A couple cuddles together, looking at a tablet. Headline: 'Tis the season: Holiday book & movie pairings.

Recommended Reads, Trends

‘Tis the season: 7 feel-good holiday book & movie pairings

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Dec 05, 2023

This time of year, I want everything to be cozy. My softest PJs, fuzzy socks, hot chocolate, fluffy blankets—you name it. That goes for my reading and viewing choices, too. I want snow falling during a first kiss, I want a Christmas tree farm, I want a small town winter festival! Give me your big city gal returning to her hometown, give me a widower finding love again, give me quirky family holiday traditions!

If you’re like me and want to soak in the wintery vibes and enjoy some light entertainment this month, here are 7 of my favorite holiday picks from Kanopy paired with an ebook or audiobook that you can find in the Libby app.

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Book: The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox
Movie: Sappy Holiday starring Vanessa Sears and Jon McLaren

Best romcom professions? In my personal ranking, I’d say the top 5 are magazine publishing, bookshop owner, innkeeper at a cozy bed & breakfast, writer and chef.

Sappy Holiday and The Holiday Swap both star leading lady chefs. In Sappy Holiday, our heroine gets stranded during a snowstorm and falls for the hunky maple syrup farmer/small town B&B owner who saves her. The Holiday Swap has Chef Charlie on a reality cooking competition. When she gets conked on the head and loses her ability to taste and smell, she trades places with her twin sister, Cass. Charlie goes home to run their family’s small town bakery and Cass steps in on the cooking show. Of course, wacky mishaps occur due to their swap but, spoiler alert, there’s a HEA (happily ever after)!


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Book: A Princess for Christmas by Jenny Holiday
Movie: Christmas with a Crown starring Lisa Durupt and Marcus Rosner

You know that movie The Prince & Me starring Julia Stiles where the prince is undercover as a regular guy at a university in Wisconsin and, at first, he drives her crazy but then they fall in love? Yeah, Christmas with a Crown is basically that. But instead of being set at a university, this time the undercover Crown Prince of Verovia teams up with a quirky lead who’s helping save the town library by throwing a small town winter festival. If you like secret royalty romance, try regular guy Leo and Princess Marie of Eldovia in A Princess for Christmas.

No faux royalty will ever beat Mia Thermopolis, Crown Princess of Genovia, but fine royal holiday fun nonetheless.


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Book: Mistletoe & Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler
Movie: Christmas in the Rockies starring Kimberly-Sue Murray and Stephen Huszar

The annual Christmas Lumberjack Competition is certainly a unique event for this movie to be centered around! Katie Jolly wants to carry on her family’s legacy and save their business all while falling for a handsome paramedic in Christmas in the Rockies. If “Dad, I thought you retired your chainsaw!” intrigues you, this one’s worth a stream. The Sarah Morgenthaler Moose Springs, Alaska series may not feature a lumberjack competition, but in Mistletoe & Mr. Right, there’s a hunt for “the Santa Moose,” so it’s got that going for it.


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Book: There’s Something about Merry by Codi Hall
Movie: Feliz NaviDAD starring Mario Lopez, AnnaLynne McCord (and directed by Clarissa/Sabrina herself, Melissa Joan Hart)

Like your holiday stories with a single dad love interest and main characters with Christmasy names? These two fit the bill. There’s Something about Merry is about the romance between Clark Griffin, a charming single father, and Merry Winters, who works on her family’s Christmas tree farm. Feliz NaviDAD (yes, lean in, it’s the perfect movie name) stars Mario Lopez (AKA A.C. Slater) as a single dad who finds love again at Christmastime while reconnecting with his daughter, Noel.


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Book: The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
Movie: Stars Fell Again starring James Maslow and Ciara Hanna

Was her true love under her nose…the whole time?! If that trope is your jam, you’ll like this pairing. Stars Fell Again stars a member of boy band Big Time Rush and is a sequel to Stars Fell on Alabama (but you really don’t have to see the first to know what’s going on; that being said, the first movie does feature a performance by former American Idol winner Taylor Hicks so, if that’s a selling point for you, check it out). The Twelve Dates of Christmas is a light and cute holiday romcom and gave me Stars Hollow-Gilmore Girls feels.


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Book: A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss
Movie: Little Women starring Emily Watson, Maya Hawke and Angela Lansbury

“Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

While Little Women falls into the “Is it a Christmas movie?” category, there’s no denying that iconic first line sets the tone for the holiday spirit. Of course, to pair with the Masterpiece miniseries adaptation of Little Women, you could read the original Louisa May Alcott classic, but for a more contemporary take on sisters who couldn’t be more different and have their ups and downs but love each other deeply, try A December to Remember.


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Book: In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
Movie: Festive Fireplace

Want to set a cozy atmosphere while you trim the tree and listen to a cheery holiday romance? Turn on Festive Fireplace for the ambiance of a crackling fire and put on a Christmas audiobook, like In a Holidaze. Romance fans are likely already familiar with Christina Lauren and won’t be disappointed with this fun holiday love story take on a Groundhog Day scenario.

*Title availability may vary by region.

Download the Kanopy and Libby apps to get started and subscribe to Libby Life for more great recommendations delivered to your inbox weekly.

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About the Author

Melissa Marin is a Product Owner, mom of 2 and has loved reading since her days of devouring all the Babysitter Club books she could borrow from the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library. When not reading, you can find her listening to comedy, pop culture and true-crime podcasts, watching feel-good TV and movies, and seeing live music.

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