Riley Locke

From the first pumpkin of October to the last chime of New Year's Eve, this is the desk's cold-months shelf: eight books arranged in seasonal order, curses to croissants to that bus window, with the heat levels running the full range and clearly marked. Light the fire, mark the calendar, and work through them as the weeks turn; the last one is timed to finish as the year does.

From the encyclopedia: Holiday Romance

  • The Ex Hex — Erin Sterling

    Where the season opens: October, a curse, and a second chance. Witchy on the label, soundly built underneath.

  • Window Shopping — Tessa Bailey

    One department store, one advent of window displays, one evening's reading. High heat, higher kindness.

  • Lovelight Farms — B.K. Borison

    A tree farm, a small lie, and the gentlest fake dating on the shelf. The town does half the wooing.

  • The Holiday Swap — Maggie Knox

    Twin bakers trade lives for December. Closed-door, clockwork farce, croissants with consequences.

  • Royal Holiday — Jasmine Guillory

    The mother of the party gets the love story for once, and in her fifties. Long overdue and served warm.

  • A Merry Little Meet Cute — Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone

    A wholesome TV Christmas movie, cast against type on purpose. Sweetest premise here; least tame execution.

  • In a Holidaze — Christina Lauren

    The comfort loop itself: warmth and wanting with no permanent consequences until the right ones.

  • One Day in December — Josie Silver

    Ten seconds through a bus window, ten years to pay for them. Close the year with it; the years are the point.

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