The Christmas season is upon us, and soon our lives will be full of hustle and bustle. In addition to our everyday responsibilities, we also have baking, gift buying, decorating, attending events, hosting parties, and getting together with friends, among many other things, that pull at our attention.
One of my favorite things to do during the Christmas season is get cozy and read a few chapters of a Christmas book before going to bed. Sitting in silence and getting lost in a story is a fantastic way to relax and unwind. If you’re looking for some cozy Christmas books this season, you are bound to find a story on this list that catches your attention.
1. A Bramble House Christmas by CJ Carmichael
I just finished reading this book, and it was awesome. Children’s book illustrator Finn Knightly wants to know why his deceased father left his nurse fifty thousand dollars after knowing her for only a few weeks. He heads to Bramble House B&B, where his father has paid for his nurse and her son to stay during the holidays. However, Willa Fairchild isn’t the conniving woman he imagines, and soon she and her son, Scout, are stealing his heart. Is Willa the conniving woman he thinks she is, or did his dad have a good reason for leaving her the money?
2. The Compendium of the Christmas Tree by Jessie Gussman
I've just started this six-book novella series, and so far, I’m loving it. Set in Christmas Tree, PA, with a colorful cast of characters in a small town that loves Christmas. This set comprises the following titles: Trapped Under the Christmas Tree, Tangled Up in Tinsel, Under the Mistletoe Mishap, Snowed in at Christmas, Caught in the Candy Cane Chaos, and Caught in a Christmas Conundrum.
3. Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber
Single dad Seth Webster is having a hard time after losing his wife and raising twin boys alone. His home is in chaos, and his nannies keep quitting. He needs a miracle. One day, a new nanny named Mrs. Merkel (lovingly dubbed Mrs. Miracle by the twins) arrives by surprise. From the moment she arrives, everything is different. She is intuitive, handles the boys perfectly, and even encourages Seth to ask out a beautiful travel agent named Reba, who also experienced hurt and betrayal and is afraid to love again. Could Mrs. Miracle be the miracle that everyone needs?
4. The Christmas Train by David Baldacci
Journalist Tom Langdon must get from Washington to Los Angeles before Christmas. Having to travel by train, he goes on a journey of thrilling adventures and holiday magic. Along the way, he dives into the rugged and calloused parts of his own heart, rediscovering the goodness of people and someone special he thought he had lost.
5. Wrapped In December (Steele Family Saga Book 5) by Carrie Lowrance
Love and new beginnings are in the air…
Love and Christmas cheer fill the air in Peachtree, Illinois, but for Haven Steele, the holiday season holds even more significance - it's when all her children come home. This year, her son, Essex, is bringing his brothers with him, but during a layover, he meets a woman who captivates him like no one ever has. When fate brings them together again, he convinces her to spend the holidays with his family, despite her reservations.
As plans for Haven's double wedding with her granddaughter are underway, unforeseen issues threaten to derail the entire event. But amidst the chaos, Essex and Ransom grow closer, their feelings for each other growing stronger with each passing day. Ransom, always guarded and independent, questions her genuine desires, while Essex, hurt in the past, begins to lower his defenses.
But as the holidays draw to a close and Ransom's departure looms, will their newfound love be strong enough to withstand the distance? Or will they break each other's hearts in the process?
6. A Season of Angels by Debbie Macomber
Angels Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy are each given a prayer to answer this Christmas season. Shirley needs to find Timothy Potter a new father. Goodness will help Monica Fischer find a husband and establish her own home. Mercy needs to help Leah Lundberg, a maternity nurse, who longs for a child of her own to raise with her husband, Andrew. However, there is a catch. Each angel must teach her charge a lesson before God answers the prayer.
7. Maggie’s Christmas Miracle by Karen Kingsbury
Megan Wright spent a magical summer with a teenage boy, and even though she’s made some poor decisions in her life, she never forgot his magical definition of love. Now a high-powered attorney and a widow, she is looking for help for her lonely son. Casey Cummins is grieving the death of his wife and is looking for hope and purpose. This leads him to a children’s organization, which connects him with a fatherless child. Through a series of twists and turns, Megan soon learns that the boy she spent that summer with long ago kept his promise, and the miracle she prayed for as a girl is right in front of her.
8. Double Chocolate Christmas by Juliet Brilee
This story is about Grace, who owns a bookstore with her aunt in the small town of Sea Star Key. However, her carefully laid Christmas plans are the beginning of something more when Austin Lane, a country music singer looking for peace and a new start, arrives at the Sea Star Inn. Stuck between the bustle of the season and fruitless plans, Grace faces some difficult decisions. Can Grace and Austin open their hearts to the gifts life offers, even when things don’t go as planned?
9. Christmas Promises Box Set by Morris Fenris
This is the first set of books I read by Morris Fenrise, and they were fantastic. This is a small-town clean romance collection featuring tropes like lost love, second chances, and learning to love each other again.
10. Christmas on White Mountain by May North
This five-book box set features a woman whose husband leaves her right before Christmas, forcing her to figure out Christmas for her family all by herself. With her best friend by her side and the local townsfolk to offer comforting words, Sally refuses to think that her life has fallen apart.
11. A Mother For Christmas by Jackie Weger
Decker Davenport must renovate the Victorian in St. Augustine within a month, or the owner will sell. His decorator is on a honeymoon, which means Annalise Owen is his replacement. As she works her magic on the house and his daughter, it’s almost as if they’ve known each other forever.
As they work toward their deadline of Christmas Eve, Decker can’t help but notice the haunted look in Annalise’s eyes, a look even his kiss can’t chase away. What secrets is she keeping? And when he finds out, will it bring him and his daughter happiness or tear their world apart?
12. Twelve Dates of Christmas by Charlee James
Grace McGovern, a copywriter, is tired of her unexceptional dating life, so she decides to write a novel that combines her love for Christmas with her desire for romance. Her book features a heroine who goes on some very unrealistic dates that sweep her off her feet. A chance meeting with a gorgeous man, she’s intrigued by their conversation and fun dates. However, some seem awfully familiar, and she wonders if he’s taking cues from her book.
Owen Ellis is more comfortable with computers and coding than around women. After his last girlfriend called him dull and unromantic, she threw a romance novel at his head. When Owen meets a woman who intrigues him, he thinks he’s ready to try love again, but knows he needs some help. So he does what any unsure guy would do; he borrows some date ideas.
Can the Christmas magic last forever, or will their love turn into another holiday fling?
Christmas stories are a great way to get lost this holiday season. Grab a book from this list, a blanket, and a cup of coffee, cocoa, or tea, and get ready for some relaxing hours ahead.
Photo credit: Getty/maximkabb
