If you’re anything like me, you love a good romance book, but a good one is sometimes hard to come by. Also, like me, you love to read books according to the season, and nothing gets you more excited for the holidays than the perfect book. Nothing is better than cozying up under a blanket, surrounded by Christmas lights or fallen leaves with your eyes glued to the page. In order to accomplish this cozy dream, I have some recommendations for the perfect cozy reads that may also have you on the edge of your seat. Some of these books are perfect for fall, others are perfect for christmas time, some are fitting to both, but all of them are amazing. Trigger warning though, these books really leave you wanting a holiday romance.
1. Dream Harbor Series by Laurie Gilmore
First up, we have the Dream Harbor series. This series is five books that all fit the small-town romance vibe. The titles are The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, The Cinnamon Bun Book Store, The Christmas Tree Farm, The Strawberry Path Pancake House, and The Gingerbread Bakery. These books are just a tad cheesy, but in the best way. As you could probably guess from the titles, three are perfect for fall and two are perfect for the holiday season, but any time you read them, they are the best cozy, feel-good books that’ll have you kicking your feet.
2. Fitzpatrick Christmas by Catherine Walsh
This series is a pairing of books that center around Christmas in Ireland, and oh, they are adorable. With common iconic tropes, these books had such good banter and again, had me kicking my feet. This series by Catherine Walsh is one of her iconic Christmas classics, and I definitely recommend it.
3. Lovelight farms by B.K. Borison
This book is the first one in a series by B.K. Borison., but it is the only one that’s fitting to the holiday category. With that being said, it is such a good small town, friends-to-lovers, fake dating romance book. It is adorable and a perfect Christmas read. It is a light, happy read that really puts you in the holiday romance spirit. Of course, I then recommend the rest of the books in the series, but this one is one of my Christmas favorites.
4. Off-Campus Series by Elle Kennedy
Now, of course, winter means the iconic ice hockey trope romance books. As a college student in winter, these books are perfect. This series is a collection of five books, all surrounding the ice hockey stars and their love interests. They are your stereotypical college athlete romance books, but they are just so good, and so fitting for a winter read in college. Not so much on the holiday side, but definitely good cheesy books for winter.
5. Playing for Keeps by Becka Mack
Piggybacking off the previous series, this one is another hockey romance series that captured my heart. It is a little bit more mature than the previous series, as it follows players in the NHL and their love interests. This series has a special place in my heart. It is a chosen family series with the best love stories, and you can’t help but fall in love with the characters and their families. Also, these books have some good spice, which is always good.
Honorable Mentions
Now, you have some holiday recommendations, but I couldn’t put my pen down without putting you on to my three favorite series of all time. I love a good tortured romance, and these are definitely the top dogs of that category. They may not be the coziest and are definitely not wholesome, but I promise you could sit down, wrap yourself in a blanket, and read each book in one sitting.
1. Tommen Boys Series by Chloe Walsh
If you are an avid reader, and especially if you are on BookTok, you have heard of this series, and I couldn’t run out of good things to say about it. This series requires a large trigger warning as it touches on some pretty hardcore topics and storylines, but wow, is it addictive. It is six books about a group of teenagers, set at a boarding school in Ireland, who all carry some intense weight on their backs. Each of their lives is pretty heavy, but these books are masterfully written, with beautiful relationships, and you can’t help but fall in love with the characters. I don’t think I stopped crying throughout this series, and that is how you know the books are worth reading.
2. Carter Kids Series by Chloe Walsh
Another series by Chloe Walsh, this one is a collection of six books that follows the story of two couples from high school to their adult lives years later. This is another heavy series, with graphic and tormented storylines, but it is so worth the read. The story, the writing, the beautiful couples, this series is almost too good. Again, this series brought me to tears constantly, but it was so worth it.
3. Addicted Series by Krista and Becca Ritchie
My final recommendation is a series following three sisters and their significant others as they navigate college and adulthood. Each character has their own deep-rooted struggles, some more horrific than others, but they all stole my heart. This is another heavy series, with the six characters navigating fame with the weight of their trauma. This is a long series of ten books, but it is absolutely worth reading.
Whether it is for the holidays or you’re just in need of an addictive book, I couldn’t recommend these eight series enough. The best part about a book is its ability to immerse you in another life and sometimes love. They’re an escape from reality. These books will throw you for an emotional rollercoaster, but they’re an excellent reality to be immersed in.