11 holiday romances to make your spirits bright this season

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — and in between baking cookies, lighting candles, and wrapping presents, there’s nothing better than snuggling under a blanket with a good book.

Whether you’re the embodiment of holiday cheer or a bit of a Scrooge, we’ve got a book guaranteed to make you fall head over heels for your read. Here’s 11 holiday romances worth checking out this season.

'A Holly Jolly Ever After' by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

AVON

Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone return with another holiday romance boasting more steam than a cup of hot cocoa. Former boy-bander Kallum Lieberman and child star turned serious actress Winnie Baker are both looking for a career reset when they agree to star in a sexy Santa biopic (yes, you read that right). But when Winnie can’t fake pleasure she’s never experienced on screen, she’s more than willing to take some lessons from Kallum. Santa baby, A Holly Jolly Ever After checks off our Christmas list and then some.

'Christmas at Corgi Cove' by Annie England Noblin

AVON

The title says it all. Christmas at Corgi Cove is a Hallmark movie in book form, complete with a charming small town and all the adorable corgis you could want. Rosie Reynolds and her two corgis, Bonnie and Clyde, love life in lakeside Corgi Cove. But their holiday cheer is threatened when her aunt and uncle’s quaint inn is in danger of being bought out by a soulless chain. Until Rosie tries to save it by vying for the title of best Christmas-themed inn in the country. What Rosie doesn’t plan on is how charming and handsome the city boy Everett St. Claire, there to close the deal on the inn, will be. A read as cozy and delightful as an afternoon by a winter fire.

'A Christmas to Remember' by Beverly Jenkins

AVON

Romance stalwart Beverly Jenkins delivers her 11th Blessings novel, following the days leading up to the nuptials of Bernadine Brown and diner owner Malachi “Mal” July. Their relationship has had plenty of ups and downs since Bernadine bought their hometown of Henry Adams, but the time has come for them to tie the knot. But the hubbub of the holidays puts strain on many relationships in Henry Adams, until the town can come together to remember the true meaning of the holiday season. Jenkins' signature heart and meticulous character-work gets a holiday boost of cheer in A Christmas to Remember.

'The Trouble With Tinsel' by Juliet Giglio and Keith Giglio

SOURCEBOOKS CASABLANCA

Christmas goes Hollywood in this second chance romance about two exes forced back together just in time for Christmas. Ex-screenwriting duo Kerri Williams and Joe Romano must reunite with an old project of theirs is greenlit, a situation made worse by the fact that the movie’s star, Amari Rivers, believes they’re engaged and wants them on set to dole out romantic advice. But the holiday season is a time for miracles, so Joe and Kerri might finally find the happy ending they believed only existed in the movies. If you are looking for a holiday romance in a sunnier climate than more typical wintry vistas, The Trouble With Tinsel is the read for you.

'It's a Fabulous Life' by Kelly Farmer

ALCOVE PRESS

This queer reimagining of It’s a Wonderful Life has us running down the street yelling Merry Christmas to everyone we see. Bailey George is ready for a vacation in New York City when a medical emergency forces her to spend the holidays in her hometown of Lanford Falls to work the annual Winter Wonderfest. It brings her the opportunity to reconnect with teen crush, Maria Hatcher. But as disasters snowball, she finds herself on the town’s old bridge, wishing she’d never been born in Lanford Falls — only to have the town’s importance and her place in it revealed to her by fabulous drag queen Clara Angel. We guarantee you won’t find a more inventive read than It's a Fabulous Life this holiday season.

'Secret Heir for Christmas' by LaQuette

HARLEQUIN DESIRE

LaQuette continues her Devereaux Inc. series with this holiday read all about former actor Carter Jiménez and secret billionaire Stephan Devereaux-Smith. After losing his wife to the dark side of fame, Carter has withdrawn from the world with the singular goal of protecting his daughter. But Stephan, his unassuming next-door neighbor, tempts him with a second chance at love — until the revelation that Stephan is the heir to an enormous fortune thrusts Carter back into the spotlight. Can he douse his old fears long enough to let love in this Christmas? Find out in Secret Heir for Christmas.

'Sleepless in Dubai' by Sajni Patel

HARRY N. ABRAMS

This YA rom-com takes readers into the five day celebration of Diwali, following aspiring photographer Nikki as she and her family head to Dubai for the Festival of Lights. Her holiday is dimmed by the fact that the boy next door, Yash, with whom she shares a rocky history, is also on her flight. But a lot can change in a 12-hour flight — and Yash and Nikki decide to make this  a Diwali to remember. Patel brings the magic and wonder of the Hindu festival of lights to life with enchanting romance, Sleepless in Dubai.

'Eight Days and Nights' by Betsy Aldredge

UNDERLINED

Hannakuh shines in this YA romance about two Jewish teens stranded in a small Texas town for the holidays. When New Yorker Hannah Levin is stuck spending the holidays in her grandmother’s small town, she befriends the only other Jewish kid in town — Noah, an adorable boy who is absolutely obsessed with the Festival of Lights. When they share a memorable kiss playing “Truth or Dare Dreidel,” Hannah starts to reconsider her lack of holiday spirit. There's a latke to love in Eight Days and Nights.

'Three Holidays and a Wedding' by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley

G.P. PUTNAM'S SONS

Rom-com hijinks are afoot in this holiday tale of a snowstorm and true love. Maryam Aziz and Anna Gibson are total strangers when they end up being seatmates on their flight to Toronto for the holidays. Maryam is headed to her sister’s impromptu wedding and Anna to meet her boyfriend’s wealthy family. They spill their guts to each other, only for the love of Maryam’s life, Saif, to overhear them from two rows back. But when an emergency landing forces them all to take refuge at the Snow Falls Inn, where Anna’s celebrity crush also happens to be filming a holiday romance, the notion of “home for the holidays” becomes far less appealing than staying right where they are. Three Holidays and a Wedding has as much variety and appeal as a box of holiday cookies.

'Wreck the Halls' by Tessa Bailey

AVON

Get ready to rock (around the Christmas tree)! Shy book restorer Melody Gallard wants nothing to do with the spotlight, but a hefty financial windfall awaits if she manages to get her mother’s band to reunite on live TV. This also means seeing Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, again — a charming, camera-friendly man who felt sparks with Melody as a teenager. As the two work to do the impossible and stage a Steel Birds reunion, overcoming a decades-old feud, Melody is coaxed out of her comfort zone by Beat’s support. Until a scandal threatens to spoil it all. Every read from Tessa Bailey is a sexy gift to unwrap, and Wreck the Halls is no exception.

'Faking Christmas' by Kerry Winfrey

BERKLEY

Inspired by holiday classic Christmas in Connecticut, Kerry Winfrey takes fake dating to the next level in this seasonal romp. When Laurel Grant’s boss mistakenly believes that she owns her twin sister’s farm, she’s forced to pretend to be a homemaker extraordinaire when he invites himself over for Christmas Eve Eve festivities. But things get complicated when Laurel’s nemesis, the annoyingly attractive Max Beckett, shows up — and even worse! — has to fake being her husband. Can Laurel get through the holidays with her reputation and sanity intact? Faking Christmas sparkles with more wit and whimsy than a piece of tinsel.