Book picks similar to
The Treasure of Christmas by Melody Carlson


christmas
christian-fiction
christian
christmas-books

Paper Angels


Jimmy Wayne - 2011
    Attempting to navigate the busyness of the mall at Christmas, Kevin is humbled when he stumbles across the Salvation Army's Angel Tree Project. His wife insists that he take a paper ornament. The name on the ornament is Thomas Brandt, a fifteen-year-old still reeling from the implosion of his family—from years of verbal abuse from an alcoholic father to a mother who finally left him behind, only to find herself and her children penniless and struggling. The only thing has allowed Lynn to survive is her faith. Thomas shares that faith, but he also wonders why God has seemingly abandoned them. This is the story about a man and a boy one December. A man whose life is changed by a simple expression of kindness, and a boy who takes that expression of kindness and shows the true meaning of Christmas.

A Redbird Christmas


Fannie Flagg - 2004
    From the beloved author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe comes her latest New York Times bestseller--a new Yuletide classic about small-town America and larger-than-life wonders.

The Little Christmas Kitchen


Jenny Oliver - 2014
    Enjoy!Christmas at the Davenports’ house was always about one thing: food. But when sisters Ella and Maddy were split up, Ella to live in London with their Dad, and Maddy staying in Greece with their Mum, mince pies lost their magic.Now, a cheating husband has thrown Ella a curved snowball…and for the first time in years, all she wants is her mum. So she heads back to Greece, where her family’s taverna holds all the promise of home. Meanwhile, waitress Maddy’s dreams of a white Christmas lead her back to London… and her Dad.But a big fat festive life-swap isn’t as easy as it sounds! And as the sisters trade one kitchen for another, it suddenly seems that among the cinnamon, cranberries and icing sugar, their recipes for a perfect Christmas might be missing a crucial ingredient: each other.

The Dogs of Christmas


W. Bruce Cameron - 2013
    Bruce Cameron, the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling novel A Dog's Purpose, which is now a major motion picture!While nursing a broken heart, Josh Michaels is outraged when a neighbor abandons his very pregnant dog, Lucy, at Josh's Colorado home. But Josh can't resist Lucy's soulful brown eyes, and though he's never had a dog before, he's determined to do the best he can for Lucy—and her soon-to-arrive, bound-to-be-adorable puppies.Soon in over his head, Josh calls the local animal shelter for help, and meets Kerri, a beautiful woman with a quick wit and a fierce love for animals. As Kerri teaches Josh how to care for Lucy's tiny puppies and gets them ready to be adopted through the shelter's "Dogs of Christmas" program, Josh surprises himself by falling for her.But he's fallen even harder for his new furry family, which has brought incredible joy into Josh's life. He barely has time to sit down, between chasing after adventurous Sophie and brave Oliver, but when he does, his lap is quickly filled by the affectionate Lola. And Rufus and Cody's strong bond makes Josh wonder about his own relationships with his family.With Christmas and the adoption date looming, Josh finds himself wondering if he can separate himself from his beloved puppies. At odds with Kerri, Josh isn't willing to lose her, but doesn't know how to set things right. Can a surprise litter of Christmas puppies really change one man's life?W. Bruce Cameron's The Dogs of Christmas is a charming and heartwarming holiday tale that explores the power of love, trust, and a basket full of puppies.

The Paper Bag Christmas


Kevin Alan Milne - 2006
    Christopher Ringle is the last person you'd expect to find moonlighting as Santa Claus at the mall on the day after Thanksgiving. But it is there that he meets a young man named Molar Alan, who desperately needs a new perspective on the underlying value of Christmas. Dr. Ringle recruits Mo and his older brother as volunteers at a nearby children's hospital for the holiday season. At the hospital, Mo is tasked to help bring holiday cheer to the young cancer patients on the fifth floor. His biggest challenge is befriending a decidedly angry girl who is so embarrassed by her scarred appearance that she hides her face behind the safety of a paper bag. Almost in spite of himself, Mo finds that Christmas joy emanates from a source far greater than the North Pole, while the young girl learns that she is more beautiful than she had ever imagined.

Comfort & Joy


Kristin Hannah - 2005
    Now, as the holiday approaches, she is at a crossroads in her life; recently divorced and alone, she can’t summon the old enthusiasm for celebrating. So without telling anyone, she buys a ticket and boards a plane bound for the beautiful Pacific Northwest. When an unexpected detour takes her deep into the woods of the Olympic rainforest, Joy makes a bold decision to leave her ordinary life behind--to just walk away--and thus begins an adventure unlike any she could have imagined.In the small town of Rain Valley, six-year-old Bobby O’Shea is facing his first Christmas without a mother. Unable to handle the loss, Bobby has closed himself off from the world, talking only to his invisible best friend. His father Daniel is beside himself, desperate to help his son cope. Yet when the little boy meets Joy, these two unlikely souls form a deep and powerful bond. In helping Bobby and Daniel heal, Joy finds herself again.But not everything is as it seems in quiet Rain Valley, and in an instant, Joy’s world is ripped apart, and her heart is broken. On a magical Christmas Eve, a night of impossible dreams and unexpected chances, Joy must find the courage to believe in a love--and a family--that can’t possibly exist, and go in search of what she wants . . . and the new life only she can find.

Something Borrowed: Christmas Weddings Collection


Jaycee Weaver - 2020
    If she can't see she's marrying the wrong guy soon, his leg won't be the only thing broken.All the Moore by Toni Shiloh — Leilah Anderson has been living behind the screen to hide her disability, then she meets Reggie Moore face-to-face. Can their relationship survive the truth and distance between them?A Holly, Bolly Christmas by Mikal Dawn — A dream wedding venue at Christmas? Sign Chahna Kapoor up. Even if her fiancé doesn’t know it…Somehow, This Christmas by Teresa Tysinger — When not-so-merry mishaps threaten wedding planner Cate Forsyth's holiday wedding and reputation, will her own happily ever after with sweetheart Noah Bennett melt away?A Promise So Sweet by Andrea Boyd — Lydia Osborn hasn't heard from her ex in ten years, so imagine her surprise when he shows up proposing marriage. Tis the season for love?

One Royal Christmas


Melissa Tagg - 2020
    . . and he's convinced he's no longer fit to rule Concordia. Not now . . . but maybe someday. Taking advantage of an obscure law that allows him to temporarily abdicate his throne, he transfers short-term power to his younger brother and retreats to Tinsel, Vermont. Perhaps in this tucked-away town, with its enchanting Christmas decorations and unusual media ban, Jonah will discover the peace and privacy he needs to heal, find his vision for his country . . . and somehow believe himself worthy of the crown.Eight years ago, Rowan Bell dropped out of college and sacrificed her dream of traveling the world to keep a promise to her dying grandmother--to care for Tinsel's charming library. But the antiquated Cape Cod cottage that has housed the library for decades is falling apart around her, and Tinsel's city leaders have arranged to relocate the library. Desperate to keep her grandmother's legacy alive--and hopefully hush the longings of her restless heart in the process--Rowan hatches a plan to preserve the historic house. Help comes in the most unexpected form when a handsome bookworm--a king!--appears in Rowan's life.Drawn together under Tinsel's Christmastime spell, Rowan and Jonah work to secure the library's future, even as they grapple with all the uncertainty in their own futures. But when a national crisis calls Jonah home, it's not only his claim to the throne that's in danger, but their two hearts which had only begun to hope again.One Royal Christmas originally appeared in the 2019 novella collection Royally Yours. This is a standalone novella filled with romance, royalty and small-town charm.

Small Town Christmas


Magdalena Scott - 2014
     With his dad's death, the work of the family Christmas tree farm has fallen to Jim Standish. But how can he hold everything together for the sake of his grieving family, when his own secrets are pulling him apart? When a new tragedy puts Melissa and her son in closer contact with the Standish family, ignoring the past is no longer an option. Everyone involved will have to move forward--but how? This is a wholesome, heartwarming story about second chances: facing difficulties of the past and not only moving on, but becoming stronger because of them. It's about "coincidences" in life that may be more than that. A sweet little boy, and a delightful touch of Christmas magic make Small Town Christmas a story that ends on a sigh!

Merry and Bright


Erynn Mangum - 2013
    At least until her fiance breaks it off, she ends up having to catch a ride back to her hometown with her boss, Joe Patterson, and the snow starts to fall. When Christmas turns into a snowed-in, electricity-free day, will Kelly finally see that God has plans that go way beyond even her imaginings of a perfect Christmas?

Snow Angel Cove


RaeAnne Thayne - 2014
    The job she pinned her dreams on has gone up in smoke—literally—and now she's stuck in an unfamiliar, if breathtaking, small town. Precariously close to being destitute, Eliza needs a helping hand…for her sick young daughter's sake as well as her own. But she's not expecting her holiday hero to almost run her down with his car! Rescuing Eliza is pure instinct for tech genius Aidan Caine. At first, putting the renovation of his lakeside guest lodge in Eliza's hands assuages his guilt—until he sees how quickly he could fall for her. Having focused solely on his business for years, he never knew that what his life was missing was Eliza and her little girl. But is he willing to risk hoping for a yuletide romance that could lead to forever?

I'll Be Home For Christmas: Four Inspirational Holiday Novellas


Belle Calhoune - 2017
    Four Best-selling authors of Christian romance bring you heartwarming stories filled with holiday cheer and romance under the mistletoe. A Hope Valley Christmas by Belle Calhoune. Mallory Jefferson has returned to her hometown of Hope Valley to spend Christmas with her family. Having been let go from her teaching position and ending things with her boyfriend, Mallory is a bit adrift. When she runs into her high school crush, Colton James, Mallory is embarrassed about her attempts to win his heart back in the day. When Colton asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend to make his dying grandfather happy, Mallory finds herself impulsively saying yes. Colton James is a rancher who dreams of settling down and living out his dreams. When he runs into Mallory, Colton can’t believe how much she’s changed. When she agrees to be his pretend girlfriend, Colton is shocked to discover that his feelings for her are way deeper than he’d ever imagined possible. Can something pretend turn into something real just in time for a very Merry Christmas? Sugarplums and Second Chances by Jill Kemerer. Former NFL star, Chase McGill, invites his teammate's widow, Courtney Trudesta, to spend Christmas in his guest cottage after her mother dies. Courtney faithfully wrote him letters every week while he was in prison for attempting to avenge the murder of the mother of his son, Wyatt. Chase wants to be there for Courtney the way she was for him. But there's more to Christmas than sugarplums and wishful thinking. If they trust God's plan, they'll have a second chance at happiness...with each other. A Brilliant Christmas by Allie Pleiter. Zoe Walters pours her heart and soul into the community arts center she runs. Her kids could benefit so much from the brilliant talents of animator Nigel Langdon—if he weren’t such a legendary grump. The next six weeks of his artist-in-residency look like they’ll ruin Zoe’s Christmas for sure. And certainly, things get off to a rocky start until Zoe discovers the great big heart—and the deep hurt—Nigel’s been hiding under that crusty exterior. It turns out Nigel can see through to Zoe’s deepest wounds as well. When the arts center is threatened, Nigel and Zoe come together not only to save the organization, but to discover a love and the brilliant Christmas no one ever expected Seashell Santa by Lenora Worth. When high school sweethearts Rick Houston and Willa Kincaid reunite in Key West per a deathbed request, they discover that they didn't really know each other at all. But Christmas in paradise just might bring them together for good this time.

The Christmas Pearl


Dorothea Benton Frank - 2007
    They've all come together to South Carolina to celebrate Christmas. But this Christmas looks nothing like the extravagant, homey Christmases Theodora grew up with. What happened to the days when the holiday spirit meant tables groaning with home cooked goodies, over–the–top decorations, and long chats in front of the fire with Pearl, her grandmother's housekeeper/manager/caterer/psychiatrist/best friend? Luckily someone hears Theodora's plea for help and Merle (possibly Pearl?) arrives, pockets filled with Gullah magic and common sense to straighten everyone out.

Where Treetops Glisten: Three Stories of Heartwarming Courage and Christmas Romance During World War II


Tricia Goyer - 2014
    In White Christmas by Cara Putman, Abigail Turner is holding down the Home Front as a college student and a part-time employee at a one-of-a-kind candy shop. Loss of a beau to the war has Abigail skittish about romantic entanglements—until a hard-working young man with a serious problem needs her help. Abigail’s brother Pete is a fighter pilot hero returned from the European Theatre in Sarah Sundin’s I’ll Be Home for Christmas, trying to recapture the hope and peace his time at war has eroded. But when he encounters a precocious little girl in need of Pete’s friendship, can he convince her widowed mother that he’s no longer the bully she once knew?In Tricia Goyer’s Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Meredith Turner, “Merry” to those who know her best, is using her skills as a combat nurse on the frontline in the Netherlands. Halfway around the world from home, Merry never expects to face her deepest betrayal head on, but that’s precisely what God has in mind to redeem her broken heart.The Turner family believes in God’s providence during such a tumultuous time. Can they absorb the miracle of Christ’s birth and God’s plan for a future?

Candy Cane Kisses


Susan May Warren - 2016
    John never dreamed his epic summer as a smokejumper would end with a harrowing plane crash and turn him into an invalid. He wouldn’t have survived without brave fellow smokejumper Hannah Butcher. In fact, he probably fell in love with her that night. Hannah Butcher knows that without CJ, she would have failed her rookie summer. She admired him long before the crash, but lost her heart to him during their terrifying survival.A winter storm awakens their memories—and fears…Six months later, a mutual friend’s wedding throws Hannah and CJ together again, and their romance is stirred to life. But when a blizzard detours them, and they run off the road, they’ll have to face their darkest fears to survive. A Christmas story about the miracles that happen when the weather outside becomes frightful.Deadly Night, Silent Nightby USA Today Bestselling Author Margaret DaleyRevenge. Sabotage. Second Chances. Widow Rebecca Howard runs a successful store chain that is being targeted during the holiday season. Detective Alex Kincaid, best friends with Rebecca’s twin brother, is investigating the hacking of the store’s computer system. When the attacks become personal, Alex must find the assailant before Rebecca, the woman he’s falling in love with, is murdered.The Wonder of His Loveby USA Today Bestselling Author Kimberly Rae JordanNoella Crawford knows exactly what she wants in a man, and it’s not Finlay Kinnaird. But in spite of Noella’s best efforts to keep Finn at arm’s length, the man is determined to prove he’s the one she needs. As the Christmas season approaches, will Noella let her heart lead the way? Or will past hurts keep her from experiencing the wonder of love?Calm and Brightby USA Today Bestselling Author Autumn MacarthurMaddie Hughes knows her charming but unreliable ex-husband will once again disappoint their son with broken promises this Christmas. But Brad’s changed. He’ll do whatever it takes to win her back. Even working in her grandmother’s quirky Huckleberry Lake gift shop. Can they allow God to heal their broken marriage and broken hearts before his career tears them apart?Heavenly Peaceby USA Today Bestselling Author Lesley Ann McDanielChristmas is just around the corner, but widowed mom Valerie is too stressed to enjoy it. When the tag her son picks off a Giving Tree leads her to a handsome stranger named Jake, a request for a miracle might be just what they both need to restore their joy.Wish You Joyby USA Today Bestselling Author Jan ThompsonChristmastown USA has a new CEO. But owning a majority share of the holiday-decorating company makes no difference for Cyrus Theroux if the other 49 percent hates Christmas. Cyrus prays for a miracle to get through Christmas with his reluctant business partner…A Husband for Hollyby USA Today Bestselling Author Marion UeckermannHolly Blume loves decorating people’s homes, but that doesn’t mean she’s ready to play house. Believing a house is not a home without a woman’s touch, there’s nothing Reverend Christopher Stewart would like more than a wife. But what woman would consider him marriage material, with an aging widowed father suffering from Alzheimer’s to look after? Can Christopher reform Holly’s heart while she redesigns his home?Maid for Marriageby Bestselling Author Susette WilliamsHer parents disinherited Zelina Zervos after she refused to honor their arranged marriage to a man she hadn’t seen since they were children. Drake Giannopoulos had his own reservations about marrying a virtual stranger, but his wounded ego isn’t about to let him take no for an answer.