Christmas in July

Posted July 11, 2019 / Book Lists, Features / 6 Comments

You guys know how much I love reading Christmassy books during the holiday season, usually just between November and December. This year I thought it would be fun to do a little “Christmas in July” list to share which holiday books I’m already thinking about for my 2019 reading list. I was somewhat inspired by YA Book Nerd’s recent TTT about Christmas romances! I won’t actually read any of these books prior to November, I’m certain, but here are some early reads for your TBRs 😉

Christmas ShopaholicChristmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Series: Shopaholic
Pub date:
October 17, 2019

Celebrate Christmas with the ultimate Shopaholic! 

The brilliant laugh-out-loud festive novel from the Number One bestselling author.

Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) adores Christmas. It’s always the same – Mum and Dad hosting, carols playing, Mum pretending she made the Christmas pudding, and the next-door neighbours coming round for sherry in their terrible festive jumpers.

And now it’s even easier with online bargain-shopping sites – if you spend enough you even get free delivery. Sorted!

But this year looks set to be different. Unable to resist the draw of craft beer and smashed avocado, Becky’s parents are moving to ultra-trendy Shoreditch and have asked Becky if she’ll host Christmas this year. What could possibly go wrong?

With sister Jess demanding a vegan turkey, husband Luke determined that he just wants aftershave again, and little Minnie insisting on a very specific picnic hamper – surely Becky can manage all this, as well as the surprise appearance of an old boyfriend and his pushy new girlfriend, whose motives are far from clear . . .

Will chaos ensue, or will Becky manage to bring comfort and joy to Christmas?

I read a handful of the Shopaholic books when I was younger (way too young to understand anything happening in them) and have been meaning to reread or revisit them at some point! I think this “standalone” Christmas book would be a perfect way to dive back in and get more Kinsella into my life. I love the cover too!


Snowfall on Cedar Trail (Sweetwater Springs #3)Snowfall on Cedar Trail by Annie Rains

Series: Sweetwater Springs
Pub date: October 8, 2019

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a heartwarming holiday romance between the a small-town florist and the handsome chief of police.

Includes the bonus novel Then There Was You by Miranda Liasson!

Angel Falls is the perfect small town for falling in love. But that’s the last thing on Dr. Sara Langdon’s mind as she returns home. But when her first patient turns out to be her first-crush-turned-nemesis Colton Walker, Sara starts wondering if home really is where the heart is….

First thing to note: I was so confused that this was a 700+ page book but apparently there’s a whole second novel in here! Anyways, I LOVE SWEETWATER SPRINGS and Annie Rains writes some of my favorite romances at the moment. If you’re a fan of small town romances (especially companion series with recurring characters), you need to dive into this series. I love the way Annie Rains writes, and the fact that there’s generally a spring/summer-themed book and a winter/holiday-themed book later in the year. Gimme all the books by her!!


Royal HolidayRoyal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory

Series: The Wedding Date
Pub date: October 1, 2019

New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory makes her hardcover debut with a heartwarming Christmas romance.

Vivian Forest has been out of the country a grand total of one time, so when she gets the chance to tag along on her daughter Maddie’s work trip to England to style a royal family member, she can’t refuse. She’s excited to spend the holidays taking in the magnificent British sights, but what she doesn’t expect is to become instantly attracted to a certain Private Secretary and his charming accent and unyielding formality.

Malcolm Hudson has been the Queen’s Private Secretary for years and has never given a personal, private tour…until now. He is intrigued by Vivian the moment he meets her and finds himself making excuses just to spend time with her. When flirtatious banter turns into a kiss under the mistletoe, things snowball into a full-on fling.

Despite a ticking timer on their holiday romance, they are completely fine with ending their short, steamy fling come New Year’s Day…or are they?

I didn’t even realize at first that this was a part of the same series as her other books! Sweet. I need to get to the most recent/upcoming release first but obviously this one will be happening around the holidays. The cover is incredibly adorable and I’m obsessed with it.


The Candy Cane CaperThe Candy Cane Caper by Josi S. Kilpack

Series: Cozy Culinary Mysteries
Pub date: October 1, 2019

The theft of a friend’s priceless, family-legacy Christmas ornaments brings amateur detective and culinary expert, Sadie Hoffmiller, back on the case in a new standalone cozy mystery.

In the latest chapter to the Culinary Mystery series, amateur detective Sadie Hoffmiller continues combining her sleuthing with her cooking and baking to connect with people and gain information she might otherwise not have access to. Moreover, now that Sadie is married to Detective Pete Cunningham, she has a street-savvy husband to test out her crime-solving theories.

With Christmas approaching, Sadie is preparing for a large blended-family gathering—including many new grandchildren—in their home in Fort Collins, Colorado.  Even with the festive chaos, Sadie drops everything when word gets out that her friend, Mary, is the victim of a holiday robbery.

At ninety-four years old, and nearly blind, Mary knows this is may be her last Christmas and the last year to enjoy her family heirloom Christmas tree ornaments. She wants just one more holiday to display her ornaments and following Christmas Eve Mass, she’ll pass them on to her great-granddaughter, Joy. Though priceless to the family, the collection has been valued at $40,000, and the Christmas tree in the care facility has never looked so good. But before the ornaments can be retrieved by Mary, eleven of the most expensive ornaments are stolen.

A holiday Christmas caper might be new to Sadie, but she’s ready to mix in her seasoned crime-solving skills with a pinch of new holiday recipes.

I wrote a while back that I’ve been getting myself into cozy mysteries when I’m in the mood. I think this would expand nicely into the holiday season too! This one claims to be a standalone novel within the general series about culinary-based mysteries, so we’ll see if I get to it and test it out!


Coming Home for ChristmasComing Home for Christmas by RaeAnne Thayne

Series: Haven Point
Pub date: September 24, 2019

Hearts are lighter and wishes burn a little brighter at Christmas…

Elizabeth Hamilton has been lost. Trapped in a tangle of postpartum depression and grief after the death of her beloved parents, she couldn’t quite see the way back to her husband and their two beautiful kids…until a car accident stole away her memories and changed her life. And when she finally remembered the sound of little Cassie’s laugh, the baby powder smell of Bridger and the feel of her husband’s hand in hers, Elizabeth worried that they’d moved on without her. That she’d missed too much. That perhaps she wasn’t the right mother for her kids or wife for Luke, no matter how much she loved them.

But now, seven years later, Luke finds her in a nearby town and brings Elizabeth back home to the family she loves, just in time for Christmas. And being reunited with Luke and her children is better than anything Elizabeth could have imagined. As they all trim the tree and bake cookies, making new holiday memories, Elizabeth and Luke are drawn ever closer. Can the hurt of the past seven years be healed over the course of one Christmas season and bring the Hamiltons the gift of a new beginning?

I’m never clear about if the Haven Point series is coming to an end or not, but I am usually made a happy camper mid-year when I realize there’s yet another book! This is one setting in particular I just can’t get enough of. I look forward to diving back in, that’s for sure.


A Wedding in DecemberA Wedding in December

Pub date: September 24, 2019

In the snowy perfection of Aspen, the White family gathers for youngest daughter Rosie’s whirlwind Christmas wedding. First to arrive are the bride’s parents, Maggie and Nick. Their daughter’s marriage is a milestone they are determined to celebrate wholeheartedly, but they are hiding a huge secret of their own: they are on the brink of divorce. After living apart for the last six months, the last thing they need is to be trapped together in an irresistibly romantic winter wonderland.

Rosie’s older sister, Katie, is also dreading the wedding. Worried that impulsive, sweet-hearted Rosie is making a mistake, Katie is determined to save her sister from herself! If only the irritatingly good-looking best man, Jordan, would stop interfering with her plans…

Bride-to-be Rosie loves her fiancé but is having serious second thoughts. Except everyone has arrived—how can she tell them she’s not sure? As the big day gets closer, and emotions run even higher, this is one White family Christmas none of them will ever forget!

I haven’t read a Sarah Morgan book yet but she’s one of those adult romancey/chick lit authors that’s been on my radar for a while. I love the idea of a Christmas wedding-themed book and a bunch of family secrets potentially coming to light: cold feet, pending divorce, sibling drama, etc.


Christmas in VermontChristmas in Vermont by Anita Hughes

Pub date: October 15, 2019

A sweet holiday love story about the magic of synchronicity and fate set at a quaint Vermont inn during the week after Christmas. 

Emma can’t believe her luck when she finds an open pawn shop on Christmas Eve in Manhattan. She’s there to sell the beautiful bracelet her ex-boyfriend gave her when a familiar looking watch catches her eye. It’s the same engraved watch she gave her college boyfriend, Fletcher, years ago. On a whim, she trades the bracelet for the watch and wonders at the timing.

Practical Emma thinks it’s just a coincidence, but her best friend Bronwyn believes it’s the magic of synchronicity that caused Emma to find the watch. Fletcher was the one that got away, and somehow Emma never quite moved on.

When Bronwyn finds out that Fletcher is in snowy Vermont at a romantic inn for the week, she can’t help but give synchronicity a push. She signs Emma up to help the inn keeper as the children’s activity coordinator. Emma agrees that a week filled with quaint shops and maple syrup would do her good… and maybe Fate really does have a Christmas gift in store for her. That is until she sees Fletcher with his daughter and fiancée.

Suddenly, the fairytale trip seems doomed to fail… much like the innkeeper’s dwindling cashflow. It will take a miracle to save her heart and the inn. And that just might be what Fate has in mind.

Christmas in Vermont is a delightful and charming love story about the magic of second chances during the most festive time of year.

There is a LOT about this book summary that appeals to ya girl – Vermont, Christmas, the concept of synchronicity, second chance at love, a romantic inn… give me all of those things please. I tried to scour Netgalley for a few new Christmassy books for this list and despite being interested in a couple others too, this is the only one I went out of my way to request!


The Little Bookshop on the SeineThe Little Bookshop on the Siene by Rebecca Raisin

Series: The Little Paris Collection
Original pub date:
Originally October 16, 2015
Republishing date: January 7, 2020

Bookshop owner Sarah Smith has been offered the opportunity to exchange bookshops with her new Parisian friend for 6 months! And saying yes is a no-brainer – after all, what kind of a romantic would turn down a trip to Paris…for Christmas?

Even if it does mean leaving the irresistible Ridge Warner behind, Sarah’s sure she’s in for the holiday of a lifetime – complete with all the books she can read!

Imagining days wandering around Shakespeare & Co, munching on croissants, sipping café au laits and watching the snow fall on the Champs-Élysées Sarah boards the plane.

But will her dream of a Parisian Happily-Ever-After come true? Or will Sarah realise that the dream of a Christmas fairytale in the city of love isn’t quite as rosy in reality…

I’ve encountered some Rebecca Raisin books before and this new cover/republished version caught my eye on Netgalley! I love it so much and the premise sounds similar to The Holiday movie but add in BOOKS. The main character swaps her bookshop with her friend in Paris, so she plans to spend Christmas there in her friend’s shop. It sounds like a great holiday story so hopefully the original version (Kindle?) may be available before the kinda random January 2020 pub date…

6 responses to “Christmas in July

  1. Alex

    The Little Bookshop on the Seine sounds so cute (I totally thought about The Holiday as I was reading the summary too)! I’ll have to check that one out!

  2. […] I always have the idea to do a “Christmas in July” feature on my blog because it’s riiiight around this time of year when I notice all of the holiday books coming out in September/October. I browsed Nick’s amazing list of romances coming out in the second half of 2021 and many of them were excellent-sounding holiday books! I thought now would be a great time to dive into back into this kind of post (last/first done in 2019). […]

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