31 Winter And Christmas Books To Make The Holidays Thrilling

The Beach Club

The Beach Club may be set during the summer time, but there's nothing idyllic about the events that take place throughout it. Mack Petersen may have a cushy position as the manager of The Beach Club, but his position — and life — are constantly threatened by outside factors.

But he's not the only person dealing with various situations. It seems like The Beach Club is home to those who harbor secret feelings and desires that materialize in the form of a dangerous hurricane.

Nantucket Nights

A group of friends involving Kayla, Antoinette, and Val have remained close over the years. Additionally, they've always come together to solidify their bond in their own special way. However, one of them mysteriously doesn't make it make from their nightly swim and it forces the remaining friends to deal with the effects of what happened.

They begin to slowly understand that their bond is much deeper than they realized and it's not for the reasons they always thought it was.

Summer People

The Newtons have a tradition of spending time with each other during the summer and have always enjoyed what occurs during the time they're together. But tragedy strikes when Arch Newton is killed and his wife Beth is left to plan the festivities of the summer.

The family will learn firsthand how hard it is to keep secrets and betrayals a secret in this shocking novel.

The Blue Bistro

Adrienne Dealey is no stranger to the hospitality industry, but decides it's time to start traveling from place-to-place after a while. Despite her dire financial situation, she lands a job at Thatcher Smith's popular restaurant the Blue Bistro. Her lack of experience doesn't seem to scare him and they eventually find themselves becoming closer the more time they spend together.

At the same time, Thatcher seems to have his eyes on Fiona — the Blue Bistro's chef. Adrienne has to decide what's worth pursuing in The Blue Bistro, but the decision will be tougher than she thinks.

The Love Season

Nantucket seems to be home for secrets and changed lives in The Love Season. When Marguerite Beale — an amazingly talented former chef — reconnects with her goddaughter Renata Knox, she's not sure what to make of it. After all, they haven't seen each other in a while and it's revealed this is mostly due to a demand of Renata's father.

Their connection triggers something unexpected and shocking that they'll forever be changed by.

Barefoot

The lives of three mothers are caught in the crossfire of the arrival of young Josh Flynn in Nantucket. He manages to touch each of them in some kind of way and it changes the plans they had to escape their individual troubles. It's a stark reminder that sometimes the grass isn't greener on the other side.

A Summer Affair

Claire is your typical people pleaser in A Summer Affair and nothing changes that until she meets Lock Dixon. He's the attractive billionaire whose path she would've never crossed had she not chosen to plan one of the biggest galas in Nantucket. As they continue to flirt with danger, Claire feels like she can't control what's going on anymore. Perhaps she doesn't mind for the first time in her life.

The Castaways

Greg and Tess MacAvoy's last effort to save their marriage ends with their tragic deaths, and this leaves behind grieving loved ones. Seeking to find out what happened to them, their close friends begin finding clues that indicate something wasn't quite right while Grey and Tess were alive.

The Island

Birdie Cousins is so focused on making sure her daughter Chess's wedding is as extravagant as possible that she feels thrown off course when Chess decides the wedding is off. Deciding everyone could use a break, Birdie rounds up her daughters and sister India to head to Tuckernuck Island for a summer vacation.

What unfolds over the course of the book are betrayals, tales of love, and more.

Silver Girl

Meredith and her former best friend Constance Flute are having a hard time in life so they head to Nantucket for a last-minute getaway. However, they realize that trouble can follow you anywhere and they're both left to figure out how to move on with their lives.

Summerland

Summerland is one of Elin Hilderbrand's most heartbreaking novels because it involves a group of high school friends who are forever affected by the death of someone in their circle. As everyone tries to understand what happened before the fatal car crash, things are revealed that will shake up a community's world.

Beautiful Day

The Carmichaels and Grahams are getting ready to celebrate the upcoming merging of their respective families. Everything should feel great, but they're going completely wrong. It's not that the bride and groom are having issues, but it's the people close to them who are struggling with different things.

The Matchmaker

Dabney Kimball is Nantuckey's resident matchmaker who always seems to get it right, but not everyone is a fan of her ways. Still, she's been able to match couples together and they're happily married. The problem is that she doesn't feel that she's matched with her forever person because she feels he's long gone.

However, fate brings him back to Nantucket and Dabney finds that her feelings for him are still alive. Before things take a turn for the worse, Dabney decides to come clean about certain things and continues using her matchmaking skills for good.

Winter Street

Kelley Quinn owns the Winter Street Inn with four kids who are scattered around the world and are dealing with issues that are weighing them down. From feelings of guilt to a lack of commitment, it's clear his kids need a reprieve. When they finally get together close to Christmas, Kelley finds that Mitzi isn't exactly being faithful. This sets off a sordid chain of events that involves the help of his ex-wife Margaret.

The Rumor

Rumors are a part of Nantucket's close-knit community and they threaten the image of best friends Madeline King and Grace Pancik. Known for being the picture of perfection, their lives are threatened by one's alleged bad decision and speculations of an affair involving the other. The thing is, some rumors are harder to dispel because the truth can have much more damning effects.

Winter Stroll

Free from his second marriage, Kelley Quinn is looking forward to another Christmas in Winter Stroll. He and Margaret are finally on speaking terms and a new grandchild has recently joined the family. Things feel like they're finally going to be fine until Kelley's second ex-wife pops back up and stirs up a lot of emotions.

Now the Quinns feel like they're back at square one and hope they can get through another Christmas unscathed.

Here's to Us

The lovers of Deacon Thorpe — Laurel Thorpe, Belinda Rowe, and Scarlett Oliver — are forced to be in close proximity with each other after he tragically dies. His last request was for all of the women to set aside their differences so they can gather on Nantucket one last time.

The more time they spend in his cottage — one each of them lived in at different points — the more tension, secrets, and heartbreak are revealed.

Winter Storms

Kelley Quinn's second ex-wife is back at the Winter Street Inn and good news about the Quinn children are thawing out any remaining ill feelings. Yet, Kelley's health was briefly in limo and his oldest son is still paying for a crime he committed. Not only that, but a damning blizzard is thwarting the family's plan to spend Christmas together.

Winter Storms seeks to show that the Quinns have a tenacity and bond that can weather the toughest of emotional and physical storms.

The Identicals

Despite the popular belief that twins are extremely close, Harper and Tabitha Frost seem to be the exception to that rule. They haven't communicated with each other for years, but decide to switch places in an attempt to repair their family. In the midst of working to understand what happened to their bond, there's a chance that some rivalries are hard to shake.

Winter Solstice

The Quinn family is finally back together in Winter Solstice and have good news to celebrate. With all of the Quinn kids under the same roof again, Kelly just knows things are going go well this time. But, old habits die hard and their family reunion wouldn't be the same without a few hiccups.

Winter in Paradise

Irene Steele has settled into a serene and loving life with her husband Russ, but everything halts when he's killed in a terrible accident in St. John. Although she's grieving, she can't but wonder why her husband was there in the first place. Trying to find answers leads Irene to discover that her husband wasn't the faithful man she knew.

The Perfect Couple

The Perfect Couple places Chief of Police Ed Kapenash at the center of the discovery of a murder right before a highly anticipated wedding is set to take place. Realizing that the killer could be anyone either involved in the wedding or attending it, Kapenash goes down a rabbit hole of figuring out what happened. What he finds is not only shocking, but makes him realize perfect weddings don't necessarily indicate relationships are free from serious flaws.

Summer of '69

Things aren't the same for the Levins as each family member finds themselves dealing with different pressing matters. From an older sister trying to navigate motherhood to the youngest sibling who feels trapped, it doesn't feel like summer is worth celebrating.

However, Summer of '69 introduces readers to a family who learns to navigate the changes in their lives and the world around them.

28 Summers

28 Summers follows an initially confused Link as he tries to understand his mom's last requests. When he dials the unknown number she gives him, the husband of political giant Ursula DeGournsey picks up the phone. Over the course of the book, readers will learn about the past that tied Link's mom to Ursula's husband and how her impending death changed things.

What Happens in Paradise

Irene Steele thought she knew everything about her husband Russ in Winter in Paradise, but his death revealed his intimate affair with another woman. This scarred her, but Irene decides to uproot her and her sons' lives so they can learn more about what actually happened.

Troubles in Paradise

Troubles in Paradise picks up where What Happens in Paradise ended and it's as shocking as the first book in the series. Even though she tried to escape memories of him, Irene Steele's husband's past follows her and makes her believe something isn't adding up about his accidental death. With the help of the people she holds near and dear to her heart, Irene discovers the truth about her husband and how this affects life moving forward.

Golden Girl

Vivian Howe's life is cut short when she's involved in a horrible car accident, but she's given a chance to sprinkle a little more positivity on earth for a brief period of time. As she looks at the lives her children are leading, she wonders how she'll be able to guide them in the right direction when she's still learning how to deal with her own secrets from her past. Over time, Vivian learns that sometimes the best thing to do is trust that things will work out without her intervention.

The Hotel Nantucket

Lizbet Keaton is tending to a broken heart after her long-term relationship horribly dissolves, but life decides it's time to move on when she's given the chance to restore Hotel Nantucket. It's not long before her knowledge and wit are turning things around for the better, but things BTS are far from perfect. It seems like the walls of the hotel are filled with the spirit of a guest who passed away tragically among other secrets and this leaves Lizebet between a rock and a hard place.

The Five-Star Weekend

Just because something looks perfect doesn't always mean it is. For Hollis Shaw, her perfectly outlined life becomes a series of doubt when her husband unexpectedly dies in The Five-Star Weekend. Determined to find a new sense of normalcy, Hollis draws inspiration from something called the "Five-Star Weekend" to bring joy to the people around her.

However, two people find it hard to get along while Hollis is confronted by old feelings she didn't think existed anymore. Just when things couldn't get more complicated, a mysterious yet charming woman by the name of Grace enters the picture. What was supposed to be an amazing weekend turns into something Hollis could've never predicted.

Swan Song — Coming April 22, 2025!

Chief of Police Ed Kapenash is ready to retire, but when the Richardsons move into town (and snap up a $22 million mansion), the town gets swept off their feet into parties and all things gaudy. Until the house burns down and their personal assistant goes MIA.

Where can you stream Babygirl?

Babygirl will be streaming on Max starting April 25, 2025. That means you can watch THAT milk scene as many times as you want.

What is the plot of Babygirl?

Babygirl Plot

In Babygirl, Nicole Kidman plays powerful CEO Romy, who's struggling to hold her perfect persona together. Her marriage to Jacob has never provided with much pleasure, despite the fact he's caring and artistic. But when Romy immediately feels drawn to a young intern named Samuel, the two begin a torrid affair.

Filming scenes with Harris Dickinson got so intense, Kidman said she literally had to take breaks. “There were times when we were shooting where I was like, ‘I don’t want to orgasm any more,'” she told the Sun. “Don’t come near me. I hate doing this. I don’t care if I am never touched again in my life!”

But the fact the movie was made by women empowered Kidman — and gave her a sense of freedom. "Doing this subject matter in the hands of the woman that wrote the script, that's directing it and is a really great actress herself — we became one in a weird way, which I'd never had with a director before," Kidman says in a statement. "When you're working with a woman on this subject matter, you can share everything with each other.”

"I really decided in the beginning, I want to make a sexual film, just as sexual as all these films that I've always admired so much," adds writer-director-producer Halina Reijn, "but now I'm going to do it completely through female eyes. What does that mean and what does that look like?”

In our Brit + Co exclusive, Nicole Kidman revealed she "spent a lot of time in bed" with Harris while filming. (TBH, a job that requires you to hang out in bed sounds like a pretty good job to me).

"As soon as he walked in, I was like, 'Oh good, here's somebody who's gonna play with me," she says. "We spent a lot of time in bed. Hours would go by, and it was like you would step out of there and you would say, 'What just happened?'"

"From the moment [Samuel] sees her, he's attracted to her. He realizes there's someone at the height of their power," Harris adds. "There was an element of mystique that needed to be there for the exploration of the relationship."

When is the Babygirl release date?

Babygirl Release Date

Babygirl made its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, and then opened in theaters on December 25, 2024.

Who's in the Babygirl cast?

Babygirl Cast

The cast of Babygirl includes Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Sophie Wilde, and Antonio Banderas.

What has Nicole Kidman said about making Babygirl?

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Nicole Kidman revealed Babygirl is the most "exposing" film she's done because she's “made some films that are pretty exposing, but not like this.”

“It left me ragged," she says. "At some point I was like, I don’t want to be touched. I don’t want to do this anymore, but at the same time I was compelled to do it...This is something you do and hide in your home videos. It is not a thing that normally is going to be seen by the world.”

“I felt very exposed as an actor, as a woman, as a human being,” she continues. “I had to go in and go out like, I need to put my protection back on. What have I just done? Where did I go? What did I do?”

What does babygirl energy mean?

"Babygirl" is a term of endearment that's usually applied to a man (you've probably heard it describe Pedro Pascal or Paul Mescal). When someone is giving babygirl energy, they're kind, cute, and disarming. And considering Babygirl plays with power dynamics, we might just find ourselves guessing who the "babygirl" in question is up until the very end.

Watch The 'Babygirl' Trailer Here!

There were SO many moments in the Babygirl trailer that made our jaws drop here:

• The thumb in the mouth
• The pink skirt moment
• NICOLE CRAWLING ON ALL FOURS?!

Rachel Zegler's Snow White is more inspirational than ever.

In the standout ballad “Waiting on a Wish," Snow White wonders “is it almost someday?” as she confronts the exhaustion and weary hope of waiting for a day of peace she’s not sure will ever come. Snow knows her father can set everything right, but struggles to believe she’s as “fearless, brave, fair, and true” as he is, even if she knows her true identity is a future queen.

Throughout the course of the movie, she finally comes to believe it’s up to her to change the fact the Evil Queen has “poisoned everyone into believing it’s everyone for themselves.” It’s that echo from the wishing well that provides an undercurrent to this new story — Snow White is waiting, but she’s actively waiting.

We are, after all, living in a post ‘90s-princess world, where our canon includes Belle daydreaming about a life outside her village and Mulan taking destiny into her own hands. Rachel Zegler’s Snow White isn’t just dreaming of a different life, she’s dreaming about actually changing her life, and becoming the boldest, truest version of herself.

This shift proves Disney movies are no longer purely about celebrating an original story’s beauty or providing comfort; they’re a call to action. Whether that shift is a good thing or a bad thing remains to be seen, but I walked out of the theater feeling better than I did walking in.

Despite Disney’s OG princess getting a couple contemporary updates, the integrity of the character remains intact because the updates aren’t harsh or biting. The character doesn’t steer into one-dimensional territory where she’s only obsessed with true love or only obsessed with reclaiming the kingdom. Snow White doesn’t let anyone step all over her, but none of her sweetness is sacrificed for shock value, and that combination of firm and bold kindness inspires change in others.

Whether it’s offering comfort or literally saving someone’s life, Snow White actually shows up for people. And the butterfly effect of her actions culminate in a true, old fashioned showdown between Snow White and the Queen. Snow White’s return to the palace — as princess and not servant — moves the townspeople to sing her parents’ old song, in turn giving her the confidence to claim she’s “everything [she was] wishing and waiting for.”

'Snow White' is the kind of nostalgic Disney movie we haven't seen in years.

Erin Cressida Wilson's script feels like the kind of sweet Disney story we all love, with emotional beats, pacing, and humor that had me reminiscing on titles like Tangled, Miramax's Ella Enchanted, and the first season of Once Upon a Time on ABC.

Director Marc Webb reframes the original cartoon’s theme of waking up in a really remarkable way because outside the literal poison apple of it all, after Snow White challenges the Queen, she reminds the soldiers of their true identities to wake them up and reclaim the palace.

Snow also ties the idea of waking up with falling in love, because contrary to internet chatter, the live-action Snow White does actually have a love story. And it’s one that had me literally giggling. Rachel Zegler and Andrew Burnap’s fun banter quickly morphs into butterfly-inducing stares and smaller, quiet moments every romance fan will love. And yes, they do address the kissing-without-consent issue a lot of Disney viewers have with the original cartoon.

The fleshed-out love story as well as added subplots about Dopey’s inability to speak and Snow White’s desire to make her father proud — plus a truly gorgeous score from Jeff Morrow — add so much nuance and emotion to the iconic story that people in my theater gasped and applauded throughout the third act.

Rachel Zegler is a true shining star.

Rachel Zegler is radiant as Snow White, and her performance makes the whole film shine. I’ve said for years that her voice solidifies her as a generational talent, but her expressions and awareness of the world around her truly set her apart. Not to mention the fact the film itself is a gorgeous, textured visual display that made me forget I was in a movie theater. And I could talk forever about the animated woodland animals!

The movie features songs from the original like “Whistle While You Work” (and if you listen closely, you can hear Rachel humming a few notes of “Someday My Prince Will Come” during a key scene), but the movie also adds some new songs from Justin Paul and Benj Pasek that join the ranks of great Disney music — especially “Waiting on a Wish” and “A Hand Meets A Hand,” which they co-wrote with Lizzy McAlpine.

But Gal Gadot's performance leaves something to be desired.

Compared to Rachel Zegler’s stellar performance, Gal Gadot’s role as the Evil Queen left me wanting more, especially when it comes to her big number “All Is Fair,” which I wish I'd heard from a Broadway diva. The character’s obsession with her physical beauty in and of itself also feels thin and outdated compared to the depth the new story offers Snow White. (The beginning of the movie does mention the Queen’s beauty is the source of magical power, but it’s so brief I forgot about it until my second watch).

And while I found the animated Seven Dwarves charming (and their story brought me to tears), I still don’t understand the decision to animate the characters rather than casting seven actors with dwarfism.

Overall, Disney’s live-action Snow White is a heartfelt film that inspires audiences to not just dream of redemption, but to actually make changes that better the world around them. Because Snow White will always be kind, but she’s not whispering anymore.