My favorite activity is enjoying a great book with hot cocoa in my hand, sitting by the fire, and seeing the lights twinkle on my Christmas tree. So many great novels out there, and so many that I found to be a perfect winter reads. Listed below are a few of my personal favorites!
Last Christmas in Paris, Hazel Gaynor and Heather Mariah Webb
Evie Elliot watches her dearest brother and best friend Thomas go off to fight the war. Everyone believes war will be over before the end of Christmas. As we all know that was not the case.
Evie, a strong, caring, and helpful woman. Wanting to become useful in the war, struggles to find her part and yearns to help out. Thomas. A young man who is fighting for a war at the front and back home.
As Evie and Thomas exchange letters a new friendship blooms. A heart wrenching novel, that I could not put down.
Do we get a happy ending for these characters?
Love Begins in Winter, Simon Van Booy
“In this world where beauty is categorized and natural love is negated to flattery” (Pg.99)
A short read that told beautiful stories as I passed each chapter. I bought this book because of the title. I thought great! Love that is centered around the season of magic! A perfect book to read by the fire. If you read this book you will get gentle and honest love stories. The love stories are not magical, but Simon managed to capture the realism of love and I was able to paint pictures inside my head by his words.
Christmas on the Island, Jenny Colgan
A feel good novel. As always you can rely on author Colgan to write a book that is cheerful and you know will have a happy ending. I always enjoy her books, because they are a perfect pick me upper. This book is part of a series, so read The Cafe by the Sea before. Although it could be read as a stand alone.
Go back into the lives of Flora and Joel. Find out if life’s new curveball is too much for them to handle together? Did you feel sympathy for the family of immigrants who don’t feel at home yet like I did? These characters are rough around the edges and sometimes selfish, but I promise they are warm with a quirkiness that is endearing.
I read this book last Christmas, and will most likely be reading it again this year. Especially because this year I will be spending my holiday season on an Island. So it seems very fitting for me.
Let it Snow, John Green, Lauren Myracle, & Maureen Johnson
Yes, this is a young adult read. Yes, netflix just released a movie based off it. And YES as always books are better. I read this book years ago, and yet when winter starts sneaking up on us I find myself grabbing it once again. A perfect read to get you in the holiday spirit!
Three stories written by three different authors. All three stories are hilarious and quirky, and as much as I love John Green my favorite story was the one written by Maureen Johnson. Her story starts off with a woman becoming stranded due to the snow and ends up taking a blissful walk with an absolute stranger…and I think you know how the story might end. We always need a magical love story and this one is special in its own way.
A Christmas by the Sea, Melody Carlson
Wendy and her son inherit a tiny little cottage by the sea. Wendy views it as the perfect opportunity to fix it up, sell it, and pay off her debt. Of course though life never works out as we plan it. The town has a charm that Wendy did not see coming. The neighbors are enchanting and being so close to the sea is a calm oasis. Starting life over by the sea is a tempting offer and might just be too hard to resist.
A lovely novel to read during this holiday season!
What are your plans this holiday season? Mine are curling up in a ball with a book in my hand and a cup of hot chocolate! If you need more books to fill your bookshelf, make sure to check out by favorite ENCHANTING NOVELS.
Tis the Season of books everyone! Happy Holidays.