Book picks similar to
The Gift by Joanne Clancy


christmas
contemporary
first-reads
holiday

The Wedding Dress Diaries


Aimee Carson - 2013
    She’d spent every summer in the Hamptons with his family as a kid, fantasizing about kissing him. But she’s shocked to discover that the confident boy who’d given Amber her first taste of love has become a man who mocks its very existence.Parker can’t believe the girl who used to follow him around has grown into a beautiful woman—one with some very naughty ideas when she fits him for his tux. But Amber also knows why he’s shut everyone out of his life. She’s not the kind of woman Parker gets involved with…even if he can’t keep his hands off her.Amber doesn’t do one-night stands or casual hookups, but she’s wanted Parker long enough to make him an exception—especially if she can convince him he needs love in his life, too.

A Notting Hill Christmas


Jon Rance - 2015
     One family. A tiny flat in Notting Hill. A beautiful neighbour. A very angry dog. A horny Welshman. An enormous turkey. On the biggest day of the year. What could possibly go wrong? Meet Ben Canterbury, 29, single, lives in a poky flat in Notting Hill with horny Welshman, Rufus. His life has been one disappointment after another. What makes it worse is that his brother, Jamie, is the complete opposite - a Barrister to Ben’s Barista - with a family and a proper house in Twickenham. In an attempt to compete with his perfect brother, Ben insists he hosts the family Christmas, but it isn’t long before he realises he’s way out of his depth. Ben’s flat isn't big enough for everyone (including one very angry dog), the Christmas tree’s from the £1 shop, the decorations are hung with Blu-Tack, and the turkey might not fit in the oven. Ben’s definitely not feeling the Christmas spirit. But when beautiful new neighbour, Mhairi McGregor, appears at his door, Ben’s Christmas worries go out of the window and he begins to wonder if it might not be the worst Christmas in history after all. Amid all the drama, drinking and carnage of Christmas Day, will Ben find true love or will it be another disappointment to add to the list? A Notting Hill Christmas is a brilliantly funny, feel-good, festive novella perfect for fans of romantic comedies like Love Actually and Notting Hill.

Melody's Christmas


I.D. Johnson - 2017
    She returns to her hometown of Charles Town, West Virginia, to help her mother save the family antique business, content to stay focused on her work. However, when a chance encounter with an adorable five-year-old leads her to befriend an attractive single dad, Melody begins to realize she's been putting her life on hold, something her father would've never wished for her. Will she learn to hear the song in the falling snow again? Reid has recently moved to Charles Town to start over after his wife walked out, leaving him alone to raise their son, Michael. When Michael decides he needs Melody Murphy in his life, Reid needs to find out what it is that has his son drawn to the young woman like a magnet. The closer he gets to Melody, the more he begins to believe he might get a second chance at love after all. This is a sweet contemporary romance with Christian themes, perfect for holiday reading.

Scrooged


Vi Keeland - 2018
    It was bad enough I was on my way to court for the gift of eviction.Although maybe today wouldn't turn out so bad after all.The Sexy Scrooge and I started to connect as we trudged our way through a storm. Our ride was about to end. But would I ever see him again?"THE MERRY MISTAKE"Note to self: Ask Santa for glasses this year. When I accidentally mistook a gorgeous man resting outside my building for a homeless person in need of a lunch, we got into it. I'd only been trying to do a good deed around the holidays, but he called me righteous. I called him something far worse. If only I didn't have to see him again. But fate had other plans."KISSMAS IN NEW YORK"It was just supposed to be a simple kiss with a stranger. I'd done it to prove a point - that I hadn't lost my sense of adventure. But you know what they about the best laid plans. Maybe I'd get something in my stocking after all this holiday season. . .

A Winter's Knight


Elizabeth Cole - 2012
    But her rescuer, the mysterious Anthony Sterling, immediately melts her heart and makes her dream of a life beyond her tiny, sheltered world. The more she gets to know him, the more she senses he is hiding something from her.When Captain Anthony Sterling was wounded in battle, he lost his leg, his fiancee, and any hope for happiness. Even the revelation that he is the heir to a fortune brought him nothing but bitterness. Then his chance encounter with the charming, innocent Phoebe makes him wonder if there may be a future for him after all. But first he must escape the shadows of his past.

Believing Again: A Tale of Two Christmases


Martin Crosbie - 2013
    James proposes to her and promises that they’ll have lots of Christmases together. When Stephen returns home after serving overseas all he wants is to spend Christmas with his new wife, Myra. All he can think about is her touch, her warmth. A compelling story of two couples, traveling their separate paths, building their lives together, until one day a secret is revealed that changes all of their lives. And, afterward, nothing will ever be the same again. Believing Again: A Tale of two Christmases is a heart-warming tale of love, commitment, family, and, of course, Christmas.

A Snowy Little Christmas


Fern Michaels - 2019
    . . and snow . . . and snow . . . STARRY NIGHT * Fern Michaels As the host of a radio program for the lovelorn, Jessie Richmond is surprisingly lonely, especially with the holidays approaching. So she decides to make the trek to her uncle's bookstore in rural New York state and hold a speed dating event--only to find herself snowed in--with one very special single . . . MISTLETOE AND MIMOSAS * Tara Sheets After years of hard work, real estate agent Layla Gentry has her dream home on Pine Cove Island. She's perfectly content to be on her own. Until her childhood nemesis, Sebastian, comes to town. When a snowstorm and a stranded kitten bring them together on Christmas Eve, Layla discovers he's all grown up--and she may have one more dream left . . .MISSING CHRISTMAS * Kate Clayborn It's all work and no play for two longtime friends-turned-business-partners Kristen and Jasper--until an unexpected kiss turns things personal. Will it mean the end of something, or the beginning? With a major contract in the balance, Christmas around the corner, and a lot of unspoken feelings, it may take an unpredictable blizzard in New England to seal the deal . . .

Christmas at Copper Mountain


Jane Porter - 2013
    Taking the temporary job at the Copper Mountain Ranch as widower Brock Sheenan’s housekeeper seems perfect for her. But her calm cocoon is invaded with the arrival of Brock’s pre-teen twins, Mack and Molly who’ve never experienced a proper Christmas and before she knows it, Harley’s determined to make their holiday perfect. Annoyed at first by Harley’s interference, Brock is secretly pleased she’s changed Mack and Molly’s world. It doesn’t hurt that he finds Harley incredibly attractive, fierce, smart and passionate. It’s also an added bonus that she’s not afraid to challenge him and get his blood heated! But when sparks fly and the attractions sizzles between them, Harley’s not so sure she can handle something permanent with this dark, taciturn cowboy who doesn’t know how to let her in. But Brock is determined to hold on to her and praying for a Christmas miracle…

Almost Perfect


Julie Ortolon - 2005
    And the worst part is, it's sort of true. Together they make a pact: they'll face down their fears—and maybe show Miss Perfect a thing or two!A Free SpiritMaddy was always the artistic one of the group, alive with color and mischief from her saucy red curls to her vintage hippie skirts. Her challenge, the friends decide, is to get her artwork accepted at a gallery. A job as arts director at a summer camp near Santa Fe—with its multitude of galleries—seems like a start in the right direction.A Reformed Bad BoyThere’s just one catch: The camp is run by Maddy’s high school flame, Joe, whose heart she broke—okay, smashed—and his anger towards Maddy hasn’t cooled one bit. But neither has their attraction.A Perfect Match?Old desires burn hotter than ever as Joe makes it clear there’s only one way back to his heart: She has to get serious about her art. But will falling in love help or hinder Maddy as she struggles to meet her challenge?

A Cowboy For Christmas


Katherine Garbera - 2013
    A humiliating divorce that cost her everything she’d gained has driven her back home and her family isn’t about to welcome her back into the fold. She’s in town to rebuild the old home that she inherited and to move on once again.Carson Scott never forgot Annie or the way she left. Now that she’s back in town he’s realizing that the old flame still burns hot but he can’t risk his heart the way he did last time now that he has his son to think about it. Being trapped together during a December snowstorm gives them a chance to rekindle their romance but is Annie back for good or is she just looking for a cowboy for Christmas?

Unwrapped


K.B. Winters - 2016
     Unwrapped is published in Holiday Bad Boys Christmas Bundle! This exclusive edition has a brand new bonus chapter, deleted scenes and never before love scenes! Steven Maxwell After four long years in the sandbox, I was finally going home for Christmas. I expected Christmas trees, hot toddies and more cookies than I could eat. But when I went to visit my old pal Rick, I got more than I bargained for when Ruby, his little sister, answered the door. Ruby "Brace Face"— only now she's all grown up and I can't keep my mind off of her — or my hands. I know it's wrong. I'm breaking every bro code there is. But I can't help myself. I want her. Ruby I wasn't looking for a hero, but when Steven Maxwell showed up on my parents front porch, it was just in the nick of time. After my worst holiday season in history, Steven was just the distraction I needed to get me through New Years in one piece. As long as my brother didn't find out, we were safe. Which shouldn't be that hard, except one night turns into two and gets me wishing I didn't have to return to my catastrophic life back in New York. But that would be crazy, wouldn't it? Unwrapped is a novella-length forbidden romance with a sexy Navy SEAL, no cliffhanger and a very happy ending. Intended for readers 18+ due to Kindle-melting scenes and other mature content. For a limited time, Northern Lights - A Novel is also included in this Kindle edition for your reading pleasure! Enjoy! xoxoxoxo

Going All In


Jess Dee - 2009
    She’s in love with two of her fellow card players, and much as she’d like to pick and confess her true feelings to one man, she won’t. Not if it means risking the love of the other.Hunter Miles has wanted Julia for four months, and he’s about to deal a hand she couldn’t see coming. He’s determined to give her a New Year’s Eve celebration she never expected. He’s going to seduce her—in front of his friend and rival for her affections, Jay Baxter. But Jay’s not willing to lay down his cards. He’s going after Julia too, and he’s not above bluffing to get what he wants. Either way, one of them is going to win her over.Unless they change the rules of the game. If they double up, there’s a chance they can split the pot…

Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I


Hazel Gaynor - 2017
    England is at war. As Evie Elliott watches her brother, Will, and his best friend, Thomas Harding, depart for the front, she believes—as everyone does—that it will be over by Christmas, when the trio plan to celebrate the holiday among the romantic cafes of Paris.But as history tells us, it all happened so differently…Evie and Thomas experience a very different war. Frustrated by life as a privileged young lady, Evie longs to play a greater part in the conflict—but how?—and as Thomas struggles with the unimaginable realities of war he also faces personal battles back home where War Office regulations on press reporting cause trouble at his father’s newspaper business. Through their letters, Evie and Thomas share their greatest hopes and fears—and grow ever fonder from afar. Can love flourish amid the horror of the First World War, or will fate intervene?Christmas 1968. With failing health, Thomas returns to Paris—a cherished packet of letters in hand—determined to lay to rest the ghosts of his past. But one final letter is waiting for him…

The Honeymoon Cottage


Barbara Cool Lee - 2012
    But when she arrives in Pajaro Bay, she finds a village full of cute cottages, quirky characters... and a killer on the loose who's somehow linked to her, the young boy, and the darling little house known as The Honeymoon Cottage. The Pajaro Bay stories are filled with light and breezy, heartwarming fun, and always leave you with a happy ending.

A Marriage Carol


Chris Fabry - 2011
    Over time they have drifted apart; the sparks are dead. Marlee is convinced she married the wrong man, and Jake feels tied down to the wrong woman. Jake is distant and tired of being controlled, while Marlee is tired of being the only one trying to the save their marriage. They go to bed Christmas Eve, in separate rooms, each rationalizing... life is too short to be miserable... love shouldn't hurt like this... their marriage must end for happiness to return.But then something peculiar happens: The ghosts of Marriage Past, Marriage Present, and Marriage Future reveal to them their past choices and present realities, and how their future might look if they do not change their stories.Jake and Marlee experience a Christmas gift that will radically change their thinking and cause them to look at marriage not for what they can get out of it, but for what God can do in and through their marriage.