Between The Pages | Christmas Reads

🎄❄️🕊️ Welcome Back for Part Two of My October Christmas Reads! 🎄🍪🎁❄️🍵

Hello again, bookworms! I hope you enjoyed our first trip through my early Christmas reading list. If you thought the first nine books were a lot, buckle up, because we’re diving straight into the final nine reads from my whopping 18 books completed in October!

This second round brings our grand total up to 18 festive stories, and I can’t wait to share the final recommendations with you.

As always, my mission is to seek out excellent, wholesome, and genuinely clean reads. I know how frustrating it can be to be pulled out of a fantastic story by unexpected content. So, if I happen to come across a potentially ‘sexy’ spot, rest assured, I take one of two actions: I’ll either stop reading the book altogether, or if the overall story is truly too good to put down, I’ll skip right over those parts. In those rare instances, I will always include a clear note in my summaries so you know exactly what to look out for before you pick it up.

The festive fun won’t stop here, either! I’ll be continuing to read mostly Christmas stories throughout November, ensuring you have plenty of variety and an abundance of great Christmas reads & recommendations to browse and hopefully find your next favorite holiday book.

Part One: Between The Pages | Autumn & Christmas Reads

Ready to finish out my epic October reading month? Let’s continue on!

The Christmas Joy Ride by Melody Carlson (via Kindle Unlimited)

The Christmas Joy Ride is a heartwarming, faith-filled Christmas novella that takes readers on a whimsical road trip down Route 66. This was such a sweet, friendship-of-a-treasure to read.

The story centers on two unlikely companions:

Joy Jorgensen: An 85-year-old dynamo who decides to drive her old RV—which she has decorated with a dazzling amount of Christmas cheer—from Chicago all the way to Phoenix, where she is moving to a retirement community.

Miranda Farmer: Joy’s much younger neighbor. Miranda is in a difficult place in her life, recently divorced, unemployed, and facing foreclosure. She has no holiday spirit and is heading for Christmas alone.

Worried about Joy making the cross-country journey alone in the dead of winter, Miranda insists on joining her. For Miranda, a crazy adventure is better than staying home and facing her problems. Still, she soon discovers that Joy has a hidden agenda for the trip.

The “Christmas Joy Ride” is more than just a move; Joy, who runs a popular Christmas blog, has a plan to spread Christmas cheer to six deserving contest winners along Route 66. As they travel and deliver personalized “Christmas Joy” (which often includes her famous Christmas cookies) to people in need, the grumpy Miranda begins to come out of her shell.

The journey is full of roadblocks and unforeseen events. Still, through faith, humor, and a lot of festive spirit, the two women bring blessings to others and, ultimately, to themselves. The trip down Route 66 gives Miranda a chance to face her past, gain confidence, and find a renewed sense of purpose and hope.

A Cross-Country Christmas by Courtney Walsh (via Kindle Unlimited)

A Cross-Country Christmas is a heartwarming holiday road-trip romance centered on a “forced proximity,” second-chance love story between two people with a complicated past.

The story follows:

Lauren Richmond: A talented set decorator who lives in California and actively dislikes Christmas. She is highly organized, guarded, and has been avoiding her hometown in the Midwest for years due to a painful past.

Will Sinclair: Lauren’s older brother’s best friend and a college baseball coach. He is charming, flirty, spontaneous, and was Lauren’s childhood crush—a crush that ended in a major, heartbreaking disappointment.

The setup:

Lauren’s brother insists she come home to Illinois for Christmas because his wife is expecting a baby. Because Lauren has a fear of flying, her only option is a cross-country drive. Her brother, aware of the deep, lingering tension between them, arranges for her to ride with his best friend, Will, who is also driving from California to the Midwest.

The journey:

Stuck together in a car for a week, the grumpy, organized Lauren is forced to endure the spontaneous, detour-loving Will. She holds a significant grudge against him for an event that happened over ten years ago, an event he may not even realize the impact of. Will, meanwhile, has been working hard to overcome mistakes from his past and prove that he’s a changed man.

As they travel across the country, making fun, Christmas-themed stops, their walls slowly begin to crumble. The road trip forces them to confront their history, leading to moments of laughter, difficult truths, forgiveness, and ultimately, a second chance at romance. It’s a sweet story about accepting grace, proving that people can change, and finding joy—and love—in the journey.

The Little Christmas Library by David M. Barnett (via Kindle Unlimited)

The Little Christmas Library is a cozy, community-focused Christmas story that celebrates the power of books, small-town kindness, and second chances, wrapped up in a warm holiday setting.

The story revolves around:

Molly McGinley: Feeling like a failure after leaving London, Molly reluctantly moves back home to the unassuming Northern town of Merry-le-Moors to live with her father for Christmas.

Jack: Molly’s dad, who, despite mourning the loss of his wife (Molly’s mum) ten years prior, maintains a relentlessly positive outlook on life and runs the town’s mobile library.

To pull Molly out of her slump, Jack insists she join him on his daily rounds driving the mobile library. This small library soon becomes a lifeline for the town’s lonely, lost, and jaded residents.

The Mobile Library as a Hub:

When an elderly man named Cliff begins coming to the mobile library simply for warmth and companionship, Jack and Molly offer him tea, sympathy, and a welcoming presence. This act of kindness starts a trend, and soon, a diverse group of people from Merry-le-Moors begins gathering at the mobile library each day. They come to talk about books, life, love, and community—each of them searching for something they’ve lost.

The Conflict:

As the makeshift community strengthens and friendships (and perhaps a budding romance for Molly) begin to form, a dark cloud appears: the mobile library is threatened with closure. This danger puts the fragile, newly formed friendships and the town’s quiet source of light at risk.

Ultimately, the book is a heartfelt tale about finding hope, love, and belonging in the most unlikely of places, proving that the magic of Christmas can be found in a well-loved bookmobile and the community it serves.

A Boxful of Christmas Rosemary Whittaker (via Kindle Unlimited)

A Boxful of Christmas is a sweet, festive romantic comedy set in the charming English village of Honeywell, pitting a Christmas enthusiast against a holiday skeptic.

The story focuses on two central characters:

Emma: For Emma, Christmas is a way of life. She is full of festive cheer and on a mission to spread it. She arrives in Honeywell to sell her beautiful, handmade Christmas boxes at the local fair.

Tom: He grew up on the local Christmas tree farm, so Christmas is merely a busy, cold season of hard work. He has a determined indifference to the holiday fuss and the sentiment surrounding it.

The Conflict:

The pair are fated to set up their stalls side by side at the bustling Christmas market. Emma’s over-the-top festive fervor immediately clashes with Tom’s Grinch-like resolve.

The plot follows the humorous and heartwarming rivalry as Emma attempts to thaw Tom’s icy attitude toward the season. Their initial sparks of irritation slowly evolve into a deeper connection as they are forced to spend time together.

The book is a classic “opposites attract” holiday romance, focusing on whether Emma’s unwavering love for Christmas—and her generous spirit—can melt Tom’s cynicism and lead to a magical, second-chance festive romance for them both. It’s a feel-good, small-town story packed with cheerful banter and holiday charm.

So This is Christmas by Helen Rolfe (via Kindle Unlimited)

So This is Christmas is a heartwarming story of friendship, loss, unexpected journeys, and the secrets that bind people together, set against the beautiful backdrop of a snowy Vienna at Christmastime.

The story centers on Sophie, a kind care assistant in London who loves the holidays. Her favorite resident is Bea, an 82-year-old woman with whom Sophie shares a close bond.

The Initial Setup:

—Sophie regularly helps Bea write and send letters to her lifelong friend, Greta, who lives in Vienna and “co-owns” the grand Wynter Hotel.

—The women exchange updates on their quiet lives in London and the festive bustle of Vienna, especially during the Christmas season.

The Twist of Fate:

Tragedy strikes when Bea passes away just before Christmas, leaving Sophie heartbroken and with an unsent Christmas letter. However, Sophie soon finds one last note from Bea—a note addressed to Sophie herself, with a simple instruction: “Go to Austria.”

Feeling lost and grieving, Sophie follows her friend’s final wish. She travels to Vienna with the goal of delivering the final news to Greta in person at the Wynter Hotel.

The Adventure in Vienna:

Once Sophie arrives in the magnificent, snow-covered city and reaches the Wynters’ apartment and sees the Hotel, she discovers that Greta’s family—including her charming son, Nick, and Nick’s assistant, Jennie (the Wynters’ adopted daughter) —is more complicated and welcoming than she could have imagined.

As Sophie gets drawn into their lives, enjoying the Viennese Christmas magic, she uncovers a series of surprises and deeply buried family secrets—secrets that tie her own past to Bea, Greta, and the Wynters in ways she never could have predicted.

Ultimately, the book is a beautiful, emotional journey that celebrates the enduring power of friendship, finds light after loss, and proves that Christmas can bring the most profound, life-changing surprises.

26 Ways to Come Home for the Holidays by Jennifer Joy (via Kindle Unlimited)

26 Ways to Come Home for the Holidays is a historical Christmas novella set in Pittsburgh during Thanksgiving in 1942, focusing on the chaos and camaraderie of a busy department store during wartime.

The story centers on Stella West, the ambitious and capable first-ever “Head of Holidays” for Hanover’s Department Store.

The Crisis:

Days before the highly anticipated grand unveiling of the store’s Christmas windows—a beloved city tradition—Stella is thrown into a panic when her lead window designer suddenly runs off. With the clock ticking and the store’s reputation (and her job) on the line, Stella must scramble to bring the twenty-six ‘Home for the Holidays’ themed Christmas windows to life. This year’s theme is especially poignant, as many loved ones are away fighting in the war.

The Team and the Romance:

To tackle the mammoth job, Stella pulls together a ragtag team of fellow employees, including a picky luxury stylist, flirty personal shoppers, and her best friend, Hector Donovan, the store’s press agent.

Working late nights and facing a series of mishaps, Stella and Hector rely on each other more than ever. It’s during this high-pressure chaos that Stella receives another surprise: she discovers that the charming Hector is newly single. The feelings she’s harbored for her best pal resurface, making her realize they might run much deeper than she ever admitted.

The Conflict:

Stella is racing against time to finish the displays while also juggling a baker who has a crush on her, a co-worker trying to sabotage her, and the store owner demanding an early preview. The biggest internal conflict, however, is whether she can risk telling Hector how she truly feels before he’s snapped up, even if it means risking their treasured friendship.

The novella is a fast-paced, charming story about teamwork, tradition, and the sweet, unexpected blossoming of a friends-to-lovers romance against the nostalgic, festive backdrop of a wartime Christmas.

Christmas to the Rescue by Anne Chase (via Kindle Unlimited)

Christmas to the Rescue! is a sweet, cozy, small-town Christmas romance that proves new beginnings and second chances can be found in the most unexpected—and snowy—circumstances.

The story is set in the small, perpetually festive town of Heartsprings Valley in northern New England and focuses on:

—Becca Jameson: A recent arrival in town, starting a new life as the town librarian. Becca is grieving the loss of her beloved husband, who passed away three years prior, and is looking for a quiet, fresh start away from her past.

The Catalyst:

Becca decides to embrace her new life by adopting a charming sheepdog named Bowzer at a local “Adopt-a-Pet” event. Little does she know that her furry friend is about to drag her into a chaotic Christmas adventure.

While out on a walk with Bowzer, an unexpected and fierce Nor’easter blizzard strikes. Becca and her dog become lost in the blinding snowstorm.

The Rescue:

Lost and freezing, Bowzer miraculously leads Becca to a secluded house that belongs to the very handsome town veterinarian, Dr. Nick. Nick is also a widower, still grappling with the loss of his wife two years ago.

Snowed in together at Nick’s cabin, Becca and Nick are forced to spend Christmas Eve together, creating an intense “forced proximity” situation. They get to know each other, sharing their grief, their fears, and an undeniable attraction.

The Mayhem:

Adding to the festive chaos, the two suddenly find themselves dealing with an emergency involving a pregnant llama (and her subsequent baby, a cria!) that needs Nick’s immediate attention.

Amidst the snow, hot cocoa, and animal emergencies, Becca and Nick slowly help each other navigate their grief and begin to rediscover the magic of Christmas and the possibility of a future filled with life, hope, and new love.

Christmas at Aunt Elsie’s by Emily Harvale (via Kindle Unlimited)

Christmas at Aunt Elsie’s is a comforting, feel-good festive romance about finding family and a fresh start in a charming seaside village when life takes an unexpected downturn.

The story centers on Lottie Short, who is having a truly terrible lead-up to Christmas:

• She has been dumped by her boyfriend.
• She has lost her job.
• She faces a bleak future alone, with only her beloved spaniel, Merry, for company.

The Journey to Seahorse Harbour:

A simple Christmas card and a round-robin letter from a distant relative, Aunt Elsie, give Lottie a sudden idea and a glimmer of hope. On the first falling snowflakes, she decides to take up an old, open invitation. She travels to the tiny, cozy seaside village of Seahorse Harbour to visit her aunt. She plans to stay in a comfortable B&B, get some bracing sea air, and lift her spirits.

The Unexpected Welcome:

Lottie doesn’t plan for the sudden blizzard that sweeps in, nor for the drama that immediately begins to unfold, including Aunt Elsie taking a fall. However, the warm welcome she receives at Elsie’s cottage—and the roaring log fire in the village pub—immediately begins to soothe her soul.

New Beginnings and Romance:

She quickly finds herself pulled into the friendly, tight-knit community of Seahorse Harbour. Lottie meets Asher Bryant, the local vet who is undeniably handsome, and she also begins to hit it off with another visitor to the village. As she navigates the holiday mayhem and unexpected family dynamics, Lottie discovers that her relationship with Aunt Elsie and the entire community offers more connection and surprising twists—including some old secrets resurfacing—than she ever anticipated.

The book is a charming tale about resilience, finding happiness after heartbreak, and discovering that the family you didn’t know you had might be exactly where you’re meant to spend Christmas and the New Year.

New Beginnings at the Little Christmas Inn by Georgia Hill (via Kindle Unlimited)

New Beginnings at the Little Christmas Inn is a festive, uplifting story set in the charming, tinsel-wrapped English seaside town of Lullbury Bay, focusing on finding strength and love when plans fall apart.

The story centers on Livvy, who is blindsided just weeks before Christmas when her boyfriend suddenly bails on her. They were supposed to take over and renovate a run-down, cliffside pub together—The George—and turn it into a sophisticated gastropub.

The Fresh Start:

Left with a battered heart and a massive, daunting project, Livvy has a choice: give up or tackle the endeavor all alone. Choosing the latter, she rolls up her sleeves and throws herself into transforming The George. It’s an overwhelming undertaking, but Livvy is determined to make a success of it and create the establishment of her dreams.

The Community and the Romance:

As she works on the pub, Livvy is slowly and gently swept into the warm, and occasionally “bonkers,” embrace of the Lullbury Bay village life. She meets a host of quirky, helpful locals, including:

• Silent Ernie, who helps with a cherry picker.
• A friendly community that rallies around local quiz nights and festive frolics.
• A springer spaniel named Angel.
• Mark, the kind, thoughtful, and frustratingly handsome local man who frequently checks in on her progress.

Mark might just be exactly what Livvy needs to heal her broken heart, but she struggles to open up to the possibility of love again.

The Conflict:

Just as Livvy begins to find her feet and her place in the community, a string of unsettling events threatens everything she has built at The George. She must decide what truly matters to her: the ambition and style she initially sought, or the belonging, community, and potential love she has found in Lullbury Bay.

The book is a gorgeously feel-good, cozy story full of Christmas magic, exploring themes of resilience, community, and the surprising way that new beginnings often arrive when you least expect them.

✨ Wrapping Up Part Two!

And there we have it—the final nine festive tales that rounded out my epic 18-book reading challenge in October!

From cozy cross-country car rides with Courtney Walsh and Melody Carlson, to the unexpected charm of The Little Christmas Library, and finding love amongst the llamas in Christmas to the Rescue!, this batch of clean reads offered a wonderful variety of holiday joy. Whether set in a snowy New England valley, a bustling 1940s department store, or a seaside English village, each book brought its own special kind of Christmas magic.

I hope these summaries give you a great starting point for browsing and picking out your own next festive read. Remember, I always keep an eye out for you, and all these stories are clean reads perfect for cozying up with a blanket and a cup of cocoa.

Don’t go far! I’m already diving into November’s batch of holiday stories, so you’ll have even more Christmas reads and recommendations very soon. Happy reading!

I’m partying with these Amazing Blog Hop | Link Up party hostesses!