The holiday season may be ending soon but we’re not ready to let go of it just yet. And if you’re in the mood too, let’s grab a copy of each of these ‘holiday special’ reads, and cozy up in our reading nooks. But before you open the books, wait up! We’ve picked out some great book and drink combinations that are the perfect pairings for the holidays!
1. Misplaced Mistletoe by Isbel Jolie and some Spiked Eggnog
IMAGE VIA BOOKSTR/KAYLA DUNHAM TORRES
This holiday novella follows Nora and her boss’s super-sexy brother, Ashton, with whom she once enjoyed the steamiest Christmas. It’s that time of the year, again, and this time, they’ve come face to face at the annual holiday party, after eight years. Will they make that naughty mistake again? Misplaced Mistletoe includes oh, so fun sexy times, naughty language, and loads of holiday spirit.
Holiday romances are just as polarizing as the eggnog. And yet, when spiked, the drink is enjoyable for most of us, as is any romance, when spiked with some spice and not-so-nice-ness. Cheers to the perfect festive pair!
2. Five Tuesdays in Winter by Lily King and some Hot Spiced Tea
IMAGE VIA BOOKSTR/KAYLA DUNHAM TORRES
Lily King’s first-ever collection of exceptional and innovative short stories told in the intimate voices of unique and endearing characters of all ages, these tales explore desire and heartache, loss and discovery, moments of jolting violence, and the inexorable tug toward love at all costs.
Romantic, hopeful, brutally raw, and unsparingly honest, these stories will captivate you, demanding all your attention, just like a good cup of rich, aromatic, hot spiced tea. It’s the perfect, comforting accompaniment for a book like this one that’ll leave you in a daze with a multitude of emotions.
3. The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox and some Frozen Hot Chocolate
IMAGE VIA BOOKSTR/KAYLA DUNHAM TORRES
A feel-good, holiday-themed romantic comedy about identical twins who switch lives in the days leading up to Christmas – perfect for fans of Christina Lauren’s In a Holidaze and Josie Silver’s One Day in December.
The holidays are a time you just want to kick your feet up and enjoy the break. It’s usually a time when people stick to light and easy reads, and these obviously go well with the perfect feel-good beverage of the season – the frozen hot chocolate! Naturally, it’s what we would recommend you enjoy along with The Holiday Swap.
4. Elves with Benefits by Jana Aston and some White Christmas Margarita
IMAGE VIA BOOKSTR/KAYLA DUNHAM TORRES
Ryan Sheppard does not care about Christmas. He’s back in his over-the-top Christmas-themed hometown only to sell the house he inherited from his late uncle, and then rush back to the city and the promotion he’s chasing at work. Obviously, there’s the plot twist. And it’s brought in by none other than one particularly sexy red-headed Christmas cop, who’s slapping an alarming number of tickets on Ryan’s front door. In this town, there’s a moratorium on selling houses during December, because that messes with the town’s festive aesthetic.
Just as the White Christmas Margarita brings in an element of mush with coconut cream, contrasted with punches thrown in by tarty, tangy cranberries and coconut rum, here’s a novella-length story that’s all set to leave you excited and in ‘high’ spirits, this holiday season.
5. The Geek Who Saved Christmas by Annabeth Albert and some Apple Cinnamon Cider
IMAGE VIA BOOKSTR/KAYLA DUNHAM TORRES
His grumpy neighbor needs some holiday sunshine and Gideon Holiday is the perfect neighbor, always ready to help. And he’s waited years for his hot, grumpy, silver fox neighbor, Paul, to need him. But this December, Gideon would be happy if he could just get the Scrooge-like Paul on board with the neighborhood holiday lights fundraiser. As fate would have it, with Paul Frost’s beloved younger brother announcing an unexpected visit, he’s seen hanging lights, trimming trees, and rolling out cookies. This grumpy/sunshine, neighbors-to-lovers, found family tale features two heroes in their forties figuring out that maybe their sexily-ever-after was right next door the whole time.
The Geek Who Saved Christmas is a low-angst m/m holiday romance with a guaranteed happy ending. Take advantage of the cold weather and pour yourself some warm apple and cinnamon cider to give you the fuzzies as you indulge in this perfect spiced-just-right holiday romance.
With that, we’re sure we’ll all be in holiday-hangover for a while. To keep the high spirits some good company, here are some more winter reads.