Romance is an incredibly broad genre of literature. Within this wide-ranging genre, there are plenty of subgenres of romance that you can choose from. There is a romance novel for every type of interest and situation.
One such subgenre of romance is Christmas romance. As the name suggests, Christmas romance novels are all set around the holiday season. Christmas is a traditionally romantic holiday with customs such as kissing under the mistletoe and activities such as ice skating.
With all of the potential for romance around the Christmas period and all the stories that stem from it, you might be wondering what are the best Christmas romance books on the market.
The 15 Best Christmas Romance Books
Although there are countless numbers of Christmas romance books available to purchase, there are a few that are simply on another level. To save you hours of trawling Good Reads, we have compiled a list of 15 of the best Christmas romance books.
1. All I Want For Christmas – Maggie Knox
To kick off this list, we have All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox. This is the perfect Christmas romance novel for anyone who has a love for country music and reality competitions.
The story is a cute, lighthearted, and romantic comedy that centers around two competitors in a televised country music singing contest around the holidays.
During the reality TV contest, the pair of contestants fake a romance for the competition. At the same time, one of the contestants is having to deal with grief.
As the two protagonists are forced together again during the next holiday season, the reader gets to come along for the ride. The relationship between these characters ebbs and flows in the most lighthearted and comedic of ways.
2. The Christmas Wish – Lindsey Kelk
Next, we have The Christmas Wish by Lindsey Kelk. This is the Christmas novel that you need to read if you want depth and substance from your books. When we meet Gwen, she is newly single and unhappy.
She is heading home to spend the holidays with her family. Upon finding out that her old crush is now engaged, she feels like everyone has figured their lives out but her.
After a funny holiday, Gwen finds herself reliving Christmas day over and over again and has to figure out how to break free.
The plot of this book is essentially A Christmas Carol meets Groundhog Day, with romance peppered throughout.
3. Dear Santa – Debbie Macomber
This New York Times bestseller Dear Santa by Debbie Macomber couldn’t miss out on a space on this list. This is a very classic Christmas romance novel that will make you feel festive, cozy, and loved up.
In the story, Lindy heads back home for the holidays with not much in the way of the holiday spirit. She has been cheated on with her best friend, and her inspiration at work is dwindling. Thankfully, an old Christmas tradition could help raise her spirits. After writing a letter to Santa, the Christmas magic begins to flow, including reconnecting with an old, handsome classmate.
4. Duke Actually – Jenny Holiday
Duke Actually by Jenny Holiday is another great addition to your reading list. This is a Christmas romance novel that is told from the perspective of the male protagonist. It is a traditional cat-and-mouse love story that is easy to read.
Maximilian Von Hansburg is the Baron of Laudon. He has been dumped by a princess, has no job, and has been made to go to New York to meet with a potential bride.
In New York, he meets Dani, a professor who he wants to befriend before their friends get married. Dani is over romance and love so their friendship takes off until the attraction gets stronger.
5. The Holiday Swap – Maggie Knox
This international bestseller The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox is a wonderfully chaotic and funny book. The premise is very similar to the movie The Holiday and is different from most holiday romance books.
Charlie is a chef on a reality baking show. While on set, she loses consciousness. At the same time, her twin sister Cass is struggling to keep herself above water at her hometown bakery. As Christmas approaches, the women swap lives, but it is much more complicated than when they were children when two men come into their lives.
6. Just Like Magic – Sarah Hogle
This Christmas romance book Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle is perfect for fans of Elf. This is a book that is sure to leave you feeling giddy and festive. The perfect read in the run-up to Christmas.
Bettie was once a successful influencer and now she is flat broke, but her family doesn’t know. Daunted by the thought of spending Christmas with her family, she conjures up Hall, the festive spirit who is also a handsome man.
She pretends that he is her fiance and through the Holidays his quirky charms grow on her. She falls for him, but his time on Earth is limited.
7. Let It Snow – Nancy Thayer
Let it Snow by Nancy Thayer has already been turned into a Hallmark movie which instantly makes it a classic Christmas romance. It is a super cute and festive story to read around the Holidays.
Christina is preparing her toy shop in Nantucket for the Holiday season. However, her scrooge of a landlord raises her rent which may force her out of business.
Christina manages to bond with her landlord’s granddaughter, Wink and realizes that he might have a heart after all. They enlist the help of Wink’s uncle, a charming man, and this might be the best Christmas ever.
8. A Magical New York Christmas – Anita Hughes
A Magical New York Christmas by Anita Hughes manages to pack so many things into a single book. This story is a wonderfully light Christmas romance with a quirky New York twist.
Sabrina heads to the Plaza hotel in New York to Ghostwrite the memoir of a famous art dealer. While she is at the hotel, she meets Ian who believes that she is a wealthy guest at the hotel. He pretends to be a British aristocracy to impress her, but will they uncover the truth?
9. Meet Me Under The Mistletoe – Jenny Bayliss
Nory, a scholarship student, is back home for a wedding with her old prep school friends. Here, she reunites with the gardener, Isaac. Isaac is not a fan of Nory and her posh friends, but attraction grows over time. They have to deal with family drama, class issues, grief, and the truth about stolen art.
This book will truly transport you to the setting and make you fall in love with the characters.
10. Nantucket White Christmas – Pamela Kelley
Nantucket White Christmas by Pamela Kelley is another Hallmark-like Christmas romance book.
An unlucky woman inherits a Nantucket estate and spends a beautiful white Christmas there to try and make it a home. She spends her time befriending the locals and explores the island with a handsome man.
11. Once Upon A December – Amy Reichert
This book by Amy Reichert is about magical realism at a holiday market. It is a sweet holiday book with a magical twist.
Jack works at a magic Christmas market in Milwaukee. Every year he meets the same beautiful woman, but she always forgets him. However, this year, the woman is recovering from a messy divorce and helps Jack discover the world outside the market. But will their romance survive Jack’s magical lifestyle?
12. Pride, Prejudice, And Mistletoe – Melissa De La Cruz
This is a modern retelling of Jane Austen’s classic novel. Darcy is a successful, brilliant woman. She dates powerful men but has never been in love, she doesn’t have time.
However, when her mother falls ill, she heads back home for the holidays. At an annual Christmas party, she meets Luke, a carpenter with a simple life. What Darcy thinks is a drunken one-night stand soon turns into her being unable to stop thinking about him.
13. A Princess For Christmas – Jenny Holiday
Leo is busy looking after his little sister, driving a cab, and being the super of his Bronx building. His sister spots a princess trying to hail a cab and begs him to stop for her.
Princess Marie of Eldovia shouldn’t be hailing a cab but after death and illness in her family, she has been left to run her country. Leo’s kindness shocks her and he becomes her driver for her trip. Could they be the perfect match?
14. The Santa Suit – Mary Kay Andrews
After buying an old farmhouse, Ivy finds an old Santa suit in the closet with a note from a little girl who wants her dad back from the war.
Ivy tries to find out who the note is from and what happened to them. In the process, she finds a welcoming little town and a second chance for love among Christmas miracles.
15. We Met In December – Rosie Curtis
Jess is a twenty-nine-year-old and is moving to London. She is moving into a house in Notting Hill with four strangers as roommates.
On her first night, she meets Alex who also lives on her floor. Their connection is immediate and she hopes to spend more time with him. However, when she returns from her Christmas holiday she finds he is dating a neighbor. Now she must deal with bumping into them all year.
Final Thoughts
There are plenty of Christmas romance books out there to read, but these are 15 of the best. Each with its own unique twist on Holidays and what sparks a great romance.
