Guest post written by The Wake-Up Call author Beth O’Leary
Beth O’Leary is a Sunday Times bestselling author whose books have been translated into more than 30 languages. She wrote her debut novel, The Flatshare, on her train journey to and from her job at a children’s publisher. She now lives in the Hampshire countryside and writes full time.
Her latest novel The Wake-Up Call is out now and follows two hotel receptionists–and arch-rivals–who find a collection of old wedding rings and compete to return them to their owners, discovering their own love story along the way.
For me, the perfect holiday read will transport you to Christmassy cosiness even if you’re reading in the height of summertime. It’s all about the essence of this time of year: the feeling of keeping warm indoors when it’s bitingly cold outside; the taste of cream-laced hot chocolate or spicy mulled wine; the heart-warming reminder that people can be incredibly kind and generous when we’re at our best.
I loved filling my latest novel, The Wake-Up Call, with all kinds of festive goodness, and the old-fashioned hotel where the story is set was the ideal location for it. Think grand staircases, roaring open fireplaces festooned with firs, and lots of sexual tension to keep things warm…
These five romances all give me that same lovely festive feeling.
One Day in December by Josie Silver
This book is just so romantic. Our main character, Laurie, spots a man through the bus window who she forms an instant connection with – only for the bus to drive away and leave them as strangers. But fate has other plans, and this gorgeous love story follows Laurie and her Bus Boy through ten years of love and heartbreak. Snowy, sweet and moving, this one captured my heart.
Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory
I adore Jasmine Guillory’s books. This novel has not only a beautiful festive setting but also a royal family (what is it about royals that just feels Christmassy, somehow?) Expect simmering sexual tension and lots of flirtatious banter between our protagonist Vivian and the formal, upstanding Brit Malcolm, who is private secretary to the Queen.
The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan
Set in stunning Edinburgh, Scotland, this cosy Christmas read is definitely a romance, but it’s also a love story between sisters. Carmen moves in with her sister Sofia after losing her job, and it’s beautiful to read the slow rebuilding of their relationship. We also follow Carmen’s adventures working in a quirky bookshop in the city, which is at real risk of having to shut down – another trope I absolutely love for a Christmas read.
The Christmas Wish by Lindsey Kelk
Have you ever wished it was Christmas every day? You might change your mind after reading this hilarious, heart-warming rom com from Lindsey Kelk, who never fails to make me smile with her books. It’s a Groundhog Day story – so Christmas literally happens every day, over and over. Gwen Baker has to try to break the cycle while also finding herself rekindling her crush on the seriously distracting boy-next-door, now all grown up…
A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas
Historical romance is my go-to genre for when I want to cosy in under a blanket and relax (maybe because it’s not what I write myself, which makes it easier for me to switch off!) Lisa Kleypas is one of my favourites, and her Wallflower series is such a brilliant place to start with her books. This festive treat brings back the four stars of that series, but you can definitely read it as a gorgeous Christmas standalone too.
