Happy December! Ok, first off, where the heck did this year go? Does anyone else feel like it was just summer? And I don’t think I even remember the first half of the year! I’m hoping to read some more Christmas books but also trying to not overdo it. I have a list a mile long of potentials. But before I get into those, I need to finish up my three current reads - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Untying the Knot, and The Naughty or Nice Clause - and I’m also in two book clubs that are reading The Santa Suit and Lovelight Farms. Sheesh! Seeing that in writing, I’m already overwhelmed! Haha!
Let’s take a look at my current reads - minus Harry Potter, because if you haven’t heard of that yet, well, I’ll just go ahead and assume you’ve been living under a rock for the past 20+ years, no offense!
Untying the Knot
By Meghan Quinn
Published Date: November 15, 2022
Page count: 501
Goodreads Rating: 4.25
Available in KU
This is a marriage in peril trope featuring FMC Myla and MMC Ryot Bisley. Ryot is a retired professional baseball player who hasn’t seemed to figure out life after baseball. Myla, his wife, is feeling neglected and serves him divorce papers. The book teeters back and forth between the past and present showing readers how Myla and Ryot met and got together while also showing their current struggles and how they handle them. There’s plenty of spice and hilarious banter thrown in the mix and I hear it’s an emotional roller coaster - looking at you chapter 13 - but I’m only on page 154 and chapter 10 at this moment. So far, so good.
The Naughty or Nice Clause
By Kate Callaghan
Published Date: November 8, 2022
Page count: 258
Goodreads Rating: 3.69
Received as an ARC from NetGalley
This is an enemies-to-lovers, workplace, fake dating romance with serious The Proposal with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds vibes but make it Christmas-y. Like, if The Santa Clause with Tim Allen and The Proposal had a baby, this would be it. Lyla Smurfot and Mason Klause are co-bosses at Lyla’s father’s toy company. The story starts out with Mason canceling the company’s annual Christmas party and Lyla throwing one behind his back - which could never end in disaster, right? Wrong! I won’t spoil the rest but they end up on a trip to Mason’s hometown which adds a fantasy element to the story. I’m 56% into this one and really not wanting to give up, but I just may. It’s a little too far-fetched for me and their arguing is a bit much, but we’ll see if I can finish it.
The Santa suit
By Mary Kay Andrews
Published Date: September 28, 2021
Page Count: 213
Goodreads Rating: 3.93
I’m reading this in sections along with the @samstacksbooksbookclub so I’ve only read to Chapter 7 so far. Our first discussion is today on chapters 1-7. Divorced Ivy Perkins buys a farmhouse in rural America sight unseen. The previous owners have left everything in the house, including a box with a very old Santa suit that has a note in the pocket. The note sets Ivy on a hunt for the writer and her family. Will the magic of Christmas and a welcoming town help Ivy through her heartbreak?
Lovelight Farms
By B.K. Borison
Published Date: November 10, 2021
Page Count: 416
Goodreads Rating: 4.21
My rating: 4
This is a re-read for me. I originally read this on July 5, 2022 but my local book club has chosen this for our December book of the month and I enjoyed it so much that I’m doing a quick re-read. Stella Bloom owns a Christmas tree farm with more problems than not this season. She enters a contest from influencer Evelyn St. James with a prize of $100,000 in order to save the farm. Just one problem. She lied on the application that she had a boyfriend in order to make the farm seem more romantic. Enter long-time best friend Luka Peters to pretend to be her boyfriend. This is a friends-to-lovers romance that is just adorable and the right amount of Christmas-y.
Here are? a few other Christmas books I have on my radar this month. Who knows if I’ll get around to them or not?
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
A Cross-Country Christmas (my top hopeful!)
A Court of Sugar and Spice
The Mistletoe Kisser
The Christmas Contest
A few of these are novellas so maybe I’ll squeeze them in.
Lastly, here’s my top three hopefuls for December other than the ones I’ve already committed to.
Carrie Soto is Back
By Taylor Jenkins Reid
Published Date: August 30, 2022
Page Count: 384
Goodreads Rating: 4.27
Having read all of the other books in TJR’s semi-related universe - Malibu Rising, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones and the Six - I was super excited for this release and it was on sale for Cyber Monday so I snatched it up. I fell in love with TJR this year having read all of these along with Forever, Interrupted and One True Loves. I think she might be my most-read author this year with Colleen Hoover either tying or coming close. That being said, I’m going to try and end the year with a good ol’ TJR.
Saint
By Adrienne Young
Published Date: November 29, 2022
Page Count: 336
Goodreads Rating: 4.49
I’m not a huge YA or fantasy fan but I loved Fable and Namesake so I’m excited for this one too! This is the story of Fable’s father, Saint, and what looks to be a prequel to Fable and Namesake. I rated Fable and Namesake both 4-star reads.
A Cross-Country Christmas
By Courtney Walsh
Published Date: October 1, 2021
Page Count: 256
Goodreads Rating: 4.12
Available on KU
This is another brother's-best-friend romance where FMC Lauren is forced to ride from California to Illinois with her childhood crush, Will. I've seen this book subtly all over Booksta so I'm intrigued.
What's on your list for December?
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