There's nothing better than cozying up with a book in your holiday pajamas, the glow of the Christmas tree and the crackle of the roaring fire setting the perfect mood.
To make the most of this peak reading environment, author John Searles is releasing his next book. “Lonely Girls” in July 2026, readers received recommendations for the best books this holiday season.
Keep reading to learn about his picks, which he shared on Hour 3 of TODAY, and what he has to say about each book.
Best Holiday Romance
“This sweet and savory tale has all the key ingredients for a fun holiday love story,” says Searles, including “a runaway bride,” “a grumpy but gorgeous bookstore owner,” and “a cozy town with more Christmas decorations per square foot than a Hallmark movie.”
When Noelle leaves her future husband and finds herself in the small town of Hideaway Harbor, where she sells Christmas lights for the season, she ends up getting involved with the owner of a bookshop.
Best Holiday Fantasy
In this book, a woman is taken in by the Ghost of Christmas Past… but he's nothing like the one from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.
“In this book, the ghost is a quiet, handsome, rugged ex-sailor named Nolan who is caught between this life and the next and given the task of haunting people and showing them their past,” says Searles. “When he meets a sweet and charming woman named Harriet, he suddenly dreams of the future… her“
Best Christmas Classics
Discover a Christmas classic with Peter Pauper Press, who publishes this deluxe gift edition featuring classic illustrations.
“Dickens was known as a social critic, and it's clear that he wanted the story to also be a commentary on the gap between rich and poor, which is felt more acutely during the holiday season,” says Searles.
Best Holiday Reading for Kids
“The movie has become such a holiday classic that I think some people don't even realize it was originally based on a great children's book,” says Searles.
There is a “quiet magic” to the original book. Journey with a little boy who discovers a train leading to the North Pole near his home.
Best Holiday Thriller
“We all know that tension can flare at a holiday party… but in this gripping thriller, the tension rises so high that it leads to a shocking murder,” says Searles.
“A dark, gripping read. I opened it on a long plane flight and didn't stop until I was done. I liked it.”
