14 New Year’s Eve Books to Bring in a Happy New Year
These New Year’s Eve books are uplifting, fun, and sure to ring in some joy with the new year. We at Beyond the Bookends were so excited to do this post because we wanted to think about a fresh start for a fresh new year.
We do not have any resolutions here but, it feels good to start the new year positively and 2024 has a brand new slate! Every one of these books about New Year’s Eve made us smile and we hope they do the same for you.
*Books about New Year’s Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
Best Books About New Year’s Eve
The Best Books About New Year’s Eve
This Time Next Year
Author: Sophie Cousens
Year: 2020
Genre: Romance
More info: December 2020 GMA Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
When two women are in the hospital in labor and there is one huge cash prize for the first baby born in 1990, one child, Quinn, will be born into a charmed life and the other will be named Minnie Cooper. When Minnie meets Quinn on the eve of their thirtieth birthday, well, it is the meet-cute of the decade.
Why Jackie loves it
If I could see this romantic comedy on the big screen, I would love every second. This is an enemies-to-lovers book at its best.
Find this book in: Best Holiday Books / New Year’s Eve Books
One Day in December
Author: Josie Silver
Year: 2018
Genre: Romance
More info: December 2018 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
When Laurie sees a man through the bus windows, she just knows it’s love at first sight. But the bus drove away before she could do anything about it. While she desperately looks for him for a year, she meets once again – as the boy her best friend, Sarah is dating.
Over the next 10 years, readers are privy to the ups and downs of Jack, Sarah, and Laurie’s lives and relationships with one another.
Why Kirsten loves it
This is another holiday book I adored. This second chance love story takes place over 10 years and you’ll be rooting for this couple the entire time.
Why Jackie loves it
The perfect winter romance – this one is a bit steamy – that will have you smiling from ear to ear. I listened to this one from my local library, but it would be just as good in print.
Find this book in: Best Holiday Books / Winter Books / New Year’s Eve Books / Best Christmas Books of All Time / Christmas Book Club Books / Best Christmas Romance Books
Books Set on New Year’s Eve
The Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
Amor Towles can do no wrong! I loved this story set in 1938 that follows a year in working girl Katey Kontent’s life in NYC. Starting and ending on NYE, we get to see the many twists and turns of Katey’s life that year.
Romances, career changes, and discovered secrets pepper the year of entering womanhood for Miss Kontent. Towles’s writing was captivating as always. His characters were expertly crafted and I felt an emotional connection to each of them.
This one will have to go on our list of the best books about New Year’s Eve and the fact that it is a book set in New York is a bonus!
Oona Out of Order
Author: Margarita Montimore
Year: 2020
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
More info: April 2020 GMA Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range:16+
Plot
I absolutely loved this story about Oona who at the stroke of midnight on her 19th birthday, finds herself in her 51-year-old body. She is greeted by a stranger who is waiting for her in her home and tells her that every year, she will jump to another point in her life- she will live her life out of order.
This is an emotional, well-written story that will not only keep you quickly turning pages but also make you think about the small things in life that we take for granted.
Why Jackie loves it
This is such a unique book that left me wanting more with every turn of the page. Because this book is a nonlinear narrative, you never know what is going to happen or what age Oona will be.
Find this book in: New Year’s Eve Books / Best Time Travel Books / Nonlinear Narrative Novels / Feel-Good Books / Books Set in the 80s
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk
Author: Kathleen Rooney
Year: 2017
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: National Indie Bestseller
Age Range: 14+
Plot
This book could be an amazing movie. It is not the type of book that you “can’t put down” because it takes place on New Year’s Eve 1984 with flashbacks from the Jazz Age all the way to the AIDS epidemic. But, it is an incredibly interesting and very well-written New Year’s Eve book.
Lillian Boxfish takes the reader with her through a look at New York City through the ages. She starts off writing copy for R.H. Macy’s and becomes one of the highest-paid advertising women in the country.
Now, at 85 years old, she is still as savvy as she ever was and is determined to make the most of her time. Breaking the boundaries of what was expected of a woman was Lillian’s thing and makes this book perfect for anyone looking for books like Lessons in Chemistry.
Trigger Warnings
Suicide
Why Jackie loves it
This is such a unique book that is so character-driven. It is a delightful read. Lillian is a wonderful character who has so much depth.
Find this book in: Books Like Lessons in Chemistry / Books with Food in the Title / New Year’s Eve Books / Books Set in New York / Books With Flowers in the Title
Books About New Year’s Eve
The Second Chance Year by Melissa Weisner
This story is perfect for our list of New Year’s Eve Books. After Sadie has lost her job, her apartment, and her boyfriend, she jumps at the chance to make a wish with a fortune teller on New Year’s Eve. She wants to do over her terrible year.
She wakes up the next morning and the date is January 1st of the previous year. With what she knows is coming in the year ahead, Sadie sets off to make different choices – but can she change fate and is it worth losing herself in the process? During all of it, she leans on her brother’s best friend Jacob. Their love story is a slow burn because this is really about Sadie’s journey toward the life she deserves. *Gifted by Forever
Anxious People
Author: Fredrik Backman
Year: 2019
Genre: Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Fredrik Backman is a master storyteller and he does it again with this book. He somehow manages to tackle difficult subjects without trivializing them but still allowing them to be humorous.
This book is a story of a bank robbery gone very wrong and the idiots in the story (his word, not mine) who are taken hostage after the failed robbery. While the police are interviewing each of the hostages to find the robbers, they become more confused after each interview. It is also a story about compassion, human relationships, and the daily struggles that we all have.
Why Jackie loves it
I love how Fredrik Backman’s books show the good in people despite the flaws that make them human. Backman writes so many different kinds of books but they all have so much heart. Backman weaves themes of love, friendship, and compassion throughout all his books.
Find this book in: Books Like A Man Called Ove / New Year’s Eve Books / Best Beach Reads / Locked Room Mysteries / Best Books of 2020 / Ultimate List of Feel-Good Reads / Best Books in Translation
Bridget Jones’s Diary
Author: Helen Fielding
Year: 1999
Genre: Romance
More info: #1 Bestselling Book
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
I remember reading this contemporary fiction book shortly before it was turned into a hit movie starring Colin Firth and Renee Zellweger. This modern Pride and Prejudice retelling is told in diary form over the course of one year.
Hysterical and silly, Bridget’s antics are quite something. Mark and Daniel are deliciously brought to life via Bridget’s inner monologue. If you love the movie, try the book.
Bridget starts her diary on New Year’s Day which makes it a perfect pick for books about New Year’s!
Why Kirsten loves it
I love Pride and Prejudice retellings and this is one of the best ones I have ever read. Even though it just had its 25th anniversary, it is still relevant and funny. The fact that it is written as a year of diary entries is icing on the cake!
Find this book in: Epistolary Novels / Best British Books / New Year’s Eve Books / Books Like Pride and Prejudice
Plot
Taking place at a dated luxury hotel at Christmas time and culminating with a New Year’s Eve ball, there is an abundance of antics afoot. Sophie is a hotel intern there to make sure the guests have all they need. But when she is not expecting to deal with missing jewels, find a potential love interest, or be worried about ghosts – all in one holiday season!
Why Kirsten loves it
What a cute story! I loved the unique setting and hysterical antics. Jewel thieves, ghosts, kid-nappers, back-door dealings, and teenage drama fill this wonderful holiday book.
Find this book in Best Holiday Books / YA Christmas Books / Best Winter Books / Hotel Novels / New Year’s Eve Books
Thriller New Year’s Eve Books
The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley
This isolation thriller is one of the books about Scotland that will leave you guessing until the very end. A group of college friends are taking their yearly New Year’s trip to a beautiful and remote estate in the Scottish Highlands.
The trip starts off with good intentions as the friends from Oxford embark on the train to their destination, but on New Year’s Day, one of them is dead and all of them are suspects. The book will keep you guessing throughout because you will not know who has been murdered until the end. This is a thrilling pick from New Year’s Eve books.
New Year’s Eve Books: Romances
The Rewind
Author: Allison Winn Scotch
Year: 2022
Genre: Romance
More info: A Good Morning America Buzz Pick
Spice Rating:💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Frankie and Ezra were inseparable during college and it all ended in an epic breakup a decade ago. Now, they are seeing each other for the first time since at their friends’ New Year’s Eve of Y2K wedding.
When they wake up in bed together with wedding rings on their fingers and NO memory of what happened, they find themselves searching for answers. And all this has to happen before Ezra’s girlfriend shows up at the wedding because Ezra is planning on proposing.
Why Jackie loves it
This book is a hilarious glimpse into the past and an adorable romance. I was swept into the story as I rooted for Ezra and Frankie to find their happy ending.
Find this book in: Best Holiday Books / Novels About Music / New Year’s Eve Books
A Winter in New York
Author: Josie Silver
Year: 2023
Genre: Romance
More info: A POPSUGAR Best Book of the Year
Spice Rating:💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
In this sweet holiday romance book, Iris uncovers a hidden family recipe, falls in love, and learns the power of mouthwatering gelato. Set against the backdrop of New York City from Halloween to NYE, this romance book covers more than just love.
It’s a story that includes uncovering new layers of a deceased parent, recovering from an emotionally abusive relationship, single parenthood, and family ties.
Trigger Warnings
Emotional Abuse, Death of a Parent
Why Kirsten loves it
With secrets, romance, and a dash of culinary magic, this charming tale will leave you craving for more. My only complaint is that Iris kept the secret for a little too long. #gifted by Delacorte Press
Find this book in: Best Holiday Books / Best New Christmas Books of 2023 / New Year’s Eve Books
Royal Holiday
Author: Jasmine Guillory
Year: 2019
Genre: Romance
More info: The Wedding Date #4
Spice Rating:💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
When Maddie gets Kirsten’s dream gig (styling a Royal or let’s face it, hanging out with a Royal), she brings her mom, Vivian, with her to England. Vivian meets a very handsome gentleman who happens to be the Queen’s private secretary. Sparks fly but will this be more than just a holiday romance?
Why Jackie loves it
Looking for a last-minute Christmas Read, New Year’s book, or the perfect holiday book? Royal Holiday was the perfect first read for winter break, especially for those who love a royal romance.
Find this book in: Best Christmas Books Of All Time / Best Holiday Books / Jasmine Guillory Books in Order / Books Like People We Meet on Vacation / Royal Romance Books / New Year’s Eve Books
Red, White & Royal Blue
Author: Casey McQuiston
Year: 2019
Genre: Romance
Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
We don’t think about royals and the LGBTQ community because we don’t usually see openly gay royals, which is so sad in today’s society. And to think it all starts with a NYE kiss!
This charming book is a fabulous pick from LGBTQ romance novels. I crushed hard for their romance and found myself smiling the entire time. (Also love the nod to a female president…where do I sign up for one of those?)
Trigger Warnings
Homophobia
Why Kirsten loves it
The LGBTQ romance is charming but add in a female president and I am all in.
Why Jackie loves it
Not only is the relationship between these two charming but a female president and a royal angle as well makes this a must-read!
Find this book in: Royal Romance Books / Enemies-to-Lovers Books / New Year’s Books / British Romance Novels/ Books With a Color in the Title / British Books / Best YA Romance Books
What are your favorite New Year’s Books?
The Best Holiday Book Lists: Holiday Book Hub 2024
Do you love books about New Year’s Eve? We have a complete holiday hub.
