The Spiciest Christmas Romance Novels to Read This Winter

There’s nothing to keep you warm through the winter like a spicy holiday romance novel.

Meghan Quinn, Ali Hazelwood, Christina Lauren and more of our favorite authors have Christmas-themed books that raise our temperatures faster than a roaring fire. Scroll down for holiday-themed reading recommendations to keep you warm all winter:

‘How My Neighbor Stole Christmas’ by Meghan Quinn

Holiday enthusiast Storee Taylor moves in next door to her Grinch-like nemesis, Cole Black, and he decides to enter the town Christmas Kringle contest just to beat her. Somehow, that leads to fake dating, and we all know that’s a straight path to rocking around the Christmas tree and inappropriate use of candy canes (literally). Don’t read this one in public unless you’re a straight-faced, smut-reading pro.

‘My Favorite Holidate’ by Lauren Blakely

Fable and her boss, Wilder, are the maid of honor and best man at a Christmas destination wedding, but they don’t want anyone to feel bad for them. They do the only reasonable thing — fake date. What starts as a ploy to make her ex jealous quickly turns into something that isn’t just about Fable’s tree getting trimmed. Beware, some of Us are still blushing after reading the new meaning Blakely gave to the word “eggnog.”

‘Can I Tell You Something?’ by Holly June Smith

This novella centers around a stressed lawyer who goes to her family’s Christmas chalet in France only to find her brother brought home his roommate, who happens to voice her favorite audio erotica. She won’t just hear the bells getting jingled anymore — she’s getting the full sleigh ride experience. Bonus: the duet audiobook by Adam Gold and Evelyn Rose is like an extra Christmas gift.

‘In a Holidaze’ by Christina Lauren

This spicy holiday romance is officially in development at Netflix, which is great news because Christina Lauren (the pen name of Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings) is one of our favorites. Mae is confused and depressed, so she asks the universe to show her what will make her happy — and then she dies. She wakes up after her car crash and repeats her day, thus beginning the Groundhog Day–like cycle that results in Mae figuring out what — and who — she really wants. This one has just a few spicy scenes, so you don’t have to worry about your family glancing over your shoulder while reading.

‘The Nightmare Before Kissmas’ by Sara Raasch

Prince Nicholas, or “Coal” as his friends call him, is destined to take over for his father as Santa one day. His father suddenly arranges for him to marry Iris, who is the Princess of Easter, Coal’s BFF and his brother’s longtime crush. Hex, the Prince of Halloween, arrives to challenge Coal for Iris’ hand — but these princes get hotter than chestnuts on an open fire when they’re together. Raasch has a unique take on a holiday romance that’s deeper than expected.

‘Under the Mistletoe Collection’ by Ali Hazelwood, Tessa Bailey, Olivia Dade, Alexandria Bellefleur and Alexis Daria

Amazon knows what you’ve been reading, but unlike Santa, they’re more than happy to help you stay on the naughty list. The novellas in this collection (each under two hours) are all very sexy, but perhaps the best is the one that made us wait the longest for the spice, Cruel Winter With You by Ali Hazelwood. The novella follows two former childhood friends, Jamie and Marc, who get snowed in together over the holidays and finally have to face their feelings. Hazelwood is a spicy romance queen, and her fans will be delighted to find her trademark banter, tension and passion waiting for them under the tree.