Leigh Kramer: Posts from December 2020

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This is a list of favorite Christmas and Hanukkah romances—all books I've given 4 or 5 stars. It could have been longer but these are the ones I recommend most frequently, along with a couple of new additions.

Before last year, I'd only read maybe a handful of winter holiday romances. I've never been much for holiday fiction and the holiday romance I'd read had been more miss than hit. (Although the hits were very, very good.) Thankfully, I got a heap of great recommendations and soon saw the light. Isn't that always how it goes? I've thoroughly enjoyed making up for lost time. The best holiday romances make themselves a part of your annual traditions and I'm looking forward to revisiting a few of these this year, on top of everything else I want to read.

I originally wanted this to be a winter holiday list but the one Kwanzaa romance I've read wasn't for me (loved the parts about Kwanzaa but the romance fell flat) and I've only read one NYE romance I love (Katrina Jackson's Grand Theft N.Y.E. Glorious.) So I thought I'd round this out by sharing what's on my priority TBR for winter holiday romances that also includes Kwanzaa, winter solstice, Chinese New Year, and New Year's Eve. I say priority...but it's quite extensive and only a fraction of everything on my radar. The best kind of problem to have. This just means I'll have to eventually write individual posts for the rest!

A note regarding the Hanukkah romance recommendations: I am not Jewish so I can't speak to the representation but I got most of the recommendations from Corey Alexander, who was Jewish. Corey was always incredibly generous with their recommendations and I very much miss them and their book lists, especially this time of year.

A few other notes: There are a few lighthearted reads here but my reading tastes tend to be angsty so bear that in mind. I've included content warnings for most of these—exceptions are clearly labeled. In some instances, I've included a book that's a followup with characters previously introduced in the series. I have included the series and book number to delineate this. It's probably best to read the previous book(s) first but it's up to you. If I did not include a series/book number, the book stands fine on its own if it's a part of a series.

And with that...happy holiday reading!

Hanukkah Romance:

Eight Cozy Nights by Julia Wolf

(contemporary, m/f, open door)

This was so cute and fun and funny and gah I loved it so much. I completely bought into how Larissa and Yo’s relationship evolved over the course of 8 nights. Hanukkah traditions are front and center. Larissa and her neighbor Yo don’t get off to the best start when they first meet. But when she can’t find her menorah and he can’t find any candles, they decide to band together for one night and that leads to the next and suddenly they’re taking full advantage of not having work (for him) or school (for her) that week. Larissa is in grad school for bioethics and her studies were fascinating. And then I became fascinated by Yo’s fascination with bioethics and how he loved learning for the sake of learning but also for the sake of learning more about what matters to the people he cares about. Larissa tends to be more serious but we get to see her fun side, like her glee when it snows and how she interacts with her nieces and nephew.

Yo has been added to my Favorite Hero canon. He took her to the downtown public library and he bragged about the wingspan of his snow angels! Is he my dream man? Did he make me swoon repeatedly? Did he make me smile from his antics and from how fully and quickly he fell for Larissa? Absolutely on all counts. I also found his backstory to be refreshing. He used to be a douche player but reformed his ways and is really looking for someone to love. He’s also a hair dresser. It’s his family’s business but also something he loves.

The side characters are no slouch either. I especially appreciated Larissa’s sister who writes erotic romance and loves to push the envelope. And Yo’s cousin was such a good friend to him. My heart bursts at the thought of them spending Hanukkah together for years to come.

Hearts Alight by Elliott Cooper

(contemporary/fantasy, m/m, chaste)

This was so lovely! I loved everything about Dave and Amit and how their relationship unfolded, as well as Dave's complicated feelings about Hanukkah and gift-giving. The aspect of Amit being a Golem was fascinating and heartbreaking and I really liked how Dave responded. Neither Dave or Amit are working in “high end” careers and it was really interesting to see how they felt about their jobs and their respective futures. It was a nice touch to have characters have jobs that are jobs and to feel relatively okay with that. Dave is really into Dungeons & Dragons, which I’ve never played, so it was fun to see his passion for it and how he got Amit involved in playing. I also loved how queer-friendly the whole book was, with Dave being bi and his best friend Jake being trans.

CW: grief, references to homophobia

The Remaking of Corbin Wale by Roan Parrish

(contemporary, m/m, open door)

Magical story about Alex, who has opened up his dream bakery in his hometown, and Corbin, who believes he's cursed and that anyone he loves will die. He keeps his distance from people to keep them safe. But there's something between them and I loved watching Corbin slowly open up and take a chance. Plus, there is so much amazing food in this book, including a Chanukah feast.

(I read this before I was diligent about content warnings so please check other reviews.)

Christmas/Hanukkah Romance:

One Hot December by Tiffany Reisz

(contemporary, m/f, open door)

Tiffany Reisz's category holiday romances are an absolute gift. I reread this each year. You can tell how much fun she had writing it! Veronica (aka Flash) is a badass bisexual welder and metal artist who has just given notice at work, which has her former boss Ian scrambling to keep her in his life now that she's no longer working for him. I loved the sense of humor and could not get enough of Ian and Veronica’s banter. Veronica's 88 year old neighbor Mrs. Scheinberg was such a fascinating side character, too. Just a delightful reading experience through and through!

CW: past death of mother, sexism, attempted blackmail, absentee father, past custody battle

For His Eyes Only by Tamsen Parker

(erotic contemporary, m/f, open door)

This is a super steamy holiday romance about two coworkers who have to cancel their plans and stay put to knock out a project. Lucy and Evans were so sweetly awkward together! Evans has had a crush on her for ages but she’s never really thought of him that way until they’re at the office late one night and some unexpected voyeurism comes into play.

Both have complicated family dynamics and I really loved how the story explored this. Evans needs to set boundaries with his family who doesn’t appreciate the sacrifices he’s made to help them. Lucy is dealing with past Purity Culture shaming from her church and family, as well as generally feeling unseen and unappreciated by her family because she hasn’t followed the traditional marriage-and-children path. While Lucy and Evans have put a deadline on their hookups, they keep doing things to show they care and it was so sweet to watch. Evans’s grand gesture toward the end was beyond swoon-worthy! I loved everything about this story.

CW: religious shaming by heroine’s family and pastor, hero’s brother is a veteran with PTSD and substance abuse issues who was disabled after a car accident

Christmas Romance

Holiday Heat by Noelle Adams

(contemporary, m/f, open door)

This exploration of grief for two twenty-somethings was pitch perfect. Carrie and Matt are drawn to each other but it’s only a physical thing at first. The way it evolved was fantastic. Super steamy to boot. I loved everything about this one and not just because Matt was an artist and completely my type.

CW: grief, past death of loved ones (plane crash, car crash), past substance abuse, facial scarring

Sweetest Regret by Meredith Duran

(historical, m/f, open door)

The enemies to lovers Christmas historical romance of my dreams! We’ve got a house party, intrigue, and Georgie and Lucas hating each other over a big misunderstanding. When they finally learned the truth of what happened two years ago, it. was. on. Meredith Duran is just the best.

CW: past death of parents, absentee father, grouse hunting

Beary Christmas, Baby by Sasha Devlin

(paranormal, m/f, open door)

Delightful Christmas romance between polar bear shifter Liev and his boss and friend Sasha, who's a dragon shifter! So much seemingly unrequited love and longing until they figure out it’s very much requited. Plus, snowstorm-induced forced proximity!

CW: car accident due to snow

A Family For Christmas by Jay Northcote

(contemporary, m/m, open door)

This gave me so many feels! Shy Rudy and wary Zac were such sweethearts. Rudy has had a crush on Zac ever since Zac started at LGBTQ youth charity Rainbow Futures a month prior. As so often happens, Rudy invites Zac home for Christmas since Zac doesn’t have any plans and then Rudy’s family believes they’re dating. Fake relationship! Only one bed!

Zac had a hard upbringing, including foster care and leaving the system early, and has never known the love of a family. He’s trying to figure out if he’s interested in Rudy because of Rudy or because of Rudy’s awesome family. Neither young men want to get their hopes up in case it doesn’t work out and it was so wonderful to see them tentatively take a risk on something more. Just utterly lovely through and through.

CW: foster care

(Northcote's A Boyfriend For Christmas and What Happens At Christmas are also great.)

Breath on Embers by Anne Calhoun

(erotic contemporary, m/f, open door)

This was excellent. I loved the metaphors around grief, light, and darkness. And when Thea lights the candle as a symbol for Ronan, I about bawled! Plus, steamy as hell. That threesome scene, plus the dressing room shenanigans, had me fanning myself. I'll be rereading this for years to come.

CW: past death of spouse due to car accident, grief, 9/11, past death of loved ones

Mangos and Mistletoe by Adriana Herrera

(contemporary, f/f, open door)

This is a fun option for anyone who likes watching holiday baking championships. Or who enjoys reading romances with only one bed. Warning: it will make you hungry. (Full disclosure: I beta read this and the author is a friend.)

Stocking Stuffers by Erin McLellan

(erotic contemporary, m/f, open door)

Sasha is a bisexual sex toy saleswoman doing a demo for a romance book club shortly before her most hated holiday: Christmas. In walks Perry, a bearded, tattooed romance-reading wonder of a man. He headed home for the holidays a day early to beat the impending blizzard. The one that’s about to snow Sasha in for the next couple of days, to her eternal chagrin. So, yes. We’ve got forced proximity and all kinds of fireworks going off between Sasha and Perry!

I loved both of these characters! Sasha is so good at her job and her sex toy education was inclusive of gender and sexuality. Despite her hatred of Christmas, she does her best to get along with everyone at the inn and participate in the various activities. Perry is just a sweetheart and I endlessly swooned for him. He was so responsive to Sasha’s needs and he’s a great brother to Valerie, who runs the inn. He’s at a bit of an impasse in his life but he’s so drawn to Sasha that he goes for it anyway, even though he knows he’s not much for one-night stands and that’s all she has to offer.

This was super steamy with Sasha and Perry incorporating the unsold sex toys from her demo into their play. They clearly had chemistry but there was a deeper connection too, which understandably freaks Sasha out because she was jilted on her wedding day. I was delighted watching Sasha and Perry’s relationship unfold. It had humor and heart and heat. What more do you need?

Glass Tidings by Amy Jo Cousins

(contemporary, m/m, open door)

Gray is a grumpy loner with a fear of abandonment who pairs surprisingly well with Eddie, who tries not to get close to anyone because experience has taught him he doesn't belong anywhere. Add in the holidays and some forced proximity and voila! But they still have to figure out their issues and if they can take a risk on each other. I particularly enjoyed Eddie's characterization and the difference between “on” and “off” Eddie as far as how he relates to people. There's also some delightful book nerdery and I loved how their interest in old-school alien sci-fi became a way for them to bond.

(I read this before I was diligent about content warnings so please check other reviews.)

Merry Inkmas by Talia Hibbert

(contemporary, m/f, open door)

Tattoo artist hero tortured by his past and it's written by Talia Hibbert? This was a steamy treat of a tale, largely because the fierce heroine. Cash invites Bailey to his family's Christmas so she won't be alone and I loved watching her get wrapped up in their world, all while proving to Cash he is, in fact, capable of a long-term relationship.

(I read this before I was diligent about content warnings so please check other reviews.)

Naughty for Christmas by Lilia Moon

(erotic contemporary, m/f, open door)

What a steamy treat from Lilia Moon! Cassidy has moved to Seattle for a fresh start and to escape the limitations of her hometown. She would love to give BDSM a try—her romance reads have been very inspiring—but she doesn’t know how to get into the scene. Instead, she visits a sex toy shop to get herself a present for Christmas. And there she runs into her brother’s former best friend. (No reason is given as to why they’re not friends anymore. Perhaps just drifted apart after he moved to Seattle and her brother stayed in their hometown.) Turcot is captivated by the woman in the shop before he realizes he knows her and that leads to a walk in the snow and a suggestion that he show her the ropes, so to speak. I adored every part of the set up and how it went from there! They are so adorable together and Turcot does a great job introducing her to BDSM. He makes her a Christmas stocking with stuff around his apartment, including a gingerbread pancake kit. And then she cooks for him as a way of showing that she’s into him and what they could have. I loved how perfect they are for each other!

CW: vague references to unstable or harmful childhood for hero

Red And White by Sierra Simone

(erotic contemporary, f/f/m, open door)

This is a FFM polyamorous Snow White and Rose Red retelling that takes place during a snowstorm and it’s written by Sierra Simone. What more do you need to know?

CW: threat of hypothermia

A Wedding One Christmas by Therese Beharrie

(contemporary, m/f, closed door)

In the hands of a lesser author, this would not have been nearly so enjoyable but Therese Beharrie has the ability to make me fall hard for her characters, no matter what situations she puts them in. The premise of this series is the relationship happens over the course of 24 hours and Angie and Ezra go through a lot. Fake relationship at a stranger’s wedding? Getting roped into playing Father Christmas and his wife for a holiday float in a parade? Ad-lib nativity play? They all happen and yet it never felt over the top or unbelievable. Their connection was so real and yet it didn’t negate the issues they were each working through. Falling for someone after knowing them for a day may feel outlandish, especially because neither Angie nor Ezra feel they’re in the place to start a relationship, so the trick is whether they believe there’s enough there to give it a chance. I was riveted through the ups and downs.

Angie is dealing with major complicated grief so I would be careful if grief or loss is a trigger for you. Her father died of a brain tumor three years ago and she cannot say the words “he died.” She won’t even let herself think them, although she knows it’s true. Angie’s family dynamic was codependent and rather become responsible for her mother after he died, she ran. And because she’s never seen what a healthy partnership looks like, she’s afraid of relationships and turning into her mother. Ezra, on the other hand, is nine months out of a seven year long relationship that ended when he proposed. He had a hard time seeing things clearly in that relationship and now he’s afraid to see how disappointed his family is in him. Since both Angie and Ezra are headed to Cape Town to be with their families for Christmas, they’re not really in a rush to go home and take solace in the time together, as much as they question what’s really happening.

I found their character arcs to be satisfying, although I wish therapy (or at least plans to start) would have been included. Neither Angie nor Ezra needed to suffer for as long as they did and they’re likely to make some of the same mistakes if they don’t process what happened before. Regardless, this turned out to be such a charming, fun, and emotionally layered read. Also, Ezra wins when it comes to meaningful gifts: he had Angie’s first romance manuscript bound and gave it to her at Christmas.

CW: heroine’s father died from a brain tumor 3 years ago, complicated grief, codependency, minor pregnant character, pregnancy epilogue, discussions of their mother’s pregnancies (including hero’s grandparents kicking out his mother when she became pregnant as a teen), joke about gonorrhea, ableist language

Hometown Christmas by Garrett Leigh

(contemporary, m/m, open door)

Gavin and Yani notice each other while in line for coffee at a food market but their first real interaction occurs when Yani’s best friend strong-arms him into cooking dinner at a homeless shelter where Gavin works. The men are immediately drawn to one another but neither are interested in something serious. A one night stand turns into friendship and then slowly evolves into something more.

Yani moved to Leeds for a fresh start post-breakup. He thinks casual sex is the answer and rationalizes not having time or interest in a real relationship. Gavin, on the other hand, is processing the many ways his life has changed since leaving the military via medical discharge. Leeds is his hometown and it’s changed a fair amount during his 20 years away. Both men are honest about their mental health—OCD for Yani, PTSD for Gavin—and the ways they cope. One of my favorite moments is when Gavin surprises Yani with a freshly cut Christmas tree. It’s not something Gavin would have done for himself but it’s something they can share together and that makes it so meaningful.

Gavin’s work at the shelter was really interesting to read about. The story does rely on some stereotypes about the population but on the positive side, there aren’t any homeless characters brought forward to tug on heartstrings or teach the main characters a lesson. Overall, I felt like it honored the plight of the homeless while being honest about the struggles in caring for the population, like lack of volunteers and the restrictions in place for people to be able to stay. Also, I really wish I could go to Yani’s food truck. The descriptions of his Greek food sounded amazing!

CW: OCD, former injury resulting in broken neck and rehabilitation, marijuana, PTSD, controlling ex, hero was in the Army for 20 years, references to military life, homelessness, references to substance abuse (side characters), head injury

Gifting Me To His Best Friend by Katee Robert

(erotica, m/m/f, open door)

Erotica is not romance but I'd remiss if I didn't include this title. 2020 has been a hard year but one bright spot has been Katee Robert leaning into her id and giving us red hot reads. Set during a Christmas cabin getaway for a married couple and the husband's best friend, the title says it all and it was a steamy delight!