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We have made it to the end of another year! My goal for 2025 was to read 12 books, one each month, and, this year I have read 45 books! That’s almost 4 times my goal! For the month of December, I read 4 new books, and it’s time to let you know my thoughts. I’ll be sharing a brief summary, my personal thoughts, and a rating for each book. Plus, I’ll highlight my top recommendation of the month at the end!
Book List Overview (with links to purchase)
- The Gingerbread Bakery by Laurie Gilmore
- Not in the Christmas Plan by Etta Easton
- Pressure to Purpose by Brandon Fowler
- A Novel Christmas by Charity Shane’
📖 The Gingerbread Bakery – Laurie Gilmore
- Genre: Romance
- Synopsis: Annie and Mac hate each other, and everyone knows it. But, they promised to keep their hatred to a minimum for their friends’ wedding weekend. It’s exceptionally difficult when this time of year reminds them of the one December they spent together a long time ago as kids. When Mac won’t disappear and they have to work together for the wedding, old feelings arise…but they’re definitely not feelings of hate…
- My Thoughts: As you know, Laurie Gilmore’s Dream Harbor Series is my FAVORITE book series, and this book was no different! I feel like the characters in this series are my friends, so I couldn’t wait to find out what kind of history Annie and Mac had that made them hate each other so strongly! The twisted, dual timelines plot kept me on the edge of my seat, and there were no dull moments! This book was truly a fun, spicy, cozy romance.
- Highlights/Tropes: Spice, small-town romance, second-chance romance, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, forced proximity, dual POV, flashbacks/dual timelines
- Favorite Quote: “Love is a funny thing…It’s not always loud or over the top. Most of the time it’s quiet and unassuming. It’s a shared cup of coffee on a rainy day or reading side by side together every night. It’s finding the person who gets you. The person who will have your back through it all. Your person.”
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)
- Would I recommend it? Absolutely! If you are a romance fan like me, you will definitely enjoy all of the books in the Dream Harbor series!
📖 Not in the Christmas Plan – Etta Easton
- Genre: Romance
- Synopsis: While her twin is giving birth, Eve vows to prepare their family home for the holidays, especially since it’s their first Christmas without their father. But, all of her stressing is even worse with her brother-in-law Grant lingering around. He’s so annoying…and so cute.
- My Thoughts: Etta Easton is one of my favorite authors, so if I see a book with her name on it, I’m going to pick it up! Not in the Christmas Plan was a short read (about 150 pages), but it had a great plot and love story. The main character was NOT my favorite, and her stubbornness and control issues are the only reason I didn’t rate this book 5 stars. It’s an easy read that you can finish in a day, and it definitely brings the Christmas, holiday, cozy vibes.
- Highlights/Tropes: No spice, short read (around 150 pages), grief TW, forced proximity, second-chance romance
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 (out of 5)
- Would I recommend it? Yes. Etta Easton is one of my favorite authors, and I love to support Black authors as well. If you want a short, cozy romance, pick this one up!
📖 Pressure to Purpose – Brandon Fowler
- Genre: Christian Self-Help
- Synopsis: What do you do when the pressure of life starts closing in? When attacks from the enemy all come at once? When you’re unsure about what God wants you to do and if he even sees you? This is a story of a raw, honest journey through adversity, obedience, sacrifice, and transformation. You will learn how God can take a season of breaking and turn it into a foundation of purpose.
- My Thoughts: This book was actually written and published by a friend of mine! It details his story through attacks, hardship, and spiritual warfare, and how he made it out on the other side to live a fulfilled, purpose-filled life. It’s truly a story of faith and relying on God. This book was a great, short read, full of wisdom, scripture, encouragement, and life gems.
- Highlights/Tropes: Christian self-help, autobiography, personal growth, suicide TW, short read (about 40 pages)
- Favorite Quote: “Sometimes God doesn’t rescue you to take you back where you came from, he actually rescues you to make room for who you’re becoming.”
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)
- Would I recommend it? Definitely! If you struggle with your finding your purpose, feeling unseen, or navigating adversity, this is a great read for you!
📖 A Novel Christmas – Charity Shane’
- Genre: Contemporary Romance
- Synopsis: Saira is a romance author who needs to write a Christmas romance before her publisher drops her. So, she heads to the small town of Santa Claus, Indiana for some inspiration. What she doesn’t expect is a Christmas romance of her own when she meets a dreamy, sexy firefighter named Dorian, with storytelling eyes and a sad past. Even though her stint in Indiana is temporary, is this love story with Dorian long-term?
- My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this holiday romance! It gave me all of the Christmas-y, romance feels that I wanted with my December reads! I had never read this author before, but I love her attention to detail, depth in character development, and humor. The plot was unlike any other story I’ve read, and all of the characters were uniquely written. I definitely enjoyed this read!
- Highlights/Tropes: Black romance, grief/cancer TW, small-town romance, SPICY, holiday romance, dual POV, forced proximity
- Favorite Quote: “He’s etched in my brain, scribbled in my thoughts, and imprinted on my soul”.
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)
- Would I recommend it? Yes! A cozy, small-town, Christmas-y, Black romance with a sexy fireman as a main character…?! What’s not to love!
My Top Pick This Month is…
A Novel Christmas by Charity Shane’! I never hear people talking about this book, and I don’t know why! It’s the perfect blend of romance, spice, and small-town nostalgia that I love. I definitely need to read more of this author!
What’s TBR for January?
Between the new books I got for Christmas, the ones on my Goodreads list, and all the ones already on my bookshelf, I don’t know what I’m going to read next! These are some of the possible contenders for January:
- When God Says “Wait” by Elizabeth Laing Thompson
- The Elevator Pitch by Evelyn Leigh
- In Your Dreams by Sarah Adams
That concludes my December reading wrap-up! I’m so excited that I’ve read 45 books this year, and I can’t wait to see what’s next! I think my goal for 2026 will be 36 books! Do you have any recommendations for me? Let’s chat in the comments!
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