Part II: The 12 Books of Christmas

Here are Books 7-12 of my “Twelve Books of Christmas” list. When it comes to romance, there’s nothing like the magic of the Christmas season, and I think you’ll find the perfect book to cuddle up with from this list of festive historical and contemporary romance novels.

Historical Romance Fiction

7. Bespoke: A Tiny Christmas Tale by Amanda Dykes, a novella

If you haven’t read an Amanda Dykes story yet, you are missing out. This novella is the perfect story for you to begin with this Christmas to experience the beauty of her writing and the depth of her characters. This story follows Aria, who is the key to the truth of the Ninth Symphony and has finally returned to her childhood home and to the secrets and brokenness of the past. Together with her old friend, the village blacksmith, Aria wrangles music, secrets, and a bicycle in this romantic tale layered with meaning.

“...scars are places made strong again. They don’t function like they did before, but they’re strong for something. Something that matters.”

“With the sun barely cresting the thatched rooftops of the village the next morning, Aria slipped through spears of white morning dawn. Light touched the frosted world, setting everything aglow. Sleeping grass, crisp beneath her feet, carried her swiftly to her Blacksmith.”

8.  An Ivy Hill Christmas by Julie Klassen, A Tales from Ivy Hill Novella

This unexpected Regency Christmas romance is set in the fictional village of Ivy Hill in 1822 England. It is populated with many of the characters we have come to love from the Ivy Hill series but still could be read alone and enjoyed by a reader who hasn’t visited Klassen’s Ivy Hill yet. It fulfills all the nostalgia of an English Christmas, as well as contains a bit of mystery and suspense as we uncover a hidden family secret and see if the self-professed bachelor Richard Brockwell’s heart will soften toward Arabella. Klassen’s novella is surprising and sweet, has characters you’ll love, some nods to Jane Austen’s classics, and a satisfying ending. And, if you like this Christmas story, you should read the Ivy Hill trilogy, too!

Quote: “‘And like you, I give all I can spare to my charity of choice. My favorite coffeehouse and bookshop have first claim on my heart—and my purse.’ With a pert bow, he turned and walked on, leaving her sputtering and him quite satisfied with himself. Richard was, he knew, a selfish creature. A person could not change his nature, his very heart, could he? He thought not.”

9. Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham

Pepper Basham was a brand new author to me this year, but her writing is witty and relatable, and this Christmas romance set in 1913 first in the Bue Ridge Mountains of the US and then moving on to beautiful Havensbrook in England was the perfect blend of mystery and romance with lots of fun literary shoutouts for us book lovers. If you like romance and mystery and humor and just a good Christmas book, then you will enjoy Mistletoe Countess!

Without giving anything away, here are some fun quotes from the romantic leads:

Grace:
"Oh dear, I've gone down the dark road of impropriety again, haven't I?"
"Could someone die of dislike for a daughter-in-law? Would that be considered murder or suicide?"

And a few of my favorite quotes from Frederick,
"Is it exhausting to live inside your mind?"
"My dear, if I didn't know you had such a kind heart, I'd be terrified of you."

Contemporary Christian Romance

10. Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock

This story is not your typical sappy Christmas romance story; rather, the characters grapple with hard events, handling them in very human ways. Sydney Batson is a first-year law associate who is fighting to impress her superiors and consequently is unable to untangle herself from the demands of the law firm to get her elderly grandma to her doctor. Finn Parrish is a failed gourmet chef turned cab driver struggling to pay his rent, and he ends up driving an elderly lady—Sydney’s grandma—with dementia, who we come to know and love as Miss Callie. In the end, all three are blessed by each other and their insights learned during the Christmas season. Just a quick shoutout for anyone who enjoys Gilmore Girls, Finn’s character reminds me a lot of the gruff, quirky Luke Danes who has the soft heart of a teddy bear. Reading about his interactions and the humorous conversations as he chauffeured Miss Callie around were my favorite parts of the book. Blackstock’s book is not afraid to tackle some of the very real and difficult things that also come with the Christmas season, but the message of hope and valuing the people placed in our loves balances the story, making it a very satisfying Christmas read.

Quote—Finn, the cab driver, to Miss Callie:

“'I'm afraid I can't do that, Miss Callie. I'm not set up to carry trees. No can do.' An hour later, I’m driving away from the Christmas tree lot with a six-foot tree netted on my roof” ( 107).

Trigger Warnings: If you have a loved one with dementia or struggle with grief at Christmas time, this could be a bit difficult of a read for some.

11. A Marriage Carol by Gary Chapman and Chris Fabry

This novella has mixed reviews, but I love retellings of classics and have read wonderful works by Chris Fabry and Gary Chapman before, so it was worth the plunge for me. While I don’t believe this short work is the collaboration genius I had hoped for, it was still a read that echoed the classic Dickens Christmas tale with a modern twist that had a great message to share. The story focuses on the faded love between retired couple Jake and Marlee Ebeneezer (see what they did there?) and begins on the eve of their signing of divorce papers. From there, the couple will experience a journey with Hope, and much of the plot imitates similar aspects of A Christmas Carol.  While I have classified this in the contemporary romance category, the purpose of this story is not the same as that of a typical romance novel; rather, it is a more didactic approach, so I can see Chapman’s influence there. Nevertheless, it is a heartwarming story with a great nod to Dickens and a wonderful message of what love really entails.

A quote that hints at the message of the story: “There is no barren place on earth that love cannot grow a garden. Not even your heart.”

12. A Cliche’ Christmas, by Nicole Deese

This story, which is the first in the Lennox series, follows Weston and Georgia as they are thrown together seven years later at Christmastime and must rediscover who they are compared to who they were in high school and thought they’d be. While the title suggests it will be full of Hallmark-esque cheese, this story actually strikes quite true in many ways. It hints at critiquing the cliche views people often hold onto about life, and Deese manages to pitch the heartwarming Christmas tale we all want but with genuine character arcs, plenty of wit, and a really good ending. The hero, Weston, in the story is my favorite and some of the side characters (Nan!) are amazing in their own right. Deese’s craft as an author is evident here, and if you haven’t read her, you should, and A Christmas Cliche’ would be a great place to start!

Quote: “‘Eleven months of the year, I lived in a perpetual state of holly-jolly fanfare. But by the time the first of November rolled around, I was completely Christmased out… I know I sound like a Scrooge to admit such a travesty, but believe me, when you build a career on Christmas cheer and holiday hype, the warm fuzzies of nostalgia fade faster than Hollywood's latest scandal.’”

I hope you find a new book or two to read this holiday season, and let me know your favorite seasonal books, too!

Merry Christmas and happy reading!