By Rhys Wright, Jodie Walls, Amy Blay, Shan Heyworth, Lexie Knight
There’s nothing like a feel-good romance to brighten up the winter nights. With that in mind, here are some heartwarming LGBTQIA+ reads to put you in the festive spirit this Christmas.
Make My Wish Come True by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick
Still looking for a stocking stuffer for someone on your Christmas list? Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick’s Yuletide rom-com has got you covered. A loving homage to cheesy Hallmark Christmas flicks, this sapphic love story will be sure to provide some much-needed comfort over the holidays.
Arden James is a teen idol struggling to transition into adult roles. When she left her hometown of Barnwich, Pennsylvania, she left behind her best friend Caroline Beckett, an aspiring journalist. In an elaborate plan to repair her reputation and land the role of a lifetime, Arden goes back home to Barnwich and makes Caroline an offer: pretend to be the perfect couple over Christmas in exchange for an article in Cosmopolitan.
Stacked with charm and a feel-good festive atmosphere, Make My Wish Come True makes for brilliant comfort reading. Its snowy small-town setting is cut from the cloth of Netflix and Hallmark Christmas films. You can practically smell the hot chocolate and gingerbread. Pairing a heartwarming sapphic romance with dramatic holiday hijinks, it’s a pleasure read that’s more than worth finding under the tree this year.
Look Up, Handsome by Jack Strange
Jack Strange’s debut novel feels like a classic small-town Christmas movie in book format. Quinn Oxford is determined to do whatever he has to in order to save Hay-on-Wye’s only queer bookshop from closure and ensure it remains a safe space for everyone in the town. However, his plans are derailed when the romance novelist Noah Sage reluctantly arrives in town and gets stranded because of the weather. As they grow closer, does Quinn have the time to save his bookshop and start a relationship?
This story takes the classic “forced proximity” and “grumpy x sunshine” tropes and gives them a much-needed queer twist. This slow-burn romance is perfect for anyone trying to get into the Christmas spirit.
You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky
Spoiled Matthew Prince is cut off from his family’s wealth and shipped off to his grandparents’ middle-of-nowhere town after a PR mishap. Not only is he stuck in this festive little hellscape, but he also has to room with Hector Martinez, one of his grandfather’s students, who couldn’t be more unimpressed with Matthew.
Desperate to get home, Matthew decides to help run the town’s charity holiday gala, hoping his good behaviour will be rewarded. But with the annoyingly attractive Hector by his side, the forced proximity and the town’s infectious holiday cheer, even a Grinch like Matthew might start to change for good.
Described as "a fresh, sweet, and swoony love story that blends coming-of-age comedy with the nuances of exploring sexual identity” by Alison Cochrun (author of Kiss Her Once For Me), You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince is a queer Hallmark Christmas story blending Schitt’s Creek and The Grinch, perfect for fans of Red White & Royal Blue. Along with the accurate representation of generalised anxiety disorder, Matthew’s character growth is endearing to observe and is complemented by Janovsky’s witty narration, which truly makes this an ideal feel-good holiday read.
I’ll Be Gone for Christmas by Georgia K. Boone
In San Francisco, Bee Tyler is burnt out and needs to escape her busy city life and tech job, where she works alongside her sister Beth, the golden child. Meanwhile, in Salem, Ohio, Clover Mills has had a rough year, having lost her mother and broken up with her fiancé. It doesn’t help that she lives in a small town with no privacy and she can’t seem to enjoy the enthusiastic Christmas festivities.
Both women desperately need a change, and Clover is curious about the girl she had a crush on during high school, who has since moved to San Francisco. The two strangers swap houses for Christmas, and they each find unexpected romance – Bee is drawn towards Clover’s ex Knox, and Clover to Bee’s sister Beth.
I’ll be Gone for Christmas tackles themes of coming out and homophobia, but is also a heart-warming and comforting read. This short and sweet Christmas rom-com is perfect for fans of The Holiday who are looking for all their favourite tropes with a Black sapphic romance.
Make The Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake
It’s the festive season and what better way to celebrate than with a sapphic Christmas romance? Blake is known for her queer romances, tackling complex family dynamics, coming out and often rounding off with a satisfactory ‘happy ending’ and she does it again with Make The Season Bright.
When two exes find themselves stuck in the same house over Christmas, pretending not to know the other exists, they are forced to explore the end of their relationship. What really went wrong? The twist? They must have those revelations over Christmas-themed games, cookie decorating, horseback riding…the lot!
Blake wraps up an emotional tale of rediscovering the past, understanding one another and playful romance, with a neat, festive bow. She doesn’t take to the usual tropes of a ‘second-chance romance’, the rebound, flirting with others etc., making this story quite a wholesome one.
We’d recommend this as a gift for an older reader, someone who loves a romance with a bit of spice (to stave off the festive chill in the air) – or as an early Christmas present to yourself. Get cosy with a hot chocolate and a Santa hat and read a snowy tale about queer love and second chances.