24 winter holiday romances that will make your season bright

Dance All Night: A Dance Off Holiday Novella

by Alexis Daria

MMD team member Leigh says: "Nik and Jess kiss on New Year’s Eve, then he leaves town for a Broadway gig. He’s got wanderlust and doesn't plan on settling down anytime soon. Until he finds himself thinking about Jess. Once Nik decides he wants something, he’s all in. But Jess has no idea that Nik has been thinking of her all year when he comes back into town just before Christmas. While they celebrate the season, including a snowed-in mountain getaway, Jess tries to figure out if she can trust his interest. The glimpses into Nik’s Ukrainian culture were a nice touch; they celebrate Christmas on December 25 and January 7, since his parents belong to the Eastern Orthodox Church. Such a fun read. (Open door.)"

Beary Christmas, Baby

by Sasha Devlin

MMD team member Leigh says: "Delightful shifter Christmas romance about long-time friends and colleagues! So much longing and seemingly unrequited love between polar bear shifter Liev and dragon shifter Sira until they figure out it’s very much 'requited.' Plus, snowstorm-induced forced proximity! (Open door.)"

The Lights on Knockbridge Lane (Garnet Run Book 3)

by Roan Parrish

MMD team member Leigh says: "When Adam’s 8 year old daughter Gus decides all she wants for Christmas is for their house to have the most lights, he has no idea all that will unfurl from there, including starting a relationship with his neighbor Wes. They meet when Gus breaks into Wes’s house to get a better look at the lizards in his lab. Oops. Adam is an emotional sap (relatable) and scared of spiders, whereas Wes loves his tarantula and even has pet raccoons. Plus, he has extreme anxiety around people seeing him so he only leaves his house at night. Adam and Wes have to navigate their differences as the Christmas lights begin to accrue. While this is the third book in the Garnet Run series, you don’t need to have read the other books first. (Open door.)"

Party Favors (So Over the Holidays Book 4)

by Erin McLellan

MMD team member Leigh says: "I absolutely love this erotic romance series! Each book is such a delight and this FF New Years Eve installment is no exception. Wren and Amanda’s have been internet friends for the past 5 years when Wren decides Amanda needs to come out for a visit and have a rollicking good time on NYE for once. They complete random, spontaneous 'old year’s resolutions,' which was a nice twist on the concept. Having a great friendship at the foundation empowers them to deal with insecurities and go after their dreams. If you enjoy this one, check out the books for Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Fourth of July. (Open door.)"

Eight Secret Nights

by Shoshana David

MMD team member Leigh says: "Super cute, fluffy Hanukkah romance novella! Mara isn’t sure who’s been leaving Hanukkah presents at her door but it sure would be nice if it was someone she’d be interested in. The secret admirer's identity was pretty obvious but I enjoyed seeing the thoughtful gifts and how everything came together. (Open door.)"

Maybe This Christmas

by Susannah Nix

MMD team member Leigh says: "A friends-to-lovers, second chance romance novella that takes place over the course of 10 Christmases. Everything changes when best friends Alex and Lucas kiss the Christmas of their senior year of high school. Each Christmas vignette takes us through their relationship and the years apart, as well as how their respective families change. Some years their friendship is on track. Other years they’re barely speaking. But each Christmas they continue to be in each other’s orbit until they finally get it right. (Open door.)"

Vincent’s Thanksgiving Date

by R. Cooper

MMD team member Leigh says: "This is the SWEETEST short story! Socially anxious Vincent is shocked when his handsome neighbor Cory asks him to join his Friendsgiving celebration. He has no idea Cory has been looking for an opportunity to talk to him. The food and Cory’s friends make for a memorable meal. Cooper managed to do a lot with little and I was really impressed with how the story built and the promise of potential between Cory and Vincent. (Closed door.)"

Holiday Heat

by Noelle Adams

MMD team member Leigh says: "When they meet at a grief support group, Carrie and Matt are drawn to each other but it’s only a physical thing at first. Their losses make it difficult to consider opening themselves up to love again but the holidays might give them a much-needed push forward. The exploration of grief for two twenty-somethings was pitch perfect, as was the way their relationship evolved. (Open door.)"

The Year of the Crocodile (Cyclone Book 3)

by Courtney Milan

MMD team member Leigh says: "If you've read Trade Me, pick up this follow-up short story set during Chinese New Year! (You definitely need to read Trade Me first.) I enjoyed seeing how Blake and Tina are doing and watching their parents meet for the first time. The verbal sparring and repurposed Princess Bride quotes between the parents was the best! (Open door.)"

Her Naughty Holiday (Men at Work Book 2)

by Tiffany Reisz

MMD team member Leigh says: "Read this just for the scene of Clover telling off her whole awful family. Talk about a memorable Thanksgiving! All Clover’s family wants is for her to get married and have babies so a fake relationship seems like the only way to get them off their back. But of course, once she and Erick give in to their mutual crush on each other, it turns out there’s nothing fake about their chemistry. It’s incredibly empowering to watch Clover reclaim her life and figure out what she wants out of it. Erick is the icing on the cake. I adore his relationship with his teen daughter and his ability to banter, not to mention his way with woodwork. I reread this almost every year. (Open door.)"

Snow-Kissed

by Laura Florand

MMD team member Leigh says: "Marriage-in-trouble books can be a tricky needle to thread but Florand nailed it. Kai and Kurt’s relationship fell apart after a miscarriage. Kai is resigned to spending Christmas in a cabin on her own when her almost ex-husband unexpectedly shows up before a snowstorm sets in. Florand deftly handled their respective grief and acknowledged the undercurrent of anger that affects them in different ways. I loved watching them rediscover each other and see how they’ve changed during their time apart. Astounding prose, heartachingly good. (Open door.)"

After Midnight by Serena Bell

by Serena Bell

MMD team member Leigh says: "A steamy, moving New Year’s Eve romance! Nora and Miles kiss at midnight on NYE and then Miles has to unexpectedly leave the party early before they have a chance to exchange names. Once they finally reconnect, it’s not an easy road. The novella explores self-trust and how both have come to doubt their internal compass. I almost teared up at one point, which I was not expecting! That’s how invested I felt in their respective plights. (Open door.)"

A Wedding One Christmas

by Therese Beharrie

From the publisher: "Of all the weddings in all the world, Angie Roux had to be mistaken for a bridesmaid in this one. Caledon, South Africa, is supposed to be just a stop on the way to Christmas in Cape Town, part of Angie’s long-avoided homecoming. She never expected to star in a bizarre comedy of errors, but here she is: convincing a handsome stranger to be her fake boyfriend for the day. Ezra Johnson, the handsome stranger in question, turns out to be a pleasant distraction from both the wedding and thoughts of her first family Christmas without her father. And he seems to loathe weddings just as much as she does. He’s the perfect temporary companion. But a lot can happen in twenty-four hours. Including a connection so strong it tempts them both into thinking of something more permanent…"

A Second Chance Road Trip for Christmas (Holidays with the Wongs Book 2)

by Jackie Lau

MMD team member Leigh says: "If 'only one bed' and 'snowed in' are your calling cards, this is the one for you! The title says it all. It’s a very cute second chance romance between high school sweethearts Greg and Tasha. They haven’t seen each other much in the intervening 15 years when Greg’s mom arranges for him to drive Tasha back to their hometown for Christmas. Travel-related hijinks ensue, which gives them a chance to reconnect. Funny and heartwarming, with some impressive snow fort building. (Open door.)"

Missing Christmas

by Kate Clayborn

MMD team member Leigh says: "After reading Beginner’s Luck, I was curious whether Ben’s best friend Jasper would ever get his own story and I’m delighted he did in this Christmas novella. Jasper has been in love with his business partner Kristen for 6 years but he doesn’t want to jeopardize their relationship so he has rules about not acting on his feelings. Until she tells him to kiss her after they close a deal. This is pure Kate Clayborn perfection, a heap of feelings wrapped around some of my favorite tropes: forced proximity, snowed in, and only one bed. (Closed door.)"

Merry Inkmas

by Talia Hibbert

Tattoo artist tortured by his past and it's written by Talia Hibbert? This was a steamy treat of a tale, largely because of the fierce heroine. When Cash invites Bailey to his family's Christmas so she won't be alone, she gets wrapped up in their world, all while proving to Cash that he is, in fact, capable of a long-term relationship. (Open door.)

Every New Year (Love At Last Book 1)

by Katrina Jackson

MMD team member Leigh says: "Candace and Ezra have been friends who have been pining for each other for 18 years. They are convinced the other person isn’t interested in something more and they don’t want to risk losing the friendship. They both independently decide it’s time to get over this unrequited crush…only to land on the same plane to Quito, Candace as a flight attendant, Ezra as a passenger. I adored both of these characters. The structure choices are what really makes the book. We get scenes from various NYEs over the years interspersed with the present New Year’s Eve. I really loved how their romance came to be and what they both needed to realize about why it took so long for them to get together. Sweet, sexy, and moving. (Open door.)"

Shine a Light (Orchard Hill Book 1)

by Rebecca Crowley

MMD team member Leigh says: "First, Jonah puts out a fire at Ellie’s apartment. Second, when she temporarily moves in with her sister, it turns out Jonah lives next door. Finally, they both get roped into helping direct the Hanukkah play. They have different visions: Ellie wants to live up to her deceased mom’s legacy, while Jonah wants to break down the wall between him and his rabbi father since he chose firefighting over becoming a rabbi himself. Clearly these two are meant to be, if only they’ll get out of their own way. My favorite aspect was how they lit the candles for their respective menorahs at the same time in some lovely window symmetry night after night. This is on the instalove side, which didn’t completely work for me, but I loved how Judaism and Hanukkah brought them together. (Chaste.)"

The Thanksgiving Game: A Holiday Short Story

by Phyllis Bourne

Toi and Lennox turn a forced Thanksgiving with their respective parents and dealing with their barbs into a game where every insult earns them a sexual favor. I wasn’t sure why they didn’t put their parents in their place—boundaries are key!—but it still was a satisfying short story. This is technically a follow up story to The Hook-Up Before Christmas, which I haven’t yet read, but it stands fine on its own. (Open door.)

The Naughty List

by Ellie Mae MacGregor

MMD Team member Leigh says, "If you’ve ever thought, 'Santa can get it,' this is the short story for you! Silver fox Nikolai is rightly in awe of Kate when he delivers presents at her house. This was a fun read and I was glad that their Christmas dreams came true. Also: Nikolai wins for using his Santa powers to get Kate’s ex to finally sign their divorce papers. (Open door.)"

Hearts Alight

by Elliot Cooper

An utterly lovely Hanukkah romance. I loved everything about Dave and Amit and how their relationship unfolded. This isn’t a spoiler but what makes this story stand out is the fact that Amit is a Golem. Also, both men are characters who have jobs that are just jobs and who feel relatively okay about that, which was a nice touch and lets the novella focus more on their other interests, like Dave being really into Dungeons & Dragons. (Chaste.)

A Boyfriend for Christmas

by Jay Northcote

MMD Team member Leigh says: "Tattoo artist Cal and posh Archie are total opposites. Cal won the lottery a while back and after helping his mom, buying himself a house, and giving to charity, he invested the rest. This is how he crosses paths with Archie, whose dad owns the investment firm. Archie is at loose ends after graduating college. He's closeted and doesn’t believe he has much to offer. Cal isn’t interested in anything serious…so we know how this is going to go. As their relationship deepens, Archie decides to come out to his family at Christmas, making for one moving and memorable holiday. (Open door.)"

Season of Love

by Helena Greer

MMD team member Leigh says: "Set at a Jewish-run Christmas tree farm, Noelle and Miriam are initially at odds when they discover they’ve inherited the tree farm along with Miriam’s cousin Hannah and Hannah’s ex Levi. Emotions are running high when Miriam decides she’ll stay to get Carrigan’s through this holiday season, to Noelle’s chagrin. The evolution from there was an absolute delight but this is not a romcom. In addition to grief, it delves into healing from trauma and there’s a dash of angst. I borrowed this from the library and immediately bought my own copy once I finished. (Closed door.)"

Eight Cozy Nights (The Sublime Book 5)

by Julia Wolf

MMD team member Leigh says: "New neighbors Larissa and Yo’s relationship evolves over the course of 8 nights. When Larissa can’t find her menorah among the boxes she’s unpacking and Yo can’t find any candles, they decide to band together for one night and that leads to the next night and suddenly they’re taking full advantage of him not having work or her going to school that week. Yo takes her to the library and he brags about the wingspan of his snow angels! Is he my dream man? Did he make me swoon repeatedly? Absolutely on all counts. My heart bursts at the thought of them spending Hanukkah together for years to come. (Open door.)"

24 winter holiday romances that will make your season bright

Dance All Night: A Dance Off Holiday Novella

Beary Christmas, Baby

The Lights on Knockbridge Lane (Garnet Run Book 3)

Party Favors (So Over the Holidays Book 4)

Eight Secret Nights

Maybe This Christmas

Vincent’s Thanksgiving Date

Holiday Heat

The Year of the Crocodile (Cyclone Book 3)

Her Naughty Holiday (Men at Work Book 2)

Snow-Kissed

After Midnight by Serena Bell

A Wedding One Christmas

A Second Chance Road Trip for Christmas (Holidays with the Wongs Book 2)

Missing Christmas

Merry Inkmas

Every New Year (Love At Last Book 1)

Shine a Light (Orchard Hill Book 1)

The Thanksgiving Game: A Holiday Short Story

The Naughty List

Hearts Alight

A Boyfriend for Christmas

Season of Love

Eight Cozy Nights (The Sublime Book 5)

Find your next read with:

100 Book recommendations
for every mood

24 winter holiday romances that will make your season bright

Find your next read with:

100 Book recommendations for every mood

100 Book recommendations
for every mood