Staff Picks
Merry and Bright: Festive Holiday Reads
- Kristin A.
- Friday, December 03, 2021
Collection
It's the most wonderful time of the year! What better way to get into the holiday spirit than with a festive read. From mysteries to romances, these books are wrapped up with loads of holiday cheer.
The Christmas Train
Published in 2002
"Tom Langdon, a weary and cash-strapped journalist, is banned from flying when a particularly thorough airport security search causes him to lose his cool. Now, he must take the train if he has any chance of arriving in Los Angeles in time for Christmas with his girlfriend. To finance the trip, he sells a story about a train ride taken during the Christmas season."
The Twelve Dates of Christmas
Published in 2020
'Tis the season for finding romance in this hilarious and uplifting holiday read When it comes to relationships, thirty-four-year-old Kate Turner is ready to say "Bah, humbug." The sleepy town of Blexford, England, isn't exactly brimming with prospects, and anyway, Kate's found fulfillment in her career as a designer, and in her delicious side job baking for her old friend Matt's neighborhood caf?. But then her best friend signs her up for a dating agency that promises to help singles find love before the holidays. Twenty-three days until Christmas. Twelve dates with twelve different men. The odds must finally be in her favor . . . right? Yet with each new date more disastrous than the one before?and the whole town keeping tabs on her misadventures?Kate must remind herself that sometimes love, like mistletoe, shows up where it's least expected. And maybe, just maybe, it's been right under her nose all along. . . .
Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe
Published in 2017
Forced by her mother's illness to return to the Pemberley of her childhood during the Christmas holidays, power-driven professional Darcy Fitzwilliam unexpectedly falls for humble carpenter Luke Bennet, a member of a family of slacker brothers.
The Christmas Promise
Published in 2021
On the night of her high school graduation, Richelle Bach's father gives her and her identical twin sister, Michelle, matching opal necklaces. "These opals look identical," he tells them, "but the fire inside each is completely unique--just like the two of you." Indeed, the two sisters couldn't be more different, and their paths diverge as they embark on adulthood. Years pass, until--at their father's behest--they both come home for Christmas. What happens then forever damages their relationship, and Richelle vows never to see or speak to her sister again. In their father's last days, he asks Richelle to forgive Michelle, a deathbed promise she never fulfills as her twin is killed in an accident. Now, painfully alone and broken, caring for the sickest of children in a hospital PICU, Richelle has one last dream: to be an author. The plot of her book, The Prodigal Daughter, is a story based on her sister's life. It's not until she meets Justin Ek, a man who harbors his own loss, that a secret promise is revealed, and Richelle learns that the story she's writing is not about her sister, but about herself.
Skipping Christmas
Published in 2001
"Imagine a year without Christmas. No crowded malls, no corny office parties, no fruitcakes, no unwanted presents. That's just what Luther and Nora Krank have in mind when they decide that, just this once, they'll skip the holiday altogether. Theirs will be the only house on Hemlock Street without a rooftop Frosty; they won't be hosting their annual Christmas Eve bash; they aren't even going to have a tree. They won't need one, because come December 25 they're setting sail on a Caribbean cruise. But, as this weary couple is about to discover, skipping Christmas brings enormous consequences--and isn't half as easy as they'd imagined"--Book description.
Royal Holiday
Published in 2019
"Vivian Forest has been out of the country a grand total of one time, so when she gets the chance to tag along on her daughter Maddie's work trip to England to style a royal family member, she can't refuse. She's excited to spend the holidays taking in the magnificent British sights, but what she doesn't expect is to become instantly attracted to a certain Private Secretary and his charming accent and unyielding formality. Malcolm Hudson has been the Queen's Private Secretary for years and has never given a personal, private tour...until now. He is intrigued by Vivian the moment he meets her and finds himself making excuses just to spend time with her. When flirtatious banter turns into a kiss under the mistletoe, things snowball into a full-on fling. Despite a ticking timer on their holiday romance, they are completely fine with ending their short, steamy fling come New Year's Day...or are they?"-- Provided by publisher.
Seven Days of Us
Published in 2017
#1 LibraryReads Pick A warm, wry, sharply observed debut novel about what happens when a family is forced to spend a week together in quarantine over the holidays... It's Christmas, and for the first time in years the entire Birch family will be under one roof. Even Emma and Andrew's elder daughter?who is usually off saving the world?will be joining them at Weyfield Hall, their aging country estate. But Olivia, a doctor, is only coming home because she has to. Having just returned from treating an epidemic abroad, she's been told she must stay in quarantine for a week...and so too should her family. For the next seven days, the Birches are locked down, cut off from the rest of humanity?and even decent Wi-Fi?and forced into each other's orbits. Younger, unabashedly frivolous daughter Phoebe is fixated on her upcoming wedding, while Olivia deals with the culture shock of being immersed in first-world problems. As Andrew sequesters himself in his study writing scathing restaurant reviews and remembering his glory days as a war correspondent, Emma hides a secret that will turn the whole family upside down. In close proximity, not much can stay hidden for long, and as revelations and long-held tensions come to light, nothing is more shocking than the unexpected guest who's about to arrive...
Christmas Shopaholic
A Novel
Published in 2019
"The misadventures of Becky Brandon Née Bloomwood continue in a new novel full of holiday cheer and--of course--lots of shopping!"-- Provided by publisher.
Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor
Published in 2010
Mark Nolan's happy-go-lucky bachelorhood is interrupted by the death of his sister and his subsequent guardianship of her six-year-old daughter, Holly, who is traumatized into muteness and desperately seeking a maternal figure. Enter Maggie Collins, a toy shop owner who lost her own husband to cancer.
Eight Perfect Hours
Published in 2021
"I read Eight Perfect Hours in one sitting, in four perfect hours, because I couldn't bear to put it down without knowing the ending. Lia Louis has become a must-buy author for me." ?Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author In this romantic and heartwarming novel, two strangers meet in chance circumstances during a blizzard and spend one perfect evening together, thinking they'll never see each other again. But fate seems to have different plans. From the acclaimed author of the "swoon-worthy...rom-com" ( The Washington Post ) Dear Emmie Blue. On a snowy evening in March, thirty-something Noelle Butterby is on her way back from an event at her old college when disaster strikes. With a blizzard closing off roads, she finds herself stranded, alone in her car, without food, drink, or a working charger for her phone. All seems lost until Sam Attwood, a handsome American stranger also trapped in a nearby car, knocks on her window and offers assistance. What follows is eight perfect hours together, until morning arrives and the roads finally clear. The two strangers part, positive they'll never see each other again but fate, it seems, has a different plan. As the two keep serendipitously bumping into one another, they begin to realize that perhaps there truly is no such thing as coincidence. With plenty of charming twists and turns and Lia Louis's "bold, standout voice" (Gillian McAllister, author of The Good Sister ), Eight Perfect Hours is a gorgeously crafted novel that will make you believe in the power of fate.
The Matzah Ball
Published in 2021
When her publisher insists that she write a Hanukkah romance, Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt, a Jewish woman with a secret career as a Christmas romance novelist, unexpectedly finds inspiration when she encounters a childhood acquaintance at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration on the last night of Hanukkah.
The Gift of Family
Published in 2020
Successful, secure, and still very much in love, middle-aged couple Eugene and Rosemary Johnson have never given up on one special wish-- to be parents. Christmas always brings happiness and a whirlwind of holiday fun, but hopes for children of their own seem further away than ever. Especially this year, when Rosemary has emergency surgery. Ethel Perkins raised Eugene and his brother, and unforeseen tragedy has left the sixty-something widow struggling with little money and two jobs to keep her great-grandchildren off the streets. As Ethel's problems go from bad to much worse, there's only one way both families can salvage the season: by celebrating it together. -- adapted from jacket
The Lights on Knockbridge Lane
Published in 2021
"Raising a family was always Adam Mills' dream, although solo parenting and moving back to tiny Garnet Run certainly were not. After a messy breakup, Adam is doing his best to give his young daughter the life she deserves--including accepting help from their new, reclusive neighbor to fulfill her Christmas wish. Though the little house may not have "the most lights ever," the Mills home begins to brighten as handsome Wes Mobray spends more time there and slowly sheds his protective layers. But when the eye-catching house ends up in the news, Wes has to make a choice: hide from the darkness of his unusual past or embrace the light of a future--and a family--with Adam"-- Provided by publisher.
Mistletoe and Mr. Right
Two Stories of Holiday Romance
Published in 2015
"In "Mistletoe and Mr. Right," Jessica (not Jessie) takes a flying leap and follows her boyfriend home for the holidays for Christmas break, sure that Ireland will provide the perfect backdrop to the beginning of their happily ever after. But it turns out his family--and his gorgeous ex-girlfriend--don't feel the same way, and the only person making the trip worthwhile is the local farmhand, who has a way of showing up when Jessica needs him most . . . and least. The holiday hijinks continue in "Sleigh Bells and Second Chances," when Jessica's best friend makes her own way across the pond! Christina Lake does not want to be away at Christmas, but it's her duty to babysit one of London's hottest bands at their last-minute concert on Christmas Eve . . . even though she had a fling with Harry, the band's lead singer, that never officially ended. Now forced to reconnect, Christina is starting to think that maybe London is exactly where she's supposed to be to get the perfect New Year's kiss--at least until she finds out that he's been lying the whole time. Can Harry find a way to prove himself before the clock strikes twelve? Or will the New Year ring in a new romance? Lyla Payne wraps up two perfect holiday novellas, ties them with a ribbon of romance, and tops them with a light dusting of snow. Perfect to curl up with under the tree. Just add hot cocoa!"-- Provided by publisher.
A Mistletoe Affair
Published in 2014
The Silk Sisters--longtime friends Janelle, Sandra and Vicki--have turned their business savvy into a top-tier event agency. In the wealthy enclave of Wintersage, Massachusetts, there's an abundance of lavish parties, society drama and longing hearts to keep them busy. Floral designer Vicki Ahlfors is a shy, hopeless romantic. The dutiful daughter of a banking dynasty, she has always done what was expected of her--until she falls for her best friend's divorced brother. Attorney turned political strategist Jordan Woolcott has always defined himself by his work. Now at a crossroads, Jordan's not sure who he is, other than a dad to his young son, Mason. It's a rewarding job, but being a single father is so much harder than he'd ever imagined. Vicki has a magical touch when it comes to Mason, and her heart goes out to the overwhelmed Jordan. As feelings grow tender, will an explosive political scandal end their dream of forever before it even begins?
Mistletoe in Juneau
Published in 2021
"Danni's a social media influencer who's way out of her element. She sort-of broke up with her boyfriend-slash-manager, and she escaped her fast-paced life in New York to spend Christmas with an old friend in Juneau, Alaska. Danni takes in the beauty of the scenery and the warmth of the community--and she's drawn to the local sheriff. Before Declan was an Alaskan state trooper, he was in the Army. An IED explosion cost him his leg--and his fiancaee, who couldn't deal with the injury. He knows Danni's a city girl, while he loves the Alaskan wilderness. Could two very different people find what their hearts are looking for?"-- Provided by publisher.
Holidays on Ice
Published in 2010
A best-selling classic features six additional works on the joys and embarrassments of favorite holidays, in a volume that includes tales of tardy trick-or-treaters, the difficulties of explaining the Easter Bunny to another culture, and a barnyard Secret Santa scheme gone awry.
Mr. Dickens and His Carol
Published in 2017
When his newest book is an utter flop, Charles Dickens' publishers offer an ultimatum: either he writes a Christmas book in a month, or they will call in his debts, and he could lose everything. On one of his long walks, he meets a young woman who might be just the muse he needs. Over the next few weeks, Eleanor Lovejoy propels Dickens on a Scrooge-like journey that tests everything he believes about generosity, friendship, ambition - and Christmas. Laced with humour, rich historical detail from Dickens' life, and clever winks to his work, this is an irresistible new take on an adored classic.
A Lot Like Christmas
Published in 2021
Dr. Mitch Jameson, who has traveled the world with Doctors without Borders, develops unexpected feelings for beautiful bakery owner Jessica Connolly while home for the holidays and finds it not so easy to leave once again.