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Holiday Haunts: A Paranormal Christmas Romance Anthology
Christmas is the perfect time of year to fall in love; especially if you're a specter or a retail employee, that is. At Holiday Falls Mall, love blooms in sweet and spooky ways for four shop employees during the holiday season. This collection features two stories from queer romance writer Imogen Markwell-Tweed, and two stories from sweet romance writer Wendy Dalrymple for a unique, intertwined anthology of paranormal romance novelettes.
127 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 26, 2020
11 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Dalrymple
81 books295 followersWendy Dalrymple loves to explore the beauty in horrific things.. When she’s not writing #pinkhorror or Florida Gothic horror, you can find her hiking with her family, painting (bad) wall art, and trying to grow as many pineapples as possible. Follow her on IG or TikTok @wendydalrymplewrites.
Www.wendydalrymple.com
Www.wendydalrymple.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
November 14, 2023
4 Stars for Holiday Haunts (audiobook) by Wendy Dalrymple and Imogen Markwell-Tweed read by Jessica Craig and Biff Summers.
I really enjoyed these paranormal holiday stories. They’re a good start to helping me get In Christmas spirit.
I really enjoyed these paranormal holiday stories. They’re a good start to helping me get In Christmas spirit.
Read
December 23, 2021❧ audiobook review
A great read for the winter festive months! Two amazing romance writers in a cosy Christmas collection! What could be festive than that? And paranormal romance to boot! How absolutely fabulous!
The first story was so cute. I loved the romance between the two leading ladies and it made for a super fun listen!
Final review to come. I'm going to listen to these stories slowly throughout the festive season, so I'll update the review as I go.
☆ Blog | Twitter ☆
A great read for the winter festive months! Two amazing romance writers in a cosy Christmas collection! What could be festive than that? And paranormal romance to boot! How absolutely fabulous!
The first story was so cute. I loved the romance between the two leading ladies and it made for a super fun listen!
Final review to come. I'm going to listen to these stories slowly throughout the festive season, so I'll update the review as I go.
☆ Blog | Twitter ☆
November 30, 2023
Cute and quick. I especially enjoyed the third story.
December 15, 2020
This was a really fun collection of four Christmassy paranormal romance short stories, and I really enjoyed reading all four of them!
The first two are a sapphic and an achillean short story, respectively, and they read quite a bit like fanfic (which I actually really liked, and I know a lot of other people will too!) and I think for the tropes they employed, it worked really well. These two stories, to me, felt a bit more like paranormal romance short stories that just so happened to occur at Christmas time, rather than specifically Christmas short stories, but they were fun nonetheless!
I actually ended up enjoying the m/f romance stories more than the queer ones, as they were much more Christmassy! I also really loved how all four of the stories took place in the same shopping mall, and I liked how all the stories intertwined! I'd highly recommend this super short read if you're looking for something Christmassy to read but you're a bit wary of going for your classic Christmas romance novel!
Read for the 12 Days of Queermas Readathon!
The first two are a sapphic and an achillean short story, respectively, and they read quite a bit like fanfic (which I actually really liked, and I know a lot of other people will too!) and I think for the tropes they employed, it worked really well. These two stories, to me, felt a bit more like paranormal romance short stories that just so happened to occur at Christmas time, rather than specifically Christmas short stories, but they were fun nonetheless!
I actually ended up enjoying the m/f romance stories more than the queer ones, as they were much more Christmassy! I also really loved how all four of the stories took place in the same shopping mall, and I liked how all the stories intertwined! I'd highly recommend this super short read if you're looking for something Christmassy to read but you're a bit wary of going for your classic Christmas romance novel!
Read for the 12 Days of Queermas Readathon!
December 4, 2020
There is nothing better than finding a new author you love, except for finding two at once! I had never read Wendy or Imogen’s work before, but took a chance on this Kindle Unlimited book. I’m so glad I did! The characters were varied and the stories were heartwarming. Absolutely loved it!
December 2, 2020
Holiday Haunts is a sweet little collection of paranormal romance shorts centered around a mall during the holidays. I was in a massive reading slump before I got my hands on this anthology, and it truly cured me (thank you!!!!). Between witches, werewolves, ghosts, angels, and Krampus, there isn’t much else you could ask for from a paranormal book — sprinkle romance and Christmas on top and it turns into something even more wonderful. The stories left me all warm and fuzzy inside. There were instances were I laughed out loud and instances where I almost cried. Despite the short length, the characters had depth, intrigue, and humour, and I fell in love with every single one of them. With the beautiful writing styles of the authors and the inventive, diverse plots, the read was enjoyable, light-hearted, and matched with perfect stories of love and the supernatural. I could read a thousand more stories like these ones! For anyone wanting to get into the Christmas spirit this year (and spirits are what you just might get) I would highly recommend this anthology written by two wonderful authors, especially if you enjoy a paranormal edge to keep things new and exciting. I was so sad to finish, and that’s the sign of a great book!
December 27, 2021
Liked the basic concept of this book, but it really fell flat for me.
Holiday Haunts is a collection of four short stories, all set in the same mall, and minorly intertwine. Each have a paranormal aspect, as well as a romantic aspect to the story.
The first two stories, written by Imogen Markwell-Tweed, feature same sex couplings (the first f/f, the second m/m). I didn't feel they were very Christmasy... more just that the story just so happen to be happening at Christmas. I wasn't a big fan of the stories, but I will say that story #2 had the best romance story in the whole book. I will say that I did not like her use of "gummy smile".
The second two stories, written by Wendy Dalrymple, feature straight relationships, and do feel more Christmasy. But her stories were cringey as well.
I think what failed me with this book was the short story aspect. I don't feel I got enough time to get attached to the characters, and by the time the paranormal aspect was introduced, it felt rushed. I think each of the stories would have been better had they been longer. They weren't bad, just not for me.
Holiday Haunts is a collection of four short stories, all set in the same mall, and minorly intertwine. Each have a paranormal aspect, as well as a romantic aspect to the story.
The first two stories, written by Imogen Markwell-Tweed, feature same sex couplings (the first f/f, the second m/m). I didn't feel they were very Christmasy... more just that the story just so happen to be happening at Christmas. I wasn't a big fan of the stories, but I will say that story #2 had the best romance story in the whole book. I will say that I did not like her use of "gummy smile".
The second two stories, written by Wendy Dalrymple, feature straight relationships, and do feel more Christmasy. But her stories were cringey as well.
I think what failed me with this book was the short story aspect. I don't feel I got enough time to get attached to the characters, and by the time the paranormal aspect was introduced, it felt rushed. I think each of the stories would have been better had they been longer. They weren't bad, just not for me.
December 3, 2025
I want to support queer authors, but this was so bad.
November 27, 2021
The interactions in each story just made me smile. Reading (technically listening but who’s checking?? And yes friendly reminder than audiobooks are books!!!) the small and simple snippets of conversation was such a lovely experience. This isn’t my usual genre but it’s made definitely want to give romances a try!
My favourite was story 1! The sapphic relationship with a twist was adorable. Love the normalisation of non-male identifying people playing video games too.
My favourite was story 1! The sapphic relationship with a twist was adorable. Love the normalisation of non-male identifying people playing video games too.
December 13, 2025
Holiday Haunts by Imogen Markwell-Tweed and Wendy Dalrymple
This is a collection of four short festive romance stories with a paranormal twist, one f/f, one m/m, and two f/m. Overall, I enjoyed reading it. It is a cute and fun book, and I do not regret the time or money spent on it. At the same time, I could not shake the feeling that it never quite reached its full potential.
All four stories felt a little flat to me, mostly because of their length rather than the ideas or the writing itself. Each story had the foundations of something really engaging, but they ended just as I was starting to feel invested. I was entertained throughout, yet I kept wishing for more depth, more time with the characters, and more space for the emotional arcs to develop. This could easily have been a great collection rather than a simply fine one.
The Christmas element is uneven across the book. The first two stories barely feel festive at all. They are set during Christmas time, but apart from buying a present in the first story and carrying a Christmas tree in the second, they could just as easily have taken place in February.
The first story was the weakest for me. I liked the f/f dynamic and especially the realistic uncertainty about whether there is even a romantic attraction there. That aspect felt very true to life. Unfortunately, the fantasy element never fully came together and felt underdeveloped, which left the story feeling incomplete.
The second story worked better in terms of its speculative element and the romance, both of which I enjoyed. However, it still did not feel Christmassy in any meaningful way, which was disappointing given the theme of the collection.
The third story had elements I genuinely liked, particularly the main character and the core idea behind the story. Once again though, the short length worked against it. I did not have enough time to fully connect before everything was resolved very quickly, which lessened the emotional impact.
The fourth story leans most strongly into the Christmas theme, and I liked both the festive atmosphere and the general concept behind it. My main issue here was the retail setting, not the setting itself, but the way it was portrayed. It felt very over the top to me, possibly reflecting an American approach that simply did not ring true from my perspective of 21 years in German retail. On top of that, the use of Sinterklaas (if I didn't mishear) felt culturally off, especially as the story seemed to mention Austria and drawing on St Nikolaus and Krampus traditions, which are rooted much closer to my own background, while sinetrklaas is Dutch.
In the end, this is a pleasant and entertaining collection with some fun ideas and good intentions, but it never quite goes far enough. If you are looking for short, festive paranormal romances to dip into, this will do nicely. If, like me, you enjoy a bit more depth and immersion, you may come away wishing that each story had been given a little more room to truly shine.
This is a collection of four short festive romance stories with a paranormal twist, one f/f, one m/m, and two f/m. Overall, I enjoyed reading it. It is a cute and fun book, and I do not regret the time or money spent on it. At the same time, I could not shake the feeling that it never quite reached its full potential.
All four stories felt a little flat to me, mostly because of their length rather than the ideas or the writing itself. Each story had the foundations of something really engaging, but they ended just as I was starting to feel invested. I was entertained throughout, yet I kept wishing for more depth, more time with the characters, and more space for the emotional arcs to develop. This could easily have been a great collection rather than a simply fine one.
The Christmas element is uneven across the book. The first two stories barely feel festive at all. They are set during Christmas time, but apart from buying a present in the first story and carrying a Christmas tree in the second, they could just as easily have taken place in February.
The first story was the weakest for me. I liked the f/f dynamic and especially the realistic uncertainty about whether there is even a romantic attraction there. That aspect felt very true to life. Unfortunately, the fantasy element never fully came together and felt underdeveloped, which left the story feeling incomplete.
The second story worked better in terms of its speculative element and the romance, both of which I enjoyed. However, it still did not feel Christmassy in any meaningful way, which was disappointing given the theme of the collection.
The third story had elements I genuinely liked, particularly the main character and the core idea behind the story. Once again though, the short length worked against it. I did not have enough time to fully connect before everything was resolved very quickly, which lessened the emotional impact.
The fourth story leans most strongly into the Christmas theme, and I liked both the festive atmosphere and the general concept behind it. My main issue here was the retail setting, not the setting itself, but the way it was portrayed. It felt very over the top to me, possibly reflecting an American approach that simply did not ring true from my perspective of 21 years in German retail. On top of that, the use of Sinterklaas (if I didn't mishear) felt culturally off, especially as the story seemed to mention Austria and drawing on St Nikolaus and Krampus traditions, which are rooted much closer to my own background, while sinetrklaas is Dutch.
In the end, this is a pleasant and entertaining collection with some fun ideas and good intentions, but it never quite goes far enough. If you are looking for short, festive paranormal romances to dip into, this will do nicely. If, like me, you enjoy a bit more depth and immersion, you may come away wishing that each story had been given a little more room to truly shine.
October 15, 2021
Of the four stories, I found that I enjoyed the Markwell-Tweed stories more than the Dalrymple ones. I thought Dalrymple's writing a little more pedestrian. But I also thought the two authors paired well together and none of the stories were bad. Some just worked more for me than others. Here are my brief thoughts on each individual stories, as I finished them.
Up to Snow Good
I thought this was super sweet. There was definitely some insider WLW humor. But being able to good-naturedly poke fun at yourself to an expected audience that can share the humor is a super relatable way to make something feel like a comfort read. It's only a short story, so nothing is deeply defined or elaborately developed. But there is just enough to make you like both characters and root for their happy ending.
Heavenly Reads
I also thought this a super cute story. Jesse's inner monologue had a lot of character and Angel fit his name. It was fairly obvious where the story was going, but it was fun seeing it get there.
Magic Mistletoe
I thought Nick's absentminded pleasant demeanor super cute and Paige's vegan, new age-ness suitably witchy. I like that the eventual age difference was of no concern. All in all a fine Christmas story.
The Assistant Manager and the Beast
Meh, I thought this the weakest of the bunch. I'm not saying it was bad, one of the four stories had to be bottom of the pile and this was the one for me. I really liked the idea of Krampus as a character, but nothing about Heidi stood out as notable for me. But it was a sweet story overall.
Up to Snow Good
I thought this was super sweet. There was definitely some insider WLW humor. But being able to good-naturedly poke fun at yourself to an expected audience that can share the humor is a super relatable way to make something feel like a comfort read. It's only a short story, so nothing is deeply defined or elaborately developed. But there is just enough to make you like both characters and root for their happy ending.
Heavenly Reads
I also thought this a super cute story. Jesse's inner monologue had a lot of character and Angel fit his name. It was fairly obvious where the story was going, but it was fun seeing it get there.
Magic Mistletoe
I thought Nick's absentminded pleasant demeanor super cute and Paige's vegan, new age-ness suitably witchy. I like that the eventual age difference was of no concern. All in all a fine Christmas story.
The Assistant Manager and the Beast
Meh, I thought this the weakest of the bunch. I'm not saying it was bad, one of the four stories had to be bottom of the pile and this was the one for me. I really liked the idea of Krampus as a character, but nothing about Heidi stood out as notable for me. But it was a sweet story overall.
December 24, 2021
Lovely Christmas romances with a paranormal twist!
Holiday Haunts has four stories. I chose to read the two stories by Wendy Dalrymple. I thoroughly enjoyed both which is unusual for me because I find it difficult for most authors to write short stories in which I become invested in both the story and the characters. This author had me interested in both the story and the outcome for the characters in each story.
In the short story Magic and Mistletoe, Paige (a witch) meets a handsome mall Santa who eats his daily lunch on the bench in front of her shop. Nick seems very elusive and sad. As the two become more involved, Paige realizes he's a ghost and searches for a way for them to be together. The beautiful story evokes the heartwarming sentiment of Christmas miracles and I highly recommend it for all ages.
In the second story by Wendy Dalrymple titled The Assistant Manager and the Beast, Heidi must deal with a strange new hire at the tech store where she's employed as assistant manager. This is a delightful story featuring the tale of Krampus which if like me you are unaware of who Krampus is or what part he plays at Christmas you will find out in this story. It turns out the new hire, Kris, is Krampus who has always been drawn to the goodness of Heidi. Read The Assistant Manager and the Beast in Holiday Haunts: A Paranormal Christmas Romance Anthology
to find out what happens between cheerful Heidi and the beast named Krampus. It will fill you with the holiday spirit of Christmas magic. Appropriate for all ages.
Holiday Haunts has four stories. I chose to read the two stories by Wendy Dalrymple. I thoroughly enjoyed both which is unusual for me because I find it difficult for most authors to write short stories in which I become invested in both the story and the characters. This author had me interested in both the story and the outcome for the characters in each story.
In the short story Magic and Mistletoe, Paige (a witch) meets a handsome mall Santa who eats his daily lunch on the bench in front of her shop. Nick seems very elusive and sad. As the two become more involved, Paige realizes he's a ghost and searches for a way for them to be together. The beautiful story evokes the heartwarming sentiment of Christmas miracles and I highly recommend it for all ages.
In the second story by Wendy Dalrymple titled The Assistant Manager and the Beast, Heidi must deal with a strange new hire at the tech store where she's employed as assistant manager. This is a delightful story featuring the tale of Krampus which if like me you are unaware of who Krampus is or what part he plays at Christmas you will find out in this story. It turns out the new hire, Kris, is Krampus who has always been drawn to the goodness of Heidi. Read The Assistant Manager and the Beast in Holiday Haunts: A Paranormal Christmas Romance Anthology
to find out what happens between cheerful Heidi and the beast named Krampus. It will fill you with the holiday spirit of Christmas magic. Appropriate for all ages.
December 23, 2022
Scribd Audiobook
Wow, this was bad. It was written like bad YA. The characters were all adults, but didn’t really act like it. I’m not totally sure of their ages, but they’re old enough to live alone & have their own store, except maybe the first story, cause…
Yep, this is a group of 4 short stories. 4 paranormal stories. They’re so short they feel like prompts…you continue the story.
And, OMG, please don’t ever use the word gummy to describe a smile unless it’s for an infant. Jeez, now I have a new “never.”
Wow, this was bad. It was written like bad YA. The characters were all adults, but didn’t really act like it. I’m not totally sure of their ages, but they’re old enough to live alone & have their own store, except maybe the first story, cause…
Yep, this is a group of 4 short stories. 4 paranormal stories. They’re so short they feel like prompts…you continue the story.
And, OMG, please don’t ever use the word gummy to describe a smile unless it’s for an infant. Jeez, now I have a new “never.”
December 18, 2023
Audiobook: Everand
{{No Spice}}
4 short Paranormal holiday stories
I was hoping for scary stories based on the "Haunts" in the title, but these are all light-hearted paranormal romances that take place at the same mall.
Story 1 is a sapphic romance and story 2 is a MM romance.
Story 3 & 4 were my favorites written by Wendy Dalrymple! Story 3 is about a witch and story 4 is about Krampus. I actually really loved the witch story and plan on looking more into her backlist.
{{No Spice}}
4 short Paranormal holiday stories
I was hoping for scary stories based on the "Haunts" in the title, but these are all light-hearted paranormal romances that take place at the same mall.
Story 1 is a sapphic romance and story 2 is a MM romance.
Story 3 & 4 were my favorites written by Wendy Dalrymple! Story 3 is about a witch and story 4 is about Krampus. I actually really loved the witch story and plan on looking more into her backlist.
December 24, 2022
This was short and cute. I needed a break from all the psychological killer books I’ve been reading and this sounded light enough to cleanse all the horrific visions in my head 😂
I like the short stories. Made for a no brainer!
I like the short stories. Made for a no brainer!
November 8, 2023
My first holiday read of the season. Easing into it with something still vaguely spooky. If you're looking for something actually scary, this is not for you. But if you want some fun little holiday stories with a hint of Paranormal sprinkled in, I think you'll enjoy.
November 20, 2025
Four cute, sweet romance short stories. All based in the same location. Sort of interlinked but not really. Fun unusual aspects, not scary at all. Two queer and to "normal" romances. Was a light enjoyable read.
November 30, 2021
All the stories were pretty cute and my favorite was the third story ❤️
December 15, 2021
This was actually kinda cute!
Read
December 20, 2021Yay for queer romance!
November 25, 2022
These were cute. Nick and Paige’s story was my favorite!
December 16, 2022
Cute and fluffy. Really enjoyed this one.
December 22, 2022
Ok this was a cute collection of supernatural short stories! I loved them all, but the third one was definitely my favorite!!
February 21, 2023
This is yet another Great, believable storyline with likeable and interesting characters.
December 8, 2023
3.5 ✩
All the stories were really cute, in a paranormal way of course. My favorite was the 3rd one.
All the stories were really cute, in a paranormal way of course. My favorite was the 3rd one.
December 15, 2023
2.5 stars.
December 19, 2023
The first two stories were meh but I adored the last two. The third was my fave 🥰
December 24, 2023
Story 1 - ⭐⭐⭐.5
Story 2 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Story 3 - ⭐⭐.5
Story 4 - ⭐⭐
Story 2 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Story 3 - ⭐⭐.5
Story 4 - ⭐⭐
December 29, 2023
Strange yet surprising. Some stories were better than others.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews