Only one week until Christmas, and I feel like I am so behind! My cards aren't finished and nothing is wrapped and I have not read nearly enough holiday romance (I have made a lot of cookies dough, though). Last time, I recommended some fantasy/paranormal books. This time it's historical romance.
Henfever by Olivia Waite (F/F, Christmas): Lydia, a spinster living with her parents, is on her best behavior all year, except the day of the village poultry show, where she enters the birds she raises. Harriet is a soldier's widow just moved the village, looking forward to a quiet holiday. They're brought together in a dispute over rare chickens that Lydia thinks could win the show and Harriet thinks would make an excellent meal. It's a charming novella that manages to perfect juxtapose dealing with grief and falling in love and the hilarity of the village poultry show.
Masters in this Hall by KJ Charles (M/M, Christmas): Hotel detective John Garland was in love, but now he's lost his job and is in disgrace, all because of the man he fell in love with and who happens to be a thief. Now he only wants to see Barnaby Lattimer get what's coming to him. John follows Barnaby to the country house where he's taken a job organizing extravagant traditional Christmas entertainments for the guest of the house party. John wants to thwart whatever nefarious plans Barnaby has, but there's more going on than he imagines and he has to decide if he can trust Barnaby again. This was an utter delight. So much fun and all the things I adore about a KJ Charles book. It's part of the Lilywhite series, but stands alone.
Mr. Winterbourne's Christmas by Joanna Chambers (M/M, Christmas): Lysander and Adam have been together for eighteen months (they met in Introducing Mr. Winterbourne, which is a wonderful novella that you should also read), but they haven't talked about their feelings and both worry because of it—Adam fears that the social Lysander will tire of him and Lysander fears that Adam only wants him because he's a good estate manager. When they're snowed in with Lysander's family at Christmas, they have to face up to their feelings (and a lot of other revelations). This book made me so happy. The chemistry between the main characters is wonderful, and the secondary characters are delightful. It's funny and charming and romantic.
Miracle on Ladies' Mile by Joanna Shupe (M/F, Christmas): In Gilded Age New York, Grace is working on the window displays of the most popular department store on Ladies' Mile. Working late one night, she meets a man who ends up helping her. She doesn't need his help, but she enjoys his company and the cheer it brings to the holiday season. She believes he's a store employee, but he's actually one of the owners, a widower who is raising a daughter alone and buries himself in his work.
A Midnight Clear by Emma Barry and Genevieve Turner (M/F, Christmas): In 1948 Annapolis, MD, Frances is daughter of an admiral who has had to take over running the household after the death of her mother. Though she is often pursued by the midshipman surrounding her, she turns them all down. Joe is one of those midshipman. He falls for her at first sight and proceeds to court her (including with books). This novella isn't heavy on the holiday themes, but it is lovely and romantic. It's a part of the authors' Fly Me to the Moon series but can be read as a standalone.
Secret Light by ZA Maxfield (M/M, Hanukkah/Christmas): As a child, Rafe was smuggled out of Austria when the Nazis annexed the country. Now it's 1955 and he lives a lonely life in Los Angeles, pretending not to be Jewish and not to be gay. After someone mistakes him for German and vandalizes his home, he meets police officer Ben, who is also living a lie, pretending to be straight because he knows how impossible it would be to be an out gay police officer. What follows is a lovely romance that also doesn't shy away from period bigotries.
Do you have an favorite historical holiday romances?
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