Lovelight Farms by BK Borison

This book squeezed my heart in all the best possible ways! It’s by far my favorite holiday romance. It contains all my favorite tropes: friends to lovers, fake dating, only one bed, plus it’s set on a Christmas tree farm which made it extra romantic. When Stella enters her farm in a social media contest, she lies and says she runs it with her boyfriend. So when the influencer comes to visit, Stella asks her best friend of almost a decade to be her fake boyfriend. Luka agrees and the situation forces them both to face feelings they’ve been burying for years in order to preserve their friendship. The story is sweet and swoony all the way through. I absolutely loved Stella and Luka and was rooting for them from the start. The story also has fabulous side characters and a charming setting. And while there are some heavy topics, such as grief, loss of a parent, and dysfunctional families, I would have liked for that stuff to be a tad more prominent. I prefer my romances with a little more weight than this one, but the rest was so lovely I was able to forgive that.

A Very Grumpy Christmas by Jessica MacMillan

Sarah is the manager of the family business, Christmas Emporium, and sometimes works as one of Santa’s elves. She lives for Christmas year round. Her neighbor Shane has slammed his door in her face and appears to be a real life Grinch. But then he shows up to see Santa with the six year old sister he’s raising since their parents died. Now Sarah’s impression of him is very different and she’s determined to get to make his first Christmas without his parens a happy one. This is a sweet, funny story from start to finish. It made me laugh and swoon, and it’s a bit of a heartbreaker. The subject of grief from loss of parents is huge throughout the book.

Homecoming King by Penny Reid

I loved this book so much, it contains everything that I need in a romance novel: humor, heaviness, good writing, great sex. Abigail is a wonderful heroine. She’s been through some hard times and is just trying to pay off her debts and get through each day. Then along comes Rex, who she’s crushed on since elementary school, and he just happens to be a super famous football player. He turns her tiny world upside down when he asks for a HUGE favor. Abby and Rex are perfect together and as individual characters. They each have their own journey separate from their one to be together. Rex accepts her as she is and doesn’t try to change her or fix her problems, even when he has the ability to do so. My only complaint is the ending is abrupt and I wanted more! I can’t wait for the next in the series.

The Naughty List by Ellie Mae MacGregor

This novella is an erotic romance about a woman who Santa appears to in the night and things get hot and heavy fast! My only “problem” with this novella is the length. It’s so short that we don’t get much back story or character development. This would make a great full length novel with some tension in the romantic relationship. It’s a fun sexy read for the Christmas season! 

A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone

This is a brilliant premise for a romance novel. Bee is a plus sized porn star attempting to break into main stream film. Her co-star is Nolan, a former boy band star trying to rehab his image by doing this wholesome Hallmark Channel type film. The producer also works in porn but is trying to keep all of that a secret and it’s utterly hilarious.
The book tackles some heavy topics such as slut shaming, fat shaming, and the reality of conditions for many sex workers. It’s also funny and sweet at times. I loved the contrast between those elements. The writing is sharp, and the cast is full of diverse characters. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. 

Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh

This is a charming Christmas romance that take place over the course of ten years. The timeline alternates between the nine previous Christmases and the current one, which is the only time Molly and Andrew spend time together on their flight home to Ireland.I enjoyed the format, it was unique and gave a glimpse into these characters over the years. This is a wonderful way to do the friends to lovers trope, which is one of my favorites. I especially enjoyed the current timeline, it’s funny and full of feelings.