‘Tis the season… for holiday chick lit! While a lot of people resist the holiday season until late November or early December, I get started reading upcoming holiday releases in August and September. While most people don’t read 20-25 Christmas themed books every year, I do believe that there is a holiday book for nearly everyone. So, I am sharing the best holiday chick lit of 2021 here, along with my reviews! And remember to check back– I will be adding more books throughout the season as they are published.
*Any books from NetGalley are marked in the title/author line, all others are purchased.
Much like Hallmark movies, holiday chick lit is a very specific genre. And I think that there are some people like me who have no limit to the holiday fluff we can enjoy. However, most people are probably limited to one or two and then the enjoyment fades, understandably. In each of my reviews, I’ve highlighted the type of reader who I think would enjoy the book, to make the most of your reading time!
The Best Christmas Ever, Karen King (NetGalley)
Lexi Forde adores Christmas. She’s especially looking forward to it this year as it’s the first Christmas with her boyfriend Ben and her older brother is visiting from Canada with his family. They’ll all be spending Christmas at her parents’ house in Devon.
But when Lexi surprises Ben at work, she sees him kissing someone else and discovers he’s been having an affair. Devastated, she travels to Devon alone.
She’s determined not to let her break-up spoil her family Christmas. But when she arrives, Lexi discovers the council won’t allow the Christmas tree on the green to be decorated this year; it’s too dangerous and has to come down. Lexi is desperate to save their favourite family tradition and make this Christmas extra special.
Can she save the tree and mend her broken heart in time for Christmas?
Why You Should Read This…
In the best way, this would be the ultimate Hallmark movie if Hallmark set movies in the UK. I love whenever a town comes together to fight to save a Christmas tradition, and in The Best Christmas Ever, we are saving the town tree. Obviously you need the town tree for the holidays, and when you have grandmas committing petty crimes to save it, I will always give five stars! I felt like this book had a few serious elements but perfectly captured the fun feeling I expect for holiday books. And I have to give a bonus star for the dog- she is ADORABLE, and is the cherry on top of this Christmas cake!
A Bookshop Christmas, Rachel Burton (NetGalley)
A snowstorm. A stranger. A spark. And it’s Christmas!
It should be the perfect start to the perfect love story.But real life is far messier and more complicated than in the pages of the books in Megan Taylor’s family bookshop – the last few years have left this young widow in no doubt of that. Moving back home to York should have been a fresh start, but all it did was allow her to retreat from the world.
When prize-winning author Xander Stone rams his supermarket trolley into her ankles and then trashes her taste in books, Megan is abruptly awoken from her self-imposed hibernation. It’s time to start living again, and she’s going to start by putting this arrogant, superior – admittedly sexy – stranger in his place.
Just as she is beginning to enjoy life again, the worst happens and Megan begins to wonder if she should have stayed hidden away. Because it turns out that falling in love again is about more than just meeting under the mistletoe…
Why You Should Read This…
A Bookshop Christmas is one of the quirkiest Christmas chick lit books I’ve read this year, and I loved it! While I am firmly in the “Die Hard is NOT a Christmas movie” camp, I adored that the bookshop has a Die Hard Romance Readers book club. (It doesn’t really seem my thing, but I would also be very interested in joining this fictional book club…) And of course, the fact that they are planning a Regency Christmas party and are trying to be accurate in every sense speaks to my Austen-loving soul. If you want the usual holiday charm and spirit with something a little bit different, A Bookshop Christmas is for you!
Celebrations at the Chateau, Jo Thomas (NetGalley)
When their grandfather dies, Fliss Hope and her two sisters are astonished to learn that he has left them a chateau that they knew nothing about! Travelling to Normandy in northern France to see the beautiful – but faded – house for themselves, they excitedly make plans over delicious savoury crepes and the local cider in the town nearby.
But their happiness is short-lived when they discover the house needs a lot of repair work, there’s a big tax bill due . . . and there’s a sitting tenant in the form of Madame Charlotte Cadieux, to whom they owe a monthly allowance!
Unable to sell but in desperate need of money, Fliss determines to spruce up the elegant old rooms and open a B&B. But she comes up against opposition in the form of suspicious townsfolk and Jacques Cadieux the mayor, who just happens to be Madame’s grandson. Why are they so angry with her? How did the house come into her grandfather’s possession anyway? And will Jacques and Fliss be able to put their differences aside to save the chateau?
Why You Should Read This…
I think that randomly inheriting a French chateau would be incredibly stressful, but I also think that it would be a dream for a lot of us. Celebrations at the Chateau is the perfect book to read if you have ever watched a restoration show on HGTV and dreamed of doing it yourself, or if you are like me, you spend time looking at abandoned castles that you can buy. I felt like I was exploring and restoring the chateau along with Fliss, and I think Watson did a wonderful job of writing secondary characters- there are a few that I wanted to spend a lot more time with (a good sign for me). This is a fun, entertaining, and heartfelt holiday book!
Christmas at Fox Farm, Helen Pollard (NetGalley)
Living at Fox Farm, with its cosy café, beautiful pottery studio and charming gift shop, is a dream come true for thirty-one-year-old Daisy. The kindly owner, Jean, and the close-knit village feel like the home and family Daisy has never had. She’s been looking forward to her first magical Christmas in the countryside.
When Jean suddenly falls ill, Daisy is the first to lend a hand. She ropes in Alex – Jean’s handsome but stubborn nephew – to help her. When the pair discover the farm is almost bankrupt, it seems like the annual Christmas celebrations will be cancelled. Alex and Daisy need a plan, and quickly, if they are to pull off Christmas against the odds and save Fox Farm.
From the get-go Daisy and Alex cannot agree on anything, from the mince pie recipe to the colour scheme for the tree. Soon, however, in true Christmas spirit, they find themselves coming together in the face of decorating disasters, tripping over each other at the holiday barn dance and tracking down a missing Santa Claus.
But when Daisy discovers the secret Alex is keeping about the future of Jean’s farm, will she run from the only place that has ever felt like home? Or will she find a way to save Christmas and the farm, and open her heart to a new beginning for her and Alex?
Why You Should Read This…
This is quite a heartfelt and cosy book. This books starts right around Halloween and ends around Christmas, so I would say that this is a wonderful choice if you like to start reading your holiday books early. This is a more serious holiday book- there is more tension and angst than I normally prefer. However, if you find that Hallmark-style movies and books are too fluffy for you, Christmas at Fox Farm is a perfect book for you!
Christmas at Hope Hall, Pam Rhodes (NetGalley)
The march towards the end of the year sees Hope Hall once again buzzing with activity.The lead up to the Harvest Festival sees a stray dog causing a nuisance, and tensions rise between two old schoolmates.
The drama only increases as Christmas approaches, and the panto rehearsals featuring the jocular “Can’t Sing Singers” get into full swing. But the hustle and bustle of the drama in the community stems from the deeper personal stories. Loneliness, loss, and hurt impact the lives of many of the local residents. But where there is community, there is friendship, companionship, love, and most of all, hope.
Christmas at Hope Hall is the final book in a delightful trilogy centred on a Victorian church hall, the like of which can be found at the heart of so many towns across England. This wonderful finale to the series (which includes the sound of wedding bells!) is full of friends and neighbours with stories that will have you giggling one minute, and dabbing your eyes the next.
Why You Should Read This…
I know that I’m biased because of my love of dogs, but I loved this Christmas novella! It was cosy and sweet and has a wonderful cast of characters that you can’t help but love. I find that sometimes authors will really play up tragedy/sadness in holiday novels to create tension and drama but I think Rhodes does a wonderful job of including these characters’ lives without getting terribly morose.
I was entirely new to Hope Hall but I didn’t feel like I was missing information from the previous books. (I will definitely be reading the first two books this winter, though!) If you prefer a shorter book or novella but still love holiday cosiness, this book is for you!
The Little Christmas House, Tracy Rees (NetGalley)
In gorgeous Hopley village snow is falling and twinkly lights are going up but Holly Hanwell feels anything but Christmassy…
It’s meant to be the most wonderful time of the year but thirty-year-old Holly Hanwell doesn’t really feel like celebrating… not after the bombshell news her boyfriend is leaving her to have a baby with someone else. So Holly’s organised a quiet Christmas in her cosy little house and plans to avoid the traditional village festivities, and anything resembling a man, at all costs.
That is until she bumps into sexy newcomer Edward. He recently bought Christmas House, at the edge of Hopley, but the renovations on the crumbling building are more than he’d bargained for. Sheltering from the snowy weather in the warm village café, Edward makes Holly laugh over delicious mugs of hot chocolate, topped with cream and sprinkles. Despite the spark between them, Holly knows she needs to protect her already fragile heart and she’s determined NOT to fall in love this Christmas.
But holiday magic works in mysterious ways and they keep crossing paths – at the nativity show, the carols, gift shopping – and then a festive crisis at Christmas House unexpectedly brings them together. Yet just as Holly realises her feelings are growing for handsome but complicated Edward she discovers a secret from his past which makes her question everything she thought she knew about him…
Will Holly and Edward’s December romance be over before it’s begun? Or will this be a Christmas to remember?
Why You Should Read This…
When it comes to the holidays, I want an excessive amount of cosiness and warmth, and The Little Christmas House more than delivers! I loved that a lot of this story is centred around a holiday play- I feel like they play a big role in a lot of our childhood Christmases, and it definitely brought on feelings of nostalgia. I also loved that there were alternating POVs for Holly, Edward, and Eliza; it was refreshing to get a child’s POV, and definitely made for a more unique holiday story.
A Christmas in the Alps, Melody Carlson (NetGalley)
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.
Why You Should Read This…
This Christmas novella is an incredibly sweet book! I did find the first chapter or two slightly rushed, but once Simone arrives in France, the book hits its stride. While I obviously love holiday books, I think the mystery of the treasure is a lot of fun and adds an extra dimension. It is also quite fun to explore Paris and different parts of France through Simone’s eyes. This is the perfect book for anyone looking for a holiday trip who can’t travel right now.
Christmas in the Scottish Highlands, Donna Ashcroft (NetGalley)
Thirty-year-old Belle Albany is feeling lonely this Christmas. Another whole year has passed and her life is… exactly the same as it was last December. She longs for true love and a little bit of winter magic – but she’s almost given up on finding it in the sleepy Scottish community where she lives…
When Belle crashes into elderly Edina on her cherry red bicycle, it’s not the meet-cute she’d been hoping for. But she immediately recognises the lost look in Edina’s watery-blue eyes and resolves to organise a Christmas to remember for them both – brimming with mince pies, mulled wine and lots of sparkle. Although Belle hadn’t counted on Edina’s home being a crumbling Scottish castle and she certainly hadn’t been expecting Edina’s handsome long-lost grandson Jack Hamilton-Kirk to turn up on the doorstep in the middle of a snow storm…
Jack is arrogant, rude and bossy and Belle is convinced he’s about to ruin the seasonal cheer she has worked hard to create. He’s basically the Grinch in human form, so why does her heart race every time they’re in the same room? They disagree on almost everything, from menu choices to music, and yet she starts to glimpse a softer side hidden behind Jack’s clipped words and brooding countenance.
As they hunt down costumes for the annual nativity show and save a donkey from a snowy disaster, Belle can’t ignore their growing attraction. But will a secret from Jack’s past come between them? Or will this finally be the year Belle falls in love?
Why You Should Read This…
A lot of holiday-themed books focus on the lighter side of the holiday season, which I do love. However, Christmas in the Scottish Highlands touches on several difficult topics without losing its softness and warmth. Ashcroft is a talented writer, and Belle, Jack, and Edina are fully formed characters that you feel like you’ve known forever. However, the supporting characters also feel fully formed, and although we don’t spend a lot of time with them, they really make this novel.
This is on the shorter side, so it is perfect to read in an afternoon or a weekend when you want to stay inside and stay warm!
A Christmas Wedding in the Cotswolds, Lucy Coleman (NetGalley)
What could be more festive than a winter wedding in the picturesque English countryside? Join us for Christmas in the Cotswolds with the bestselling Lucy Coleman.
Imogen Tolliman and Gray Adams can’t wait to get married after getting engaged the previous year, when they were stranded by snow in a blizzard. Now they are busy planning their wedding, but when the date slips six months because Gray is working on a huge film project, it seems like fate that after their snowy start, they will end up getting married at Christmas.
The couple are living in Immi’s grandfather’s picturesque lock-keeper’s cottage at the Aysbury marina in the Cotswolds, which they are renovating to become their forever family home. As well as building work, full-time jobs and wedding planning, Immi is in charge of raising money to build a children’s playground, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of The Santa Ahoy Cruises – her grandfather Tollie’s life work.
When Gray is suddenly forced to travel abroad, Immi is left to cope with everything alone, and before long, even the best-laid plans start to wobble. When a terrible betrayal is uncovered, the whole community of Aysbury is left reeling, and Immi is left wondering if there will be a wedding after all…
Why You Should Read This…
Lucy Coleman’s A Christmas Wedding in the Cotswolds is a lovely book, and the perfect book to read early in the season or if you aren’t hugely into Christmas itself. The story actually opens in the summer and leads up to the holidays, so you ease into the season. (I will say that I would prefer to get to the holiday bits earlier, but I know that many people appreciate not being hit over the head with it.) Coleman does such a wonderful job in creating this incredible community, and now I want to move to the Cotswolds!
I would recommend reading Christmas at Lock Keeper’s Cottage prior to A Christmas Wedding. While A Christmas Wedding can be read as a standalone novel, it really does make more sense if you’ve read the prior.
A Midwinter Match, Jane Lovering (NetGalley)
Ruby Oldbridge needs to learn to take her own advice.
A brilliant counsellor at work in York, she is however floundering in her own life. Her romantic track record is woeful, her finances are in a pickle, and she’s back in a house-share after splitting up with her useless ex.
But one thing Ruby is brilliant at, is helping other people find a way through their problems, and she excels at the job she loves, doing just that.
Happy-go-lucky, Mr Positivity, Zac Drewe also loves his job – the trouble is, it’s the same as Ruby’s, and the management have decided to ‘rationalise’ their department. There’s only room for one of them.
As the snow and winter close in on York, Ruby and Zac have everything to lose, and Ruby starts to wonder if the happy face Zac shows the world, might be disguising a sadder secret.
Set against one another, they are unlikely friends. But perhaps, if they could take the time to understand each other, they might discover that rather than rivals, they could be the best thing that ever happened to one another…
Why You Should Read This…
This is my first Christmas read of 2021, and I have to say- Jane Lovering is setting the bar high. The book is set at Christmas- it isn’t specifically about the holiday season, but there were enough “holiday hints” for me to feel festive. Ruby, our protagonist, has gone through a LOT in the last year and a half, and Lovering doesn’t shy away from that. A horrible break up, crushing anxiety, and work stress are not an easy hand of cards to be dealt, and Lovering treated it thoughtfully. Zac, one of Ruby’s new coworkers and love interest, has also got a fairly heavy plate. I think that this book is thoughtful and heartfelt and charming, and is a wonderful book to curl up with on a chilly evening!
Every Day in December, Kitty Wilson (NetGalley)
Two people. One month to fall in love.
Belle Wilde loves December. Yes, she’s just lost her job and Christmas is not a good time to find yourself ‘financially challenged’. And yes, her parents are still going on about the fact that she really should have it all together by now. But Belle believes that in December, magic can happen.
Rory Walters hates December. Whilst it looks like his life is together, he’s still reeling from a winter’s night five years ago when his life changed forever. Now back at home, he’s certain that this will be yet another Christmas to endure rather than enjoy.
But as midnight on December 31st draws closer, Belle and Rory’s time together is coming to an end. With a little help from a Christmas miracle could Belle find the one thing she really wants underneath the mistletoe?
Why You Should Read This…
I was immediately interested in this book after seeing it- a novel set in Bath at Christmas time? It was Made. For. Me. And I am happy to say, it was everything I wanted it to be! While I can’t really identify with being spacey or out to lunch like she was in her younger years, I really identified with Belle’s love of Shakespeare (but sub in history for me…). Building a website, wanting to share it with people, making it accessible, it was like I was seeing myself on the page! And Rory was a fantastic love interest- he is definitely a three dimensional character, and he changed and grew throughout the novel. Wilson did a wonderful job of using Bath as a setting and a character, as well! As it stands, this is in my top three books of the season!
The Holiday Swap, Maggie Knox (NetGalley)
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?
Why You Should Read This…
I can see why The Holiday Swap is being touted as one of THE to-read books of the 2021 holiday season- what a perfect holiday book! Holiday Swap has the hijinks, fun, and sweetness of a Hallmark movie but just enough weight to make it a re-read for Christmases to come.
Charlie and Cassandra are both super entertaining protagonists. Knox uses the twin trope well; it ties the story together, but it isn’t non-stop “oh shucks, twins” moments like we often see. And as someone who loves holiday baking and holiday baking shows, I loved that both are featured! (My only tiny qualm is that I would have loved for one of the recipes to be included.) All in all, a perfect Christmas book!
The Matzah Ball, Jean Meltzer (NetGalley)
Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is a nice Jewish girl with a shameful secret: she loves Christmas. For a decade she’s hidden her career as a Christmas romance novelist from her family. Her talent has made her a bestseller even as her chronic illness has always kept the kind of love she writes about out of reach.
But when her diversity-conscious publisher insists she write a Hanukkah romance, her well of inspiration suddenly runs dry. Hanukkah’s not magical. It’s not merry. It’s not Christmas. Desperate not to lose her contract, Rachel’s determined to find her muse at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration on the last night of Hanukkah, even if it means working with her summer camp archenemy—Jacob Greenberg.
Though Rachel and Jacob haven’t seen each other since they were kids, their grudge still glows brighter than a menorah. But as they spend more time together, Rachel finds herself drawn to Hanukkah—and Jacob—in a way she never expected. Maybe this holiday of lights will be the spark she needed to set her heart ablaze.
Why You Should Read This…
I have to say, I was incredibly excited to see a non-Christmas holiday book this year! There are several winter holidays and festivals, and although as Meltzer points out in the book, Hanukkah is a minor Jewish holiday, it is fantastic to finally start seeing some diversity.
Rachel is an incredible protagonist. We don’t see a lot of representation of chronic illness in holiday books, and while it is a big part of her story, it isn’t her whole story. Her Christmas story is one of my favourites, too! As I’ve said elsewhere, I celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday- while many people do celebrate it as a religious holiday, many people observe the secular Christmas. Rachel’s love of the cosiness and cheer during the holidays, especially to cope with stress, is like looking in a mirror! Meltzer perfectly balances the difficult with humour and hijinks, and it goes off without a hitch.
Meet Me in London, Georgia Toffolo
Aspiring clothes designer Victoria Scott spends her days working in a bar in Chelsea and her evenings designing vintage clothes, dreaming of one day opening her own boutique. But these aspirations are under threat from the new department store opening at the end of her road. She needs a Christmas miracle, but one is not forthcoming.
Oliver Russell’s Christmas is not looking very festive right now. His family’s new London department store opening is behind schedule, and on top of that his interfering, if well-meaning, mother is pressing him to introduce his girlfriend to her over the holidays—a girlfriend who does not exist. He needs a diversion…something to keep his mother from meddling while he focuses on the business.
When Oliver meets Victoria, he offers a proposition: pretend to be his girlfriend at the opening of his store and he will provide an opportunity for Victoria to showcase her designs. But what starts as a business arrangement soon becomes something more tempting as the fake relationship starts to feel very real. But when secrets in Victoria’s past are exposed, will Oliver walk away, or will they both follow their hearts and find what neither knew they were looking for…?
Why You Should Read This…
Meet Me in London was a wonderfully cute contemporary romance that used London to its full advantage! You feel like you are walking the streets of London (and Paris) and Oliver and Victoria are fantastic protagonists that you will want to root for. My only slight issue is that I would have liked slightly more of Victoria’s back story, it felt like we got more of Oliver’s. However, still a wonderful read!
I would recommend this book to people who like a little bit of the holidays, but not a ton- Christmas doesn’t really factor in for Meet Me in London.
On Christmas Avenue, Ginny Baird (NetGalley Audiobook)
Evan, the county sheriff, knows that businesses are struggling in the small town of Clark Creek. But unlike the mayor—who happens to be his mother—he doesn’t think that hiring a “Christmas Consultant,” whatever that is, will help. Especially when this Christmas Consultant proposes a holiday parade that seems likely to overwhelm his staff and leave the town in even more debt.
Mary is sure the parade is going to be a superb fundraiser. She’s going to make sure of it, overcoming every obstacle…including those put in place by the stubborn sheriff. But in the middle of her planning, the unexpected happens: she and Evan begin to see one another in a different light. Could the parade bring about more than one Christmas miracle? This funny, feel-good holiday romance is perfect for fans of Sheila Roberts, Susan Mallery, and Jenny Hale.
Why You Should Read This…
Hallmark *gets* Christmas, and this book is no exception! It has everything that you could want in a Christmas story- Christmas trees, hijinks and mixups, a Christmas parade, and a grumpy sheriff to balance out the cheer. This is DEFINITELY a Hallmark story, so if you aren’t interested in Hallmark Christmas movies, you might want to skip it, but if you are checking the schedule for the new movies- this is the book for you! And in terms of the audiobook, it is a pretty solid audiobook. Amanda Stribling, the narrator, does a fantastic job- she balances the Hallmark cheer and bubble well!
Snowflakes Over the Starfish Café, Jessica Redland (NetGalley)
Welcome to The Starfish Café – where you will find stunning views, delicious food and lifelong friendships.
Two broken hearts.
Since she inherited The Starfish Café, Hollie has poured her heart into the business, striving to keep her mother’s traditions and warm-hearted spirit alive. But behind closed doors Hollie is searching for true happiness as she grieves the tragic loss of her family who were once the beating heart of the café…
An unexpected meeting.
Jake lives by two rules: don’t let anyone get close and don’t talk about what happened. Little does he know that a chance meeting at The Starfish Café, facilitated by a fluffy lost dog, is about to turn his world upside down…
The chance to love again.
Can Hollie and Jake break down the barriers that have been holding them back from finding love and happiness, before Christmas comes around? After all, with courage, nothing is impossible…
Why You Should Read This…
I am really torn on this book. On the one hand, I adored it- Jake and Hollie’s stories are heartbreaking but so thoughtful and well-written. It took a few chapters to get used to the timelines moving around, but you quickly learn to just check the heading on the chapter page! Redland is a talented author, and slowly builds on each of their stories, and uses the shifting timelines well. This is a tad heavier than the fun cover might imply, but it is touching and thoughtful!
My only true qualm is that this doesn’t really have anything to do with Christmas- it happens at Christmastime, but it’s not really at all relevant to the story. I would consider this to be more of a winter book!
Twelve Days to Save Christmas, Elizabeth Neep (NetGalley)
Poppy loves Christmas and always goes all out to make this magical time of the year extra special for her boyfriend George. But George is strangely not in the spirit this year. As Poppy wrestles him into her Christmas jumper built for two for a holiday snapshot, she finds out why.
He’s leaving her. And she only has twelve more days until he moves out.
Poppy is heartbroken. But she’s not going to give up on their five-year relationship without a fight. George is the love of her life, and his warm and stable family are worlds away from her own chaotic upbringing. And she is sure he still loves her too – she just needs to remind him of all the reasons why. Twelve days: twelve chances to get her man back and save Christmas.
But festive surprises aren’t only found under the tree. As Poppy’s twelve days count down and she goes to ever more ambitious lengths to prove to George she’s exactly the kind of girl he wants, she starts to realise that maybe the Christmas miracle she’s working towards is not the one she really needs. And that the person she’s truly meant to spend Christmas with is closer than she thought…
Why You Should Read This…
This book is highly entertaining, incredibly well-written, and I couldn’t stop reading it. Poppy is a kick-ass protagonist and my only qualm with her is that I wish we had been able to “see” her at work a bit more. The main love interest, George, is about as mediocre and terrible as they come, but it also works for the book. (And I feel like we’ve all known someone like this…) I would say that this is one of the few books I’ve read this year that would be adapted well into a rom-com!
If you want a hint of the holiday season without it being in your face, this book is for you- Christmas is in the background but doesn’t play any sort of meaningful role. (If you are like me and prefer a more present-holiday season, you might want to read this earlier on.)
Under the Mistletoe, Sue Moorcroft
When Laurel returns to the village of Middledip, she’s looking for a quiet life. Adjusting to her recent divorce, she’s ready to spend some time getting back on her feet amidst the glorious snow-dusted countryside.
Yet, life in Middledip is far from straightforward. Coming to the aid of her sister, Rea, as she navigates her own troubles, Laurel barely has a moment to think about where her own life is going.
However, time stands still when she sees her old flame, Grady Cassidy – and it’s soon as if they’ve never been apart. But through her happiness, Laurel remembers why she left the village all those years ago, as she recalls a dark night and Grady’s once-wayward brother, Mac…
Can Laurel learn to forgive and forget? Or will her chances of Christmas under the mistletoe with Grady remain a dream?
Why You Should Read This…
Sue Moorcroft is a holiday regular, and it is easy to see why with Under the Mistletoe! This is a heartfelt and genuine holiday romance. It is certainly a more serious book than most of the others on this list- if you want a light, Hallmark-ish read, this is not the book for you. However, if you feel that a lot of holiday books are fluffy and don’t have any weight, you will definitely want to read Mistletoe.
Trigger Warning: There is sexual assault referenced in this book.
And if this wasn’t enough holiday chick lit for you and you still want more recommendations, you can find my 2020 recommendations here: https://anhistorianabouttown.com/the-best-holiday-chick-lit-books-of-2020/.
What is on your list of to-read holiday chick lit this year?
Cheers,
The Historian
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