5 Books to Read During the Holidays
5 Books to Read During the Holidays
Christmas on the Island by Jenny Colgan
From the publisher:
It's a time for getting cozy in front of whisky barrel wood fires, and enjoying a dram and a treacle pudding with the people you love—unless, of course, you've accidentally gotten pregnant by your ex-boss, and don't know how to tell him. In the season for peace and good cheer, will Flora find the nerve to reveal the truth to her nearest and dearest? Will her erstwhile co-parent Joel think she’s the bearer of glad tidings—or is this Christmas going to be as bleak as the Highlands in midwinter?
Meanwhile Saif, a doctor and refugee from war-torn Syria is trying to enjoy his first western Christmas with his sons on this remote island where he’s been granted asylum. His wife, however, is still missing, and her absence hangs over what should be a joyful celebration. Can the family possibly find comfort and joy without her?
Travel to the beautiful northern edge of the world and join the welcoming community of Mure for a Highland Christmas you'll never forget! And warm up your kitchen with bonus recipes for the Little Beach Street Bakery’s seasonal shortbread, Lanark Blue Scones, and Black Buns.
2. The White Christmas Inn by Colleen Wright
From the publisher:
A New England inn seems like the picture-perfect place to spend the holidays. But when a snowstorm shuts the roads and keeps them all inside, the guests find themselves worrying that this Christmas may not be exactly what they dreamed of.
Molly just needs to keep her head down and finish her latest book, but her writer’s block is crippling. The arrival of Marcus, a handsome widower with two young girls, is exactly the distraction she doesn't need.
Hannah was hoping for a picturesque winter wedding, but her plans come crashing down when her fiancé calls everything off. She reconnects with her childhood friend, Luke, when he comes to check on his grandmother before the storm.
Jeanne and Tim don't know how they're going to keep the inn open another year—or how to bridge the distance between them in their marriage. With a flurry of unexpected guests, they'll have to work together to fix all the problems that crop up. But will it be enough to rekindle their relationship?
As the characters’ stories intertwine, they start to find hope where they thought it had been lost. With faith, and a little bit of Christmas magic, the inn—and its inhabitants—might just make it through the holidays after all.
3. Lily Girl’s Christmas Quilt by Ann Hazelwood
From the publisher:
Lily Girl's Christmas Quilt is the second novel in Ann Hazelwood's Wine Country Quilts Series. Christmas is Lily Rosenthal's favorite time of year, and she is eager to experience the Christmas traditions of the Wine Country, but she cherishes each Christmas with her family. This year, the sisters celebrate in Green Bay, Wisconsin, which is the home of Lily's sister, Loretta. The family receives the best Christmas present ever, which arrives on Christmas Day. Lily attempts new challenges by making a sampler Christmas quilt, but the real Christmas quilt she so admires is beyond her reach. Thanks to her Christmas gift from Alex, LIFE WITH LILY GIRL becomes a writer's dream come true.
4. The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan
From the publisher:
In the snowy Highlands of Scotland, Suzanne McBride is dreaming of the perfect cozy Christmas. Her three adopted daughters are coming home for the holidays and she can’t wait to see them. But tensions are running high…
Workaholic Hannah knows she can’t avoid spending the holidays with her family two years in a row. But it’s not the weight of their expectations that’s panicking her—it’s the life-changing secret she’s hiding. Stay-at-home mom Beth is having a personal crisis. All she wants for Christmas is time to decide if she’s ready to return to work—seeing everyone was supposed to help her stress levels, not increase them! Posy isn’t sure she’s living her best life, but with her parents depending on her, making a change seems risky. But not as risky as falling for gorgeous new neighbor Luke…
As Suzanne’s dreams of the perfect McBride Christmas unravel, she must rely on the magic of the season to bring her daughters together. But will this new togetherness teach the sisters that their close-knit bond is strong enough to withstand anything—including a family Christmas?
5. A Baxter Family Christmas by Karen Kingsbury
From the publisher:
Two years have passed since the terrible car accident that took the life of John Baxter’s daughter, Erin, along with her husband and three of their four daughters. Prompted by grief, and missing his daughter, John has invited a stranger for Christmas Eve dinner—Kendra Bryant, the transplant recipient who now has Erin’s heart.
But Ashley and her brother Luke are worried that this new dinner guest might be not be the best idea. They want to protect their ten-year-old niece, Amy—the only surviving member of the accident. But John is determined and believes meeting Kendra is something his deceased daughter would want Amy to do.
At the same time, Maddie West, the eighteen-year-old daughter of Brooke Baxter West, is praying for meaning this Christmas. Could she find it in a newfound friendship with a boy she never expected to see again? Maddie believes in miracles, especially at Christmastime, but this is a stretch even she can’t imagine.
Meanwhile, Kendra Bryant has been struggling these past few years to make sense of the tragedy that gave her a second chance. She believes this invitation to see the Baxters and witness their unwavering faith in God can instill peace and happiness back into her life.