10 Christmas Historical Romance Books With Dukes to Read This December

Historical romance is where I run whenever another genre leaves me restless.

I try thrillers, fantasy, and contemporary love stories, and I still end up in a candlelit ballroom with a brooding man in a waistcoat.

December makes it worse, because I start hunting for Christmas historical romance books with dukes the first week of the month.

This list is the pile I built from that hunt.

Ten books, some steamy and some sweet, with dukes front and center in a few and lords, earls, and one knight crashing the party in the rest.

Pick the one that matches your mood tonight.

A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews

This is the gentlest book on my list.

Sophie and Edward both want to do right by the people around them, yet neither one knows how to reach the other at first.

That awkward, honest fumbling made their connection feel true to life.

Edward is a grumpy hero with a soft center, and I will never be able to resist that.

Sophie works hard to protect her family without losing herself, and I cheered for her the whole way.

If you want Victorian Christmas romance novels about second chances, the gaslight and snow here are worth the read.

Season for Surrender by Theresa Romain

I fell for Louisa right away, because she is a smart bookworm who says yes to a Christmas party invitation just to enjoy one last big adventure.

Lord Xavier starts out as a reckless rake, and I loved watching her quiet courage and sharp wit slowly win him over.

The house party reads like a holiday rom-com set in the Regency era.

Scandalous wagers keep the mood playful from page to page.

If you collect Regency Christmas romance books with clever heroines, add this one to your pile.

A Winter Scandal by Candace Camp

Thea finds a baby in a manger, and that single discovery sets the whole story spinning.

She ends up blaming a rakish lord named Gabriel, and the truth turns out to be messier than her accusation.

I loved following the two of them as they dug into the mystery together.

Neither of them can fully resist the pull between them, even while they try.

Thea is brilliant, and Gabriel shows a tenderness I did not see coming.

For a Victorian historical Christmas romance with a mystery and a snowy village, this one delivered.

The Duke’s Match Girl by Lila DiPasqua

Here is my pick if you want a steamy second chance Christmas historical romance.

The author retells The Little Match Girl with plenty of heat and a lot of heart.

Leo and Suzanne were childhood sweethearts, and watching them find each other again on a snowy Christmas Eve made my chest ache.

Suzanne is bold and clever, and she refuses to let anyone hurt her twice.

Leo, the duke, is desperate to win her back, and I enjoyed every minute of his effort.

Despite being a novella, the story never feels rushed.

Christmas in the Duke’s Arms (Anthology)

Four stories share one little inn, and the romantic chaos that spills out of it kept me happy from start to finish.

My favorite was A Knight Before Christmas, where Penelope and Levi’s quiet longing completely won me over.

Licensed to Wed is a sweet enemies-to-lovers Christmas historical romance, and I enjoyed it a lot.

In the Duke’s Arms gives you the brooding hero you were hoping for.

The Spy Beneath the Mistletoe adds an adventurous streak I did not know I wanted.

Among Regency Christmas romance anthologies with dukes, this is one of the best I have read.

The Christmas Knight by Michelle Sinclair

Bronwyn offers herself in marriage so her sisters stay safe, and her courage hit me hard.

The knight who shows up is nothing like the brute she feared.

I watched trust grow between her and the brooding lord while secrets, duty, and desire pulled at both of them.

Their bond felt earned, and I would have happily stayed at Hunswick Castle with them.

For a medieval Christmas romance where sacrifice leads somewhere tender, this one is lovely.

A Christmas Gone Perfectly Wrong by Cecilia Grant

Picture a road trip that falls apart in the funniest way, and you have this novella.

A falcon errand sends Andrew and Lucy off together, and then a carriage mishap and a snowstorm leave them stranded miles from where they meant to be.

Andrew is uptight and Lucy is free-spirited, so they should clash, yet they fit together beautifully.

Lucy brought joy to every page, and she is the reason I smiled the whole time.

If you like a short, cozy historical Christmas romance about giving up control, read this one.

How the Dukes Stole Christmas (Anthology)

These novellas range from ballroom waltzes to snowy castles to a touch of New York magic.

The Duke of Christmas Present is my favorite, and it moved me more than I expected.

Meet Me in Mayfair won me over with its festive charm and playful banter.

Every couple faces something real, whether loss, loneliness, or a second chance, and still finds a way to love.

The heroines are clever and brave, and the dukes each stole my heart a different way.

Among historical Christmas romance anthologies with dukes, this one made me smile, sigh, and ask for more.

A Bride For Christmas by Aileen Fish

Nash Sinclair is a war hero with a loving family, and all he wants is a wife to share the holidays with.

Lady Julianna has decided her perfect man does not exist, and she says only a dragon-slayer will do.

I laughed out loud when Nash took that challenge seriously, with his nieces and nephews cheering him on.

The slow burn between them felt tender and believable.

For a sweet slow-burn Christmas historical romance with family warmth, this one is a joy.

Kisses, She Wrote by Katharine Ashe

Princess Jacqueline is shy, sweet, and secretly in love with the scandalous Earl of Bedwyr.

Trouble starts the moment he finds her diary, which is full of kisses and longing.

I flew through this short read, because their chemistry and her flustered reactions kept me turning pages.

He looks past her quiet manner and begins falling for the girl behind the words.

If you like Regency Christmas romance with a playful streak and a hint of forbidden love, give it a try.

That is my whole December stack, friend.

If you want steamy, start with The Duke’s Match Girl.

If you want gentle and slow, open A Holiday by Gaslight.

If you want to laugh, pick up A Bride For Christmas.

Tell me in the comments which of these Christmas historical romance books with dukes you read first, because I love knowing what is on your nightstand.

Happy reading, and I will see you in the next post.