Baird, Ginny. Christmas Eve Love Story. Sourcebooks Casablanca. Oct. 2024. 416p. ISBN 9781728276946. pap. $16.99. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Annie Jones, lonely assistant window designer at a New York department store, finds out her job might be eliminated due to dipping profits. Her latest creation, a Christmas Eve–themed window display, has failed to impress the owner of the store, and when rambunctious young customers accidentally destroy her work, Annie thinks she is surely going to be fired. But she improvises a new display before the store closes, with the help of handsome security guard Braden, and heads home with dashed hopes of still having a job after Christmas. When she wakes up the next morning, it’s magically December 24 again; same thing the next day, and the next. Nudged along by the department store Santa, who seems to know exactly what to tweak in each time loop, Annie is destined to live through Christmas Eve repeatedly until every detail is perfect. With each new Christmas Eve day, Annie learns a little more about her neighbors, Braden, and herself. VERDICT Baird (The Holiday Mix-Up) creates a charming holiday romance in the vein of Hallmark Channel holiday movies. Recommended for libraries with patrons who enjoy G-rated romances.—Nicole J. Suarez

Ballard, Falon. All I Want Is You. Putnam. Sept. 2024. 256p. ISBN 9780593851845. pap. $18. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Aspiring romance authors Jessica and Nick met at a writing workshop and started a real-life romance, until Nick unexpectedly broke up with Jessica at Christmastime five years ago, just as they both got book deals—his much bigger than hers. The events broke Jess’s heart and ruined her favorite holiday. Even worse, this year, Jess is being forced, for the good of her career, to present an award to Nick at their publisher’s holiday ball. When they arrive at the inn where the ball is taking place, there’s no reservation on file for Jess, all the rooms are booked, and a snowstorm makes travel impossible. Nick, who has never gotten over Jess (and hasn’t told her why he really broke up with her), offers to share his room. They’re stuck together in a room with only one bed, and when their editors learn that they’re both writing second-chance holiday romances, they suggest the two should team up on a book. Nick and Jess find they still work well together in bed and on the page and might have a real-life reunion, if they can get over their past. VERDICT Ballard (Right on Cue) offers a sexy second-chance romance, perfect for the Christmas season.—Melissa DeWild

Blake, Ashley Herring. Make the Season Bright. Berkley. Oct. 2024. 368p. ISBN 9780593550595. pap. $19. LGBTQIA+ ROMANCE

Professor and violinist Charlotte always has the worst luck in December, from getting stuck on an elevator to being left at the altar by her fiancée, Brighton. After that heartbreak, Charlotte focused on her music career, forming a successful string quartet. When one member, Sloane, invites the rest of the quartet to spend Christmas with her family in Colorado, Charlotte agrees, but only on the condition that they use the time to practice for their upcoming tour. Meanwhile, Brighton, a struggling singer/songwriter in Nashville, also accepts an invite to the home from her boss—Sloane’s sister. When they reunite at Sloan’s, Charlotte and Brighton are forced to spend time together and also to attend Christmas singles activities that a meddling mom signed them up for. They slowly come to terms with what tore them apart earlier and how they might move forward together again. Blake (Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date) excels at bringing readers along on the emotional journey of her characters, going from feeling jilted Charlotte’s angst to eventually rooting for a reunion as Brighton’s side of the story is revealed. VERDICT Featuring a hard-won happily ever-after and queer found family, this is a second-chance holiday romance to revel in.—Melissa DeWild

★Boone, Georgia K. I’ll Be Gone for Christmas. Avon. Oct. 2024. 288p. ISBN 9780063244023. pap. $18.99. LGBTQIA+ ROMANCE

DEBUT Needing a break from her demanding job and her family’s high expectations in San Francisco, Bee decides to try a house-swap through an app called Vacate. Clover, who has suffered more than one heartbreak in the past year, isn’t up to facing the upcoming holidays at home, so she trades her farm in rural Ohio with Bee. Each woman immerses herself in a unique and fulfilling experience that proves to be exactly what she needed. While Bee basks in the cozy small town, indulging her artistic side and getting close to Knox (the handsome farm manager who also happens to be Clover’s ex-fiancé), Clover revels in the exciting life of a big city. When Clover meets Beth, Bee’s twin sister, sparks fly, and Clover discovers her queerness in a way she wasn’t able to before. Now these two sets of star-crossed lovers must find a way to get past the messiness of their meet-cutes and the temporary nature of their relationships. VERDICT With dual settings, interconnected storylines, and endearing characters, Boone’s debut offers a fast-paced, warm holiday romance with wide-ranging appeal.—Migdalia Jimenez

★Carter, Ally. The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year. Avon. Sept. 2024. 304p. ISBN 9780063276680. $24.99. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Mystery writer Maggie Chase accepts an anonymous invitation to spend Christmas at an English country house, but she’s horrified to find thriller writer Ethan Wyatt, whom she detests, headed to the same place. When they arrive, she is also surprised to learn that her hero, mystery author Eleanor Ashley, is their host. As the remaining guests arrive, a snowstorm descends on the remote estate, and Eleanor disappears from her locked office. Convinced that this must be a game, Maggie searches for clues, but when someone shoots at her, she reluctantly teams up with Ethan to figure out what’s going on. As they investigate, Maggie realizes that there is far more to Ethan than the smug, self-assured persona he presents to the world. Still recovering from her divorce and years of gaslighting by her ex-husband, Maggie finds it difficult to trust Ethan—or herself. As flashbacks reveal the history between Maggie and Ethan and the present offers moments of confession, readers will adore how Ethan makes Maggie feel seen and cherished and will cheer as Maggie gains confidence. VERDICT Full of tongue-in-cheek humor, excellent dialogue, and fantastic characters, this expertly crafted story from Carter (The Blonde Identity) is a heart-melting rivals-to-lovers romance combined with a delightful locked-room mystery.—Melissa DeWild

★Cassidy, Holly. The Christmas Countdown. Putnam. Oct. 2024. 352p. ISBN 9780593716267. pap. $19. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Callie Meyer moved with her boyfriend to upstate New York, only to be dumped four weeks later. To cheer her up, Callie’s sister, Anita, devises a Christmas-task Advent calendar challenge. Each day, complete a task and get a treat. No task, no treat. With her sister suddenly in Florida for work, Callie is alone at her cookie-making challenge when she strikes up a conversation with Marco, an incredibly hot chef who reveals that he needs help with his company’s finances. They quickly set up a quid pro quo: Marco helps Callie with the Advent calendar tasks, and Callie helps with his finances. The holiday joy is threatened, though, when Callie discovers problems with the financials, and Marco questions her loyalties. Full of eggnog, holiday puns, sledding, and, of course, tacky sweaters, this Christmas read has all of the comforts of a nostalgic holiday back home. VERDICT Christmas romance readers will rejoice with this latest from Cassidy (The Christmas Wager); it will have readers feeling that Christmas spirit, no matter the season.—Judy Garner

Clark, Georgia. Most Wonderful: A Christmas Novel. Dial. Oct. 2024. 432p. ISBN 9780593729083. pap. $18. LGBTQIA+ ROMANCE

The lives of the three Belvedere siblings collide in this queer holiday tale when the trio show up for Christmas at the Catskills home of their famous, fabulous mother. The oldest, Liz, is a show runner for a hit TV show, but she only has eyes for its star, Violet. Hot-mess middle child Birdie is trying to get her stand-up career back on track, but a love of booze and women has been leading her off the path. Their younger brother, Rafi, is home to lick his wounds after a very public romantic rejection. The well-crafted tale flits seamlessly among the three siblings’ very different Christmas love affairs, while also building a portrait of a somewhat dysfunctional but loving family, helmed by the hilarious Babs Belvedere, iconic star of stage and screen. Readers with a finger on the pulse of pop culture will particularly enjoy the winking references throughout, and while not all of the siblings get their perfect happily-ever-after, the book ends with warm fuzzies all around. VERDICT Reading this unique, delightful Christmas tale from Clark (Island Time) feels like curling up for a gossip session with an old friend and a mug of hot chocolate.—Jenny Kobiela-Mondor

Douglas, Noelle. The Christmas Crush. Alcove. Oct. 2024. 304p. ISBN 9781639108886. pap. $18.99. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

DEBUT The festive town of New Hope, PA, is the merry background for Douglas’s charming yuletide romance. Strapping and sexy small-town baker Lawrence is concerned he won’t have a very merry Christmas after finding out that influencer-adored Sparkle Cookies is moving into town, in direct competition with his shop. With Sparkle, though, comes Elena, a big-city marketing VP who is determined that the shop will succeed, both to get her jerky boss off her back and to impress her high-powered family. The pair soon find themselves entangled in more ways than one, though—first at a local cookie swap and then romantically. Elena’s drive proves to be at odds with Lawrence’s shy tendencies, but even in their toughest moment a few days before the holiday, it’s clear that this couple will make up before Christmas. The stakes don’t feel particularly high, but the cozy setting and likable side characters, especially Lawrence’s feisty, supportive grandmother, make this an enjoyable holiday read. VERDICT Douglas’s debut is a gift for rom-com readers looking for more charm than heat.—Jenny Kobiela-Mondor

★Elliot, Amanda. Love You a Latke. Berkley. Oct. 2024. 368p. ISBN 9780593815830. pap. $19. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

A fake relationship can’t stay that way in the glow of the Hanukkah candles in Elliot’s (Best Served Hot) charming latest. Grumpy café owner Abby Cohen agrees to a fake relationship with the only other Jewish person in their small Vermont town, optimist Seth, in order to get the town’s inaugural Hanukkah festival off the ground. Abby’s hard exterior starts to soften, though, as she spends eight days with Seth, his parents, and his pals. Abby’s budding friendship with Seth’s ex-girlfriend Freya is particularly rewarding. The book leans into not only into the trappings of Hanukkah—menorahs, dreidels, and fried food for days—but also Abby’s feelings about her Jewishness, particularly in light of her difficult relationship with her own parents. It also highlights—sometimes comically, sometimes poignantly—the way Christmas overshadows Hanukkah, and pretty much everything else, during December. This novel will melt everybody’s hearts, but Jewish romance readers in particular will be thrilled to see Hanukkah reflected so authentically and lovingly. VERDICT This holiday treat is as wonderfully sweet and gooey as the traditional Hanukkah doughnut.—Jenny Kobiela-Mondor

Kelly, Carla. Regency Glad Tidings. Camel. Oct. 2024. 232p. ISBN 9781684922222. pap. $15.95. HISTORICAL ROMANCE

Kelly (The Unlikely Master Genius) presents a trio of touching yuletide tales. In “Holly and Ivy,” an army surgeon returns home from the Napoleonic Wars just in time for Christmas. Though he has no remaining family and no prospects, a chance meeting might bring him the most important gift of all. “Yours Sincerely” shows readers that letters are not just a window to the world; they can also be the door to one’s heart. American captain Amos Foster arrives in England to find that a grandfather he never met has left him both a fortune and a friend. Finally, in “Picture a Christmas,” Mary is left penniless and without a home but is determined to keep moving forward. Through heart and hard work, she may save herself, and perhaps some others, on the way. Each story is charming and chaste. Though all the tales feature sorrow and suffering, the courageous characters within find love in the end. VERDICT This book will appeal to readers seeking Regency short stories full of heartwarming holiday joy. Recommended for fans of Bronwyn Scott, Virginia Heath, and Carol Arens.—Lauren Hackert

McKay, Julia. The Holiday Honeymoon Switch. Putnam. Oct. 2024. 352p. ISBN 9780593716281. pap. $19. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

McKay (a.k.a. Marissa Stapley, author of Lucky) offers dual love stories as well as a tribute to ride-or-die friendships. Holly Beech and Ivy Casey met in college and immediately bonded over their tepid attitudes toward Christmas. They’re still best friends eight years later, as Holly is about to marry her college boyfriend. When she’s dumped the night before her wedding, the last thing she’s thinking about is her nonrefundable Christmas honeymoon trip to Hawai‘i. Holly just wants to be somewhere with zero reminders of what she’s lost. Ivy has booked a remote, off-grid cabin in the Hudson Valley for the same time as her annual holiday retreat, but she doesn’t want to leave Holly alone. When Holly suggests they switch vacation plans, Ivy reluctantly agrees. It will give Holly the space to grieve, and Ivy will have verdant landscapes to paint. Unbeknownst to both, their vacations will also give them romance, a sense of belonging, and the possibility of new beginnings. While the focus is on Holly’s and Ivy’s separate romances, there are plenty of lovable secondary characters to round out the cast. VERDICT A delightful addition to the holiday romance subgenre.—Heather Miller Cover

★Murphy, Julie & Sierra Simone. A Jingle Bell Mingle. Avon. (Christmas Notch, Bk. 3). Sept. 2024. 400p. ISBN 9780063338210. $24.99. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Sunny Palmer has returned to Christmas Notch, VT, to attend her best friend’s wedding and write her first screenplay; the deadline’s looming, but she still has no words on the page. She’s basing the screenplay on a Christmas Notch legend and hopes to find some inspiration in her trip. Former band member Isaac Kelly lives in Christmas Notch, where he has bought a historic mansion and is seeking his own inspiration. When his wife died, his music died with her. He has one album left on his contract, and then he’s free to wallow in his grief. When Sunny and Isaac meet, their attraction is immediate, and they retire to Sunny’s dilapidated, run-down hotel room. Isaac doesn’t particularly like Sunny, but he can’t stand the thought of her staying in that room while she writes her screenplay, so he invites her to move in with him temporarily. Even better, he’ll help her research the local legend, and she’ll find him a new muse in return. This steamy romance has emotional depth and relatable experiences. VERDICT Readers won’t be able to put down the third “Christmas Notch” story (following A Holly Jolly Ever After), a quirky, hot opposites-attract romance.—Heather Miller Cover

Raasch, Sara. The Nightmare Before Kissmas. Bramble. Oct. 2024. 368p. ISBN 9781250333193. pap. $19.99. LGBTQIA+ ROMANCE

Prince Nicholas “Coal” Claus, son of the current Santa, is the outcast of the family. His mistakes and misadventures constantly hit the front pages of the newspapers, but his latest mishap is the worst, and he’s been drinking for hours in an effort to drown his shame. That night, he meets—and makes out with—a hot stranger in the alley behind the bar. A few years later, Coal is called upon to do his duty and marry Iris, his friend and the princess of Easter. Santa will use the union to solidify his power base by increasing Christmas’s joy. The only problem? Neither Coal nor Iris wants the marriage. When Hex, the prince of Halloween, shows up to challenge Santa’s power play, he turns out to be the stranger Coal kissed in the alley. This romance takes place in an intricately created kingdom, where holidays are real and joy is a commodity. Hex and Coal are well-developed characters whose emotional needs and traumas influence the course of their relationship. VERDICT While perfect for any time of year, Raasch’s (These Divided Shores) adult debut is definitely a book to put on display for the Christmas season.—Heather Miller Cover

Snowe, Jaqueline. Christmas Sweater Weather. Forever: Grand Central. Oct. 2024. 368p. ISBN 9781538739839. pap. $17.99. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Driving through a blizzard to join her brother and his fiancée at a ski resort for their pre-wedding party, Charlotte ends up stuck in a snow drift on the side of the highway. Of course, it’s Hayden, her brother’s sexy best friend, who comes to her rescue. Charlott has spent the last three years avoiding him after she confessed her feelings for him and he rejected her, claiming to only view her as a sister. While that was a lie, Hayden had his reasons for the rejection, and becoming a single dad only made him more determined to leave Charlotte alone. Now they’re stuck together for days at a Christmas wonderland resort and don’t want to ruin the trip for their family and friends, especially the stressed-out engaged couple. Attempting to reestablish their friendship, they find that they definitely still have feelings for each other, but the reappearance of his baby’s mother threatens their new relationship. VERDICT Snowe (Snowed in for Christmas) writes another delightful holiday romance full of charming characters and steamy scenes.—Melissa DeWild

Sterling, Erin. The Wedding Witch. Avon. (Graves Glen, Bk. 3). Oct. 2024. 288p. ISBN 9780063297593. pap. $18.99. PARANORMAL ROMANCE

Acquiring ancient and magical items for the mysterious warlock Bowen Penhollow can be a dirty and risky job, but Tamsyn Bligh is up to it. When she meets him in the pub, her professional relationship with her new boss is made a bit more complicated by how sweet the grumpy warlock can actually be. Forcing herself to remain professionally distant from Bowen is fairly simple, at least until Tamsyn decides to take one last job to snag a priceless magical heirloom at a country wedding. Having to pose as Bowen’s date at the witchy wedding in Wales is not something Tamsyn anticipated—nor is accidentally stumbling into a spell that forces the pair 60 years back in time to fix a problem haunting a much earlier wedding that occurred at Tywyll House. Bowen and Tamsyn have always worked well together and finally have the opportunity to see if they could be more; ghostly noises and mysterious happenings are the least of their worries if they cannot figure out how to get back to the present. VERDICT This third entry in the “Graves Glen” series, after The Kiss Curse, is a charming and sexy grumpy-sunshine-meets-magic romp in the Welsh countryside.—Jenna Harmison