Favorite New Years Romances
One of the best ways to celebrate the holidays is by reading Holiday Romances. Christmas romances are easy to find, but I also like to ring in the new year with holiday romances that have a new year theme. I have three New Year’s stories that are each part of a holiday series plus one Christmas sounding Santa series that actually takes place during New Years.
Dance with Me on New Year’s Eve
Love & Holidays Series
by Alana Highbury
Dance with Me on New Years Eve is the last story in Alana Highbury’s fun “Love and Holidays” series. The interconnected stories each center on a different couple and can easily be read as a standalone. This sweet romance has something for everyone and offers a grumpy- sunshine, single dad, enemies to lovers story with a twist. But this book has a lot more going for it than a romance reader’s beloved tropes. The main character suffers from paralyzing social anxiety which affects her work, her nonexistent social life, her relationship with her family, and most of all her self concept. Because of her anxiety, she has no social life. Her only friend is someone else with the same issues, but she is living in another country. Although she she is frozen in real life, she is quite gregarious on the keyboard and strikes up an online friendship with another member of a fan forum. When her boss puts her on a project together with her nemesis, she is forced out of her shell. The forced proximity with the aggravating man brings out the worst in her, and she can’t wait to get home and vent with her anonymous online buddy. Highbury populates the novel with interesting characters. Roxy’s empathetic character has a lot of depth. Jeff’s character evolves as Roxy discovers the hidden layers underneath this stuffed shirt. But the most fun character is his vivacious energetic daughter.
This story explores the mental health issue of anxiety and also how a lack of work life balance can affect one’s physical and mental health. But it also has a lot of fun. The basic plot of the anonymous online romance will remind older readers of the 26 year old movie “You’ve Got Mail”. which was an update of the classic anonymous letter writing romance plot. This plot is a classic rom-com staple and Highbury does it with fineness.
Publisher : Shipsvold Press
Publication date : November 26, 2024
Print length: 251 pages
Highlands New Year
Highlands Christmas Romance #2
by Amy Quick Parrish
In this stand-alone sequel to Highlands Christmas, Caitlin Montgomery discovers her best friend Melissa finds out that her best friend moved to Scotland without a word beforehand to anyone. She goes on an impromptu visit to check on her and goes on the adventure of a lifetime, finding love along the way. This cute snow-storm trope filled sweet romance is a blast. I read the whole novella series in just two days! These were the first Amy Quick Parrish novels that I read, but they won’t be the last.
Publisher : Flying Cactus Press
Publication date : December 12, 2023
Print length: 134 pages
How My Ex Stole New Year’s
Village of Yule #3
by Kate Callaghan
Kate Culligan’s Village of Yule, is an adorable Holiday romance series of interconnected holiday stand alone novellas with a little fantasy twist. Yule is located on the North Pole, yes it is Santa’s village. Magic masks it from the outside, and residents with permission can travel to the outside by use of a magical golden bell. Other then the setting, this book is a spicy second chance romance full of favorite tropes. I loved the story, two ex lovers are both members of a wedding party, and due to forced proximity, and several wedding emergencies, they have time to discover, that they still love each other. The writing was cute, the story was fun, I loved almost everything except the basic premise. Mia was ghosted and hadn’t seen her lover for two years. His excuse for ghosting her for so long just doesn’t ring true to me, and I wouldn’t have been so quick to forgive. However, other than that, I love the book. The problem with novellas are the fact that the author really didn’t have enough room to write a story that gave her time to forgive him. If this had been a full length novel, their would have been more opportunity for him to regain her trust in a realistic time frame. This cute series provides a lot of holiday romance with quick stories that are perfect for a busy holiday season.
Publisher : CallaghanWriter
Publication date : December 16, 2025
Print length: 192 pages
Santa’s Crew Series
by Fern Michaels
Despite the Santa in the titles, these books by prolific author Fern Michaels actually take place during consecutive New Year’s vacations. In Santa Cruise, four women reconnect during a high school reunion and decide that if they are all still unattached at New Years, they will plan a vacation together. They get together on a singles cruise, expecting lots of fun, not romance. But end up with both. The following three books have less romance but plenty of adventure. Fun, friendship and romance are on board as four lifelong friends embark on a holiday trips in these heartwarming Christmas novels by #1 New York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels.
Publisher : Kensington
Publication dates : 2021- 2025
Print length: average 300 pages
More Holiday Favorites
Looking for more holiday books? Check out my Goodreads account for a lists of suggested New Years and Holiday Romance books for all ages. This lengthy list is curated from suggestions by authors and friends.
