Monday, December 4, 2023

Top Ten Tuesday: Winter/Holiday Recommendations

 
Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Artsy Reader where each week they post a new top ten list and ask fellow bookish folk to share their lists on that topic. 


This week was a freebie and I thought I'd feature my Winter/Holiday Recommendations. Not all are Hallmark type of romances. I've got some mystery/thriller/suspense here too.

Click on cover for Goodread link:
snowy landscape
christmas wreath on red door
amish woman in snowy landscape
christmas lights and balls

Sarah Morgan has quite a few Christmas/Holiday books, but this is my favorite! Spending Christmas in a Swedish retreat north of the Artic Circle where the Northern Lights sweep by regularly, ensconced in rustic cabins sounded dreamy, but at the heart are three women on an emotional road finding happiness, love, and romance along the way!

I loved the sound of the Evergreen Inn! All the wintery details, sights and smells, were vividly described bringing this winter-wonderland to life! This is a fairly short book given all the romances, but I thought most were well-developed and satisfying. My favorite stories were Hannah’s and Jeanne and Tim’s, but all were delightful! Available on Kindle Unlimited.

There were some deeper issues dealt with, but this was sweet and heartwarming!  With life so messy and complicated having a story set in community where a simpler life is embraced sounded lovely!

Perfect for fans of Groundhog Day! Magical and fun! Sparkling lights, snow, the smell of pine, hot chocolate, and crackling fires! Seeing Andrew and Mae fall for each was oh-so-lovely, dreamy and steamy! I’m such a sucker for the unrequited love trope and this is one that had me all swoony with big heart-eyes! A total recommend! The audio is fantastic!



This wasn’t a very long story, 175 pages, but it was oh-so-wonderful! Seeing Sophie and Edward fall for each other was a delight. Smut free, but their kisses were magical and passionate! Left me with tingles all over! I love it when a cover correctly depicts a story, and this one was perfect and gorgeous! 

Small town, snowy nights, ugly Christmas sweaters, homemade cookies, gift giving, ranching, and a sweet rescue dog! Jason and Sage brought out the best in each other, providing support and inspiring confidence where lacking. They brought so much passion and joy to each other I was filled with happiness that they met!

Ella and Beck’s back story was moving, showing the great strength each had to have to overcome the past. As they get to know each other, the powerful attraction they’ve felt for each other blossoms into something deeper, and far more irresistible! 162 pages of delight!



My all-time favorite from Sandra Brown! It was a cleverly crafted mystery with plenty of suspense, danger, twists and turns, and a very sexy romance! I think it’s best to go in with just the barest of facts and relish the mystery and revelations as they come.

Another romantic suspense/mystery/thriller. I loved Camille and Steve! Camille got so nervous around Steve and would just babble whatever came into her head. Words would just spill out of her mouth before she had time to edit, and I would just laugh! It was hilarious! She was sweet, awkward and endearing.This was a heartwarming, sweet romance, set in a beautiful Christmas Winter wonderland, but was also a suspenseful story that put me on the edge of my seat more than a few times. Loved the mix!

Only about 198 pages long, Ice was short and thrilling! Childhood frenemies, Gabriel and Lolly band together and must use their wits to outsmart the baddies, and survive the ice storm converging on Maine. Their past as well as the intense situation made their romance believable and hot!



Have you read and enjoyed any of these? What did you feature for your TTT Freebie? Let me know in the comments and I'll come check it out! 



42 comments:

  1. I'll have to read A Holiday By Gaslight. I always enjoy Mimi Matthews' books.

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  2. I can't read your post, because screenreaders only present me numbers because it's an image. Could you please include Alt Texts in the future? :)

    My TTT: https://laurieisreading.com/2023/12/05/top-ten-tuesday-did-i-read-my-fall-2023-tbr/

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    1. Sorry about that. Not sure what alt text is (not very techy) but I will try to figure it out.

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  3. Oooh! All of these books look interesting! Great list!

    Here’s my TTT

    Rabbit Ears Book Blog: WORLD’S WEIRDEST BOOK BLOG!

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  4. Love your picks.
    www.rsrue.blogspot.com

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  5. These all look so Christmassy!

    And I’d Iike to second Laurie’s request for Alt Text.

    Here is my Top Ten Tuesday post.

    Lydia

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    1. Sorry! Didn't realize it was an issue. Will try to figure out what exactly alt text is, lol!

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  6. I have The White Christmas Inn at home... still need to read it! lol

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  7. I love In a Holidaze. Such a fun book for the season.

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    1. Yes! It was a lot of fun. Love the Groundhog sort of situation.

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  8. You have some awesome picks there. I love the Katie Ruggle book. I've just read my first Sarah Morgan book and I'm sure I will need to read more. I'm already a fan of Christina Lauren, Linda Howard and Sandra Brown.

    Anne - Books of My Heart

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    1. Yes! Ruggle is great and I'm so happy she has a new book coming!

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  9. In A Holidaze looks really fun :)

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    1. It was a lot of fun, especially if you liked Groundhog Day! :)

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  10. Love seeing your picks! I've read a couple of those. BTW, did you see Katie Ruggle is back in writing with a new one? I spotted it on NetGalley.

    Sophia Rose

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    1. Thanks, Sophia! Yes, I saw that and was so excited! I kept looking to see if she had anything new since it's been a while. :)

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  11. In a Holidaze is one of my favorites. I still want to be adopted, so that I can share in all that fun holiday stuff

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  12. I love Christina Lauren but In a Holidaze fell a little flat for me. There are still so many holiday books on my TBR :)

    Here's my Top Ten Tuesday.

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    1. Not every book will work for everyone, even if it's from a favorite author. I have quite a few I want to get to as well!

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  13. Fun list! Everyone's winter holiday themed books are making me very tempted. XD

    My TTT.

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  14. I've read several of these: Ice, The White Christmas Inn, and A Cowboy Under the Mistletoe...all very fun holiday reads. Fun TTT list! :D

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    1. Thanks, Lark! Glad to hear you enjoyed quite a few here! :)

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  15. I love reading holiday stories and there are always so many good ones out there. I have read 5 of these and enjoyed them. Great choices, Rachel.

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    1. Happy to hear that, Carla. We seem to enjoy a lot of the same stories! Thanks!

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  16. I love the cover for A HOLIDAY BY GASLIGHT. It's so eye-catching and festive! Sounds like it's a sweet read too. I'll have to check it out. Thanks for the recs.

    Happy TTT!

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  17. Replies
    1. It's one of my all-time favorites! Hope you love it too!

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  18. I might have to try that Sandra Brown book. Thanks for sharing!

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  19. Great recommendations! I haven't read any of them, but I'm always looking for holiday reads. The only problem is that the month ends up being too short to read most of them haha

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    1. I agree, Ethan! Thank goodness of audios since I can listen while doing so many things that need to get done! :)

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  20. I usually read holiday romances but your mystery/thriller recs are definitely calling to me. :)

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    1. I hope you enjoy if you decide to pick one up, Suzanne! :)

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  21. I loved In a Holidaze and Ice is one of my all time favorites!

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  22. I've read and enjoyed five of these, so I will have to see if my library has any of the other ones. I have lots of Christmas reads on my TBR right now, but never enough. Great choice this week, Rachel.

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