12 Winter Romance Novels That Feel Like Falling in Love Again
- Joao Nsita
- 2 hours ago
- 18 min read
This is the time of year when we instinctively begin to turn inward, to seek out warmth, comfort, and the soul-deep satisfaction of a truly great love story. As we trade the vibrant energy of summer for the cozy embrace of the new season, the world of romance novels delivers its most magical and heart-warming gift: the winter romance.
This is more than just a genre; it is a full-blown cultural phenomenon. On social media platforms like TikTok and Pinterest, the #WinterReads and #CozyRomance aesthetics are a dominant and beautiful force. We see a global community of readers celebrating the joy of a "snowed-in" trope, creating aesthetic mood boards dedicated to charming, small-town settings, and passionately debating their favourite "grumpy/sunshine" pairings. The #BookTok trend is clear: we are all desperately in search of stories that feel like a warm, hand-knitted blanket for the soul.
This is your definitive, in-depth guide to the ultimate winter reading list. We have curated a list of twelve of the most enchanting, heartwarming, and utterly binge-worthy winter romances, presented in descending order. This is more than just a list; it is a deep dive into the stories that perfectly capture the magic of the season, the characters you will fall in love with, and the tropes that will have you believing in the power of a second chance.
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12. Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory
The Vibe: A charming, sophisticated, and wonderfully heartwarming romance that proves that it's never too late to find your own, real-life fairytale.
The Deeper Meaning: Royal Holiday is a beautiful and important book because it centres the love story of two, vibrant, and incredibly charismatic characters in their fifties. The book is a powerful and joyful reminder that swoon-worthy, passionate, and life-changing romance is not just the domain of twenty-somethings. It is a story about embracing new adventures, about taking a chance on love later in life, and about the joy of finding a partner who sees and celebrates you for exactly who you are.
Why It's a Perfect Winter Read: The setting is pure, wintery magic. The story follows Vivian Forest, who spontaneously accompanies her daughter on a work trip to the UK over the Christmas holidays. While her daughter is busy styling a duchess, Vivian finds herself charmed by a handsome, and very private, secretary to the Queen. The story is a delightful, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the traditions of a royal, Sandringham Christmas. The cozy, British, wintery setting is a character in itself. For more on the magic of a British Christmas, you can check out our list of 12 Classic British Christmas Movies Perfect for Festive Nights.
What Makes It a Top Read: The book is a perfect, feel-good, holiday escape. It’s a low-angst, high-charm romance with two fantastic, and refreshingly mature, protagonists. For a deep dive into the world of modern royalty, the official Royal Family website is a great resource.
Where to Buy: You can purchase Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory on Amazon.
11. The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
The Vibe: A fun, festive, and incredibly charming British rom-com that is a perfect, modern, and very funny take on the classic "quest for love" story.
The Deeper Meaning: At its heart, this book is a story about stepping out of your comfort zone and being open to love in all its unexpected forms. It is a celebration of community, of friendship, and of the courage it takes to put yourself out there. It is a book that understands that the journey to finding love is often a messy, hilarious, and deeply revealing process of self-discovery.
Why It's a Perfect Winter Read: The premise is a work of pure, festive genius. The story follows Kate, a 30-something designer living in a charming, English village, who is happily single. Her best friend signs her up for a "Twelve Dates of Christmas" dating service, which sets her up on twelve different, festive-themed dates with twelve different men in the 23 days leading up to Christmas. The book is a hilarious and heartwarming journey through a series of often-disastrous, but always entertaining, dates, from a disastrous Christmas-themed baking class to a surprisingly romantic, snowy walk.
What Makes It a Top Read: This book is a pure, unadulterated, joyful delight. It is a charming, funny, and incredibly cozy read that is guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit. For a huge list of affordable date night ideas, you can check out our guide to 60 Exciting and Affordable Date Night Ideas on a Budget.
Where to Buy: You can purchase The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss on Amazon.
10. A Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli
The Vibe: A vibrant, joyful, and wonderfully romantic story that is a beautiful and much-needed celebration of a different kind of winter festival.
The Deeper Meaning: This book is a powerful and important story because it expands the landscape of the "holiday romance" genre beyond the world of Christmas. It is a beautiful and authentic celebration of Indian culture and the vibrant, joyful, and deeply meaningful festival of Diwali, the festival of lights. It is a story about reconnecting with your roots, about embracing your heritage, and about finding love and a new sense of self in the most unexpected of places.
Why It's a Perfect Winter Read: The story follows Niki, a practical and slightly cynical data analyst who, after being laid off from her job, impulsively accepts a last-minute invitation to a friend's wedding in India, which happens to be taking place during Diwali. The book is a stunning, multi-sensory, and immersive journey through the sights, the sounds, and the flavours of India during its most festive season. The romance that blossoms between Niki and a handsome local musician is a beautiful and heartfelt bonus. For more on the traditions of Diwali, the BBC Bitesize website has a great, accessible guide.
What Makes It a Top Read: The book is a perfect, feel-good, "armchair travel" escape. It is a warm, funny, and deeply romantic story that is also a fantastic and insightful cultural education. The book’s incredible soundtrack is a key to its success, a theme you can explore in our list of Top 10 Best Disney Soundtracks of All Time.
Where to Buy: You can purchase A Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli on Amazon.
9. The Mistletoe Motive by Chloe Liese
The Vibe: A wonderfully nerdy, deeply heartfelt, and incredibly cozy "enemies-to-lovers" romance set in a charming independent bookstore. It’s a modern love letter to classic rom-coms like You've Got Mail.
The Deeper Meaning: This novella is a pure, unadulterated dose of cozy, bookish charm. It is a story that celebrates the magic of a local bookstore, the joy of a shared passion for literature, and the surprising, and often very funny, ways that love can bloom in the most unexpected of places. It is also a beautiful and powerful story that features a neurodiverse heroine, a hallmark of Chloe Liese's brilliant and inclusive writing.
Why It's a Perfect Winter Read: The story follows Gabriella, a Christmas-loving bookseller, and her grumpy, Scrooge-like co-worker, Jonathan. When their beloved bookstore is in financial trouble, they are forced into a festive sales competition, a battle of wills that is complicated by the fact that Gabby is unknowingly falling for her anonymous, online pen-pal, who is her one true confidante. The bookstore setting is the ultimate cozy fantasy for any reader, a warm and inviting sanctuary from the cold winter weather. For a great guide to the best independent bookshops in the UK, The Guardian has a fantastic list.
What Makes It a Top Read: This is a story that is a true celebration of all things cozy: books, Christmas, and finding your person. It’s a heartwarming, funny, and deeply romantic read that is perfect for a single, blissful afternoon. The show’s complex heroes are a fascinating character study, a theme you can explore in our list of the Top 5 Best Movies with an Origin Story.
Where to Buy: You can purchase The Mistletoe Motive by Chloe Liese on Amazon.
8. A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone
The Vibe: A hilarious, subversive, and incredibly spicy holiday rom-com that gleefully turns the wholesome, "Hallmark movie" genre on its head.
The Deeper Meaning: This book is a brilliant, laugh-out-loud funny, and incredibly smart satire of the often-ridiculous tropes of the made-for-TV Christmas movie. But it is also a wonderfully sex-positive and body-positive romance with a huge amount of heart. It is a powerful and surprisingly sweet exploration of second chances, of the hypocrisy of the entertainment industry, and of the courage it takes to be your authentic self, without apology.
Why It's a Perfect Winter Read: The story follows Bee, a successful and beloved plus-size adult film star, who is semi-accidentally cast as the lead in a squeaky-clean, family-friendly Christmas movie. Her world is thrown into chaos when she discovers her co-star is her childhood crush, a former bad-boy pop star who is in desperate need of a career rehabilitation and who, it turns out, is a secret fan of her work. What follows is a secret, high-heat, on-set romance that could torpedo both their careers. The show’s complex and often fiery relationships are a fascinating character study, a theme you can explore in our list of The Top 7 Best Movies About Toxic Relationships.
What Makes It a Top Read: The collaboration between the YA superstar Julie Murphy and the spicy romance queen Sierra Simone is a match made in heaven. The book is a perfect blend of sweet and steamy, a holiday romance that is both naughty and incredibly nice. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves a traditional rom-com but wishes it had a whole lot more spice. The film's musical numbers are sure to be a highlight, a theme you can explore in our list of The Top 5 Best Musicals of All Time.
Where to Buy: You can purchase A Merry Little Meet Cute on Amazon.
7. The Christmas Fix by Lucy Score
The Vibe: A classic, heartwarming, and incredibly satisfying "grumpy-sunshine" romance set in a small town that is in desperate need of a Christmas miracle.
The Deeper Meaning: This book is a beautiful and powerful celebration of community. It is a story about the resilience of a small town and the magic that can happen when people come together to support each other. It is also a classic, and incredibly well-executed, romance about two very different people who find a surprising and powerful connection in the midst of a crisis.
Why It's a Perfect Winter Read: The story is set in the charming, Christmas-obsessed small town of Merry, Connecticut. When a late-season hurricane devastates the town, it threatens to cancel their beloved, and economically vital, annual Christmas Festival. Enter Catalina, a reality TV home-renovation star who is determined to save the town and "fix" Christmas. Her only obstacle is the grumpy, cynical, and incredibly handsome town manager, Noah, a single dad who thinks she is just there to exploit his town’s misfortune for ratings. The show’s focus on a powerful family is a key to its success, a theme you can explore in our list of The Top 5 Best Movies About Fathers.
What Makes It a Top Read: This book is the literary equivalent of a perfect Hallmark Christmas movie, but with the added bonus of Lucy Score's signature wit and steam. It is a story that is brimming with festive cheer, with a powerful sense of community, and with a deeply satisfying and heartwarming central romance. For more on the author's work, the Lucy Score website is a great resource. This is a key part of building a lasting connection, a theme explored in 10 Habits of Couples Who Stay Deeply in Love for a Lifetime.
Where to Buy: You can purchase The Christmas Fix by Lucy Score on Amazon.
6. Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey
The Vibe: A surprisingly sweet, incredibly steamy, and wonderfully unconventional holiday romance about second chances and finding your place in the world.
The Deeper Meaning: This book is a wonderful and powerful subversion of the typical holiday romance. It’s a story about a "heroine in need of a second chance," a theme that is handled with a huge amount of sensitivity and heart. It is a story about redemption, about found family, and about the courage it takes to build a new life for yourself. It is a powerful testament to the idea that everyone, regardless of their past, is deserving of a happy ending.
Why It's a Perfect Winter Read: This standalone holiday novel from the "queen of spice," Tessa Bailey, follows Stella, a determined young woman who has just been released from prison. In a moment of whimsy, she is re-arranging a terrible Christmas window display at a fancy Fifth Avenue department store when she is caught by the store’s handsome and incredibly kind-hearted manager, Aiden. Instead of calling security, he offers her a job as the store’s new window dresser. What follows is a beautiful and steamy reverse-grumpy-sunshine romance between the cynical, guarded Stella and the endlessly optimistic and supportive Aiden. The New York City, holiday-season setting is a classic, and the "window dressing" plot is a wonderfully festive and creative backdrop. The film’s incredible soundtrack is a key to its success, a theme you can explore in our list of Top 10 Michael Jackson Songs of All Time.
What Makes It a Top Read: This is a holiday romance with real depth and substance. It’s a perfect blend of Tessa Bailey's signature high heat and a huge amount of genuine, heartfelt emotion. The show’s complex hero is a fascinating character study, a theme you can explore in our list of the Top 10 Best Teen Romance TV Shows Ever Made. For more on the author's work, Tessa Bailey's official website is a great resource.
Where to Buy: You can purchase Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey on Amazon.
5. In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
The Vibe: A magical, charming, and wonderfully inventive holiday romance that is a perfect blend of Groundhog Day and a classic, feel-good Christmas movie.
The Deeper Meaning: At its heart, this book is a beautiful and powerful story about taking control of your own destiny. It is a story about a young woman who is literally given the chance to "re-do" her life until she gets it right. It is a book about finding the courage to be honest about what you truly want, about taking risks, and about the beautiful, messy, and often very funny journey of finding your own, unique path to happiness.
Why It's a Perfect Winter Read: This book, from the beloved romance-writing duo Christina Lauren, follows Maelyn Jones. She is in her mid-twenties, living with her parents, hating her dead-end job, and has just made a romantic mistake of epic proportions. To make matters worse, this is the last Christmas that her family and their lifelong family friends will be spending together at their beloved, snowy cabin in Utah. As she is driving away, she makes a simple plea to the universe: "Show me what will make me happy." The next thing she knows, she is waking up on the plane, at the beginning of the holiday all over again, trapped in a time loop. The snowy, Utah cabin setting is the ultimate, cozy, winter fantasy. The book is a beautiful celebration of found family and the magic of Christmas traditions.
What Makes It a Top Read: Christina Lauren are masters of the modern rom-com, and this is one of their absolute best. It’s a book that is funny, clever, sexy, and so full of holiday cheer that it’s almost impossible to read it without a huge smile on your face. It is a perfect, magical, and unforgettable holiday read. The show’s focus on a powerful family is a key to its success, a theme you can explore in our list of the Top 5 Best Family Movies of All Time.
Where to Buy: You can purchase In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren on Amazon.
4. One Day in December by Josie Silver
The Vibe: A sweeping, poignant, and deeply romantic "what if" story that spans a decade of friendship, heartbreak, and missed connections, all kicked off by a single, magical, wintery moment at a bus stop.
The Deeper Meaning: This book is a powerful and often heartbreaking exploration of the "right person, wrong time" trope. It is a story about the messy, complicated, and often very painful reality of love and friendship. It is a book that understands that sometimes, the greatest love stories are not the ones that have a perfect, fairytale ending, but the ones that are built on a foundation of a deep, enduring, and often very complicated friendship. It is a beautiful and powerful testament to the idea that love is not always a straight line.
Why It's a Perfect Winter Read: The story begins on a snowy day in December in London, and the city, in all its wintery, festive glory, is a beautiful and atmospheric character in the book. The story follows Laurie, who, in a moment of pure, love-at-first-sight magic, locks eyes with a man at a bus stop. A year later, her best friend introduces her to her new boyfriend, and it's him. What follows is a ten-year journey of friendship, longing, and secrets. It is the ultimate, cozy, and deeply emotional read for a long, winter's night. The film’s incredible soundtrack is a key to its success, a theme you can explore in our list of Top 10 Rolling Stones Songs of All Time.
What Makes It a Top Read: One Day in December is a modern classic of the genre, a book that has become a perennial re-read for thousands of fans. It’s a story that will make you cry, it will make you swoon, and it will stay with you long after you’ve finished it. The show’s complex and often fiery relationships are a fascinating character study, a theme you can explore in our list of the Top 5 Best Movies About Marriages. For a deep dive into the book's enduring popularity, the Goodreads page is filled with thousands of passionate reviews.
Where to Buy: You can purchase One Day in December by Josie Silver on Amazon.
3. An Ex for Christmas by Lauren Layne
The Vibe: A fun, flirty, and incredibly charming "second-chance romance" with a perfect, festive, "forced proximity" twist.
The Deeper Meaning: At its heart, this is a story about forgiveness and about the courage it takes to admit that you made a mistake. It is a book that understands that sometimes, the love of your life was the one you let go. It is a beautiful and hopeful testament to the idea that it is never too late to go back and to fight for the love you deserve.
Why It's a Perfect Winter Read: The story follows a woman who, after a year of trying to get over her ex, makes a Christmas wish: she just wants to be over him. But when she accidentally gets snowed in with her entire family, and him, for the Christmas holidays, she is forced to confront her true feelings. The "snowed-in" trope is the ultimate, cozy, and incredibly romantic winter fantasy. The festive, family Christmas setting is a perfect, and often very funny, backdrop for a story about a second chance at love. The festive, almost theatrical nature of the mystery is a theme we explore in our list of 10 Christmas Movies That Aren’t Just for Kids.
What Makes It a Top Read: Lauren Layne is a master of the witty, sophisticated, and deeply romantic contemporary romance. This book is a perfect, and incredibly satisfying, example of her talent. It’s a must-read for any fan of the "second-chance romance" trope. The show’s focus on a powerful family is a key to its success, a theme you can explore in our list of The Top 5 Best Christmas Movies of All Time.
Where to Buy: You can purchase An Ex for Christmas by Lauren Layne on Amazon.
2. The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox
The Vibe: A charming, delightful, and wonderfully cozy romance that is a perfect, modern homage to the classic movie The Parent Trap, but with a festive, foodie twist.
The Deeper Meaning: At its heart, this book is a story about the courage it takes to change your life. It is a story about two sisters who, by literally stepping into each other's shoes, are forced to confront the things that are not working in their own lives. It is a book about family, about finding your own, unique recipe for happiness, and about the magic of a small-town Christmas.
Why It's a Perfect Winter Read: The story follows identical twin sisters, Charlie and Cass. Charlie is a high-flying chef and the star of a reality baking show in Los Angeles. Cass lives a quiet life, running the family's beloved bakery in their charming, snowy hometown. When a head injury leaves Charlie without her sense of taste or smell just days before her show's holiday finale, she begs Cass to switch places. The "twin swap" trope is a classic for a reason, and the book uses it to create a series of fun, romantic, and comedic mishaps. The small-town, bakery setting is the ultimate cozy fantasy, and the book is filled with delicious, mouth-watering descriptions of festive treats. For more on the magic of a good comfort watch, check out our list of 12 Binge-Watchable TV Shows for Cozy Winter Nights.
What Makes It a Top Read: The book is a pure, unadulterated delight. It’s a charming, low-stakes, and incredibly heartwarming story that is guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face.
Where to Buy: You can purchase The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox on Amazon.
1. Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison
Why It's at the Top: While every book on this list is a fantastic and cozy winter read, B.K. Borison's Lovelight Farms takes the top spot because it is the undisputed, reigning, and binge-worthy champion of the modern, cozy romance genre. It is a book that is not just a fan-favourite; it is a true, word-of-mouth, BookTok phenomenon. It is a perfect, and breathtakingly successful, distillation of every single thing we love about a winter romance. It is a story that is so full of warmth, so full of charm, and so full of a deep, and deeply satisfying, pining that it is, quite simply, the perfect, and most beloved, winter romance of them all.
The Vibe: The ultimate, quintessential, cozy holiday romance. It is a warm, sweet, and incredibly charming "friends-to-lovers" story set on a magical Christmas tree farm.
What Makes It the Best: Lovelight Farms is the perfect, platonic ideal of a cozy holiday romance. It has every single element that fans of the genre adore: a charming small-town setting, a beautiful and festive Christmas tree farm, a cast of lovable and quirky secondary characters, and a central friends-to-lovers romance that is so full of a deep, aching pining that it will make your heart hurt in the best possible way. The book is a pure, unadulterated dose of joy, a low-angst, high-swoon story that is the literary equivalent of a warm hug and a cup of hot cocoa.
The Premise: The story follows Luka, the proud but financially struggling owner of Lovelight Farms. In a moment of desperation to win a social media contest that could save her business, she tells the organizers that she runs the farm with her handsome, loving boyfriend. The only problem? He doesn’t exist. She ropes her best friend, the charming and dependable Beckett, into playing the part for the duration of the contest. What she doesn't know is that Beckett has been secretly in love with her for years, and this fake dating scheme is both a dream come true and a special kind of torture. This kind of authentic connection is a key to a healthy partnership, a theme we explore in 8 Signs of a Healthy Relationship.
Where to Buy: You can purchase Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison on Amazon.
Conclusion
As the winter season unfolds, bringing with it a desire for stories that are as rich, as complex, and as comforting as the season itself, the literary world of the winter romance has risen to the occasion with a truly spectacular slate of offerings. The twelve books on this list are a testament to the incredible creativity, the emotional depth, and the enduring, popular appeal of the genre. From the glamorous, high-stakes world of a royal Christmas to the charming, cozy, and deeply relatable world of a small-town Christmas tree farm, these are the stories that will captivate you, comfort you, and keep you turning the pages late into the night.
These are more than just books; they are an invitation to get lost in the magic of a great love story. They are a powerful reminder that, even in the coldest and darkest days of winter, there is always a source of warmth, of light, and of a deep, and deeply hopeful, human connection.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is "BookTok"? "BookTok" is the name for the community of readers and authors on the social media platform TikTok. It has become an incredibly powerful force for book discovery and has been instrumental in the recent surge in popularity of the romance genre.
2. What are the most popular winter romance tropes? The most popular winter romance tropes include forced proximity (like being snowed-in together), enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance, fake dating, and the classic grumpy/sunshine dynamic.
3. Are all these books "spicy"? The spice levels on this list vary greatly. Books by authors like Tessa Bailey, Julie Murphy, and Sierra Simone are known for being very spicy and containing explicit scenes. Others, like The Holiday Swap, are more of a "sweet" or "closed-door" romance. Always check individual reviews for specific "steam level" ratings.
4. Do I need to read these books in a series? For the most part, no. All the books highlighted are either standalones or are part of an "interconnected standalone" series, meaning each book focuses on a different couple and can be read and enjoyed on its own.
5. Where can I find more recommendations for winter romance books? Goodreads has thousands of user-curated lists for this specific subgenre. Following "Bookstagrammers" on Instagram or "BookTok" creators on TikTok who specialize in romance is also a fantastic way to discover new titles.
6. What is the difference between a "winter romance" and a "holiday romance"? A "holiday romance" is a subgenre of the winter romance that is specifically set during a particular holiday, most commonly Christmas. A "winter romance" is a broader category that can be set at any time during the winter season and is more focused on the cozy, wintery atmosphere.
7. Are these books available as audiobooks? Yes, all of the books on this list are incredibly popular and are available as audiobooks on platforms like Audible. Listening to a winter romance can be a wonderfully immersive and festive experience.
8. What is a "grumpy/sunshine" trope? This is a very popular romance trope that features a romantic pairing between a grumpy, cynical, or broody character and a cheerful, optimistic, "sunshine" character. The dynamic is all about the sunshine character breaking through the grumpy one's tough exterior.
9. Why are illustrated covers so popular in the romance genre? Illustrated covers have become a massive trend in romance publishing. They allow the publisher to convey the tone and the feeling of the book in a way that is modern, that is stylish, and that avoids the often-cheesy look of a traditional, photo-based romance cover.
10. I'm in a reading slump. Can a winter romance help? Yes, absolutely! The fast-paced, high-stakes, and deeply satisfying nature of a great romance novel is the perfect antidote to a reading slump. They are designed to be unputdownable.
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