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25 Books About New Year’s Eve
By: Angela & Melissa
Updated:
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we may earn a referral fee from qualifying purchases.There’s so much build-up to the holidays, but what about once December 25th has passed? It’s easy to fall into a bit of a lull during the week between Christmas and New Year’s. There seems to be a feeling of “now what?” The answer is read, of course! We rarely change out of our PJs, we live on leftovers, and there’s nothing we’d rather do than curl up on the couch with a good book. In preparation for this ultimate week of relaxation, we’ve compiled a list of great books about New Year’s Eve or where the new year plays a pivotal role in the plot.
We’ve scoured our bookshelves and bookstores to track down the best New Year’s books for adults that cover multiple genres. While you’ll find quite a few New Year’s Eve romance books on this list, it also includes historical fiction, mysteries and thrillers, literary fiction, and even some New Year’s Eve YA books.
The start of a new year comes with fresh beginnings, New Year’s resolutions, and an extra dose of hope – both in real life and in novels. Some of the New Year’s books on our list feature new relationships, while others focus on the characters learning more about themselves and taking charge of their own happiness. Whatever you’re in the mood for, we hope you’ll find the perfect book to read between Christmas and New Years!
Highly-Rated New Years Books
The Second Chance Year
Book Summary
Sadie’s big mouth cost her job, her apartment, and her boyfriend all in one fell swoop. While she doesn’t normally believe in magic, she’s desperate to fix her ruined life. So, when a fortune teller gives her one wish, she asks to redo her entire year. Sadly, when she opens her eyes, nothing has changed. She’s so out of sorts that she makes another questionable move and kisses her brother’s best friend, Jacob.
When Sadie wakes up the next morning, she’s shocked to find that it’s January 1st…of last year. Her old boyfriend is in her apartment, and her boss expects her at work. As the year progresses, she begins to wonder if her only mistake was wishing for a second chance.
This Time Next Year
Book Summary
In 1990, Minnie & Quinn were born in the same hospital on New Year’s Day. Quinn was born just before Minnie, earning him the prize for the first baby of the year in London. From that day forward, Minnie has had terrible luck, especially on each birthday.
When Minnie & Quinn run into each other on their 30th birthdays, she sees that her hunch was correct, and Quinn has continued to have more than his fair share of good luck. But, it turns out, this isn’t actually the first time their paths have crossed. As the reader, you’ll travel back through all their chance encounters over the years.
The Book Girls Say…
While the book is largely a British rom-com, there’s also a deeper element as Minnie confronts her life-long view that she is and will always be unlucky.
Night Shift
Book Summary
On New Year’s Eve in 1999, no one was certain what to expect. Would the Y2K bug cause a digital apocalypse? While that didn’t happen, in Linden, New Jersey, four teenage girls were attacked at a Blockbuster. Only one survived.
Fifteen years later, four teen employees were attacked at an ice cream shop. Again, only one survived. But survivors remember the killer speaking identical words.
The second attack brings the first back to mind and causes three lives to intersect – the survivor of the Blockbuster massacre, the brother of the original suspect, and an FBI agent determined to solve both cases.
The Book Girls Say…
The Night Shift was a Goodreads Choice Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Mystery & Thriller.
New York, New Year, New You
Book Summary
Quincy feels like she’s acquired a lifetime of unfinished challenges, but it’s time to start checking them off one-by-one. The first is the biggest- she’s temporarily moving to New York with her childhood best friend, Brynn.
As Quincy tries to complete other resolutions, from running a marathon to learning to cook French cuisine, she discovers new strengths, skills, and confidence. And she rediscovers Brynn’s older brother, who’s still swoon-level cute.
The Book Girls Say…
Readers call this a “clean and heartwarming romance,” but it’s also a great read about finding yourself and the power of new beginnings.
The Last Party
Book Summary
Rhys Lloyd has a vacation home on Mirror Lake on the border between Wales and England. He’s generously invited the village over for New Year’s Eve, but by midnight, Rhys will be dead. And by morning, every one of his guests is a suspect.
Detective Ffion Morgan must determine which of her neighbors is guilty, but she also has secrets of her own to protect. As she uncovers lie after lie, the question is no longer who wanted Rhys dead but rather who finally killed him.
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A Magical New York Christmas
Book Summary
Sabrina Post is a 26-year-old struggling writer who arrives at the Plaza Hotel to begin her next gig – ghost-writing a memoir for a famous art dealer. It’s a dream job – she gets her own suite and a big paycheck! Her week gets even more magical when she finds out the art dealer once worked for the author of the Eloise books, Kay Thompson.
Throw in a member of the British aristocracy that Sabrina meets at the hotel bar, and you have the perfect heartwarming holiday read!
The Book Girls Say…
This book actually takes place during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It features many of the quintessential NYC Christmas activities and culminates with a glamorous New Year’s Eve gala.
Fans of Fiona Davis novels will love this book! Like many of Davis’ books with an NYC landmark building at their center, the Plaza Hotel is like a character in the story. You’ll learn so much about the history and architecture of this grand hotel. Additionally, this holiday novel has a dual timeline with a historical fiction story that introduces us to the author of the famed Eloise books.
Oona Out of Order
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
Book Summary
The night before Oona’s 19th birthday, on New Year’s Eve 1982, she’s struggling with a big decision. Should she go all-in on her commitment to her band and boyfriend or follow through with a long-time plan to study economics in London with her best friend?
Before she can go down either path, she wakes up on New Year’s Day. Except she’s now in the year 2014. Instead of being 19, Oona is suddenly 51. She continues to live her life out of order, traveling backward or forward each New Year, but never knowing what age she’ll be when she wakes up.
The Book Girls Say…
This book is only enjoyable if you’re willing to suspend your disbelief around the core concept that Oona wakes up a different age each year, and someone other than Oona also knows this happens to her. If you start questioning details, you’ll be taken out of the story. However, if you just go with it and stay engaged, it’s a fascinating premise and a great look at how technology has changed over time.
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
Books Like The Midnight Library
Books Spanning a Character’s Lifetime
Best Books From 2020
Family Reservations
Book Summary
This dark and witty novel about the Winter family follows their dissolution after a line is crossed at matriarch Maren’s annual New Year’s Eve party.
Maren is a world-renowned restaurateur who leads an empire, but is close to retirement. Her three daughters all work for her and are watching closely for the opportunity to step into her powerful role. Will one of them prevail, or will their narcissistic mother continue making their lives difficult?
The Book Girls Say…
This character-driven book is full of unlikeable people, so skip it if you prefer more relatable characters. On the flip side, if you enjoy the family drama and cutthroat, dysfunctional personalities on Succession, this could be a fun read.
Murder at Everham Hall
Book Summary
It’s 1927, and mystery writer Marius Quin is behind on his mortgage and struggling with his next book. When his friend, Lady Isabella, invites him to a New Year’s Eve party, he’s happy for the distraction from his life. He heads to the opulent Everham Hall with his basset hound by his side.
The celebrations include fireworks, champagne, and…a murder. The police can’t reach the estate because of the heavy snowfall, so Marius is nominated as the closest person to a detective. But as he sets out to solve his first real-life case, he learns that it’s even harder to solve mysteries than to write them. Can he figure out the killer before he becomes the next victim?
The Book Girls Say…
A Winter in New York
Book Summary
Iris, a young chef, grew up in London watching nostalgic movies set in New York with her mom while eating their special homemade gelato, a secret recipe. Now an adult, Iris didn’t fully grasp the scale of Manhattan before moving there to restart her life. She’s ready to hide away instead of exploring her new home, but her BFF Bobby drags her to a street fair in Little Italy instead. She’s surprised when she sees a little family-run gelateria that looks just like one in a photo her mom had.
She returns to the shop to find a handsome man, Gino, who shares that the shop is in danger of closing. His uncle kept all the recipes secret, but he’s in a coma, and they haven’t been able to make any more. When Iris samples the last batch of vanilla gelato, she knows it’s her mother’s recipe. She volunteers to help Gino restore their business and finds that they have chemistry outside the kitchen as well. But when his uncle finally wakes up, everything she has built is at risk.
The Book Girls Say…
Set in New York between Halloween and New Year’s Eve, this book is perfect to pick up anytime throughout the holiday season. Readers say that fans of Katherine Center and Emily Henry may enjoy this holiday novel by the author of One Day in December and The Two Lives of Lydia Bird.
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
Book Summary
Translated from German, this book will transport you to the sites of Hamburg. The main character, Jonathan, is wealthy, driven by routine, and avoids relationships of all kinds. On New Year’s Day, he finds a planner during his jog. The first page says “Your Perfect Year” and the dates for the upcoming year all have handwritten notes with tasks like “eat cake until it makes us ill”. Jonathan can’t seem to help himself from following the plans as he tries to find the owner of the planner.
Alternating chapters feature Hannah, who is launching a brand new business with her best friend and waiting for her boyfriend to propose.
The Book Girls Say…
This book is not as light as the cover implies and contains themes of suicide. There are, however, light moments in between serious topics.
Red, White, and Royal Blue
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
Book Summary
Alex is the early 20-something son of the first female US President, and Prince Henry is the 2nd in line to the British Throne. Alex considers Henry his nemesis, and the two get into an embarrassing scuffle during a royal wedding.
A damage control plan is developed by both sides. In order to calm the press and convince them the sons of the US and England aren’t foes, Alex and Henry agree to make public appearances as friends over the course of several months. After spending more time together, and exchanging many amusing text messages, Alex realizes there is more to Henry than he assumed.
Soon, the relationship between Alex and Henry begins to feel real – and it all begins with a New Year’s Eve kiss!
The Book Girls Say…
After reading, cozy up with your hot chocolate and check out the highly-rated movie adaptation by the same name!
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
Book Summary
It’s New Year’s Eve 1984, and 85-year-old Lilian Boxfish decides to walk all ten miles to the party she plans to attend. Along the way, she looks back over her long life in the city. Her walk is both a quintessential New Year’s Eve reminiscence and a love letter to New York City.
In the 1930s, Lillian was a copywriter for Macy’s, and she worked her way up to being one of the highest-paid ad women in the country. Throughout her life, she’s seen a lot in her changing city and country – from the Jazz Age to the onset of the AIDS epidemic and from the Great Depression to the birth of hip-hop.
The Book Girls Say…
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New Year’s Quilt
Book Summary
Master Quilter Sylvia Compson has discovered that it’s never too late in life to find love. This story takes place over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, beginning with Sylvia and Andrew’s festive surprise wedding at Elm Creek Manor. The newlyweds are very happy, but Andrew’s adult children are less than thrilled with the marriage. As the story progresses, the family conflict brings back many memories for Sylvia of the estrangement within her own family’s past.
This light and cozy read reflects on many New Year’s traditions celebrated by Sylvia and her ancestors and also includes many well-researched details about the history of quilt-making.
The Book Girls Say…
This is book 11 in the Elm Creek Quilts series, but it can easily be read as a stand-alone.
The Hunting Party
Book Summary
For ten years, a group of now 30-something friends have met to ring in the New Year together. This year, they’re traveling to an isolated estate in the Scottish Highlands.
The vacation begins on December 30th, just before a historic blizzard separates them from the rest of the world. However, by New Year’s Day, secret resentments will have reached a breaking point, and one of them will be dead.
The Book Girls Say…
This book is described as perfect for fans of Agatha Christie-style mysteries.
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Same Time, Next Year
Book Summary
James has his mind on his career as a newly appointed judge. While visiting Las Vegas on New Year’s Eve, he runs into a Summer. She’s just discovered her fiancè was cheating on her, and he’s in the right place at the right time to console her.
Because they have to return home to their normal lives despite their undeniable connection, they vow to return to Vegas the next New Year’s Eve to meet again. Between meetings, their relationship grows through monthly letters.
The Book Girls Say…
Keep in mind that this is a New Year’s Eve romance originally released 25 years ago, so some say it feels outdated at times. But if you prefer the classic romance genre over contemporary, it might be perfect!
Rules of Civility
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
Book Summary
On New Year’s Eve 1937, a young woman has a chance encounter with a handsome banker. She suddenly finds herself thrust into a yearlong journey into high society.
You’ll be drawn in by the characters and the sparkling depiction of New York’s social strata. As one review put it, “If a novel could win an award for best cinematography, this would take home the gold.”
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Book Summary
Frankie and Ezra were college sweethearts in the ’80s, but before school ended, they broke up and vowed never to speak again. Frankie went on to a career as a music manager for some of the hottest bands of the ’90s. Ezra falls in love again and is ready to propose to his new girlfriend.
In December of 1999, ten years after graduation, Frankie and Ezra find themselves face to face once again – right back where it all started, on their snowy, picturesque New England campus. They’re both there to attend the wedding of a mutual friend.
Seeing each other again raises long-buried emotions, but they’re both shocked to wake up in bed side by side the following morning. Ezra’s grandmother’s ring is on Frankie’s finger, but neither remembers how they got there.
They have New Year’s Eve 1999 to figure out what happened the night before, what didn’t happen, and what if they both got it wrong the first time around.
The Book Girls Say…
We were so excited to spot this new 2022 release on the Book of the Month add-on list! What could be better than a big-hearted rom-com with major nostalgic vibes? One set on New Year’s Eve, of course!
UPDATE: The reviews on this book have come in lower than we hoped. We’re leaving it on the list because it’s such a perfect New Year’s theme and cover, but know that it’s more of an entertaining 3 or 3.5 star book than a 5 star gem.
At the Water’s Edge
Book Summary
After disgracing themselves at a high society New Year’s Eve party in Philadelphia in 1944, Madeline Hyde and her husband, Ellis, are financially cut off by his father. Ellis decides that the only way to regain his father’s favor is to succeed in a venture that his father famously attempted and failed at – the hunt for the Loch Ness monster.
He believes if he can find the monster, he can restore his father’s good name. Joined by his wife, Maddie, and their friend, Hank – a wealthy socialite, the three make their way to Scotland.
As the two men go off to hunt the monster each day, Maddie is alone in a foreign country. This novel focuses more on her experiences in Scotland during WWII and gives a glimpse into daily life filled with rationing and air raids.
The Book Girls Say…
The New Year’s Eve party and its aftermath play a very prominent role in the early chapters of this historical fiction novel by the author of Water for Elephants.
New Year’s Eve Murder
Book Summary
Lucy and her daughter have won a trip to New York City for New Year makeovers from a fashion magazine. However, in the midst of their whirlwind introduction to the high-pressure world, fashion editor Nadine mysteriously dies.
Lucy is on the case when her daughter begins to experience the same symptoms. Suddenly, it’s even more vital to find the culprit.
The Book Girls Say…
Although this is book 12 of 28 in the Lucy Stone series, it’s also a perfect stand-alone if you’re looking for a cozy mystery to read between holidays.
If you love cozy mysteries, you may also want to check out these New Year’s themed titles:
A Toast to Murder by Allyson K. Abbott
Have a Deadly New Year by Lynn Cahoon
A Catered New Year’s Eve (with recipes) by Isis Crawford
Gnarly New Year by Ying Cooper
Flowers, Food, and Felonies a the New Year’s Jubilee by Annie Adams
Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year’s by Liz Ireland
Bridget Jones’s Diary
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
Book Summary
For many people, the new year is a time for a fresh start. Bridget Jones begins her diary on New Year’s Day with a list of her New Year’s Resolutions, including two columns – “I Will” and “I Will Not.” She’s convinced that she’ll finally be happy if she can finally lose 7 pounds, stop smoking, develop a functional relationship with a responsible adult, and learn to program her VCR.
In her determined quest for self-improvement, Bridget then chronicles her daily successes and (more often) her perceived failures. Her diary entries are “devastatingly self aware” and laugh-out-loud funny!
The Book Girls Say…
You may be familiar with the movie, but the book is where it all began. This is the perfect New Year’s book if you are in the mood for something light and humorous with a whole lot of heart. One thing is for sure: you won’t feel alone if you can’t keep all of your New Year’s resolutions.
This book is very reflective of the 1990s obsession with dieting and weight loss. While much of it is tongue-in-cheek humor, beyond the surface, it’s an interesting comparison to the more body-positive books we see in 2023.
If you enjoy Bridget’s adventures, there are three more books in the series.
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Anxious People
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
Book Summary
If you are looking for a book that’s not focused on the traditional elements of New Year’s Eve, this could be the perfect pick. Anxious People takes place all in one day – the day before New Year’s Eve – in a small town in Sweden.
A failed bank robber stumbles into an apartment open house and inadvertently holds hostage a group of strangers. The eclectic group of captives may just be the worst hostages in the world, and none of them are quite who they appear to be. Throughout the ordeal, they divulge secrets, form allegiances, and set into motion a chain of events so unexpected that, when questioned by the police, they can hardly explain what happens next.
The Book Girls Say…
We both love all of Fredrik Backman’s books, and Anxious People – with its quirky characters and witty prose is no exception. Backman has such a knack for writing in a way that is both entertaining, but also gets right to the heart of the matter!
Although this book doesn’t have a strong connection to the holiday, we figure this is the perfect excuse to read it if it’s already on your TBR.
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
A Castle in the Clouds
Book Summary
Sophie is an intern at a grand but aging hotel in the Swiss Alps. There’s an annual New Year’s Eve Ball that brings back the glory days. Sophie frantically prepares to make sure the event goes flawlessly.
However, when the guests arrive, they come with unexpected problems. In fact, many of them aren’t even who they say!
The Book Girls Say…
If you’re open to YA books about New Year’s Eve, this mystery will take you right into a winter wonderland!
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling
Book Summary
Delilah is shy and has chronic migraines, which makes it surprising that she is also the lead singer of a punk band. On the night of her first show, she meets Reggie, who usually spends his time playing D&D and writing anonymously about the lack of BIPOC representation in the game.
Delilah & Reggie don’t seem to have much in common, so they go their separate ways after a brief chat. But then they run into each other again on Valentine’s Day…and St. Patrick’s Day. Is the universe pushing them together for a reason?
The Book Girls Say…
This book starts on New Year’s Eve and continues as the main characters have chance meetings on other holidays throughout the year. The story is told from dual points of view.
The romance sections are clean, but swearing is used throughout, so skip this one if you’re sensitive to language.
What to Read After the Ball Drops
If you’re looking for a seasonal book without a holiday aspect, be sure to check out our great list of books to read in the winter and our list of thrillers set in winter!
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