Lit Wicks: Recommended Holiday Romances

Welcome to Lit Wicks! This is where we pair an author’s backlist with candles to really immerse yourself in the reading experience. All of the candles featured in these post are from Etsy, which means there is often worldwide shipping and that you’re supporting independent crafters and sellers. The Etsy candle rabbit hole is one I have gone down many times.

Because the end of the year is all about the holidays and celebrating with loved ones (and possibly some cozy reading), I figure we’d revisit some well-reviewed holiday romances on the site. If you bought any of the books below after reading the review, now you’ll have a candle to pair with it.

If you’re curious about what other authors have received the Lit Wicks treatment, check out our category page. And if you’d like to suggest an author’s backlist for a future Lit Wicks column, please email me!

…

Lighting the Flames by Sarah Wendell: Because this is my own candle recommendation empire, Sarah lets me do whatever I want, even if that means me sneakily mentioning her Hanukkah romance. When I asked what scents would capture her book well, she said, “Pine from the forests, fresh bread from Sabbath dinner, campfires from the bonfire.” All of that sounds amazing.

Candle: Luna Candle Company — Sweater Weather 11oz. ($15.50)

This one has notes of vanilla, musk, pine, and juniper berry. And according to the listing, it has a burn time of up to 110 hours. Wow!

A Pirate for Christmas by Anna Campbell: Elyse read this one and gave it a B+. This holiday romance takes place in a quaint village in Northern England. Elyse also liked that this one wasn’t too Christmas-y.

Candle: Muri Home — English Rain ($26.14)

Not only is the scent English-inspired, but it’s made in the U.K. as well! I didn’t want a traditional holiday scent for this book, given Elyse’s review of it. This candle is being described as being fresh and earthy.

The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis: This contemporary holiday romance received an A-grade and was made into a PassionFlix movie. Given that “mistletoe” is in the title, I had to find a mistletoe inspired candle. Sometimes the book title does all the work for me.

Candle: Cozy Home Candle — Mittens + Mistletoe 4oz. ($7.95)

With crisp notes of musk and floral notes of lily, this candle is supposed to be reminiscent of warming mittens by a cozy fire. And if this scent doesn’t do it for you, the shop has a variety of other holiday scents in different sizes and in wax melts.

No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton: There’s a cute inn, a house party, a fake relationship, and lots of chickens. Here’s what Elyse had to say about this holiday novella: “It’s like the perfect little macaron–a pop of sweetness, but not so much that your teeth ache.”

Candle: Mason and Wax — Hearth 8oz. ($20)

Inns and historical romance holiday house parties make me envision a roaring fireplace and mulled wine. This candle is supposed to conjure a similar image with hints of orange spice and oak embers.

Glass Tidings by Amy Jo Cousins: This gay holiday romance received an A-grade from Elyse two years ago. Because both of the main characters are outsiders and deal with varying degrees of loneliness, I didn’t want to pick something overly sweet or cloying in its scent.

Candle: Midnight Owl Candle Company — Gingerbread 9oz. ($11)

I love gingerbread as a holiday treat because it’s still yummy, but isn’t too sugary. It has a nice bite of spice to it, which I think is a great match for this emotional holiday romance.

Blitzen’s Fated Mate by R.E. Butler: Listen…I had to put this on here since F+ grades are very near and dear to our hearts. And kudos to Elyse for taking one for the team on this reindeer shifter bonkers romance.

Candle: The Pour House Company — Reindeer Kisses 8oz. ($16.75)

Have you been kissed by a reindeer? No? Well, okay. Apparently reindeer kisses smell like apples, pears, vanilla, and eucalyptus. Who knew!

Heartstrings by Belinda Williams: A holiday romance with celebrities and a Christmas party is bound to have some fanciness to it. And for some reason, my brain equates fanciness with champagne, despite being able to nab a cheap bottle for $7 at my local liquor store.

Candle: Scentsational Aromas — Champagne Toast 9oz. ($17)

This candle sounds so light and wonder, with notes of nectarine, blackcurrant, and champagne. In fact, that sounds like it’d make a great cocktail, too.

The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand: Recently reviewed by Carrie, this is a young adult retelling of A Christmas Carol, with a young, Scrooge-like heroine. She notes it had a twist ending that resulted in the book going on her keeper shelf.

Candle: Frostbeard — Bah Humbug 8oz. ($18)

I love Frostbeard candles and highly recommend them, if you ever want to support some great indie candle companies. Many of their scents are also available in wax melt form! The Bah Humbug scent seems spicy and tart, with hints of pepper, orange, and fig.

…

Happy holidays! And if you’re like me, there’s no shame in burning seasonal candles out of season. I’m that bitch burning balsam-scented candles in the middle of summer.