Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
Hi everybody, and welcome to a new Top Ten Tuesday! Today’s topic is all about cozy reads. Since I did a topic on cozy fantasy romance just a few weeks ago, today I wanted to focus on another type of cozy reads and that is… holiday romances! It’s the season after all, and sometimes a good old cheesy holiday romance is just what we need. So get that hot chocolate, cozy sweater and blanket ready and cuddle up with one of these ten holiday romances released in 2022:
A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone
Cowritten by #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Murphy and USA Today bestselling author Sierra Simone—a steamy plus-size holiday rom-com about an adult film star who is semi-accidentally cast as a lead in a family-friendly Christmas movie, and the former bad-boy pop star she falls in love with.
Bee Hobbes (aka Bianca Von Honey) has a successful career as a plus-size adult film star. With a huge following and two supportive moms, Bee couldn’t ask for more. But when Bee’s favorite producer casts her to star in a Christmas movie he’s making for the squeaky-clean Hope Channel, Bee’s career is about to take a more family-friendly direction.
Forced to keep her work as Bianca under wraps, Bee quickly learns this is a task a lot easier said than done. Though it all becomes worthwhile when she discovers her co-star is none other than childhood crush Nolan Shaw, an ex-boy band member in desperate need of career rehab. Nolan’s promised his bulldog manager to keep it zipped up on set, and he will if it means he’ll be able to provide a more stable living situation for his sister and mom.
But things heat up quickly in Christmas Notch, Vermont, when Nolan recognizes his new co-star from her ClosedDoors account (oh yeah, he’s a member). Now Bee and Nolan are sneaking off for quickies on set, keeping their new relationship a secret from the Hope Channel’s execs. Things only get trickier when the reporter who torpedoed Nolan’s singing career comes snooping around—and takes an instant interest in mysterious newcomer Bee.
And if Bee and Nolan can’t keep their off-camera romance behind the scenes, then this merry little meet cute might end up on the cutting room floor.
Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle
Bettie Hughes once knew the comfort of luxury, flaunting a ridiculous collection of designer shoes and a stealthy addiction to CBD oils. That is, until her parents snipped her purse strings. Long obsessed with her public image, Bettie boasts an extravagant lifestyle on social media. But the reality is: Bettie is broke and squatting in Colorado, and her family has no idea.
Christmas, with its pressure to meet familial expectations, is looming when a drunk Bettie plays a vinyl record of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” backwards and accidentally conjures Hall, an unexpectedly charming Holiday Spirit in the form of a man. Once the shock wears off, Bettie knows she’s stumbled upon the greatest gift: a chance to make all her holiday wishes come true, plus a ready-made fiancé.
But as the wiles of magic lose their charm, Bettie finds herself set off-kilter by Hall’s sweet gestures. Suddenly, Bettie is finding her heart merry and light. But the happier she gets, the shorter Hall’s time on earth grows. Can Bettie channel the Christmas spirit and learn to live with goodwill toward all men? Or will her selfish ways come back as soon as the holidays are over?
From the author of Twice Shy comes a sprightly Christmas novel, a rollicking romp through the absurdity of family holidays and the hope of new love.
All I Want For Christmas by Maggie Knox
True love wasn’t on their holiday wish list.
When Sadie and Max are selected as contestants on the famed reality singing show Starmaker, each thinks they’ve finally gotten their big Nashville break. But then they’re paired up for duet week and stun the world with their romantic onstage chemistry. With fans going wild for #Saxie the network demands that they remain a duo on and offstage, or exit the competition. Faking a relationship until their final performance in the Starmaker holiday special shouldn’t be too hard, except for one small problem–Sadie and Max can’t stand each other.
But with their dreams just within reach, they agree to the ruse. Will their fake relationship be exposed before they can win? Or will an unexpected trip to Banff spark real feelings by the Christmas finale?
You’re A Mean One, Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky
Bring a little joy to the world?
Not today, Santa.
Matthew Prince is young, rich, and thoroughly spoiled. So what if his parents barely remember he exists and the press is totally obsessed with him? He’s on top of the world. But one major PR misstep later, and Matthew is cut off and shipped away to spend the holidays in his grandparents’ charming small town hellscape. Population: who cares?
It’s bad enough he’s stuck in some festive winter wonderland—it’s even worse that he has to share space with Hector Martinez, an obnoxiously attractive local who’s unimpressed with anything and everything Matthew does.
Just when it looks like the holiday season is bringing nothing but heated squabbles, the charity gala loses its coordinator and Matthew steps in as a saintly act to get home early on good behavior…with Hector as his maddening plus-one. But even a Grinch can’t resist the unexpected joy of found family, and in the end, the forced proximity and infectious holiday cheer might be enough to make a lonely Prince’s heart grow three sizes this year.
The Christmas Wish by Lindsey Kelk
What if it really was Christmas every day?
Gwen has had quite the year. Newly single and in trouble at work, a family Christmas could be exactly what she needs – fresh country air, piles of presents and festive films. But since when were families relaxing? Between her parents interfering in her love life, fighting with her sister and an awkward run-in with Dev, the boy next door, Gwen is grateful that Christmas only comes but once a year.
But when someone in her family makes a Christmas wish, she wakes up to discover she has to relive the day all over again.
And again.
And again.
As Gwen does her best to grant the wish, she begins to realize that even the people closest to us have secrets of their own, and just because her heart is broken, doesn’t mean it can’t be fixed with a little Christmas magic…
Kiss Her Once For Me by Alison Cochrun
The author of The Charm Offensive returns with a festive romantic comedy about a woman who fakes an engagement with her landlord…only to fall for his sister.
One year ago, recent Portland transplant Ellie Oliver had her dream job in animation and a Christmas Eve meet-cute with a woman at a bookstore that led her to fall in love over the course of a single night. But after a betrayal the next morning and the loss of her job soon after, she finds herself adrift, alone, and desperate for money.
Finding work at a local coffee shop, she’s just getting through the days—until Andrew, the shop’s landlord, proposes a shocking, drunken plan: a marriage of convenience that will give him his recent inheritance and alleviate Ellie’s financial woes and isolation. They make a plan to spend the holidays together at his family cabin to keep up the ruse. But when Andrew introduces his new fiancée to his sister, Ellie is shocked to discover it’s Jack—the mysterious woman she fell for over the course of one magical Christmas Eve the year before. Now, Ellie must choose between the safety of a fake relationship and the risk of something real.
Perfect for fans of Written in the Stars and One Day in December, Kiss Her Once for Me is the queer holiday rom-com that you’ll want to cozy up with next to the fire.
Snowed In With The Player by Rebecca Jenshak
It was supposed to be a weekend of holiday cheer.
Just me and my twin sister, watching Christmas movies and baking cookies.
My brother was absolutely not supposed to show up with half the football team.
Including Teddy. My brother’s best friend and my secret crush.
I’m the shy sister. The one with her nose stuck in a book and quoting every word of Elf, not the one getting attention from guys like Teddy.
He’s cool and smart and so handsome I could die.
The only thing that could make things worse is if I got snowed in with him.
Alone.
Carry Me Through Christmas by Rachel Holm
Welcome to Holly Ridge, home of the best Christmas festival in the tri-state area.
When the future of Holly Ridge depends on the success of the Christmas festival, who better to plan it than the former mayor’s daughter, Blaire Greene? Prodigal daughter returns home to save the day, Blaire must work within the state’s guidelines and framework to plan a Christmas festival that will restore the town’s budget and save the town charter.
The guidelines stipulate Cole Thomas, the CFO from rival town Winterberry Glen, must oversee Blaire’s festival planning. Cole hates Christmas and is more comfortable dealing in numbers, control, and emotional detachment. He has finally found a way out of Winterberry Glen, and he doesn’t plan to let anything, or anyone, get in the way of that goal.
Thrown together time and time again to plan the festival, Blaire and Cole begin to learn new things about their towns, themselves, and each other. When the festival draws to a close, what will carry on through Christmas and what will they leave behind?
Carry Me Through Christmas is a small town, rivals-to-lovers novel featuring Christmas references, charismatic townsfolk, endearing friends and family, a few open-door steamy scenes, lots of laughs and even more heart. Happily ever after guaranteed!
The Holiday Trap by Roan Parrish
For fans of Alexandria Bellefleur and Alexis Hall comes a charming, hilarious, and heartwarming LGBTQIA+ romcom about two separate couples finding love over the holidays from acclaimed author Roan Parrish!
Greta Russakoff loves her tight-knit family and tiny Maine hometown, even if they don’t always understand what it’s like to be a lesbian living in such a small world. She desperately needs space to figure out who she is.
Truman Belvedere has just had his heart crushed into a million pieces when he learned that his boyfriend of almost a year has a secret life that includes a husband and a daughter. Reeling from this discovery, all he wants is a place to lick his wounds far, far away from New Orleans.
Enter Greta and Truman’s mutual friend, Ramona, who facilitates a month-long house swap. Over the winter holidays, each of them will have a chance to try on a new life…and maybe fall in love with the perfect partner of their dreams. But all holidays must come to an end, and eventually Greta and Truman will have to decide whether the love they each found so far from home is worth fighting for.
Snowed In For Christmas by Sarah Morgan
A family gathering
This Christmas the Miller siblings have one goal—to avoid their well-meaning family’s endless stream of prying questions. Ross, Alice and Clemmie have secrets that they don’t intend to share, and they are relying on each other to deflect attention.
An uninvited guest
Lucy Clarke is facing a Christmas alone and the prospect of losing her job. Unless she can win a major piece of business from Ross Miller, the season promises to be anything but festive. She’ll just deliver her proposal to his family home and then leave. After all, she wouldn’t want to intrude on the Miller family’s perfect Christmas.
A Christmas to remember
When Lucy appears on the Miller family’s snow-covered Highland doorstep, she’s mistaken for Ross’s girlfriend. By the time the confusion is cleared up, they’re snowed in—she can’t leave, even if she wants to! But does she want to? As secrets spill out like presents from an overstuffed stocking and the chemistry between her and Ross ignites, this is going to be either Lucy’s worst Christmas ever or the best mistake of her life.
Tell Me:
Have you read or are you planning to read any of these cozy holiday romances?
I have both of Maggie’s books on my shelf. Just have to make time to read them. Hope you enjoy all of these!! 🙂
Hope you’ll enjoy Maggie’s books!
This is such a cute list!
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-cozy-reads/
They do look so cute!
These look adorable. 🙂
They do! 🙂
The only one I’ve read of these is Jenshak’s. I guess I need to branch out! These sound like fun holiday reads.
I think your review of Snowed In With The Player put it on my radar – it sounds like a lot of fun!
I’ve been holding off on the holiday reads but now I’m ready. Your list could not have come at a better time. 🙂
Oh hope you’ll find some great reads!
They look good. I have read Snowed In For Christmas and really enjoyed it.
Have a great week!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
My post:
https://budgettalesblog.wordpress.com/2022/11/29/top-ten-tuesday-cosy-reads/
Glad to hear you enjoyed Snowed In For Christmas, it sounds great!
Thank you. It exceeded my expectations!
I plan on reading A Merry Little Meet Cute!
I just started A Merry Little Meet Cute, it’s been fun so far 🙂
I have not read any of these but they all look super cute!
They do look so cute!
I read All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox and enjoyed it! I may have to look at some of the others on your list.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/cozy-gift-ideas-for-book-lovers/
Glad to hear you loved All I Want for Christmas, I look forward to reading that one!
That third one looks so cute. I love holiday reads and get in the mood for holiday themes this time of year. And of course that last cover with the blue door 🙂
It’s weird since I didn’t use to be into holiday reads, but the last 2-3 years I’ve been really learning to love them 🙂
I did the same topic, yet we have completely different books. lol I just added a few of these to my TBR. I’ve heard a lot of good things about A Merry Little Meet Cute, and You’re a Mean One Matthew Prince sounds great too.
Haha, indeed! Guess there’s no shortage of holiday romances so that’s good 🙂
I’ve read All I Want for Christmas, Just a Little Magic, and Kiss Her Once for Me. I enjoyed all of those, and all of the others from your list are on my TBR.
Glad to hear you enjoyed those reads, I look forward to reading them too!
That’s a great list! Two of those books are on my list for this month.
Hope you’ll enjoy those reads!
All of these look really good! I don’t read a lot of holiday romances, or at least none that have provided me the cute holiday hit that I’m looking for when I pick them up. But I’m keen to try books 1, 2, and 4. 😍 Great list!
Thanks! Hope you’ll find a good holiday romance that will give you that needed holiday hit!
A MERRY LITTLE MEET CUTE looks super fun! I think I need more holiday romances in my life. Can’t get any cozier than that 🙂
Happy TTT (on a Wednesday)!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Haha can’t get any cozier than a holiday romance indeed! I just started A Merry Little Meet Cute and I’ve been enjoying it so far – though it’s definitely waaay steamier than most holiday romances.
I’m not really a romance reader, so I won’t be reading any of these, but I hope you enjoy them!
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2022/11/29/top-ten-tuesday-396/
Thanks 🙂
🙂
I LOVED The Christmas Wish!
Glad to hear that, it does sound great!