The happiest time of the year is finally here! Christmas romance books and movies are the best and most swoony of all. There are so many different tropes to choose from: royals, billionaires, small-town, anything you can think of can be made into a romantic Christmas story. Here is a quick list of shorter-length novellas perfect for reading by the tree this year — even better because you can read these faster than a regular novel!
The Mistletoe Bet by Maren Moore
Quinn is home for the holidays in her quaint small town, much to her detest, since she’s the literal Grinch. When she runs into her brother’s best friend and her former childhood crush, Dr. Parker Grant, she makes a simple bet with him under the mistletoe: give him seven days to make her fall in love with Christmas. Seven days is a long time to resist the sexy doctor next door who makes it clear he wants her.
Resting Scrooge Face by Meghan Quinn
Nola wants nothing to do with Christmas and love when she returns to her hometown after a bad breakup. The boy who broke her heart years ago, Caleb, is still living in their hometown, and she’s finding it incredibly difficult not to run into him. When she bumps into the mailman, she receives a mysterious letter from a fellow Scrooge, and she can’t help but write back. While Nola and Caleb claim to hate each other, that attraction is still there, but the ghosts of their Christmas pasts continue to haunt them.
Screwing Mr. Scrooge by Nichole Greene
A billionaire boss romance with the grumpy-sunshine trope, full of holiday spirit and cheer with some spice. Asher is a total Scrooge, uptight, grumpy, and too serious but way too good-looking for his own good. Clara is the complete opposite, always keeping Asher on his toes and making a conscious effort to chip away at the walls he’s put up for so long. The two of them just can’t seem to stay away from each other, even if they’re breaking the rules.
The Mistletoe Motive by Chloe Liese
It is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers holiday romance where Jonathan cannot stand Christmas but Gabby wishes the holidays were every day. The only quality they seem to have in common is their mutual contempt for one another, which they soon have to put aside when their jobs are on the line. While working closely together, trying to outsell each other to keep their job, they discover the soft sides of each other they didn’t know they had. They might not have as much hate in their hearts as they once thought.
Solo for the Season by Martha Keyes
After being dumped on Christmas last year, Maggie tries to do everything in her power to avoid losing her happiness during Christmas this year. She makes it her life’s mission to have the ultimate Christmas celebration in the mountains until she runs into her childhood crush, Wes, who used to tease her. Wes is trying his best to prove to his boss that he’s ready for the big promotion, but things become even trickier when he finds it hard to remain professional with the guests, specifically one certain guest.
Cruel Winter With You by Ali Hazelwood
A friends-to-lovers billionaire romance containing the best friend’s brother trope, this sexy short story is sure to make you giggle this holiday season. Jamie tries to interact with Marc, her best friend’s brother and the one who got away, as minimally as possible. She’s the one who broke his heart, but when a storm traps them inside the house, ignoring him and her feelings becomes much harder. Maybe being stuck with him for a night can help them talk.
If You Give a Grump a Holiday Wishlist by Ann Einerson
Presley wants her well-deserved two weeks off for Christmas, but her boss has other plans that include work work work. Jack wants to close this massive deal before the new year and invites himself over to Presley’s for the holidays where he finds himself pretending to be her boyfriend. Lines blur, boundaries are crossed, Presley wants more than a fake romance, and all Jack wants before the year ends is her. Jack is determined to get everything he wants, but Presley might not be ready.
There are so many more Christmas novellas to read, with so many more tropes to discover. Christmas is filled with love, laughter, and joy, and these seven books are sure to bring you every emotion. Don’t stop there; continue any of the short series these novellas have and reach that 2024 reading goal before the year is over!
To find more Christmas romance reads, check out this article about a new release by clicking here.
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