Talk Santa to Me by Linda Urban

“Francie was born in a stable. Really. Granted, it was the deluxe model with the light-up star on the roof, one of the many Christmas items for sale at her family’s Hollydale Holiday Shop. Their holiday gift empire also includes the Santa School, which was founded by Francie’s beloved grandpa, who recently passed away.

Francie’s always loved working in the shop, but lately Aunt Carole has been changing everything with her ideas for too-slick, Hollywood-inspired Santas and horrible holiday-themed employee uniforms. Aunt Carole’s vision will ruin all the charm and nostalgia Francie loves about her family’s business…unless she does something about it.

But this winter is about more than preserving the magic of Christmas. Francie is saving up for a car and angling to kiss the cute boy who works at the tree lot next door—hopefully it will be good enough to wipe her fiasco of a first kiss from her memory.

As the weather outside gets more and more frightful, can Francie pull off the holiday of her dreams?” - taken from Goodreads.

This book was not the cute holiday romance story that I thought it was. Instead, Francie’s family business is Christmas but since the death of her Grandpa Chris, things have been strained, especially since the arrival of her aunt. She is working to save money for a car but she wouldn’t mind a kiss from the cute boy who works across the street at a tree lot. When her father is unable to fulfill his role as Santa for a cable TV broadcast, Francie is forced to become Santa’s intern. When the letters to Santa’s intern start flooding into the store, can Francie rediscover the magic of Santa in the wake of her healing?

Visit Linda Urban’s website.
 

So, This is Christmas by Tracy Andreen

 

“When Finley Brown returned to her hometown of Christmas, Oklahoma, from boarding school, she expected to find it just as she left it. Christmas hasn't changed much in her sixteen years. But instead she returns to find that her best friend is dating her ex-boyfriend, her parents have separated, and her archnemesis got a job working at her grandmother's inn. And she certainly didn't expect to find the boy she may or may not have tricked into believing that Christmas was an idyllic holiday paradise on her grandmother's doorstep. It's up to Finley to make sure he gets the Christmas he was promised. This is Finley's Christmas. It's about home and family and friends and finding her place, and along the way she also finds the best Christmas present of all: love.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This book turned out to be the perfect brain break that I needed just before Christmas break. Finley doesn't fit in at her exclusive boarding school and is contemplating coming back home to Christmas, Oklahoma. Securing a flight home, she is shocked to arrive home and find that her parents are separated. Even worse, one of her classmates Arthur has brought his aunt with him to celebrate Christmas and Christmas. They decided to visit based on the town's website that Finley secretly embellished to impress her new classmates.

The hilarity and soul searching that Finley encounters on her trip home is a cross between a Hallmark movie and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. A definite hit.

Mind the Gap, Dash & Lily by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (Dash & Lily book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the Dash & Lily series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“Dash and Lily were feeling closer than ever...it's just too bad they're now an ocean apart. After Dash gets accepted to Oxford University and Lily stays in New York to take care of her dogwalking business, the devoted couple are struggling to make a long distance relationship work. And when Dash breaks the news that he won't be coming home for Christmas, Lily makes a decision: if Dash can't come to her, she'll join him in London. It's a perfect romantic gesture...that spins out of Lily's control. Soon Dash and Lily are feeling more of a gap between them, even though they're in the same city. Will London bring them together again--or will it be their undoing?   - taken from Goodreads.com

Without spoiling too much, Dash and Lily are going to be apart at Christmas time, that is until Lily devises a plan to surprise him in London. Since nothing ever goes according to plan, can our favorite Christmas couple figure out their post high school plans in time to enjoy their holiday? 

 

10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston

“Sophie wants one thing for Christmas-a little freedom from her overprotective parents. So when they decide to spend Christmas in South Louisiana with her very pregnant older sister, Sophie is looking forward to some much needed private (read: make-out) time with her long-term boyfriend, Griffin. Except it turns out that Griffin wants a little freedom from their relationship. Cue devastation.

Heartbroken, Sophie flees to her grandparents' house, where the rest of her boisterous extended family is gathered for the holiday. That's when her nonna devises a (not so) brilliant plan: Over the next ten days, Sophie will be set up on ten different blind dates by different family members. Like her sweet cousin Sara, who sets her up with a hot guy at an exclusive underground party. Or her crazy aunt Patrice, who signs Sophie up for a lead role in a living nativity. With a boy who barely reaches her shoulder. And a screaming baby.

When Griffin turns up unexpectedly and begs for a second chance, Sophie feels more confused than ever. Because maybe, just maybe, she's started to have feelings for someone else . . . Someone who is definitely not available.

This is going to be the worst Christmas break ever... or is it?” - taken from Goodreads.com

I picked up this book because it takes place ever Sophia's Christmas break from school and was wrong. Nothing completely original about a lot but I loved the family aspect of this story. My favorite “date” had to be the one that took place at the drive-in movie theater. No spoilers and what happens here. Read it to find out for yourself.

Visit Ashley Elston’s website.

Snow in Love by Melissa de la Cruz, Nic Stone, Aimee Friedman, & Kasie West

“What's better than one deliciously cozy, swoon-worthy holiday story?

Four of them, from some of today's bestselling authors.

From KASIE WEST, a snowy road trip takes an unexpected detour when secrets and crushes are revealed.

From AIMEE FRIEDMAN, a Hanukkah miracle may just happen when a Jewish girl working as a department store elf finds love.

From MELISSA DE LA CRUZ, Christmas Eve gets a plot twist when a high school couple exchange surprising presents.

From NIC STONE, a scavenger hunt amid the holiday crowds at an airport turns totally romantic.

So grab a mug of hot cocoa, snuggle up, and get ready to fall in love…” - taken from Goodreads.com

I devoured this short collection of four holiday stories. Snow and Mistletoe by Kasie West was a cute, romantic story about secret crushes. I almost wish it had been a bit longer. Working in a Winter Wonderland by Aimee Friedman is a tale of a Jewish girl working in a Christmas shop for a special dress to impress a secret crush on New Year’s Eve. This story had a sweet twist at the end. The Magi’s Gifts by Melissa de la Cruz just didn’t do it for me. I’ve never enjoyed the original story by O. Henry. Grounded by Nic Stone took me a while to get into but I really enjoyed it.

The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (Dash & Lily book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“Dash and Lily have had a tough year since they first fell in love among the shelves of their favorite bookstore. Lily’s beloved grandfather suffered a heart attack, and his difficult road to recovery has taken a major toll on her typically sunny disposition.

With only twelve days left until Christmas—Lily’s favorite time of the year—Dash, Lily’s brother Langston, and their closest friends must take Manhattan by storm to help Lily recapture the unique holiday magic of a glittering, snow-covered New York City in December.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This book picks up one year later after the storyline in the Dash from Dash and Lily's Book of Dares. Things have not been great for Lily with her grandfather having become sick. As one who loves Christmas, Lily isn’t in the spirit this year. So it's up to Dash to get Lily back into the spirit. Once again set at Christmas time, my favorite part of this book has to be when Dash invites The Librarians to the ice skating party where hilarity ensues.

Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson & Lauren Myracle

“Sparkling white snowdrifts, beautiful presents wrapped in ribbons, and multicolored lights glittering in the night through the falling snow. A Christmas Eve snowstorm transforms one small town into a romantic haven, the kind you see only in movies. Well, kinda. After all, a cold and wet hike from a stranded train through the middle of nowhere would not normally end with a delicious kiss from a charming stranger. And no one would think that a trip to the Waffle House through four feet of snow would lead to love with an old friend. Or that the way back to true love begins with a painfully early morning shift at Starbucks. Thanks to three of today’s bestselling teen authors—John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle—the magic of the holidays shines on these hilarious and charming interconnected tales of love, romance, and breathtaking kisses.” - take from Goodreads.com

A cute collection of three short stories set at Christmas during a snowstorm that tie together at the end that take place in a small North Carolina town. Currently in development as a motion picture.