14 Holiday Romances Ranging from Sweet to Spicy

'Tis the season for holiday romances! They go down as easily as our favorite delicious festive drinks. But, like the drinks, there are a range of options available. Are you looking for a love story that's sweet, like a cup of hot chocolate or mulled wine? Or would you prefer a juicy tale that's a bit more spicy, like a brandy flip or rum-spiked cider. Pick your pleasure with one of these fourteen charming yarns.

Sweet

If you prefer dreamy over steamy, these tender, heartwarming holiday novels will set you on the right path.

Christmas Camp by Karen Schaler

Workaholic Haley is a bit of a grinch, so her boss sends her off to Christmas Camp for a holiday attitude adjustment. At the Holly Peak Inn, Haley meets Jeff, the owner's handsome son. Can the magic of the season work its way into her pinched heart. (If this title is already one of your faves, consider Shaler's newest release, Every Day is Christmas.)

Three Holidays and a Wedding by Marissa Stapley and Uzma Jalaludden

Experience the delightful havoc that occurs when Christmas, Eid, and Hanukkah all fall at the same time, and two strangers-turned-friends are snowbound in the charming town of Snow Falls along with the cast and crew of a holiday romance movie, nosy family members, and their lifelong crushes.

The Perfect Holiday by Debbie Macomber

Get two books in one with this newly released volume exploring the power and joy of the holiday season. That Wintry Feeling: After watching the man she loves marry her sister, Cathy runs away to Alaska. Thanksgiving Prayer: Claudia is torn between the Alaska man of her dreams and her life in Seattle.  

Christmas at the Shelter Inn by RaeAnne Thayne

After leaving for college, Natalie swore she'd never come back to Shelter Springs, but now her pregnant sister is on bed rest and needs Natalie's help to run their family's inn during the hectic holiday season. Just when it seems like things can't get any worse, she runs into her late brother's best friend, Griffin Taylor.

The Christmas Orphans Club by Becca Freeman

Hannah is an orphan. Finn's parents disowned him when he came out. Stylish Priya and mysterious Theo round out their cherished found family. Now Finn is moving to L.A. and this riotous holiday rom-com traces what may be their last offbeat Christmas together in New York.

The Twelve Dogs of Christmas by Susan Wiggs

Last year, an emergency vet visit on Christmas Eve revealed her husband's indiscretion. Now, a year after the breakup, Brenda is avoiding the holiday hype by transporting rescue pups to their new homes. But a blinding snowstorm, an escaped mutt, and a live-saving encounter forces a change of plans.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews

When Kerry leaves her family's rustic North Carolina tree farm to join her older brother selling the trees in at their NYC corner stand, she quickly bonds with their charming neighbors, including single dad, Patrick. Their chemistry is undeniable, but what chance does this holiday romance really have?

Spicy

If you're looking to inject a bit of heat into your holiday, these titillating tales should do the trick.

Snowed In by Catherine Walsh

When Megan bumps into Christian at a Dublin pub, they devise a plan to pose as sweethearts for the holiday back at home in their small village. But with two big families, old flames, and lingering feelings, things are bound to get messy. Add a snowed-in cabin with a little Christmas magic and anything could happen.

Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey

When Melody and Beat first met years ago as teenagers, there was an instant spark. But that's nothing compared to the wild, intense attraction that's building now as they embark on a madcap mission to get their estranged moms, former rock stars and bandmates, to reunite for one last show on Christmas Eve.

Mistletoe & Mishigas by M. A. Wardell

Sunny first-grade teacher Sheldon and grumpy custodian Theo may be total opposites, but both need a date for the holidays. They agree to pose as boyfriends for the Christmas Eve wedding of Sheldon's ex and Hanukkah celebrations with Theo's parents. But what happens when it all starts to feel too real?

Secret Santa by Kati Wilde

Emma has finally landed the perfect job. The only problem? Logan, the creative force behind the company, seems to have something against her. Desperate to stay employed, her plan is to just keep her head down and avoid him. But the office gift exchange is about to shake up all of her plans.

Kiss her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun

Broke and alone, Portland transplant Ellie agrees to her landlord's drunken proposal to pose as his fiancée for the holidays. Then he'll get his inheritance and share it with her. But the plan is complicated when she meets his family and discovers that his sister is the mystery woman she fell for last Christmas.

A Winter in New York by Josie Silver

After the loss of her mother, Iris leaves her abusive relationship and moves to New York for a fresh start. When she meets handsome Gio at a gelato cart that she recognizes from her mother's scrapbook, she discovers a strange coincidence. His family's super-secret gelato recipe is the very same one her mother made.

Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand

Kelley Quinn is looking forward to another family holiday on Nantucket with his four grown children. But before the mulled cider is gone, this delightfully dysfunctional clan will weather a love triangle, an unplanned pregnancy, a federal crime, a small house fire, many shots of whiskey, and endless rounds of caroling.

Whether you're feeling naughty or nice, looking for sweet love stories or spicy trysts, hopefully there's something here that fits your holiday romance flavor profile.

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon