10 Snowy Small-Town Romances to Get Lost In
- Joao Nsita
- 9 hours ago
- 14 min read
There is a certain kind of magic that awakens as the first true chill of winter settles in. The world outside grows quiet, the days shorten, and we find ourselves instinctively drawn to the warm glow of a fire, the comfort of a soft blanket, and the immersive, soul-soothing power of a great story. In this season of cozy introspection, no genre of fiction captures the heart’s yearning for warmth and connection quite like the small-town romance. It’s a literary escape to a world that feels both idealized and deeply familiar, a place of charming main streets, quirky neighbors, and a powerful sense of community.
As we look towards the winter 2025-2026 season, the trends on platforms like TikTok and Pinterest have elevated this beloved subgenre to a full-blown cultural phenomenon. The "cozy winter read" is not just a hashtag; it's an aesthetic, a mood, a cherished ritual. We are a generation of readers captivated by the "snowed-in trope" (a perfect form of forced proximity), the heartwarming dynamic of the "grumpy/sunshine" pairing, and the timeless appeal of a "second-chance romance" set against a backdrop of twinkling holiday lights. We are craving stories that feel like coming home. This list is your definitive guide to the ten best, most magical, and utterly binge-worthy snowy small-town romances to get lost in this winter, presented in descending order.
10. The Mistletoe Motive by Chloe Liese
The Vibe: A delightfully nerdy, rivals-to-lovers, holiday romance set in a charming, independent bookstore.
Synopsis: Gabriella is a brilliant but struggling bookseller who absolutely loves Christmas. Jonathan is the bookstore’s handsome, incredibly smart, and unapologetically grumpy co-owner who seems to hate everything, especially the festive season. When the store's future is threatened, the two are forced to work together to save it. Their mutual animosity slowly (and hilariously) begins to thaw amidst stolen glances between the stacks, shared cups of cocoa, and the undeniable magic of a bookstore at Christmas.
Why It's the Perfect Snowy Escape: The Mistletoe Motive is the ultimate "bookstore romance," a massive and beloved trend for a reason. The setting is pure, cozy perfection—a charming, independent bookstore during the holiday season. The novel is a masterclass in the "grumpy/sunshine" trope, with Jonathan’s stoic, Grinch-like exterior slowly being melted by Gabriella’s relentless, joyful optimism. Author Chloe Liese is celebrated for her incredible and authentic neurodiverse representation, and this book is no exception, featuring two protagonists on the autism spectrum whose connection is built on a deep, intellectual, and wonderfully unique understanding of each other. It’s a smart, steamy, and deeply heartfelt romance that celebrates the magic of books, the joy of the holiday season, and the beauty of finding someone who loves you exactly as you are. The book’s intellectual and emotional depth is a quality shared by some of our favorite romance reads.
Call to Action: Get lost in the stacks and fall in love with this charming bookstore romance.
🔹 Buy The Mistletoe Motive on Amazon here →
9. A Cross-Country Christmas by Courtney Walsh
The Vibe: A heartwarming, second-chance romance set on a chaotic and festive road trip.
Synopsis: Lauren is a driven professional whose perfectly planned life is going off the rails. When a flight cancellation threatens to keep her from her family's Christmas celebration, she reluctantly accepts a ride from her brother's best friend—and her former high school sweetheart—Jake. What follows is a cross-country road trip filled with hilarious mishaps, forced proximity in cozy, snowed-in motels, and the slow, beautiful rekindling of a long-lost love.
Why It's a Perfect Snowy Escape: This book is a perfect blend of a road trip romance and a second-chance romance, two incredibly popular tropes. The journey through a series of charming, snow-covered small towns provides a constantly changing and beautifully festive backdrop for Lauren and Jake's emotional journey. The forced proximity of the car and the snowed-in motels creates the perfect pressure-cooker environment for them to confront their past and their lingering feelings for each other. It’s a story about forgiveness, about the pull of home, and about the idea that sometimes the longest journey is the one back to the person you were always meant to be with. It’s a sweet, low-angst, and deeply comforting read, perfect for a cozy afternoon. This kind of heartfelt journey is a theme we also loved in our review of Part of Your World.
Call to Action: Take a heartwarming journey home for the holidays with this beautiful second-chance romance.
🔹 Shop for A Cross-Country Christmas on Amazon here →
External Link: The official website of author Courtney Walsh is a great place to explore her other heartfelt and uplifting romance novels.
8. The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox
The Vibe: A charming, "Parent Trap"-esque, and deliciously foodie-focused holiday romance.
Synopsis: This delightful debut novel follows twin sisters, Charlie and Cass. Charlie is a high-powered pastry chef in Los Angeles and the star of her own baking show. Cass lives a quiet life in their charming, snow-covered hometown, running the family's cozy bakery. When a last-minute accident leaves Charlie unable to smell or taste—a disaster for a TV chef—the twins decide to do what they do best: switch places. Cass heads to L.A. to navigate the high-stakes world of television, while Charlie returns to her hometown to heal and run the family bakery. Their plan is complicated by two very handsome and very different men who threaten to uncover their secret.
Why It's a Perfect Snowy Escape: The Holiday Swap is a perfect, modern-day fairytale. The "mistaken identity" trope is executed with a huge amount of charm and wit. The small-town setting is pure, cozy perfection, a world of Christmas markets, tree-lighting ceremonies, and the comforting aroma of fresh-baked goods. The book is a love letter to the joy of baking, and the descriptions of the holiday treats are absolutely mouth-watering. It’s a sweet, funny, and deeply satisfying romance that celebrates the importance of family, the comfort of home, and the magic of a second chance. It’s a perfect, low-stakes, feel-good read for the holiday season. The book’s focus on secrets is as compelling as any found in a great mystery, like the one in our review of The Woman in the Cabin.
Call to Action: Indulge in a sweet and charming holiday romance that is pure comfort food for the soul.
7. Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey
The Vibe: A steamy, hilarious, and surprisingly tender reverse "grumpy/sunshine" romance.
Synopsis: The "queen of spice," Tessa Bailey, delivers a holiday romance that is both incredibly steamy and full of heart. The story follows Stella, a woman fresh out of prison who is determined to get her life back on track. In a moment of bold impulsiveness, she critiques the dismal holiday window display of a high-end department store, only to be overheard by the store’s handsome and hopelessly optimistic manager, Aiden. Intrigued by her sharp eye and her prickly demeanor, he offers her a job as a window dresser. What follows is a hilarious and heartfelt story of two opposites attracting, as the sunny and kind-hearted Aiden tries to break through Stella’s tough, defensive shell.
Why It's a Perfect Snowy Escape: This book is a perfect example of the "grumpy/sunshine" trope, but with a brilliant gender-flip. Stella is the grumpy, cynical one, and Aiden is the walking, talking embodiment of a golden retriever in human form. The setting of a glamorous department store during the Christmas season is a fun and festive backdrop for their budding romance. But beneath the steamy chemistry and the laugh-out-loud humor is a powerful and deeply moving story about forgiveness, second chances, and the courage it takes to let yourself be loved. It’s a book that is both incredibly hot and incredibly tender, a perfect holiday read for fans of spicy romance with a real emotional core. For more on Tessa Bailey's incredible ability to write sizzling chemistry, check out our review of Pitcher Perfect.
Call to Action: Turn up the heat this holiday season with this steamy and heartfelt romance from a master of the genre.
External Link: The official website of Tessa Bailey is a fantastic resource for exploring her huge backlist of beloved and spicy romance novels.
6. The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker
The Vibe: A breathtakingly beautiful and emotional enemies-to-lovers romance set in the rugged Alaskan wilderness.
Synopsis: While not a traditional holiday romance, The Simple Wild has become a cornerstone of the "cozy winter read" trend for its incredible, atmospheric setting and its powerful, emotional love story. The book follows Calla Fletcher, a city girl from Toronto who travels to the remote, snow-covered town in Alaska where her estranged, dying father lives. A true fish out of water, her difficult adjustment is made even more complicated by a rugged, arrogant, and ridiculously handsome Alaskan pilot named Jonah, who seems to take pleasure in her every mishap.
Why It's a Perfect Snowy Escape: This book is a masterpiece of the "enemies-to-lovers" and "grumpy/sunshine" tropes, set against one of the most stunning and immersive backdrops in all of romance. K.A. Tucker’s descriptions of the harsh but beautiful Alaskan winter are so vivid you will feel the chill in your bones. The small, isolated town, with its close-knit community of quirky characters, is a perfect "found family" setting. The slow-burn romance between Calla and Jonah is a powerful, emotional, and incredibly satisfying journey of two people who bring out the best in each other. It is a story about forgiveness, family, and finding out where you truly belong. It is a powerful, emotional, and incredibly romantic journey that will stay with you long after you’ve finished the last page. The book's incredible, heartfelt story is as moving as the best songs from Ed Sheeran.
Call to Action: Get swept away by this breathtakingly beautiful and emotional Alaskan romance.
5. In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
The Vibe: A cozy, clever, and incredibly charming "time loop" holiday romance.
Synopsis: The writing duo of Christina Lauren puts a brilliant, Groundhog Day-esque spin on the classic holiday romance. The story follows Maelyn Jones, who, after a particularly disastrous Christmas vacation at a snowy Utah cabin with her family and their lifelong family friends, makes a desperate plea to the universe to show her what will make her happy. The universe answers by trapping her in a time loop, forcing her to relive the same holiday vacation over and over again until she gets it right.
Why It's a Perfect Snowy Escape: This book is a hilarious and incredibly charming exploration of second chances, fate, and the courage it takes to finally go after what you want. The "found family" dynamic between the two families is the warm, beating heart of the story, and the cozy, snowed-in cabin setting is pure perfection. Maelyn has been secretly in love with one of the family friends' sons, Andrew, for years, and the time loop gives her the chance to finally be honest about her feelings and to fix the mistakes she has made. It’s a sweet, funny, and surprisingly poignant romance that feels like a warm hug in book form. It’s the perfect book to curl up with as the weather gets cooler and you start to get into the holiday spirit. The book’s clever premise and heartfelt emotion are a winning combination, a quality we also praised in our review of The Unhoneymooners.
Call to Action: Get stuck in the most charming holiday time loop you can imagine.
External Link: The official website for the writing duo Christina Lauren is a great place to find information about their many other beloved rom-coms.
4. The Deal by Elle Kennedy
The Vibe: The ultimate "BookTok" sensation, a steamy and addictive college hockey romance.
Synopsis: The Deal is the book that launched a thousand hockey romance obsessions. The first in the iconic Off-Campus series, this novel follows Hannah Wells, a good-girl music major who is just trying to get through college. When she needs to ace a class to keep her scholarship, she finds herself in the unenviable position of having to tutor Garrett Graham, the cocky, popular, and ridiculously handsome captain of the hockey team. He is failing the one class he needs to stay on the team. They strike a deal: she will tutor him, and in exchange, he will pretend to date her to make her crush jealous.
Why It's a Perfect Snowy Escape: The college campus during the winter semester and the ice of the hockey rink provide a perfect, cool backdrop for this incredibly hot romance. This book is the definition of a "page-turner." It is a perfect execution of the fake-dating and opposites-attract tropes. The witty banter and the sizzling chemistry between the brainy, sarcastic Hannah and the surprisingly thoughtful Garrett are absolutely electric. This book is a cornerstone of the modern sports romance trend and has become a massive, word-of-mouth hit on BookTok for a reason. It is a fun, sexy, and incredibly addictive read. For more on this iconic book, check out our full The Deal book review.
Call to Action: Find out why the whole world is obsessed with hockey romance with this steamy and addictive classic.
🔹 Buy The Deal on Amazon here →
3. The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
The Vibe: A wonderfully weird, ghostly, and deeply moving romantic comedy.
Synopsis: The Dead Romantics is a brilliant and completely unique novel. The story follows Florence Day, a ghostwriter for a famous romance novelist who, after a terrible breakup, no longer believes in love. When her new editor refuses to grant her an extension on her current manuscript, she is at her breaking point. Then, she gets a call that her beloved father has died, and she must return to her small, Southern hometown—a town where her family runs the local funeral home. Overwhelmed by grief, she is shocked when the ghost of her new, incredibly handsome editor appears in her room.
Why It's a Perfect Snowy Escape: While it’s not set in the snow, this book is the perfect, cozy, and slightly spooky read for the long, dark nights of winter. It is a beautiful, heartfelt, and surprisingly funny exploration of grief, family, and the power of love to heal. The small-town setting is full of quirky, lovable characters, and the romance between Florence and her ghostly editor is one of the most unique and charming you will ever read. It is a book that will make you laugh, cry, and believe in the enduring power of a great love story. It’s a book that is both deeply emotional and wonderfully weird, a quality shared by some of our favorite TV comedies. For more on this wonderful book, read our full The Dead Romantics book review.
Call to Action: Fall in love with a ghost in this beautiful, unique, and deeply moving romantic comedy.
🔹 Shop for The Dead Romantics on Amazon here →
External Link: The official website of author Ashley Poston is a great place to explore her other fantasy and romance novels.
2. Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score
The Vibe: The ultimate grumpy/sunshine, small-town romance epic.
Synopsis: Lucy Score’s Things We Never Got Over is not just a book; it is a phenomenon. This massive, 500+ page novel became a word-of-mouth, BookTok-driven blockbuster, and for good reason. The story follows Naomi Witt, a runaway bride who, after being robbed by her evil twin sister, finds herself stranded and penniless in the quirky, small town of Knockemout, Virginia, and unexpectedly in charge of the 11-year-old niece she didn't know she had. Her only hope is the town’s grumpy, brooding, and ridiculously handsome barber, Knox Morgan, who wants nothing to do with her complicated situation.
Why It's a Perfect Snowy Escape: This book is the ultimate small-town romance experience. Knockemout is a perfectly realized world, full of lovable, meddling side characters who will make you want to move there immediately. The romance between the sunshine-in-human-form Naomi and the ultimate grumpy-but-secretly-a-teddy-bear Knox is a masterclass in the grumpy/sunshine slow burn. The book is a perfect blend of laugh-out-loud humor, high-stakes suspense, and incredibly steamy romance. It is a long, immersive, and deeply satisfying read, the perfect book to get completely lost in over a long, snowy weekend. The book’s incredible, heartfelt story is as moving as the best songs from Ed Sheeran.
Call to Action: Discover the BookTok phenomenon that has captured the hearts of millions.
External Link: You can explore the thousands of glowing reader reviews for this book on its official Goodreads page.
1. Rock Bottom Girl by Lucy Score
The Vibe: A hilarious, heartwarming, and deeply relatable second-chance romance about coming home.
Synopsis: Taking the top spot on our list is another gem from the queen of the small-town romance, Lucy Score. Rock Bottom Girl is the story of Marley, a woman who, after losing her job and her fiancé in the same week, is forced to move back into her childhood bedroom in her quirky, small hometown. At her absolute rock bottom, she is offered a job as the history teacher and girls' soccer coach at her old high school. The only problem? She has to co-coach with Jake, her high school crush, the one that got away, and the man who is now her best friend's brother-in-law.
Why It's a Perfect Snowy Escape: This book is the ultimate "comfort read." It is a hilarious, heartfelt, and deeply relatable story about the messy, often embarrassing, journey of starting over. The small-town, snowy setting is pure, cozy perfection. The romance is a beautiful, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers story that is full of witty banter and palpable chemistry. But the true heart of the book is Marley’s journey of self-discovery and rediscovery. It is a story about finding your strength, your purpose, and your happiness in the last place you ever expected to look. It is a book that will make you laugh, cry, and believe in the power of a second chance. It is, without a doubt, the perfect book to get lost in on a snowy winter's night.
Call to Action: Laugh, cry, and fall in love with this perfect, cozy, and heartfelt small-town romance.
External Link: The official website of author Lucy Score is the best place to find information on her many other beloved small-town romance novels.
Conclusion
A great snowy small-town romance is more than just a book; it’s a feeling. It’s the feeling of coming home, of being surrounded by a community that cares, and of finding a love that feels as warm and as comforting as a crackling fire on a cold night. The ten books on this list are the pinnacle of the genre, a collection of stories that are funny, heartfelt, steamy, and deeply magical. They are a celebration of the simple, profound joy of a great love story. So, this winter, as the snow begins to fall, pick a title from this list, brew a warm drink, and allow yourself to be transported to a world where every town is charming, every hero is secretly a softie, and love always finds a way.
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FAQs
What are the most popular tropes in small-town romance? The most popular tropes include grumpy/sunshine, enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance, forced proximity (often due to being snowed-in!), and the "fish out of water" (a city person moving to a small town).
Are all these books "spicy"? It's a mix. Books by Tessa Bailey and Lucy Score are known for their explicit, "open door" romantic scenes. Others, like A Cross-Country Christmas, are "closed door," focusing on romance without the explicit details. Always check content warnings if you have a preference.
What does "BookTok" mean? "BookTok" is the name for the community of readers, authors, and book lovers on the social media platform TikTok. It has become an incredibly powerful force in the publishing industry, capable of making books go viral and become bestsellers.
Do I need to read the other books in a series to enjoy the ones on this list? For the most part, no. Most modern romance series, like Elle Kennedy's Off-Campus series, are a series of interconnected standalones, meaning each book focuses on a different couple and can be read on its own.
What is a "grumpy/sunshine" romance? This is a very popular romance trope where one of the main characters has a grumpy, cynical, or stoic personality, and the other has a bright, optimistic, and "sunshiney" disposition. The joy of the story is watching the sunshine character melt the grumpy one's icy exterior.
I'm new to the romance genre. Which book on this list is the best to start with? The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox is a fantastic starting point. It’s funny, charming, low-angst, and a perfect introduction to the modern rom-com.
Are there any LGBTQ+ romance options that fit this theme? Absolutely! The Mistletoe Motive by Chloe Liese is a wonderful M/F romance with neurodiverse representation, but the author also writes fantastic LGBTQ+ romances. For a great snowy, small-town LGBTQ+ romance, you might enjoy In the Event of Love by Courtney Kae.
Where can I find content warnings for these books? The StoryGraph is an excellent alternative to Goodreads that allows users to submit and view detailed content warnings for things like explicit content, violence, or other potentially triggering themes. Author websites also often provide this information.
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