Best December 2023 M/M Romance Books
These are my most anticipated M/M romance books for December 2023. You can find the entire list of every M/M romance book releasing December 2023 here.
December looks to be full of Christmas and kink. These happen to be two of my most favorite things, so I cannot wait to jump in!
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Most Anticipated M/M Romance Books Releasing December 2023
Moaning Under the Mistletoe by Renee Dahlia
Release Date: December 3rd
AMBROSE LIVINGSTONE, EARL OF BENNINGTON, had his life all planned out. Next step: a marriage of convenience with a duke’s daughter. To his shock, she rejects him publicly for a commoner with a railway fortune. Ambrose retreats to The King’s Book Club to lick his wounds but walks in to discover a Christmas party in full swing. He overcomes rejection by accepting an offer from the first handsome man to approach him. Their dalliance is incredible, and he wants more…
OSCAR MARDIN’s life had taken a surprising turn when his uncle left him The King’s Book Club. Initially he’d naively assumed it was an actual book club, not a gentleman’s club where all kinds of interesting connections were made… An tryst during his first ever Christmas party leads to spending time with a grumpy Earl to go over an upgraded menu for the club. Oscar’s goal has been to find not only himself but create a life he loved. He just hadn’t planned on falling in love with an Earl, too.
Moaning Under the Mistletoe by Renee Dahlia looks to be a hot and fun regency romance and the perfect start to my December reading. I love the grumpy-sunshine trope, so I am excited to see how it will play out in the regency era.
Historical M/M romance books are always interesting to me because being gay was so much more of a taboo. I look forward to seeing how Renee Dahlia tackles this.
Catered All the Way by Annabeth Albert
This year will be different. I’m all grown up, my gaming channel is a huge success, and I finally have the confidence to make my move on Atlas Orion, the hottest chief in the navy.
However, I don’t intend for my smooth move to be covering Atlas in cranberry sauce. Not at all how I want to reintroduce myself to my new roomie and coworker. Atlas is in town to help save Seasons, my family’s historic holiday gift shop and event space. Seasons is booked solid with catered parties, so we need to avoid any more disasters.
Like my malfunctioning air mattress. We’re down to one bed, two dudes, and a whole lot of holiday-fling temptation. Atlas has never been with a guy, but I don’t have to do much persuading. And what better way to explore than a secret romp? No strings, and no one has to know.
The problem? With every passing week, I fall harder for Atlas, who’s far more than his drool-worthy muscles and heroic job. He’s kind, funny, makes me breakfast in bed, and each midnight snowball fight brings us that much closer to heartbreak.
Atlas can’t stay in Kringle’s Crossing forever, and I can’t imagine leaving the only place I’ve called home. Our feelings run deep, but is it a holiday illusion? Can we find our way to a lasting future?
I’m a long-time and well-documented Annabeth Albert fan, so of course Catered All the Way had to end up on my December 2023 must read list. With this book we have been promised a bisexual awakening brother’s best friend romance. Count me in!
After Annabeth Albert’s previous holiday smash hit, The Geek Who Saved Christmas, I have been anxiously awaiting her next Christmas romance. This looks to be another winner.
Pretty Dogs by Riley Nash
We finally escaped the trailer park, but maybe we weren’t ready for freedom. My best friend Beck doesn’t know how to leave the gang he’s always known, even if it will get him killed. And I can’t fathom finding love as a trans man when I don’t even like myself.
In our world, it’s not safe for us to want each other. But when I almost lose him, it only takes five words for us to fall: I heard about a game.
I run. He hunts me. And if he catches me… there are no limits in the dark.
Pretty Dogs is the second book in Riley Nash’s Dirty Strays series and the follow up to Bad Dogs. We met our main characters, Dallas and Beck, in book one of the series. They are out of the trailer park, but they aren’t out of trouble yet.
I am always down for a friends-to-lovers book. Especially one that contains what Riley Nash refers to as ‘primal games’. I think Pretty Dogs will be a stand out this month.
Holiday Crush by Lane Hayes
Court
Cut from the team, fired my agent…now what?
This can’t be it for me. Unfortunately, the phone isn’t ringing. My best bet is to head home for the holidays and regroup.
Problem: I don’t know what to do with myself. Helping out at the rink might be my ticket out of here, but nothing is happening fast enough. And then there’s Ivan. No, no, it’s not what you think. We went to school together. We’re acquaintance-friends…nothing more.
But you know, I like him. A lot. He’s funny and relentlessly upbeat. I’m a better person when I’m with him—the kind who volunteers to deck the halls and wrap garland on lampposts and—
Whoa. What’s happening here?
Ivan
I love the holidays! But running the coffee shop on my own during the busiest season of the year is going to be a challenge. And the sudden appearance of my former crush is all kinds of distracting.
See, I spent my formative years mooning over Court Henderson, our high school’s hockey phenom, even though he was out of my league. Thankfully, I grew up and left the silly remnants of my youth behind. Or did I?
Grown-up Court is full of surprises, and under his gruff yet extremely fine exterior, he’s a good soul with a huge heart. He’s charming, sweet, handsome, and— Uh-oh.
My crush is back. Just in time for the holidays…
Christmas and hockey just feel like they go together. I can’t wait for Lane Hayes‘ latest, Holiday Crush. This is book three in The Elmwood Stories.
Lane Hayes has been crushing these hockey romance books, so I think this sweet small-town Christmas take will be a lot of fun.
Protector by Nicole Dykes
Zachary Olson
I screwed up. Big time. I hurt someone, and I hate myself for it.
I’m barely eighteen and already completely exhausted. Tired of being haunted by secrets and guilt.
My biggest regret, though, is keeping it all from Adam—my best friend, teammate, protector. My everything since I can remember.
And how do I repay him? By keeping these secrets locked up inside. Secrets I know would destroy us.
But I’m not sure how much longer I can do it. No matter how catastrophic the consequences.
Adam Bates
He won’t talk to me.
He’s never kept secrets from me before. We’re both quiet guys who keep to ourselves. But that’s never applied to each other.
I know something is wrong, but my best friend has shut me out.
How can I keep him safe if he won’t talk to me?
All my life, I’ve taken on this role—doing what’s right, no matter what. Watching out for everyone, on and off the field—especially Zach.
And I won’t fail him now, when he needs me more than ever.
Because this is who I am and what I do . . .
I’m the protector.
Nicole Dykes just can’t lose with her Kensley Panthers series. Every book has been outstanding, and with Protector we finally get Zach and Adam’s story.
These two have been on my radar since the very first book in the series, Keeper, was released back in October of last year. I am anxiously awaiting this best friends-to-lovers romance.
Jack Frosting by Finn Dixon
Clayton
My wife’s infidelity came as no surprise. However, I was surprised when she walked out of my life completely, leaving me to raise a tweenager grappling with puberty. Out of a job and under financial strain, I decided to rent out the extra bedroom in my basement. As soon as I met Jack, I knew I was headed for trouble, especially with the amount of time he spent shirtless.
Jack
At first I thought he was pretending, but the man I was about to rent a room from didn’t remember blowing me in a bathroom stall earlier this year. Normally, I’d be insulted, but it’s not like he was looking at my face. Then there was what I found behind the locked basement door. Once I saw that, there was no going back. I needed to show this sweet single dad that it was okay to take what he wanted, especially if it ended up with me on my back and a smile on my face.
Finn Dixon is a new-to-me author, but the description for Jack Frosting had me wanting to jump into his work. Forced proximity is totally my jam, and I love that Jack found something he shouldn’t have while snooping in the house.
This M/M age-gap romance looks to be a lot of kinky, Christmasy fun.
Hammer & Powder by Megan Derr
The Kingdom of Rinaha is all that stands between the violent, greedy Boorna and the rest of the continent, and they do so by way of their immense and heavily guarded Wall of Gamala, an enormous undertaking that runs the length of the southern end of the continent, standing strong for more than two hundred years.
Maintaining the Wall and the forces that guard it is an expensive undertaking, one that other countries are reluctant to contribute significantly to, despite the fact they benefit greatly from its existence. In an effort to change that, the king of Rinaha arranges a marriage between the powerful Takahara family and a royal relation of the neighboring kingdom of Aaran.
Hideki, better known as Warhammer, is playing escort for his brother Saburo, the chosen candidate being sent off to marry the nephew of the king of Aaran and bridge political divides once and for all. Shortly after arrival, though, Saburo runs away, with only a letter of apology left to explain what he’s done. Now it is Hideki, ill-suited to political games, who must keep anger and wounded pride from erupting into war.
Meanwhile, back on the Wall, his twin brother Daisuke discovers the enemy is using children to do what their soldiers cannot, and in rescuing them, finds himself in exactly the sort of situation he prefers to avoid. On top of that, his brother Jiro, General of the Wall, expects him to entertain foreign guests, despite the fact everyone knows not to trust delicate situations to the man known as Gunpowder.
Megan Derr wrote one of my favorite books of all time, Tournament of Losers. So when I saw that she is starting a new fantasy M/M romance series, Seven Bothers, I jumped for joy.
What makes Hammer & Powder so interesting is that it appears to follow a few of the brothers rather than focusing on a single brother at a time. The brothers’ nick names of Warhammer and Gunpowder were enough for me to add this one to my TBR list.
Not My Type by Joe Satoria
Ryan Ellis is a vivacious femme guy who shimmers with the magic of make-up. And step-brother since their teen years, Bryce Becker is the opposite; the epitome of a gym bro.
Fate takes a turn when they find themselves back under the same roof in their late twenties. And as circumstances force them to share a room once more, their initial disdain for each other reignites with a vengeance. But beneath the fiery clashes and snarky banter, a spark sets off a chain reaction, defying every notion they once held about their “types.”
As Ryan and Bryce succumb to the irresistible pull that draws them closer together, they find common ground amongst their differences.
Can they embrace the passion that simmers beneath the surface? Or will they crumble under the intense heat that defies society’s expectations?
Step-brothers to lovers is my new favorite sub-genre. Thanks to For The Fans and The Step Bro Situation I have been on the hunt for more of these books.
I am so thankful that Joe Satoria has picked up the torch and written this book. My hopes are incredibly high for this one!
Hey, I’m Heather!
I read M/M romance books exclusively, and I help other readers find their next great M/M romance read.
