One of my favourite posts of the year- my list of favourite holiday chick lit books! While I love the holiday season, and autumn and winter in general, the darkness combined with stress and work can be lethal. (And that is true without the added weight of Covid on our shoulders!) I’m lucky enough to received several eARCs from NetGalley, and also buy some on my own (eARCS will be marked), so I’ve been able to choose my favourites. If you aren’t ready for the holidays yet, please save this post and come back when you are. And keep checking back, as I will be adding more books! So, what are the best holiday chick lit books of 2020?
Quick note before we dig in- you will notice that chick lit and women’s fiction is used interchangably by many people. I personally find that there is a difference. In my opinion, chick lit is typically a lighter, fluffier read, and I mean that in the best way. (Given that I am sharing a post about it, I obviously enjoy it.) So, let’s jump into the best holiday chick lit books of 2020!
The Best Holiday Chick Lit Books of 2020
Christmas at Fireside Cabins, Jenny Hale (NetGalley eARC) – 14 Oct 2020
For Lila Evans, Christmas is the toughest time of year––a heartbreaking reminder of losing her father, and just how lonely she is… This year, she’s organized a blissful getaway with her closest friends: just the remedy for the December blues.
The countryside resort of Fireside Cabins, tucked away in the snowy Tennessee hills, seems like this year’s perfect setting to get into the festive spirit. But it’s far from a winter wonderland––the crumbling cottage is falling apart, and the owner, a widow named Eleanor Finely, confesses that the cabins are on the brink of closure. Lila and her friends should pack their bags right there and then, but Lila can’t bear to leave the tearful elderly woman. She clearly has no one, and Lila, more than anyone, knows how that feels.
In search of holiday cheer, the women find a local coffee shop. But the rugged, surly owner Theo Perry has an apparent aversion to Christmas, seeming downright angry when Lila asks for a peppermint latte. No one in the area knows who he is––but it’s clear he’s running from something.
Yet there’s more to this small town than Theo’s frosty reception. As much as his coldness infuriates her, Lila can’t deny that on the rare occasions when he does smile, it feels like coming home. Plus, the cabins are just calling for some festive sparkle.
And, unexpectedly, Pinewood Hills could hold a new beginning for Lila… But can she save Fireside Cabins in time for Christmas? With a dusting of festive magic, spiced apple cider and sugarplum pie, could this be the first holiday she doesn’t spend alone?
Why You Should Read This…
This was an entertaining and light holiday read, that moves along nicely. There are a few difficult emotional situations for both Lila and Theo, but I loved that there was always something happening- we aren’t left sitting in the sadness of their stories. The supporting characters are also a boon in Christmas at Fireside Cabins- I would absolutely read more about Lila’s friends and the inhabitants of Pinewood Hills. If you are looking for a holiday read to transport you to a cozy, festive cabin in the woods, this is your book!
Christmas Charms, Teri Wilson (NetGalley eARC) – 6 Oct 2020
She never dreamed her holiday would include
her hometown, a dog, or a firefighter.
But a mysterious charm bracelet predicted it all…
Ashley’s supposed to be having the Christmas of her dreams. After four years of working at an upscale jewelry store in Manhattan, she’s finally going to get a little velvet box of her own―from her boyfriend Jeremy, who’s taking her on a romantic trip to Paris. What could go wrong?
Well, everything.
Ashley heads home to Owl Lake instead, falling asleep on the train ride there…and waking up with a beautiful antique charm bracelet on her wrist. Soon, she realizes that each silver charm predicts an event that happens in real life. What does this mean for her and Jeremy…or her and Aidan, her former high school boyfriend, who’s now a local firefighter? Is there still a chance that she could have the perfect Christmas?
Why You Should Read This…
I loved this holiday novel, it was a lot of fun and I can see exactly why it is from Hallmark! Ashley is a lovable heroine- it doesn’t get terribly deep into her, but that’s not what I want from Hallmark. We have a magical Christmas charm bracelet, we have dog, a toy parade, and Christmas cookies- that is a recipe for a sweet read!
Christmas Ever After, Karen Schaler (NetGalley eARC) – 29 Sept 2020
While promoting her next novel, a Christmas love story, author Riley Reynolds is caught off guard when she’s asked during a live national television interview how she can write about romance when she still hasn’t found “the one” herself. Scrambling for an answer, she quickly answers that she has had great love in her past and that love inspired her novels.
Little does she know that this one offhanded remark will turn her world upside down. Three of her ex-boyfriends see the interview, and each, believing she’s talking about him, shows up for her Christmas Camp book event at the Christmas Lake Lodge, determined to rewrite his happily-ever-after with her!
Over the festive weekend, Riley’s old boyfriends compete to win her heart, pulling out all the stops while planning the most romantic Christmas dates on the planet. Despite herself, Riley starts falling for each guy— again—but for different reasons. As Riley revisits each relationship and discovers more about herself, she embraces the magic of Christmas and finally finds true love and her own Christmas ever after…
Bonus Content: Christmas Ever After includes delicious original Christmas recipes and fun holiday crafts and activities
Why You Should Read This…
I adored this book! I am that Christmas obsessed person listening to holiday music year round, with an ugly sweater in the making. I loved Schaler’s earlier novel, Christmas Camp, and Christmas Ever After does not disappoint. Riley is an interesting character; like many characters in holiday books, she is in the “no-Christmas” camp. However, Schaler doesn’t harp on this, and it isn’t a negative at all. It works well as a framing device to introduce us as readers to the lodge’s traditions.
The Christmas Swap, Sandy Barker (NetGalley eARC) – 16 Oct 2020
Chloe, Jules, and Lucy meet at a Maui resort kids’ club, aged 11, forging a lifelong friendship spanning two decades and three continents.
Twenty-two years later, they decide to swap Christmases, none of them expecting the hilarity and romantic escapades that will ensue.
Chloe from Melbourne spends her Christmas with Lucy’s mum and dad in a sleepy village in Oxfordshire, England, stunned to the core when she discovers who grew up across the road from Lucy.
Lucy, who has jetted off to snowy Colorado for her dream-come-true white Christmas, is taken into the fold of Jules’s loud and brash family, discovering more about herself in a few short days than she has in years.
And Jules leaves the cold climes of Colorado to spend a balmy ‘Orphan’s Christmas’ with Chloe’s friends in Melbourne, finding that time away from her mundane life is just what she needed.
Why You Should Read This…
This was a cute and fun holiday read- the three story lines felt like they might be a tiny bit too much to keep track of, but it also introduces many more holiday moments and traditions. I think that I would have loved this with two story lines instead of three, so that I could have focused slightly more. However, it is still highly entertaining, and is a wonderful escape from the stress of normal life!
Christmas Wishes, Sue Moorcroft (NetGalley eARC) – 29 Oct 2020
Hannah and Nico are meant to be together.
But fate is keeping them apart…
As soon as Hannah bumps into her brother Rob’s best friend Nico in Stockholm, the two rekindle a fast friendship. But Hannah has a boyfriend – and Nico has two children to look after.
When Hannah loses her beloved shop in Stockholm, though, she is forced to move back to the little village of Middledip – only to find Nico has just moved in too. Under the same snowy sky, can the childhood friends make a romance work – or are there too many obstacles standing in their way?
A heartwarming story of love, friendship, and Christmas magic, perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley and Jill Mansell.
Why You Should Read This…
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book, being split between Sweden and the UK. However, once I started reading, I think it worked perfectly. This isn’t a particularly light book, but it is touching and heartfelt in ways that most books can’t be. Nico and Hannah both have to make very difficult decisions, and I found myself mulling over what I would do myself- not often the case with holiday fiction for me! Moorcroft has written incredibly complex and human characters, and it makes for such a compelling read. I will be on the lookout for more of her books!
If Every Day Was Christmas, Donna Ashcroft (NetGalley eARC) – 9 Oct 2020
Snow is falling, fires are crackling merrily, and Lockton tradition has everyone hanging a promise they’re determined to keep this Christmas on the tree in the village square…
Meg Scott has promised to make a success of her first solo Christmas. She runs a year-round Christmas shop in the little Scottish village, and is a fan of all things mulled, sparkly and festive. So when her warring family shows up on her doorstep, ready to spread discord and tension, Meg is determined not to let them ruin her favourite time of the year.
Meanwhile, Christmas-hating Tom Riley-Clark has been called to the Highlands to help his old friend at The Apple Cross Inn. He’s ready to work hard and has no time for mince pies, tinsel or hanging a promise on the tree: the thought of every day being Christmas is his worst nightmare, and you wouldn’t catch him dead buying a bauble. So everyone is surprised when Christmas-loving Meg and grinch Tom start to get cozy under the mistletoe.
But Tom has a big secret about his past, and in a small town like Lockton it’s hard to keep anything hidden for long. Will everything fall apart when Meg discovers who he really is? The pair are about to learn the hard way that some promises are impossible to keep…
Why You Should Read This…
This is my second read from Donna Ashcroft, and once again, it is cozy and warm- perfect for the holidays! I find that she balances drama with coziness well. I was invested in this book, but didn’t feel any secondhand stress reading it- key for holiday reading. (If you give me secondhand stress or embarrassment, I will just want to hide…) And I adore the town of Lockton, with their holiday spirit and wonderful tradition of The Promise Tree, which I might steal for myself. I can’t recommend this enough!
In a Holidaze, Christina Lauren (NetGalley eARC, also purchased) – 6 Oct 2020
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.
But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.
The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.
Why You Should Read This…
Well, I couldn’t have loved this novel more. I am a Christmas nutcase, and have been waiting for this for months, and it did not disappoint. I loved the cast of characters in this- Mae is the protagonist, and I loved that she wasn’t a picture-perfect person. She has flaws like any of us, and owns up to them! We also get to spend time with the rest of the supporting characters though, and we actually get to know them all. (Shout-out to Benny- forever full of wisdom!) I wasn’t sure if the Groundhog Day approach would be repetitive or limiting, but it really isn’t- it works very well. We can see how Mae’s mind works, and how different choices lead to different outcomes. (Not only interesting, but highly entertaining!)
Mistletoe and Mr Right, Sarah Morgenthaler (NetGalley eARC) – 6 Oct 2020
Lana Montgomery is everything the quirky small town of Moose Springs, Alaska can’t stand: a rich socialite with dreams of changing things for the better. But Lana’s determined to prove that she belongs…even if it means trading her stilettos for snow boots and tracking one of the town’s hairiest Christmas mysteries: the Santa Moose, an antlered Grinch hell-bent on destroying every bit of holiday cheer (and tinsel) it can sink its teeth into.
And really…how hard could it be?
The last few years have been tough on Rick Harding, and it’s not getting any easier now that his dream girl’s back in town. When Lana accidentally tranquilizes him instead of the Santa Moose, it’s clear she needs help, fast…and this could be his chance to finally catch her eye. It’s an all-out Christmas war, but if they can nab that darn moose before it destroys the town, Rick and Lana might finally find a place where they both belong…together.
Why You Should Read This…
This is another excellent 2020 book, and a read-in-one-sitting! I hadn’t read the first book in the series, but I was totally fine picking up Mistletoe and Mr. Right. Lana and Rick are another great pair of protagonists, and I loved that they did have separate lives happening as well- so often, characters only exist in relation to a possible partner. And more than anything, this book made me LAUGH. There are penises on mountains (but WHO did it??), an errant Santa Moose (that’s literally my dream), and a taxidermied squirrel in a long white nightgown gazing out into the night sky. What can’t you love?! The perfect escape from holiday stress!
The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane, Jaimie Admans- 16 Oct 2020
It’s the most magical time of year, and anything can happen…
Nia Maddison has always believed that wishes come true on Nutcracker Lane. So, when she gets the opportunity to run her own Christmas gift shop on the most magical street in town, it feels like her wishes have been finally granted.
But working late one night, Nia discovers yet another boyfriend has cheated on her. As she trudges home – alone, again – she passes the (supposedly) magical nutcracker and half-joking thinks a wish can’t hurt. Cracking a nut in its mouth, she wishes to find Prince Charming.
The next day Nia gets to work to find another decoration shop has opened directly across the lane from her own, and she can’t resist having a nose around.
Whilst there, she accidentally backs into a human-sized Nutcracker, knocking it over and breaking it. Mortified, she flees from the store but when she gathers her resolve to go back and apologise, she stumbles across the gorgeous shop owner James, who looks exactly like Prince Charming…
Could her Christmas wish from the night before really be coming true?
Why You Should Read This…
This may as well have been written for me specifically- Christmas shops, an infinite number of nutcrackers, and holiday movies?? Nia is one of my favourite protagonists of 2020- she has flaws like any of us, but knows what she loves/wants, and that is refreshing to see. The question of whether or not James is really a nutcracker is a fun theme to run through, and is a very clever framing device. And the whole of Nutcracker Lane was just perfect. If running a Christmas store in Nutcracker Lane isn’t the dream, I don’t know what is! This book will definitely be an annual reread for me now, without a doubt.
A Princess for Christmas, Jenny Holiday (Purchased) – 13 Oct 2020
Leo Ricci’s already handling all he can, between taking care of his little sister Gabby, driving a cab, and being the super of his apartment building in the Bronx. But when Gabby spots a “princess” in a gown outside of the UN trying to hail a cab, she begs her brother to stop and help. Before he knows it, he’s got a real-life damsel in distress in the backseat of his car.
Princess Marie of Eldovia shouldn’t be hailing a cab, or even be out and about. But after her mother’s death, her father has plunged into a devastating depression and the fate of her small Alpine country has fallen on Marie’s shoulders. She’s taken aback by the gruff but devastatingly handsome driver who shows her more kindness than she’s seen in a long time.
When Marie asks Leo to be her driver for the rest of her trip, he agrees, thinking he’ll squire a rich miss around for a while and make more money than he has in months. He doesn’t expect to like and start longing for the unpredictable Marie. And when he and Gabby end up in Eldovia for Christmas, he discovers the princess who is all wrong for him is also the woman who is his perfect match.
Why You Should Read This…
I’ve been waiting for this book for several months now, and it did NOT disappoint. This book is a meta-form of Hallmark Christmas movies, and I’m here for it. I appreciated that swearing was included; as a Sweary Poppins, it is often missing from books for me, and it gave it a bit of an edge. (If you don’t enjoy it, there isn’t so much that it should be a detractor.) Marie is the perfect Hallmark princess, Eldovia is the perfect Hallmark-ish setting – complete with Cocoa Festival – and Leo is thoroughly entertaining, as well. My only criticism is that I will have to wait until 2021 for the follow up…
A Surprise Christmas Wedding, Phillipa Ashley (NetGalley eARC) – 26 Nov 2020
It’s been a year since Lottie’s fiancé walked out, leaving her heartbroken. But things start to look up when she lands her dream job at a beautiful Lake District estate, with a handsome groundskeeper for a neighbour.
So when Lottie is asked to organise a last minute Christmas wedding at Firholme, she can’t wait to get started. Until she meets the couple, and discovers that Connor, the man who broke her heart, is the groom-to-be.
As snow falls on the hills, can Lottie put aside her past to organise the perfect winter wedding? And will there be any festive magic left to bring Lottie the perfect Christmas she deserves?
Why You Should Read This…
This was a cozy and warm holiday read, and stayed true to Ashley’s writing style. I found it to be slightly “heavier” than some holiday reads- an awful break up, a cancer diagnosis, other issues- but it comes together wonderfully in the end. Firholme (the estate) is a fantastic character of its own, and the supporting characters rounded it out well.
The Twelve Dogs of Christmas, Lizzie Shane (NetGalley eARC) – 29 Sept 2020
Pine Hollow has everything Ally Gilmore could wish for in a holiday break: gently falling snow in a charming small town and time with her family. Then she learns some Grinch has pulled the funding for her family’s rescue shelter, and now she has only four weeks to find new homes for a dozen dogs! But when she confronts her Scroogey councilman nemesis, Ally finds he’s far more reasonable — and handsome — than she ever expected
As the guardian of his dog-obsessed ten-year-old niece, Ben West doesn’t have time to build a cuddly reputation. But he does feel guilty about the shelter closing. So he proposes a truce with Ally, agreeing to help her adopt out the pups. As the two spend more time together, the town’s gossip is spreading faster than Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve. And soon Ben is hoping he can convince Ally that Pine Hollow is her home for the holidays. . . and the whole year through.
Why You Should Read This…
Wow. I didn’t know what to expect going into this book- I love both dogs and Christmas, but I didn’t get that immediate feeling from the cover/description. However, was I thrilled to be wrong- this is one of my new favourite holiday books!! Ally and Ben are lovable characters, but both have moments that leave you wanting to shake them. (As any good well-rounded character should!) All of the supporting characters play their roles perfectly- foiling when needed and moving things along. And of course- the dogs! The dogs are present throughout but aren’t distracting from the main plot. This would make the perfect Hallmark Christmas movie (the highest compliment I can give)!
Are you going to be reading any of my best holiday chick lit books of 2020?
Cheers,
The Historian
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