By Rebecca Weigler, Charlotte Horsfield, Steph Carroll and Caitíe Woolridge
Not sure which books to put on your Christmas wishlist this year? Here are a few new titles that may be contenders for your list.
Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson
3 December 2024, Little, Brown Book Group
Combining paranormal magic with all the banter and tension of a spicy romcom, Under Loch and Key is a fun and flirty take on the legend of the Loch Ness monster.
Keyanna ‘Key’ MacKay’s father has always been secretive about his past. When he passes away, Key finds herself retracing his steps to Scotland and to a family she had thought estranged. While investigating her father’s mysterious story of the loch, she is saved by a handsome and dashing Scotsman, Lachlan, who may be more than he appears. With secrets of his own, Lachlan now faces a challenge with Key in the search for answers. As magic begins to ripple between the two in more ways than one, the secrets of the loch unfold and bring their connection to the water’s surface.
Ferguson has created a delightfully mystical tale about legend and love, which is sure to be the perfect holiday gift to sweep romance readers off their feet.
A Midwinter Murder by Verity Bright
4 December 2024, Bookouture
Cosy up this festive period with this riveting Christmas-themed murder mystery. In December 1924, protagonist Eleanor finds herself a guest at the labyrinthine manor house of the Duke of Auldwyke for the Christmas holidays with her attractive detective fiancé, Hugh.
The jolly, romantic atmosphere abruptly ends when Eleanor accidentally stumbles upon the body of the duke’s secretary, who’s been murdered and hidden away in a cupboard with a pendant clutched in his hand. Can this pendant provide a link to the killer? Eleanor wonders whether the duke is capable of murder and where his wife has vanished to.
Eleanor and Hugh question each guest at the manor and analyse their motives, finding out intriguing secrets surrounding everyone as well as the manor house.
The storm raging outside hardens Eleanor and Hugh’s motivation to solve this murder case. Each turn of the page is agonising as readers fear that their favourite detective couple could be in grave danger at the manor. Can our detective duo work out who the killer is before it is too late?
An Ideal Husband by Erica James
5 December 2024, HarperCollins Publishers
All is merry and bright for Louisa on Christmas Day, with three wonderful children and a happy marriage. However, as the clock strikes midnight, the magic of Christmas fades when her husband, Kip, asks for a divorce, completely blindsiding her. The blows don’t just stop there as Kip has been seeing a younger woman, who is the same woman who broke their youngest son’s heart. Betrayed, angry and hurt, Louisa must watch Kip run off into the sunset with Zoe, leaving her behind to pick up the pieces.
With her marriage over and their family house up for sale, Louisa has the chance to start over, but with tensions running high, how easy will that really be? When Louisa stumbles across a unique house that she can envisage calling home, she begins to believe that things can take a turn for the better.
This novel follows Louisa and Kip as they navigate their divorce, with Kip realising that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side as Louisa makes moves to start an exciting new chapter in her life. This uplifting, drama-filled book laced with elegant storytelling and humour looks at the complexity of family dynamics in the face of change.
A Monsoon Rising by Thea Guanzon
5 December 2024, HarperCollins Publishers
In the much-anticipated sequel to The Hurricane Wars, Alaric and Talasyn are caught in a tenuous alliance and slow burn desires as they work together to fight off a new evil.
Amongst plots to overthrow Alaric’s reign, Talasyn bides time for her co-conspirators as she plays the role of willing wife at Alaric’s side.
Despite tensions rising between their homelands of Kesath and Nenavar, the attraction between Alaric and Talasyn is undeniable. Stolen glances and forbidden moments weigh against the logic of a lifetime as they both discover how much duty can cost.
But as the Moonless Dark, a world-ending event that would destroy everything they know, draws nearer, Alaric and Talasyn are the only ones able to prevent catastrophe. Now, pulled closer than ever, they must decide what is worth fighting for.