When it’s time to deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa-la-la-ing won’t be the only thing we’re doing. For us, one of the best parts of the season is stocking our shelves with brand-new and old classic Christmas romance books! If you’re anything like us, you’ll love indulging in this genre, especially when you see what some of the most popular titles have to offer.
Popular Christmas Romance Book Tropes
Most book genres have their own signature tropes. When you pick up a Christmas romance book, you can almost always find one (if not more) of these:
- Amnesia
- Fake dating
- Small-town romances
- Stranded at Christmas
- Rekindled love
- Mistletoe kisses
- “Saving” the holidays
1. Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey
It’s two weeks before Christmas, and every store in Manhattan is decked out with red and green decorated window displays. When Stella finds herself standing outside a famous department store, judging the tragic use of tinsel aloud to a strange but handsome man, she never imagined that he’d turn out to be the very owner of the place—or that he’d offer her a job! There’s only one small problem: how is she going to ignore how hot he is? Window Shopping is the very pinnacle of opposites attract holiday romance—with sizzling chemistry and wooing to boot!
Tessa Bailey is making quite the name of herself in the romance genre, with other festive titles, including Wreck the Halls, and non-festive books like one of her more recent titles, Fangirl Down, rising in popularity online. If you’re a fan of easy, laid-back romances filled to the brim with titillating tropes, this is the Christmas romance book for you.
2. In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
Maelyn Jones doesn’t have anything going for her: she still lives with her parents, she’s stuck in a going-nowhere job, and she can’t see to make a good romantic choice if her life depended on it—but worst of all, this is the last Christmas her family and friends will spend at their beloved snowy Utah cabin. As she leaves for the final time, Maelyn makes one last plea to the universe to show her what will make her happy. But the last thing she’d expect is to wake up back on the plane she arrived on, where she begins the same holiday all over again. Will she figure out how to break free of the cycle and finally get her true love in the process?
In a Holidaze has everything you could want in a Christmas romance book—a wish, nostalgia, and a Groundhog Day-style time loop, of course! If you’re a fan of the quick-witted dialogue and hilarious hijinks Christina Lauren has become known for in titles like The Unhoneymooners; you’ll adore this seasonal read.
3. Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle
When a heavy snowstorm hits Gracetown on Christmas Eve, no one could be able to predict just how life-changing or romantic it could become. But in a snow-like flurry of teenage emotion, everything can change in an instant: a cold hike from a stranded train could lead to a kiss from a charming stranger; a trek through four feet of snow to the local Waffle House could mean striking up a new love with an old friend: a breakup, a teacup pig, and a shift at Starbucks can teach you a lesson about selflessness. Anything is possible in Let It Snow!
Woven together by three well-loved authors, this adorable novel is the perfect book for any young adult to adult reading level! Switch your beach read book club over to festive titles, or wrap it up and gift it to the romance-obsessed ladies in your life to make Christmas special this year.
Authors of Each Let It Snow Story:
- “The Jubilee Express” by Maureen Johnson
- “A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle” by John Green
- “The Patron Saint of Pigs” by Lauren Myracle
4. The Christmas Cookie Wars by Eliza Evans
The Christmas Cookie Wars has it all—a little holiday magic, a touch of romance, and a need to bring back the holiday spirit! This time of year just hasn’t been the same for Melody Monroe and her nine-year-old twin boys since their father passed—but this year, she’s determined to make Christmas count. In a last-ditch attempt to save the season, Melody decides to take over the school’s cookie committee—even if that means she has to deal with the infuriating principal, Jonathan Braxton. After one little argument between the two spirals out of control, they find themselves in the midst of a massive bake-off—but could it be possible that love is a part of the recipe?
If enemies to lovers are your cup of tea, this Christmas romance book takes the cake! With a Hallmark movie kind of setting and a charming storyline, this book gives off the coziest vibes possible. Try listening to the audiobook version to get fully immersed.
5. Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake
Make the Season Bright asks the question: are second chances possible at Christmastime? It’s been five years since Charlotte Donovan was ditched at the altar, but she’s doing more than okay … at least that’s what she’s trying to tell herself. When a friend from her string’s ensemble quartet persuades Charlotte to join her and her family in Colorado for the holidays, it’s a no-brainer. But on arrival, she discovers that one of the sisters has brought a friend home—and it’s none other than her ex, Brighton. The two are forced to act like strangers, but will the romantic dating activities of horseback riding, cookie decorating, and more make them slip back into old habits and find love once more?
This Christmas romance book has everything you could wish for: forced proximity, secrets, and reignited passion, to name a few. If you loved the queer holiday rom-com movie Happiest Season from a few years ago, this is the title for you.
How to Gift a Christmas Romance Book
‘Tis the season to find the perfect gifts for your loved ones—and what better way to show them you care than by buying a Christmas romance book you know they’ll love? If your friend or family member has an addiction to physical copies of books (no judgment, so do we!), then pick up one from your local bookseller, wrap it up, and stick a bow on it! If they’re more into audiobooks, consider buying them a subscription to the best audiobook service around or gifting a credit or two through our partnership with Libro.fm.
There’s no better way to celebrate the holidays than diving into a novel that immerses you in the season. Choose a Christmas romance book that sparks your festive spirit, settle in, and enjoy!
