Finally Part 2, though I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve already been spoilt for choice with what has gone before. If you\u2019ve found this list by chance, here\u2019s a re-cap \u2013 everyone else can jump to the main event!<\/p>\n
I started my Christmas reads last month and rom-coms have formed the largest part of that list. I can\u2019t resist them. I know to an outsider they might appear formulaic with a traditional third act break-up and more tropes than you can shake a stick at but who cares, that\u2019s what I love. I love the certainty of knowing what\u2019s coming, that I\u2019ll inevitably get my happy ending, I just have to sit back and enjoy (or occasionally) suffer the differing means\/obstacles in the way of getting there. I also like the added humour which makes for a more feel-good, heartwarming read. That said, some rom-coms can still deal with serious themes and are not necessarily the froth that non readers might dismissively view them as. For anyone fairly new to the language of romance, a trope is simply a common element or theme that appears in a particular genre and they\u2019re nothing new. Think enemies to lovers and Pride and Prejudice.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n These days you rarely find a rom-com that only has one trope and it some times feels like it\u2019s a competition to see how many tropes an author can include. The list below for that reason is only a guide, each title will invariably include other tropes, I\u2019ve just chosen one. Should I ever decide to dip my toe in the writing water (don\u2019t worry \u2013 I won\u2019t) I\u2019ve already got my trope laden plotline set up. <\/p>\n My FMC who has just taken guardianship of her niece (single parent) is travelling out of the area to a job interview and is stranded by the roadside following a break-down. She\u2019s rescued by the MMC who turns out to be her high school nemesis (enemy) and \u2018brother\u2019s best friend\u2019. He broke her heart when he rejected her (that damn bro-code) and they haven\u2019t spoken since. Cue awkward silences and muttered thanks as he fixes issue and sees her on her way. Next day she has an interview and lo and behold who is the billionaire CEO (at the age of 24) of the company she\u2019s interviewing for a job with, yup you guessed it. She gets the job (on her own merits) sorts her childcare and settles in, but hovering in the background keeping a safe, though with perhaps less than brotherly intent is our MC. A slow thaw develops between them, she still crushes on him, but hates him for the rejection. He\u2019s always loved her, but couldn\u2019t ever act on it. It\u2019s coming up to Christmas and our FC is planning on flying home to see the family. But on Christmas Eve, a severe snow storm blows in and she can\u2019t get away. In steps our MC suggesting she comes with him to his parents for the week (enforced proximity), but, could she pretend to be his girlfriend (fake dating) to get them off his back because of his playboy ways. She reluctantly agrees, parents love her and her niece, he falls a bit more for them both, but duh \u2013 she\u2019s his friend sister but at least now they\u2019re friends and eventually \u2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n To be honest, I\u2019d read it! Plus, I\u2019m copyrighting this, though I suspect it might already have been written. <\/p>\n I feel I should also make a comment on the proliferation of illustrated\/cartoony covers because as I\u2019ve said before they really do blur the lines. It\u2019s impossible to judge the content, either by intended readership \u2013 a lot look like YA covers, or by how sexually explicit they are. Even with a blurb it\u2019s not always possible to judge. So if you\u2019re a sweet romance, closed door reader, just be wary if it\u2019s an author you don\u2019t know. You can always use the sample option on Amazon to take a peek inside to gauge if it\u2019s your thing. If it says, steamy or spicy you can rest assured that the bedroom door stays open, but again it\u2019s not always clear how wide. <\/p>\n Anyway, enough with the waffle, let\u2019s cut to the chase and lose ourselves in a world of would be cinnamon role boyfriends, reformed players, swaggering alpha males, misunderstood ex\u2019s and male model worthy best friends all tied up with a big Christmas bow (*cough* sorry the tying up is a whole other sub genre). As my list this year is much longer than last year I\u2019ve had to split it, if you missed part 1 you can find it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s worth mentioning that the majority of books on this list can be found on Kindle Unlimited so it might be worth taking advantage of the offer below. It\u2019s normally \u00a39.49 a month, which is still a bargain if you\u2019re binge reading for Christmas. Just remember to cancel the subscription before the expiry date of the offer (unless you want to continue with it) and you\u2019ve got some fantastic bargain reading.<\/p>\n The usual rules apply to my listings:-<\/p>\n 1. The books I include are those that I might be tempted to read, with a little leeway given for the fact that it is Christmas! For the most part I haven\u2019t read the books, I have to rely on the blurb and the sample. As I largely start compiling this list before they are published, I normally only have the blurb.<\/p>\n 2. I\u2019ve restricted it to titles that have been published in the year. Though I\u2019m not promising that there won\u2019t be titles I\u2019ve managed to miss. I have found a number of titles published this year in paperback that were originally published in eBook format last year. I\u2019ve not included these as I would have (hopefully) picked up the eBook edition last year. You can take a look at previous lists\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n 3. I\u2019ve excluded short novella\u2019s, ie anything under 100 pages, but please check the page count on anything you opt for. As I put this listing together before some titles are published the page count is not always provided.<\/p>\n 4. Click on the image for to go through to the Amazon listing. Unfortunately time constraints mean I can\u2019t provide a listing of alternative suppliers and this at least provides eBook, paperback and hardback options.<\/p>\n (NB This post features\u00a0Affiliate links<\/a>\u00a0from which I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases)<\/p>\n Hallmark Christmas<\/a> (19)<\/strong><\/p>\n Holiday Romance<\/a> (14)<\/strong><\/p>\n One Night Stand<\/a> (4)<\/strong><\/p>\n Second Chances<\/a> (46)<\/strong><\/p>\n Single Parent<\/a> (16)<\/strong><\/p>\n Workplace Romance<\/a> (10)<\/strong><\/p>\n Collected Stories<\/a> (10)<\/strong><\/p>\n The Noel Bridge by Jenny Hale<\/strong><\/p>\n They say there\u2019s a covered bridge that heals the sick and mends the broken. Actual miracles have happened within its green clapboard protective shell. When\u00a0Alicia Silver<\/strong>\u00a0faces spending her first Christmas without her fianc\u00e9, she knows that the only way she can manage through the season is if she has a little divine intervention. So she heads to the snowy Smoky Mountains to visit that bridge, hoping to reach her fianc\u00e9 somehow.<\/p>\n But she isn\u2019t expecting to encounter\u00a0Leo Whitaker<\/strong>\u00a0when she gets there. He, too, is looking for answers. His father is missing. He hasn\u2019t seen even a trace of him in five days, and with the snowstorm, every day he can\u2019t find him the situation becomes more dire.<\/p>\n Under the sparkle of holiday lights and swags of greenery, the two must face the answers they\u2019re given. Will the bridge be their Christmas miracle? Or will it\u00a0un<\/em>cover more than it covers this holiday?<\/p>\n A Buckeye Falls Christmas by Libby Kay<\/strong><\/p>\n On the first day of Christmas, Buckeye Falls gave to me\u2026<\/p>\n A snow storm\u2026<\/p>\n Uninvited dinner guests\u2026<\/p>\n A Christmas pageant\u2026<\/p>\n And a friends\u2019 reunion dinner to warm your heart.<\/p>\n It\u2019s been ten years since five couples found love in this charming small Ohio town. Families and careers have grown, but the love remains the same.<\/p>\n Max is hosting Christmas at the diner, a final sendoff before the beloved hangout gets a facelift. But the risk of a snow storm and a few uninvited guests threaten everyone\u2019s plans. Will it be a Christmas to remember, or will their holiday get plowed away?<\/p>\n Revisit your favorite couples in this holiday novella, which includes favorite recipes from the series. Warning: this story will make you hungry and may cause uncontrollable swoons.<\/p>\n The Quietest Shop on Main by Laura Ann<\/strong><\/p>\n He lives for the adrenaline of the high seas while her adventure only happens between the pages of a book\u2026 Skyla is anything but adventurous. She spends her time taking care of her grandfather and working part-time at the library and her family bookstore. It\u2019s a quiet existence, but not a bad one, especially since Skyla spends much of her time dreaming of writing a book about the type of adventures she\u2019ll never experience herself.<\/p>\n But when her grandfather receives a difficult diagnosis, Skyla decides it\u2019s time to change everything. Life is too short to spend it daydreaming rather than actually living. And who better to help her fulfill her grandfather\u2019s dream of deep sea fishing than Dalton Saunders, a kind boat captain who makes Skyla\u2019s heart pitter patter when he smiles?<\/p>\n Dalton has never been one to believe in love at first sight, but Skyla Bowen has proved him wrong. Beautiful, but shy and quiet, Dalton has been extra careful in approaching her and is trying to work up the nerve to ask her out when she offers him the chance of a lifetime. Help fulfill her grandfather\u2019s dying wish and she\u2019ll be in his debt forever.<\/p>\n Knowing he\u2019ll never get a better chance, Dalton isn\u2019t above using her gratitude, a solitary evening on the moonlit ocean or a sprig of mistletoe if it means bringing Skyla out of her shell and into his arms.<\/p>\n This is going to be a holiday season none of them will ever forget.<\/p>\n Blame it on the Reindeer by Samantha Baca<\/strong><\/p>\n What\u2019s worse than a man who hates Christmas?<\/p>\n A Christmas-hating man who won\u2019t let me borrow his reindeer.<\/p>\n Living in a Christmas-obsessed town while being a self proclaimed Christmas enthusiast means that I take my role as coordinator for the Frosty Fest very seriously. Everything has to be perfect, and I bust my butt to make sure it is.<\/p>\n Everything was going to plan until Mr. Truman died and left his grouchy grandson in charge of the reindeer. Not only is he the epitome of a grinch, he\u2019s unwilling to even hear me out when I try to explain why this is so important to our town.<\/p>\n But desperate times call for desperate measures, and if Brody Truman thinks that a catastrophic blizzard or getting stuck to his fence post will stop me, he\u2019s got another thing coming.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll get those reindeer, one way or another. Even if I have to put everything on the line and make the man who hates Christmas find some holiday joy in that icy heart of his.<\/p>\n But the clock is ticking, and I have less than two weeks to change his mind and save Frosty Fest.<\/p>\n The Christmas Tree Farm by Melody Carson<\/strong><\/p>\n When Madison McDowell returns from several years teaching overseas, she has high hopes of picking up where she left off at her family\u2019s Christmas tree farm in Oregon. But between damage from a recent wildfire and the neglect due to her sister Addie\u2019s unwillingness to invest, the farm is in sad shape. In fact, Addie is intent on selling the property. And to top it off, her former high school flame, the now-widowed Gavin Thompson, has plans to break Madison\u2019s heart again by turning his neighboring property into a dusty, noisy dirt bike track for his daughter.<\/p>\n With the odds stacked against her, Madison decides there\u2019s only one thing to do: double down on her dreams. It will take a ton of hard work\u2013and some help from an unlikely ally\u2013to save the farm she so dearly loves. But it may take a miracle to restore her relationship with her sister.<\/p>\n Noelle\u2019s Return by Carolyn L Dean, Patti Larsen and Jenna St James<\/strong><\/p>\n A Family Loyal to Each Other and Their Traditions<\/strong><\/p>\n A Town Where It\u2019s Christmas Every Day<\/strong><\/p>\n Come Visit the Citizens of Jingle Junction<\/strong><\/p>\n In the charming town of Jingle Junction, love is always in season. Dr. Noelle Silver left Jingle Junction years ago, escaping the guilt of her father\u2019s death. Now a dedicated doctor with Doctors Without Borders, she\u2019s back for her sister\u2019s wedding before heading off to a new mission. But when she runs into Joe Thompson, her high school crush turned Christmas tree farmer, unexpected sparks fly. His sudden interest in her catches her off guard, but when her old rival Bealy Dane stirs up trouble and threatens to ruin everything, Noelle is more convinced than ever Jingle Junction isn\u2019t the place for her.<\/p>\n When Deke\u2019s mother falls critically ill, Noelle is shocked to discover Jingle Junction has been without a town doctor for years. As she grapples with the realization that her skills are desperately needed, she must face a heart-wrenching decision. Amidst the magic of the holidays, will the warmth of home and the possibility of new love be enough to make her stay? Or will Noelle\u2019s return home only be for a short time?<\/p>\n Christmas in Aspen by Anita Hughes<\/strong><\/p>\n Editor Caroline Holt is on her way to her late mother\u2019s upstate cabin in Hudson to spend the holidays. She was supposed to be in London, having a holiday romance. But this Christmas, she isn\u2019t in the mood to get her heart broken again. Caroline loves being an editor, but in the last year burnout has taken over. She has been mourning her mother, and she is looking to get that spark back.<\/p>\n In the cabin, Caroline finds a letter addressed to her mother. It\u2019s in a red envelope, and the return address is Santa\u2019s Little Red mailbox, in Aspen, Colorado. The letter is from a man declaring his love for her mother. He\u2019ll be waiting for her in front of the Little Red Mailbox at three pm on New Year\u2019s Eve.<\/p>\n Unable to ignore her curiosity, Caroline takes the next flight to Aspen to meet her mother\u2019s mysterious lover, but things start getting complicated when she meets another man in town. The more they run into each other, the more she is drawn to him. And when Caroline finds out the truth about the person her mother had loved, she unravels secrets of her own past.<\/p>\n By the end of Christmas week, Caroline gets a chance to rewrite her own destiny by confronting her fears of loving again and possibly leaving behind what she thought was a perfect life.<\/p>\n A Graceful Christmas by Mary E Hart<\/strong><\/p>\n When an interfering angel with the best of intentions comes down to Earth to help her charge, will she bring her favorite couple back together, or will she instead learn the true meaning of love during the Christmas season?<\/strong><\/p>\n High school art teacher Grace Webster thought she\u2019d found her soulmate in Jordan Dixon. But a year into their relationship, Jordan\u2019s wandering eye shattered Grace\u2019s world.<\/p>\n Enter Chloe Valentine, a novice angel with a heart full of hope and a mission to keep Grace and Jordan together. When their relationship falls apart, Chloe is granted a chance to intervene personally on Earth \u2013 but with strict conditions. She must team up with her friend, Mitchell, and complete her task by Christmas, or face an eternity as an earthbound guardian, never achieving her full angelic potential.<\/p>\n As the holiday season envelops the town in festive cheer, Grace is caught in a whirlwind of chaos. She juggles teaching, a burgeoning romance with a new suitor, Wyatt, her first art show, Jordan\u2019s unexpected return, and a battle to save the local Recreation Center from demolition.<\/p>\n With only a few weeks to make a difference, Chloe and Mitchell must navigate the challenges of human life and learn about love, sacrifice, and the true meaning of their mission. Will Chloe uncover the essence of real love before the clock strikes midnight on Christmas Eve, or will her well-intentioned nudges derail Grace\u2019s chance at happiness?<\/p>\n The Merry Matchmaker by Sheila Roberts<\/strong><\/p>\n Frankie Lane knows what\u2019s best for just about everyone but herself. Her divorced sister, Stef, who is too young to give up on love; her shy employee, Elinor; and her daughter, Natalie, who works in Frankie\u2019s shop, Holiday Happiness, and really needs to start her own business selling the delectable chocolates she makes at home; even her best friend, Viola, who is trying to renovate her old Victorian. Frankie knows she could help all of them, if they\u2019d just let her\u2014and if all of her help didn\u2019t end in utter disaster.\u00a0<\/p>\n Then there\u2019s Mitch Howard, the owner of the local hardware store. They\u2019ve been friends ever since Frankie opened her store, nine years earlier. He got her through the nightmare when she lost her husband in a freak accident, and he\u2019s her favorite shoulder to cry on. He\u2019s been divorced for years, and it\u2019s such a waste of man! Mitch is the fittest, finest man Frankie knows. He\u2019s easygoing, wise and kindhearted. Mitch needs someone. And she\u2019s determined to help him find that someone\u2014whether he likes it or not.<\/p>\n A Novel Christmas by Charity Shane\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n A prominent romance author has a slump in her love life and book sales, but a chance encounter with a hot firefighter helps her reignite her muse in this swoony holiday romance, perfect for book romantics.<\/strong><\/p>\n Saira Wright is a prominent Black romance author who has been signed to the most prestigious publisher of African American works, Brownstone Literature. Her career has been successful for the past five years. However, she\u2019s in a slump, and so are her sales and reviews. The romance she has been known for seems to be zapped out of her stories . . . and her love life.<\/p>\n Eager to get Saira back on top of the charts, her publisher has given her an ultimatum\u2014write a chart-topping holiday romance or be dropped from the publishing house. There\u2019s only one problem: Saira strongly opposes penning holiday books. To her, they are clich\u00e9 and off-brand, but with her career on the line, she\u2019s forced to give it a shot. To capture the spirit of the holidays, she books a vacation in the most \u201cChristmassy\u201d town she can find.<\/p>\n Sharing the other side of her rented duplex is the owner, Dorian Black, a volunteer firefighter, and the town\u2019s little league football coach. He\u2019s also \u201cMr. December\u201d in the firefighter\u2019s annual fundraising calendar . . . and every woman\u2019s dream. Years ago, Dorian was happily married to the love of his life until cancer took her away from him. Still coping with the loss, a romantic relationship is the furthest thing from his mind. However, when he encounters his new tenant for the holiday, sparks fly and a fire is ignited that not even he can extinguish.<\/p>\n As the two navigate through various encounters, holiday festivities, and a snowstorm, will the magic of Christmas help them rediscover a long-awaited connection?<\/p>\n Some Like it Cold by Elle McNicoll<\/strong><\/p>\n After a long absence, 18-year-old\u00a0Jasper<\/strong>\u00a0is finally heading home for the holidays \u2013 and she\u2019s keeping secrets.<\/p>\n Arthur,\u00a0<\/strong>a budding filmmaker, is turning the town of Lake Pristine into a small town story worthy of the big screen. His plans are disrupted by the arrival of the town\u2019s golden girl \u2013 the antagonist of his school days; a girl he\u2019s never forgotten.<\/p>\n Jasper Montgomery is back in Lake Pristine for one reason: to say goodbye. But before long small-town tensions start to rise, and a certain brooding film buff starts to look like a very big reason to stay . . .<\/p>\n Sleighed by the farmer\u2019s Daughter by Deanna Lilly<\/strong><\/p>\n He thought his holidays were ruined until he was rescued by\u2026 an elf in Santa\u2019s sleigh. Christmas just got interesting.<\/strong><\/p>\n Seth hasn\u2019t been home for Christmas in over a decade, but now his niece and sister-in-law demand his presence. Last-minute complications at the factory mean driving hours through a snowstorm. One wrong turn, and he finds himself stranded on a farm in the middle of nowhere.<\/p>\n Mackenzie\u2019s overwhelmed running Santa\u2019s village, and this blizzard isn\u2019t helping. The last thing she needs is an unexpected guest. With her family out of town, taking in a tall, handsome stranger may not be wise, but she can\u2019t let him freeze to death.<\/p>\n Can Seth help Mackenzie save Christmas for the small town of Cloverdale before he loses his heart and unwraps a love he never thought he wanted?<\/p>\n Kissletoe Misses by Joanne Markey<\/strong><\/p>\n Life isn\u2019t a romcom\u2026 or is it?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Well, if you ask Jo Willoughby\u2019s family, it is. Or rather, it will be. Enter a great, heaping gob of cousins, crazy family banter, and the determination to send her off to run a family Christmas village and get her away from the temptation to brood over her lost love.<\/p>\n Finding herself in upper New York with a \u201cmade to order\u201d lumberjack wannabe who follows her family\u2019s script to the perfect T\u2026 well, Jo gets nervous. Nerves bundle up until a side of her emerges that no one recognizes\u2014even herself. And she likes that side. Okay, she likes the part of it that feels free to steal lumberjack\u2014um,\u00a0Soren\u2019s\u2014<\/em>coffee at will.<\/p>\n And she likes the flirting. And the promise of a chapter four in the near future. It better be the\u00a0very<\/em>\u00a0near future. But with mistletoe appearing willy-nilly, it should happen.<\/p>\n Is it time yet?<\/strong><\/p>\n Kisstletoe Misses: one ex-creep boyfriend, one hunky lumberjack (can he shave?) and a totally mixed-up story \u201cbabe.\u201d What could go wrong?<\/p>\n A Ho Ho Ho Beau Christmas by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff<\/strong><\/p>\n As the snow begins to fall and the city streets sparkle with festive lights, Meri Winters feels anything but merry. Juggling a demanding job and a strained relationship with her best friend, she\u2019s more focused on surviving the holiday season than enjoying it.<\/p>\n That is, until she meets Beau Starling, a ruggedly handsome hobo who\u2019s been living in the alley behind her building. Despite his disheveled appearance, there\u2019s something mysterious about him\u2014an inexplicable pull she can\u2019t ignore.<\/p>\n As Meri opens her heart to this unlikely stranger, she discovers that Beau isn\u2019t just a wanderer passing through. He has secrets\u2014ones that could change both their lives forever.<\/p>\n In a season known for miracles, Meri will have to decide whether to take a leap of faith and trust in the magic of the holidays, or risk losing the one gift she never expected.<\/p>\n Tides and Tidings by Ashley McConnell<\/strong><\/p>\n In this feel-good holiday novella set against the backdrop of a charming Southern coastal town, Blythe and Charlie are ready for the perfect weekend getaway. As busy business owners, they are in desperate need of a break from their hectic lives.<\/p>\n Their meticulously planned trip takes an unexpected turn and their well-orchestrated plans go completely off the rails. What starts as a serene escape quickly spirals into a whirlwind night filled with wild adventures, spontaneous decisions, and moments they\u2019ll never remember\u2014 but it\u2019s an evening they\u2019ll never forget.<\/p>\n Through the laughter and mishaps, they rediscover what truly matters most: love, spontaneity, and the beauty of embracing the unexpected.\u00a0Tides and Tidings<\/em>\u00a0is perfect for anyone looking for a romantic escape filled with humor and heart.<\/p>\n Ticket to Her Heart by Kate O\u2019Connor<\/strong><\/p>\n The sixth and final story in the amazing Rocky Mountain Christmas train. Mistletoe and Heartstrings by JC Savoy<\/strong><\/p>\n In Whispering Falls, love and mystery tangle together under the mistletoe.<\/strong><\/p>\n When New York Times bestselling author, Donovan Butler, retreats to the cozy town of Whispering Falls to escape his writer\u2019s block and a broken heart, he expects peace and quiet\u2014not a meddling caf\u00e9 owner with a penchant for solving mysteries.<\/p>\n Tina Wilson, the spirited owner of the Whispering Willow Caf\u00e9, has her hands full with a secret admirer and a thriving caf\u00e9 to run. As Christmas approaches, Donovan and Tina find themselves tangled in a web of letters, laughter, and unexpected love.<\/p>\n Can the pull of heartstrings be enough to turn Donovan\u2019s winter retreat into a forever kind of thing?<\/p>\n The Joy of Christmas Love by Rachael Eliker<\/strong><\/p>\n Christmas is the key to help them both remember how to love.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n As much as Amelia loves weddings, she\u2019s content being the planner, and never the bride. She\u2019s seen her share of heartache, and it\u2019s soured her to the belief that true love is only for the lucky. Only a few are ever blessed by it, and no one can plan or predict where and when it might happen. So, she\u2019d rather stay safely on the sidelines of Peppermint Hollow, celebrating other people\u2019s happily ever afters.<\/p>\n If all that\u2019s required for happiness is wealth, good looks, and an otherwise perfect life, then billionaire Burke Lamont should be satisfied. Except, he can\u2019t shake the feeling that something is missing. Taking a trip to charming, small-town Peppermint Hollow, where he won\u2019t be recognized is what will set him right, he wakes up from an accident to find he can\u2019t even remember his name. It\u2019s not all bad\u2013Amelia is watching over him. She\u2019s gorgeous and straightforward, and apparently entirely immune to his charm. He might not remember anything about his life, but that doesn\u2019t mean he won\u2019t pursue Amelia to convince her that her heart is safe with him.<\/p>\n As Christmas approaches in Peppermint Hollow, the magic of the season changes things between Amelia and Burke. The possibility of a happy ending for them seems within their grasp, until Burke\u2019s past catches up with him. As she predicted, Amelia\u2019s heart is fractured, and she\u2019s sure love has passed her by for good. It\u2019s up to Burke to prove where his loyalties lie, and that Amelia\u2019s the only thing he needs this Christmas.<\/p>\n Christmas at Spruce Hill Farm by Kathryn Springer <\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s three weeks until Christmas, and Lucy Gable is not in the holiday spirit. She\u2019s the assistant to bestselling romance author Brynn Dixon, who\u2019s been suffering from major burnout. Hoping to reduce Brynn\u2019s stress, Lucy\u2019s organized an intimate book tour\u2014one that includes a charming little Christmas tree farm. And\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0still hoping that no one discovers that\u00a0Lucy\u00a0was the one who finished writing Brynn\u2019s last book\u2026<\/p>\n But Lucy\u2019s carefully planned book tour is going completely awry. The Christmas tree farm owner is a reluctant host, the fans are going wild for the changes Lucy\u2019s made to the book and Brynn\u2019s adult son\u2014who no one else knows about\u2014is an unexpected (if handsome) distraction. And, as if those challenges aren\u2019t enough, a winter storm at the farm is ensuring that hiding the truth is all but impossible.<\/p>\n Yet somewhere between snowy sleigh rides, a cozy bonfire, caroling and the promise of new love, Lucy is experiencing her first winter wonderland.\u00a0And Brynn is discovering that it might not be too late to find her own happy ending. With a little courage and a sense of adventure, it might just be the start\u00a0of whole new chapters for both of them\u2014and an accidentally perfect white Christmas.<\/p>\n Back to Index<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n I Really Can\u2019t Stay by AR Rose<\/strong><\/p>\n A wise woman once told me no one should have to spend the holidays alone, and with my first Christmas after losing my family quickly approaching, I decide to take her advice to heart.<\/p>\n My plan is impulsive, but simple: create a dating profile and attend a few Christmas parties throughout the month to combat the loneliness.<\/p>\n Never in my wildest dreams did I expect an avalanche of messages full of men eager for me to be their \u201cholidate\u201d. From office parties to family gatherings, there\u2019s no shortage of festivities to fill my calendar.<\/p>\n And with my no strings rule, it should be simple, right?<\/p>\n That\u2019s what I thought, too. Until I meet someone who piques my interest in ways I never imagined, and I single-handedly redefine what it means to \u2018make an entrance\u2019.<\/p>\n Now I can\u2019t help but wonder if the term\u00a0falling<\/em>\u00a0in love is more literal than it seems.<\/p>\n The Player Who Stole Christmas by AJ Wynter<\/strong><\/p>\n THE ONLY THING HE HATES MORE THAN CHRISTMAS\u2026\u00a0IS A SMALL TOWN AT CHRISTMAS<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Nick<\/strong> In fact, they even filmed a cheesy holiday movie here.<\/p>\n They do have one good thing going for them\u2014a hockey team. The players are treated like celebrities, and the highlight of the town\u2019s ridiculous Christmas Festival is an outdoor hockey game.<\/p>\n That\u2019s where I come in.<\/p>\n I have a job to do, and it will ruin Christmas for the whole town. But I don\u2019t care. I will make a few bucks, get connected with scouts, and skate the heck out of here before I\u2019m forced to be in the Santa Claus Parade.<\/p>\n Fixing their beloved game will put my life back on track. Nothing will stop me from getting the job done.<\/p>\n When Nick starts spending time with the innkeeper\u2019s daughter, he begins to feel at home for the first time in his life. Life in Chance Rapids with Evie could be perfect, but there\u2019s no way she\u2019ll be able to forgive him if he goes through with his plan. Will he choose hockey\u2026or her?<\/strong><\/p>\n A Christmas to Remember by Fiona Baker<\/strong><\/p>\n When the magazine that Margo Stoker works for downsizes and lays her off, it knocks her for a loop. She left her small hometown years ago, eager to explore the world and make a name for herself. But without a job to keep her busy, she decides to visit Evergreen Hollow for the first time in years\u2014just in time for the holidays.<\/p>\n She figures she\u2019ll pop into town, catch up briefly with her parents and her two sisters, and then be on her way\u2026 but those plans go out the window when a skiing accident leads to a broken leg, stranding her there for much longer than she anticipated.<\/p>\n Dr. Spencer Thorpe recently took over his father\u2019s medical practice in Evergreen Hollow, and he loves the tight-knit community and the slower pace of life there. Still, when a beautiful and vivacious out-of-towner shows up at his office with a skiing injury, he\u2019s drawn to her right away.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no way that Margo can let herself fall for Spencer\u2014not when she plans to leave town as soon as possible. But as walks in the snow turn to romantic sleigh rides and kisses under the mistletoe, she starts to realize that no matter where she goes\u2026 she\u2019ll leave her heart in Evergreen Hollow.<\/p>\n But can she truly stay in the rustic little town forever? Especially when she had a good reason for leaving in the first place?<\/p>\n The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay<\/strong><\/p>\n Trading places and vacations might just be the Christmas miracle these two best friends need<\/strong><\/p>\n Holly Beech and Ivy Casey are bury-the-body besties. They\u2019re so in sync, they even look alike. When Holly\u2019s fianc\u00e9 jilts her, leaving her in shock and with a nonrefundable honeymoon, Holly convinces Ivy to switch places. Ivy will go on the Hawaiian honeymoon her best friend can\u2019t bear to take alone, while Holly escapes to Ivy\u2019s rented Hudson Valley cabin to binge-watch holiday movies and heal. The Christmas Countdown by Holly Cassidy<\/strong><\/p>\n She\u2019s given up on love and Christmas\u2026but fate has other plans.<\/em><\/p>\n All Callie wants for Christmas is to hibernate. She\u2019s still reeling from being dumped by her childhood sweetheart, and under no circumstances will she go home for the holidays considering her ex will be right next door with his new, perfect partner. Callie is officially in grinch mode, but her meddling sister, Anita, won\u2019t let her give up on life, love, and Christmas quite so easily.<\/p>\n Anita stages a Christmas intervention for Callie with a homemade Advent calendar challenge\u2014cheerful tasks to push Callie out of her comfort zone and into the holiday spirit, inspired by a childhood tradition. Callie reluctantly plays along, but when she comes face-to-face with a charming baker who just might be the spoonful of sugar she needs, her strict rules on love and the holidays are tested. As they strike a deal to do the activities together, could the twenty four little doors on Callie\u2019s Advent calendar not only open up one, but two closed-off hearts?<\/p>\n Pretty Unexpected by Arini Vlotman<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cTwas not the season to be jolly and everyone could fa-la-la-la-la all the way to the North Pole.\u201d<\/strong> If the Fates Allow by Marysa Stevens<\/strong><\/p>\n A glistening, charming winter wonderland was the last place skeptical Alice wanted to be this holiday season \u2014 until fate introduced her to him\u2026Will a little holiday romance be just what she needs to turn her luck around?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Accidentally sending a NSFW image to 30,000 people is enough to get anyone fired. Now, Alice Woods is desperate to flee the sunbaked Arizona desert for a fresh start. On a whim, she accepts a three-month job in snow-covered Tidings, where the locals claim fate has a way of drawing the right people to the town, and to each other.<\/p>\n Silas Hill, Tidings\u2019 golden boy and beloved town physician, seems perfectly content in this picturesque snow-globe town. But after a few chance encounters, Alice recognizes the longing in his eyes that he conceals behind a practiced mask. He yearns for something more: foamy waves, sun-drenched beaches, and a peace that constantly eludes him. When Alice sweeps into his carefully constructed world like a tumbleweed, Silas realizes he isn\u2019t the only one hiding from reality.<\/p>\n As temperatures plunge, Silas and Alice\u2019s chemistry heats up, forcing them to question whether the whispers about Tidings\u2019 magic are more than just local lore. But as Alice\u2019s planned departure draws near, can they both confront what they\u2019ve been avoiding and realize that sometimes the peace you seek isn\u2019t found in a place, it\u2019s found in a person?<\/p>\n The Cowboy Christmas Glow Up by Suzy Langevin<\/strong><\/p>\n Levi Dearborn, handsome heir to a ranching family fortune, knows exactly what\u2019s expected of him. Get married, take over the family business, and spend his days working the cold plains of Montana. It\u2019s not the life he wants, but the one he seems destined for. But when everything goes wrong one fateful Thanksgiving, he skips town to start over in New York City.<\/p>\n Zara Mitchell is building an empire. The makeup line she started with her best friend while they were still in college is now worth millions. But that\u2019s left her precious little time for anything else, including her long-term relationship that her fed-up boyfriend ends over the phone in the middle of her Black Friday sale. Even though she\u2019s not that broken up about losing the guy, she\u2019s stressed about attending the biggest fashion industry party in the city, one that could make or break the future of their business, and she already said she was bringing a date.<\/p>\n After a messy chance meeting in a coffee shop, Zara learns that Levi might just hold the key to landing the celebrity brand ambassador her business needs. Determined to close the deal, she invites Levi to the party. As they get to know each other in the run up to the event, sparks fly. But when complications and revelations start to swirl like snowflakes, will their holiday romance make it to the new year?<\/p>\n All the Christmas Vibes by Melissa Baldwin<\/strong><\/p>\n Sophie<\/strong> Jake<\/strong>\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nTrope Index<\/h2>\n
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Can the magic of the holidays help these two find common ground?<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/71Z9L0K9CXL._SY466_.jpg\")
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A sweet, small-town romance with a hint of mystery.
Madeline Hayes has been through a lot in her life but this trip on the Rocky Mountain Christmas train might just be the most entertaining, and the most stressful thing she\u2019s ever done. But she wouldn\u2019t trade it for anything.
She\u2019s alive in a way she\u2019s never felt before because she\u2019s finally met the man of her dreams. She\u2019s hoping he loves her back and that his love is strong enough to see past her necessary lies and into her heart.
Are there too many barriers in their way for a romance to blossom? Will her secret keep them apart? Or will the magic of Christmas help them overcome their differences to find love?<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/81OLZFjFIdL._SY466_.jpg\")
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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nHoliday Romance<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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The holidays in Chance Rapids are OVER. THE. TOP.<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51wA8-+YC7L._SY445_SX342_.jpg\")
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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0But Holly\u2019s wallowing is interrupted when her rugged Airbnb host turns out to be her high school academic rival who\u2019s had a major glow-up. Meanwhile, Ivy\u2019s (now Hawaiian) annual solo art retreat is upended when Holly\u2019s ex-fianc\u00e9 checks into the honeymoon suite\u2014with a new woman. Raging and bed-less, the last thing Ivy expects is for the hot hotel bartender to come to her rescue. Against all odds, this Christmas might prove the most magical yet.<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51iCwpe6dqL._SY445_SX342_.jpg\")
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After being roped into spending Christmas with her best friends and her alluring ex, Thando finds herself questioning her holiday spirit. Sipping cocktails on the beach feels a lot more appealing than fake cheer, plastic decorations, and carols on repeat.
For Jimmy Warner, Christmas means cold beers and comfort food, but reuniting with the captivating, yet prickly, Thando ignites memories of a fiery weekend they once shared.
As their friends grapple with their own holiday disasters, Thando and Jimmy band together\u2014supported by their sweet neighbor, Grandma Holly\u2014to salvage the holiday while uncovering a few unexpected surprises.
Can Thando set aside her inner Grinch to open her heart again? Will Jimmy receive the Christmas miracle he\u2019s yearned for? And how many mishaps can they endure before the holidays truly explode?<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/71jUU9PBHYL._SY466_.jpg\")
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It\u2019s Christmas, and I can\u2019t help but believe that magic happens around this time of year\u2014or at least, I really hope it does. I\u2019ve always been obsessed with the holidays, and the best part? I can binge-watch all the Hallmark movies I want. Secretly, I might be hoping for my own love story to play out just like in the movies. It\u2019s possible, right? I mean, it happened for my friend.
A girls\u2019 trip to Tennessee seems like the perfect way to unwind. Then, I meet Jake\u2014the coach of the Tennessee Wolves. Our connection is instant, and I find myself wanting to get to know him better. But there\u2019s one small issue\u2026 I don\u2019t know if he\u2019s available.
That\u2019s when I get my reality check\u2014life isn\u2019t a Hallmark movie, and love? It\u2019s complicated.<\/p>\n
This Christmas feels different, like everything is a bit out of place. I guess that\u2019s what an unexpected breakup will do to you. At least I have my career to keep me focused\u2014coaching a professional hockey team is no walk in the park, but it definitely keeps my mind occupied.
The last thing I need is to get involved with someone new. Then Sophie walks into my life\u2014fun, spontaneous, and not afraid to take chances. They say opposites attract, but I\u2019m not sure if I\u2019m ready for that.
To complicate things even more, my ex has started coming around again. I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s easier to stay with what\u2019s familiar or take a chance on something new.<\/p>\n
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