What puts you in the Christmas mood? For me, it’s reading a cute, Christmas-themed book while all cuddled up in a blanket near my Christmas tree.
Here are five recommendations for holiday reads this Christmas season:
One Way or Another
The charming Christmas romance you need in your life! This book brings all the feels! I was rooting for Paige to find love from page one, even when I wasn’t sure which guy she’d end up with.
Paige gets two opportunities: a dream week in NYC with her mom and a dream trip to a snowy cabin with her newly single best friend Fitz, who she’s been in love with for two years. Unfortunately, they’re both the week of Christmas. Paige is terrible at making decisions, and turns to a Magic 8 ball for help, but luckily for her, the readers get to live my ultimate fantasy: seeing how both choices play out.
This story plays out two different ways in alternating chapters. Timeline One has her in the cabin with Fitz, who’s ready to show her Christmas magic. But Paige is afraid he’s just being a kind, thoughtful friend, when all she wants is for him to be her boyfriend.
In timeline two, she’s in New York, where she meets a new guy, the college-aged son of her mom’s friend who likes to quote philosophers and ends up showing her around the city. Could this be her chance at becoming a different, braver person?
Paige’s anxiety makes her super relatable, and I liked how great Fitz was with helping her find coping strategies. Fitz is such a kind-hearted person. I love when boys are super sweet in books! Harrison, the other guy, tries to give off a sarcastic, tough guy, been-there, done-that persona, but I love how Paige keeps getting him to smile and laugh.
The book is also filled with fantastic lines that made me smile. McDowell’s writing is a real treat – like a cup of hot chocolate on a cold day.
The book comes to a great conclusion that made me want to make magical Christmas memories in the snow.
Thank you to the publisher for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
So, This is Christmas
This book is as cute as a gingerbread house.
When Finley returns home for Christmas unexpectedly to her hometown of Christmas, OK, she finds two unpleasant surprises – her parents have separated and her best friend is dating her ex-boyfriend.
The town of Christmas, OK, has seen better days. After someone embezzled all the money, their Christmas-themed attractions have fallen into disrepair. But when Finley went off to an exclusive boarding school, she jazzed up the town website to make it look better than it was to help her conquer her own insecurities. But that has consequences she never foresaw.
When her British classmate, Arthur, and his aunt show up at her family’s inn over Christmas break expecting a perfect American Christmas, Finley feels bad. Also, she needs a distraction from her personal woes. She plans an array of Christmas activities for them, discovering along the way that Arthur’s maybe not as bad as she thought.
As a native Okie, I love that the book is set here. The author did a great job of capturing small town Oklahoma vibes. With the grandma starting the inn as a young single mother to provide for her son – Finley’s dad – I got definite Gilmore Girls vibes.
This is the perfect Christmas read. It’s got a cute concept, great characters, romantic vibes and tons of Christmassy cheer. From a sleigh ride gone wrong to burning cookies, this book is wholesomely adorable. You can tell the author has a background in Hallmark Christmas specials.
Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Blame it on the Mistletoe
“Is it so wrong to put a Santa hat on a shriveled pumpkin?”
This book, a retelling of The Holiday for teens, is a super cute serving of Christmas cheer. Instagram influencer Elle’s rebuilding her Instagram account, @oneelleofatime, after she shut down her last one after some harsh bullying. When she gets invited into a competition with some fellow influencers, she’s determined to do whatever it takes to win it, even if it means a bold move like swapping places with a stranger in Britain for a few weeks.
Holly’s obsession with Christmas leads her to own a large collection of Christmas jumpers and create a detailed, color-coded spreadsheet for her and her two best friends to follow to have the best Christmas every. But this year, Holly’s reeling from finding out the ex-boyfriend she hoped to win back has moved on, so when she gets the chance to try out a new life in America, she jumps on it.
As each girl gets embroiled in the other’s life, they get the chance to meet new romantic possibilities. Holly’s ex seems pretty into Elle, but so is a fellow influencer and Holly’s awkward bestie, Fred. Meanwhile, Elle’s brother, the brooding Nick, keeps tagging along on Holly’s Christmas adventures. Holly’s quirky love of Christmas creates some great moments for her storyline.
However, on the other side of the ocean, the more momentum Elle gains in the competition, the more it seems like history might be repeating itself. Someone may be out to get her . . . again. Each girl will have to sort through who can be trusted and what their heart really wants.
This light, fun read is the perfect heartwarming book to cuddle up with on a cold day.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book.
I'm Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas
This is one of the cutest YA romances I’ve read in a long time. And the cover is Christmassy perfection.
Noelle takes Christmas seriously after the death of her mom. But this year, nothing’s going right. Her dad’s too busy with work to even get a tree, and her friends are less enthusiastic about Noelle’s Christmas schedule. It makes the dance boarding school that Noelle dreams of seem like the perfect escape.
When Noelle’s favorite babysitting clients offer her the chance to earn money over Christmas at their ski cabin, she takes them up on it. Noelle’s grateful that the oldest son, a fellow dancer who she harbors a crush on despite never having met, won’t be there. But then he unexpectedly shows up, and upsets all the family dynamics.
This is a book where every character is a good person with a heart of gold. The suspense comes through misunderstandings and missed chances. It was refreshing to read about such lovable characters. I loved that Noelle and Wyatt are both dancers with different views of their future and the tension that caused.
This book hits all the Christmas highlights: snowmen, matching pajamas, a tree lighting and gingerbread houses. It’s perfect for getting into the Christmas mood with a big cup of hot cocoa.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Always, In December
This book is not YA, and is not the book I expected to read. The cover had me prepared for a slightly cheesy, sweet romantic comedy. That is not this book.
When Josie meets Max by running him over with her bicycle, at first she thinks he’s a grump. But when she offers to buy him a drink to make up for it, they begin to warm up to each other. As Max’s cancelled flight leaves him stranded in NYC, Josie offers to show him around, kicking off a whirlwind romance. But then Max leaves without saying goodbye, and Josie thinks that’s the end of that.
But neither one can seem to forget about the other one, and fate brings them together again and again, begging the question: how many second chances will this romance get?
This book rips you into pieces, feeling the weight of how unfair life can be at times. I ended the book with tears in my eyes, and my heart broken.
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