Best Christmas romance book recommendations for the 2024 holiday season
There's no better genre of book to pick up during the holiday season than a good old-fashioned romance!
From cheesy Hallmark flicks to holiday hits like All I Want for Christmas Is You, love stories are a central part of the Christmas season.
And it's not just movies and songs that capture the perfect holiday romance, either.
There are plenty of books with love stories that will warm your heart during the coldest time of the year.
If you need a new holiday romance to dive into, these books will have you falling head over heels!
The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore
One of 2024's new holiday romances, The Christmas Tree Farm is the perfect "grumpy x sunshine" tale for the winter season.
The rom-com follows Kira North, who is lacking in the holiday spirit despite having just purchased a quaint Christmas tree farm.
When Bennett Ellis, who's enjoying a respite from his life in California, runs into Kira at her farm in the cozy Dream Harbor, he offers the grumpy owner some help with her work.
The ever-stubborn Kira refuses, but when fate forces the two into another meeting, she realizes he may be worth a second chance.
One Day in December by Josie Silver
One Day in December is a swoon-worthy romance that proves love will always find a way.
After Laurie spots a handsome man outside her bus window, she's convinced she's found the love of her life.
Naturally, the universe has other plans, and her bus drives away before she can approach him.
A year later, Laurie finds herself reunited with the mysterious man in an unexpected way.
Love is never simple, and the next ten years of snowy Decembers and missed opportunities prove an unforgettable journey that will have you swooning.
Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun
Released in 2022, Kiss Her Once for Me is a messy love story in the best way.
After a promising meet-cute at a bookstore on Christmas Eve is marred by betrayal, Ellie Oliver finds herself heartbroken once again as she begins working at a coffee shop.
When Ellie drunkenly agrees to marry the shop's landlord, Andrew, to earn them his inheritance, she travels with him to meet his family for the holidays.
In a cruel twist of fate, Ellie learns that the woman she had fallen for at the bookstore on the holiday evening is actually Andrew's sister.
A delightfully chaotic tale, this Christmas rom-com is the perfect read for romance fans!
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares is the New York City rom-com of your dreams!
When 16-year-old Lily leaves a notebook filled with challenges at her favorite bookstore, a stranger named Dash embarks on an unexpected adventure as he attempts to complete her dares.
A pitch-perfect love story for any big reader, the novel illustrates the magic of the holiday season in New York and the beauty of the unexpected.
The novel has also been adapted into an adorable Netflix series filmed largely at the iconic Strand Book Store in New York!
The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
Set in a small town in England, The Twelve Dates of Christmas is the perfect cozy holiday romance.
The novel follows Kate, an unlucky-in-love designer whose friend signs her up for a dating service.
With 23 days until Christmas, Kate sets out on 12 dates with 12 different guys as she hopes to find the love of her life among the bunch.
Of course, true love is never that simple, and Kate just may have to kiss a few Christmas frogs before she finds the one meant for her.
Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley
If you're craving a read with a little more rom-com-style hijinks, Three Holidays and a Wedding is the one for you.
The story begins with Maryam Aziz and Anna Gibson, two strangers seated next to one another on a flight to Toronto.
When the flight hits some scary turbulence, the pair make some deep confessions as they panic about the future.
But the comfort of sharing secrets with a stranger who you'll never see again is quickly lost as the plane makes a sudden landing in the quaint town of Snow Falls.
The picturesque town provides the perfect setting for some contemplation, chaos, and, of course, a charming holiday love story.
These romance reads are sure to make your holidays even merrier!
Cover photo: colllage: unsplash/@theocrazzolara & @designecologist