I adore the holiday season with all the festivities that come along with it, but I especially love to curl up with new Christmas romance books to make the season merry and bright.
If you too love reading Christmas romance books this time of year, then check out my book list of the new romance titles releasing in 2021 that are full of holiday cheer and happily-ever-afters!
*Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
What could be better than reading a romance book but one that also includes a bit of holiday cheer?
I love mixing in a few new Christmas romance books during the holidays to help me enjoy the spirit of the season.
Second chance romances, first love stories or books about finding love again are always special happily-ever-afters, but I love them even more when a bit of kissing under the mistletoe is mixed in.
If you too love to read Christmas romance books between attending holiday parties, shopping for gifts or decorating your abode, you’re going to want to add the book titles below to your must read list.
I’ve compiled 21 new Christmas romance books releasing in 2021 that you won’t want to miss.
These books offer something for everyone including contemporary Christmas romance stories, Christmas historical romance novels, and holiday romance novellas.
New Christmas Romance Books Releasing in 2021
Keep Me Warm at Christmas
by Brenda Novak
Published September 28
Tia Beckett’s career had been on the fast track in Hollywood before a near-fatal accident left her with a debilitating facial scar.
To escape the limelight and devastation, she agrees to house-sit at her producer’s secluded estate in Silver Springs.
Upon her arrival, she discovers she’s not the only houseguest for the holidays. Artist Seth Turner has his own wounds he’s nursing, but maybe spending Christmas together could be another game changer for both of them—this time, for good.
This Christmas romance book features a Hollywood star who’s left Tinseltown for her own devastating reasons.
I love romance books where two tortured souls find love and happiness with each other. Throw in the holiday season for this love to bloom and it’s the perfect recipe for a wonderful romance novel to read this Christmas.
Amazon | Goodreads
Kissing Under the Mistletoe
by Suzanne Enoch, Amelia Grey, and Anna Bennett
Published September 28
In Great Scot by Suzanne Enoch, Jane Bansil knows she will never have a fairy-tale life. But even at three-and-thirty and well past marriageable age, though, she has to admit that the architect the MacTaggerts have hired could turn even a confirmed spinster’s head.
In Christmas at Dewberry Hollow by Amelia Grey, Isabelle Reed has no plans to ever fall in love. Certainly not with Gate, a man who doesn’t live in Dewberry Hollow. She will fulfill her duty and help him keep his promise to have his ill grandfather back in London in time for Christmas dinner. The last thing Isabelle wants is for Gate to take her heart with him when he goes.
In My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bennett, Miss Eva Tiding is determined to cheer her widowed father with the perfect Christmas gift. Even if it means breaking into the home of the rakish earl who swindled Papa out of his pocket watch and pretending to date the earl for the Christmas season.
If you’re up for just a taste of Christmas romance then check out this new compilation of three novellas.
These historical Christmas romance novellas will sweep you back in time to the Scottish Highlands and London which is the perfect Christmas gift in my opinion!
Amazon | Goodreads
Nick and Noel’s Christmas Playlist
by Codi Hall
Published October 5
Nick Winters and Noel Carter have known each other their whole lives. After years of shared family holidays, working together on the Winters’ Christmas tree farm, and being each other’s safe haven, they wouldn’t dream of crossing the line from friends to something more.
But when Nick comes home for the holidays after serving overseas and discovers that his long-term girlfriend has cheated, Noel is there to help him pick up the pieces.
A night on the town and an impulsive kiss later has Noel thinking that perhaps this year they’ll be rockin’ around the Christmas tree as a couple, but only if the ghost – er rather – girlfriend of Nick’s Christmas past doesn’t decide to haunt their holiday.
Even this book blurb has me in such a wonderful holiday mood that I know this romance will be the perfect pick this Christmas season. Of course, I expect a great playlist to go along with this friends to lovers romance as well.
For a romance with ex-shenanigans and opportunities to mix friendship with a lot of pleasure, this looks to be a great read this Christmas.
Amazon | Goodreads
The Holiday Swap
by Maggie Knox
Published October 5
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 review of The Holiday Swap!
Amazon | Goodreads | My Review
The Holiday Switch
by Tif Marcelo
Published October 5
Lila Castro is ready to take on her last winter break of high school. But her perfect holiday plans crash to a halt when her boss’s frustratingly cute nephew, Teddy Veracruz, becomes her coworker.
When they accidentally switch phones one afternoon, they both realize they’ve been hiding things from each other. Will their secrets–and a dash of holiday spirit–bring them closer to love?
Since I do enjoy a good switching book, I had to include this new Christmas romance book to the list!
This will appeal to the young adult romance book fans who want to see what happens when heaven forbid, phones get misplaced. I also love the diversity in characters and the enemies to lovers storyline.
Amazon | Goodreads
A Holly Jolly Diwali
by Sonja Lalli
Published October 5
Twenty-nine-year-old Niki Randhawa has always made practical decisions. When she’s laid off, Niki realizes that practical hasn’t exactly paid off for her.
So for the first time ever, she throws caution to the wind and books a last-minute flight for her friend Diya’s wedding.
Niki arrives in India just in time to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, where she meets London musician Sameer Mukherji and sparks fly.
When Niki and Sam join Diya, her husband and their friends on a group honeymoon, their connection grows deeper.
When she gets a new job offer back home, Niki must decide what she wants out of the next chapter of her life–to cling to the straight and narrow like always, or to take a leap of faith and live the kind of bold life the old Niki never would have dreamed of.
While not a Christmas romance book, it definitely fits holiday romance so I couldn’t help but add this to the list.
I can’t wait to read more about Diwali and feel like I’m in Mumbai along with the characters.
Amazon | Goodreads
Window Shopping
by Tessa Bailey
Coming October 19
It’s two weeks before Christmas and I’m standing alone in front of the famous Vivant department store, when a charming man named Aiden asks my opinion of the décor.
Unknowing he’s the owner of the store, I told him my honest opinion which landed me a new job. Now I’m dressing store windows and trying to ignore my handsome boss.
Honestly, if Tessa Bailey is writing it, I’m up for it, and this one sounds too cute to miss. Once I heard that her hero was inspired by the character Ted Lasso, that sealed the deal.
I enjoy a bit of sweet with my steamy when it comes to Christmas romance books so I’m all in with this one.
Amazon | Goodreads
Dear Santa
by Debbie Macomber
Coming October 19
Lindy Carmichael isn’t feeling particularly joyful when she returns home to Wenatchee, Washington, for Christmas.
The man she thought was the one has cheated on her with her best friend, and she feels completely devoid of creativity in her graphic design job.
To lift her spirits, Lindy decides to write herself a letter like those ones she used to write to Santa.
Little does Lindy know that this exercise in gratitude will cause her wishes to unfold before her in miraculous ways – including an unexpected connection with a handsome former classmate.
I’m not sure a Christmas romance books list would ever be complete without a book from New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber!
She is the queen of Christmas romance and her new release for 2021 sounds to be a perfect read to get you in the holiday spirit with a bit of love sprinkled in.
Amazon | Goodreads
Duke, Actually
by Jenny Holiday
Coming October 26
Maximillian von Hansburg, Baron of Laudon and heir to the Duke of Aquilla, is trapped. Under pressure to marry a suitable bride before he inherits a title that feels like a prison sentence, he flees to New York.
There he arrives on Dani Martinez’s doorstep. She’s the no-nonsense professor that has intrigued him since they met at the Eldovian royal wedding.
Newly single Dani is done with love which is why she hits it off with notorious rake Max. He’s trying to escape relationships, and she’s resolved to avoid them at all costs.
All they want from each other is friendship and a distraction from their messy lives. As their bond begins to deepen, so does their attraction, until they end up in bed together. Falling in love was never part of the plan.
This sounds like such a delightful new Christmas romance where love finds you when you’re least expecting it. I also love contemporary royal romances so I’m anxious to check out Holiday’s writing with this one.
Amazon | Goodreads
Christmas in Rose Bend
by Naima Simone
Coming October 26
Grieving ER nurse Nessa Hunt is on a road trip with her sullen teen half sister, Ivy, and still reeling from her mother’s end of life confession: Nessa’s dad wasn’t really her dad.
Seeking answers, they arrive in Rose Bend to find a small town teeming with the kind of Christmas cheer Nessa usually avoids.
But then she meets the innkeeper’s ruggedly hot son, Wolfgang Dennison.
Wolf’s big, boisterous family is like a picture-perfect holiday card. But with all her parental baggage, including lingering questions about her birth father, is there room in Nessa’s life for happy holidays and happily-ever-after?
Small town romances make the best Christmas romance books in my opinion. Everyone gets involved in the holiday cheer and possibly a match made for the season.
This book seems to have a lot going for it with several endearing characters to make it a must-read this Christmas holiday.
Amazon | Goodreads
Home for a Cowboy Christmas
by Donna Grant
Coming October 26
Tis the season—for everyone except Emmy Garrett. She’s on the run after witnessing a crime. But when it becomes clear that trouble will continue following her, the US Marshal in charge takes her somewhere no one will think to look–Montana.
Not only is Emmy in a new place for her protection, but now, she’s stuck with a handsome cowboy as her bodyguard…and she wants to do more than kiss him under the mistletoe.
I couldn’t resist adding this new Christmas romance book title because it is unique from all the rest. A bit of suspense, a bit of forced proximity, and of course a cowboy under the mistletoe. Yes, please!
Amazon | Goodreads
One Christmas Wish
by Brenda Jackson
Coming October 26
Vaughn Miller’s Wall Street career was abruptly ended by a wrongful conviction and two years in prison. Since then, he’s returned to his hometown, kept his head down and forged a way forward.
When he is exonerated and his name cleared, he feels he can hold his head up once again, maybe even talk to the beautiful café owner who sets his blood to simmering.
With Christmas approaching, Vaughn takes a chance to prove his love, and it will be up to Sierra to decide if her one Christmas wish—true happiness—will come true.
I love romance books where the hero sets his sights on a woman and doesn’t give up until he makes her his.
I have a feeling that is exactly what Vaughn designs to do in this new Christmas romance book from Jackson. While it is part of her Catalina Cove series it can be read as a standalone.
Amazon | Goodreads
Blame it on the Mistletoe
by Beth Garrod
Coming November 2
Elle is a social medial star with the #DreamLife…or so it seems. Determined to shake up her content and gain new followers, she’s on a mission: can she find a British fan to swap with for Christmas?
Holly loves everything about Christmas. But after a mortifying mistletoe disaster with her ex, her perfect plans unravel like a bad Christmas sweater.
Can Holly save the holidays when she switches places with favorite social media influencer?
Elle gets more than she bargained for when she meets the cute boy from across the street. And Holly wasn’t expecting Elle to have a handsome twin brother. This holiday is full of surprises.
There’s something about switching this holiday season that makes this a very popular storyline for Christmas romance books this year!
This young adult romance book sounds very modern and super cute that will have me grinning from ear to ear this holiday.
Amazon | Goodreads
The Naughty, the Nice and the Nanny
by Willa Nash
Coming November 4
Acting as the short-term nanny for a single dad should have been an easy way to make some extra cash.
Only I’m stuck for one week in charge of a demon disguised as a seven-year-old girl whose father I crushed on in high school, billionaire Maddox Holiday.
Seven days with these two and attending the Holiday family’s annual soiree will be a nightmare.
But I can do anything for a week, especially for this paycheck, even if it means wrangling the naughty, impressing the nice, and playing the nanny.
This Christmas romance book sounds like it is going to be hilarious. I’ve yet to read one of Devney Perry’s books, writing as her alter ego Willa Nash, but this sounds like a great start. Plus, I have a thing for billionaire romance books!
Amazon | Goodreads
Three Bells, Two Bows and One Brother’s Best Friend
by Willa Nash
Coming November 4
It’s not easy to have a crush on your brother’s best friend. My crush on Heath Holiday has never truly gone away until the day I started working for his construction company.
Or at least I tried to smother it until he arrived at his family’s annual Christmas party and kissed me. Now he keeps showing up at my house. With gifts.
A gold bracelet carrying three jingling bells. Two dainty jeweled earrings, each shaped as a bow. And finally, he brought himself.
One brother’s best friend, asking if I can keep a secret.
Fans of the brother’s best friend trope are going to LOVE this Christmas romance book for 2021.
I can’t wait to find out what his secret is and if more gifts are on the way as well. This is the second book in Nash’s Holiday Brothers series.
Amazon | Goodreads
A Partridge and a Pregnancy
by Willa Nash
Coming November 4
There are a lot of places I’d rather spend Christmas Eve morning than on a cold, snowy sidewalk outside someone else’s home.
Instead, I’m here, standing in front of my one-night stand’s house, working up the courage to ring the doorbell and tell him I’m pregnant.
Tobias Holiday was mine once, a long time ago. Our one-night reunion was only supposed to be a hookup before I moved to London.
Now I have to explain that I’m having his baby. Maybe I could sing it. Three French hens, two turtle doves. And a partridge and a pregnancy.
This book wraps up the three book Holiday Brothers series by Nash and it looks to be another great one. I like that it’s a second chance romance wrapped in the surprise pregnancy trope.
Here’s to hoping it’s a fabulous conclusion to this new series for Christmas 2021.
Amazon | Goodreads
Elves With Benefits
by Jana Aston
Coming November 4
My name is Ryan Sheppard and I don’t care about Christmas. I’m only returning to my over-the-top Christmas-themed hometown to sell the house I inherited from my late uncle so I can get back to the city and the promotion I’m chasing at work.
Yet according to the town Christmas cop, there’s a moratorium on selling houses during December. She says it’s bad for the aesthetic.
She’s also slapping an alarming number of tickets on my front door. For being in violation of holiday décor. And I swear on Rudolph himself, one is for ‘unsportsmanlike Christmassing.’
If only this Christmas cop didn’t look like a sexy red-headed elf.
Jana Aston is back with three more novellas in her Reindeer Falls series and I cannot wait to read them! Catch up on the first three books and then check out the first of her new Christmas romance book releases for 2021.
The first three novellas in the series follow three sisters whereas these new novellas follow three brothers. Plus, everyone has the best Christmas-themed names!
I love that this Christmas novella pits a hero who is more bah humbug against a heroine who is all about Christmas cheer. A definite must-read for this holiday season!
Amazon | Goodreads
One Night with a Nutcracker
by Jana Aston
Coming November 11
My name is Jake Sheppard and I’m ambivalent about Christmas and the Christmas-themed town I grew up in.
But when I find out my late uncle left me an old barn and acres of land, the decision to return home to build my dream golf course is an easy one.
Imagine my surprise when I arrive and find out I have a squatter. An incredibly hot squatter with a herd of goats who hates my guts and takes my eviction notice as grounds for battle.
Except Lexi’s version of battle includes flinging her clothing at me.
OMG, this Christmas romance is going to be hilarious, especially when you throw in a herd of goats. I love Aston’s humor and can’t wait to see the sparks fly between Jake and Lexi in this one.
Amazon | Goodreads
The Bachelor on the Shelf
by Jana Aston
Coming November 18
My name is Carter Sheppard and I actually like Christmas and my Christmas-themed hometown of Reindeer Falls.
In fact, when I learn I have to return home in order to collect an inheritance—my uncle’s dog—it puts life into perspective for me.
Sure, playing professional baseball is great. But it won’t last forever and every player needs a long-term game plan.
And I just found mine. Wrapped up in the feisty, bespectacled package of the town librarian.
Unfortunately, she thinks I’m a player in all aspects of the word, but I’ve got a plan to win her over. Starting with a fake engagement.
Ooohh..a Christmas romance with a fake engagement, a hot baseball player, and feisty librarian?! I’m in. Enough said.
I’m SO not a fan of the Elf on the Shelf but I can definitely get on board with this Bachelor on the Shelf!
Amazon | Goodreads
A Very Naughty MC Christmas Anthology
Coming November 30
Tis the season for an MC Christmas. 10 steamy stories sure to make the naughty list this year.
Why read only one Christmas romance book when you could read ten?! That’s the beauty of Christmas romance anthologies making them the best presents of the year.
If you love MC romance books, then be sure to check out this anthology this Christmas.
Amazon | Goodreads
Homecoming King
by Penny Reid
Coming December 14
Rex “TW” McMurtry is sick of being the guy before the husband, and he’s most definitely sick of being the best man at all their weddings.
He may be a pro-football defensive end for the Chicago Squalls, but the press only wants to talk about how he’s always a groomsman and never a groom.
Bartender Abigail McNerny is the gal-pal, the wing-woman, the woman who tried dating once and found it more than enough.
Embracing contentment over commitment, Abby is convinced no one on earth could ever entice her into a romantic relationship . . . except that one guy she’s loved since preschool.
Oh Penny Reid, what an amazing holiday present you are giving me this year with this new Christmas romance book I can’t wait to get my hands on!
I adore all her books and love the concept behind this friends to lovers story with some holiday mischief mixed in.
Plus, it’s the first in a three book series about a group of friends so more to come!
Amazon | Goodreads
Related Book Lists:
- Best Christmas Romance Books
- Christmas Romance Novellas That Are Naughty and Nice
- Historical Romance Novels to Read this Holiday
- New Christmas Romance Books Releasing in 2023
- 22 New Christmas Romance Books Releasing in 2022
- Christmas Romance Books Written by Indie Authors
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Great list! I love a Christmas story. I have at least 2 that will be added to my TBR list. You missed one, from one of my favourite authors, that I’m really looking forward to reading – The Geek Who Saved Christmas by Annabeth Albert.
Thank you Michelle! Glad to hear you like the list and thanks for the additional recommendation! Will check it out.