Any *GOOD* Holiday Romances?

ladynaava · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 938 Location: California

I like holiday "Christmas" romances, can anyone recommend some that actually have a good plot?

I don't like them to be treacly or sappy... They should have a decent story without the Christmas elements... In other words they shouldn't rely on just "Holiday cheer" to be *THE* story.

Any time period is good...

Thanks,

N

Jean Wan AAR · Joined: 13 Apr 2009 Posts: 383 Location: Toronto, Canada

Well aren't you lucky! AAR just created a Christmas list.

http://www.likesbooks.com/christmas.html
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LeeB. · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 1221 Location: Seattle, WA

And if you like anthologies, check out this blog entry: http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?p=2947
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ladynaava · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 938 Location: California

Thanks! I was actually hoping for some recommendations from folks who might've read some of these. I have seen the list....

I'm more interested in full-length stories than anthologies.

thanks,

N

library addict · Joined: 06 Dec 2008 Posts: 1215

I've got a few books from Marilyn Pappano's Bethleham series on my keeper shelf. Hallmark took the first book, A Season of Miracles, and made it into a really sappy movie, but the book has much more realism to it (even with the angel Laughing

). I also really liked Some Enchanted Season.

You could also try Mistletoe Bay by Marcia Evanick. It's part of her Misty Harbor series and not one of her best books, but it can be read as a stand alone.

And Point of No Return by Rachel Lee. It's book 6 of her Conard County series and IMO is better if you've read the previous books. Not sure how much Christmas is featured in it as it's been a while since I've read it, but I'm pretty sure it's set around the holidays.

Cora · Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 1088 Location: Bremen, Germany

There's "Hot Toy" by Jennifer Crusie, a novella which appeared in an anthology called Santa Baby a few years back. The other stories in the anthology weren't bad either.

I also remember enjoying "The Lucky Coin" by Barbara Metzger in one of those Regency Christmas anthologies.

Two of J.D. Robb's in Death novels, Holiday in Death and Memory in Death are set during consecutive Christmasses and balance the actual mystery plot and the holiday stuff quite well IMO. One of the In Death novellas, I think Midnight in Death is set between Christmas and New Year as well.

If you like fantasy, Once Upon Stilettos and Damsel Under Stress by Shanna Swendson are both set during the holiday season, Once Upon Stilettos takes place from around Thanksgiving to approx. a week before Christmas, while Damsel Under Stress takes place in the time from approx. a week before Christmas until approx. January 3rd. They both have a festive atmosphere, but the holiday season is background, not the plot. However, they're parts 2 and 3 of a series and you'll probably also want to read book 1, Enchanted Inc., and you'll definitely want to read book 4, Don't Hex with Texas.

Nana · Joined: 02 Apr 2007 Posts: 890

Carla Kelly's Marian's Christmas Wish is wonderful, but like all old Carla Kellys can be hard to find.

Alexandra Sellers' A Nice Girl Like You is a contemporary set in Toronto across the holiday season (starting with Thanksgiving). I really loved this book and put it on my keeper shelf. I always recommend it when categories come up.

Fannie Flagg's A Redbird Christmas is a wonderful novel about a man who's told he has a year to live and moves to a small Southern town. It's got that "happiness is a small town" vibe but I enjoy those stories. It has strong romantic elements and a happy ending in spite of the premise, so don't let that put you off reading. Same author as Fried Green Tomatoes.

(Edited to add: Sellers is available on Amazon for under $4 at http://www.amazon.com/Nice-Girl-Silhouette-Yours-Truly/dp/0373520336/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256639780&sr=8-22, Kelly is available starting at $8.66, http://www.amazon.com/Marians-Christmas-Signet-Regency-Romance/dp/0451163311/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256639935&sr=1-1)

Vol Fan · Joined: 30 Dec 2008 Posts: 281 Location: Tennessee

Annique · Joined: 02 Jan 2009 Posts: 39 Location: South Central Ohio

I loved Carla Kelly's An Object of Charity from the 1999 anthology A Regency Christmas Present. I hope to find it this year for a reread through the interlibrary loan. Gosh it was good.

Jean Wan AAR · Joined: 13 Apr 2009 Posts: 383 Location: Toronto, Canada

Forgot. "Beast of Belleterre" in Christmas Revels, Mary Jo Putney. One of the best short stories I've read.
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ladynaava · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 938 Location: California

thanks so much! I appreciate the rec's..

Tee · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 4046 Location: Detroit Metro

Susan/DC · Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 1596

A trad Regency that I enjoyed is Elisabeth Fairchild's Sugarplum Surprises. It was reissued last year so should be easy to find. It's about a young dressmaker, Jane Nichol, who thinks she will go bankrupt when Edward Brydges breaks his engagement and his fiance refuses to pay for the trousseau she'd ordered. Jane confronts the duke and, as you'd expect in a romance, they fall in love. I liked both Jane and Edward and also like Fairchild's voice. She does longing so well, when people feel constrained by the mores of their society and their own conscience but want something so very much. The holiday (specifically the desire to belong to a loving family during the season) adds to the story, but I think it would have worked in any season.

Kayne · Joined: 31 Mar 2007 Posts: 783

Bond Street Carolers by Mary Balogh in A Regency Christmas Carol Anthology.

LynnS/AAR · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 115

Most of my favorite Christmas stories come from anthologies, but for full-length novels, I really like Christmas Angel by Jo Beverley. It relies on much more than just holiday trappings to be a good read.

LynnS.