I know, I know. It’s hard to think about Christmas when we’re in the dead of summer. But Christmas in July is a thing for a reason, right? Dreaming of those sugarplums and hanging metaphorical stockings as a way to anticipate the magic of that season? If you’re already thinking ahead about what you’d like to see under the tree, consider adding these five upcoming Christmas romances to your wish list!
- FAKING CHRISTMAS by Kerry Winfrey (Berkley, 9/26/23) – In order to land a magazine job, Laurel Grant has been pretending to have a second life as a farm-wife-turned-influencer, complete with a full-fledged family and a much more nuanced knowledge of goats than she actually has. When her recently devastated boss invites himself to Christmas Eve dinner at the family farm, Laurel has to scramble to build out her fictional life or risk losing her job. And when she ends up snowed in with her long-time nemesis and new fake husband, Max Bennett, well . . . it might start to get hard to separate what’s real from what’s not.
- WRAPPED WITH A BEAU by Lillie Vale (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 9/26/23) – Fifty years ago, Elisha Rowe’s hometown of Piney Peaks was the filming site of Sleighbells, a Christmas classic. Now, Elisha has the chance to get a sequel greenlit that would help both her career and come to peace with some of her own memories from the town. The only problem . . . the aloof owner of the iconic Sleighbells house, Ves Hollins, seems completely opposed to working with Elisha on the project. After a hilariously disastrous meet cute, the grumpy/sunshine couple can’t help but fall for each other while surrounded by the cozy warmth of found family and small-town charm.
- THE CHRISTMAS SWAP by Talia Samuels (Alcove Press, 10/10/23) – Fake dating with a twist! After a painful breakup, Margot Murray has no interest in getting into another relationship. A fake relationship, on the other hand . . . she’s more than willing to serve as Ben Gibson’s supposed girlfriend on a trip to his family’s manor home for the holidays. Unfortunately, Ben’s sister Ellie immediately suspects something is up . . . and in her quest to figure out what, she and Margot end up developing very real feelings for each other.
- YOU MAKE IT FEEL LIKE CHRISTMAS by Toni Shiloh (Bethany House Publishers, 9/5/23) – Starr Lewis is dreading going home for the holidays – with no job, no boyfriend, and a sister who’s about to marry Starr’s ex. But then her brother’s charming friend, Waylon Emmerson, shows up at their family Thanksgiving, and things start looking up. Maybe the holidays can be a little magical after all?
- A WINTER IN NEW YORK by Josie Silver (Delacorte Press, 10/3/23) – Grief-stricken and still reeling from an abusive relationship, young chef Iris moves to New York City to try to restart her life. When she happens upon a charming family-owned gelato shop in Little Italy, she’s astonished to find out that the “secret recipe” for the gelato – the same one supposedly only known by the patriarch of the family, who’s currently in a coma – is the same as her mother’s gelato she grew up with. As Iris works in the shop to help them “recreate” the secret recipe, she can’t help but fall for Gio Belotti and the entire Belotti family . . . but what will happen when the comatose uncle wakes up and everything comes to light about Iris’ connection to the real recipe?
In my upcoming romance, WITH LOVE, FROM COLD WORLD (Berkley, 8/1/23), the beach-y Christmas vibes are strong as Lauren Fox and Asa Williamson work to save Cold World, the fake winter attraction where they work in Orlando, Florida. They think they couldn’t be any more polar opposites, but the more they start spending time together, the more things start to heat up between them. There’s indoor ice skating, a “Snow Globe” featuring artificial snow, a beach trip in December, an awkward Secret Santa gift exchange at a work holiday party . . . everything you need for a festive time whether ‘tis the season or whether it’s still hot outside.
WITH LOVE, FROM COLD WORLD by Alicia Thompson
She has a to-do list a mile long and falling for her coworker isn’t on it—yet somehow he’s become her top priority in this romantic comedy from the national bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers.
Lauren Fox is the bookkeeper for Cold World, a tourist destination that’s always a winter wonderland despite being located in humid Orlando, Florida. Sure, it’s ranked way below any of the trademarked amusement parks and maybe foot traffic could be better. But it’s a fun place to work, even if “fun” isn’t exactly Lauren’s middle name.
Her coworker Asa Williamson, on the other hand, is all about finding ways to enliven his days at Cold World—whether that means organizing the Secret Santa or teasing Lauren. When the owner asks Lauren and Asa to propose something (anything, really) to raise more revenue, their rivalry heats up as they compete to come up with the best idea. But the situation is more dire than they thought, and it might take these polar opposites working together to save the day. If Asa thought Lauren didn’t know how to enjoy herself, he’s surprised by how much he enjoys spending time together. And if Lauren thought Asa wasn’t serious about anything, she’s surprised by how seriously he seems to take her.
As Lauren and Asa work to save their beloved wintery spot, they realize the real attraction might be the heat generating between them.
Romance Comedy [Berkley, On Sale: August 1, 2023, Trade Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780593438671 / eISBN: 9780593438688]
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About Alicia Thompson
Alicia Thompson is a writer, reader, and Paramore superfan. As a teen, she appeared in an episode of 48 Hours in the audience of a local murder trial, where she broke the fourth wall by looking directly into the camera. She currently lives in Florida with her husband and two children.
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