It’s probably a tad bit selfish to treat myself to goodies during the season of giving, but I just couldn’t fight the gravitational pull toward the mall bookstore. All the new titles with glossy red and green covers were too hard to resist!

Although I didn’t make much progress on the holiday shopping list, I did procure a nice little bundle of Christmassy reads!  Thanks to MizB at Should Be Reading, I get to brag about my latest literary shopping spree in this Friday Finds post.

Which one shall I read first?

 Holiday Grind: A Coffeehouse Mystery, Book 8

Clare’s grown very fond of Alfred Glockner, the part-time comic and genuinely jolly charity Santa who’s been using her coffeehouse as a place to warm his mittens. When she finds him gunned down in a nearby alley, a few subtle clues convince her that Alfred’s death was something more than the tragic result of a random mugging, despite the conclusions of the police. More…

Silent Night: A Lady Julia Christmas Novella

After a year of marriage – and numerous adventures – Lady Julia and Brisbane hope for a quiet, intimate Christmas together – until they find themselves at her father’s ancestral estate, Bellmont Abbey, with her eccentric family and a menagerie of animals. Nevertheless, Julia looks forward to a lively family gathering – but amongst the celebrations, a mystery stirs.  More…

 A Countess by Christmas

The Earl of Bridgemere is happy to encourage his reputation as a curmudgeonly recluse if it repels the grasping females who usually attend his lavish Christmas parties. Helen Forrest is like a breath of fresh air, uninterested in his wealth and not cowed by his temper.  Bridgemere’s seasonal duty suddenly becomes a pleasure as he sets about making Helen his countess—by Christmas! More…

 A Wreath of Snow: A Victorian Christmas Novella

All Margaret Campbell wants for Christmas is a safe journey home. When her plans for a festive holiday with her family in Stirling crumble beneath the weight of her brother’s bitterness, the young schoolteacher wants nothing more than to return to the students she loves and the town house she calls home.  Then an unexpected detour places her in the path of Gordon Shaw, a handsome newspaperman from Glasgow, who struggles under a burden of remorse and shame. More…

Friday Finds is a weekly meme spotlighting books you’ve bought or hope to buy in the future. Hop over to Should Be Reading for more details.