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Wednesday Waypoints | Cozy Christmas in July

by Danielle Grandinetti | Jul 8, 2026 | Wednesday Waypoints | 0 comments

Today’s Wednesday Waypoints book list features ...

Cozy Christmas in July: Three Novellas of Holiday Mystery

Welcome to Wednesday Waypoints, your midweek hygge book list. Each week, I share a small, curated collection of books to brighten your day—including recommendations, first lines, and even short excerpts.

What is hygge (pronounced "hoo-gah")? According to Visit Denmark, "In essence, hygge means creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people."  So grab a cuppa, slow down, and enjoy.

If you'd like to browse my recommended reads, I have an Amazon Affiliate Storefront divided into easy-to-peruse sections. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Visit the storefront here!

About Today's Curated Book List

Today's Wednesday Waypoint highlights a cozy Christmas curation of three historical romance novellas, including my Christmas Cabin novella,  The Robber and the Witness. Escape into these short holiday stories filled with seasonal secrets, whispers of faith, and winter settings around the US. Enjoy these three first lines because ... why not read Christmas in July!

Book cover for 'the evergreen bride' woman in a green 19th Century dress stands in a forest with decorative title and author pam hillman

by Pam Hillman

The Evergreen Bride

Mississippian Annabelle Denson dreams of visiting cousins in Illinois and seeing a white Christmas. In the face of her excitement, Samuel Frazier hides his growing affection for her behind a quiet smile and a carpenter’s lathe. As her departure draws near, Samuel starts to worry that if she goes, Annabelle won’t return. Can he convince her to return to the Mississippi Piney Woods -- and to him?

The Piney Woods along Sipsey Creek, Mississippi
December 1887

Samuel Frazier's heart skittered into double time when Annabelle Denson rushed into the sawmill.

Book cover a red rocking chair on a wooden porch with snow pine branches and a decorated christmas tree in the background title 'where memories await' by heidi chiavarioli

by Heidi Chiavaroli

Where Memories Await

Can memories of old restore a forgotten love?

Camden, Maine ~ Present Day

Spunky octogenarian Priscilla Martin is a woman with many Christmas secrets. When a beloved niece tempts her to bare her wounded soul, Priscilla must decide whether to share the secret of her sister’s demise—and the reason she abandoned the man she loved in favor of a loveless marriage.

Camden, Maine ~ December, 1957

The only person Priscilla loves more than Ed Colton is her younger sister, Hazel. But when Ed is drafted and Hazel runs away to New York to be with a man she believes will make her famous, Priscilla’s plans crumble around her. Ed’s silence and Hazel’s tragic return leads Priscilla to make a choice she will forever regret.

Can revisiting long-ago memories give Priscilla what she’s longed for all these years?

The ghosts of my past show themselves on Christmas Eve more than any other night of the year.

Christmas cabin 3  the robber and the witness

by Danielle Grandinetti

The Robber and the Witness

A simple favor, a best friend's promise, and the end of the line.

Wisconsin, 1931—When Gideon Lundgren agrees to escort his best friend's sister to Manitowish Waters, plans go awry when she witnesses a robbery. He thinks he's merely escorting the girl he once knew, but she's grown into a charming beauty.

Evangeline Whitaker's older brother always warned that her kind heart would be the death of her. It might at that. First, when she's an unwitting accomplice to a robber. Second, when her childhood crush becomes her bodyguard.

With a robber on their trail and a tangle of emotions between them, Evangeline and Gideon detour to his boss's cabin to wait out the ensuing manhunt. However, Evangeline's Christmas spirit might be the death of them both.

One cabin in the Northwoods … a decade of Christmas miracles.

Monday, December 21, 1931
Eastern Minnesota

A gust of snowy air propelled Evangeline Whitaker through the train station door.

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Teapot and cup of tea on a wooden surface surrounded by evergreen branches pinecones and cinnamon sticks with warm festive lights in the background text overlay reads 'wednesday waypoints' and 'three novellas of holiday mystery'

Ciao, and thanks for visiting!

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Until next time, may your reading bring both light and encouragement.

Happy reading!
~ Danielle.

author avatar
Danielle Grandinetti historical romantic mystery author
Danielle Grandinetti writes award-winning 1930s historical romantic mystery and suspense. She is the 2026 Holt Medallion winner and a second-generation Italian-American. Fueled by tea and nature, she crafts hope-filled historical romance novels exploring immigrant heritage, found family, and cozy Midwest traditions. Find her at daniellegrandinetti.com.

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