Fans pick 88 books like Christmas for Commitmentphobes

I discovered Sophie Kinsella back in the 90s. Back then my love of romance was very much a secret love, while I publicly read what idiot-younger-me thought was more worthy serious literature. And then Sophie Kinsella and Marian Keyes came into my life and blew my mind.

The Shopaholic series is the perfect example of a fun, escapist series that absolutely has stuff to say about the world. Funny isn’t the opposite of serious. Escapist isn’t mutually exclusive with important. Sophie Kinsella is one of the authors who taught me that, and Christmas Shopaholic is the festive installment of her best-known series.

A shopaholic at Christmas – what could possibly go wrong?

I’ve only been to Iceland once but I fell in love with the country almost immediately – the landscape, the hot pools, the wildlife, all of it!

I’m a cold weather animal at heart and a cold climate always makes me want to snuggle under a blanket and read something heart-warming. This book is a big dose of that ‘cosy inside on a cold winter’s night’ feeling in fiction form. We meet Anna and Ned when they’re both going through difficult times and watching the sparks fly as they find themselves and maybe find love is utterly joyous.

From about mid-September onwards you will find me on the sofa absolutely glued to whatever Christmas movie I can find.

You know the films where the big city lawyer has to go to the small town to close down the Christmas tree farm, and ends up learning the true meaning of Christmas and falling in love with the Christmas tree farmer? I love those movies, and this book is those movies in novel form. It has the small town. It has the hunky hero. It even has a set of festive activities that must be completed. A warm hug of a novel!

Time is tight in the run up to Christmas. There’s so much to get done and all the To Do lists can easily rob the festive period of its joy.

This book is six shorter Christmas stories so it’s perfect to dip into when you need a shot of festive spirit in a hurry. Each story is warmer and more wonderful than the one before.

Katie Fforde is an absolute legend in UK romantic fiction circles, not only because her books are pure perfection, but also because she’s one of the world’s very best people. She’s warm and wise and generous and all of those qualities spill out through her writing.

To my mind, category romances (those short romances written by publishers like Mills & Boon) provide the most glorious shot of emotion, highlighting all that is most fabulous about the festive season.

In this story Meg, PA extraordinaire, has accidentally stranded her intimidating and aloof boss, William, in Melbourne for Christmas. Convinced she’s going to lose her job, but unable to stand the thought of him being alone for the holiday, she invites him home to the chaotic family farm.

Here William is forced to see his PA in a new light, and finds the walls surrounding his heart starting to crack. For such a short book, this one is rich and emotional. Just a lovely read.

A family reading session bathed in the glow of the Christmas tree lights is one of my traditional activities during the Christmas season.

I like this anthology because the selected stories are the perfect length – neither too short to disappoint the older members of the family nor too long to lose the attention of the younger ones. I am also fond of the illustrations which perfectly illustrate the classic stories in a contemporary style, and enthrall young listeners.

I would recommend this collection for any family Christmas gathering.

I like how Santa Mouse, Santa’s little mouse friend, wrapped a special present and took good care of it, despite falling from Santa’s sleigh and getting lost. Santa Mouse wouldn’t let the present out of his grip until he found a special Christmas tree inside a house with a special light to set the present on. The book shows the reader the importance of using care to protect something treasured. Santa Mouse’s determination pays off. This is a great message for kids.

I love this book because its slim size makes it ideal to carry and read on the move.

I often read it on the train, in cafes, or in the park when I take a break during my busy workday. The twelve stories it contains are all well-loved classics that have been anthologised many times, but it is that familiarity that I like about this anthology. I never tire of reading these stories, many of which were read to me as a child.

Christmas is a time of warmth, and this selection fills me with festive warmth even on the coldest of park benches.

I knew that I would love this book from the moment I first set eyes upon it. I like that the stories and illustrations have been reproduced exactly as they were originally published in the Victorian magazines.

This is a book which I always read alone and free of distractions so that I can not only lose myself in the stories, but also contemplate the messages they contain. Like our Victorian forebears l love the sentimental aspects of Christmas, and this anthology never fails to cause me to think back with a smile, and sometimes a tear, to Christmasses long ago with relatives and friends no longer with us.

One of the things I love best about the Christmas season is how it’s a combination of many different things. Paganism, Christianity, and commerce have all contributed to Yuletide, resulting in a mishmash of traditions and customs.

I think holidays are stronger when they’ve been influenced by dozens of cultures. There’s room for everybody during the Holidays, and it’s always been that way.