Here is a list of the best holiday reads to enjoy this season!
The holidays are here, and it’s that magical time of year when the world feels cozier. The days are shorter, the air is colder, and twinkling lights have started to brighten up our evenings. It’s a season filled with traditions—whether you’re gathering with loved ones, baking cookies, or simply wrapping yourself in a warm blanket with a hot drink in hand. For many of us, it’s also the perfect time to curl up with a good book.
There’s something about the December air that makes stories feel more special. Maybe it’s the promise of happy endings, the warmth of heartwarming characters, or the way these tales transport us to snowy villages and festive celebrations. Whether you love classic Christmas tales, sweet holiday romances, or even a cozy winter mystery, there’s a book out there waiting to wrap you up in its magic.
Here is a list of books that will keep you warm this holiday reason.
8 Holiday Reads To Keep You Warm This Winter
1. Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie
Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie is a must-read for holiday mystery lovers. This festive whodunit takes place in a snow-covered mansion, where the wealthy and tyrannical Simeon Lee gathers his estranged family for Christmas. But the holiday spirit turns sinister when Simeon is discovered brutally murdered in his locked room.
The family’s web of lies, grudges, and long-held secrets makes everyone a suspect. Enter Hercule Poirot, the sharp-witted detective with a knack for solving the unsolvable. With his brilliant mind and trademark mustache, Poirot unravels the clues to expose the shocking truth.
This gripping tale blends family drama, suspense, and Christie’s signature twists—perfect for curling up by the fire this holiday season.
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2. Love You a Latke by Amanda Eliot
If you love cozy romance and fake dating with a holiday twist, then Love You a Latke by Amanda Eliot is a must-read this season. It’s a charming, heartfelt story that blends Hanukkah traditions with the irresistible sparkle of holiday cheer.
The story centers on Abby Cohen, the only Jewish member of her small Vermont town’s tourism board. When she’s tasked with organizing their first-ever Hanukkah festival, Abby is overwhelmed—until Seth, a ray of sunshine with a plan, steps in to help.
But there’s a catch: Seth needs her to pretend to be his “nice Jewish girlfriend” during a trip to New York City to impress his parents. But once they’re in Manhattan, Abby can’t help but be swept off her feet by the holiday cheer.
3. The Anti-Social Season by Adele Buck
If you’re in the mood for a romantic, slow-burn love story this winter, The Anti-Social Season by Adele Buck delivers a perfect mix of heat and heart. Thea Martinelli, a former firefighter struggling with burnout, finds herself taking on a new role as her department’s social media manager.
While stepping back from active duty, she reconnects with Simon Osman, a local librarian who once harbored a major high-school crush on her. Sparks fly as their chemistry ignites, and their budding romance grows hotter than a roaring blaze.
Whether you’re looking for a winter read with sizzling chemistry or just love a good opposites-attract story, this is one of the best books to read during the holidays to warm your heart and keep you turning pages.
4. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
If you’re looking for a good Christmas read that’s thought-provoking and deeply moving, Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan is an absolute gem. Set in a small Irish town during the weeks before Christmas in 1985, the story follows Bill Furlong, a coal merchant navigating his busiest season.
On one of his deliveries to a local convent, Bill uncovers a chilling secret tied to the notorious Magdalen laundries, institutions infamous for the abuse of women and children. This discovery forces him to grapple with his past and his community’s silent complicity.
5. Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters
If you’re in the mood for a festive, laugh-out-loud romance with a healthy dose of holiday spirit, Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters is your next must-read. This good book to read during the holidays puts a cheeky twist on the classic movie Love Actually, with Charlotte—a former child star of a beloved holiday film—desperately trying to escape her Christmas past.
Hounded by fans and drama about a potential reboot, Charlotte flees to London, dreaming of a low-key holiday. But a mix-up strands her at Eden Priory, one of the movie’s iconic locations, where she meets Graham, the charming and slightly exasperated son of the estate’s owners.
What starts as a quirky arrangement—Charlotte leading an art workshop at Eden Priory in exchange for Graham playing her tour guide—soon transforms into a swoon-worthy holiday romance.
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6. The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
If you love mysteries with a little romance and a lot of holiday cheer, The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter is a perfect pick for your Christmas reading. It’s like Knives Out but with a festive twist!
Maggie Chase, a mystery writer, and Ethan Wyatt, a thriller author, are invited to a Christmas party at a fancy English estate. They’re already surprised when their host turns out to be Eleanor Ashley, a famous mystery writer they’ve both admired. But things take a shocking turn when Eleanor disappears from a locked room. Now it’s up to Maggie and Ethan to figure out what happened.
The holiday setting adds a cozy, festive vibe, making it a great choice for Christmas reading. It’s one of those good books to read during holidays that’s entertaining, light, and keeps you guessing until the end. A perfect mix of mystery and holiday fun!
7. The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling
If you’re one of the few people looking for paranormal books to read on Christmas, The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling offers the perfect mix of magic, mystery, and romance.
This is honestly one of the best holiday reads for contemporary romance lover. It follows Bowen Penhallow, a reserved loner, and Tamsyn Bligh, a seller of magical trinkets, as they attend the most talked-about witchy wedding of the year. When their curiosity gets the better of them, they sneak around the mysterious Tywyll house searching for magical treasures.
But one misstep sends them back in time to the 1957 holiday season, trapping them in the past. As Bowen and Tamsyn work together to find a way back to the present, sparks fly, and the frosty relationship between them begins to thaw.
8. A Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone
If you love the “only one bed” trope and opposites-attract romances, A Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone is one of the best holiday reads for you. This charming and quirky story follows Sunny Palmer, a former adult film actress-turned-screenwriter, as she tries to craft her first screenplay for the wholesome Hope Channel.
Sunny’s creative journey takes her back to Christmas Notch, the festive town that inspired her story idea. But things get complicated when she crosses paths with Isaac Kelly, a widowed former boy band star. After a freezing night at a motel post-wedding shenanigans, Isaac invites Sunny to stay at his family’s historic mansion to finish her script.
As Sunny and Isaac team up—she helping him reignite his musical spark and he assisting with her screenplay—their creative chemistry spills into something more, making it one of the coziest winter reads.
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This wraps up our list of favorite holiday reads this season. Do you have any recommendations? Please share in the comments below!
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