For the first time ever, I found it difficult to choose just a few of the previous year’s festive books to talk about. Usually, the majority of the festive books I read are average at best, but the quality of the books from 2022 was pretty impressive. I only gave three out of twelve books less than 4 stars.
Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh
I had such a great time reading this book. It’s a mega slow burn as the entire story takes place over ten years. There’s a mix of present-day and flashbacks and the relationship between the main characters is so well developed that the whole ‘friends to lovers’ trope is actually believable.
It’s also quite chaotic as they have a huge trip to make but have to go all over the place to get there. I’d highly recommend Holiday Romance if you haven’t read it already.
Synopsis: She’s meant to be catching flights, not catching feelings…
Molly and Andrew are just trying to get home to Ireland for the holidays, when a freak snowstorm grounds their flight.
Nothing romantic has ever happened between them: they’re friends and that’s all. But once a year, for the last ten years, Molly has spent seven hours and fifteen minutes sitting next to Andrew on the last flight before Christmas from Chicago to Dublin, drinking terrible airplane wine and catching up on each other’s lives. In spite of all the ways the two friends are different, it’s the holiday tradition neither of them has ever wanted to give up.
Molly isn’t that bothered by Christmas, but—in yet another way they’re total opposites—Andrew is a full-on fanatic for the festive season and she knows how much getting back to Ireland means to him. So, instead of doing the sane thing and just celebrating the holidays together in America, she does the stupid thing. The irrational thing. She vows to get him home. And in time for his mam’s famous Christmas dinner.
The clock is ticking. But Molly always has a plan. And—as long as the highly specific combination of taxis, planes, boats, and trains all run on time—it can’t possibly go wrong.
What she doesn’t know is that, as the snow falls over the city and over the heads of two friends who are sure they’re not meant to be together, the universe might just have a plan of its own…
A Christmas Celebration by Heidi Swain
A Christmas Celebration was my very first five-star festive read. I never thought I’d enjoy one enough to give it five stars, but I’m a huge fan of romances now so it doesn’t seem that unlikely.
The character relationships really made this book so perfect for me. It had nothing to do with the romance, but more about the friendships that were created.
Synopsis: When Paige turns up unannounced at Wynthorpe Hall, she discovers the place she knew when she was growing up has changed beyond all recognition. She’s only planning to stay for a short time, but is quickly pulled into local life.
One night while driving home after delivering library books and shopping to residents she stumbles across an isolated cottage and meets Albert, its elderly and rather grumpy owner. She quickly realises there’s more to Albert than meets the eye and the same can be said for the other man she can’t seem to help running into, handsome but brooding Brodie.
All three of them have a secret and a desire to hide away from the world, but with Christmas on the horizon, is that really the best way to celebrate the season?
Single All the Way by Portia MacIntosh
I wouldn’t say this is the best-written book of the bunch but it was so funny. It’s also a very quick read. It was my first festive book of 2022 and it was a great one to start with. Funny, festive and heartwarming.
Synopsis: Will Dani find love this Christmas? Or will she be Single All The Way…?
When Dani’s boyfriend (and boss!) dumps her for a younger model, the only silver lining she can see is to be able to spend Christmas at home with her family after years away.
Determined to surprise them, Dani turns up unannounced in her hometown, excited to see that the festive season in Marram Bay is in full swing with Christmas lights twinkling on every corner. But disaster strikes when she finds her parents’ house is empty and they appear to have gone away on holiday!
Christmas alone and single is not ideal, and when Dani starts bumping into old friends, neighbours and potential love interests, she can’t face telling them the truth. So in a panic she claims to be home to throw a Christmas party for the whole town – easier said than done with 12 days to go before Christmas…
As the fake party approaches, little does Dani know that there may be someone there under the mistletoe for her, if she can just let her guard down and see them…
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