Books like 'It Happened One Christmas Eve'
Readers who enjoyed It Happened One Christmas Eve by Jenn McKinlay also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny christmas friends to lovers forced proximity arranged marriage
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Together Under a Snowy Skye by Lisa Hobman
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsAfter the heartbreak of a secret unrequited love, Millie Treadaway has finally found someone to spend her life with. Harry Rose is handsome, successful and treats her like a princess. That is until Millie presents her fiancé with a surprise birthday gift, and their future is suddenly doomed...Categorized as:
christmas friends to lovers contemporary m-f small town suspense humor length-medium -
The Woodsman by Rebecca Sharp
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsViolet Royale’s life has officially hit rock bottom. Fleeing heartbreak and a wrecked career, she heads to a remote small town in Maine, hoping a quiet holiday getaway will help her rebuild. But her plan backfires when a rugged woodsman storms into her rented cabin—claiming it's his...Categorized as:
christmas forced proximity friends to lovers contemporary insta-love dual-pov humor length-medium -
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Die Romanze beginnt by Hannah M. Lynn
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsNoch nie hat Romantik so süß geschmeckt . .. Obwohl es Holly Berry endlich geschafft hat, »Just One More« zu kaufen und mit einem der begehrtesten Junggesellen in Bourton-on-the-Water auszugehen, ist ihr Leben alles andere als ein Zuckerschlecken. Ein bekanntes Gesicht aus ihrer Vergangenheit droht, Hollys frisch erblühende Beziehung zu zerstören, noch ehe sie richtig beginnen kann... -
Happy Endings at Mermaids Point by Sarah Bennett
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsMusic sensation Aurora Storm finally has her career back on track, but then she’s caught up in a media storm. Desperate to distract from the story, she enlists the one man she trusts to pretend to be her boyfriend. Meanwhile, in the small seaside village of Mermaids Point, Nick Morgan never expected to see Aurora again. When she calls out of the blue needing his help, he agrees at once...Categorized as:
christmas friends to lovers contemporary christian small town humor length-medium m-f -
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The Sandcastle Hurricane by Carolyn Brown
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsFamily, wounded hearts, and a Texas bed-and-breakfast are in need of repair in New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown’s inviting novel about down-home comfort and second chances. Cousins Tabby and Ellie Mae are due for a change...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity small town contemporary humor christian m-f audiobook -
Kiss My Giraffe by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsEnemies to friends to almost lovers then back to enemies…to lovers. She's got a lot of baggage. .. literally and figuratively. And an entourage. And a freaking giraffe. For real. For a guy who wants to keep things simple, this is anything but. So why can't he stay away? Knox and Fiona's story! Finally! -
Love Songs Suck by Becky Monson
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsA reluctant woman, a determined popstar, and the song that started it all. After growing up in Nashville with two musician parents, I promised myself one thing—I would never, ever fall in love with anyone who had anything to do with the music scene. I will take my stable, albeit boring, accountant boyfriend, thank you very much, and live securely ever after. At least that was the plan...Categorized as:
forced proximity friends to lovers humor contemporary length-medium rockstars audiobook -
Give Me Forever by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHe was my first love. Now he's my roommate. And he won't stop until he wins me back. Conned out of my business I have no other choice but to move back home to Chicago. I’m determined to rebuild everything, but I’m so broke that I can’t even afford to pay rent. Then my first love, Sam Maxwell, unexpectedly pops back into my life and turns out to be my knight in shining armor...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity humor super rich hero contemporary length-short m-f audiobook -
Chasing Christmas Eve by Jill Shalvis
Meet cute. .. Run for the hills—temporarily . That's Colbie Albright's plan when she flees New York for San Francisco. Wrangling her crazy family by day and writing a bestselling YA fantasy series by night has taken its toll. In short, Colbie's so over it that she's under it. She's also under the waters of a historic San Francisco fountain within an hour of arrival... -
Kitty Valentine Dates Santa by Jillian Dodd
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsSPIN THE WHEEL. DATE THE GUY. WRITE THE BOOK. Six years ago, Kitty Valentine took the book world by storm when her sweet debut romance hit number one on the New York Times Best Sellers list, which was followed by a string of successful releases. Her latest novel, however, totally bombs, causing her editor to suggest she write much sexier books... -
The Village Inn of Secret Dreams by Alison Sherlock
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsAfter escaping her parents’ unhappy marriage to sleepy Cranbridge a long time ago, Belle Clarke dreams of staying at The Black Swan Inn forever. But with the rundown Inn threatened with closure, Belle may be forced to leave, unless a buyer can be found … quickly. So, when her oldest friend Pete Kennedy returns from working abroad with a plan to save the Inn, Belle should be overjoyed...Categorized as:
christmas friends to lovers contemporary small town humor length-medium m-f audiobook -
Sterling Fight by L.B. Dunbar
These former friends might be faking their engagement, but revealed crushes prove there might not be anything fictional about their arrangement. In college, I often saw Judd Sylver in the library. He was a cool, broody type of guy who reminded me of a deeply tortured soul who might write poetry... -
Devoted Enough by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsNathan Shaw has been keeping a secret since high school. It was so tightly intertwined with someone else’s that exposing the darkest facts meant he couldn’t keep the other to himself. He’s had years of holding onto those truths... -
A White Christmas on Winter Street by Sue Moorcroft
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWhen Sky Terran returns to the village of Middledip after losing the job she loves, she anticipates a quiet Christmas getting used to her new life. However, the annual street decoration competition is coming up and this year, the residents of Winter Street are determined to win. As she is pulled into the preparations, Sky quickly grows to love the quirky, tight-knit community she is now part of... -
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Silver Linings by Violet Page
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsSilver James has perfected the art of keeping everything at a distance—her career, her friends, and most definitely romance. Her motto is simple: keep life carefree and fun. The more she avoids the unexpected, the less likely she is to get hurt... -
Left-Handed Monkey Wrench by Giulia Lagomarsino
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsChase Carter. You’ve read about them in Reed Security. You’ve come to know a little about who the men of OPS are. But everything you thought you knew is a lie—smoke and mirrors. The truth of OPS is hidden deep inside, waiting to be revealed. Owens Protective Services. Defend. Investigate. Secure.Categorized as:
forced proximity friends to lovers contemporary suspense humor alpha male military length-medium -
A Not So Merry Ex-Mas by Abby Greyson
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThis is a Dual POV kisses only, sweet holiday romantic comedy. . For years I've been dreaming of a real Christmas back home. Tree trimming, decorating, Christmas carols. What I wasn't expecting was Cole. If I was to dream up the perfect man even my wildest imagination would have fallen short compared to Cole Nichols... -
Charlie and Her Sweet Escape by Kaylee Baldwin
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAgree to be on the Married in the Wild survival reality show? Check. Collect a paycheck that’s enough to help with my mom’s medical bills? Check. Get married? Um… Check? Enter Bennett Forrester. My best friend’s older brother is gorgeous, a huge flirt, and always in the wrong place at the right time when it comes to catching me in my most humiliating moments... -
The French Chateau Dream by Julie Caplin
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsYou are invited to a summer of sparkling champagne, warm buttery croissants and a little bit of je ne sais quoi… With a broken heart and a broken spirit, Hattie is in need of a summer escape. So when an opportunity comes up to work at a beautiful, stately chateau in the Champagne region of France she books her flights quicker than the pop of a cork... -
The Scientist by Kristen B. Cole, Margo Lipschultz
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen an outgoing musical maven meets the enigmatic neuroscientist next door, will their worlds clash in a dramatic showdown of art versus science, or will they discover that love is the ultimate experiment worth conducting? When celebrated Broadway composer Hadley Olivier’s best friend receives a life-threatening diagnosis, Hadley says goodbye to her beloved home in NYC and sets off to the West...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity grumpy sunshine contemporary humor menage length-long -
Fa-La La-La Land by Brittany Larsen
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe’s got a list to finish. He’s got a song to escape. Neither planned on falling in love this Christmas. Stella Sparks has no time for love—not when her 30 Before 30 list is calling and her new job depends on reviving rockstar Rhys James’s image before he headlines Winter Lights Live... -
Pining For You by Marika Ray
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI’ve been in love with my best friend since the day I met her freshman year of high school. She was a halo of sunshine on a rainy day, pulling me out of the shadows and making me feel like life was one big roller-coaster ride of excitement. Until the day we graduated and she left on the back of a Harley with some guy who didn’t deserve her, middle fingers in the air... -
My Hero by Winter Travers
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe cameras are rolling…. The Iron Fiends never wanted trouble. Yarder had signed on for the reality TV show to make life easier for them. Line their pockets with money in exchange for putting their day-to-day life on TV. Easy. Or not. Trouble is barrelling down on them, and if Yarder doesn’t figure out who is after them, the whole world will see their downfall play out on TV.Categorized as:
forced proximity friends to lovers humor bad boys bikers contemporary suspense length-novella -
The Beekeeper at Elderflower Grove by Jaimie Admans
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHer new start is about to bee-gin! Having moved into her mum’s spare room after a disastrous break-up, Kayleigh Harwood is desperate for a fresh start. When she sees an opening for a new beekeeper at Elderflower Grove she jumps at the chance – despite not knowing a thing about bees…...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity contemporary mystery small town humor new adult length-medium -
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Holiday Heart-On: A Steamy Romantic Comedy Anthology by Serena Bell, Sylvie Stewart
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsGet a head start on the holiday spirit by reading for a great cause! Nineteen of today’s most entertaining rom-com authors have teamed up on #Books4Beats. This collection of festive shorts ranges from sweet to steamy and promises to entertain... -
Keeping a Christmas Promise by Jo Thomas
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFour friends. Twenty-five years ago, Freya and her three best friends created a bucket list. The future seemed bright, full of hope and most importantly guaranteed . . . One promise. Now they are travelling to Iceland in memory of the friend they've lost, determined to fulfil her dream of seeing the Northern Lights at Christmas. A life-changing adventure...Categorized as:
christmas forced proximity contemporary insta-love humor length-medium audiobook standalone -
A Winter Warmer at the Little Cornish Kitchen by Jane Linfoot
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratings‘Sparkling, laugh-out-loud, romantic’ Phillipa AshleySt Aidan: a cosy Cornish village where friendships are made for life and it’s always cocktail hour somewhere…. A clean slate in the world’s cosiest cottage by the sea…. When Gwen Starkey and her best friend, Ella Simpson, arrive in St Aidan to take on a cottage renovation, it’s the fresh start they both so desperately need... -
Snow Place Like Holly Pointe by Cindy Kirk
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWill love be on their Christmas Lists? Holly Pointe, Vermont might be the Capitol of Christmas Kindness, but when residents learn their beloved Mistletoe Ball has been canceled, goodwill is in short supply. Lucy Cummings feels like a grinch for canceling, but the ball is a financial lump of coal for the Barns at Grace Hollow... -
Deja Brew All Over Again by Sylvie Stewart
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTrouble has always had a way of finding me, but I never expected to be carjacked by a hot girl in a wedding dress. As the official family screw-up, not many people count on me for anything but a good time. But Maisy Romero and her little brother need a knight in shining armor, and they need him yesterday... -
Write or Wrong by Heidi Hutchinson, Smartypants Romance
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsZara Lorna is kind of a big deal. After winning Artist of the Year (again), having a public argument with her boyfriend (again), and being whisked away by a man she barely knows (that’s new), it feels like she can’t go anywhere without drawing attention. It’s taking a toll on her and she could use a break...Categorized as:
forced proximity friends to lovers contemporary rockstars office humor length-medium audiobook -
A Love Like You by Kait Nolan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAfter Mick Routlege catches the garter at his best friend’s wedding, everyone is convinced he’s next. Too bad the only woman he wants has him lodged firmly in the friend zone. Between her job as a nurse and the demands of her family, Juliette Chen feels like the world is on her shoulders...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity christmas contemporary humor small town length-novella m-f -
What's Santa Got to Do with It? by Bix Barrow
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA late-awakened bi guy and his secret crush try to play Santa for some kids. But there’s a hitman blocking the chimney. .. Have you ever been locked out of your apartment shirtless, holding a wet rabbit and getting served with legal papers right when your super-hot neighbor walks by? Maybe it’s just me... -
Stranded Ranch by Cindy Steel
Her past came back to surprise her. But her past is now a flirty hot cowboy so. .. I wasn't sure why I gave up a week in the Bahamas with friends to visit my grandparent's home in Wyoming. In January. But one phone call to the ranch to check-in was all it took. It didn't matter that the worst storm to hit Wyoming in years was upon us. I needed to be there. I just didn't know why...Categorized as:
friends to lovers christmas forced proximity contemporary clean cowboys humor length-novella -
Kind of a Sexy Jerk by Lili Valente
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSo let me get this straight. .. For the next few days I’ve got myself a grumpy fake husband who’s also kind of my. .. bodyguard? I guess that’s a better way to spend the weekend than binge-watching reality television, especially since it’s kind of my fault we’re on the run from the mob and I need a protector. Oops...Categorized as:
forced proximity friends to lovers grumpy sunshine contemporary humor length-medium audiobook -
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Cocoa Kisses by Melanie Jacobson
Two old friends, a snowed in cabin, and a mission to save Creekville’s Christmas…Taylor Bixby is content running her café and watching her customers fall in love, even though she’s dodged Cupid and mistletoe for years. It helps that the love of her life—her best friend—has no idea how she feels. he’s been gone for four years reporting from war zones, so she’s never had to risk him finding out...Categorized as:
christmas friends to lovers humor contemporary christian length-short audiobook glimpses-kisses -
Jesse's Girl by Hannah Brixton
Buckle up, Buttercup…. Three nosy relatives, two jobs, one fledgling side hustle, and zero roommate prospects. No wonder Ada Russo is saltier than the rim of a margarita glass. When her brother’s best friend lands in Lennox Valley needing a place to stay for the summer, Ada’s spare room is the logical choice...Categorized as:
forced proximity friends to lovers humor contemporary length-long explicit-open-door audiobook -
Cinnamon Roll Set Up by Genny Carrick
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsGive me a book boyfriend over a real guy any day. After the way my parents destroyed their marriage, I prefer my romance fictional—for myself, anyway. When my best friend, Miles, needs a date to an awards ceremony, I'm more than willing to set him up. I’m his ideal matchmaker because I know the shy bookstore owner better than anyone, and I'm completely impartial... -
The Cornish Cream Tea Bookshop by Cressida McLaughlin
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsOllie Spencer has started a new life in the idyllic Cornish seaside town of Port Karadow. Throwing herself into her job at the town’s bookshop, A New Chapter, is one way to make friends. The shop is glitzing up for first Christmas and Ollie hopes her inspired ideas will give the shop the edge it needs to dazzle the town... -
A Cosy Christmas at Bridget’s Bicycle Bakery by Alex Brown
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsBridget smiled to herself, certain she could see one of the stars twinkling extra brightly in that moment as if to acknowledge her wish and convince her that, yes, Mulberry-On-Sea was just the place they all needed to be. Surrounded by those happy memories of holidays and special times where nothing bad ever happened…... -
Dating For December by Lyndsey Gallagher
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsHe's an expert at breakups. .. but this Christmas, can he master a love that lasts? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Lyndsey Gallagher is THE QUEEN page turners! ". My perpetually single status hardly serves as a shining advertisement for HeartSync, the dating agency I own. Nor is it likely to convince my incredibly successful movie star brother, Nate, to invest in my business... -
Lucky Penny by Katherine Bitner
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLucky Penny is book two in The Hometown series, however it can be read as a stand alone novel. Ten years ago, they were inseparable—until she left for college and he went to prison. Now there’s only one thing that can get Penny Hanson to return to her hometown of her little sister... -
Once Again at the Falls by Becky Monson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn one day, London Walsh finds out her ex is going to be her boss and that her parents are getting a divorce—and they want her to referee the situation. So when she’s offered the chance to spend the holidays in her old hometown of Christmas Falls, far away from all the drama, she jumps on it. But the quaint town doesn’t feel quite like the home it once was... -
Christmas at the Cat Café by Jessica Redland
It had always been Tabby's dream to work with cats and an inheritance from her beloved nanna has finally made that a reality. Idyllic Castle Street in Whitsborough Bay couldn’t be a better place for pastry chef Tabby to open a cat café with her boyfriend, Leon. But when Leon leaves her in the lurch, the pressure mounts for Tabby... -
The Bodyguard Next Door by Cynthia Eden
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe’s danger and a wicked, hot grin…. Iris Stuart may have a small crush on her neighbor. After all, Pierce Jennings is gorgeous, muscled, and he has a laugh that makes her toes curl. But she is not going down that particular path of temptation with the former Army Ranger and current Wilde agent. Nope. Not happening. They’ll stay in the friend zone because it’s safer that way...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity suspense military humor super rich hero contemporary alpha male -
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This Is the Season to Make You Mine by Johana Gavez
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWill the Christmas magic help these two friends take a shot at love? Morgan Bergman doesn’t want to go home for Christmas. She loves her family, but since her parents retired and her sister moved back to their hometown of Apfelville to take over the family business, she’s been avoiding them, feeling guilty about choosing her rising career in New York over her family... -
Just a Football Star by Deb Goodman
He’s a competitive ex-athlete. Which is code for “He’s gonna break my heart. ”. When I started my career as a sports trainer for professional football players, I didn’t understand the dangers involved. I thought my knowledge and next-level love for the game would be all I needed to treat and motivate the guys. Now? It’s all gone... -
British Black Sheep (Cocky Hero Club) by Lauren Smith
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn arrogant Brit might just be the right cup of tea for her…. He is exactly the kind of man Brie Honeyweather swore never to love…or lust after ever a sexy, arrogant, British bad boy in a designer suit. Alec is the last person Brie wants to be stuck on an international flight to London with, but hey…at least they’re in first class... -
Christmas in Paradise by Brittany Larsen
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCould an innocent fling turn into the real thing? I only want two things out of life: a career as a wedding planner extraordinaire and for Mom to stop treating me like a kid. Is that too much to ask? Probably. That is, until I get the chance to plan a televised, Christmas-themed wedding a thousand miles away from Mom in Paradise, Idaho. It seems like all my dreams might be coming true...Categorized as:
christmas forced proximity contemporary dual-pov found-family humor length-medium audiobook -
Pity Present by Whitney Dineen
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMolly. I haven’t beeninterested in dating since my ex dumped me for a new girl at his law office. Since then, I’ve thrown myself into my work as a hotel gift shop designer. While being single isn’t what I expected, there’s truth to that old saying, “Once bitten, twice shy. ” And the bite of a cheater stays with you... -
Billionaire Bachelor by Laura Lee
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEscaping to my family’s cabin after my engagement imploded seemed like the perfect plan. But when Logan Edwards—my brother’s best friend, bad boy tech billionaire, and the man who’s haunted my fantasies for years—shows up unexpectedly, everything changes. With only one bed and a snowstorm raging outside, it doesn’t take long for the sparks between us to ignite...
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