Guest post written by Haunt Your Heart Out author Amber Roberts
Amber Roberts writes contemporary romance about unabashedly nerdy characters in ridiculous situations. She lives with her husband, two children, and formerly feral cats in the Vermont woods, where eating maple creemees is a year-round activity. She spends her time copywriting, forgetting to water her plants, and awkwardly replying “you too” at inappropriate moments.
About Haunt Your Heart Out: A dashing ghost hunter and the bookseller who made up the ghosts he’s chasing wind up entangled in more ways than one in this steamy contemporary romance from the author of Text Appeal, perfect for fans of Ashley Poston and Chloe Liese. This not-quite-ghost-story is sure to delight Gilmore Girls fans and anyone who loves flirty romances with a little extra spirit.
I’m going to make enemies for this, but I’m not a summer person. New England, especially my home state of Vermont, is pret-ty famous for its crisp fall days and loads of wintertime snowfall (aka the perfect weather). Summers around here bring buzzing mosquitoes and gross humidity—and lots of it. I’m more of a crunchy leaves and 40 degrees kind of person, forever stuck in that Gilmore Girls state of mind.
During the summer, you can’t snuggle up by a roaring fireplace after skiing or snowshoeing. But, when mornings start with frosted windowpanes, you’ve got the perfect set-up for a romantic cuddle. And how about the fashion opportunities? With cooler weather, out come the hats, scarves, jackets, boots, and, of course, sweaters. Harry’s cable-knit sweater in When Harry Met Sally, Kathleen Kelly’s turtlenecks and sweater dresses in You’ve Got Mail, the plaid flannels that appear in every small-town romance movie ever? It’s official: Sweaters = Romance.
The range for “sweater weather” temperatures is broad and varies by region, but most people would probably appreciate an extra layer before the thermometer hits 55. What’s not to love about pulling on a chunky knit sweater (or baggy sweatshirt; all extra layers count here!), sliding your feet into fuzzy slippers, and lighting a few apple-scented candles? Add a cozy book to the mix and you’ve got a perfect way to spend your day.
Instead of Beach Reads, here’s my list of Sweater Weather Reads: A round-up of the coziest books to keep you warm throughout the ‘Ber months—September through December, or as I like to think of it: Peak Sweater Season. I’ve included some fantastic new romance releases and a handful of favorite comfort reads from years past.
That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberley Lemming
Banter, comedy, vibes that feel like they’ve been plucked right out a swoony D&D campaign—and plenty of spice to keep you warm no matter how chilly it gets outside. I’m a side-quester through and through, and this book filled that specific joy-seeking part of my nerdy little heart.
Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake
Second chance romance, during the holidays, surrounded by lovely found family and towering snowbanks? Make the Season Bright is as cozy as it gets—just add a fuzzy blanket and hot cocoa for a heartfelt escape.
Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb
Remember when new seasons of our favorite shows would air starting in September? That summerlong build-up waiting for the resolution to whatever cliffhanger they left us with the spring before? Prime Time Romance offers all the vibes of our favorite comfort watches and makes up for every series finale we’ve ever been denied—and what’s cozier than that?
All I Want Is You by Falon Ballard
Christmas Sweater Weather is a very specific tier of cozy. I love it when holiday romance characters get snowed in—it might be my favorite iteration of forced proximity trope—and All I Want Is You delivers those delicious vibes alongside a bookish second-chance romance.
Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot
This one’s got all the holiday movie vibes we sweater-clad romance lovers seek! Love You a Latke is set in a Vermont town (+1 sweater-weather point!) where a café owner is tasked with planning a Hanukkah festival—add fake dating and forced proximity for a cozy treat perfect for sweater weather.
The View from the Top by Rachel Lacey
I’m stacking this list with Vermont-set novels because the setting instantly ups the coziness, and The View from the Top is no exception. Come for the cozy setting and one-night-only meet cute, stay for the hope and healing.
The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
Books that feel like hugs are a sweater weather staple, and The Teller of Small Fortunes has been added to my rotation of favorite comforting books. It’s such a warm and lovely read, perfect for when the temperature dips and snow dusts the ground overnight.
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
I credit this book for sparking my love of all things fantasy. It was an up-after-bedtime, flashlight-beneath-the-covers kind of book. My original copy is missing the back cover and chunks of pages are taped back inside where they belong. Everything about this one is cozy: The ridiculously lovable characters, the whimsical setting, the magical mishaps—but the coziest of all are my memories of falling completely in love with fantasy during my very first read.
Haunt Your Heart Out by Amber Roberts
I crammed so much comfort into this feel-good small-town romance. We’ve got sleigh rides, snowy evenings, crackling fireplaces, the silliest dog, ghost hunting, a creaky old bookstore, and found family, swirled all together like the pumpkin spice in your latte. While writing Haunt Your Heart Out, I was craving sweater weather and books that felt like hugs, so I poured those wants onto the page to create a sorta-spooky, totally cozy book that’s a bit like curling up on the couch beneath a fuzzy plaid blanket while snow falls outside.
