It’s finally here! Every year I look forward to curating a well-rounded guide with options for many different readers and I think this year’s list is a good one.
I have personally read and rated each of the fourteen books on this list for content and quality. Most of the titles I chose this year include romance to varying degrees and all of them are what I would consider to be ‘clean’ with minimal language or bedroom scenes. They range in length, with options as short as 95 pages and as long as 1,000, with a variety in between. Be sure to read to the end for some bonus short stories that you can read in a matter of minutes if you’re tight on time!
From mysteries to romcoms, the one thing they all have in common is a setting and storyline that will immerse you in the spirit of the season and get you in a holiday frame of mind. Let the festivities begin!
Previous Christmas Book Guides:
🎄 2017 // 2018 // 2019 // 2020 // 2021 // 2022 🎄
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2023 Christmas Book Guide
A Louisiana Christmas to Remember
Back Cover Description:
Three heartwarming, interconnected stories of faith, love, and restoration, brought to you by three Louisiana-native authors. Will a rare snowy Louisiana Christmas bring restoration and hope to the hometown and hearts of three women from the town’s founding family?
In A Louisiana Snow by Morgan Tarpley Smith, meet Mattie: A passionate visionary who learns to forgive and finds love in unexpected places…
In Restoring Christmas by Betsy St. Amant, meet Jolene: An artist and prodigal daughter who discovers love exists in the very place she once called home…
In A Christmas Reunion by Lenora Worth, meet Adale: A beautiful widow who finally dares to love again…
And don’t forget Granny, whose feisty spirit, blunt dialogue, and quirky ways play an important and endearing role.
My Thoughts:
A Louisiana Christmas to Remember is a trio of romantic novellas told in chronological order that details the experiences of three different women over one memorable Christmas. Overall, I thought the stories blended together pretty well so that the narrative and timeline felt cohesive. On the whole, I gave the book four stars, but I enjoyed the second and third installments much more than the first one. I hope readers DNF after the first story since the rest of the book was good.
One character I really loved is the grandmother, Eloise. She’s so fun because she pops in and out with little nuggets of sassiness and wisdom. The location of Moreau, Louisiana gave me Stars Hollow vibes with the quirky characters and small-town feel. Despite the slow start with the first story, I enjoyed this collection. The holiday was a big part of the story and really set the backdrop for everything that was happening.
Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Demon
Back Cover Description:
It is 1890, and in the days before Christmas Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson are visited at Baker Street by a new client. Eve Allerthorpe – eldest daughter of a grand but somewhat eccentric Yorkshire-based dynasty – is greatly distressed, as she believes she is being haunted by a demonic Christmas spirit.
Her late mother told her terrifying tales of the sinister Black Thurrick, and Eve is sure that she has seen the creature from her bedroom window. What is more, she has begun to receive mysterious parcels of birch twigs, the Black Thurrick’s calling card…
Eve stands to inherit a fortune if she is sound in mind, but it seems that something – or someone – is threatening her sanity. Holmes and Watson travel to the Allerthorpe family seat at Fellscar Keep to investigate, but soon discover that there is more to the case than at first appeared. There is another spirit haunting the family, and when a member of the household is found dead, the companions realise that no one is beyond suspicion.
My Thoughts:
Though not part of the original canon of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, this story is still very much worth reading. I was a bit trepidatious going in because Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are such beloved literary heroes, but I felt this author did the legend justice. Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Demon had all of the elements you would expect: a complicated and intriguing mystery complete with clever explanations, a rich historical setting, and a witty, companionable banter between Holmes and Watson.
The story takes place around Christmas time and the descriptions of the snow, decorations, and elements of the mystery itself evoke the holiday while also being a bit spooky. If you want to try something a little different from your typical Hallmark romances this season, give Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Demon a try. I listened to it on audio and really enjoyed the narration.
Back Cover Description:
Kayla:
It’s my first time directing the Christmas program at school and I think I have things mostly under control — except for the part where I have to build a set with a small budget and even smaller construction experience. When the quiet guy at the hardware store volunteers to help in exchange for me teaching him how to talk to people, it feels like an unfair trade. But Trevor doesn’t seem to think I’m taking advantage of him and I sure could use the help with this set.
Trevor:
Offering to help Kayla on a whim is definitely not like me, especially since she’s beautiful, friendly, and way out of my league. But I’m determined that as soon as we finish this project I’m going to ask her out — even if a girl like her dating a guy like me is a long shot.
My Thoughts:
I think this novella is great, but then again, I did write it myself! Seriously, though, The Holiday Exchange is a sweet Christmas novella with kittens, a shy hero, a bubbly heroine, and a friends-to-more romance. It’s a quick, light read that has been getting great reviews and I’ve heard from several people who told me they couldn’t stop laughing.
Back Cover Description:
When Mordecai Tremaine arrives at the country retreat of one Benedict Grame on Christmas Eve, he discovers that the revelries are in full swing in the sleepy village of Sherbroome—but so too are tensions amongst the assortment of guests.
When midnight strikes, the partygoers discover that presents aren’t the only things nestled under the tree…there’s a dead body too. A dead body that bears a striking resemblance to Father Christmas. With the snow falling and suspicions flying, it’s up to Mordecai to sniff out the culprit—and prevent anyone else from getting murder for Christmas. Murder for Christmas is a festive mystery for the holiday season: mulled wine, mince pies… and murder.
My Thoughts:
My impression of this story is that it reads like a Hercule Poirot mystery. It has a little bit of a slow start as the scene is set and the characters are introduced, but it is a solid mystery with a satisfying conclusion. It is very much a holiday-themed story with the murder victim found in a Santa costume underneath a Christmas tree. I listened to this one on audio but I think I’d actually recommend reading it instead because there are a lot of characters to keep track of and I did get confused and have to back up a couple of times.
Back Cover Description:
After a time of heartache and loss, Simone Winthrop discovers a tantalizing letter from her French great-grandmother, which seems to suggest that she is heir to a family treasure. Ever practical, Simone assumes the claim is baseless, but her best friend encourages her to find out for sure. Despite her deep-rooted fear of flying, Simone boards a jet to travel to Paris at Christmastime to uncover the truth.
During the long flight, Simone meets the charming Kyle Larsson, who’s on his way to France to become an apprentice clockmaker. Though they abruptly part ways, an unexpected rendezvous in the French Alps at Simone’s family’s clock factory may lead to the discovery of the family treasure . . . and so much more.
For anyone who is weary of staying home, Melody Carlson invites you to spend Christmas with her in the beautiful French Alps this year. So pull on your mittens, tie your scarf tight, and prepare yourself for a magical mountain holiday.
My Thoughts:
It was a sweet Hallmark-esque story. I thought the ending felt a little rushed and maybe a bit too picture-perfect, but the book definitely embodied the Christmas season with descriptions of snow, decorations, and celebrations. It’s a great setting for a Christmas story. There’s even a side character named Noel because he was born right before Christmas.
Back Cover Description:
Will Christmas be merry and bright? Lives are in danger when menacing pressures threaten to derail Christmas in this heart-pounding suspense—plus a little romance—collection of 10 brand-new novellas from some of the genre’s most popular Christian romantic suspense authors!
Join Jerusha Agen, Mary Alford, Lori Altebaumer, Danielle Grandinetti, Sarah Hamaker, Kendall Hoxsey, Karen Kirst, Pat O’Brien, Hope Welborn, and Terri Weldon on a dangerous Christmastime journey of mystery, suspense, romance, and faith.
My Thoughts:
If we were giving out superlatives, I would nominate this one for the ‘Most Bang for Your Buck’ award. You get ten stories in one book that are all really different in terms of style and setting, but all of them are romantic suspense and all of them are definitely set around the holidays. Make sure to read the whole thing because the last two stories were tied for my personal favorite.
Back Cover Description:
It’s Christmas Eve, and school teacher Nia West can’t wait to get to Jamaica for the sun and adventure she’s dreamed of all year long. So what if she’s traveling solo this year? A relaxing holiday alone on the beach sounds like a sweet escape from the usual family drama.
Family drama is something Andrew Beckman knows all too well. Ever since his ex-girlfriend started dating his brother, Andrew has buried himself in work at his veterinary practice. Now he’s on his way to an awkward family Christmas party with the happy couple, and all he wants is to put the season behind him as fast as possible.
When an unexpected blizzard grounds all flights, Nia and Andrew’s holiday plans are put on ice, and they’re stuck spending Christmas Eve at the airport. Soon the pair of travelers decide to make the best of it and team up to spread holiday cheer to the other stranded passengers. After all, just because their flight is cancelled doesn’t mean Christmas is. Now they’re about to discover that with the right person, home for the holidays can be anywhere—and life’s crossroads are the perfect place to begin a new story.
My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this cute story of a couple trapped in the airport on Christmas Eve. There’s no mistaking this as a Christmas story as the characters find ways to celebrate in the terminal, while also falling for each other, of course. I loved how the author pulled in so many interesting side characters from their lives or that they meet in the airport to make this story feel complete and entertaining. This is an Audible Original so it’s only available in the audio format.
Back Cover Description:
Problem number one: Maddy’s family is NOT at home. A surprise Christmas visit to Charleston only works if the family you’re surprising hasn’t decided to spend the holidays in Hawaii.
Problem number two: Maddy is stranded. There is snow on the ground in Charleston, a city that doesn’t even own a snow plow. Flights are grounded, and the power is out. Maddy isn’t going anywhere.
Problem number three: Bo Bradshaw, Maddy’s old high school crush, is stranded with her, and he is hotter than ever.
(Not So) Alone for Christmas is a standalone, clean contemporary romance novella that will leave you craving Christmas cookies and a cozy fire.
My Thoughts:
As usual, Jenny Proctor delivers a contemporary rom-com with lots of laughs and heart. The forced proximity caused by the snowstorm made for some great moments and I was impressed with how much the characters were able to grow and change within such a short book. This is a fun one that I highly recommend.
Back Cover Description:
Rachael
I’ve had a crush on my brother’s best friend my entire life. Once, in high school, I even got a taste of what it would be like to be with him thanks to some well-placed mistletoe: incredible and humiliating. We always spend Christmas with Max’s family at our cabin, and every year I have to suffer through a blissful week with him in a completely platonic way. His steady stream of girlfriends have made him off limits . . . until now.
It’s Christmas. We’re at the cabin together. And Max Dawson is single.
Max
I’ve never looked forward to Christmas less in my entire life. My parents’ holiday will be ruined after I tell them my news, and to make matters worse, I blabbed to Rachael on the drive out to the cabin. Now she has to keep my secret until I’m ready to share with my family.
Which is probably why she’s acting so weird. Watching me. Touching me. Flirting. It would be terrible if I wasn’t enjoying it so much. But her brother has made it clear she’s off limits. And besides, I kissed Rachael once, and we all know how that ended. So we definitely shouldn’t do it again. Right?
My Thoughts:
I loved this book from start to finish. It takes off right away and keeps you hooked the whole way through as you watch Rachael and Max find their way from friends to more. I really enjoyed all the family members who are side characters and the fun holiday traditions they share. I also liked the setting of a cabin in the woods. They weren’t totally isolated, but they were insulated enough in that setting to give it almost a forced proximity feel.
Back Cover Description:
Chicago, 1933―Lucia Critelli will do anything for her ailing grandfather, including stand in a breadline to have enough food to make him a St. Nicholas Day meal. When she catches the eye of a goon who threatens her grandfather, she discovers the end of Prohibition doesn’t mean the end of the mafia’s criminal activity.
Retired Marine Scout Giosue “Gio” Vella can find anything, especially if it helps a fellow Italian immigrant, so he has no doubt he can locate his neighbor’s granddaughter, who has gone missing from a local church. Keeping her safe is another matter. Especially when he chooses to hide out with his Marine buddy in Eagle, Wisconsin, the site of a barely-held truce among striking dairy farmers.
Will Christmas bring the miracle they all need or will Gio discover there are some things even he can’t find, particularly when he stumbles upon the most elusive gift of all: love.
My Thoughts:
This is a historical novella set in the 1930s and I was impressed with the details that really pull you into the setting of Depression-era Chicago. I would classify this as romantic suspense and it also has a very clear faith message as Gio learns how to trust God with his own life and not just pray for others. I liked that the holiday season is approached from the perspective of Italian immigrants, with interesting details worked in about the way they would have traditionally celebrated.
Merry Kismet
Back Cover Description:
BRIE
Things I should never have done:
- Put my ex-boyfriend’s name on my Christmas wish list.
- Grin dumbly at him when he shows up at my door.
- Think it’s kismet that he’s staying on the other half of my duplex for the holidays and means we’re meant to be together. Because we’re not. He broke my heart in High School and never looked back.
ROCKWELL
Things I will never do:
- Move back to Bearwood.
- Repeat my parents’ mistakes by getting married.
- Kiss Brie Holland under the mistletoe. I know how good her kisses are, and if I want to make sure number one and two don’t happen, I’m going to have to keep her safely in the friend zone until I’m out of Bearwood for good.
My Thoughts:
This was a cute second-chance romance. It’s very much a small-town story with lots of friends and family members who’ve known them both forever and aren’t scared to interfere in their lives. I liked the forced proximity of Rockwell and Brie being temporary neighbors, especially since his house isn’t furnished and doesn’t initially have power which gives him no choice but to let Brie help him. This story has a lot of heart and I enjoyed it.
Back Cover Description:
After a tough year losing her mom and bills mounting, Holly Yates is in for a lonely Christmas. But when she hears a news report that the small principality of Coronia is looking for their lost princess, Holly is astounded to recognize the baby photo. It’s her!
Felix, also a Coronia royal, whisks Holly into her very own fairy-tale including a castle nestled within the quaint snow-covered Coronia capitol and her biological father, eager to meet his daughter. With Felix by her side as she meets the people of her would-be kingdom and prepares to attend a ball in her honor, Holly begins to fall in love, not just with Coronia, but also with the would-be prince.
Will the handsome prince still be at the side of this unexpected fairy-tale princess when the clock strikes midnight?
My Thoughts:
This was a fun royal holiday romance. It’s very evocative of the season with lots of snow and descriptions of decorations. I wasn’t sure when I read the premise if the author was going to be able to pull off the ‘lost princess’ storyline but I found it to be believable and interesting.
Back Cover Description:
Noelle Mills is a screw-up. At least, that’s what she’s been led to believe. But starting over in River Hollow is supposed to be her new leaf. Her one way of redeeming herself and showing everyone that she isn’t just a product of her past mistakes. And when she secures a job working for the town’s new mayor, everything goes according to plan. Until she rams her truck into the back of the handsome local photographer’s Jeep. Oh, joy.
The Smug Scrooge, Danny Hetrick, isn’t impressed with Noelle’s lighthearted attitude or her clumsy ways and lets her know it. But when they’re forced to work together on a Christmas project and things start to heat up, will they be able to overcome their differences and find their happily ever after?
My Thoughts:
If you like a grumpy/sunshine romance, this one is for you! Danny and Noelle definitely get off on the wrong foot, but their romance ends up being sweet as Danny has a change of heart. Noelle brings the comedy to the story with her clumsiness, and I liked that the author wrote Noelle so that she’s aware of it and kind of hates it. It made for a deeper storyline than just a bumbling blonde girl who doesn’t know she’s clumsy and gave her some room for self-discovery and growth.
On the Second Day of Christmas
Back Cover Description:
Headstrong and independent, Miss Lucy Lincoln wishes to find a husband who shares her taste for adventure. Until then, she is determined to live her life without regrets. Well, except for the one she already has—humiliating poor Benjamin Kent after his unwanted marriage proposal years earlier. After an accident at the Frost Fair draws that same insecure gentleman to care for her injury, she finally asks for forgiveness. But Dr. Kent, now a respectable gentleman and physician, is unwilling to accept her apology.
Benjamin Kent wants nothing more than to live out his days in peace and seclusion away from London Society—and away from his memories of Lucy Lincoln. But when his conscience forces him to treat the woman, he cannot pass on the opportunity to finally let her know that she no longer has him under her spell.
Rather than being relieved with Benjamin’s indifference, Lucy struggles to accept the fact that little, shy Benjamin now shows irresistible confidence—and an unsettling apathy toward her. When sparks smolder between them, though, Benjamin must fight to keep his old feelings in the past, and Lucy must realize before it’s too late that either Benjamin has changed…or her own feelings have.
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this historical holiday romance. This story had characters who grew more than probably any other story on this list. I loved the way Lucy is portrayed as thinking that freedom and self-expression are to be preserved at all costs until she learns that sometimes those things lead us to selfishness. Dr. Benjamin Kent is the perfect gentleman and hero in this story, showing her how love can be quiet instead of flashy. With the snow, decorations, and celebrations, this story drops you straight into a Regency London Christmas.
🎄 Bonus Christmas Short Stories: 🎄
If you don’t have time for a full-length novel, or even a novella, these short holiday-themed romances will bring you a bit of Christmas cheer in only about 5-15 minutes. Happy reading!
Jack of All Trades – Historical Christmas Flash Fiction
Deck the Halls – Contemporary Christmas Rom-Com
The Gingerbread Man – Contemporary Christmas Rom-Com
The Gift Gaffe – Contemporary Christmas Rom-Com