Free Christmas Reads on Amazon Kindle – Book Reviews

Updated January 2021

Christmas can be so manic with very little time or money to treat yourself or relax.

Here are my 10 free Christmas book recommendations available on Amazon Kindle and E-reader. All are very short stories, taking from just half an hour to 2.5 hours maximum. So put the kettle on, download a couple of free Christmas books and take some time out. You’ll also find some suggestions of other books that are currently free, which I haven’t read yet but have downloaded.

Prices do fluctuate on Amazon so do check. It’s a great way to check out new authors and treat yourself when pennies are tight.

In this post you will find book reviews for the following free Christmas Kindle reads:

Ruth Saberton – The Last Card
Patrick Yearly – a Lonely Dog on Christmas
Caroline Mickelson – Miss Kane’s Christmas
Jennifer Joyce – A Beginner’s Guide to Christmas
Stella Wilkinson – A Christmas Gift
Abby Clements – A Christmas Bake Off
Zara Stonely – A Very Country Christmas
Sophie Kinsella – 6 Geese a Laying
Laura Briggs – A Cornish Christmas Reunion
Johnathon Hill – Mo Mo  Mo! Merry Christmas Maureen

The Last Card by Ruth Saberton

Warning this is a real tear jerker so make sure you have hankies at the ready.

Grandma Lily (known affectionately as Grilly) finds a Christmas card from the 1940s and proceeds to tell her grandaughter Ellen about the time she fell in love with an American serviceman during the war.

I’m not generally keen on period fiction, but The Last Card was so interesting and informative of what people had to endure back then. It had me captivated and moved to tears pretty much all the way through.  Set in Cornwall at Christmas, there’s plenty of description and Cornish history to picture how the village was now and during the war.

This story is incredibly romantic and heartbreaking and made me think of those who’ve left us. Parts of the story were in current day and had me picturing my own nan making Christmas puddings right into her senior years. Make sure you find out stories from your elderly family before it’s too late, it’s so easy to forget they had a life before they got old.

Highly recommended even though it made me cry … a lot!

Free on Kindle Unlimited/sometimes on Prime Reading

Patrick Yearly – a Lonely Dog on Christmas

Too sweet not to share. A light-hearted quick read portraying the festive celebrations told by the family’s bulldog. Refreshing to read of the chaos of Christmas rather than the usual picture postcard version often seen in movies and books.

Miss Kane’s Christmas – Caroline Mickelson

If this doesn’t give you some Christmas spirit nothing will. Think Mary Poppins mixed with all your favourite Christmas movies mixed up into one and put in a book. A short read for an afternoon snuggled up on the sofa when the reality of Christmas has got too much for you. Switch off with the magic of the season – 2 adorable children, a sad, grumpy single dad and a gorgeous au pair aka Santa’s daughter. Yes, it’s candy canes and gingerbread men all the way. Guaranteed to make the grown up in you feel like a child.

Jennifer Joyce – A Beginner’s Guide to Christmas 

A very quick read that is perfect for Christmas Eve. It makes you realise that all our families and Christmases run along a similar vein. A definate case of humour in truth.

Stella Wilkinson – A Christmas Gift

I hadn’t realised it was for young adults with the characters only being in their teens, but this 20 minute read transfers ok to any age audience as we’ve all experienced that unrequited first love. Pleasant quick read.

A Christmas Bake Off – Abby Clements

A quick read (less than an hour) showing the competitive nature of some of the participants in a village bake-off competition. Pleasant read in the lead up to the festive season when time is of short supply but you need to switch off. Be warned reading this book will make you either want to eat vast amounts of cake or get baking yourself which is handy as there are some recipes at the end. Do check out Meet me Under the Mistletoe too.

 

When the Snow Falls by Helen J Rolfe

Last year I signed up to Helen J Rolfe’s newsletter and received a free e-book of When the Snow Falls. It is a short romance story set in a Christmas market in Suffolk. Getting free e-books by signing up to author newsletters is a great way to sample a new author and hear the latest news and competitions from authors you already love.

A Very Country Christmas by Zara Stonely

Set around a manor house and stables Lottie had planned a quiet romantic Christmas Day with her new fiancé but circumstances dictated that she ended up with a houseful of guests instead. Plenty of horses, dogs and country gossip. A pleasant 2.5 hour read.

6 Geese a Laying by Sophie Kinsella

A free 10 minute Kindle read from the Shopaholic author about an antenatal group due to give birth at Xmas. A light but moral story.

A Cornish Christmas Reunion by Laura Briggs

If you like the Cornwall stories and enjoyed A Christmas in Cornwall you may like to check out this follow up.  A quick 2 hour read that emphasises the importance of telling people how you feel before it’s too late.

Mo Mo  Mo! Merry Christmas Maureen by Jonathon Hill

This free politically-incorrect slapstick comedy is a quick half-hour read from the author of the Maureen series. It is about a larger lady who becomes a stand-in Santa and ends up in A and E.

I hope you enjoy these.  The great thing about free books on Amazon Kindle is that it gives you the opportunity to check out new authors without risk. I often find I go on to buy the whole back catalogue from an author that I’ve discovered after downloading a free book.

Do check out my other posts for more Christmas chick lit and Christmas women’s fiction reading suggestions. Again most are at a budget price, which is important at this time of year.

You may also like an older post I wrote about how to legally get free books whilst supporting authors.

I’ve also downloaded these books for next year’s 20 Books for Christmas reading challenge. All were  free on Kindle at time of purchase. Do check for fluctuating prices.

Lilac Mills – A Very Lucky Christmas

Lorraine Wilson – Christmas at the Chateau

Melissa Hill – A Wonderful Christmas collection

Kristina Adams – What Happens in New York

Nikki Moore – Skating at Somerset House

Emma Hamilton – Christmas Cravings

T A Williams – Dreaming of Christmas

Laura Briggs  – The Wedding Caper

Laurie Baxter – Billionaire for Christmas

Darcy Boleyn – Christmas at Colwenna Cove

Daniela Sacerdoti – Calling You Home

Eldritch Black – Night of the Letter Getters

Geri Glenn – Coming Home

Mona Ingram – The Party

Enni Amanda – Christmas in July

Sara Stonely – The Christmas Swap (free on Prime reading)

Emma Burcell – Christmas at the Cornish Guest House (free on Prime reading)

Melissa Hill – A Wonderful Christmas collection

Addison Moore – Winter Wonderland Boxed Set

Melody Grace – A Kiss for Christmas collection

Various – Christmas in Love collection

Various – Winter Heat short story collection

Various – Festive Treats short story collection

Do you have any Free Christmas Reads on Kindle to suggest? It would be great if you could share the titles in the comments below.

Merry Christmas!

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