As I write this, I’m surrounded by half-wrapped gifts, a stack of unwritten holiday cards, and the creeping awareness that winter break and a family trip are coming up very soon and I’m not at all ready. This time of year always seems to run on fast-forward, which is exactly why I cling to the small rituals that bring me happiness — like stealing an hour with a good romance novel. These are the books that have kept me entertained during my pockets of downtime this busy season.

Wishing you happy holidays, happy reading, and a stack of books as bright and joyful as the season!

*****

Lauren Blakely’s My Favorite Holidate (Atria) delivers exactly what I crave in a holiday romance — fake dating, festive chaos, and enough swoony chemistry to melt a snowdrift.

Fable Calloway, a talented jewelry designer nursing a bruised heart after catching her now-ex cheating, refuses to let her relationship drama overshadow her sister’s Christmas destination wedding. But showing up solo, especially with her ex now flaunting a new squeeze, is not an option. Enter Wilder Blaine, Fable’s charismatic billionaire boss, single dad, and the wedding’s best man, who needs a date of his own to dodge his well-meaning aunt’s matchmaking schemes.

Their solution? A mutually beneficial fake relationship wrapped up in twinkle lights and tied with an “only until New Year’s” bow. But what starts as strategic displays of affection at parties and late-night prep sessions for the upcoming week-long nuptials quickly turns into something warmer, deeper, and increasingly real. From making popcorn balls to sharing awkward moments under the mistletoe, Fable and Wilder’s chemistry crackles like a bonfire.

Blakely layers her plot with heartfelt family moments and Yuletide antics, but the charm of this novel lies in watching two guarded, lonely people discover all the joy, desire, and possibility in the magic of the season. The slow-build heat and Hallmark Christmas movie vibes make this one irresistible.

My Favorite Holidate is a sparkling, feel-good escape that reminds us why the season is the ideal backdrop for falling head over heels. Fans of Blakely’s How to Date series will be delighted to revisit some favorite characters, while new readers will find a good entry point with this holiday treat.

*****

Olivia Dade’s Second Chance Romance (Avon) delivers everything I love about her books: big-hearted characters, joyful body positivity, and a town full of oddballs who make me want to live next door. This second-chance romance begins with an accidental obituary that brings Molly Dearborn racing back to her hometown, only to discover that the man she once cared for — Karl Dean, her grumpy high-school almost-something — is very much alive and still baking the best pastries in town.

Their reunion sparks some unexpected emotions, and Dade leans into the tenderness beneath their prickly exteriors. Molly, a monster-romance audiobook narrator, is working to rebuild her confidence post-divorce; secretly, the softhearted curmudgeon Karl has been listening to her recordings for years. And now that Molly is back in town, he doesn’t want to lose her again. The chemistry between them feels warm, generous, and deeply grounded in mutual care.

This is a witty, spicy, and emotionally generous story about finding the courage to be vulnerable. The quirky residents of Harlot’s Bay add charm and momentum to the story and give the town a kind of Stars Hollow energy, reminding the reader how community can nurture (and nudge) two hesitant people to become closer. Molly and Karl’s journey is messy and human, but the joy they discover in each other — and in themselves — makes their hard-won second chance truly worth the wait.

I somehow missed At First Spite, the opening book in Dade’s Harlot’s Bay series, so I’m gifting it to myself this Christmas. (I think Molly would approve!)

*****

Female Fantasy (Cosmo Reads) by Iman Hariri-Kia is a delightfully clever tale that will resonate with anyone who’s ever fallen for a fictional hero. Joonie Saboonchi spends her days as a copywriter in Mystic, Connecticut, her nights crafting romantic fanfic, and every spare moment swooning over Ryke — the sexy merman at the heart of her favorite romantasy, A Tale of Salt Water & Secrets.

When Joonie discovers that her fantasy man is based on an actual person living in New York City, she decides to chase down the possibility of landing a real-life soulmate instead of pining for the one who lives in a book. But because no great quest begins without complications, she ends up sharing the drive with her brother’s best friend, Nico. The boy she once adored has grown into a cynic who doesn’t believe in love, and he’s the very last person Joonie wants riding shotgun on her wacky quest.

I adore a good road-trip story, and Joonie and Nico’s is hysterically unhinged — which tracks, considering she’s literally driving across state lines to hunt down a stranger she’s convinced is better than every real guy she’s ever rejected. Their trek is a chaotic blend of sharp banter, reluctant camaraderie, and the kind of unexpected detours (emotional and otherwise) that no GPS could predict. It’s a wild ride, to say the least, and Joonie begins to think that maybe it’s not about reaching the fantasy she’s been chasing — maybe it’s about the unpredictability of falling for someone who isn’t perfect but is perfect for her.

Woven into the story are excerpts from Joonie’s beloved romantasy itself, offering a second storyline full of passion, magic, and the sort of descriptive writing that old-fashioned romance novels are known for. The sweeping love story Joonie adores nicely complements her own messy, modern quest. This is a work that celebrates romance, yes, but also fandom, storytelling, and the beautiful ways books shape our hearts.

Funny, sincere, and wildly imaginative, Female Fantasy is a love letter to readers who never stopped believing in the possibility of happily ever after.

Kristina Wright lives in Virginia with her husband, their two sons, two Goldendoodles, and a ginger cat. She’s a regular contributor at BookBub and a lifelong fan of romance fiction. Find her on Bluesky at @kristinawright.