#Holiday Romance

[torpublishinggroup]

Cover art: @lilithsaur

Designer: Lesley Worrell

In The Nightmare Before Kissmas by New York Times bestselling author Sara Raasch, the prince of Christmas is a chaotic bisexual with a big problem: the hot goth guy he drunkenly made out with at a bar is actually the Prince of Halloween—and they’re both supposed to be romantic rivals in a holiday media stunt. The only thing left to do in this steamy rom com full of tricks and treats is to make the yuletide…gay. 🏳️‍🌈

[thistle-nightshade]

I'm going to affectionately compare this to red white and royal blue, but just know it frustrates me when books are compared exclusively along similar plot points. This is two "rival" nations And two princes falling in love and a PR nightmare. But the tone is also similar to red white royal blue. The reverence with which love is spoken, the desire to do something more and better, to undo the mistakes of the past and build something more with the future. The sibling and friend relationships. So much of what I loved about rwrb is also in this.

The prince of Christmas is a fuck up who finds out he isn't as messed up as he thought, who grows into his good ideas and learns to stand on what he believes, which is anticapitalist, anti comidification of holiday and traditions. He fights to get back to when many traditions could all exist in their fullness, and I like that a lot. He learns hes worthy of love.

The king of Halloween married the Queen of Dia de los muertos, and I like the aspects of both that were brought in through their son, the prince of mischief and finding joy in hard times. The prince who loves ofrendas and reconnecting to those passed. The prince who can't swear without magically producing a jack-o'-lantern. Who isn't above using a little magic to tease a friend. Who is fiercely devoted to his duty, but learns to find love anyway.

These two are silly and mischievous and sickenly cute together. A great read, one I will want to revisit every year when the weather starts to turn towards fall and winter.

[franticvampirereads]

I can’t believe it’s November already! I’m so excited to get into the holidays this year (and all the holiday reads ☺️). So here’s what I’m planning to read this month:

Vespertine (not pictured) -currently reading

Sunshine - currently reading

The Sunshine Court

Given vol 2

Rare Vigilance

Ocean’s Echo

Bone To Pick

The Dragon’s Betrothed vol 2

You Can Count On Me

I’m really looking forward to all the cozy reads this month!

And a little bonus for you, today is Moose’s gotcha day! She’s 11-years-old and just as cute and funny and grumpy as the day we brought her home. Happy gotcha day bug! ☺️❤️

[lgbtqreads]

Fave Five: New Queer Christmas Romances (2024 Edition)

I’ll Be Gone for Christmas by Georgia K. Boone (f/f) The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch (m/m) Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake (f/f) The Merriest Misters by Timothy Janovsky (m/m) This Christmas by Georgia Beers (f/f) Bonus: These are all Adult Romances, but for YA, check out Make My Wish Come True by Alyson Derrick and Rachael Lippincott (f/f)  and Flopping in a Winter…

[goodgirl-badworld]

lying back on top of the covers of a hotel bed. soft breeze floating through. I can hear you in the shower. my eyes stay closed against the blazing sun just outside the window. my body sore from use and I can feel the bruises forming where you help me so tight the night before. I smile having never felt more content, more loved, more owned.

[blog-i-carry-your-heart-with-me]

Review : The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch

★★★★★ Have you ever thought to yourself ‘what if Red, White & Royal Blue met a holiday-themed fantasy world?’ Because if you have, look no further! The Nightmare Before Kissmas was a heart-filled, emotionally devastating, hilarious, politically intriguing romantasy-comedy that is sure to become a forever star of the genre. The Nightmare Before Kissmas follows Christmas Prince Nicholas ‘Coal’…

[fated-mates]

Santa is coming.

[ivaninprint]

Some Christmas love to start the season.

This book takes a different twist to the trope of one of the couple not liking Christmas. Instead of the character just not liking Christmas for more asocial reasons this time there is a deep layer of trauma causing the distress. Niall as a main character doesn't start off as an easily lovable character because of it, but it left us with a lot of potential for growth at the start of the book. He is grumpy and rude but as he is the main character we quickly get insight to what is the cause of all of it. I enjoyed it that we had this deeper perspective than it being the love interest with all the turmoil. To see him grow and become healthier in his mental health was a lovely journey to follow and made me smile a whole lot towards the end of the book.

As a contrast Sam is such an happy lovely guy that is totally into Christmas as an polar opposite. Niall and Sam clash a lot, have clashed for even longer before the book starts. There is so much history between these two guys that makes you feel the pain from the start. Sam is clearly hurting from this situation but refuses to let go of Niall. This determination of his is such a joy to see and makes you root for him all through the book. Sam was a joy to have and I couldn't get enough of him.

When the book gets to the part that they're at the cabin the real magic starts. It was so much fun to see these two have some quality time. Niall slowly opening up was magical to see and made me feel so proud of him. When the time in the cabin came to an end I was sad to see them move out of their safe bubble, but the real growth started there for Niall. He now had to carry through his change with the people he usually clashes against. Him working through all that lead to an adorable ending of the book.

Concluding I really enjoyed this Christmas book that gave me fluff with big character growth.

I received an eARC and this was my honest review.

[viviseawrites]

merry steddiemas, @malikat24601!!!! i hope you enjoy your gift!!! (and sorry it's so very nearly late!)

tingle, tingle

rated E | 17900 words | Steve needs a date to his ex's holiday wedding, and Eddie agrees to go if they can be "the worst dates possible for each other" while still being convincing as a (fake) couple. Shenanigans ensue with holiday fluff, mistletoe, smut, and the classic fake-dating miscommunication. 

read an excerpt now:

“Feels so good,” Eddie says, pouring the words onto his tongue. “Can’t believe you’re real sometimes.” 

“‘m real,” Steve murmurs, framing Eddie’s face. He sweeps a curl back from where it was sticking and Eddie loses all of his words. He just stares, enraptured.

His mother always told him not to look directly at the sun. He heard it again in school, especially on days when there was an eclipse. “The sun is dangerous to look at without protection.” Over and over again, he heard it. But he liked looking at the sun. He liked seeing the bright lights imprinted in his vision. He liked the halo effect, the ghostly spots that slowly faded as he blinked back to normal.

This feels just like that. He hopes it follows the same course, that it brands his sense of sight with Steve, the holy aura of his pleasure and eager surrender, the brightness of his rumpled beauty. The collapse of an interstellar cloud; the formation of a star, a sun, a gravity well born right at the center of him, intense and inescapable. 

Steve stares right back. One day, Eddie will wonder what he sees in this moment.

and read the rest on AO3!

written for the #steddiewinterexchange

[nalit-source]

HOLIDAY ROMANCE BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

Part 1/?

[sweetfirebird]

Yule is the start of the new year, the midwinter festival for the solstice and the days afterward. Traditions are to burn logs and light candles to welcome the return of the sun, to celebrate with food and cheer and family, and to remember connections with the past.

Robin Blessing never felt much need for that last part; he lives in his family’s old farmhouse with the ghosts of his long-dead relatives. Anyway, he has no time for Yule. Alone, overworked, and ill, the holiday and any coven obligations that go with it are the last things on his mind.

So he is not pleased to open his door and find Lucas Greysmith on the other side. Lucas is a legendary figure in Ravenscroft; marked by great magic, part of a powerful family, annoyingly tall and good-looking, and yet always asking after Robin when Robin is fine, thank you very much. Someone as important as Lucas should have better things to worry about than one little witch who won’t use his Sight, and Robin usually wouldn’t hesitate to tell him so. 

Instead, Robin faints right at Lucas’ feet.

When Robin wakes up, it’s to find that the Greysmiths have decided that Lucas will stay with Robin for the duration of the Yule season to help him recover, and Robin is in no position to protest. The more rest he gets, the more he realizes that he’s been lonely, that he needs the help, and that there might have been a reason Lucas has been asking after him all these years. If Robin had used his gift, he might have seen what Lucas has been patiently waiting for.

Yule is both an end and a beginning, and for first time in years, Robin looking forward to what the future might bring.

A Little Blessing Familiar Spirits Book Four

[torpublishinggroup]

“Someone will die…”

“Of Fun.” —Parks and Rec

Cover art: @lilithsaur

Designer: Lesley Worrell

Description:

A quirky rom-com by New York Times bestselling author Sara Raasch called The Nightmare Before Kissmas about a forbidden romance between the Prince of Christmas—a well-meaning scandal-magnet—and the gothically alluring, oh-so-restrained Prince of Halloween.

[aurorawest]

My debut novella is out now!!

If this sounds up your alley...

Jake lost his Christmas spirit when his husband left him on December 26. This year, when a friend offers him her reservation at a resort in Florida, he jumps at the chance to get away. No snow, no Christmas trees, no problems. Except the resort does a Christmas Golf Cart parade every year, and Alex, the man in the neighboring cabin, wants Jake’s help with his. Jake just wants to be left alone… until he spies Alex’s design. Maybe working together won’t be so bad. Can an unexpected friendship reawaken more than Jake’s holiday spirit?

Then follow one of the links below to buy and download! It's currently on sale for $2.00 if you buy direct from the publisher!

Direct from publisher: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/when-we-finally-kiss-good-night-by-lee-pini-12408-b

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/When-Finally-Kiss-Good-Night-ebook/dp/B0CJTF56JL/

[betsysbooknook]

📚: Gifted to His Dad by J. Wilder

Tropes:

👉 Forbidden

👉 MFM

👉 Holiday

TWs 😟: Mentions of neglectful parenting

Main Takeaway 🏹: Fun, Spicy, Holiday Romance

Synopsis 📜: Eve is going to her boyfriend, Cole’s, cabin for the holiday’s. Things take a wild turn when she finds herself incredibly attracted to his stepdad when he shows up at the cabin as well. Little does she know, this was their hope and plan all along.

Personal Thoughts 🤔: There’s nothing I love more than a Holiday Novella that’s almost completely spice. Throw in a dash of forbidden, taboo romance to the mix and I am all in. This novella did not disappoint and the chemistry between these three was off the charts.

[lgbtqreads]

Fave Five: Queer YA Holiday Romance

Today’s post is sponsored by Kevin Martz in honor of the publication of Christmas at the Ski Resort, an enemies-to-lovers m/m YA Romance to keep you warm this holiday season! Click the graphic below to learn more and purchase! *** Finding My Elf by David Valdes Make My Wish Come True by Alyson Derrick and Rachael Lippincott Flopping in a Winter Wonderland by Jason June How to Excavate a Heart by…

[tianawarner]

Top 5 Sapphic Forced-Proximity Romance Books (winter 2024 edition ❄️)

Two of a Kind by Eden Emory and Ashley Pines – stuck together in a cabin

2. Snowed In With Summer by Tiana Warner – stuck together in a yurt

3. Hoax for the Holidays by Bel Blackwood – fake married

4. All Wrapped Up in You by T.B. Markinson and Adrian J. Smith – bookstore romance

5. The Christmas Swap by Talia Samuels – brother's fake girlfriend

Ugh something about a cute and fluffy winter romance just gets me! Some of these are holiday romances, but it's still cold and snowy up here in Canada, so you'll still find me reading these by the fire. ❄️