Two of our favorite things are holiday reads and exploring new cultures, traditions, and viewpoints through the pages of books. We have lots of lists of Christmas-themed novels, but we were excited to put together a list of light, fun books celebrating other winter holidays observed next door and around the world, including Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Diwali, and Lunar New Year. We also have a separate list of New Year’s Eve novels for those interested.
We view this list as just a starting point, and we’d love to hear from you. If you celebrate one of these holidays, tell us what book(s) you’d recommend we add. And if you celebrate a winter holiday we don’t yet have on the list, tell us about it – and share some books we should read!
Multicultural Winter Holiday Books
We were so excited to come across the first book on the list because it celebrates not one, not two, but THREE winter holidays. Only three times a century (or every 30 to 33 years) do Hanukkah, Ramadan, and Christmas overlap, and this book is set during one of those years.
Contemporary Fiction
Three Holidays and a Wedding
Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley
Publication Date:
09/26/2023
Setting:
Small town near Ottawa, Canada
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
4.2 out of 5 100% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Maryam is on her way to her sister’s impromptu wedding, and Anna is headed to meet her boyfriend’s wealthy family. These two strangers are seatmates on a flight to Toronto when they find themselves in extreme turbulence. The scary flight causes the two women to confess their deepest hopes and fears to each other.
They think they’ll never see each other again, but the rough ride leads to an emergency landing in Ottawa. Instead of making it to Toronto, the duo (along with Maryam’s sister’s entire bridal party and Saif, the love of Maryam’s life) find themselves at the quirky Snow Falls Inn in a picture-perfect town. Could being snowbound in a small town unexpectedly turn into the best holiday ever?
Thoughts On This Book
We really enjoyed this book that celebrates not one, not two, but THREE winter holidays. Only three times a century (or every 30 to 33 years) do Hanukkah, Ramadan, and Christmas overlap, and this book is set during one of those years.
The eight-night Hanukkah festival, known as the Festival of Lights, is a relatively minor holiday in terms of religious observance within Judaism, but it has many joyful traditions. In 2026, Hanukkah begins on the evening of Friday, December 4th.
Shira Levinson is going home to New Jersey for Hanukkah, proud to celebrate some major milestones. A recent college grad, she already landed her dream job as well as her dream apartment in LA.
For Leo David, life hasn’t been on quite the same trajectory. He failed out of college and was forced to move in with the dad he’s been estranged from ever since his dad cheated on his mom. The only thing he has to look forward to is seeing his childhood friend (and secret crush), Shira, at her family’s annual Hanukkah party.
That’s just the beginning… over the course of eight holiday seasons, Shira and Leo’s lives take them in many different directions, sometimes with their paths converging, and sometimes leading them further apart. If they can ever get the timing just right, they might just find forever together.
It’s been nearly a decade since Norah Gold last fell in love. After her father passed away suddenly, her world fell apart, and ever since then she’s worked hard to avoid emotional situations and meaningful relationships at all costs. When things start to get real, she bolts.
Recently, she finds herself in a friends-with-benefits situation that has gotten a little too clingy, so it’s time for her to run once again. She heads home to Chicago for the holidays, but that just brings about another situation to dodge. While she’s home, she has to avoid Henry Cole, the boy who broke her heart back in high school.
Henry, her childhood best friend turned nemesis, is now all custom suits and condescension. And when Norah learns their mothers are dating and insist on celebrating the holidays together, avoiding him becomes impossible. Once they’re snowed in together, they’re forced to call a truce in order to get through the eight nights of Hanukkah without driving each other mad. Will they be able to ignore all of the unfinished business from their past?
Evelyn Schwartz’s Hanukkah plans look different from most. Rather than spending the holiday with family, she’ll spend the eight nights producing a live, televised musical version of A Christmas Carol. Long hours and impossible deadlines are far from festive, but it’s her dream job. The dream is upended, however, when Evelyn lands in the medical bay with a migraine, and she discovers that her ex-husband, David Adler, is filling in for the usual on-set doctor.
It’s been two years since David left Evelyn, but she’s still the same driven workaholic he remembers. He’s not surprised to learn that she’s still putting her career above everything, including her health.
When Evelyn starts seeing ‘ghosts’ from her past heartbreaks, and each one leads to David, he finds himself spending more time with his ex than he ever expected. And it’s becoming harder for him to deny the chemistry that’s still there. Could they have a Hanukkah future?
What to Expect in This Book
Evelyn is producing a live A Christmas Carol broadcast, so Christmas is her job, but the story follows her Hanukkah season.
Another Book by This Author
Jean Meltzer is also the author of the popular holiday novel The Matzah Ball, which you’ll also find on our full list of Hanukkah books.
Shira works for a bookstore that is opening a holiday pop-up in the tiny town of Azalea, Texas. When she gets the assignment to fly to Texas, she assumes that she was picked for the job because she’s Jewish and wouldn’t mind working away from home during the holidays. Did they forget about Hanukkah!?!
When she arrives in town, she runs into Jonny, who has come home to care for his aging father. With his help, they transform the bookshop into a dreamy haven for readers. The townspeople quickly rely on Shira to help them find the perfect books for gifts, or for themselves. While Shira gets to know Jonny, his family, and the rest of the town, she also struggles with being away from her own important traditions.
What to Expect in This Book
While the cover says “A Novella,” it falls between a long novella and a short novel at 230ish pages. Melissa read it and loved the bookish theme and the blend of Christmas and Hanukkah, along with the relatively slow build of the relationship.
Be aware that once the relationship escalates, it does get steamy, so skip it if you prefer closed-door holiday reads.
The secular holiday of Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26 to January 1 each year. This week of festivities celebrates African heritage and African American culture. Family and friends gather each day to share delicious meals and exchange gifts. The holiday encourages people to honor seven principles: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility (teamwork), cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.
Romance with Depth
Seven Days Seven Dates
Bailey West
Publication Date:
12/17/2024
Setting:
Tight-knit community
Book Summary
Anniston (Annie) Buckley is a devoted single mom and, despite her divorce, still a hopeless romantic. But raising her son and building her career haven’t left much time for love.
This year, she decides to be bold and enrolls in a seven-day matchmaking program inspired by the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa. She trusts the Brightons, the couple who run the program, because they’re known for creating real connections. They promise an experience that goes far beyond simple blind dates.
Sam Harding is fresh off a bad breakup and no longer believes in fairytale love. Still, as a close friend of the Brightons, he agrees to take a leap of faith and join their Kwanzaa matchmaking program.
Over seven days, Annie and Sam navigate both doubt and discovery as they question their pasts and begin to imagine new futures. Each of the seven principles of Kwanzaa brings them closer together, and they begin to wonder if this dating experiment might actually lead to love.
Thoughts On This Book
Readers love how each date is intentionally tied to one of the seven principles, which makes the romance feel thoughtful and earned.
Longtime friends Janelle, Sandra, and Vicki run a successful event agency, planning lavish parties in the wealthy enclave of Wintersage, Massachusetts. Vicki, the trio’s floral designer, is a shy, hopeless romantic. She comes from a prominent family and has always done what’s expected of her, but no one expected her to fall for her best friend’s divorced brother.
The truth is that Vicki has had a crush on Jordan since she was 15. He’s an attorney turned political strategist, and he’s recently found himself caught up in a political scandal. He’s also discovering that being a single dad is harder than he ever imagined.
As they prepare for Kwanzaa celebrations, Vicki is asked to design her own float for a local parade. Her family isn’t very supportive of the idea, but to her surprise, Jordan is the one person who is there for her.
Thoughts On This Book
This is a quick read at just 217 pages from the author of the popular rom-com series The Boyfriend Project. Readers say that while Kwanzaa is not the sole focus of this steamy romance book, they very much enjoyed this aspect of the story.
For a novel focused more specifically on Kwanzaa, consider Kwanzaa Angel by Shirley Hailstock, which is a second-chance romance set in a small town in New Jersey.
This novella introduces readers to Sienna and Booker. Sienna feels like she’s living a version of Groundhog Day – same job, same city, same friends, no romance. But then she meets Booker. He’s new to Atlanta, having just accepted a job at Precision Software.
Booker is looking for a fresh start after leaving a stressful job and an ex-wife behind. He’s determined not to fall for the first pretty woman he meets. But crossing paths with Sienna could put his resolve to the test.
Other Novella Options
If you like the quick format of novellas for the busy holiday season, you may also want to check out a collection called Holiday Dream, which includes three short stories by different authors. The second story in the collection, Whisper to Me by Carmen Green, is about a teacher named Iman who meets a widower named Cedric. As they celebrate Kwanzaa, they find that the tradition opens their minds and their hearts.
Another Kwanzaa novella option is Kwanzaa by Chance by Ember Davis, which is often available with Kindle Unlimited, but keep in mind that it’s very spicy in the romance department while being pretty light on Kwanzaa.
We love learning from our readers! When we first published this list of books about winter holidays, a reader reached out to us to suggest we add a few books about Winter Solstice.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice falls on either December 21 or 22 each year. It is the longest night of the year, and for thousands of years it has been celebrated as marking the turning point from darkness back toward light. Many people celebrate the occasion by lighting candles or bonfires, decorating with evergreens, sharing festive meals, and getting cozy with good books, while others gather at ancient sites to watch the sun rise or set. However it’s celebrated, Winter Solstice is embraced as a cozy reminder to gather with loved ones and welcome the return of longer, brighter days.
Holiday Women’s Fiction
Winter Solstice
Rosamunde Pilcher
Publication Date:
08/01/2000
Setting:
Scotland
Book Summary
This heartwarming novel follows five lonely people whose lives unexpectedly come together during the holiday season.
After a tragic accident takes his wife and daughter, grieving musician Oscar Blundell retreats to a large, neglected house near the Scottish fishing town of Creagan. His kind and eccentric friend Elfrida Phipps, a retired London stage actress, goes along to keep him company. Soon they’re joined by Carrie, who has just returned from Austria after a failed romance, and her teenage niece Lucy, who needs a refuge from her family for the holidays.
Then Sam Howard, newly separated from his wife, arrives in Creagan for work. On the shortest day of the year, as winter reaches its darkest point, these five souls begin to find their way back toward the light, and toward each other.
Beyond the Title
While the characters in this cozy novel celebrate Christmas together, the Winter Solstice serves as a meaningful symbol of hope and new beginnings.
Feyre and Rhysand have survived the war against Hybern, but Velaris still bears the scars. As the High Lord and High Lady of the Night Court work to rebuild their beloved city, they prepare to celebrate their first Winter Solstice together, a festival honoring the longest night of the year with gift-giving, feasting, and gatherings with loved ones.
While Feyre searches for the perfect presents and plans a cozy holiday with their found family, the celebration can’t hide the wounds everyone carries from the war. And for Feyre’s sister Nesta, the festivities only deepen her pain, threatening to pull the Inner Circle apart just as they’re finding peace.
About the Series
Depending on where you look, this novella is listed as either 3.5 or 4 in the series that begins with A Court of Thorns and Roses. This book is best read after the first three books.
While this series was originally marketed as young adult, it’s now published as adult fantasy, and it contains explicit scenes that make it best suited for mature readers.
Once a year, the small witch-founded town of Ravenscroft celebrates the Winter Solstice with an ancient ritual. The Oak King, who represents spring and new life, symbolically slays the Holly King to bring an end to winter.
This year, the roles belong to the two most powerful witches the town has seen in generations. Quiet, polite Will Battle is the Oak King, while outspoken, defiant Chester Sibley plays the Holly King.
As the solstice approaches and Chester prepares to hand his power back to the Oak King, Will finally reveals that his feelings for Chester go far deeper than friendship. Chester is left questioning everything he thought he knew about the man he’s been sure he could never have.
Reads As a Standalone
While this book is listed as the second in a series, readers say this novella reads as a standalone with no references to any of the people or events from the first book.
Scottish legend says that wishes made at the standing stones during Christmas come true, but Maisie Barron doesn’t buy it. Nonetheless, this small-town girl makes a wish out of frustration. Little does she know it will lead to a catastrophic event that will threaten the upcoming Christmas Book Festival.
Weston Smith is a burnt-out American professor desperately in need of a vacation to relax and recharge. After planning a trip to Scotland, he finds himself on a real-life mission to woo the girl of his dreams, thanks to the enthusiastic meddling of a group of elderly book club members.
Snowed in and with an undeniable attraction, can Maisie and Weston save the book festival?
Why This Book Made the Solstice List
This novel incorporates the old Winter Solstice traditions with newer Christmas traditions. This magical romance is the third in the Enchanted Highlands series, but it reads as a stand-alone. The other books in the series also have Celtic Pegan Winter Solstice folklore traditions woven into them.
There are a couple of ther Winter Solstice books that we wanted to bring to your attention even though they didn’t fit the “romance” theme of this list. The first is The Twelve Books of Christmasby Kate Carlisle. This is a locked room mystery set in a Scottish castle where Cameron McKinnon, Laird of the castle, tells stories about many of the old Winter Solstice / dark night folklore traditions. Some of the traditions are even celebrated in the story. The second mystery we wanted to share is Death at a Scotish Christmas by Lucy Connelly, which incorporates many Winter Solstice traditions, along with unique Scottish holiday traditions.
Lunar New Year Books for Adults
Lunar New Year, which marks the first new moon of the lunar calendar, is an event celebrated by numerous cultures on a range of dates. One of the most well-known of these celebrations is the Chinese New Year, which typically falls in either January or February. Beginning on February 6, 2027, it will be the Year of the Goat.
Meddy Chan and her new husband have just landed in Jakarta after a romantic honeymoon throughout Europe. They’ve arrived in Indonesia just in time for Chinese New Year with Meddy’s extended family.
Things quickly get interesting when an unexpected guest shows up. The former beau of Second Auntie comes bearing extravagant gifts and declares his intent to win her back. This romantic gesture backfires when one of the gifts, which was meant for a powerful business rival to seal an alliance, ends up in the wrong hands.
Trying to fix the mix-up, they decide to return the gift, but that ‘simple’ errand spirals fast, pulling Meddy and the Aunties into a decades-long feud between two of Jakarta’s most powerful business factions.
About the Series
We’ve developed a real love of contemporary cozy-style mysteries, and Jesse Q. Sutanto does them so well! She’s the author of the popular Vera Wong series, as well as the Aunties series, which begins with Dial A for Aunties.
The books in the Aunties series, of which The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties is the third, are described as one-third crime, one-third romance, and one-third comedy. As a result, you’ll definitely need to suspend your disbelief and just enjoy the over-the-top twists without worrying too much about realism.
This book can definitely be read as a standalone, and the plot makes sense on its own. However, the main characters do carry forward from one book to the next, so you’ll miss some of the character development and emotional payoff if you haven’t read the first two books in the Aunties series.
Olivia’s grandmother has built a successful matchmaking business relying on the traditional Chinese zodiac. Now, just as Olivia is poised to take over the family business, a new app created by one of LA’s most eligible bachelors threatens to destroy her family legacy.
When the two businesses go head-to-head, Olivia and Bennett strike a deal. Each will find a match for the other, and whoever falls in love is the loser. But will it turn out to be the man trying to steal her business that ultimately steals her heart?
What to Expect in This Book
While this book isn’t explicitly set during the Lunar New Year, it’s filled with Chinese astrology, making it a perfect read for the holiday.
Another Book to Consider
If you are interested in a literary fiction novel rather than a rom-com, pick up Daughters of the New Yearby E.M. Tran. The book, which opens on the eve of the Lunar New Year, uses the Vietnamese zodiac to structure its timeline as it tells the story of the three adult Trung sisters.
Vietnamese American Val (short for Valentina) grew up believing her parents had a once-in-a-lifetime love story. When she learns the truth, she turns cynical about romance and about her own future in San Francisco.
The cutesy St. Valentine imagery she used to adore now just feels fake. But during a Lunar New Year / Tết celebration, a lion dancer presses a red paper heart into her hand. That small moment sparks something in Val and sends her on an unexpected journey toward love, family, and belonging during the New Year festivities.
Thoughts on This Book
We don’t often include graphic novels on our lists, but one of our readers specifically recommended this one to us and called it a perfect pick for readers who are new to the format. They especially loved how Gene Luen Yang and illustrator LeUyen Pham highlight the different ways the Lunar New Year / Tết is celebrated across Asian cultures.
Gene Luen Yang is also the author of the 2006 award-winning American Born Chinese, which helped bring Asian American coming-of-age stories to mainstream graphic novels.
The Wong family has a reputation for meddling in their kids’ love lives. After their Thanksgiving matchmaking efforts, Zach is dreading the Chinese New Year. The only solution he can come up with is to arrive with a girlfriend. But first, he needs to lay the groundwork to make it seem believable.
Jo is the obvious choice. She and Zach have been friends forever, and they’ve bonded over their broken engagements. The way Zach sees it, all they need are a few dates and a few kisses around town to get people talking, and then his parents will hear all about it.
But what happens when their fake relationship starts to feel real as the Chinese New Year approaches?
Thoughts On This Book
This holiday novella is only about 150 pages, but it’s filled with laugh-out-loud moments and steamy scenes. This is book 3 in the Holidays with the Wongs series. Each one follows a different Wong sibling as they find love. There are overlapping characters, but they can be enjoyed as standalone reads.
Each year, Diwali takes place during a five-day period sometime between October and November. We know what you’re thinking – that’s fall, not winter. But Angela lives in Colorado, where it frequently snows during both of these months, so we are being loose with our definition of “winter” so that we can share these final two books with you.
Diwali, an Indian festival of lights, gets its name from the row of clay lamps that families light outside their homes. These lamps symbolize the spiritual victory of light over darkness and good over evil. While Diwali is a major Hindu holiday, it is also celebrated by Sikhs and Jains, and sme Buddhists.
Diwali & Christmas Rom Com
A Holly Jolly Diwali
Sonya Lalli
Publication Date:
10/05/2021
Setting:
Mumbai & Goa, India
Book Summary
Twenty-nine-year-old Niki loves art and music, but became a data analyst because she loves order and stability. But when she gets laid off, she realizes that she can’t control everything and impulsively books a flight to a friend’s wedding in India.
She arrives just in time to celebrate Diwali, where she meets Sameer. He’s a London street performer and pretty much Niki’s opposite, but she’s drawn to him nonetheless.
When Niki and Sam join the bride, her new husband, and their friends on a group honeymoon, their connection grows deeper.
Thoughts On This Book
While many reviewers praise this book as a sweet, cute rom-com, other reviewers appreciate that it also contains themes of family conflict, self-discovery, and reconnecting with your cultural roots.
If you’d like a short novella-length read about Diwali, consider New York to Mumbai by Shikha Narula. It was recommended to us by a reader who notes that, while the writing is not particularly strong, it’s a quick read that will teach you a lot about Diwali. In this story, a young Indian-American woman, Princey, is encouraged by her father to go to India on business and to learn more about the traditions of their homeland.
YA Rom Com
Sleepless in Dubai
Sajni Patel
Publication Date:
10/24/2023
Setting:
Dubai
Book Summary
In this hate-to-love teen rom-com, neighbors Nikki and Yash accompany their families on a holiday to Dubai to celebrate the five-day Diwali festival. The two teens have a rocky history, but their families keep trying to set them up.
Can betrayals and conflicting ambitions be set aside long enough for the two teens to discover the true meaning of the Festival of Lights?
Thoughts On This Book
Readers say the audio version of this YA book is particularly great.
What books or holidays are we missing? We always appreciate hearing suggestions from our readers!
Are Any of These Books Included With Kindle Unlimited (KU)?
While we can never promise a given book is included with KU as availability can change daily, the following titles have been included in the past and are a good place to start if you’re looking for a KU option.
Love Reading Seasonally? Join the Winter Challenge!
Our free three-prompt mini-reading challenge is perfect for anyone who enjoys reading seasonally. Each prompt comes with a list of recommended books for you to choose from, making it a fun and easy way to enhance your winter reading.
The Book Girls are best friends who jointly read over 200 books per year. We started Book Girls' Guide in 2019 to help others de-stress and find joy through the power of a great book. We do in-depth research on thousands of novels and non-fiction titles each year to provide curated book lists covering a variety of genres.
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