As a bookworm, I love nothing more than buying some books ahead of a new season. With the Christmas period just around the corner, I’ve spent a lot of time in bookstores already, lusting after new Christmassy releases. To help channel my obsession with books, therefore, I thought I’d put together a list of 27 of the best Cosy Christmas Reads for 2025. From cheesy romance, cosy crime, Christmas ghostly tales to witchy fantasises, below is a list of the best books for escapism and comfort over the festive period.
27 Best Cosy Christmas Reads for 2025
Christmas Romance Reads for 2025
If you’re looking to cosy on down with a romantic read over Christmas, below is a round-up of the best warm and gentle reads for this winter. I’ve selected a few new releases (some of which are due to be released in the coming weeks), as well as some of my favourite reads from the last couple of years.
These books are designed to help you escape reality during the crazy festive season, wrapping your brain in a big, happy, cheesy hug.
1. The Gingerbread Bakery
If you’re looking for the ultimate feel-good festive read, The Gingerbread Bakery by Laurie Gilmore is pure Christmas magic in book form. Set in Dream Harbour, the story follows Annie Andrews, owner of The Gingerbread Bakery and Mac Sullivan, owner of the bar down the street.
As the two are forced to spend time together at Jeanie and Logan’s wedding, Annie starts to question whether the person she loves to hate might actually be her soul mate.
I was resistant to read the Laurie Gilmore books, thinking they might be a bit too twee but after reading The Christmas Tree Farm last year, I’m hooked. They are far less PG than I thought too – a little like a Hallmark movie mixed with Fifty Shades.
- Gilmore, Laurie (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 384 Pages - 09/11/2025 (Publication Date) - HarperCollins (Publisher)
2. The Christmas Tree Farm
As mentioned above, I unexpectedly LOVED The Christmas Tree Farm last year.
The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore is also set in the town of Dream Harbour. Here, we find Kira North – our leading character who isn’t full of Christmas cheer, despite recently buying a Christmas Tree Farm. The farmhouse is falling apart, the locals are too jolly, and there’s an overly-kind, handsome singleton named Bennett.
As you might be able to predict, what ensues is a budding romance between Kira and Bennett, as they set about rebuilding the Christmas Tree Farm.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Gilmore, Laurie (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 369 Pages - 10/10/2024 (Publication Date) - HarperCollins (Publisher)
3. A Heart for Christmas: An Advent Novel
A Heart for Christmas: An Advent Novel, is another Christmas romance story telling the story of eighteen-year-old April. After undergoing a heart transplant, April heads to the French Alps to stay in her dad’s chalet (alright for some). Here, she meets Augustin, her brother’s best friend and, by chance her ski instructor.
What I love about this book is that it’s told in a unique advent calendar format, with each of the 24 chapters sealed behind a perforated door. This encourages readers to savour a chapter a night, in the lead up to Christmas Day. I think this book would make a great gift ahead of Christmas and I’ve already ordered a couple for friends and family.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Jomain, Sophie (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 388 Pages - 09/25/2025 (Publication Date) - Simon & Schuster Children's UK (Publisher)
4. It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas, by Hayley Dunlop, is a festive British rom-com. Mally Allister, a self-proclaimed Christmas movie enthusiast, finds herself facing a lonely holiday in her London flat. When a writing assignment sends her back to her hometown to recreate the magic of cheesy Christmas films, she reconnects with her teenage crush, Tom.
Together, they embark on a project to tick off classic holiday romance tropes and, in turn, find romance flourishing between them.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Dunlop, Hayley (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 337 Pages - 08/14/2025 (Publication Date) - Hera (Publisher)
5. Snowed in for Christmas
Lucy Clarke, a marketing professional, is facing a lonely Christmas and job uncertainty when she attempts to deliver a business proposal to Ross Miller at his family’s Highland estate. In a comedy mix-up, this leads to Lucy being mistaken Ross’ girlfriend.
Stranded due to a snowstorm, Lucy becomes an unexpected guest in the Miller family’s holiday celebration, where secrets, misunderstandings, and budding romance unfold.
This is the kind of cosy, romance read that you can read in a couple of days on the sofa, under a heated blanket.
- Morgan, Sarah (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 464 Pages - 10/27/2022 (Publication Date) - HQ (Publisher)
6. Christmas Fling
Laura, a neurosurgeon, plans a quiet Christmas alone – house sitting for a stranger. However, when her new flatmate, Callum, introduces her as his girlfriend to his unsuspecting parents, she’s swept away to the snowy Scottish Highlands (why are they all heading the the Highlands?).
As expected, while in the beautiful Highlands, Laura and Callum’s fake relationship becomes something more.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Kelk, Lindsey (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 382 Pages - 10/09/2025 (Publication Date) - HarperCollins (Publisher)
7. The Secret Christmas Bookshop
Set in the charming village of Mistingham, the story follows Sophie Stevens, who receives a mysterious gift from a “secret bookshop.” As she helps organise the village’s Christmas festival, she teams up with the reclusive Harry, uncovering secrets and sparking romance.
Packed with festive charm and a touch of mystery, this book is the ultimate feel-good festive escape, and a giant hug for the brain. Just what we want after a very busy year.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- McLaughlin, Cressida (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 380 Pages - 10/24/2024 (Publication Date) - HarperCollins (Publisher)
8. Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop
My final addition to my cosy Christmas romance reads for 2025 is Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan.
Carmen Hogan is back in Edinburgh, trying to keep McCredie’s Bookshop afloat, when a cheesy Christmas movie crew rolls into town and threatens to turn her cosy shop upside down. Carmen has to rally her community, protect the shop she loves, and maybe even find a little love along the way.
It’s a warm, feel-good read for Christmas; the perfect book to curl up with a mug of hot chocolate in hand.
- Colgan, Jenny (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 368 Pages - 10/24/2024 (Publication Date) - Hodder Paperbacks (Publisher)
Cosy Christmas Crime Reads for 2025
If (like me) you’re a fan of a crime novel – particularly the cosy crime genre – then this is the list for you. Below is a round-up of the best cosy Christmas crime reads for 2025; including some latest releases and a few of my favourites from previous years.
Snuggle down, and enjoy a career as an armchair detective this Christmas with one (or more!) of these brilliant books.
1. The Christmas Clue
I love a Christmas Crime story and The Christmas Clue is high on my list for 2025.
The Christmas Clue by Nicola Upson is a festive murder mystery set on Christmas Eve, 1943. Anthony and Elva Pratt, who inspired the creation of the game Cluedo, arrive at a snowy English village to host a murder mystery party at the Tudor Close Hotel. However, upon discovering the body of Miss Silver, the local tobacconist, they find themselves entangled in a real-life crime.
- Hardcover Book
- Upson, Nicola (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 192 Pages - 09/25/2025 (Publication Date) - Faber & Faber (Publisher)
2. Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night: The New Hercule Poirot Mystery
I’ve recently become obsessed by Poirot movies again and so I was very excited to see this new release.
If you love a classic whodunnit with a festive twist, Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night by Sophie Hannah is your perfect Christmas read. Set in a snowy Norfolk hospital in 1931, Poirot is on the case when a seemingly healthy man dies under mysterious circumstances. Packed with secrets and quirky suspects, this story is cosy, clever, and full of Christmas suspense.
Perfect for curling up on the sofa with, with a Baileys and mince pie in hand.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Hannah, Sophie (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 372 Pages - 10/26/2023 (Publication Date) - HarperCollins (Publisher)
3. Murder at Holly House
Murder at Holly House by Denzil Meyrick is a delightful festive mystery set in the snowy village of Elderby, North Yorkshire, in December 1952.
When a stranger is found dead in the chimney of Holly House, Inspector Frank Grasby is dispatched to investigate. As he delves deeper, another murder occurs, and a blizzard traps the village, cutting off any outside help. Grasby uncovers that nearly everyone in Elderby is hiding something, and if he doesn’t solve the case soon, he might be next on the list.
I really like the sound of this book and have added it to my list of cosy Christmas reads for 2025. Although, I am beginning to worry about how high my book pile might be come Christmas, and just how little reading time I have in life.
- Meyrick, Denzil (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 384 Pages - 10/31/2024 (Publication Date) - Penguin (Publisher)
4. The Christmas Appeal
I really enjoyed Janice Hallett’s previous reads and was excited to read The Christmas Appeal last year.
The Christmas Appeal is a festive novella that brings readers back to the quirky world of the Fairway Players, an amateur dramatics group. Set in the lead-up to their annual Christmas pantomime, the story unfolds through a series of emails, messages, and transcripts, capturing the (hilarious) behind-the-scenes chaos of the cast.
When a body is discovered on stage during a rehearsal, however, the group must come together to unravel the mystery before the curtain falls on their own production. I loved this witty story – reminding me very much of Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series.
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- Hardcover Book
- Hallett, Janice (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 208 Pages - 10/26/2023 (Publication Date) - Viper (Publisher)
5. Murder Under the Mistletoe
I’ve added Murder Under the Mistletoe to my list of the best cosy Christmas reads for 2025 because I really enjoyed Richard Cole’s previous books.
The story brings readers back to Champton Rectory for a festive gathering filled with charm, wit and a touch of mystery. Canon Daniel Clement and his mother, Audrey, host a traditional Christmas dinner, inviting guests from the big house and others in need of company.
As the evening unfolds, two guests meet under the mistletoe, and then, with much drama, one of them falls down dead. Daniel and Detective Sergeant Neil Vanloo must unravel the events of the evening to uncover the truth behind the unexpected death.
- Coles, Reverend Richard (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 160 Pages - 10/23/2025 (Publication Date) - W&N (Publisher)
6. The Cat and the Christmas Kidnapper
As the owner of 3 cats, it would be criminal not to add The Cat and the Christmas Kidnapper to my list of cosy crime reads for Christmas 2025 – the purrfect (get it?) choice for cat lovers.
In this fourth instalment of the Conrad the Cat Detective series, retired detective Lulu Lewis and her talking cat, Conrad, embark on a Christmas adventure to Bath. What begins as a relaxing canal boat trip quickly turns into a race to uncover a series of kidnappings targeting local children.
- New Store Stock
- Hardcover Book
- Shearer, L T (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 352 Pages - 10/16/2025 (Publication Date) - Macmillan (Publisher)
7. The Christmas Eve Murders
It’s Christmas Eve at the Merry Monarch pub in the Yorkshire Dales and things are about to turn deadly. The regulars are gearing up for a scavenger hunt, when the lights go out and a snow storm sets in.
Maddie Marlowe, a journalist caught in the blizzard, joins this eccentric crew of locals as festive fun soon turns into a murder. Maddie and her companions must figure out “whodunnit” before it’s too late.
- Hardcover Book
- Albright, Noelle (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 336 Pages - 11/07/2024 (Publication Date) - Quercus (Publisher)
8. Miss Winter in the Library With a Knife
If you love a classic locked-room mystery with a modern twist, Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife by Martin Edwards is an absolute treat. Six crime-fiction enthusiasts are invited to a remote Yorkshire village for a weekend of murder mystery fun. As you might have guessed, however, when the game turns deadly, the crime-lovers find themselves in their very own murder mystery.
This is really clever, cosy, and full of delicious twists. The perfect winter read to curl up with – just not at a remote manor house.
- Hardcover Book
- Edwards, Martin (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 448 Pages - 09/11/2025 (Publication Date) - Head of Zeus -- an Aries Book (Publisher)
9. The 12 Days of Murder
Released in 2011, The 12 Days of Murder has made ‘Book of the Month’ across many notable platforms.
Twelve years after a uni friend vanished during a holiday game, the old gang reunites at a snowy Scottish lodge for one last Christmas party but this time, the murders aren’t pretend. As each guest becomes a “12 Days of Christmas” victim, old secrets resurface and everyone’s a suspect. It’s twisty, festive and deliciously dark read – perfect with a side of mulled wine.
- Hardcover Book
- Cordani, Andreina (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 384 Pages - 10/26/2023 (Publication Date) - Zaffre (Publisher)
10. The Impossible Fortune: The New Thursday Murder Club Mystery
Although not necessarily a Christmas crime novel, I had to include Richard Osman’s latest Thursday Murder Club. I have read the whole series and have been so excited to buy the latest release.
The Impossible Fortune brings the Thursday Murder Club – Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim – out of retirement mode and into wedding chaos when Joyce’s daughter is tying the knot. Things soon go wrong, however, when the Best Man approaches Elizabeth in a panic, claiming someone tried to kill him. When he disappears, the Club must untangle a web of suspects and secrets.
Just as funny, witty and warming as ever – I loved reading this latest release.
- Hardcover Book
- Osman, Richard (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 448 Pages - 09/25/2025 (Publication Date) - Viking (Publisher)
11. Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret
Ernest Cunningham, our witty narrator, finds himself embroiled in a baffling murder at a magician’s Christmas show. The case is filled with mind-bending scenarios and as Ernest delves deeper into the world of illusionists and tricksters, he must unravel the secrets behind the performance to uncover the truth.
I found this to be a really clever plot and is highly recommended as a brilliant addition to any cosy crime lover’s festive reading list.
- Hardcover Book
- Stevenson, Benjamin (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 240 Pages - 10/24/2024 (Publication Date) - Michael Joseph (Publisher)
12. Murder at Midwinter
The perfect cosy, Christmas crime novel, Murder at Midwinter is written by Ada Moncrieff, author of Murder at Maybridge Castle.
A proper cosy whodunnit, with snow on the ground and secrets in the air, Murder at Midwinter is the ideal winter escape from the chaos of Christmas.
Daphne King, a teenage sleuth-turned-reluctant detective, heads back to her old school for a December reunion. Instead of gossip, she finds a murder on her hands. As old secrets bubble to the surface, Daphne has to figure out who can and can’t be trusted.
- Moncrieff, Ada (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 288 Pages - 10/23/2025 (Publication Date) - Harvill (Publisher)
Christmas Ghost Stories for 2025
Forget Halloween, my favourite time to read a ghost story is during the festive, wintery period. I adore a spooky tale and below is one of my favourite reads of last winter, as well a more silly take on a ghost story through the tale of a cat.
1. The Winter Spirits
My Mum bought me this book last year and I loved it SO much.
- Collins, Bridget (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 464 Pages - 10/03/2024 (Publication Date) - Sphere (Publisher)
2. The Ghost of Christmas Paws
If you’re craving a festive mystery with a feline twist (who isn’t?) The Ghost of Christmas Paws delivers just that.
In this fourth instalment of The No. 2 Feline Detective Agency series, Hettie and Tilly are called to Crabstock Manor on the Cornish coast, where Lady Eloise Crabstock-Singe fears a ghostly servant cat is haunting the manor and eliminating her family.
The perfect, not too scary, cosy ghost story for Christmas.
- Morton, Mandy (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 272 Pages - 10/24/2024 (Publication Date) - Farrago (Publisher)
Magical/Witchy Reads for Christmas 2025
I was deliberating whether or not to include these books in my cosy Christmas reads for 2025 but I think they deserve a space. If you love a witchy read, have a look at my favourite books for all things magic and fantasy.
1. Uncharmed
Uncharmed by Lucy Jane Wood is the ultimate feel-good witchy read. The story follows Annie Wildwood, a modern witch who seems to have her life perfectly together: she runs a magical bakery in London, looks flawless, and always has the right spell for every situation. But beneath all that glitter and charm, Annie’s tired of making it look like she has it all.
When she’s sent to mentor a rebellious teen witch in the middle of the woods (and share her space with a bad tempered but handsome warlock), Annie’s carefully curated life starts to unravel, in the best possible way.
I bought this for Laura’s birthday last year and she reported back it was the perfect cosy, wintery read.
- Hardcover Book
- Wood, Lucy Jane (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 416 Pages - 09/18/2025 (Publication Date) - Macmillan (Publisher)
2. A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping
With cosy fantasy very much in vogue at the moment, I had to add this book to my top cosy reads of 2025.
Fifteen years ago, witch Sera Swan messed up a resurrection spell, resulting in her losing most of her magic and being booted out of the Witch Guild. Now she runs a quirky enchanted inn in the English countryside – a place that magically welcomes anyone who needs healing.
When historian Luke and his little sister arrive, Sera’s peaceful, potion-filled life gets turned upside down. The perfect cosy read for a dark winter’s night, offering escapism and comfort.
- Hardcover Book
- Mandanna, Sangu (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 352 Pages - 07/17/2025 (Publication Date) - Hodderscape (Publisher)
3. The Baby Dragon Cafe
If you’re a Gilmore Girls fan, and lover of all things cosy fantasy then The Baby Dragon Cafe is the ideal Christmas read this year.
Saphira has fulfilled her dream of running a cafe for baby dragons. When local gardener Aiden ends up with a dragon egg (thanks to his late brother’s will), he realises he needs help and calls upon Saphira – dragon trainer-expert- to help. She agrees to tame his dragon in exchange for some steady income to save her café.
Along the way of training the fiery little dragon, romance sparks between the two.
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- Qureshi, A. T. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 320 Pages - 01/16/2025 (Publication Date) - Avon (Publisher)
Cosy Non-Fiction Christmas Reads for 2025
Finally, I really wanted to add one non-fiction book to my list of cosy Christmas reads for 2025. The book listed below is one of my favourite books of all time and is ideal to read over the dark, winter period.
18. Wintering
I read Wintering by Katherine May a couple of years ago and was totally inspired by it.
This gorgeous, thoughtful book isn’t a pep talk or a productivity manual but a simple, poignant reminder to slow down. May takes us through her own “winter” – a time of illness, burnout, and pause.
May takes us on her journey of discovery during winter, as she wanders through icy landscapes, swims in freezing seas (braver than me!) and gently reminds us that winter isn’t something to simply survive. It’s a time to lay down foundations, to appreciate the slowness of life and to prepare for spring.
- Wintering The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times
- product type: ABIS BOOK
- brand: Rider
- May, Katherine (Author)
- English (Publication Language)