12 Best Christmas Romance Books To Get You in the Holiday Spirit

Looking for the best Christmas romance books to get you into the holiday spirit this season or all year round? Then look no further as this book list has my favorite Christmas romance books that will keep you busy reading all season long.

Celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas with these best Christmas romance books worth reading that I love to reread every year!

For even more holiday romance books, check out my Holiday Romance Hub.

The Plight Before Christmas
by Kate Stewart

A Second Chance, Christmas Romance

Whitney Collins has had it rough the last month but she’s on her way to her grandparent’s cabin to spend the Christmas holiday with her family. She did not plan on also spending it with her ex whom her brother happens to bring along.

Now she’s stuck with Eli for the week, the man who broke her heart nearly two decades ago. Between memories that resurface and the way he’s looking at her, Whitney’s not sure her heart is going to survive the holiday.

This Christmas romance has everything! The humor, the holiday moments, an amazing family get-together and of course an epic love story. Eli made a bold move crashing the Christmas of his ex but the man was on a mission.

I loved the flashbacks we got throughout and just when I wasn’t sure why Eli walked away all those years ago, I got ALL the feels. This will be a holiday romance I reread every year!

Check out my book review of The Plight Before Christmas.

Lovelight Farms
by B.K. Borison

A Friends to Lovers Christmas Romance

A pasture of failing trees. A hostile takeover of the Santa barn by a family of raccoons. And shipments that have mysteriously gone missing. Lovelight Farms is not the magical winter wonderland of Stella Bloom’s dreams.

In an effort to save the Christmas tree farm she’s loved since she was a kid, Stella enters a contest with Instagram-famous influencer Evelyn St. James. With the added publicity and the $100,000 cash prize, Stella might just be able to save the farm from its financial woes. There’s just one problem. To make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on her application and said she owns Lovelight Farms with her boyfriend. Only…there is no boyfriend.

Enter best friend Luka Peters. He just stopped by for some hot chocolate and somehow got a farm and a serious girlfriend in the process. But fake dating his best friend might be the best Christmas present he’s ever received.

This Christmas romance book (and the entire Lovelight Farms series) is just super adorable and should be read by everyone at least once, no matter the time of year.

I loved the friends to lovers romance where it was so easy to see how much they cared for one another and yet didn’t want to risk changing the status of their friendship.  

The best part of this book for me is the way that Luka can totally read Stella and he doesn’t let her hide anything. He easily jumped on board with the fake relationship and how he calmed her fears at every turn. This is also one of my favorite romance audiobooks too so check that out as well.

Related: Best Friends to Lovers Romance Books

A Holly Jolly Ever After
by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone

A Relationship Coach Christmas Romance

Kallum Liebermanis the funny one™. As the arguably lesser of the three former members of the boy band INK, he enjoyed his fifteen minutes of fame and then moved home where he opened a regional pizza chain called Slice, Slice, Baby! He’s living his best dad bod life, hooking up with bridesmaids at all his friends’ weddings. But after an old one-off sex tape is leaked and quickly goes viral, Kallum decides he’s ready to step into the spotlight again, starring in a sexy Santa biopic for the Hope Channel. 

Winnie Baker did everything right. She married her childhood sweetheart, avoided the downfalls of adolescent stardom, and transitioned into a stable adult acting career. Hell, she even waited until marriage to do the deed. But after her perfect life falls apart, Winnie is ready to redefine herself—and what better way than a steamier-than-a-steaming-hot-mug-of-cider Christmas movie?

With decade old Hollywood history between them, Winnie and Kallum are both feeling hesitant about their new situation as costars…especially Winnie who can’t seem to fake on screen pleasure she’s never experienced in real life. She’s willing to do the pleasure research—for science and artistic authenticity, of course. And there’s no better research partner than her costar, Kallum. But suddenly, Kallum’s teenage crush on Winnie is bubbling to the surface and Winnie might be catching feelings herself. 

They say opposites attract, but is this holly jolly ever after really ready for its close-up?

Julie and Sierra totally rock the Christmas romance books in their Christmas Notch series but this one is my favorite! It’s a costars to lovers romance but mixes in the relationship coach trope that I love so much.

Luckily for Winnie, her co-star Kallum is wiling to help her with “research” so she can adequately portray a woman in the throws of passion for their movie and he was just so kind and patient with her.

It’s also a wonderful transformation for a 32-year-old woman who’s finally claiming her power, standing up to parents who failed her and taking what she wants to find out who she is. I absolutely adored Winnie and Winnie and Kallum together.

If you’re looking for a super cute, holiday romance with a swoon-worthy couple that you can’t help but root for then you’ll love this book.

Check out my book review of A Holly Jolly Ever After.

Related: Best Relationship Coach Books

Wreck the Halls
by Tessa Bailey

A Friends to Lovers Christmas Romance

Melody Gallard may be the daughter of music royalty, but her world is far from glamorous. She spends her days restoring old books and avoiding the limelight (one awkward tabloid photo was enough, thanks). But when a producer offers her a lot of money to reunite her mother’s band on live tv, Mel begins to wonder if it’s time to rattle the cage, shake up her quiet life… and see him again. The only other person who could wrangle the rock and roll divas.

Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, is Melody’s opposite—the camera loves him, he could charm the pants off anyone, and his mom is not a potential cult leader. Still, they might have been best friends if not for the legendary feud that broke up the band. When they met as teenagers, Mel felt an instant spark, but it’s nothing compared to the wild, intense attraction that builds as they embark on a madcap mission to convince their mothers to perform one last show. 

While dealing with rock star shenanigans, a 24-hour film crew, brawling Santas, and mobs of adoring fans, Mel starts to step out of her comfort zone. With Beat by her side, cheering her on, she’s never felt so understood. But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal is poised to wreck everything—the Steel Birds reunion, their relationships with their mothers, and their newfound love.  

Tessa Bailey created two fun and unique characters that you will be rooting for the entire book. I loved Beat and his protection of Melody while they join forces to reunite their mothers with the best parts being when they riff off each other.

It’s always fun to read a romance that doesn’t follow a typical plotline. Bailey crafts such a fun story and that’s what keeps me coming back to her books over and over again.

Check out my book review of Wreck the Halls.

All I Want is You
by Fallon Ballard

A Second Chance Christmas Romance

All Jessica has ever wanted is her own happily ever after. But until that happens, she spends her days as a small-time romance writer, penning satisfying Happily Ever Afters to soothe the heartache left by her ex-boyfriend Nick—also a romance writer and now her biggest rival—who has found success writing love stories without happy endings. It’s what he’s good at, after all . . .

So when their professional obligations bring them to a remote inn a few days before Christmas, they’re a little more than peeved, especially when they get trapped sharing a room in a snowstorm. But what’s more fitting for two romantic writers in a slump?

Realizing the friction between them might be the only cure for their writer’s block, they decide to turn their frustration into fiction . . . and the pages start flying. But will Jess’s heart soar, too? Nick is the last guy on earth she should love . . . but what if he is really all she wants for Christmas?

Second chance romances can be hit or miss for me ranging from the overly sappy to the unbelievable but this one hit the sweet spot. I loved how Jessica and Nick are forced back together for career reasons and then find themselves sharing a room with only one bed when they are snowed in at the Inn where their fateful reunion occurred.

It become apparent pretty quickly that these two still love one another and are meant to have their own happy ending. The scene where they ask each other questions and require honest answers or drink was really hot!

I also loved that these two are both romance authors so Fallon really plays up the second chance romance trope for their benefit. If you’re looking for a sweet (and spicy) romance that you’ll devour in a day this holiday, I highly recommend All I Want Is You!

Check out my book review of All I Want Is You.

Related: Most Anticipated New Christmas Romance Books of 2024

The Nightmare Before Kissmas
by Sara Raasch

An MM Christmas Romance

Nicholas “Coal” Claus used to love Christmas. Until his father, the reigning Santa, turned the holiday into a PR façade. Coal will do anything to escape the spectacle, including getting tangled in a drunken, supremely hot make-out session with a beautiful man behind a seedy bar one night.

But the heir to Christmas is soon commanded to do his duty: he will marry his best friend, Iris, the Easter Princess and his brother’s not-so-secret crush. A situation that has disaster written all over it.

Things go from bad to worse when a rival arrives to challenge Coal for the princess’s hand…and Coal comes face-to-face with his mysterious behind-the-bar hottie: Hex, the Prince of Halloween.

It’s a fake competition between two holiday princes who can’t keep their hands off each other over a marriage of convenience that no one wants. And it all leads to one of the sweetest, hottest, messiest, most delightfully unforgettable love stories of the year.

Raasch writes such a fun and unique holiday romance that will have you swooning at the love interests, laughing at her hilarious puns and really thinking about what the joy of every holiday means to you.

This holiday romance mixes both the spirit of the Christmas season with thought to the joy of Halloween as well and I loved the mash-up of holidays!

Raasch could have chosen to write your average MM romance but this was so much more and I devoured every page. I loved the twist on the arranged marriage between best friends when the real romance blossomed in the forbidden.

I cannot recommend this book enough for the incredible storyline, the romance and the thought-provoking it inspires.

Check out my book review of The Nightmare Before Kissmas.

An Ex for Christmas
by Lauren Layne

A Friends to Lovers Christmas Romance Book

When a psychic tells Kelly that she’s already met her true love, she’s determined to discover her man before Christmas. Thinking he must be an ex, she starts contacting her old flames, but not a single one is igniting any sparks like the ones she’s starting to feel for her best friend, Mark.

Mark is tired of watching Kelly’s heart get broken and is finally ready to move on. Then again, maybe this Christmas will finally bring him what he’s always wanted – her.

If you love Lauren Layne’s work then you’ll definitely love her Christmas romance book. It has a quirky heroine you can’t help but fall for in her quest to find true love. A lovely friends to lovers story.

Christmas From Hell
by R.L. Mathewson

A Neighbors to Lovers Christmas Romance Book

Duncan Bradford can’t stand his neighbor who seems to want to end him whenever he’s around her. Necie doesn’t hate Duncan, she secretly likes him, but her clumsy ways keep screwing things up when it comes to her hot neighbor.

If you’re familiar with the Neighbor from Hell series, then you know you’re in for humor, a hot hero, a quirky heroine and lots of food talk when it comes to this Christmas romance book! I thought Necie was sweet and her grandfather hysterical making this a fun addition to this series.

Charming Co-Worker
by Lauren Runow and Jeannine Colette

An Office Romance, Fake Relationship Christmas Romance Book

Katie’s wanted her boss for so long and this Christmas she’s going to get her man. She just needs a bit of help becoming a vixen this holiday to score her man’s attention.

Her co-worker, Hunter is more than willing to help her and proposes a fake relationship to make her boss jealous. But the more time she spends with Hunter, the more she realizes her boss may not be the man she wants after all.

I loved everything about this Christmas romance book. I especially loved the chemistry between Katie and Hunter which only grew stronger during their “fake” relationship.

Hunter is the perfect book boyfriend who truly notices the girl. All the little ways that he “got” Katie just made him stand out as the better man.

This book had it all – an exciting office romance, a sweet, fake relationship, and a wonderful storyline with many hilarious pun jokes! A must-read for the holidays.

Check out my book review of Charming Co-Worker.

A Very Bossy Christmas
by Kayley Loring

An Office Romance and Fake Relationship Christmas Romance Book

The professional line has definitely been crossed between Declan and his assistant Maddie. First, he asked her to be his fake girlfriend and attend his family’s holiday events in exchange for giving her Christmas day off.

And now they’re waking up together after one crazy night. Declan needs his assistant by his side this holiday season, even if she claims to hate him. But it’s time he got it together or do the most unprofessional thing of all and fall for her.

Best book boyfriend alert! This is what a Christmas romance book should be. It was so good I just couldn’t put it down. Declan and Maddie burned up the pages with their hate to love chemistry. The texting was oh-so-good and the writing just witty and hilarious.

It was not only hot but also incredibly sweet and tender with the perfect amount of holiday cheer. A must-read every year during the holidays!

Check out my book review of A Very Bossy Christmas.

The Holiday Swap
by Maggie Knox

A Christmas Romance Book Where Twins Switch Places

When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses consciousness as well as also her taste and smell–both critical to her success as show judge.

Desperate to keep her job, she asks her identical twin, Cass to switch places with her. Only Cass is busy with her own problems running the family’s bakery. She’s struggling to make enough bread loaves for the Christmas Eve festival while also trying to get her ex to understand that they are indeed over.

Trading lives however proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician’s assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix.

This is such a fun and sweet romance that will definitely put you in the mood for the holidays.  The “swap” angle was a cute twist and I enjoyed the storyline for both sisters and their hot beaus.

Check out my book review of The Holiday Swap.

The Trouble with Mistletoe
by Jill Shalvis

A Sweet, Contemporary Christmas Romance Book

Willa loves taking care of animals, and while she may love cats and dogs she no longer cares for Keane, the man she once knew in high school. Is it a good thing that he doesn’t recognize her when he stops into her pet shop in desperate need of a cat sitter?

He may have once been naughty but Keane now actually seems nice, but Willa’s unsure if she can trust him.  She’ll leave it up to the lucky fountain when she throws in a coin and makes a Christmas wish.

I love how each of the books in Shalvis’ Heartbreaker series revolve around the myth that wishes made when throwing a coin into the apartment complex’s fountain will indeed come true.

This is a cute Christmas romance novel with a hint of a second chance romance story. I loved Willa’s spirit and generosity and was rooting for her happily ever after. If you’re an animal lover then you’ll love this story even more.

Watch the movie! If you’re a fan of romance movies, then see this book come to life by watching The Trouble with Mistletoe on Passionflix!