Verdict: A steamy, talky holiday second-chance romance between an A-list actress and the best friend she left behind in Wisconsin, now internet-famous for kissing strangers. Fans call it a gold standard of healthy communication and chemistry; detractors say nobody talks like these people and the stakes never bite. Best for: Readers who love emotionally literate, … Read more
Verdict: A warm, funny, sexy age-gap romance: when Hollywood arrives in her Scottish village to film a highland epic, gin-loving free spirit Kat catches the eye of Jen Michaels, a private, Oscar-winning 53-year-old star. Readers love Kat’s humour and the chemistry; a few found the American second half meandering and the late conflict out of … Read more
Verdict: A Hallmark movie inside a book: closeted actress Emily is filming a holiday movie at Red Tractor Farm, and the heartbroken, Christmas-hating tree farmer Dana is assigned to show her around. Early readers love the grumpy/sunshine pair and the festive setting; a few felt a heavier harassment subplot and repeated second-guessing crowded the romance. … Read more
Verdict: A cosy but emotionally layered YA holiday romance: guarded beauty influencer Lyric, who grew up in and out of foster care, pays Christmas-loving newcomer Juniper to pose as her girlfriend for sponsored holiday posts. Readers praise the depth, the realistic families and Grammy Viv; the prose/verse split and prickly Lyric divide them. Best for: … Read more
Verdict: A big-hearted, very low-angst holiday romcom: Miami lawyer Grace and LA hairstylist Alix meet on an anonymous heartbreak app, and their texts turn into holiday meet-ups and something more. Readers adore the text banter, the yearning and the seamless co-writing; the only common complaint is that almost nothing goes wrong. Best for: Readers who … Read more
Verdict: A short, cosy, Hallmark-style enemies-to-lovers romance set among maple syrup farms and fall festivals in small-town Maine. Readers love Sierra, the banter and the seasonal vibes; the big divide is Lucy, whose grudge many found childish, and a brief third-act breakup. Best for: Readers who want a quick autumn-to-Christmas comfort read with bickering leads. … Read more
Verdict: A tiny, funny, zero-angst Christmas novella in which a kleptomaniac cat keeps stealing from the woman next door — pure comfort that does exactly one thing well, with just enough room for two likeable women and not much more. Best for: Cat lovers who want a two-hour holiday palate cleanser with banter and kisses. … Read more
Is Yours for the Season by Kate Cochrane worth reading? Our review of the cosy Christmas romance between an Olympic hockey star and her best friend’s divorced older sister.
Verdict: A short, spicy holiday novella about a worn-down pro hockey player with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and the flirty spa esthetician who is already a fan — fun, warm and full of good representation, but so fast that many readers never believed the love. Best for: Readers who want a quick seasonal hockey read, masc-femme chemistry, … Read more
Verdict: A sexy, grown-up celebrity romance between a deeply closeted 52-year-old British actress and the burned-out novelist who has had a crush on her for decades — its secluded holiday-fling first half is excellent and steamy, and its slower real-world second half divides readers. Best for: Readers who want leads around fifty, a famous-meets-famous romance, … Read more