Cosy festive reads ...
...for anyone wanting a festive romance read over the upcoming holiday break.
I’m mostly working this Christmas (dull, I know) but I have been getting heavily into the festive spirit in two key ways.
They are: inhaling festive romance books (preferably those with small town vibes a la Gilmore Girls) AND watching (read:bingeing) every festive movie on Netflix, regardless of how bad it might be (‘apparently’ it’s causing my partner ‘great pain’).
So, I thought my gift to all of you lovely Substack readers might be to share some of the festive/cosy books I am currently enjoying, and I really hope you can share with me yours too?!
Festive Book List 2024
Think actor meets author leading to a unlikely film set romance in the middle of snowy Bavaria. The classic will they? won’t they? push-pull, enemies to lovers set-up whilst also covering some touch themes around parental relationships, addiction and dementia.
I love all Laura Jane William’s books and this really is the perfect Christmas rom-com, I think it would make an excellent festive movie too.
I mean I was sold with the marketing on this one as the book is hailed as a ‘cozy romantic mystery for fans of Gilmore Girls’ and it’s got the small town gossipy vibes and central cafe meeting place too. Very… newbie city girl meets gruff long-time farmer man… and the rest is history. I am very much enjoying the cameo scenes with Casper the cat too.
The good news about this book is that it is the first in a whole cosy series, so you don’t have to say goodbye at one!
Hailed as the ‘queer Christmas rom-com we’ve all been waiting for’ and really, amen.
The ‘what happens when you fake date a man after a rogue Christmas party kiss, only to fall in love with his sister’, and I am here for it. I also really love Lizzie’s (who is better known as Hux) writing and their wicked sense of humour too. They are an autistic, disabled author and editor and they write everything from adult rom-com fiction, to fantasy, to children’s fiction and non-fiction anthologies too! Woah. I loved listening to the podcast episode they recently did with Hannah at a Pair of Bookends Podcast too.
Their other festive rom-com ‘Under the Mistletoe With You’ is also on my ‘to read’ list for this year.
Now, I confess, I haven’t read this one (yet!) but it’s on my pile to read for the Christmas break.
A cosy winter romance set in Copenhagen featuring a side dish of art history academia, well well **cough** Karen is indeed speaking my language.
They are also the author behind the very popular ‘Christmas by Candlelight’ book too.
Fin! Keeping my list short and sweet this year but I would LOVE, love for you to share with me in the comments your favourite festive reads or cosy autumn/winter novel recommendations.
Also, apologies to my antipodean readers, I am indeed aware that Christmas is generally hot, hot, hot, for you all (hopefully these books can provide some cold Christmas escapism though!).
Camilla x