When the tree goes up in my house, it’s finally time to embrace cozy Christmastime reading. To me, there’s not much better this time of year than snuggling up with a cup of coffee and a good book beside the glow of our trees.
Without further ado, here are my favorite lighthearted reads for the holidays.
The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller
This was the first cozy rom-com I ever read, and it converted me to the genre.
In The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living, city gal and pastry chef Olivia moves to rural Vermont after a spectacular falling out at her country club job. During her tenure at the Sugar Maple Inn, Olivia settles into country life, endears herself to her curmudgeonly new boss and even meets a boomerang beau (a guy who lived in the country, tried life in Seattle and then returned home to care for his father).
At first blush, this book sounds like a Hallmark movie pressed between covers and bound, but I assure you it’s so much better than any of those made-for-TV movies.
One Day in December by Josie Silver
In this Christmas book, Laurie catches the eye of a handsome man through the window of a bus. Somehow, she knows this guy is someone she wants to pursue.
Over the years, Laurie looks for her mystery man and is unsuccessful—until her friend introduces Laurie to her new boyfriend at a party. This boyfriend is, of course, bus boy.
One Day in December plays out over the course of years (and does take a second to settle into), but it does keep you ensconced in the characters through every turn.
The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
This just might be my gold standard of cozy holiday reading! Is it slightly predictable? Sure! But that in no way takes away from enjoying this Christmas book.
So what’s the setup here? Well, Kate reluctantly agrees to participate in a series of blind dates—12 of them—to find a connection before the holidays hit. Over the course of the dates, there are hits, misses and plenty of seasonal activities. Delightful!
I recommend this one as an audiobook to listen to while you wrap gifts or bake Christmas cookies.
Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun
Is the premise of this book absolutely inconceivable? Yes! But so is the plot of 1998’s The Parent Trap, and that is a masterpiece.
Now, Kiss Her Once for Me isn’t a masterpiece, but it’s a great holiday read. In this infectious rom-com barista (and one-time animator) Ellie agrees to marry her cafe’s landlord, Andrew, so he can gain access to his trust fund—and give her a small portion.
Of course, they have to do the whole fake dating thing. The catch here isn’t that they catch feels necessarily; it’s that during a family getaway with her faux fiance’s family, Ellie discovers that she once had a super intense (though short-lived) connection with his sibling Jac. What’s a gal to do during the holidays?
The Hygge Holiday by Rosie Blake
Full admission: I didn’t even remember there was a romance element to this book until I reread the summary—and I think that’s part of the charm of The Hygge Holiday.
In this book, Danish ex-pat Klara settles into a small English town. While she thinks her stay will be temporary, Klara soon makes it her to reinvent the town’s small toy shop. With lots of nods to slowness, coziness and overall hygge vibes, this book satisfies and reminds you to take it easy—even during this busy season.
A Season for Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss
I think this book (yes, another by Jenny Bayliss) is the perfect read for that lazy stretch of time between Christmas and New Year’s.
In A Season for Second Chances, Annie heads off to the countryside to recoup after splitting from her husband. She’s happy to find a job as a caretaker for a small cafe for the wintertime. Of course, Annie can’t just let the cafe sit there (it looks sad!), so with the blessing of the wonder (a charming old woman) she decides to give the space new life and embrace living in a quaint small town—book club and all.
Now, does the charming old woman’s nephew like this plan? Of course not! But over the chapters, feelings shift, and Annie finds that her seaside stay might become home.
As always, you can follow along with my progress and see what I’ve read over on Goodreads! Also, if you’re an audiobook fan, I encourage you to try Libro.fm—you can support your favorite small bookstore while downloading your next listen.
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