When the days get shorter and more time is spent indoors, we start craving comfort: a warm mug of tea or cocoa, a threadbare sweater that’s too long in the sleeves, a fuzzy throw you’ve had for years. The kind of quiet that only shows up once the early dusk settles in and the fireplace (or, you know, a seasonal candle) starts to glow. There’s something about winter—the cold weather, the winding down of the year, the pull of the holidays—that makes you yearn for softness, for nostalgia, for stories that remind you what it feels like to be held.
And what better to pair with all of that stillness and warmth than a cozy book? Here’s a roundup of cozy comfort reads to get you through a quiet winter—fingerless gloves optional, but highly encouraged.
The Seven Year Slip (2023) by Ashley Poston
Clementine’s late aunt was her favorite person. The one who understood her best and filled every day with warmth and possibility. When Clementine inherits her apartment, it’s meant to bring comfort but instead reminds her of everything she’s lost. Then the impossible happens: she comes home to find a man from seven years in the past living there. Suddenly, the space that once held only memory starts to offer something else entirely.
As the apartment slips between timelines, Clementine learns that connection can still find you, even when you think your story has already been written. A reflection on love, loss, reclaimed dreams, and the freedom that comes with letting life back in—with just a touch of time travel.
Cozy vibes: quirky vintage furniture, important handwritten letters, cooking as a love language, self-discovery, second chances, lemon pies
Book Lovers (2022) by Emily Henry
Nora Stephens is a no-nonsense literary agent who isn’t looking for her happily ever after—just a little peace and quiet. A summer escape to the postcard-perfect small town of Sunshine Falls promises a break from her high-pressure city life. But all that small-town charm is disrupted when she bumps into Charlie, a workaholic editor from the publishing world who’s anything but charming.
What follows is both a send-up and a love letter to every small-town romance trope, with enough wit and heart to make it feel fresh. With a little nudge from those who love her, and from fate itself, Nora starts to thaw in ways she didn’t expect. The story is less about escaping your life and more about figuring out which parts are worth keeping.
Cozy vibes: small-town bookstores, flirty banter, learning to let your guard down, sisterly love, one very brooding bookish man
Little Women (1868) by Louisa May Alcott
Some stories feel stitched into winter itself, and Little Women is one of them. The March sisters don’t have much, but their home never lacks warmth, making it feel familiar—even if you didn’t grow up with siblings. They build routines that bond them, from shared letters to acting out Jo’s plays to scraped-together celebrations.
As they grow older, each sister is pulled in her own direction: Jo chasing ambition, Meg seeking stability, Amy looking past the limits of home, and Beth anchoring them all. Their lives shift with each season, but their connection stays steady through joys, disappointments, and losses. It’s a story about growing up with people who know you completely and choosing to stay connected even as your paths diverge.
Cozy vibes: crackling fireplaces, sisterly devotion, attic performances, the grounding of family, comfort found in everyday moments
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year (2024) by Ally Carter
When a legendary mystery writer disappears from her own Christmas party, the gala’s guest list of crime authors suddenly becomes a suspect list. Snow is falling, the phones are dead, and the grand English estate that promised glamour now feels increasingly claustrophobic.
Up-and-coming author Maggie is forced to team up with her rival—publishing’s golden boy, Ethan—to untangle what really happened before it’s too late. Their reluctant alliance soon crackles with attraction, adding a dose of warmth to the frosty setting. A classic locked-room mystery with a swoony romance thrown in, it’s equal parts suspense and holiday charm. Think Agatha Christie meets Knives Out by way of a Hallmark movie.
Cozy vibes: snowed-in English estate, enemies to lovers, classic cozy mystery, mistletoe, secrets revealed by candlelight
The House in the Cerulean Sea (2020) by T.J. Klune
Linus Baker is a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, sent to evaluate a remote orphanage that houses six extraordinary children, including a gnome, a wyvern, and the literal Antichrist. It’s unusual, to say the least—and their caretaker, Arthur, is just as enigmatic.
Linus has built his life on paperwork and predictability, but the longer he stays at the orphanage, the harder it is to pretend he’s there to focus on compliance. These odd and wonderfully singular characters begin to dismantle the walls he’s built, forcing him to see the world—and himself—in a new light. It’s a story that’s magical but deeply human, charming without being twee, and proudly queer.
Cozy vibes: seaside cottages, afternoon tea, found family, self-acceptance, delightfully peculiar children
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (2017) by Gail Honeyman
Structure and routine can feel safe, but they can also shrink your world without you noticing. Eleanor feels secure in her carefully timed life. She isn’t troubled by the lack of friends or after-work plans, and she doesn’t mind that her precise vocabulary and deadpan weirdness have left her mostly on her own. But when an accident brings her closer to a colleague, she starts to see the pieces of life she’s been missing.
This is more than a story about coming out of your shell; it’s about waking up after years of simply surviving. It’s about learning to let go of the trauma that's kept you in the dark and finding the courage to step into the sunlight.
Cozy vibes: crossword puzzles, feline companionship, adorable IT guys, awkward friendship, finding your way back to life
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches (2022) by Sangu Mandanna
Mika has always kept her magic to herself, following strict rules meant to keep witches hidden and protected. She’s lived in isolation, taught that connection is dangerous. Her one outlet is a secret YouTube channel where she posts videos “pretending” to be a witch. She assumes people will think it’s a joke—until an unexpected invitation arrives.
Against every rule, Mika travels to Nowhere House, a remote home by the sea where she’s asked to guide three young witches. She quickly sees the girls aren’t just magical—they’re untrained and one mistake away from exposure. As she grows closer to the household, especially the guarded librarian Jamie, she begins to understand what’s truly at stake. It’s a story about community, trust, and a bit of witchy danger.
Cozy vibes: cottagecore, brooding librarians, finding your community, slow-burn romance, stardust
The Bookshop on the Corner (2016) by Jenny Colgan
No one loves being a librarian more than Nina; she’s got a gift for matching the right story to any person. So, when her branch closes and she loses her job, she’s determined to stay connected to that world. Without the budget for a real shop, she buys a rundown van, loads it with books, and leaves the city for the Scottish countryside to start a mobile bookshop.
Everyone in the small village of Kirrinfief thinks she’s crazy—but Nina proves a wild idea can still work. Soon her days are filled with things she’s only read about: neighborly kindness, the beauty of nature, and even romance. It’s a love letter to books and a warm reminder that what you’re looking for can show up in the most unexpected places.
Cozy vibes: Midnight trains, the Scottish Highlands, reading as therapy, prickly farmers with tender hearts, newborn lambs
