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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?

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Thanks so much to @uplitreads, @thomasnelsonfictio Thanks so much to @uplitreads, @thomasnelsonfiction, and @courtneywalsh for the gifted book.

✨REVIEW - BRIGHTER THAN BEFORE ✨

Author - Courtney Walsh

Pub Date - 6/8/2026

We’re only a few days into July and Brighter Than Before is already shaping up to be one of my favorite reads of the month!  This was such a beautifully written and relatable story, definitely one I’ll be thinking about for a long time to come.

Right away I loved that it features a main character who is in her 40s. I think we need more books that have characters in this age range and this one with its focus on second chances and fresh starts was just such a delightful read from start to finish. 

I admired Claire’s strength and determination as she seeks to redefine her life post divorce. Her decision to move to a whole new city and start fresh was quite inspiring, and I followed her journey of self-discovery with great enthusiasm, cheering her on every step of the way.  There are definitely some hiccups along the way as Claire finds her new path forward, but it’s so satisfying to watch her follow dreams she never even realized she had and to watch her make new friends and build a new community for herself along the way.

Miles is Claire’s new neighbor and he’s also an older protagonist working on finding his own path forward, so he finds what Claire is trying to very relatable.  I adored Miles. He’s so charming and supportive, and so much more suited to Claire than her awful ex. 

Brighter Than Before is the ultimate feel good read and it left me with a warm heart and a huge smile on my face.

Highly recommend this one if you like:

Vibrant Chicago setting
Found family
Second chances in life and love
Friends to lovers

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - What’s the setting of your current read and would you want to live there?

#courtneywalsh #thomasnelsonfiction #giftedbyuplit
Thanks for the free book @berkleyromance #BerkleyP Thanks for the free book @berkleyromance #BerkleyPartner #Berkley 

☀️ Review - STAR-CROSSED SUMMER ☀️

Author - Devon Daniels

Pub Date - 7/7/2026

Ten year ago, Scarlett Everhart and Ryder Perry co-starred in a movie that not only launched both of their careers, but it also launched a romantic relationship between the of them that ended badly.  They haven’t spoken since - that is, until the coastal Carolina town where they shot the film is devastated by a storm and Scarlett and Ryder are approached about coming to town for a ten year reunion project to help raise funds to rebuild the town.

As soon as Scarlett and Ryder see each other again, it’s clear they still have unresolved feelings but it’s also clear that they have so much that they need to work through. This will involve reopening old wounds, unearthing long-buried secrets, and finally talking about what drove them apart all those years ago. 

I loved how this story unfolds in a dual timeline and thought the author did a wonderful job showing young Scarlett and Ryder as they were versus the people they have grown up to be.  There are sweet nostalgic scenes from ten years ago when they first met and their relationship started to blossom, and these were nicely balanced with the more emotional, tension-filled present day scenes as Scarlett and Ryder finally confront one another and have conversations they should have had a decade earlier and try to figure out if there is a path to a future together once all of the cards are finally on the table between them. 

Highly recommend if you enjoy:

☀️Second Chance Romance
🌅First Loves
☀️Forced Proximity
🌅Celebrity Romance
☀️Coastal Carolina setting
🌅The Notebook film

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - Since this story features a movie, what’s your favorite movie?

AOTD - My favorites are Dead’s Poets Society and Remember the Titans
💫 REVIEW - INTO THE FADING TWILIGHT 💫 Author - Ca 💫 REVIEW - INTO THE FADING TWILIGHT 💫

Author - Catherine Cowles

Pub Date - 7/7/2026

Thanks so much to @catherinecowlesauthor for this gifted special edition Touch Her and Die trope arc and other bookish goodies to welcome me back to Starlight Grove, and for the gifted ALC. 

I’ve been eager to read Nova and Kol’s story ever since I finished the first book in the Starlight Grove series, and no surprise here, but Catherine Cowles did not disappoint!  She delivered everything I was hoping to get from their story and more, and I devoured this book in a couple of sittings. 

I was so invested in Nova finding her way to a happily ever after, particularly after the horrific ordeal she spent more than a year enduring.  When we meet Nova again in this book, she is determined to take her life back. She is the ultimate survivor and doesn’t want anyone hovering over her and holding her back.  Much of the story focuses on this journey for her as she processes both the physical and emotional trauma she endured.  I loved Nova’s strength & deterination but also loved how Cowles wrote her both strong and vulnerable.  The portrayal of this journey from trauma felt very authentic.

Kol is a single dad and he’s also the ranger who found and freed Nova. He might be battling his own past demons, but he feels very protective of Nova and is determined to make sure she is safe and secure, whether Nova wants it or not.

I loved watching Nova and Kol’s relationship evolve. They have incredible chemistry but the biggest attraction for me was how they just truly saw each other in ways no one else did.  It was like they were kindred spirits & I thought that connection was just beautiul.

There is a big suspense element, and as always, Cowles had me on the edge of my seat trying hard to guess the baddie all the way the big reveal!

The audiobook cast is a who’s who of my favorite narrators - Brittany Pressley, Sebastian York, Jason Clarke, Adam Gold, Teddy Hamilton, and Connor Crais, and as always, they delivered a top notch performance that perfectly captured each character and the tone of the book. Cannot recommend highly enough! 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - What was your last 5 star read?
Thanks for the gifted book @hambright_pr, @authorm Thanks for the gifted book @hambright_pr, @authormaxmonroe, & @entangled_publishing.

🐑 Review - WHERE I SHOULD’VE BEEN 🐑

Author - Max Monroe

Pub Date - 7/7/2026

I enjoyed the last book I read from Max Monroe so much that I went into this one blind and oh my goodness, did it have me feeling ALL of the emotions. Laughing out loud one minute, shedding tears the next! 

Where I Should’ve Been follows Breezy Bishop who was single handedly running her family’s art gallery in New York until her dad died and left the gallery to her brother Logan instead of to her. When she finds out her brother knew this was going to happen, Breezy feels betrayed and flees New York for Red Bridge, Vermont, where her other brother lives, looking for a place to regroup and reset.

While there Breezy looks for a distraction and finds it in the form of local sheep farmer, Tad Hanson. Tad is charming and easygoing, and it’s clear that he’s attracted to Breezy.  I loved the easy chemistry and hilarious banter that flies between Breezy and Tad, but could tell that what started as a distraction could easily turn into more if either of them were to let their guard down. 

What I loved the most about this story was that as satisfying as the romance was, there’s so much more to both Tad and Breezy’s story.  There are hints from the beginning that in spite of his easy going nature, Tad has suffered a tragedy in his past that is still haunting him.  When he starts to feel something deeper for Breezy and thinks about the future, his journey becomes one of finding a path through grief to healing. 

Breezy also has a journey in that she has to decide what to do about her career and about her relationship with Logan. Does she want to go back to NYC or has she found something that she didn’t know she was even looking for in Red Bridge? 

This book definitely has a little something for every reader - opposities attract spicy romance, hilarious banter, found family, & layered characters.  Oh and don’t even get me started on the sheep & their Houdini-style antics.  Poor Tad might be charming and sexy, but his sheep farming skills leave a lot to be desired. 😂

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

❓QOTD - Current read?
📚 Getting Ready to Spend an Afternoon Reading 📚 📚 Getting Ready to Spend an Afternoon Reading 📚

 Hey book friends, 

I am not a good video maker at all but I still wanted to share the fantastic reading set-up that I used while reading over the holiday weekend. 

Thanks so much to @viozon_official for the #gifted multifunctional pillow stand. 

The grip can hold my kindle, a tablet, or even my phone if I rotate it vertically. There is also plenty of room to store my reading snacks and a holder to snap my soda into. 

I also loved that when you take the cover off, you can rotate that and attach it as a mini side table. It was the perfect spot for my tiny fan so it was so darn hot here all weekend long! 

After spending my afternoons reading, I was then able to pop the cover back on and use it as a laptop pillow so I could write my book reviews. 

❓QOTD - As you can see, I like a salty-sweet combo when it comes to my reading snacks, popcorn and some kind of chocolate. What’s your go to reading snack or beverage?
📚 JULY HOPEFULS 📚 Happy Friday, book friends! I h 📚 JULY HOPEFULS 📚

Happy Friday, book friends! I hope your month is off to a good start and that you’ve already had some great reads.  I’m off today so I went ahead and pulled together what I’m hoping to read this month. 

I think I’ve got a pretty amazing line up and I’ve already finished a couple of these so be on the look out for reviews starting right after the holiday weekend. 

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

📚 Physical Copies: 📚

Star-Crossed Summer by Devon Daniels - Just finished, review coming soon
Where I Should’ve Been by Max Monroe - Currently reading
Falling Into You by Jill Shalvis
The Final Score by Lana Ferguson - Currently reading, almost finished
Into the Fading Twilight by Catherine Cowles - Just finished, review coming soon
Maggie and Arthur’s Magic Moment by Leslie Rene
Mr. Nice Spy by Tiana Smith (26 in 2026 challenge read)
Score by Kennedy Ryan
Formula Zero by Meredith Lanzen
The Matchmaker’s Cottage by Kat Sloane
She’s Not Sorry by Mary Kubica (26 in 2026 challenge read)

🎧📱E-ARCs/ALCs: 📱🎧

In Stormy Weather by Chelsea Curto
Love Wells Kept by Bailey Hannah - Finished, review coming soon
The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren
Not That Kind of Proposal by Victoria Lavine
Extra-Curricular by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Meet Me in Paris by Kristin Harmel
Brighter Than Before by Courtney Walsh
Wild Goose Chase by Sarah Adler
Yes, Chef by Grace Reilly
Hot Girl Murder Club by Ashley Winstead
Married with Benefits by Ellie Palmer
Tethered Love by Ann Einerson

❓QOTD - What are some books you’re hoping to read in July? Do we have any in common?
Thanks to @macmillan.audio #macaudio2026 #partner Thanks to @macmillan.audio #macaudio2026 #partner for the gifted ALC!

🎧 AUDIOBOOK REVIEW - WHISPER CREEK 🎧

Author - Allison Brennan

Pub Date - 6/23/2026

Whisper Creek is a fast-paced, atmospheric thriller that follows the McKenna family, particularly matriarch Ellen McKenna, who is fighting to keep the family farm going after her husband’s death. Ellen’s family does their part, but it’s a challenging job, especially when both a greedy local businessman and Mother Nature are constantly threatening. 

This story centers on a single day when all hell seems to break loose at once between a menacing storm, a dog and its owner both found shot, which is then followed by even more trouble when Ellen’s daughter goes to check on a neighbor and walks into unexpected danger. 

This is a high stakes story that is filled with tension and suspense and where the storm is described so vividly, it practically takes on a life of its own and feels like another character.  There’s a lot going on, but the writing is clear so it’s easy to keep track of everything. The plot is also well paced, and Ellen McKenna, with her strength and determination, is a very easy character to root for.  There are definitely some elements that give this story a family drama feel, but by and large, it’s a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. 

Amanda Stribling narrates the audiobook and her performance is top notch. She does such a great job lending each character a unique voice that I actually thought it was a full cast performance until I went back and verified who did the narration. Very impressive!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - Random but I can’t think, so what’s for dinner tonight?

AOTD - We had chicken fajitas.
📚 JUNE WRAP-UP 📚 Hey book friends! I hope your Ju 📚 JUNE WRAP-UP 📚

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

I read 22 books in June so it was a pretty great reading month.  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 did have one DNF but I’m calling it a DNF for Now because it was totally a me thing. It’s a witchy read that I think I’m actually really going to enjoy closer to spooky season, but I just wasn’t feeling it as a summer read so I set it aside. 

As always, I am a little behind on reviews, so you can expect to see a few of the ones I’m behind on over the holiday weekend while I’m off from work and have some extra time to write. 

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

AOTD - I started off my July reads with Into the Fading Twilight by Catherine Cowles and Star-Crossed Summer by Devon Daniels. Both were books I started the last week of June but didn’t finish in time to make this wrap up. 

❤️ 5 STARS ❤️

Chase Me If You Can by Heather Frances
The Great Outdoors by Kayla Olson
Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood

🧡 4.5 STARS 🧡

In Every Possible Way by Alicia Thompson
Dearly Departed by Chip Pons
Tropestick by Lauren Okie
West of Forever by Corinne Michaels
Love Between Innings by Laura Langa
Love Wells Kept by Bailey Hannah (Review to come)

💛 4 STARS 💛

Carl’s Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman
North Country by K.A. Tucker (Review to come)
Whisper Creek by Allison Brennan (Review to come)
Beard Science by Penny Reid
Big Stick Energy by Sarina Bowen
It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell
You Won’t Forget Me by Mazey Eddings
Sticks & Stones by Jillian Arly
Rumors & Whiskey by Victoria Wilder
Wild Card by Elsie Silver (26 in 2026 challenge read)
Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit (26 in 2026 challenge read)
The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh

💚 3.5 STARS 💚

Crescent Kingdom by Tessa Hale

💙 3 STARS 💙

NONE

💜1 or 2 STARS 💜

NONE

DNF for Now

Witch Season by Julia Bianco (This was a seasonal/mood reader is
The problem is NOT that I own too many books. Th The problem is NOT that I own too many books. 

The problem is that I don’t own enough bookshelves. 

Anyone else have this problem? 😆

#bookwormproblems #readerproblems
Thanks for the gifted e-arc @readforeverpub 🏒 Rev Thanks for the gifted e-arc @readforeverpub

🏒 Review - BIG STICK ENERGY 🏒

Author - Sarina Bowen

Pub Date - 6/30/2026

Big Stick Energy is the second book in Sarina Bowen’s New York Legends hockey romance series and oh boy is it a good one! It follows Darcy Kendrick, who works as an admin for a professional hockey team and who also happens to have a crush on the team’s captain, Eric Tremaine. 

After she accidentally slides into Eric’s DMs and reveals that she finds him attractive and they learn they will be attending the same wedding, one that neither is overy excited to attend because of family drama, Darcy and Eric decide to attend together and pretend that they are dating.

I really enjoyed both of these characters, Darcy because she has the underdog vibes and I’ll always cheer for the underdog, and Eric because he is just so supportive in every way, whether it’s with his teammates or with Darcy. You could just tell they were both good people who could be great together if they would give it a chance and not worry about the whole workplace issue. 

I’m always up for a fun fake dating story and this one was very entertaining. It was fun getting to hang with Eric and Darcy as they each interacted with the hockey team.  There was a lot of fun banter and of course plenty of shenanigans with the teammates. 

Darcy and Eric were fantastic together and I loved how naturally their relationship evolved even though it obviously started out as fake. They were both there for one another both in terms of emotional support and in terms of pure fun, to make what could have been a painful wedding experience for each of them actually a great time.. I especially loved them teaming for the dance off and for the maze race. So much fun and so much hilarious banter! 

Highly recommend this one for fans of:

🏒Fake Dating
⛸️Hockey Romance
🏒Workplace Romance
⛸️Witty Banter
🏒Forced Proximity

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - What is going to be your first read of July? 

AOTD - I started Into the Fading Twilight today so will be continuing that into July.
☀️ BERKLEY ROMANCE SUMMER FLATLAY ☀️ My summer ha ☀️ BERKLEY ROMANCE SUMMER FLATLAY ☀️

My summer has been fully booked so far with fantastic reads from Berkley Romance, some from long-time favorite authors and some from authors releasing their debuts this year. 

Some of these books were purchased by me, while others were gifted by Berkley Romance. Thanks so much, @berkleyromance!#berkleypartner 

I still need to post reviews for a couple of these that are releasing in July, but they are all just chef’s kiss for anyone who is looking for some great romance books to add to their beach or pool bag. 

Books Featured: 

☀️Star-Crossed Summer by Devon Daniels
🏖️The Summer Girlfriend by Kristina Forest
🌸The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston
🏒The Final Score by Lana Ferguson
🍀In Every Possible Way by Alicia Thompson
🎾The Open Era by Edward Schmit
🌪️Chase Me If You Can by Heather Frances
🤠Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood
⛱️The Summer Share by Jenn McKinlay 

❓QOTD - Are any of these on your radar? What has been your favorite read of June?
🔎 THRILLER THURSDAY 🔎 Thanks for the free e-arc @ 🔎 THRILLER THURSDAY 🔎

Thanks for the free e-arc @atriabooks & gifted ALC @simon.audio #partner

Review - IT COULD HAVE BEEN HER

Author - Lisa Jewell

Pub Date - 6/23/26

Jane is out walking her dogs when she comes across a lost dog. After having its chip scanned, Jane offers to return the dog to its owner in London and is shocked when she arrives and recognizes the house right away.  It’s the same house she had a frightening experience at years before. Jane also learns that before the dog turned up on her property, it had been seen with a teen girl who was staying nearby but who has now gone missing.  When Jane realizes there might be some connection between the missing girl, the lost dog, and the house from Jane’s own past, she decides to do some amateur sleuthing. 

The first half is a bit of a slow burn, as Jewell lays the intricate groundwork that will eventually lead Jane and the reader to see how so many seemingly unconnected people and things are actually very much interconnected.  The pacing picks up significantly around the halfway point though and I found myself flying through the pages because I had to know what exactly had gone on in that house over the years because it was obviously holding a lot of secrets within its walls.

I love a good amateur detective story and this one was especially intriguing since Jane actually does have a bit of training as a detective and had been thinking about picking it up again.  I also enjoyed that Jane is an older protagonist. We need more books that feature older protagonists.

As always with Jewell’s writing, it’s very satisfying to watch all of the pieces of the overall puzzle slot into place over the course of the book. 

If you enjoy twisty thrillers filled with dark secrets and dysfunctional families, this is the book for you!

I started reading the e-book and added the audiobook for an immersive experience when that became availableThe audiobook has a full cast narration and it definitely enhanced my overall experience as the narrators struck the perfect tone to really add to the suspense and mystery. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - Do you think you would make a good detective or woul
Thanks for the free e-arc @berkleyromance #Berkley Thanks for the free e-arc @berkleyromance #BerkleyPartner #Berkley 

🍀 Review - IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY 🍀

Author - Alicia Thompson

Pub Date - 6/23/26

(Physical copy purchased by me)

Jess has just ended what has to be the worst date ever and then, to add insult to injury, is mugged and knocked unconscious while walking to her car. When she wakes up, Jess is shocked to find that she is in Ireland and even more shocked when she meets Eamonn, the handsome Irish brother of her date from hell, as she is walking around trying to get her bearings. With no passport or ID, Jess knows she needs to get to the American embassy to sort things out, but it’s St. Patrick’s Day weekend and the embassy is closed.  Eamonn graciously offers Jess a place to stay and to show her around Dublin over the weekend.

You definitely have to suspend disbelief a bit, but everything about Jess and Eamonn’s weekend together is so magical and romantic that it’s very easy to do.  Thompson’s writing is just so vivid and gorgeous that I felt like I had been transported to Ireland right alongside Jess, and I was just so delighted for her, especially because Eamonn was everything his brother was not when it came to Jess. 

I was so invested in Jess and Eamonn, which surprised me since they basically spend three days together touring parts of Ireland, but the connection between them went so much deeper than just physical attraction. It truly felt like each had met their perfect match, especially the more they got to know one another. Their connection captured my heart so thoroughly that it had me muttering “OMG, please don’t let this only be a dream” repeatedly the closer I got to the end of the book.

I’ve enjoyed Thompson’s books in the past but this one is my new favorite from her. Just stunning in every way.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Perfect for fans of:

🍀Magical realism
✨Forced Proximity
🍀Age Gap
✨Grumpy-sunshine
🍀Irish setting

❓QOTD - What’s the setting of your current read?
Thanks for the free book @berkleyromance #BerkleyP Thanks for the free book @berkleyromance #BerkleyPartner #Berkley 

🌪️ Review - CHASE ME IF YOU CAN 🌪️

Author - Heather Frances @heatherfrancesauthor 

Pub Date - 6/23/2026

I didn’t know I needed a romance about storm chasers in my life until I started reading Chase Me If You Can. Tornadoes actually terrify me and I normally don’t even want to think about them, but the endearing characters, the electric atmosphere, and the addicting storyline of this book had me flat out obsessed from the first page and I devoured it in a couple of sittings. 

Sloane Michaels is a wedding photographer most of the year, but her real passion is storm chasing and photographing tornadoes. When she is one of just a handful of women photographer invited to participate in the prestigious Nature Shots photo competition, she knows it’s the chance of a lifetime to establish herself as a name in landscape photography. 

There’s just one problem, her arch nemesis “Wild Wes” Talbot has also been invited to participate. No one gets under her skin like Wes does and Sloane doesn’t need the distraction.  When Wes recklessly gets into an accident right at the start of the storm season, Sloane surprises herself and she surprises Wes when she invites him to join her for the remainder of the season. 

I loved the tension and the banter between these two and of course watching their relationship grow and change the more time they spend together and really get to know one another. I also loved how down bad Wes really was for Sloane the whole time.  It was actually adorable. 

I also surprised myself and actually loved all of the storm scenes.  They were such an adrenaline rush as we follow the chasers into the path of danger as they try to get their storm photos. 

Everything about this book just hit perfectly. 

Highly recommend if you enjoy:

🌪️Frenemies to lovers
🌪️Forced Proximity
🌪️Storm Chasing
🌪️Banter
🌪️He Falls First

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - Do storms bother you or are you a fan?
Thanks for the free e-arc @putnambooks #partner 🌸 Thanks for the free e-arc @putnambooks #partner

🌸 Review - DEARLY DEPARTED 🌸

Author - Chip Pons

Pub Date - 6/16/2026

(Physical copy purchased by me)

I went into this one completely blind, so I wasn’t sure what to expect and I immediately fell in love with this Hades-inspired gay fantasy rom-com.

Hayden Harlow, formerly the God Hades of the Underworld, is now living as a grumpy funeral director in the mortal realm and he is not happy about it.  All he wants to do is get back to the Underworld and reclaim his immortal status.  That is, until he meets Levi. the florist, and total ray of sunshine, who works next door to Hayden’s funeral home.

Grumpy-sunshine is one of my favorite tropes, and this was such a fun spin on it. I adored the chemistry and the dynamic between Hayden and Levi, as well as the overall unique premise of the story. The world building was well done and easy to follow. The story is sweet and spicy, but it also has some depth to it, exploring themes like loss and grief. 

The characters are endearing and it’s a delight to watch them grow, both individually and as a couple. 

Overall, just such a fun and unique read. Highly recommend!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

❓QOTD - What are you starting out the week reading?
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