Christmas in Australia means 35 degrees, a pavlova sweating on the bench, and absolutely no excuse not to read on the couch with the aircon on. Festive romance does not care that there is no snow. Neither do we.
So here is our Christmas 2026 round-up: the festive favourites already sitting on our shelves, the new holiday releases landing between now and December, and a section at the end for readers who would like their Christmas romance with a significantly higher body count. Extra points, as always, for the dark ones.
Festive Favourites On Our Shelves
The Holiday Hijinx Series by Kate Stewart
Christmas chaos, done properly.
Start with The Plight Before Christmas and follow it with The Sleight Before Christmas. Kate Stewart writing festive is funnier and filthier than you expect, with the emotional gut-punch she cannot help but include.
Perfect for fans of: Holiday Rom-Com, Small Town, Family Chaos, Second Chance
The How My Neighbour Stole Christmas Series by Meghan Quinn
One Christmas-obsessed town, three chaotic love stories.
Nobody does unhinged festive rom-com like Meghan Quinn. Start with How My Neighbour Stole Christmas, follow it with Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal, then finish with Christmas Staycation, out 20 October (more on that one below).
Perfect for fans of: Holiday Rom-Com, Small Town, Enemies to Lovers, Fake Dating, Banter
My December Darling by Lauren Asher
Soft, swoony and exactly right for a hot Christmas Eve.
Lauren Asher's festive offering is lower angst than her Dreamland Billionaires work and all the better for it if you want something comforting.
Perfect for fans of: Holiday Romance, Grumpy Sunshine, Low Angst, Swoony Hero
The Christmas Playbook by S. Massery & S.J. Sylvis
Sports romance meets the holidays.
Two authors who know exactly what they are doing, teaming up for a festive read with real chemistry and a satisfying amount of heat.
Perfect for fans of: Sports Romance, Holiday Romance, Co-Written, Spice
Dashing All the Way by Chelsea Curto
A festive detour from the D.C. Stars world.
Warm, funny and full of the swoony sports-romance energy Chelsea Curto has built her name on.
Perfect for fans of: Sports Romance, Holiday Rom-Com, Slow Burn, Banter
Merry Me by C.R. Jane
Festive, and a little bit feral.
C.R. Jane does not really know how to write a low-stakes love interest, which makes this a great bridge between cosy Christmas and the darker end of the list.
Perfect for fans of: Obsessed MMC, Holiday Romance, Instalove, Spice
Frisky the Snowman by Lauren Biel
Exactly what the title suggests.
Lauren Biel being completely unserious, which is a delight given how dark her other work goes. A quick, very spicy festive palate cleanser.
Perfect for fans of: Spicy Novella, Holiday Humour, Monster-ish Romance, Quick Reads
Sinning for Santa by Sarah J.D.
Naughty list, obviously.
Short, filthy and unrepentant. For when you want festive spice with no plot obligations whatsoever.
Perfect for fans of: Spicy Holiday Romance, Novella, Praise Kink, Quick Reads
For The Dark Romance Readers
Santa's Dark Secret by Sheridan Anne
The dark Christmas read our customers ask for by name.
Sheridan Anne takes the festive setting and does something genuinely twisted with it. If you want tinsel and menace in equal measure, start here.
Perfect for fans of: Dark Holiday Romance, Morally Grey Hero, Captive Romance, Spice
Graves & Griggs: A Very Bloody Christmas by Katelyn Taylor
The title is not a metaphor.
Festive, bloody and very funny about it. Perfect for Butcher & Blackbird readers who want the same energy with fairy lights on.
Perfect for fans of: Dark Rom-Com, Serial Killer Romance, Gore, Holiday Chaos
New Christmas Releases For 2026
Mistletoe All the Way by Lauren Blakely
Out 6 October 2026. A grumpy cowboy, a relentlessly sunny heroine and small-town holiday chaos. The first proper Christmas release of the season and a very easy one to start with.
Perfect for fans of: Grumpy Sunshine, Cowboy Romance, Holiday Rom-Com, Low Angst
Christmas Staycation by Meghan Quinn
Out 20 October 2026. Meghan Quinn returns to her Christmas universe with a fake-engagement holiday rom-com. Reads as a standalone if you are new to the series.
Perfect for fans of: Fake Dating, Holiday Rom-Com, Banter, Forced Proximity
A Married Little Christmas by Abby Jimenez
Out 20 October 2026. Abby Jimenez doing Christmas is the event it sounds like. Funny, quietly devastating, and built around characters whose problems are real enough to earn the happy ending.
Perfect for fans of: Holiday Rom-Com, Emotional Depth, Marriage Romance, Witty
Saddles & Snowfall by Elliott Rose
Out October 2026. A Crimson Ridge festive instalment, and a very welcome one if you are already invested in that world. Cowboys, snow, and the emotional payoff of a series novella done right.
Perfect for fans of: Cowboy Romance, Holiday Novella, Small Town, Series Extras
A Very Psycho Christmas by Layla Fae
Out November 2026. Third in the Spicy Holiday series and exactly as unhinged as the title promises. Followed by A Very Kidnapper Christmas in December, because of course it is.
Perfect for fans of: Dark Holiday Romance, Yandere Hero, Spicy Novella, Unhinged
Silver Bells by Lea Rose
Out 11 November 2026. A wintry MM ranch romance about coming home after four years away and falling for the one man you should not: your sister's ex-husband. Cold nights, close quarters and a line that was never going to hold.
Perfect for fans of: MM Romance, Forbidden Romance, Cowboy Romance, Forced Proximity
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder by Ally Carter
Out October 2026. The second Kiss, Merry, Kill book. Festive, funny, and with a genuine mystery underneath. For readers who want their holiday romance with a corpse in it.
Perfect for fans of: Cosy Mystery, Holiday Romance, Banter, Whodunnit
Or Let Us Choose For You
If you would rather be surprised, our Christmas advent options are back: the 24 Days of Christmas Book Edition, the 7 Days of Christmas Book Edition and the 7 Days of Christmas Merch Edition. There is also the 10-Book Mystery Bundle and our Blind Date With A Book, both of which make very good presents for the reader in your life. Or for you. We are not judging.
Whether you want cosy small-town snow, a fake engagement, a festive sports romance or a Christmas read with a genuine body count, there is something on this list for your holiday TBR. Check content warnings on the darker picks, and pour yourself something cold while you read about somebody else shovelling a driveway.
🎄 Shop Christmas Here
🖤 Shop Dark Romance Here
📖 Shop All Books Here
📦 Shop Book Series Sets Here
💫 Shop Book Merch Here
Merry reading, romance lovers!