Book Your Future Reads is a feature on Stories in Space where I put a spotlight on upcoming releases that deserve recognition, a spot on your to be read lists, and to be your next pre-order purchases. Through this feature I want highlight novels I am excited about and novels I think you should be excited about too. This week I’m putting a spotlight on two upcoming Christmas themed novels: One Way or Another by Kara McDowell and Christmas Wishes by Sue Moorcroft.
One Way or Another by Kara McDowell
The first Christmas novel featured this week is One Way or Another. Now why should you book this novel into your future as a potential pre-order and read? One Way or Another has the following three aspects that should convince you,
- The theme of fate and destiny.
- A division into two parallel timelines with two potential love interests.
- Anxiety representation (#OwnVoices).
One Way or Another comes out on October 6, 2020. You can pre-order the novel on Amazon, The Book Depository, or The Ripped Bodice and add it to your Goodreads. Below is the cover and synopsis for the novel.

The average person makes 35,000 decisions every single day. That’s about 34,999 too many for Paige Collins, who lives in debilitating fear of making the wrong choice. The simple act of picking an art elective is enough to send her into a spiral of what-ifs. What if she’s destined to be a famous ceramicist but wastes her talent in drama club? What if there’s a carbon monoxide leak in the ceramics studio and everyone drops dead? (Grim, but possible!)
That’s why when Paige is presented with two last-minute options for Christmas vacation, she’s paralyzed by indecision. Should she go with her best friend (and longtime crush) Fitz to his family’s romantic mountain cabin? Or should she accompany her mom to New York, a city Paige has spent her whole life dreaming about?
Just when it seems like Paige will crack from the pressure of choosing, fate steps in — in the form of a slippery grocery store floor — and Paige’s life splits into two very different parallel paths. One path leads to New York where Paige falls for the city . . . and the charms of her unexpected tour guide. The other leads to the mountains where Paige might finally get her chance with Fitz . . . until her anxiety threatens to ruin everything.
However, before Paige gets her happy ending in either destiny, she’ll have to face the truth about her struggle with anxiety — and learn that you don’t have to be “perfect” to deserve true love.
Christmas Wishes by Sue Moorcroft
The second novel featured is Christmas Wishes. Now why should you book this novel into your future as a potential pre-order and read? Christmas Wishes has the following three aspects that should convince you,
- The exciting brother’s best friend trope.
- The childhood friends to lovers trope, which tends to mean beautiful things.
- A part of the story takes place in Stockholm, Sweden (yay from this Swede!).
Christmas Wishes comes out on October 29, 2020. You can pre-order the novel on Amazon or The Book Depository, and add it to your Goodreads. Below is the cover and synopsis for the novel.

A sparkling Christmas read from the Sunday Times bestseller – perfect to snuggle up with this winter!
Hannah and Nate are meant to be together. But fate is keeping them apart . . .
When Hannah bumps into her brother Rob’s best friend Nate in Stockholm, the two rekindle a fast friendship. But Hannah has a boyfriend – and Nate has two children to look after. When Hannah loses her beloved shop in Stockholm, though, she is forced to move back to the little village of Middledip – only to find Nate has just moved in too. Under the same snowy sky, can the childhood friends make a romance work – or are there too many obstacles standing in their way?
A heartwarming story of love, friendship, and Christmas magic, perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley and Jill Mansell.
I love that these two novels are out in stores soon as I want to get my hands on One Way or Another and Christmas Wishes as soon as possible. Are you excited about these two Christmas novels? Do have any other Christmas novels you are excited about?
