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12

Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Books to Try If You Enjoyed Emily Henry’s Book Lovers

March 28, 2023/19 Comments/by Suzanne

 

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Books for People Who Liked Author X.  I decided to go with Emily Henry and to share some books I think fans of her most recent novel Book Lovers would also enjoy.  Book Lovers was a enemies/rivals to lovers romance that featured a small town setting, wonderfully complex and bookish characters, family relationships, and loads of witty banter.  The books I’m sharing today each have one or more of those wonderful elements.

10 Books to Try If You Enjoyed Emily Henry’s Book Lovers

 

 

1. THE BODYGUARD by Katherine Center  –  “Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she’s an Executive Protection Agent (aka “bodyguard”), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker.” This book is such a delight. It’s got the wonderfully complex characters, an idyllic farm setting, and hilarious banter that will have you laughing your way through the pages.

2. THINGS WE NEVER GOT OVER by Lucy Score  – “There’s a reason Knox doesn’t do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi’s life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help this runaway bride out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life.  At least, that’s the plan until the trouble turns to real danger.”  This book has a fabulous small town setting and is an opposites attract, grumpy-sunshine romance, that also has a fair share of family drama and relationships.

3. EVERY SUMMER AFTER by Carly Fortune – “For six summers, through hazy afternoons on the water and warm summer nights working in his family’s restaurant and curling up together with books—medical textbooks for him and work-in-progress horror short stories for her—Percy and Sam had been inseparable. Eventually that friendship turned into something breathtakingly more, before it fell spectacularly apart. When Percy returns to the lake for Sam’s mother’s funeral, their connection is as undeniable as it had always been. But until Percy can confront the decisions she made and the years she’s spent punishing herself for them, they’ll never know whether their love might be bigger than the biggest mistakes of their past. Told over the course of six years and one weekend, Every Summer After is a big, sweeping nostalgic look at love and the people and choices that mark us forever.” This book is a bit more of an emotional story than some of my other selections, but it also features a small town setting, complex and flawed characters, and a second chance romance.

4. THE SIMPLE WILD by K.A. Tucker  – “City girl Calla Fletcher attempts to reconnect with her estranged father, and unwittingly finds herself torn between her desire to return to the bustle of Toronto and a budding relationship with a rugged Alaskan pilot.”  This one features a remote Alaskan setting, family drama galore, and an enemies to lovers romance.

5. MUCH ADO ABOUT YOU by Samantha Young – “The cozy comforts of an English village bookstore open up a world of new possibilities for Evie Starling in this charming new romantic comedy.” This one features a small town setting, a bookish protagonist, as well as some town rivalries and fractured relationships.

6. THE EX TALK by Rachel Lynn Solomon – “Shay Goldstein has been a producer at her Seattle public radio station for nearly a decade, and she can’t imagine working anywhere else. But lately it’s been a constant clash between her and her newest colleague, Dominic Yun, who’s fresh off a journalism master’s program and convinced he knows everything about public radio. When the struggling station needs a new concept, Shay proposes a show that her boss green-lights with excitement. On The Ex Talk, two exes will deliver relationship advice live, on air. Their boss decides Shay and Dominic are the perfect co-hosts, given how much they already despise each other. Neither loves the idea of lying to listeners, but it’s this or unemployment. Their audience gets invested fast, and it’s not long before The Ex Talk becomes a must-listen in Seattle and climbs podcast charts. As the show gets bigger, so does their deception, especially when Shay and Dominic start to fall for each other. In an industry that values truth, getting caught could mean the end of more than just their careers.”  This is an enemies to lovers that is packed with hilarious banter.

7. ONE NIGHT ON THE ISLAND by Josie Silver  –  “Spending her thirtieth birthday alone is the last thing that dating columnist Cleo wanted, but she is going on a self-coupling quasi-sabbatical–at the insistence of her boss–in the name of re-energizing herself and adding a new perspective to her column. The remote Irish island she’s booked is a far cry from London, but at least it’s a chance to hunker down in a luxury cabin and indulge in some quiet, solitary self-care while she figures out her next steps in her love life and her career.  Mac is also looking forward to some time to himself. With his life in Boston deteriorating in ways he can’t bring himself to acknowledge, his soul searching has brought him to the same Irish island in search of his roots and some clarity. Unfortunately, a mix-up with the bookings means both solitude seekers have reserved the same one-bedroom hideaway on exactly the same dates.  Instantly at odds with each other, Cleo and Mac don’t know how they’re going to manage until the next weekly ferry arrives. But as the days go by, they no longer seem to mind each other’s company quite as much as they thought they would…”  Like Every Summer After, this one is a bit more emotional at times than some of the other stories I’ve chosen.  But still it features a remote setting, a wonderful community, an enemies to lovers romance, and an intimate personal journey for its characters.

8. WHEN IN ROME by Sarah Adams – “Opposites certainly attract for the stranded pop star and small-town baker in this charming slice of romance.”  This one is a heartwarming small-town, opposites attract romance that is filled with lovable quirky characters and also features close-knit family vibes which I adored.

9. THE BOOKISH LIFE OF NINA HILL by Abbi Waxman  –  “The only child of a single mother, Nina has her life just as she wants it: a job in a bookstore, a kick-butt trivia team, a world-class planner and a cat named Phil. If she sometimes suspects there might be more to life than reading, she just shrugs and picks up a new book.  When the father Nina never knew existed suddenly dies, leaving behind innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews, Nina is horrified. They all live close by! They’re all—or mostly all—excited to meet her! She’ll have to Speak. To. Strangers. It’s a disaster! And as if that wasn’t enough, Tom, her trivia nemesis, has turned out to be cute, funny, and deeply interested in getting to know her. Doesn’t he realize what a terrible idea that is? It’s time for Nina to come out of her comfortable shell, but she isn’t convinced real life could ever live up to fiction. It’s going to take a brand-new family, a persistent suitor, and the combined effects of ice cream and trivia to make her turn her own fresh page.”  Obviously this one features a bookish protagonist, and it’s just full of heart and humor.

10. BY ANY OTHER NAME by Lauren Kate  –  “An enemies-to-lovers romance about an editor, her bestselling author, and one life-changing secret.” Bookish characters, enemies to lovers romance, and lots of personal growth for the main characters as well.

 

* * * * * *

Question:  Have you read any of these or are you planning to read any of them?

https://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/TTT-Big2.png 203 500 Suzanne http://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/trimmed-Copy-of-Bookish-Logo-copy.png Suzanne2023-03-28 05:35:522023-03-27 22:33:04Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Books to Try If You Enjoyed Emily Henry’s Book Lovers

Thriller Thursday Reviews: Lying Beside You & The Angel Maker

March 23, 2023/9 Comments/by Sharon

 

It’s Thursday so you know what that means. Another Sharon edition of Thriller Thursday!   This week I am reviewing the latest books by two must read authors for me.  Michael Robotham’s, Lying Beside You and  Alex North’s, The Angel Maker. Both of these books were in my top anticipated reads for  2023, so I was very excited to read them and happy that they lived up to the hype I had set for them.

 

Thriller Thursday Reviews: Lying Beside You & The Angel MakerLying Beside You Goodreads

Author: Michael Robotham

Publication Date: February 14, 2023

Publisher: Scribner

Lying Beside You is the third book in Michael Robotham’s Cyrus Haven series.  I fell in love with Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac in the first book Good Girl, Bad Girl and my love for them grew in the second book When She was Good, so I could not wait to reunite with them. In this third installment, a man is murdered, and his daughter, Maya Kirk, is missing.  Cyrus is called in to help profile the killer and piece together Maya’s last hours. Not long after Maya’s body is found, another woman goes missing and Evie is the only person to get a glimpse of the man that has taken her. Can Cyrus find this man before it is too late for this other woman, as well as Evie?

There is so much I loved about this book. I will start with the mystery of who killed Maya. Robotham did an excellent job of creating suspense as we follow the police and Cyrus as they try and solve this mystery. He gives us just enough breadcrumbs to follow without giving anything away until the very end. I loved watching as the police and Cyrus tried to piece together the evidence they had. There were a lot of layers to unravel to find the killer and what his motive was. It was not until the end that I started to piece things together, and I never figured out who the killer. I was on the edge of my seat when everything came to a head.

While I love the mystery Michael Robotham created, my favorite part of the book was seeing Cyrus and Evie again. I love these characters so much. They are both still flawed and broken characters, and I loved watching them try to navigate their lives. Evie is still trying to find her way in the world and interact with people. At Cyrus’ insistence she gets a job and she had me smiling as she stumbles along. I love the relationship between Cyrus and Evie, they have a father-daughter/brother-sister relationship, and I loved watching them try and navigate this.

Cyrus is also dealing with the fact that his brother, who killed their parents and twin sisters nineteen years ago, is about to be released from the psychiatric hospital and will be coming to stay with him and Evie. Cyrus loves his brother and has forgiven him, but he is still dealing with all the pain his brother caused him. He wants to help his brother reenter society. Evie on the other hand cannot understand how Cyrus could be so forgiving and does not trust his brother at all and lets him know it.  This just created another layer to a well written story.

Robotham does a great job of giving the backstory on both Cyrus and Evie, so this book could be read as a standalone, but I would really recommend reading the first two books in the series first as I think that would give more depth and feelings to this book.

Lying Beside You was everything I hoped it would be and more. I really hope we get more books in this series as I am not ready to let Cyrus and Evie go.  4 ½ stars

 

Thriller Thursday Reviews: Lying Beside You & The Angel MakerThe Angel Maker Goodreads

Author: Alex North

Publication Date: February 28, 2023

Publisher: Celadon Books

Alex North’s latest novel The Angel Maker is a dark thriller that follows Katie Shaw as she searches for her estranged brother, Chris, who has gone missing and Detective Laurence Page as he searches for the killer of a distinguished professor who was brutally murdered. As evidence is uncovered, it leads to two old cases, an attack that happened to Chris when he was fifteen and a serial killer that could see the future.

Katie Shaw was always expected to watch out for her brother Chris, and she always did, except for one day when she was seventeen years old, and that will be a day she regrets for the rest of her life. Instead of walking her brother home from school, Katie went off with her boyfriend, and Chris was brutally attacked. Years later Katie is happily married with a child of her own. Chris had a hard life after the attack and turned to drugs and living on the street. Katie has not seen Chris in two years, but when she gets a call from their mother saying that Chris had turned his life around but is now missing, Katie knows that she has to be his big sister once again and this time she is determined to keep Chris safe.

I really liked the parts with Katie as she searches for Chris. She is carrying a heavy burden when it comes to Chris. The last time she saw him he stole money from her, and she called the police on him. But even still, when her mother calls and tells her that Chris is missing, that sister/brother love is there, and she will do anything to protect him this time. I loved her determination and mother bear persona that came out.

Alan Hobbes is a wealthy and distinguished philosophy professor who has been brutally murdered, but before he was murdered he let his staff go and got all of his affairs in order. Almost like he knew he was going to die. As detective Laurence Page investigates the death of Alan, he discovers that this case is somehow connected to the attack on Chris as well as a serial killer named Jack Lock, who is long since dead but was known as “The Angel Maker”.  These chapters were very dark, especially as we learn more about who Jack Lock was and what he did.

This book had a lot going on in it, with multiple characters and timelines and it did get a bit confusing at times, but I loved the mystery of how everything was connected. This was definitely a book that needs to be read slow to take in all the information and keep things straight.  While I did like North’s other two books, The Whisper Man and The Shadows better, I still enjoyed The Angel Maker.  3 ½ stars

https://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Thriller-Thursday.jpg 800 800 Sharon http://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/trimmed-Copy-of-Bookish-Logo-copy.png Sharon2023-03-23 05:45:062023-03-22 11:07:10Thriller Thursday Reviews: Lying Beside You & The Angel Maker

Top Ten Tuesday – Books By My Favorite Authors That I Still Need to Read

March 21, 2023/45 Comments/by Suzanne

 

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is TTT Rewind (Pick a previous topic that you missed or would like to re-do/update.).  I decided to take this opportunity to share Books By My Favorite Authors That I Still Need to Read. Even though I’ve been making a major effort to read more of the books I own and specifically to tackle the backlists of my favorite authors, somehow I still have books by my favorites that I haven’t gotten to yet.  The ten I’m sharing today are ones I really hope to get to this year.

Books By My Favorite Authors That I Still Need to Read

 

 

1. NIGHT ROAD by Kristin Hannah  –  “Vivid, universal, and emotionally complex, Night Road raises profound questions about motherhood, identity, love, and forgiveness. It is a luminous, heartbreaking novel that captures both the exquisite pain of loss and the stunning power of hope. This is Kristin Hannah at her very best, telling an unforgettable story about the longing for family, the resilience of the human heart, and the courage it takes to forgive the people we love.”

2. GET LUCKY by Katherine Center  – “How do you change your luck? Katherine Center’s marvelously entertaining and poignant novel is about choosing to look for happiness—and maybe getting lucky enough to find it.”

3. THE DARK VAULT by V.E. Schwab – “Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.  Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive. Mackenzie Bishop’s grandfather first brought her here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now her grandfather is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was: a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.  Follow Mackenzie as she explores the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking, through these two timeless novels, now bound together in this thrilling collection. With stunning prose and a captivating mixture of action, romance, and horror, The Dark Vault delves into a richly imagined world where no choice is easy and love and loss feel like two sides of the same coin..”

4. CONFESS by Colleen Hoover  – “Auburn Reed is determined to rebuild her shattered life and she has no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to become deeply attracted to the studio’s enigmatic artist, Owen Gentry. For once, Auburn takes a chance and puts her heart in control, only to discover that Owen is hiding a huge secret. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything Auburn loves most, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it—but can she do it?.”

5. WAITING FOR TOM HANKS by Kerry Winfrey – “Can a romcom-obsessed romantic finally experience the meet-cute she always dreamed of or will reality never compare to fiction, in this charming debut adult novel from Kerry Winfrey. Annie Cassidy dreams of being the next Nora Ephron. She spends her days writing screenplays, rewatching Sleepless in Seattle, and waiting for her movie-perfect meet-cute. If she could just find her own Tom Hanks—a man who’s sweet, sensitive, and possibly owns a houseboat—her problems would disappear and her life would be perfect. But Tom Hanks is nowhere in sight. When a movie starts filming in her neighborhood and Annie gets a job on set, it seems like a sign. Then Annie meets the lead actor, Drew Danforth, a cocky prankster who couldn’t be less like Tom Hanks if he tried. Their meet-cute is more of a meet-fail, but soon Annie finds herself sharing some classic rom-com moments with Drew. Her Tom Hanks can’t be an actor who’s leaving town in a matter of days…can he?”

6. WOLFSONG by T.J. Klune – “Ox was twelve when his daddy taught him a very valuable lesson. He said that Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then he left.  Ox was sixteen when he met the boy on the road. The little boy who talked and talked and talked. Ox found out later the little boy hadn’t spoken in almost two years before that day, and that the little boy belonged to a family who had moved into the house at the end of the lane. Ox was seventeen when he found out the little boy’s secret and it painted the world around him in colors of red and orange and violet, of Alpha and Beta and Omega. Ox was twenty-three when murder came to town and tore a hole in his head and heart. The boy chased after the monster with revenge in his bloodred eyes, leaving Ox behind to pick up the pieces. It’s been three years since that fateful day—and the boy is back. Except now he’s a man, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.”

7. DEAR CAROLINA by Kristy Woodson Harvey  –  “One baby girl. Two strong Southern women. And the most difficult decision they’ll ever make. Frances “Khaki” Mason has it all: a thriving interior design career, a loving husband and son, homes in North Carolina and Manhattan—everything except the second child she has always wanted. Jodi, her husband’s nineteen-year-old cousin, is fresh out of rehab, pregnant, and alone. Although the two women couldn’t seem more different, they forge a lifelong connection as Khaki reaches out to Jodi, encouraging her to have her baby. But as Jodi struggles to be the mother she knows her daughter deserves, she will ask Khaki the ultimate favor…Written to baby Carolina, by both her birth mother and her adoptive one, this is a story that proves that life circumstances shape us but don’t define us—and that families aren’t born, they’re made….“

8. DAUGHTERS OF ROME by Kate Quinn – “A.D. 69. Nero is dead. The Roman Empire is up for the taking. With bloodshed spilling out of the palace and into the streets of Rome, chaos has become the status quo. The Year of Four Emperors will change everything—especially the lives of two sisters with a very personal stake in the outcome….Elegant and ambitious, Cornelia embodies the essence of the perfect Roman wife. She lives to one day see her loyal husband as Emperor. Her sister, Marcella, is more withdrawn, content to witness history rather than make it. Even so, Marcella has her share of distinguished suitors, from a cutthroat contender for the throne to a politician’s son who swears that someday he will be Emperor.  But when a bloody coup turns their world upside down, Cornelia and Marcella—along with their cousins, one a collector of husbands and lovers, the other a horse-mad beauty with no interest in romance—must maneuver carefully just to stay alive. As Cornelia tries to pick up the pieces of her shattered dreams, Marcella discovers a hidden talent for influencing the most powerful men in Rome. In the end, though, there can only be one Emperor … and one Empress.”

9. I FOUND YOU by Lisa Jewell  –  “‘How long have you been sitting out here?’ ‘I got here yesterday.’ ‘Where did you come from?’ ‘I have no idea.’  In East Yorkshire, single mum Alice Lake finds a man on the beach outside her house. He has no name, no jacket, no idea what he is doing there. Against her better judgement she invites him in to her home.  In Surrey, twenty-one-year-old Lily Monrose has only been married for three weeks. When her new husband fails to come home from work one night she is left stranded in a new country where she knows no one. Then the police tell her that her husband never existed. Two women, twenty years of secrets and a man who can’t remember lie at the heart of Lisa Jewell’s brilliant new novel.”

10. OTHER PEOPLE’S HOUSES by Abbi Waxman  –  “A hilarious and poignant new novel about four families, their neighborhood carpool, and the affair that changes everything. At any given moment in other people’s houses, you can find…repressed hopes and dreams…moments of unexpected joy…someone making love on the floor to a man who is most definitely not her husband.”

 

* * * * * *

Question:  Have you read any of these or are you planning to read any of them?

https://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/TTT-Big2.png 203 500 Suzanne http://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/trimmed-Copy-of-Bookish-Logo-copy.png Suzanne2023-03-21 05:35:092023-03-21 06:01:17Top Ten Tuesday – Books By My Favorite Authors That I Still Need to Read
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Hi, I'm Suzanne. Proofreader by day, book blogger by night, devourer of books 24/7. My reading tastes: Basically you name it, I probably like it. I read a lot of contemporary and historical, both adult and YA, and I've also been enjoying more and more fantasy lately. Hobbies include: buying and hoarding of books, rambling about books to anyone who will listen, and trying to recommend books to my family and friends whether they are readers or not - because seriously, how can you not love to read books?

BOOKSTAGRAM

⚾️ Review - LOVE BETWEEN INNINGS ⚾️ Author - Laur ⚾️ Review - LOVE BETWEEN INNINGS ⚾️

Author - Laura Langa

Pub Date - 6/12/2026

Thanks so much to @lauralangawrites for the gifted review copy. 

Love Between Innings follows Tenny, a member of the Waves pro baseball team, and the biggest golden retriever MMC ever.  Alex is now the team reporter for the Waves, but five years ago, she and Tenny shared a magic kiss at a college party. For Tenny, Alex is the one who got away, but Alex comes away with the idea that Tenny is a player on and off the field and she wants nothing to do with him.  That idea goes out the window thanks to her grandmother somehow getting the two of them mixed up in a fake dating scheme. Will Tenny get a second chance with the girl who got away?

If you’re looking for a sweet, swoonworthy sports romance that is the perfect beach or poolside read, look no further than Love Between Innings.  Filled with the wonderful banter, incredible chemistry and tension between the characters that I’ve come to expect from Laura Langa, this book is just perfection from the meet cute through the happily ever after!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

What to Expect:

💋Meet Kiss
😠Enemies to Lovers
💙Fake Dating
🥰He Falls First
⚾First Baseman MMC
🎤Sports Reporter FMC
😉Forced Proximity
🚫No Third-Act Breakup!

📚Available on Kindle Unlimited, ebook, and paperback! 📚

❓QOTD - Are you a baseball fan? Favorite team? If not, what are you up to this weekend? Do any of the tropes listed appeal to you?
🐺 FANTASY FRIDAY - CRESCENT KINGDOM 🐺 Thanks so m 🐺 FANTASY FRIDAY - CRESCENT KINGDOM 🐺

Thanks so much to @read_bloom for the #gifted copy.  I can’t wait to read it! 

From authorTessa Hale comes a why-choose, enemies-to-lovers shifter romantasy series where everyone has demons and love means sacrifice.

Crescent Kingdom is the first book in The Wolves of Crescent Creek series and it’s now available in paperback. 

🐺 Full Synopsis: 🐺

Never stop running. And no matter what, never let the world know who you really are.
I’ve spent my whole life hiding. Training. Preparing. Hoping that no one will discover my secrets. What I can do. Who I am. And I’ve gotten so good at it, sometimes even I forget.

Until them.

The wolf pack with a ruthless reputation and a penchant for revenge. The protective fighter. The charming Brit. The shy hacker. The silent mercenary. The cruel assassin.

They see more than anyone ever has before. And even with demons of their own, they give me sanctuary. A place to hide, to rest, and maybe even a place to belong.

Only it turns into so much more. Because when they touch me, everything around me ignites, and nothing matters but them.

But these wolves have secrets. And those secrets bring enemies. And when they find out who I really am?

It’s not their enemies I need to fear. It’s them.

❓QOTD - What are you reading this weekend? 

AOTD - I’m finishing Chase Me If You Can and starting West of Forever.
Thanks to @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio #ma Thanks to @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio #macaudio2026 #partner for the gifted review copy and audiobook!

🎶 REVIEW - YOU WON’T FORGET ME 🎶

Author - Mazey Eddings

Pub Date - 6/9/2026

You Won’t Forget Me is a slow burn, friends to lovers, sapphic romance that is set against the backdrop of the music industry.

Cubby Clark and her band are on the brink of success, until her awful ex boyfriend launches a successful solo career with a song that he stole from Cubby. Not only does he take it, but he twists it and uses it to tear her down publicly, which has left her with writer’s block. Cubby is usually the heart of the band so her writer’s block and the intense social media attention that her ex has brought on them has left the band in an awkward spot. Cubby’s one constant through all of this turmoil is Darcy, her bandmate and close friend. 

I always enjoy Mazey Eddings’ books and this one was no exception. It was a deeper, more layered story than I was expecting based on the flirty, pink cover, but I love a good emotional story so I was here for it.  I loved the slow burn nature of the relationship between Cubby and Darcy. Sometime slow burn drives me crazy, but it just felt right here since Cubby in particular is trying to work through so much in her own head, thanks to her ex, and both characters are exploring their sexuality and their attraction to women, which is new for them both. 

I also thought Eddings did a great job showing all of the various pressures that surround the music industry, especially now that social media is such a big part of it. 

I read this one with my eyes and ears, and thought the audiobook was a real treat, especially with all of the singing.  Abi Hardman and Aleksander Varadian narrate and do an excellent job bringing these characters and the drama to life. Hardman even composes and sings original music for the audiobook!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - How’s your week going? What are you reading this week?
Thanks for the free book @sourcebookscasa #Partner Thanks for the free book @sourcebookscasa #Partner

🧔🏻 Review - BEARD SCIENCE 🧔🏻

Author - Penny Reid

Original Pub Date: 10/11/2016 (Special Edition Release Date - 6/9/2026)

Beard Science is the third book in Penny Reid’s Winston Brothers series and thankfully works great as a standalone as I have not yet read the first two books. I had a great time with this book though so I definitely want to continue the series. 

Jennifer Sylvester is the town sweetheart and courtesy of her parents’ business, she’s also the Banana Cake Queen.  Even though she’s 22, everything about her life (what she wears, who she dates) is pretty much fully dictated by what her parents want for her rather than what she wants for herself. Even though Jennifer wants to please her parents, she is tired of living this way and wants to break free. When she inadvertently records Cletus Winston doing something she can use as leverage, she blackmails him into helping her find her path to getting everything she wants. 

Cletus is an intelligent, enigmatic guy who thinks he has everyone figured out, so Jennifer really throws him for a loop with her demands.  It was a lot of fun watching the two of them work together to achieve her goal though and to watch their relationship evolve. It was definitely a journey of personal growth for them both and a delightful slow burn friends to lovers romance, to boot.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - This special edition features illustrations, character art, a map of Green Valley, bonus scenes and more.  What features do you like to see in special editions?
Thanks for the free advanced review copy @berkleyr Thanks for the free advanced review copy @berkleyromance #BerkleyPartner #Berkley 

🌺 Review - THE SUMMER GIRLFRIEND 🌺

Author - Kristina Forest

Pub Date - 6/9/26

Noelle’s dream is to finish her college degree and become a librarian. She’s working two jobs and saving all of her money to make that dream a reality, but when she’s laid off from her job at the local bookstore, she needs to replace that income in a hurry. 

Enter Jeremiah.  He might be a confident, successful businessman, but he’s not looking forward to an upcoming trip to his family’s beach house on the Jersey Shore. It will be his first time back since his grandfather passed away and he knows it will be awkward. When he and Noelle meet and hit it off and he hears about her money struggles, he offers to hire her as his fake girlfriend for his trip.  She agrees and the weekend goes so smoothly that they agree to extend their fake dating plans for the whole summer, not realizing how life changing their time together will be.

With the wonderful Jersey Shore backdrop, this is the perfect summer romance! I love both Noelle and Jeremiah.  They’re both such layered, well drawn characters and I enjoyed watching them meet, become friends and then of course more than friends as they summer progressed. I thought their chemistry was hot but that it also felt very authentic, even as they were faking it.

I was also a huge fan of Jeremiah’s family. Every character just felt so real and I loved how it was obvious how much they cared about one another, and I also loved how welcoming they were to Noelle.  I’d love more books that feature these wonderful characters.

If you’re a fan of beautiful, heartfelt romances that still feel lighthearted and peachy, definitely check out The Summer Girlfriend!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

❓QOTD - Jeremiah’s family owns a popular small business that specializes in delicious cookies. If you owned a small business, what would be your focus?

AOTD - A coffee shop where the drinks taste like popular candy bars.
Thanks to @uplitreads and @thomasnelsonfiction for Thanks to @uplitreads and @thomasnelsonfiction for the gifted audiobook.

🎧 REVIEW - THE SUMMER OF YES 🎧

Author - Courtney Walsh

Pub Date - 7/2/2024

Kelsey is a workaholic who has a near death experience and ends up in the hospital.  It’s a wake up call for her to make some changes in her life, and she recruits her hospital roommate Georgina, an older woman but a fellow workaholic, to take part in her summer of yes.

Aside from their workaholic tendencies, the two women are very different in most otther ways. Still, they manage to make the summer of yes a roadtrip adventure that neither of them will forget. 

I love the idea of saying yes to more things out of your comfort zone, or just more things that you want to do for yourself in general, so I really enjoyed the journey these ladies took.  I also love when stories feature older protagonists and Georgina is such a great character.  I was especially drawn into the possibility of her having a second chance with the husband she clearly adored but  didn’t choose the first time around because she was too busy building her business. 

I also found Kelsey to be a very relatable character and found her journey to say yes to more things instead of being so consumed by her job and by her fears quite inspiring.  I also loved that she manages to find time for a little romance while she’s on this journey of self discovery.

This was such a feel good story, and I especially enjoyed the audiobook.  Tanya Eby and Cathi Colas were perfect as Kelsey and Georgina and it was a delight listening to them. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Also, swipe for a sneak peek of BRIGHTER THAN BEFORE, Walsh’s new book, which comes out June 9th! 

❓QOTD - If you could say yes to something outside of your comfort zone or something you’ve been afraid to do, what would you choose? 

AOTD - I’d take a solo trip to Europe.
📚 JUNE HOPEFULS 📚 Happy Monday, book friends! I h 📚 JUNE HOPEFULS 📚

Happy Monday, book friends! I hope your week is off to a great start and that you’ve already had some excellent reads this month.  I’m a few days late sharing the books I’m hoping to read this month, but I think I’ve got a pretty good line up and I’ve already finished several of these so be on the look out for my reviews. 

There are several in my hopefuls list that were gifted, so I’ve tagged those publishers. Thanks so much to all of them for their generosity! ♥

📚 Physical Copies: 📚

Chase Me If You Can by Heather Frances - Currently Reading
Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood - Just finished, review coming soon
Wild Card by Elsie Silver (26 in 2026 challenge read)
You Won’t Forget Me by Mazey Eddings
Beard Science by Penny Reid (Just finished, review coming soon)
Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit (26 in 2026 challenge read)
Score by Kennedy Ryan
Crescent Kingdom by Tessa Hale (Finished, review coming soon)
West of Forever by Corinne Michaels (Currently reading)

🎧📱E-ARCs/ALCs: 📱🎧

The Great Outdoors by Kayla Olson (Finished, review coming soon)
Tropesick by Lauren Okie (Currently reading)
Dearly Departed by Chip Pons
Love Between Innings by Laura Langa
In Stormy Weather by Chelsea Curto
Big Stick Energy by Sarina Bowen
In Every Possible Way by Alicia Thompson
It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell
Love Wells Kept by Bailey Hannah
Witch Season by Julie Bianco

❓QOTD - What are some books you’re hoping to read in June? Do we have any in common?
📚 MAY WRAP-UP 📚 Hey book friends! I hope your Jun 📚 MAY WRAP-UP 📚

Hey book friends! I hope your June is off to a great start. Was May a good reading month for you? 

I read 18 books in May so it was another solid reading month for me. My photo features all of the physical copies I read, but I also read a few e-arcs and listened to several audiobooks as well. 

I still need to review several of my May reads so look for those soon. 

❓QOTD:  How was your reading month? What were some of your favorite May reads? Or tell me what you’re reading this week.

AOTD - I started off my June reads finishing up one I started in May but didn’t finish in time - The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh. Then I listened to The Great Outdoors by Kayla Olson, and now I’m reading Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood. 

❤️ 5 STARS ❤️

Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan
The Open Era by Edward Schmit

🧡 4.5 STARS 🧡

The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston (Review coming soon)
The Summer Girlfriend by Kristina Forest (Review coming soon)
Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews
The Summer Share by Jenn McKinlay
Rules for the Summer by Meghan Quinn

💛 4 STARS 💛

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum
The Fine Art of Faking It by Lucy Score
Father Material by Alexis Hall
Burnout Summer by Jenna Ramirez
By the Bootstraps by Alexa Martin
Walkout Wedding by Maren Moore
Take Me With You by Steven Rowley
Soon By You by Dahlia Adler
The Ashes and the Star Cursed King  by Carissa Broadbent

💚 3.5 STARS 💚

The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden (26 in 2026 challenge read)
One Night Rodeo by Lorelai James

💙 3 STARS 💙

NONE

💜 2 STARS 💜

NONE

1 STAR or DNFs

NONE
Thanks to @sourcebookscasa #partner for the gifted Thanks to @sourcebookscasa #partner for the gifted ARC. 

🐶 Review - FATHER MATERIAL 🐶

Author - Alexis Hall

Pub Date - 6/2/26

Father Material is the third, and probably final according to a note from the author that came with my arc, installment in the London Calling series.

This installment picks up a few years after the second book, and all of Luc and Oliver’s close friends are starting families or otherwise taking big steps forward as couples, which has Luc and Oliver thinking it might be time to expand their own little family.  In their minds, the first logical step is to become dog dads and see how things go, before possibly moving on to becoming foster parents for a child in the system.

I’ll admit that I wasn’t the biggest fan of how the second book ended, but I love Luc and Oliver and was still eager to see where their lives have taken them since book 2 and I was not at all disappointed.  They are both still as endearing as ever. Luc is still a hot mess with a big heart, while Oliver still comes across as the adult in the room.  The banter between them is still just as hilarious as ever, and I still really enjoy the dynamic between them.

I had a great time watching the two of them navigate the challenges of raising a puppy together. It’s a great exercise for them in learning that they have to compromise and get on the same page if they’re going to parent, whether it’s an adorable pup named Spud because he looks like a potato or a human child who needs them. It’s a journey where they learn so much about themselves and about each other. I especially enjoyed Luc’s journey as he seems to finally realize he’s a bit more capable than he typically gives himself credit for.

One of the things I have loved about this series as a whole as that the author does such a great job of showing what life is like after that initial happily ever after. Each book has been a realistic, yet hilarious, look at the ups and downs of coupledom.  If this ends up being the final book in the series, I’m pleased at where Luc and Oliver so it’s a satisfying ending to their journey.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - What’s your first read of June?
My favorite way to start the day is with a cup of My favorite way to start the day is with a cup of coffee, a few pages of the book I’m reading, and a cuddle with my favorite reading buddy. In my case, that’s my golden retriever, Winston, or my cat, Ninja. 

Is that my reality most days? No, not usually, but a girl can dream, right? 😅

What’s your favorite way to start the day?
Thanks to @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio #ma Thanks to @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio #macaudio2026 #partner for the gifted review copy and audiobook!

🚗 REVIEW - ROAD TRIP 🚗

Author - Mary Kay Andrews

Pub Date - 6/2/2026

Mary Kay Andrews is one of my go-to authors when I’m looking for a beach read with great storytelling, and she has really delivered with her latest novel, Road Trip.  It’s the perfect blend of family drama, history, mystery, road trip shenanigans, and even a hint of romance. 

The story centers on Maeve and Therese, two estranged sisters, who come together for their mother’s funeral, only to learn that her dying wish was for the two of them to reunite. She has left them money to take a trip to Ireland together where they can reconnect while learning more about their heritage.  When the sisters learn there’s a huge mortgage that needs to be paid off, they look to a family heirloom, a portrait that has been in the family for as long as anyone can remember, the sisters decide to use the trip to also trace the origin of the portrait to determine if it’s priceless or worthless.

I don’t know much about art, but I was fascinated by the tracing of the portrait’s history, especially as we get glimpses into how their ancestor first came over to the U.S. from Ireland. When Maeve and Therese start researching the portrait, they ultimately discover some long buried secrets. The trip also teaches them a great deal about themselves so it’s a journey of discovery on several fronts. 

Andrews skillfully weaves together the mystery of the portrait and the unraveling of secrets, while still keeping the story heartwarming and fun overall as we follow the sisters as they fulfill their mom’s last wish and reconnect as they road trip across Ireland. Ireland is on my travel bucket list, so I was completely charmed by the Irish setting, both the villages and the people. 

If you’re looking for a bingeable beach read with a little something for every reader, definitely check out Road Trip!

Kathleen McInerney narrates the audiobook and does a wonderful job capturing the overall spirit of this story. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

❓QOTD - Who’s on your road trip playlist?

AOTD - Lots of Springsteen & Bon Jovi.
Thanks for the free book @berkleyromance #BerkleyP Thanks for the free book @berkleyromance #BerkleyPartner #Berkley 

🎾 Review - THE OPEN ERA 🎾

Author - Edward Schmit

Pub Date - 6/2/26

The Open Era by Edward Schmit follows Austin Hardy, an openly gay tennis player who has recently turned pro and qualified for his first Grand Slam tournament. All eyes are on him, including those of Diego Cruz, ranked second in the world and who Austin has always assumed was straight. 

I love a good underdog story so I was fully invested in Austin’s actual tennis matches & rooting hard for him to make it as far as he possibly could. I was especially invested as we learn that Austin’s main opponent at this tournament is actually an anxiety disorder and that it is really flaring up because he is facing so much scrutiny.  The author doe an exceptional job of portraying Austin’s anxiety disorder in such an authentic and vivid way. I felt like I was really there at his matches cheering him on and also that I was in his head experiencing first hand the anxiety as he was experiencing it and working his way through panic attacks. 

The story was not only an adrenaline rush because of Austin’s journey on the court, but it was an emotional one because of his journey off the court, as he works through the grief of losing his father and as he works through his feelings for Diego. 

I adored everything about Austin, but Diego had my heart as well. I found myself quickly invested in his coming out journey, especially as it takes place under the spotlight of a Grand Slam tournament. 

The author does an incredible job of realistically portraying the complicated journey of coming out when you’re in the public eye - the fear of public perception vs. just wanting to live as your authentic self. Diego’s struggles are palpable but I was rooting so hard for him to choose himself and Austin.

 I love a sports romance that puts the sport front and center & Schmit’s writing shines here.  I truly felt like I had a front row seat to Austin’s increasingly intense matches. 

The Open Era is Edward Schmit’s debut & I can’t wait to read more from him. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - Have you ever played tennis?

AOTD - Not since HS. I was so bad at it! 😅
📫 MESSY MONDAY - BOOK MAIL EDITION 📫 Hey book fri 📫 MESSY MONDAY - BOOK MAIL EDITION 📫

Hey book friends! I hope you all had a great weekend and that your week is off to a good start. 

Today I thought it would be fun to share some of the book mail I’ve received the past few weeks so you can see what I’ll be reading and reviewing in the near future. 

Most of these books came while I was at the hospital with my husband so it was amusing to get texts from my son everyday like “Mom, you got ANOTHER book in the mail” or “What the heck? Do you always get this many books in the mail?” 

The answer to that is no, but a few of my preorders came in and the book fairies were extra kind to me while I was away and I truly appreciate it. Thanks so much to all of the tagged publishers!

Books Featured:

My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey
West of Forever by Corinne Michaels
Our Infinite Fates by Laura Stevens
Thank You for Remembering Me by Emily Harding
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
Score by Kennedy Ryan (Pre-Order)
Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews
Fever Dream by Elsie Silver (Pre-Order)
One Night Rodeo by Lorelai James
Chase Me If You Can by Heather Frances
Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan (Pre-Order)
You Won’t Forget Me by Mazey Eddings
Beard Science by Penny Reid
Fall Into Place by Kristyn J. Miller
Crescent Kingdom by Tessa Hale

❓QOTD - Are any of these on your radar? Or what’s the last book mail you received?
Thanks for the free e-book @berkleyromance #Berkle Thanks for the free e-book @berkleyromance #BerkleyPartner #Berkley 

🤠 Review - BY THE BOOTSTRAPS 🤠

Author - Alexa Martin

Pub Date - 5/26/2026

I’m fully in my cowboy romance era, so of course I had to read Alexa Martin’s newest book, By the Bootstraps. 

The story follows Luna Star, who is working her way through a grief journey and decides to relocate to the tiny town of Celestial, Texas. Between her own celestial-inspired name and her love for cowboy romances, she feels like it’s the perfect place for her to make a fresh start. 

As soon as Luna arrives, she immediately starts making friends and feels like she has truly found her new home.  The actual home she has purchased, however, turns out to be a fixer upper and she enlists the help of Tate, a sexy grump of a handyman who also happens to be the high school football coach, to help whip her home into shape.  Luna soon discovers Tate’s softer, non-grumpy side and the two of them really hit it off. 

I really enjoyed the chemistry between Luna and Tate, thought both characters were extremely likable, and I also thoroughly enjoyed all of their interactions.  The slow burn of the romance felt right, especially considering Luna is still dealing with grief and trying to find herself. And I do love a romance that is filled with yearning and you definitely get that here with Tate and his feelings toward Luna. 

I was also a big fan of the found family vibes that filled this book and look forward to seeing some of the fun side characters get their time to shine in future books. As a Friday Night Lights fan, I was also really into the football game scenes, which were just so much fun. 

If you enjoy small town, slow burn, grumpy-sunshine romances, you’re going to want to check this one out!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - Are you trying to finish up any books before the end of the month?

AOTD - I’m hoping to finish The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston.
Rainy days were meant to be spent curled up with a Rainy days were meant to be spent curled up with a good book. 

I will definitely curl up with a good book no matter what the weather is like, but there’s just something so special and cozy about reading on a rainy day. 

What’s the weather like where you are? It has been raining for a solid week here.
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