Confession time…
I’ve already broken into the holiday romances.
I know, I know, it’s still October. Halloween, that too-scary-for-me holiday, hasn’t even passed. But as I watch the stock market plunge, taking my net worth with it, I NEED a hit of holiday joy. I want to hear about first kisses under the mistletoe, romantic (and never too cold) sleigh rides through the snow, brightly colored mystery packages topped with fancy bows just waiting to be opened.
It may be too early to send out my holiday cards (not too early to address and seal them with sparkly stickers though) but I can read about self-confessed cardaholics Dane and Leigh in Robie Madison’s Cats And Dogs. They are my sort of folks. I love opening the mailbox and finding out that loved ones were thinking of me. I often wait to open the distinctive envelopes until I’ve had a bad, bad day and need the extra cheer.
Holiday romances also give me that happy lift. They are special, aren’t they? Many holiday romances, like Margaret Moore’s Comfort And Joy, are deliciously short. That makes them perfect to read at lunchtime in the sterile, politically correct office. Longer novels like Eloisa James’ tale of rekindled love (An Affair Before Christmas) are ideal bedtime reading. Almost all have that holiday glow to them. They are tales of love and family, hope and miracles. All the things that truly matter.
Are you looking for a new holiday romance? There are some sure-to-be superb ones coming out this year. I already sniffed some out while helping to organize the holiday book lovefest at TheWritersVineyard . There’s a new Lisa Kleypas (A Wallflower Christmas), Robyn Carr’s A Virgin River Christmas, Adrienne Basso’s The Christmas Countess and the list grows daily.
I’m glad. I’m always on the hunt for new-to-me holiday romances. So share! What is your favorite holiday romance? What holiday romances are you looking forward to reading? Have you written a holiday romance? Help me add to my TBR pile.
No related posts.
Oh, me too. I’ve already started reading The Magical Christmas Cat and have To All a Goodnight (both anthologies) on standby. Also lined up is Shepherd’s Abiding, Redbird Christmas, The Christmas Countess and A Child’s Christmas in Wales. Apparently I’m not the only one in my area in this early holiday mood as I was going to check out some of Debbie Macomber’s Christmas themed novels, but someone else got them all the day before.
Jo Beverley, CHRISTMAS ANGEL
Carla Kelly, MARIAN’S CHRISTMAS WISH
Ohhh Sam… I SAW The Magical Christmas Cat.
I am a HUGE Nalini Singh fangirl.
I hear her short in that anthology might be her best work ever.
Alas, it is on the Christmas gift list
so I’m not allowed to buy it.
Oh, wonderful, Victoria.
A pick from last year
(Can’t go wrong with Jo Beverley)
and a classic
(LOVE those Signet Regencies
- Most are timeless)
Does The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom & Their Lover, as a December release, have a bit of a wintery feel to it?
“A Wallfollower Christmas” – sounds wonderful. I did read all the other wallflower books and they were delightful. For those who don’t know, four friends are wallflowers at all the balls they attend. Then Mr. Special comes along.
Martha
Oh, Allison, did you read Lisa Kleypas’ Seduce Me At Sunrise?
I haven’t read it yet (again, on my gift list)
but Margaret Moore gave it the two thumbs up
on her blog.
Awesome to see that your Heartsong
is out in print in time for the holidays.
That wonderful medieval
(I have a soft spot for medievals)
would make a great gift
(especially as it is in trade paperback
- trade paperbacks looks so impressive, don’t they?).
I love giving small press books.
Less likely to be a duplicate gift.
me too! me too! I like to start with a nice Halloween Regency and read through the holidays. I used to be on HQ’s Christmas book program but found they don’t start sending them out early enough. Now I assemble my own collection.
Robin,
A Halloween Regency?
I don’t know if I’ve ever read one.
I’d love to
(especially if they’re not scary – it is challenging to read with my eyes closed).
Do you have a couple reco’s?
Have you thought about writing a holiday novel?
I find it surprising that so many writers of faith don’t have holiday novels.
Or maybe I’m not looking in the right places.
Thanks for the mention, Kimber! I really enjoyed writing “Comfort and Joy” because I got to write about a secondary character I’d left waiting in the wings, so to speak, from my Victorian trilogy (so many characters, so little time…). I also wrote it from only one POV (the heroine’s), which made it an interesting challenge.
And yes, indeedy, I adored Seduce Me At Sunrise!
I don’t have any titles to add to the list, but I have to add a “me too!” For some reason this year I’m already eager for the Christmas season to begin, and while I was donation diving at the library where I work I found a stack of 1-2yr old holiday category romances.
How long until the new ones come out again?
Only you, Margaret, would say
after 40 some (or is it 50 some) books,
so many characters, so little time!!
Can’t wait for Buggy’s book.
Loved A Lover’s Kiss!
Karen S.,
Donation diving… do I smell FREE?
I think the fanfic world is so fascinating.
(Okay, another confession,
I LOVE Star Trek – LOL)
Do you focus on 24
or cover numerous shows?
Did I mention that in
A Lover’s Kiss,
the heroine throws potatoes at the baddies?
One of my all time fave Regency Romance moments
I started reading this year’s holiday romance anthologies in early October – a little sooner than normal, but I’ve enjoyed them since I started reading romance. I buy a lot of the historical ones – add me to the list of folks who miss the signet regency collection – and I’ve enjoyed several Christmas category romances. While I always enjoy them, I don’t think any of made my keeper collection – except for some of the Carla Kelly novellas.
I hear you Michelle.
I tend to share the love,
passing books on,
especially with the Christmas books.
Most are only available on shelves for a limited time.
If a loved one misses them, its a special order
(and my dear techphobe Mom has yet to discover Amazon, LOL).
I love the Christmas holidays best of all. My TBR pile just got higher, all the historicals for me. thanks for the great list.
Michele
You’re going to think I’m a real grouch, but I can’t think of a single Christmas book or story. Only poems.
I used to send out about 70 cards each Christmas but have cut it down considerable as I can send many via email. I know it’s not the same but it would take me forever as I tried to write notes in most of them.
I plan to do better this year.
Linda
LOL Kimber An.
What? Too busy to comment?
Does it have something to do with the gazillion blogs you’re hosting?
Michele,
I can tell you love the holidays
by the care and joy you put into Christmas Masquerade.
LOVED that short!
Linda,
Saturday’s release day for Forever Faithful, isn’t it?
I’m excited about this one.
So many people have been hankering for a love story AFTER the initial courtship.
I have to pipe up and mention Patricia Bates’ novella “Christmas for the Cowboy” due out soon from Blade Publishing. I’ve had the pleasure of reading it already and it is a HOT Christmas story! Highly recommended.
Kimber. you are right, the Halloween Regencys are not scary! Just fun. Sandra Heath has one out now (Signet Regency) called “Halloween Magic,” plus she has several other Halloween titles on Amazon.
As for Christmas stories, I have written 2 and will probably do more. I love the season.
I confess, I usually steer clear of holiday themed romances…
Maybe this year I’ll give a few a try — if only to prove that Kimber Chin has amazing powers of influence
I LOVE holiday romances, too! I don’t have any in my TBR pile yet (because I’m supposed to be writing one right now for 2009), but have written one every year around Christmas, and just LOVE the experience.
I have two out this year–a novella in the anthology CHRISTMAS WEDDINGS, out now, and MARRY-ME CHRISTMAS, from Harlequin Romance, out in December (that one features cookies purported to make people fall in love
. I’ve written both during the holidays, and I just love cranking up the holiday tunes in my office, surrounded by decorations. Nothing like being in the midst of the holiday while writing about it!
Shirley