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Are you new here? Welcome to Romance on the Rocks Podcast, where two bookish biddies sip questionable cocktails and dissect our latest trashy romance rag with the enthusiasm of elves hopped up on peppermint schnapps. We score our reads on our Spicy Scoville Scale. And while we’re still hunting for that elusive Carolina Reaper romance that melts our eyebrows clean off, this episode’s holiday reads pair beautifully with hot chocolate spiked with brandy and a cranberry-kissed Christmas margarita.
Meghan’s Book: A Familiar Christmas by Caroline Burnes
Listen. This book has a mystery-solving cat. Named Familiar. Who helps narrate the story. That’s right — Sherlock Holmes but make it feline.
Our leads, Hunter Semmes and Sylvie West, are doing their best to fall in love despite being upstaged by a crime-sniffing tabby and a plotline that zigzags harder than Santa’s sleigh in a snowstorm. Hunter, bless him, has invented antibacterial dolls to help sick kids … which is sweet in theory. But someone please explain why these dolls are named Buster Big Boy and Molly McBright. Because we cannot. We tried. We laughed. We spiraled.
Meanwhile, Sylvie is working at a toy store and gets tangled up in a heist involving a fake Santa with some seriously chaotic energy. Add in a poisoning mystery that seems to matter more than the romance and you’ve got a story where the chemistry — much like those antibacterial dolls — just does not pass inspection. The love story is rushed, the crimes go suspiciously unpunished, and we had to suspend disbelief so hard we pulled a muscle.
But the cat? 10/10. No notes.
Nicole’s Book: 1225 Christmas Tree Lane by Debbie Macomber
Next, we wandered into the land of Debbie Macomber, the “Official Storyteller of Christmas,” which sounds like a title handed out at a North Pole board meeting. In 1225 Christmas Tree Lane, we’ve got a plot that feels like The Parent Trap had a baby with every holiday movie trope known to mankind.
We’re talking recycled relationships, outdated gender roles and enough clichés to fill Santa’s sack. We were … less than jolly. Sure, Macomber is the queen of holiday vibes, but sometimes those vibes include frustrating reconnections and love stories warmer than a lukewarm mug of cocoa.
So yes — we had thoughts. Mostly loud ones.
What’s Next
We also gave listeners a sneak peek at Season 1 Episode 6, where Meghan speed-ran her next romance novel —A Charming Christmas Arrangement — and Nicole dove into historical romance heaven with A Wallflower Christmas. We keep the winter vibes strong with cocktail talk because nothing pairs with romance chaos like a toasty seasonal beverage.
At the end of the day, Romance on the Rocks Podcast is still the cozy little corner of the internet where romance nerds gather to laugh, vent, swoon and sip something delicious. Whether you’re craving spice, sweetness, or a cat detective with main-character energy, this episode has something to warm your holiday heart.
So tell us—have you read these festive romances? Did you love them? Hate them? Strong emotional reactions only, please. Drop your thoughts in the comments! You can listen to this episode wherever you stream your podcasts or click here for our in-house podcast player.
Ready to grab the books yourself? Snag Familiar Christmas here and 1225 Christmas Tree Lane here.
Cheers, babes — and happy holiday reading! 🍸🎄✨
