The Romance Adjacent Guide to Cozy
Six of my favorite hibernation indulgences
Before we get cozy, I wanted to thank you for reading and supporting my newsletter this year. Every subscription, comment, message—every note letting me know you read a book I recommended or bought a sweater I gushed over—it all really means a lot! Since starting Romance Adjacent, the theme has largely been about finding and embracing comfort, so it makes sense to end the year on the coziest note possible.
I think everyone’s cozy looks a little different, though. My fantasy series marathon might be your Sex and the City binge—so take my recs and plug in your own indulgences. In the end, we all have the same goal when hibernating: to get as snug as humanly possible.
While you can adopt a cozy lifestyle all year long (I do), it feels especially necessary during the last week of December. This guide will specifically address those slow, dark, wintery days, which I personally love.
Come join me!
A WINTER-ADJACENT READING LIST
We’ll kick off our cozy guide with some reading material. I’ve mentioned before that I love reading season-specific novels, so all of these recs have a wintery feel to them.
The Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden: This fantasy trilogy, based on Russian fairy tales, is easily one of my favorite fantasy series of all time (no exaggeration), made even more special when read on a cold, blustery night in front of a roaring fire. This is not a romance-forward series by any means, but you’ll fall in love with the clever and brave protagonist, Vasya, who defies the gender norms of her time and regularly outmaneuvers tricky demons, magic folk, and most importantly, men. It’s impossible to sum up this richly magical narrative, so please take my word for it—it’s truly special.
Hockey Romances: I’m honestly shocked I’ve never mentioned hockey romance on this newsletter before now! If you’re an avid reader of contemporary romance, then you know that hockey (of all things) is hugely popular in the romance world, with a rabid fanbase and a growing list of authors dedicating their work to the sport. To be fair, there’s not a lot of hockey involved. Instead, the focus is off the ice, featuring extremely fit, tall, and brooding hockey players (some female, too!). If you’re completely new and want to dive in, I’d start with the author who popularized it, Elle Kennedy. She has several connected series that you won’t be able to stop reading once you start (the first being The Deal). In a word, they’re FUN. I also love Liz Tomforde and Becka Mack’s series. All of these are on Kindle Unlimited, too.
Holiday Romances: You know I had to include a holiday romance category. Luckily for all of us, there are many to choose from. Here’s where I get my holiday recs! For now, I’m sharing two that I read and loved last year (Catherine Walsh’s Holiday Romance and Tessa Bailey’s Wreck the Halls) and one on my TBR that I’ll dive into this week (Ally Carter’s The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year). Catherine Walsh is the queen of the Christmas romcom, so all of her seasonal novels are really sweet, uplifting reads—and more importantly, available on Kindle Unlimited. Tessa Bailey, author of many beloved contemporary romances like It Happened One Summer, writes the most fun chemistry (and smut). No matter your mood, you can find a holiday romance to fit the bill.
PAJAMA SETS PAIRED WITH YOUR COZIEST SWEATERS
For the most part, I wear stretchy pants and a sweatshirt at home, but when I know I’ll have uninterrupted free time to follow the RA cozy guide, then I prefer to lounge in a pajama set. And because my house runs cold, I love to throw an oversized sweater over it. Cashmere socks (my favorites are from J.Crew) are an added bonus, though any kind of fuzzy sock will do the trick.
I’m actually quite particular and passionate about pajama sets, so that might need its own separate newsletter (like the sweaters). For now, I’m sharing two of my favorites: one from Petite Plume, mostly because my son has a matching pair, and the other from J.Crew, whose pajama selection consistently delivers excellent options. Ali LaBelle mentioned that she monograms her J.Crew set and now I need another pair of the same pajamas with my initials.
A WARM, SPICED DRINK
I’m a tea girl through and through, so my warm drink of choice will always be tea. A chai with milk is a go-to, but don’t sleep on the Trader Joe’s Harvest Blend Herbal Tea, which is on shelves for only a few weeks in the fall (stock up in October, people). If you’re desperate, there are some bootlegged on Amazon. I’ve also been loving Harney & Sons decaf hot cinnamon, which is incredible with steamed, frothed milk. More of a coffee drinker? A friend of mine swears by adding homemade gingerbread syrup to hers.
If you’re looking for an alcoholic version of a warm, spiced drink, I’d go for a mulled wine. Let it simmer on the stove all evening and your house will smell amazing. And don’t forget about hot toddies!
HYALURONIC ACID & BARRIER CREAM
I rarely share skincare here, but the truth is, I care a lot about it and spend far too much on product. In winter, when my skin is dry and thirsty, I usually focus on two things: hyaluronic acid and barrier cream. Obviously I’m not a dermatologist, so don’t listen to me—this is just what helps my skin.
For hyaluronic acid (which hydrates the skin), you can really go with any brand’s serum that has HA as the main ingredient. I haven’t found one brand that has the best version of this (unless you feel strongly about one, then let me know), so luckily you can find it at any price point. Right now, I’m using the Medik8 Hydra B5 serum at night before moisturizer, which has been great for me. I’ve also been loving the Osea Hyaluronic Lip Booster. In the morning, a spritz of Iris & Romeo’s Reset face mist before my skincare routine makes a world of difference in my skin’s overall hydration. For overnight masks, I think the Biodance ones on Amazon are the best I’ve ever tried. You wake up the next morning with a new face, I swear.
Barrier cream, whose job is to lock in that moisture and protect your skin from the environment, is another product with a wide variety of price points. Honestly, you can’t really do better than CeraVe’s Healing Ointment (or Aquafor). I swear, I use it for everything, from my lips to my cuticles. Dry patches on my face? For sure. If you’re looking for a cleaner product, I’d go for Dieux, Tower28, Rhode, and even Avene’s Cicalfate+.
I also need to call out the Oak Essentials Moisture Rich Balm, which I’ve mentioned before, but need to reiterate again: this is my favorite skincare product, no question. I’m not even sure if it actually counts as a barrier cream, but it sure feels like it. My skin is never happier than when it’s slathered in this balm, which I use every night as the last step in my routine.
Here’s to a glowy, hydrated hibernation.
A POT OF BEANS
Like many, I’m a Rancho Gordo superfan and love making a pot of beans. But lately, I can’t seem to find the time or brain capacity to plan a meal that far in advance (which is a necessity with dried beans), so I’ve instead turned to quick recipes that jazz up a can of beans. NYT Cooking has many 5-star reviewed bean recipes that fit the bill. Three of my favorites are: Rosemary White Beans with Frizzled Onions and Tomato, Roasted Tomato and White Bean Stew, and Braised White Beans and Greens with Parmesan.
If you don’t have a NYT Cooking subscription and want one of these recipes, reply to this newsletter (or shoot me a message in the app) and I’ll send you a PDF!
UNSCENTED PILLAR AND TAPER CANDLES
A candlelit environment is the key ingredient to a cozy evening in. For this purpose, I prefer unscented pillars in hurricanes or taper candles in mismatched holders. This will really set the tone—no overhead lighting allowed (unless you need it to read your books).
Pictured, my hurricanes are from Hudson Grace (the pillars inside are Amazon). The taper candles below are from Glōam Goods (from their Jaymes Paper collaboration—here, here, and here!). I’m obsessed with these beeswax taper candles—the colors are so rich and vibrant. And I love the story behind their mom-and-daughter brand. The hurricane in the middle of the table is old Hudson Grace.
I hope the rest of your year is cozy and warm, surrounded by all of your favorite things. I know the holidays can also be tough for so many—know that you’re not alone. Sending so much love your way.
Happy New Year!
ICYMI:
*I occasionally use affiliate links and will receive a small percentage of a sale linked through this newsletter. For books, I always advocate to borrow from the library (Libby!) or buy in your local bookstore. If you’d like to buy online, consider bookshop.org
I loved the Bear and the Nightingale series SO much I reread them last year! I didn’t think anyone else had ever heard of them. So cozy
Loved this!! I recently saw a J.Crew store mannequins styled just like you — red striped pjs + cozy sweater. I LOVE that! I think my Xmas morning look. Happy holidays, Janelle! Xx