If you're searching for the holiday spirit, these festive reads are guaranteed to help you start feeling those holiday vibes!
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The Christmas Village - Annie Rains
When Lucy Hannigan returned to her childhood home in Somerset Lake, one of the first things she did was join the local book club. And thank goodness, because now that Lucy's first Christmas without her mother is bearing down upon her, she can use all the help and support she can get. Especially when she has to take in a tenant and the only person interested is Miles Bruno, her ex-fiance. Lucy's friends keep teasing her about the way Miles is trying to make up for his mistakes but forgiving and forgetting isn't coming easily to Lucy. With bills piling up and her mother's finances in disarray, however, Lucy isn't in any position to say no. As the small town prepares for the holidays and competition heats up in the Merriest Lawn decorating contest, Lucy can't help feeling like a Scrooge. Her mom loved the holidays and won the contest each year, but as much as Lucy would like to carry on the tradition, she isn't sure she has it in her to deck the halls this holiday. Yet when Miles shows up with tons of tinsel, dozens of decorations, and lots and lots of lights, Lucy begins to wonder if maybe the spirit of the season will finally mend her broken heart.
The Matzah Ball - Jean Meltzer
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 aquaintance at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration on the last night of Hanukkah.
Christmas at the Island Hotel - Jenny Colgan
On the tiny, beautiful, and remote island of Mure, halfway between Scotland and Norway, a new hotel opening is a big event. New mother Flora MacKenzie and her brother Fintan are working themselves half to death to get it ready in time for Christmas. The new hotel's impressive kitchens throw together two unlikely new friends: Isla Gregor is the hardworking young girl who has been a waitress in the island's cafe, dreaming of a bigger, better life now that she's at a proper fancy hotel. Konstantin Pederson is working his way up in the hotel's kitchens too... but he is also, secretly, the only son of the Duke of Utsire. Konstantin has been sent to learn what it is to work hard for a living, before receiving his inheritance. Although he's initially resentful, the place grows on him; he has never met anyone quite like Isla and her fellow Murians before. As the island's residents and special VIP guests gather for the hotel's grand opening gala, Christmas is in the air. But so are more than a few small-town secrets.
Santa Cruise - Fern Michaels
At Ridgewood High, Amy, Frankie, Rachael, and Nina formed a deep bond. Now, fifteen years after leaving school behind, they're back for a reunion, laughing, reminiscing, and chatting how much has changed--and how much hasn't. All four are strong, successful, and somehow, still looking for the right partner. But Frankie has an idea to help solve that: a singles cruise for the holidays. In late December, Amy, Rachael, Frankie, and Nina gather in Miami, ready to board their state-of-the-art cruise ship. The entertainment options are endless, the food is to die for, and the passenger list includes hundreds of eligible men. The highlight of the week will be a magnificent New Year's Eve celebration with multiple theme parties, dancing, and fireworks. The ladies are happy to give Cupid a helping hand here and there--hanging mistletoe in elevators and cheering each other on through speed-dating events and shore excursions. Holidays--like the path of love itself--don't always go exactly as planned, but over the course of one festive, unforgettable week, all four will set sail on surprising new adventures.
Christmas in Rose Bend - Naima SImone
Grieving ER nurse Nessa Hunt is on a road trip with her sullen teen half sister, Ivy, and still reeling from her mother's deathbed confession: Nessa's dad wasn't really her dad. Seeking answers, they arrive in Rose Bend to find a small town teeming with the kind of Christmas cheer Nessa usually avoids. But then she meets the innkeeper's ruggedly sexy son, Wolfgang Dennison. Wolf's big, boisterous family is like a picture-perfect holiday card. Nessa has too much weighing on her to feel like she fits--even though the heat between her and Wolf is undeniable. And the merriment bringing an overdue smile to Ivy's face is almost enough to make Nessa believe in the Christmas spirit. But with all her parental baggage, including lingering questions about her birth father, is there room in Nessa's life for happy holidays and happily-ever-after?