This time of year, as the weather cools off, days get shorter and a warm fire is often a part of an evening at home, I want to read cozy novels with heartwarming characters, light situations and happy endings. I’ve been Christmas reading for you, dear readers, and some of these books just published in late October. I was able to read those pre-publication, and have collected them all up for you now, along with some other wonderful stories published before this year. Affiliate Amazon links provided for all the ones I recommend so you can read the publisher synopsis. Enjoy!

A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson – Enchanting story of four women, strangers to each other, who come together to make a quilt for a child’s mother at Christmas. The child and her siblings were left in the care of a neighbor when her mother was rushed to the hospital. The neighbor, Vera, a lonely widow is touched by the struggles of the family, and cannot resist the child’s request for a quilt for her mother. The novella is only 171 pages, easily readable in an afternoon. While the story is predictable, with a Hallmark-story happy ending, buy one for all your quilting friends. It is exactly the story quilters want to read at holiday time.

A Wish For Winter by Viola Shipman – A bookstore owner in a small Michigan community, Susan (named for Natalie Wood’s character in Miracle on 34th St) looks for Mr Right among the Santa Clauses she may have met during a holiday run. Her parents and grandparents found love dressed as Santa Claus, and her family and friends expect Susan to do the same. As she is nearing the age of 40, Susan is stuck in an emotional holding pattern after the death of her parents years ago. She still has not fully processed the grief and guilt she feels over their deaths, blaming herself for a decision that day she believes put her parents in harm’s way. The story has more depth than the usual holiday novel, with themes of forgiveness for herself and others. As her friends and family push her to let go of the past and embrace her future, she is exposed on social media by her best friend and vulnerable to the world in a way that mortifies her, yet helps her move forward. Funny at times, and full of Christmas movie references we all know. A bonus is a short story after the author notes at the end about a woman finding friends through the history of a set of antique nutcrackers.

A Wish For Christmas by Courtney Cole – Charming romantic comedy novel, just the right story for the holiday season. An enchanted snow globe gives an unhappy couple a chance to live their lives over without each other. But as they wake in separate lives, with no memory of each other, both realize that something is missing. Fate has a way of bringing them together again, meeting at an airport on their way back to their mutual hometown for the holidays. Laugh out loud funny at times, the conflict in the novel is light, and has the happy ending we wish for in a Christmas story.

The Blessed Season by Melanie Lageschulte – This holiday season, the snow turns the charming town of Prosper into a winter wonderland, the Christmas festival approaches, and shop owners deck the halls with festive cheer. Several charity projects keep Melinda and her friends busy caring for animals and neighbors. A new romance may be in the wings as well. But, the town faces the possible closure of their tiny post office, and the residents come together to save it. Book 8 of this sweet and endearing series of neighbor helping neighbor, and the close knit community of a small town.

Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan – I wanted to like this one, but it was not a good book. Too much angst, the story felt disjointed, and the supposed terrible storm didn’t live up to the hype. Pass this one by. Really disappointing as I liked her other series, and the book below.

Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan – sequel to the delightful Christmas Bookshop published last year, this novel picks up the story of Carmen and Oke. A disastrous encounter leads to their breakup, and the next year passes quickly by. Once again, the Christmas season sets up a problem to solve for the bookstore, a developer who wants to turn the charm of the historic district into souvenir shops. Plus Carmen’s sister thinks Carmen has lived in her home long enough, and needs to be on her own. As Carmen and her friends work to save the bookstore from financial disaster, and fend off the developer who wants it, the snowy season once again brings Oke back to town. A bit predictable and just a touch irritating in that Carmen and Oke ascribe their own interpretations to the other’s silence furthering misunderstandings for far too long. Still, it all works out just the way you want it.

The Twelve Dogs of Christmas by Susan Wiggs – Rescue dogs are the subject of this sweetly appealing holiday romance. A woman who hates Christmas, Brenda deals with the holiday by avoidance after both the death of her father at Christmastime when she was a child, and the end of her marriage as an adult. When the animal rescue needs someone to fill in on a long trip from Houston to deliver a group of dogs to new forever homes in northern New York State, Brenda reluctantly agrees to help. Circumstances intervene to keep her in Avalon much longer and closer to Christmas than she wants, but a lonely paramedic, a desperate theater producer, and an adorable little boy change all that. Another perfect holiday read. The author is an animal lover, and will be sending a portion of the proceeds from this book to her local animal rescue organization, PAWS of Bainbridge Island, Washington.

Winter Wishes at Roseford Reloved by Fay Keenan – A vintage clothing store owner meets the newest town resident when her roof collapses on his head, soaking him in rainwater. Divorced dad, Will, is dealing with the fallout of the collapse of his marriage and a tragedy in his career while trying to cope with two teenage daughters. Over the Christmas season, they forge a tenuous friendship then a bit more, only to have it complicated by the actions of others. Sweet story, full of the imagery of a small English village. Overall an enjoyable holiday read.

Finding Christmas by Karen Schaler – Overscheduled Emmie decides that she and overworked boyfriend Grant need to schedule a Christmas vacation. She plans a fun Christmas scavenger hunt for them to both take some time out, but a mix up brings the wrong guy to her getaway. What follows is a fun time, full of Christmas cheer, in a totally predictable story, which is nevertheless exactly what I want to read during the holidays.

Doesn’t all this put you in a holiday mood? It did for me, so much so that I ordered a Christmas present for myself. I love surprises, so this is perfect. The Fat Quarter Shop has a 2023 Holiday Limited Edition Mystery Box reserving now. This will be fun, as I will not open it when it arrives. I’ll wrap it and put it under the tree for a fun, quilty surprise on Christmas Day.

If your holiday reading includes cookbooks, get 35% Off the Most Expensive Item in Your Cart at Milk Street today through November 12.

Of course, we can always re-read Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, too. Happy Holiday Reading! Do you have a contemporary Christmas book you’d like to recommend?