★ The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year
Ally Carter does it again with the delightful The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year. An anonymous invitation lures rival mystery writers Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt to a secluded and nearly snowbound English mansion for Christmas. Upon arrival, they encounter a series of surprises: the identity of their hostess, her almost immediate disappearance and the dynamic sleuthing duo they become. Alternating between Maggie’s and Ethan’s viewpoints, this romantic comedy packs in plot and smiles on every page as the two work to unravel the puzzles they encounter during their stay. The characters’ emotional backstories add authentic heft, and Ethan’s heartfelt and outspoken devotion for Maggie will warm the coldest winter night. Readers will be more than willing to put off any pending holiday tasks to indulge in this vastly entertaining read.
Kiss Me at Christmas
Describing Kiss Me at Christmas by Jenny Bayliss as “feel-good” would be a colossal understatement: The entire package is practically wrapped in a sparkly Christmas bow. Right before the holidays, 40-something main characters Harriet Smith and James Knight have a one-night stand . . . and then learn that they’ll be working on a production of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol together. Single mom and private school counselor Harriet overcomes the awkwardness by focusing on her students: She agreed to manage the production to shield some of them from the consequences of breaking into the decrepit theater. The owner of the theater is one of serious lawyer James’ clients, and James isn’t happy about the play or how his night with Harriet ended. However, nothing’s more fun than let’s-put-on-a-show enthusiasm, which in this case brings together an entire English village as well as Harriet and James. Bayliss’ mature main characters are refreshing stars, even as they fall into the usual romantic insecurities and miscommunication that cause lovers of all ages to stumble. In the end, James loosens up with Harriet’s aid, and his regard helps her value herself more. Along the way, readers will revel in the cute and sometimes rebellious kids, the wise and charming oldsters, and the descriptions of scrumptious foods from all over the world.
The Duke’s Christmas Bride
Revenge leads to romance in Anna Bradley’s Regency-set The Duke’s Christmas Bride. Maxwell Burke, the Duke of Grantham, desperately wishes to recover Hammond Court, the family home his father lost long ago in a foolish wager with Ambrose St. Clair. When Ambrose dies, Max discovers the man left Hammond Court to him—but also to stubborn Rose St. Claire, Ambrose’s ward, who has no intention of moving out. What’s a ruthless duke to do to get her going on her way? Why, bribe an eligible London gentleman to romance and marry the chit, of course. A holiday house party is arranged, and the brooding Max finds himself ice-skating, sleigh-riding and arranging a Christmas ball . . . all while falling for the enchanting woman he’s scheming to hand over to someone else. Brooding won’t help him now, and Max must find a way to solve the very dilemma he created while his amused friends—main characters from other entries in Bradley’s Drop Dead Dukes series—look on. A closed-off aristocrat and a warmhearted heroine who bakes the best Christmas treats? That’s a recipe for love story satisfaction.
The Christmas You Found Me
Prepare for a few tears along with your hot chocolate while reading The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler, which follows two total strangers who enter into a “marriage of purpose” to provide for a 4-year-old with a life-threatening illness. Sienna Naples may be busy maintaining her family ranch in the Idaho wilderness, but she can’t look away from the dire dilemma of Guy Maple and his daughter, Emma, who has Stage 5 chronic kidney disease. Sienna’s generosity in taking in the small family provides a boon to her, too, as she’s lonely post-divorce and with her dad in acute elder care. Providing Emma with some needed fun is imperative despite her hovering illness, and Sienna steps up to make memories for them all. Cue small-town holiday events in between emergency medical visits, and two people who fall in love despite their vulnerability and grief. Told in Sienna’s first-person voice, this story provides a roller-coaster of emotions as well as an enthralling look at winter life on a remote ranch. Have a hankie at hand.
Christmas Is All Around
A curmudgeon unearths her holiday spirit in Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters. Charlotte Lane has been over the season since starring in the now-classic film Christmas, Truly as a child. When her refusal to join a reboot of the film goes viral, she escapes to her sister’s in London. There, she’s roped into holiday escapades, including a country house tour where she meets the owner, attractive Englishman Graham Calloway. Now an artist, Charlotte can’t resist his idea that she create a series of Christmas-themed illustrations around London . . . with Graham as her guide to several iconic locations. While there’s an initial spark, these two are slow to succumb to the burn of passion as they’re dealing with—or more accurately, not dealing with—family issues that hold them back. But love truly finds its way on this fun tour through a London holiday, which is peopled with amusing secondary characters and has a satisfying happy ending that ticks all the boxes.