’Tis the season to be jolly. And to curl up with a good book.
There’s something about Christmas that makes you want to be lost in a story or a fantasy. The festive chaos, Netflix rolling out the rom-coms, and the cold weather outside all hit you with the need to be indoors under a blanket, reading something good.
If that sounds like something you’d want, then you’re also looking for the perfect seasonal read. And what better than a cozy romance novel to have you giggling and curling your toes?
To help you ( and me) out, I did some digging, and I’ve compiled a list of all the best romances to curl up with this holiday season. From YA to contemporary Nigerian fiction, these books are the sweetest, coziest romances to read this holiday.
7 Sweet Romance Books To Warm You Up This Christmas
1. A Very Gidi Christmas by Tomilola Adeyemi Coco
Biodun ‘BG’ Gomez, a struggling on-air personality, and Kunle, a hotshot business executive, have a problem. They’re both exes haunted by a secret from twelve years ago that could destroy their lives and careers. When their mutual enemies threaten to reveal that secret to the world, they have to come together to fix things and save their reputations.
It’s chaotic, hilarious, and very Lagosian.
If you want a Yoruba demon you can’t help but root for and laughter that’ll shake your shoulders, start here.
2. When Love Visits By Comfort Omovre
Tade is a billionaire tech bro who’s back in Nigeria for the holidays, looking for love, while Uju is a successful businesswoman who’s never been in love. When they have a meet-cute at a bar, sparks quickly fly, and they decide to take a chance on each other, pursuing a holiday romance.
Sweet enough to give you a metaphorical toothache, When Love Visits is full of grand gestures, a lack of conflict (we’re tired of fighting for love), and swoon-worthy moments guaranteed to make you blush. If you want a Nigerian romance that actually delivers on the romance and has absolutely no trauma, this is the book for you.
3. Love in Winter Wonderland by Abiodun Bello
Opposites attract in this feel-good young adult romance set in London during Christmas. Popular boy Trey seems to have it all. He’s half of the most popular couple in school after all. Meanwhile, Ariel is an artist who struggles with expressing herself. When she gets a job at Trey’s family-owned bookshop to save up for school, they both have to put aside their differences and join forces to save the bookshop from being shut down. It’s Christmas-y, sweet, and family-oriented, perfect for giving you the holiday feels. Plus, it’s set at a bookstore. How cute!
4. Lovelight Farms By B. K. Borison
Stella has a problem. Her Christmas tree farm is going broke. To boost its popularity, she enters a contest with a famous influencer for the massive cash prize. When she makes a harmless lie about having a boyfriend, however, she must quickly look for one to avoid getting outed as a liar. This is where her data analyst best friend, Luka Peters, comes in. If you love a good fake dating trope and Hallmark movies, Lovelight Farms is the perfect Christmas read for you.
5. Holiday Romance By Catherine Walsh
They’re meant to be catching flights, not feelings…Molly and Andrew are opposites when it comes to Christmas. She couldn’t care less, he cares too much. But for ten years and counting, they’ve spent seven hours on a flight together back to Dublin for the holidays. When a snowstorm threatens their eleventh trip, their plan to salvage things might test whether they’re meant to be just friends. If you love missed signals, soft pining, and friends-to-lovers, this book is most definitely for you.
6. One Day In December By Josie Silver
One day in December, Laurie looks out of a misted-up bus window and catches eyes with a man she’s sure is the one for her. For a year, she keeps searching for him, only to meet him at a Christmas party where her best friend introduces him to her as her new boyfriend. What follows for them is ten years more of waiting, friendship, and missed opportunities. If you want something that’ll tug on your heartstrings and make you feel sad, check out One Day in December.
7. In A Holidaze By Christina Lauren
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for everyone other than Mae. She’s broke, living with her parents, hates her job, and has just made a giant romantic mistake at her family’s annual Christmas cabin trip. When she makes a wish to the universe to make her happy, she gets trapped in a time loop, repeating the same day over and over. That is, until she acts on her feelings and goes for the man she truly loves: her childhood friend Andrew.
So there you have it.
7 of the sweetest, most heartwarming romance books to keep you company this Christmas. What are you adding to your TBR first?
