Festive Reading Recommendations
Written on December 13, 2023
Whether you’re cozy by a roaring fire at home or trying to get cozy in your seat on an airplane, we have some festive reading recommendations to fill your soul with the spirit of the season.
Only for the Holidays by Abiola Bello
City girl Tia and country boy Quincy don’t have much in common, but when a somewhat-single Tia arrives at Quincy’s family farm for festive season and he needs a date for the Winter Ball, both realize they could benefit from attending together.
The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer
Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt has kept her career as a Christmas romance novelist a secret from her family, but when her publisher insists she write a Hanukkah romance, she feels completely uninspired. Afraid to lose her contract, she hopes to recapture the magic at the Matzah Ball event. She’s stuck working with her childhood archenemy, but as they spend time together, she begins to feel more drawn to both Hanukkah and Jacob.
Eight Dates and Nights by Betsy Aldredge
Stuck in a Texas small town over Hanukkah, New Yorker Hannah Levin is missing the latkes and reliable wi-fi of home. When she happens into the local deli and meets the only other Jewish teenager in town, she helps him save the family business.
Season of Love by Helena Greer
After her beloved aunt passes away, Miriam Blum must face her past and hone her business-savvy when she inherits Carrigan’s, her aunt’s Jewish-run Christmas tree farm. To prevent the business from going under, she must work closely with the farm’s manager, a grumpy Noelle Northwood. As the duo work together, Noelle slowly starts to realize that there’s more to Miriam than meets the eye.
Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley
Maryam and Anna are seated beside one another on their flight to Toronto when severe turbulence prompts them to share their deepest hopes and fears with one another, not realizing that the love of Maryam’s life is sitting two rows behind them. An emergency landing strands them at the quirky Snow Falls Inn, where Anna’s celebrity crush films a romance movie and Maryam confronts her feelings for Saif head-on.
A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss
Three estranged sisters gather at their deceased father’s curiosity shop for the reading of his will, only to learn he has some creative requirements that must be met before they may claim their inheritance. At the top of his list is organizing the village of Rowan Thorp’s winter solstice festival. Small town mishaps, romance, and the struggles of redefining family after so much time apart are the primary themes in this sweet December story.
You Make it Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh
Returning home for her sister’s wedding jobless, single, and feeling less-than-excited about the events ahead, Starr Lewis has a change of heart when her brother’s best friend Waylon attends her family’s Thanksgiving. Through wedding preparations and helping Waylon work to keep his mother’s shop open, something between them begins to grow.
Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand
First in a four-book series, Winter Street introduces the somewhat dysfunctional Quinn family and their Nantucket homestead, The Winter Street Inn. Holiday family drama against the charming backdrop of the island and its festive season traditions make this a perfect escapist read.
The Enchanted Sonata by Heather Dixon Wallwork
In this retelling of The Nutcracker, Clara is set to marry pianist Johann Kahler and live a life filled with music. When Clara receives a mysterious nutcracker on Christmas Eve, everything changes, and she finds herself whisked away to an enchanting new world.
The Christmas Orphans Club by Becca Freeman
College friends Hannah and Finn celebrate Christmas together every year, then welcome Theo and Priya into the fun once they are adults settled in New York City. Over the years, fun holiday adventures are paired with the challenges of maintaining careers and relationships as adults, but when Finn announces he is taking a job in Los Angeles, the group faces what their new dynamic could be.
The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan
The Maple Sugar Inn is the idyllic location for a winter holiday, especially for lifelong friends Erica, Claudia, and Anna who make reservations for a book club getaway. Over the span of the week, the friends, along with inn owner Hattie, unpack their emotional baggage and work to help one another start a new chapter in each of their lives.
If you’ve read anything fun and festive this season, come tell us over on our Facebook post!
