It’s the most wonderful time of the year…to talk about books! Actually, it’s fun to talk about books all year round, but if you are the type of reader who enjoys themed reading, then this holiday inspired list is for you. You’ll find books set just before, during, and after the Christmas holiday from a variety of genres including cozy mysteries and an epistolary tale. Most, but not all, contain elements of romance, all of which I would consider to be ‘clean reads’.
So without further ado, let’s read a Christmas book!
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Previous Christmas Book Guides:
🎄 2017 // 2018 // 2019 // 2020 // 2021 🎄
More Christmas Goodies:
Jack of All Trades – Christmas Flash Fiction Story
2022 Christmas Book Guide
Back Cover Description:
When the Murphy women are in trouble, they always know they can turn to their mother, Ansley. So when eldest daughter Caroline and her husband announce they are divorcing—and fifteen-year-old daughter Vivi acts out in response—Caroline, at her wits end, can’t think of anything to do besides leave her with Ansley in Peachtree Bluff for the holidays. After all, how much trouble can one teenager get into on a tiny island?
Quite a lot, as it turns out.
As the “storm of the century” heads toward Peachtree Bluff, Ansley and her husband, Jack, with Vivi in tow, are grateful they’re planning to leave for the trip of a lifetime. But Vivi’s recklessness forces the trio to shelter in place during the worst hurricane Peachtree has ever seen. With no power, no provisions, and the water rising, the circumstances become dire very quickly…and the Murphy sisters soon realize it’s up to them to conduct a rescue mission. With the bridges closed and no way to access Peachtree Bluff by land or air, they set sail on Caroline’s boat, The Starlite Sisters, determined to rebuild their beloved town—and their family.
My Thoughts: I couldn’t read this book fast enough! In fact, I finished the whole thing in a little over 24 hours. If you like family drama then this is the book for you. It’s a complement to a series, but I didn’t feel like I was really missing anything by not having read the rest of the books. You are dropped straight into the action (and there is action with a hurricane involved) and the story moves quickly. I really liked the multi-generational narration from the Ansley, the family matriarch, her three daughters Caroline, Sloane, and Emerson, and her granddaughter Vivi. It sounds like a lot to keep up with, but I thought it really worked and wasn’t hard to follow.
Oh, The Weather Outside is Frightful
Back Cover Description:
CJ St. John never dreamed his epic summer as a smokejumper would end with a harrowing plane crash—one that crushed his pelvis and rendered him nearly an invalid. He wouldn’t have made it through the dark night of pain and danger without brave fellow smokejumper Hannah Butcher. In fact, if he were to admit it, he probably fell in love with her that night.
Hannah Butcher had dreamed of being a smokejumper for years—but dreaming and doing are vastly different. During rookie camp, she would have given up if it hadn’t been for CJ St. John urging her on. She probably fell in love with him then—but especially when he held her hand and kept her calm during their terrifying survival.
When Hannah discovers that CJ plans on skipping out on their mutual friends’ wedding, she knows he’s been lying to her about his recovery—and determines to give him the same stubborn encouragement he’s given her by forcing him to attend. But when a blizzard detours them, and worse, they’re run off the road, they’ll have to face their darkest fears to survive.
My Thoughts: While this is technically part of a series, you don’t have to read all of them to enjoy it. It’s a sweet love story that takes place a few days after Christmas. I liked the adventure element of CJ and Hannah doing what they must to survive and help somebody else during a blizzard. They help each other heal and have confidence in themselves, first as friends and then as more.
Back Cover Description:
What would make your Christmas perfect? For Cassie Beaumont, it’s meeting her perfect match. Cassie, at thirty-three, wants a husband and kids, and so far nothing’s worked. Not blind dates, not the internet and certainly not leaving love to chance.
What other options are there? Well…she could hire a professional matchmaker. Simon Dodson has quite a reputation, but he’s very choosy about the clients he takes on—and very expensive. Cassie considers him a difficult, acerbic know-it-all, and she’s astonished when he accepts her as a client.
Claiming he has her perfect mate in mind, Simon assigns her three tasks to complete before she meets this paragon. Three tasks that are all about Christmas: being a charity bell-ringer, dressing up as Santa’s elf at a mall and preparing a traditional turkey dinner for her neighbors (most of whom she happens to dislike). Despite a number of comical mishaps, Cassie does it all—and then she’s finally ready to meet her match.
But just like the perfect Christmas gift, he turns out to be a wonderful surprise!
My Thoughts: This is the perfect Christmas book. It’s a quick, charming shot of holiday themed romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. There are a few touching moments and lots of humor, as you might imagine in a match-maker story. So fun!
Back Cover Description:
August 1914. England is at war. As Evie Elliott watches her brother, Will, and his best friend, Thomas Harding, depart for the front, she believes—as everyone does—that it will be over by Christmas, when the trio plan to celebrate the holiday among the romantic cafes of Paris.
But as history tells us, it all happened so differently…
Evie and Thomas experience a very different war. Frustrated by life as a privileged young lady, Evie longs to play a greater part in the conflict—but how?—and as Thomas struggles with the unimaginable realities of war he also faces personal battles back home where War Office regulations on press reporting cause trouble at his father’s newspaper business. Through their letters, Evie and Thomas share their greatest hopes and fears—and grow ever fonder from afar. Can love flourish amid the horror of the First World War, or will fate intervene?
Christmas 1968. With failing health, Thomas returns to Paris—a cherished packet of letters in hand—determined to lay to rest the ghosts of his past. But one final letter is waiting for him…
My Thoughts: This epistolary novel is slow-paced compared to the other books on this list, but don’t let that stop you from picking it up. I loved the sense of intimacy that is derived from reading personal correspondence, even if the letters are fictional. It felt like I was getting to know actual people and their personalities through the way they interacted with each other. I listened to this on audio and I think that’s a great way to do it because of the full-cast narration that gives a different voice to each letter writer.
Back Cover Description:
On Christmas Eve at Gorston Hall, the Lee family’s festivities are shattered by a deafening crash of furniture and a high-pitched wailing scream. Upstairs—in a locked bedroom—the tyrannical patriarch Simeon Lee lies dead in a pool of blood, his throat slashed.
When Hercule Poirot offers to assist, he finds an atmosphere not of mourning but of mutual suspicion. It seems everyone had their own reason to hate the old man, but which one of them turned a special occasion into an occasion for homicide? The suspects will indeed be stirring this Christmas Eve…
My Thoughts:
Fans of Agatha Christie’s most famous detective will not want to miss this Christmas mystery. It is filled with puzzles and family drama that will likely remind you of at least one of your own holiday experiences (hopefully minus the murder). This locked-door mystery is quietly paced, but will keep you guessing until the very end.
Back Cover Description:
Solving a murder mystery is harder when you don’t trust your partner…or their taste in beverages.
Sassy city girl Tandy Brandt moves to the small town of Grace Springs to start a coffee shop, never imagining she’ll be competing with local beauty queen Marissa Alexander and her dream of running a tea house. Unfortunately, the current store owner dies before selling the location to either of them, and they both become murder suspects.
The unlikely pair team up in an attempt to discover the real killer, though with the secrets in Tandy’s past and Marissa’s infamous clumsiness, they could be their own worst enemies. Despite their differences, they follow clues to question a sweet, apple pie baking antique store owner, a GQ Santa in the retirement center, and a hipster millionaire with no social skills. Will they be able to figure out whodunit and prove their innocence before one of them goes to jail…or worse?
My Thoughts:
This was fun, lighthearted cozy mystery, with elements of romance. At the core of the story is friendship and feeling like you can be yourself around the people who care about you. This is for people who like small town settings and seeing characters grow and change throughout the story, with a few hijinks and bumbles along the way.
Back Cover Description:
In Jewel Bay, all is merry and bright. At Murphy’s Mercantile, aka the Merc, manager Erin Murphy is ringing in the holiday season with food, drink, and a new friend: Merrily Thornton. A local girl gone wrong, Merrily has turned her life around. But her parents have publicly shunned her, and they nurse a bitterness that chills Erin.
When Merrily goes missing and her boss discovers he’s been robbed, fingers point to Merrily—until she’s found dead, a string of lights around her neck. The clues and danger snowball from there. Can Erin nab the killer—and keep herself in one piece—in time for a special Christmas Eve?
My Thoughts:
Another cozy mystery, the story had me guessing till the end. I really didn’t know who the killer was until it was revealed in the last few pages. As you might expect from the title, there are lots of delicious treats describer in this story, from cookies to homemade pesto. There’s only a hint of romance in this one, even though the main character is planning a wedding. It’s there, just not a focal point.
Back Cover Description:
When Eddie was twelve years old, all he wanted for Christmas was a bike. He knew money had been tight since his father died, but Eddie dreamed that somehow his mother would find a way to afford that dream bike.
What he got from her instead was a sweater. “A stupid, handmade, ugly sweater” that young Eddie left in a crumpled ball in the corner of his room.
Scarred deeply by the fateful events that transpired that day, Eddie begins a dark and painful journey toward manhood. It will take wrestling with himself, his faith, and his family—and the guidance of a mysterious neighbor named Russell—to help Eddie find his life’s path and finally understand the significance of that simple gift his mother had crafted with love.
My Thoughts:
I was on the fence about this book until the very end. Watching Eddie journey through so much pain and loss with self-destruction as his reaction was really hard and depressing. But there is very hopeful ending that made the whole book worth it for me. It’s not a very long book, so the darkness doesn’t last long if you can just stick it out. Also, don’t skip the author’s note at the end where Glenn Beck shares the personal experiences that inspired this story of faith and family.
Back Cover Description:
Lady Ashleigh Arrington is hosting a Christmas house party when her childhood foe, Christopher Campbell, unexpectedly arrives from America with a mysterious marriage agreement signed by their late mothers.
The only way out of the distasteful agreement is if one of them is married or engaged by Christmas Eve. But which one will sacrifice their hopes and dreams to escape marriage to each other? And when they realize a match between them isn’t quite so distasteful, will it be too late?
My Thoughts:
This is the shortest selection on this list, coming in at right around 100 pages. It’s an immersive historical story with a some funny moments and some poignant ones. If you are looking for a ‘quick win’ to get you in the holiday mood then this is a good pick.
Back Cover Description:
He might be the hottest teacher in town but even Noah Redmond can’t convince me to date a small-town guy.
The last thing I want is to put my awesome career on pause while I run my dad’s hardware store, but duty calls so what am I supposed to do? I can’t wait to get out of Creekville again, and I’m doing great keeping everyone at arm’s length until my best friend tries to set me up with the hot new high school coach. He’s got me literally tripping over my own feet, but I’m not giving in to those dimples.
I’m burnt out on love, but Grace Winters is the funniest—and most attractive—woman I’ve ever met.
Too bad Creekville is just a detour for her. I get it. But when I recruit her to help me build a Christmas booth for the town’s biggest event of the year, I learn just how irresistible she is. And if that’s not bad enough, when I talk her into fake dating to convince my boss I’m ready for a promotion, we share an unplanned kiss that blurs every line we’ve drawn.
Is Grace and Noah’s undeniable chemistry worth risking their friendship when their future is anything but certain? Get ready for small town charm and toe-curling mistletoe kisses!
My Thoughts:
Two thumbs up! This is exactly how a rom-com should be, with lots of chemistry and laughable antics. It has a full cast of lovable characters, which is essential for a fake relationship story because you have to have someone to pretend for! I liked it so much that I’m also planning to read Scrooge and the Girls Next Door, a spin off Christmas story with one of the side characters from Kiss the Girl.
Back Cover Description:
Alvirah Meehan, the lottery winner turned amateur sleuth, teams up with private investigator Regan Reilly to solve another Christmas mystery. In Deck the Halls, they rescued Regan’s kidnapped father. This time they get in the middle of a case involving a beautiful eighty-foot blue spruce that has been chosen to spend the holidays as Rockefeller Center’s famous Christmas tree. The folks who picked the tree don’t have a clue that attached to one of its branches is a flask chock-full of priceless diamonds that Packy Noonan, a scam artist just released from prison, had hidden there over twelve years ago.
An excited Packy breaks his parole and heads to Stowe, Vermont, to reclaim his loot. Once there, he is horrified to discover that his special tree will be heading to New York City the next morning. With a bumbling crew consisting of Jo-Jo, Benny, and an unsuccessful poet, Milo, he knows he has to act fast.
What Packy does not know is that Alvirah and Regan are on a weekend trip to Stowe with Alvirah’s husband, Willy; Regan’s fiancé, Jack; Regan’s parents, Luke and Nora; and Alvirah’s friend Opal, a lottery winner who lost all her winnings in Packy’s scam. On Monday morning when they’re supposed to head home, they learn that the tree is missing, Packy Noonan may be in the vicinity, and Opal has disappeared. From two of America’s beloved storytellers, The Christmas Thief is filled with suspense, comic characters, and holiday cheer, and is sure to delight its readers.
My Thoughts:
This is my first Mary Higgins Clark book, which is probably surprising because I know she is beloved by many. I wasn’t a fan of the omniscient narration (that’s just a personal preference), but I did think the premise was very creative. I liked how the story played out as the different characters encountered each other, and I especially liked the side character Opal, who turned out to be much braver and sassier than I expected.
Back Cover Description:
I haven’t been home for Christmas in eight years. But that’s about to change. This year, I’m traveling to my small hometown to convince my producer to make me the permanent host of Good Day Denver.
The plan: Charm viewers by sharing my favorite family Christmas traditions, and in turn, get the likes, clicks and shares to land the job.
Not the plan: Running into my ex-boyfriend. In my house. For Christmas.
But here he is, a guest of my mother, who apparently had more trouble letting go of Max Weber than I did. Unfortunately, he is as handsome and charming and talented and annoying and frustrating and flirty as ever. Even more unfortunately, he seems to have a plan of his own—to convince me to give him a second chance. Which is not happening.
There’s just one problem—my viewers love him. More than that, they love us. Me and Max. My ex. The boy who broke my heart. The boy I now have to fake flirt with to win over the hearts of my viewers. But it’s not their hearts I’m worried about. . . it’s mine.
Merry Ex-Mas is a sweet, small town, second chance romance with a dash of not-so-fake flirting, a tiny bit of enemies to lovers and just enough forced proximity to make things sizzle.
My Thoughts:
And the winner of the cutest cover award goes to…Merry Ex-Mas! This is a fun rom-com filled with heart and humor. It took me a couple of chapters to get into it because I had a hard time liking Marin at first, but once I warmed up to her I really enjoyed the ride. With everything from parades to cookies, Santa figurines and ice skating, this book is replete with Christmas feelings. Bonus recommendation for A Cross-Country Christmas also by Courtney Walsh, which was my top pick from last year’s list.
Oh my goodness! I’m so flattered. Thank you for including Christmas in Peachtree Bluff!! (Also, I love “all leaders are readers!” So true!) Happy Thanksgiving and much love! xo Kristy
Hi Kristy! I loved Christmas in Peachtree Bluff so it was a no-brained to include it. Happy Thanksgiving to you as well!