Christmas Reading Recommendations from My Friends

by Donna Huber

What Christmas books are you reading? For Day 14 of our 25 Days of Christmas Reading, I'm sharing some of the Christmas books that my Goodreads friends are reading. I would love to know what you are reading.

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The Holiday Stand-in by Kortney Keisel

November 2023; Indie; 979-8868379413
ebook, print (344 pages); holiday romance

He's everything I've ever wanted. Too bad he's my boyfriend's twin brother.

When my boyfriend says he’s too busy working—again—to spend the holidays with me and my family, I’m sure Christmas is ruined.

Not only will I be alone, but my family is convinced he doesn't love me.

So when his identical twin comes to town, I realize a swap could be the perfect way to reassure my family and give me a date for the holiday season.

But our fake-out quickly goes from the solution to THE PROBLEM.

Because falling for your boyfriend’s twin brother is never a good thing.

And when my real boyfriend finally has time for me, things get confusing.

I'll need a Christmas miracle to get out of this twin-brother mess.

Buy The Holiday Stand-in at Amazon

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It Happened One Christmas by Chantel Guertin

October 2023; Doubleday Canada; 978-0385697989
audio, ebook, print (336 pages); holiday romance

Will magic happen under the mistletoe?

All year long, Zoey Andrews lives and breathes Christmas--not just because she loves everything about the festive season, but because, as the director of countless Christmas movies, she's perpetually (and happily) surrounded by 24/7 holiday cheer. And this year Christmas has come early: After years of making other people's movies, Zoey finally has the chance to make her own. There's just one thing standing in her way of that: Benoît Deschamps, the sexy, bearded, grouchy and utterly frustrating, plaid shacket-wearing tree-farm-owner-slash-mayor who refuses to grant Zoey the permit to film in Chelsea, the cozy and snowy Quebec hamlet at the center of her screenplay.

With just four days left before Christmas, Zoey must change Ben's mind, but not before an unscripted ice storm leaves them stranded in the middle of nowhere, with nothing--no food, no phone, no electricity--except . . . each other.

Will Ben's chilly resolve shatter Zoey's Christmas movie wish? Or will Zoey be able to melt through his stubbornness--and maybe even his heart?

Buy It Happened One Christmas at Amazon

Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey

October 2023; Avon; 978-0063308305
audio, ebook, print (368 pages); holiday 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. 

Buy Wreck the Halls at Amazon

The Christmas Wager by Holly Cassidy

September 2023; G.P. Putnam's Sons; 978-0593544051
audio, ebook, print (352 pages); holiday romance

One rivalry. Eight days until Christmas. Let the holiday games begin.

When LA-based real estate developer Bella Ross arrives in the sleepy, mountain town of Maple Falls, she has one mission: to acquire the local failing Christmas shop, Always Noelle, securing the promotion of her dreams. Nothing can get in her way. Except the shop owner's stubborn grandson, Jesse Harrison.

Both refuse to budge, until an unlikely wager is struck: Bella and Jesse will compete in the Maple Falls Holiday Games, an annual tradition of eccentric feats of strength and skills. Winner decides the selling price. They'll give each other a run for their money, but as the competition heats up, Bella and Jesse's icy feelings toward each other begin to thaw. It'll take a Christmas miracle for them to admit there's a spark, but what if it's just another game?

Buy The Christmas Wager at Amazon

The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox

October 2021; G.P. Putnam's Sons; 978-0593330739
audio, ebook, print (352 pages); holiday rom-com

All they want for Christmas is a different life.

When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell--both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family's bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won't get the memo that they're over.

With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven't done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician's assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix. Will the twins' identity swap be a recipe for disaster, or does it have all the right ingredients for getting their lives back on track?

Buy The Holiday Swap at Amazon

The Christmas Orphans Club by Becca Freeman

September 2023; Penguin Books; 978-0143138037
audio, ebook, print (368 pages); holiday romance

Hannah and Finn have spent every Christmas together since college. Neither has anywhere else to go—Hannah’s parents died, and Finn’s disowned him when he came out. Their tradition of offbeat holiday adventures only grows more outrageous with time. When the pair starts their adult lives in New York City, they add stylish Priya and mysterious Theo to the group, solidifying a found family and sense of belonging they’ve always craved.

But now, when Finn announces a move to L.A., this Christmas may be their last. Hannah is terrified of losing the family she’s built for herself, even as her boyfriend nudges her toward commitment. Meanwhile, Finn struggles with the things he’s about to leave behind—namely, his unexpressed feelings for Theo. Does growing up mean growing apart? This Christmas the changes these friends fear may be exactly what they need.

Buy The Christmas Orphans Club at Amazon

Check all of our 25 Days of Christmas Reading posts for Christmas book reviews, recommended Christmas reading lists, free Christmas books.

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour. 

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