story of Meghan and Harry. Can you blame us? Jeevani Charika's Christmas at the Palace mixes in all those cherished royal romance tropes — a fierce feminist heroine, a dashing British prince, palace shenanigans — and turns it into a perfect Christmas read. Kumari is a dedicated doctor and campaigner looking for a grant to help fund the work she does with the charity Better For All. Prince Benedict is there to see her give a passionate speech about her work. Both of them are stunned to discover that, only a few days later, a mutual friend sets them up on a blind date.

Here’s another Meghan and Harry-inspired romance, but this one has a twist. What if, instead of Meghan, it was her mother Doria Ragland who fell in love with a dashing British suitor connected to the royal family? Vivian Forest's daughter is a top stylist to the newest member of the British royal family. 

Vivian is tagging along this Christmas to England to see the sights, enjoy Christmas in a new location, and watch her daughter work with the beautiful new duchess. Then she meets Malcolm Hudson, the Queen's loyal personal secretary, and his company offers her the chance of a Christmas fling and so much more. Check this one out for a cameo from the Queen on horseback!

Notorious rake Henry Stuart, Earl of Redbridge, starts out confident when he makes a wager to steal a kiss from a sullen lady. But in this Christmas Regency romance, his confidence soon fades when he realizes the woman is none other than Lady Elizabeth Wilding. 

Lizzie's history and the scandal of her son have left her jilted and mistrusting. She can't risk bringing down her defenses, but when her former fiancé, Henry might be her best option …

Saffy had big plans for Christmas. She was looking forward to nights of partying before heading to Cornwall to chill. But when Saffy's sister calls to say she's stuck abroad and won't make it home in time, Saffy is left to take over the annual festive duties of throwing a big Christmas dinner for all the single parents in her village. It's not exactly a swinging party, but then Saffy meets the hot single dad Logan and his adorable daughter Chloe. Plans to stay only a few nights then return to her normal life soon begin to fall apart.

Cassie's marriage and career are in tatters, but she doesn't want to resign herself to a mediocre life. She sets out from rural Scotland to explore three of the most expansive Western cities: New York, Paris, and London. While on her trip of self-discovery, Cassie searches for the life she's meant to live … and the man she's meant to love. 

If there's someone who knows a thing or two about seasonal romances, it's the delightful Sarah Morgan! The third book in her From Manhattan With Love series, Miracle on 5th Avenue, follows the hopelessly romantic Eva Jordan. Eva has been given the offer of a lifetime to house-sit a lavish penthouse on one of America's most iconic streets for Christmas. Her new and unexpected houseguest is the crime novelist Lucas Blade, who is still struggling with the death of his wife. Lucas doesn't appreciate Eva's distractions. But after a freak blizzard leaves them snowed in, the pair begin to open up and enjoy the holiday spirit together.

When her old high school classmate Keane walks into Willa’s pet store, she’s not inclined to help him with his feline emergency. He doesn’t even seem to remember her, let alone recall what a jerk he was to her in their teenage years. But Keane is desperate for some help in his pet-sitting duties, and it is the holidays, after all...

The second book in Jill Shalvis’ Heartbreaker Bay series, The Trouble With Mistletoe is the purr-fect second-chance romance for when you need a festive Christmas story filled with plenty of cute furry friends. 

Erika Sheraton is a workaholic dedicated to her life's passion as a surgeon, and the last thing she wants to do is take a vacation, especially at Christmas. However, when her bosses order her to take time off to rest, she reluctantly packs up her things and heads to the snowy paradise of Wild River, Alaska, where her friend owns a tour company. 

The unexpected upside of this forced vacation is the chance to hang out with Reed Reynolds, her friend's handsome brother and a search and rescue worker. Reed needs her help with missions and is also excited to rekindle a few old flames. This Alaskan Christmas will make you want to pack up your things and head to the most Northern state for your own snowy romance! 

Visit holiday time in Victorian England with this companion book to Lisa Kleypas’ Wallflower series, the core volumes of which follow four ‘wallflowers’ as they navigate their path to true love. I

n this festive tale, the four ladies—wallflowers no longer—combine forces to help rakish American Rafe Bowman prepare to meet, and court, his genteel intended, Natalie Blandford. Rafe isn’t used to working for what he wants, particularly when what he wants is the affection of a beautiful lady. 

But this London Christmas, Rafe starts to develop feelings for the one woman he's ever been challenged by. Ice won’t be the only thing that melts …

The ninth book in Mina V. Esguerra’s Chic Manila series kicks off at a Christmas Eve engagement dinner. Wedding planner Daphne has been hired as a last-minute replacement planner for her friend Greg’s wedding, because Greg feared his fiancee was falling for Aaron, the red-hot event-planner who was initially in charge of the ceremony. 

When Daphne finally meets the man whose job she’s taking, she can see why Greg is insecure: Aaron is undeniably hot. Before long, she and Aaron have put their professional competition aside for some, uh, reindeer games of their very own. 

Full of juicy wedding drama and chemistry between the leads that will have you glued to the page, this is one present you won’t be able to resist unwrapping. 

This Regency romance follows Lady Prudence, who has a simple wish for Christmas: All she wants is to keep her family out of the poorhouse. Her father's vice for gambling has lost the family much of their fortune. Unfortunately, when Pru goes to London's most notorious gaming hall to haul him home, she finds herself blocked by its wickedly handsome proprietor.

Lord Stockton has no intention of allowing a lady inside, and Pru will need a Christmas miracle to make her wish come true.

After his life is changed forever by tragedy, Grant Dodge has resigned himself to the looks of pity everyone in Gold Valley gives him. He knows they’ll never see him as anything more than the local widower. So when Grant discovers a strange woman hiding in a cabin on his ranch, he's relieved to suddenly have an acquaintance who doesn't know his backstory. 

McKenna Tate has a tragic past of her own, one that she’s secretly come to Gold Valley to confront. Grant lets McKenna stay on the ranch, and before long, the two struggling loners find a strange peace with each other. There’s no better time than Christmas to believe in miracles like healing and second chances. 

Sarah Wendell, co-founder of the Smart Bitches, Trashy Books blog, spins a totally delightful tale of friends-turned-lovers in this Hanukkah romance. Genevieve and Jeremy have been close for over a decade, since they first met when they were both seven at Camp Meira. Their friendship has blossomed over the years, from their time as campers to co-counselors. 

But Jeremy left camp abruptly last year, and Genevieve hasn’t seen him since returning from her graduate studies. Now they’re back together for the first time in forever to host a special Hanukkah camp session—and all the feelings and secrets they’ve been holding back are about to come to light. 

Chloe Burke remembers Scott Quinn as a nerd from high school. But when they're reunited over the holidays, Chloe finds sparks flying between herself and the local electrician with the serious glow-up. Their flirtations soon turn into some festive fun: no strings, no expectations. 

But can their holiday fling turn into something more than either of them ever expected?

Single mom Dani Capelli has a long history in New York. From her childhood in Queens foster homes, to her turbulent relationship with her late ex-husband, there’s a lot she and her children are leaving behind when they make the move from New York to a remote area of Idaho so Dani can take over a veterinary clinic. Both Dani and her daughters struggle to adjust to their rural new surroundings. Luckily, their next-door-neighbor—Deputy Sheriff Ruben Morales—is on-hand to ease their transition. 

Callen Laramie has long avoided his home town of Coldwater, Texas. But the studly cowboy learns the hard way that you can't outrun family. When a family crisis occurs one December, Callen is forced to return to the town he left behind—and runs straight into his forbidden childhood crush. Shelby McCall is all grown up, and Callen finds himself increasingly drawn to the woman he tried to forget. 

But when she learns the truth about his homecoming, it will take a Christmas miracle for Shelby to forgive Callen's withholding ways. Will mistletoe win out? The first in a new series about the Laramie brothers, Lonestar Christmas will have you swooning, regardless of your stance on cowboys or Christmas. 

If you love the plot of a classic Hallmark Christmas movie, you'll love the premise of Nancy Naigle's A Heartfelt Christmas Promise. Vanessa Larkin was supposed to be in Paris on a business trip, but she's sent to Fraser Hills, North Carolina, instead. There, she's supposed to shut down Porter's, a family business, in order to improve her company's warehouse space.

Mike Marshall and his family have worked for Porter's for decades. He doesn't want it to close, and fortunately he's in the perfect position to influence the ultimate decision-maker, because he's Vanessa's tour guide. Their easy rapport sparks Vanessa's interest, but can she choose between her career and her personal life?

Still reeling from her sister's death, Emily steps up to care for her nine-year-old nephew, Felix. However, she knows it's not fair to ask the same of Rory, her boyfriend who isn't ready for kids, and so she tries to do the honorable thing and set him free of her responsibilities. 

A trip through London, however, reminds Emily of the love she's lost, and all the while Rory is on his own journey. Will the three lost souls find a way to reunite before Christmas?

Guy Hightower has decided that he's done giving money to the local charity, Christmas from the Heart, which is run by Olivia Berg. The finances of his family business are already tight, and there's no room for anyone outside the organization. Olivia is understandably miffed at the lack of funding for her organization, but what happens when Guy crashes his car … only to be rescued by none other than Olivia herself? 

She doesn't recognize him, and Guy is content to keep the ruse, praying that she never learns his true identity until he's already out of town. But such deception can't last forever …

Fans of The Holiday will appreciate this work by Georgia Hill, which takes place in the quiet English town of Lullbury Bay. Honor Martin loves it here, and she loves the Christmas season. Meanwhile, artist Jago Pengethley has little to celebrate following the death of his father. He just wants a fresh start, not holiday spirit, but his sister needs a reason for hope, and Jago is willing to brave even Honor's bright demeanor to make sure she gets it.

After a devastating injury, bullrighter Hank Brookman came tumbling down from the top and ditched his loved ones for a new life. But now he’s back in small-town Texas, asking for forgiveness from the girl he gave his heart to all those years ago.

Even worse, he left Grace McKenna with a big secret, and now she must decide if she can trust him ever again. After all, this tall drink of water has some tricks up his sleeve and may just bring about a Christmas miracle. 

Pulling sixteen-hour work days, Tripp Callahan is ready to hire some help at his leather shop in Spanish Fort, Texas, in time for Christmas. Soon, his prayers are answered when the former owner, Hank Gibson, shows up—with his feisty granddaughter in tow. Great Aunt Bernie is reading to put her matchmaking skills to the test, and soon she’s hanging mistletoe in every doorway…

Annie Jones is hard at work designing window displays for the infamous New York City department store Lawson’s Finest. But when some kids destroy her window on Christmas Eve, and Santa—a very real-looking Santa at that—lends Anne a helping hand.

Charming security guard Braden Tate helps her repair the damage, and she heads home—only to wake up on Christmas day, for it to not be Christmas! In fact, it is Christmas Eve all over again forever, until Anne can find a way to make it back to the present. Each chance brings Anne a little closer to making things right, and has fate would have it, closer to Braden…

Sienna Naple’s idyllic Idaho land has been in her family for generations. But with her parents gone and her painful marriage ending, Sienna finds the place of her childhood dreams lonely around Christmas time. That is, until a tall, good-looking stranger shows up at her front door, with an adorable little girl in tow.

When single dad Guy Maple comes to Sienna in response to an ad, meant to be a job, the construction worker is ready to put in the work. His four-year-old daughter Emma has stage-five chronic kidney disease, and in order for her to get a transplant, Guy has to be able to afford the anti-rejection meds or risk being removed from the list.

Sienna proposes a marriage of convenience to help him out, and even though she knows it isn’t real, she can’t help but wish this were her forever. Will her Christmas wish of a family be granted?

Spending her trip to New York City crammed into a house with her cousins in Queens is not exactly how Dua envisioned passing Ramadan. Over the holy month, Dua has trouble being herself in the conservative household, as if fasting wasn’t hard enough. 

On top of that, she can’t seem to control her feelings whenever she sees Hassan, the handsome drummer in a Muslim band. As time passes, Dua learns more about faith, her dreams, her relationships—oh, and cute drummers—than she ever thought she would. 

Pushing thirty, Niki Randhawa has always done things by the book. Whether it’s choosing an analyst position over her passion for music and art, staying close to home, or dating stable guys, rather than the ones who make her heart skip a beat, she rarely takes chances. That is, until she’s laid off and realizes all of the choices she’s made were for nothing.

So she decides to book a last-minute flight to her friend Diya’s wedding, without a second thought. When Nikia arrives in India just in time for Diwali, the last thing she’s expecting is to meet London musician Sameer Mukherji. But, in the glamor of Mumbai and the joy of the holiday season, she allows herself to be swept away in the moment. And when Niki and Sam join Diya, along with her husband and friends, on a group honeymoon, Niki must decide what she truly wants for herself out of life. 

Although the snow is falling and the holiday lights are shining, the last thing Abby Cohen feels is cheer. An annoying customer, Seth, won’t stop coming into Abby’s cafe every morning with a smile on his face, trying to get to know her. Even more, as the only Jew on the tourism board in her Vermont town, she is in charge of putting together the Hanukkah festival. 

But what the local vendors don’t understand is that the story of Hanukkah doesn’t involve the figures of the Nativity scene. With no other options, Abby reaches out for help online, only for Seth to answer her call. He proposes a mutually beneficial plan: in exchange for introducing Abby to vendors, she must pose as his fake, Nice Jewish Girlfriend, to his parents in Manhattan. But soon, she’ll come to learn much about her faith, and forget why exactly she’s been keeping her guard up…

Set in a year where Ramadan, Hanukkah, and Christmas all fall in the same week, what could be more festive! Strangers Maryam Aziz and Anna Gibson are sitting next to each other on a flight to Toronto for the holidays—Maryam for her sister’s wedding, and Anna to meet her rich boyfriend’s family for the first time—when they hit some unexpected turbulence. 

Fearing for their lives, the girls confess their deepest dreams and fears to one another, believing that they will never see each other again. But the love of Maryam’s life, Saif, is sitting two rows behind them, and an emergency landing will bring Anna, Maryam, and her sister’s whole bridal party to Snow Falls Inn. As fate would have it, Anna’s crush is filming a movie in the idyllic town as well. Soon, hearts will collide, and Maryman and Anna will realize that the holidays are better when you have someone to share them with…

Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is a sweet Jewish girl with a secret: she loves all things Christmas. For years, she’s been working as a Christmas romance novelist, unbeknownst to her family. Even though she has her dream career, Rachel’s chronic illness keeps her from finding the love she writes about. But when her publisher asks her to write a Hanukkah romance, Rachel will have to find the magic in the holiday. 

For inspiration, she decides to head to the Matzah Ball, a musical Jewish gathering on the last day of Hanukkah, only to find her summer camp archenemy, Jacob Greenberg, working the same event. Although they haven’t seen one another since they were kids, the hatred between Rachel and Job runs deep. But, as they spend more and more time together, they wonder if it may be time to put old grudges to rest, and explore another kind of feeling…

Said Hossain is away at boarding school when he hears the news of his favorite hometown librarian’s passing, and heads back to New Crosshaven for the funeral. There, it makes it much harder to avoid his ex-best friend, Tiwa Oltunhai, and to tell his Bangladeshi parents he would rather be an artist than a doctor. Tiwa still doesn’t know why Said kicked her to the curb, but she’s sure it has something to do with his fancy school. 

Now that he’s home for the summer, she will ignore him and devote her efforts to helping her mother plan the Eid celebration at the Islamic Center—a special place for Tiwa. But when the Islamic Center catches fire, she learns that the mayor is going to demolish the center. As tensions rise between Tiwa and Said, she recruits him to help her sway the mayor and see the value of the Islamic Center. Can these two ex-friends find a way back together and save Eid in the process?