1. Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison
Best of #Booktok
Small-town, friends-to-lovers, fake dating, and a struggling Christmas tree farm—it’s basically a Hallmark movie, but with more spice and better banter.
Blurb
Stella’s trying to save the Christmas tree farm she’s adored since she was a kid. To win a contest (and much-needed cash), she lies on the application, claiming she co-owns the farm with her boyfriend. Problem: no boyfriend. Solution: recruit her best friend, Luka, to pose as her date for the cameras and influencer attention.
Why it’s worth reading
The vibe is pure “chosen family at a twinkle-lit farm.” The fake dating is actually adorable, not annoying, and Luka is that quiet, steady, almost-too-good hero who’s been in love with her forever.
What you’ll get
Snowy farm chaos, barn mishaps, found family, flirty banter, and a friends-to-lovers arc that feels like slowly realizing your favorite sweater has always been your favorite person.
Read if you like
Small-town Christmas romances, fake dating, cinnamon-roll heroes, tree farm settings.
Heat & mood
🔥🔥 – Sweet and cozy overall, but with definite open-door heat and lots of soft, romantic moments.
You can grab Lovelight Farms on Amazon here and add that cozy Christmas tree farm straight to your winter TBR.
If you prefer to listen, you can stream Lovelight Farms on Audible here—or use it as one of your free picks with an Audible trial.
2. Season of Love by Helena Greer
A queer, Jewish-run Christmas tree farm with grief, healing, and holiday glitter all tangled together.
Blurb
Miriam Blum inherits part of her great-aunt’s Christmas tree farm, Carrigan’s, and has to return to a place she’s been avoiding for ten years. The farm is run by Noelle, a grumpy, fiercely loyal manager who is not thrilled to see the woman who disappeared from their found family. As they work together to save the farm, sparks and old wounds start to tangle.
Why it’s worth reading
It’s a warm, queer holiday romance that doesn’t shy away from grief and complicated family history, but still feels like wrapping yourself in a blanket fresh from the dryer. The Jewish holiday elements layered into a Christmasy setting keep it from feeling cookie-cutter.
What you’ll get
Messy family, found-family dynamics, queer joy, complicated history, twinkle lights, and a Christmasland setting that feels like its own character.
Read if you like
Hallmark-but-queer, grumpy/sunshine f/f romance, healing arcs, found family, and a little emotional depth with your hot cocoa. This is the first f/f romance I’ve read, and I must say I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
Heat & mood
🔥🔥 – Warm and romantic with on-page intimacy, but the emotional arc is the main event. Cozy, heartfelt, and hopeful.
You can pick up Season of Love on Amazon here if you want cozy queer Christmas tree farm vibes with lots of found family feels.
You can also listen to Season of Love on Audible here, perfect for letting Carrigan’s Christmasland keep you company while you decorate or commute.
3. Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey
Best of #Booktok
Spicy, opposites-attract holiday romance in New York City with reverse grumpy/sunshine vibes.
Blurb
Stella’s fresh out of some bad choices and wandering NYC when she stops in front of a famous department store’s sad holiday window display. A charming stranger asks her what she thinks—and she accidentally drags the design. He turns out to be Aiden, the store owner, and he ends up hiring her to redo the windows for Christmas.
Why it’s worth reading
Tessa Bailey does banter and heat very well. Aiden is golden-retriever sunshine, Stella is prickly and guarded, and their chemistry has that perfect “we should not be doing this in a workplace, but here we are” energy.
What you’ll get
Holiday in Manhattan, department store magic, a heroine trying to rebuild her life, a sunshine hero who worships her, and fun side characters.
Read if you like
Grumpy heroine/sunshine hero, steamy holiday rom-coms, glam NYC settings, redemption arcs.
Heat & mood
🔥🔥🔥🔥 – Very steamy, high banter, high swoon. Cozy in the emotional sense, scorching in the bedroom.
You can snag Window Shopping on Amazon here for a flirty New York City holiday romance with big bow-tie energy.
If you like your holiday rom-coms in audio, you can listen to Window Shopping on Audible here—and let the narration bring all that grumpy/sunshine banter to life.
4. The Mistletoe Motive by Chloe Liese
Bookstore rivals-to-lovers with neurodivergent rep and soft, cinnamon-roll energy.
Blurb
Gabby and Jonathan co-manage Bailey’s Bookshop during the busiest month of the year. The owner plans to keep only one of them. Cue tense staff meetings, clashing styles, and decorating wars—until misunderstandings clear and their prickly work dynamic starts turning into something gentler.
Why it’s worth reading
It’s basically You’ve Got Mail vibes inside a cozy indie bookstore, but kinder. There’s thoughtful autism and anxiety representation, and the romance feels safe, tender, and maybe a little like being handed your favorite drink exactly the way you like it.
What you’ll get
Bookstore shenanigans, holiday contests, forced proximity at work, thoughtful communication, and a couple that actually talks about their feelings like adults.
Read if you like
Enemies-to-lovers that aren’t cruel, cozy bookstore settings, neurodivergent leads, holiday novellas you can finish in one evening.
Heat & mood
🔥🔥 – Open-door but not graphic; lots of slow-burn tension and warm, fuzzy payoff.
You can buy The Mistletoe Motive on Amazon here for a cozy bookstore rivals-to-lovers holiday novella.
5. A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone
If your idea of “cozy” also includes laughing out loud and blushing, this one’s for you.
Blurb
Bee Hobbes is a plus-size adult film star who lands a role in a squeaky-clean Christmas movie for a Hallmark-style channel—as long as nobody finds out who she really is. Her co-star? Nolan Shaw, a former boy-band heartthrob trying to repair his image…who also happens to be a huge fan of her alter ego.
Why it’s worth reading
It’s filthy and wholesome at the same time. The body positivity, mental health beats, and genuine warmth are all wrapped in a hilarious, chaotic holiday shoot.
What you’ll get
On-set hijinks, secret identities, celebrity drama, fat-positive rep, sex-positive messaging, and a romance that still feels surprisingly tender under the spice.
Read if you like
High-heat rom-coms, behind-the-scenes Hollywood stories, Christmas movies, “we should not be doing this, but we definitely are” tension.
Heat & mood
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 – Off-the-charts steamy, but with a big heart and goofy holiday fun.
You can get A Merry Little Meet Cute on Amazon here for a hilarious, super-steamy plus-size holiday rom-com.
You can also listen to A Merry Little Meet Cute on Audible here—the full-cast style narration is perfect if you love performance-heavy rom-com audiobooks.
6. Ski, Sparks and Serendipity by Marion De Ré
A closed-door, small-town winter romcom with ski lessons, huskies, and a grumpy instructor.
Blurb
Dumped right before her wedding, Ivy goes on the honeymoon alone—straight to a snowy mountain town called Winter Heights. Her grumpy ski instructor, Zane, keeps showing up everywhere: lessons, activities, even her couples-only excursions. Somewhere between near-disastrous ski runs and sled dog rides, their strangers-to-something-more story begins.
Why it’s worth reading
It’s the kind of book that makes you want to book a cabin and pretend you know how to ski. The chemistry is strong even without explicit scenes, and the huskies honestly steal half the spotlight.
What you’ll get
Grumpy/sunshine energy, vacation romance, closed-door kisses, lots of winter activities, and a heroine trying to heal without giving up on love.
Read if you like
Closed-door romance, “solo honeymoon” plots, snow resorts, gentle humor, and slow-building connection.
Heat & mood
🔥 – Kisses only, super cozy, big on affection, and winter atmosphere.
You can download Ski, Sparks, and Serendipity on Amazon here for a closed-door, small-town ski lodge romance with all the winter vibes.
7. The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan
Blurb
Carmen’s life is kind of a mess. The department store where she works closes, she’s broke, and she does not want to move in with her “perfect” sister in Edinburgh. But that’s precisely what happens—and along with the spare room, Carmen gets a temporary job at a dusty, half-forgotten old bookshop that’s barely staying afloat.
As December rolls in, she’s suddenly juggling cranky customers, an eccentric elderly shop owner, her sister’s chaotic household, and a charming but annoying author who takes an interest in the shop—and in Carmen. Snowy streets, twinkling lights, and stacks of books slowly turn this forced detour into something that looks a lot like a fresh start.
Why it’s worth reading
This one feels like walking through an old European city with your scarf pulled up and a warm pastry in your hand. It’s bookish, atmospheric, and more character-driven than pure rom-com, but the romance is still sweet and satisfying. You get messy sibling dynamics, personal growth, and that cozy “found in a bookshop at Christmas” feeling that just works in winter.
What you’ll get
- A charming, slightly crumbling Edinburgh bookshop that needs saving
- Sister drama, family tension, and slow healing
- A heroine figuring out who she is outside of everyone’s expectations
- A gentle romance threaded through found family, books, and holiday magic
Read if you like
Bookstore settings, European Christmas vibes, slow-burn emotional arcs, and cozy women’s-fiction-meets-romance stories that feel like a warm blanket more than a roller coaster.
Heat & mood
🔥 – Very low steam; kisses and chemistry, but the focus is on heart, family, and atmosphere. Perfect if you want something comforting, bookish, and wintry without explicit scenes.
You can grab The Christmas Bookshop on Amazon here if you want a cozy, bookish Christmas story set in snowy Edinburgh with a gentle winter romance at its core.
If you love audiobooks, you can listen to The Christmas Bookshop on Audible here—the narration makes the Edinburgh setting and the little bookshop feel even more magical, and it’s a perfect listen while you decorate, commute, or wrap gifts.
8. A Winter in New York by Josie Silver
For when you want city lights + snow + comfort food with your romance.
Blurb
After leaving a toxic relationship, Iris moves to New York looking for a reset. She stumbles into a tiny gelato shop and meets Gio, who’s trying desperately to save his family’s business after his uncle’s stroke. When Iris realizes their gelato tastes exactly like her late mother’s secret recipe, she’s caught between helping them and protecting her mother’s story.
Why it’s worth reading
It’s got that slightly melancholic winter charm: found family, food, music, and two people trying to carry their grief without letting it swallow them. The romance feels slow, tender, and earned.
What you’ll get
New York in winter, secret recipe drama, family secrets, slow emotional growth, and a romance that feels like quietly sharing your favorite dessert with someone you trust.
Read if you like
Emily Henry-ish contemporary romance vibes, foodie romances, winter-in-the-city settings, “starting over” arcs.
Heat & mood
🔥🔥 – Some steam, but more of a cozy, emotional read than a pure spicy romp.
You can grab A Winter in New York on Amazon here if you want a tender, foodie winter romance in the city.
You can also listen to A Winter in New York on Audible here—the narration is perfect for cozy nights or long commutes.
9. A Very Snowed In New Year by Kayley Loring
Blurb
Piper is a personal assistant whose job is… not glamorous. One of her tasks? Text-flirting with a movie star on behalf of the difficult actress she works for. When she’s sent ahead to prep a remote mountain cabin for their New Year’s Eve getaway, she does what any exhausted, slightly tipsy girl would do: dances around in an old wedding dress, singing to “Dreams” by The Cranberries and drinking straight from the champagne bottle.
That’s exactly when Holden Archer—her celebrity crush and the guy she’s been texting as “not herself”—walks in. A snowstorm blows in, the actress can’t get to the cabin, and suddenly Piper and Holden are stuck together, alone, with all that fake-text chemistry turning very real, very fast.
Why it’s worth reading
This is peak cozy-but-spicy: snowed-in cabin, crackling tension, and a sunshiney movie star who’s way sweeter (and filthier) than Piper expected. It reads like a modern rom-com—banter, big feelings, fun set-up—but Kayley Loring doesn’t skimp on the open-door scenes. The whole thing feels like being wrapped in a fuzzy blanket while someone turns the thermostat up. Way up.
What you’ll get
- Forced proximity in a snowy mountain cabin
- Celebrity crush wish-fulfillment in book form
- “We’ve been texting for months, and now it’s you?” energy
- New Year’s countdown vibes with a full happily-ever-after
- A genuinely funny, steamy winter rom-com that still feels comforting
Read if you like
Snowed-in romances, celebrity/normal-girl pairings, text-message chemistry, dual POV audiobooks, and winter books that are equal parts cozy and explicit.
Heat & mood
🔥🔥🔥🔥 – Explicit open-door scenes, lots of sexual tension, and a clearly labeled 4/5 spice rating, all wrapped in a warm, happy holiday rom-com package.
You can grab A Very Snowed In New Year on Amazon here if you want a snowed-in celebrity romance with big New Year vibes and seriously high heat.
If you love audio, you can listen to A Very Snowed In New Year on Audible here—the dual narration is perfect for a cozy binge listen, and it fits perfectly with that current “3 months for $0.99” Audible deal if you’re starting a new trial.
10. Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory
Cozy, grown-up holiday vacation romance with a royal twist and characters 50+.
Blurb
Vivian Forest joins her daughter on a work trip to England, where her daughter is styling a member of the royal family. Vivian expects sightseeing and scones—not to catch the eye of Malcolm Hudson, the Queen’s private secretary. Their festive fling under the mistletoe slowly starts to feel like something that shouldn’t end on New Year’s Day.
Why it’s worth reading
We get mature main characters, work and life experience, and a romance that feels both magical and grounded. It’s like being handed a royal-watching Christmas movie with better writing and more emotional nuance.
What you’ll get
British holiday settings, palace glimpses, winter walks, witty banter, and a love story that proves romance is absolutely not just for twenty-somethings.
Read if you like
Royal romances, vacation flings that turn serious, age 40+ or 50+ protagonists, gentle but still flirty stories.
Heat & mood
🔥🔥 – Warm, sensual, and charming without taking over the story.
You can buy Royal Holiday on Amazon here for a mature, feel-good royal Christmas romance with 50+ main characters.
You can also listen to Royal Holiday on Audible here—perfect if you want a cozy, low-stakes royal love story in audio while you relax.
Building Your Cozy Winter TBR
A few fun ways to play with this list:
- Mix your heat levels. Pair a softer, more emotional read like The Christmas Bookshop or Ski, Sparks and Serendipity with a high-heat rom-com like A Merry Little Meet Cute or A Very Snowed In New Year so you’ve always got something that fits your mood.
- Switch up the setting. Tree farms (Lovelight Farms, Season of Love), big-city holidays (Window Shopping, A Winter in New York), snowy getaways (Winter Heights in Ski, Sparks and Serendipity, the mountain cabin in A Very Snowed In New Year), royal estates (Royal Holiday), and cozy bookshops (The Mistletoe Motive, The Christmas Bookshop) keep your winter romance reading from ever feeling same-y.
- Let comfort be the rule. Reach for whatever feels like emotional comfort food in the moment—sometimes that’s a low-angst, bookish cozy, sometimes it’s a snowed-in, high-heat celebrity fling—but always with a guaranteed happily ever after.
Helpful Resources
- Read my post Small Town Snowfall: Cozy Christmas Rom-Com Reads for even more feel-good snowy small-town romance recommendations.
- If you want holiday love stories with more chaos and spice, check out my post Bikers, Blood, and Christmas Lights for dark and gritty Christmas MC romance recs.
- For MM holiday romance fans, my post Mistletoe & Misfits: MM Christmas Romance Books stacks your TBR with queer winter love stories.
Final Thoughts: Time to Get Cozy
Pick a title, grab your blanket, light something that smells vaguely like pine and sugar cookies, and let one of these stories carry you through the cold.
Love hard, read harder—and always choose the wild ones.
~Kay~
