With Christmas quickly approaching 041BOOKS columnist Lauren Hewitt rounds up some must-read Christmas trope books!
From cozy crime to romance. Each author gave a few words about the inspiration behind their book or what they love about Christmas.
Annabel French
I’ve never been skiing and have never been to a snowy Christmas paradise, so I wanted to visit on the page, living life vicariously through my characters! I love Christmas and particularly love the idea of a Christmas surrounded by mountains and pine trees so writing Christmas at the Chateau was a wonderful way to travel in my arm-chair. Now I need to book a holiday to a ski resort though! And learn how to ski!
Mia needs a change after her divorce and her friend Mia convinces her to visit the Swiss Alps, what she wasn’t expecting was Mia’s brother Gabe and the memories she shared with him.
Will he manage to thaw her icy heart, or is she on a downward slope to disappointment?
Ebook: https://tinyurl.com/njbwkj2p
Paperback: https://bitly.ws/Y9oi
B R Maycock
This book was inspired by the craziness of the festive month, the fact that the weather falls apart and you never know what will happen with it from one day to the next, but it doesn’t always matter because of the excitement, warmth, and sparkle of the season!
I love Christmas, I love it all but in particular that flurry of festivity and activities, ending with tubs of celebrations, board games, and of course Christmas TV!
Single mum Eloise is too busy juggling the chaos of three kids, an ever-present ex-husband, and a demanding boss to even remember the last time dating crossed her mind. But as soft snow falls silently all around, romance twinkles with the flakes. After being single for so long, Eloise suddenly has too many choices. Will anyone be able to melt her guarded heart?
Annette Hannah
Annette Hannah is the author of four rom-coms set in the fictional town of Bramblewood.
The inspiration for Poppy’s Christmas Wishes came from meeting a guy who was playing a genie in an amdram performance of Aladdin whilst I was on a work’s Christmas night out. The idea wouldn’t leave me alone of what if a woman met a genie and together they made her wishes come true? That became the first book I wrote although it was the third published one.
I love Christmas, it’s such a magical time of cozying up with family around a warming fire, playing games, watching Christmas movies, and of course reading a Christmas book or two.
What would you wish for if you were granted three wishes?
Poppy is dreading Christmas. After moving across the country for her boyfriend and then being dumped there’s nothing cheery about the festive season this year.
Her friend Layla drags to a Christmas ball and she meets gorgeous actor Gabe, who stars as a genie in a play. When he asks her what three wishes she would make, she realises it’s quite simple: love, a job she’s happy in and, just once in her life, to do something extraordinary.
Gabe and Poppy make a pact to help each other make their dreams come true. As they tick off their wishes, their friendship blossoms…
Kimberly Adams
Hello from a cold, windy Northumberland! My name is Kim and about six weeks ago I released my debut novel, Love Lindisfarne, a Christmas romantic comedy set on the very real, and very beautiful Holy Island. When asked why I chose a real location, the answer was quite simple, I don’t think my imagination could conjure up anywhere more magical! Love Lindisfarne has been described as a slow-burn romance, a love at first sight, warm comforting Christmas read. I love that Christmas is a time of celebration and sharing time with loved ones – but I won’t go as far as sharing the Ferrero Rochers!
Dumped at the office Christmas party, Ellie is about to vent her spleen on social media when a photo of a cute little dog advertising a charity catches her eye. Her world suddenly changes dramatically when she is offered a month’s stay in Northumberland to help look after rescue animals.
Ellie isn’t too sure where Northumberland is, but accepts, eager to start a new life away from London.
Ellie finds herself living in a hilltop castle, and far from the cats and dogs she expected she would be looking after, she is faced with all kinds of furry and feathery animals – and she doesn’t have a clue about any of them!
Welcomed to island life she quickly embraces living in this special place, and from the moment she spots the mesmerising Zen with the gorgeous coffee bean eyes, her plans to stay single and mingle begin to fade fast.
A storm cuts Lindisfarne off from the mainland, and the islanders work together to salvage the planned Christmas events.
Will the universe give Ellie its blessing? Will she find her happy ever after on the enchanting island of Lindisfarne? If it’s in the stars, then it’s in the stars…
amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CB1T29YL
Sophie Claire
I write romance with a French connection, and that’s because my mother is French. I have fond memories of summers spent at my grandparents’ house in France and I love to set my books there.
This Christmas in Paris was inspired by the film ‘You’ve Got Mail’ where the main characters hate each other in real life but fall in love online. I reversed this so they fall in love in real life.
When Carys is offered the chance to run a little French café, she leaps at the chance to discover an exciting city where she can dream big.
Meanwhile, struggling journalist Mat is living in the City of Love – but he’s never found romance himself.
Then, a chance encounter changes everything, and it feels like the start of something wonderful. But Carys and Mat are both keeping secrets . . .
buy link for my book: mybook.to/ChristmasinParis
Fiona Leitch
Book 4 in the Jodie Parker cosy mystery series
What I love about Christmas: I just spent the last three Christmasses in New Zealand, which was lovely, but being on the other side of the world with December marking the beginning of the southern hemisphere summer, it didn’t feel very festive to me. This year I’m looking forward to brightening up the dark winter evenings with twinkling fairy lights, and being all warm and cosy, with lots of traditional food and decorations. I will be spending the day with family, playing silly games, and remembering (too late) why I don’t eat brussel sprouts…
A PINCH OF PARANOIA
It’s three days before Christmas, and detective-turned-chef Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker is drafted in to cater a charity event run by a notorious millionaire at a 13th-century abbey on Bodmin Moor.
A DASH OF DECEPTION
Things get more complicated when a snowstorm descends, stranding them all, and the next morning they find one of the guests has been gruesomely murdered in their bed…
A MURDER UNDER THE MISTLETOE
Secrets mull in every corner – can Jodie solve the crime before the killer strikes again?
Link to the book: mybook.to/CornishChristmasMurder
Susan Buchanan
Susan Buchanan is the author of 8 contemporary romance/women’s fiction books and lives near Glasgow. Her books usually feature Scotland, travel, community, family, friendship, and often Christmas.
“I love Christmas because it generally brings out the best in people. It is the season of goodwill where everything seems possible and the world seems a slightly better place, and I’m all for that, as well as for extra hot chocolate, marshmallows, and mulled wine! The Christmas Spirit series is all about helping those who need a little extra support at this time of year.”
Christmas is just around the corner when the enigmatic Star begins working at Butterburn Library, but not everyone is embracing the spirit of the season.
Can Star, the library’s Good Samaritan, help set them on the path to happiness this Christmas?
Natalie Hope takes over the reins of the Sugar and Spice bakery and café to inject some Christmas spirit. Something her regulars badly need.
Natalie sprinkles a little magic to try to spread some festive cheer and restore the Christmas spirit, but will she succeed?
The Christmas Spirit – https://books2read.com/u/bQV596
Return of the Christmas Spirit – https://books2read.com/u/4NdD1W
The Christmas Spirit 2-ebook box set – https://books2read.com/u/bwrQdP
Leave a Reply