Happy Summer Solstice! I am so ready for summer. I don’t know if it’s the conditioning from school years or if I just absolutely love being outside in the warmth but my attitude has totally shifted toward the positive these last couple of days. San Diego is notorious for June Gloom and it’s finally burning off and we’re spending all our spare time outside (not quite in the pool but that’s coming). I got a lot of reading done recently and decided share a bit early. Not that I don’t do a lot of romances but get ready for the beach reads this summer!!
Now into the books…
Happy Place by Emily Henry 📖
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Read synopsis here
Another Emily Henry done and dusted. She is someone that makes me want to write a book while I’m reading her books (should I write a book???). This book was absolutely amazing. I loved every word. I could see myself in every single one of her characters. I also love a second chance romance. There’s something about 2 people deciding to try again that just gets me. Maybe because I’m married, I know relationships ebb and flow so when people pull apart and come together it just makes sense to me (not to this extreme but still). If you love real life romance, this one is for you.
Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
Read synopsis here
Hallmark movie style rom com writer, mom, divorcee, cute kids… SHE NEEDS A REAL ROMANCE. And boy, does she get it. Nora is a normal human (my fav) and Leo while isn’t exactly a normal human I can see how people like him could exists. This book was a very fun, sort of obvious, type rom com book with a classic misunderstanding- so if misunderstandings bother you this probably isn’t for you. This book is a perfect beach read, plus Monaghan has another one coming out this summer so you could do a back to back.
Ever After Always by Chloe Liese
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5/5
Read synopsis here
I have loved the first 2 books of the Bergman Brothers series but for some reason this one fell a little flat for me. Aiden and Freya are an awesome couple that clearly needed a communication overhaul. As someone who has been in a relationship almost as long as that couple, I just couldn’t imagine not talking to my partner the way they don’t. I understand they are trying to protect each other but I was irritated that they didn’t just talk to each other. Luckily, therapy is everyone’s friend. As always, Chloe Liese is a master at steamy scenes that feel generally realistic for a romance novel without being too cheesy. Liese is also fantastic at writing romances with characters with disabilities and, this time, she wrote a great representation of anxiety. All together this book was a good easy read but missed the mark for my fav romances.
Waypoints: My Scottish Journey by Sam Heughan
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5
Read synopsis here
This memoir is very… fine. As someone who is a huge fan of Outlander (both books and series) I was so looking forward to learning more about Sam Heughan who plays Jamie. I was definitely hoping for some personal history and career but with a heavy look at behind the scenes stuff with Outlander- much like Tom Felton’s book as relates to HP. What I got was a lot of struggling actor stories with the first Outlander stories coming at 75% of the way through. Additionally, I listened to his on audiobook (as I always like to do with memoirs) and I had to listen at 1.25x speed because Sam talks a bit slow. Maybe I’m just too American? Ultimately, this book was very average but I enjoyed listening to Sam’s lilting Scottish accent and finished with a smile.
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Read synopsis here
I’m shouting this book’s praises from the mountain tops. I can almost guarantee that this will be my favorite read of the year. I absolutely loved it. LOVED IT. I rented this from the library and I want to buy a copy so I can reread it every year. The characters were so relatable and perfectly flawed. The writing was some of the best writing of this genre I’ve read in a really long time. I am amazed at how well Carley Fortune navigated the coming of age story combined with a second chance romance. The “twist” at the end was also very realistic in my opinion. I can see how some couldn’t see moving past it but I think the characters journey through that were all understandable and something I could see actually happening in real life. 5+++/5 stars. Would recommend to anyone who loves romance and even more for people who had a high school love.
Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
⭐️⭐️💫 2.5/5
Read synopsis here
I picked up this book because I wanted to see what all the fuss about Colleen Hoover was about. And I get it. She writes for people fly through the book and the sex scenes are steamy!! But at the end of the day, the relationship that the MCs were in was super toxic. She describes Miles as intimidating a lot, which is ok in some instances and in others feels borderline abusive(?). The saving grace was that we see a majority of the main plot line told through Tate’s POV and she admits to herself a lot that she shouldn’t like the toxic qualities about Miles. She admits she shouldn’t be in this relationship. So at least she knows. But it was still frustrating at some points. There were a lot of flaws in this story and the characters but I’m still rating it a 2.5/5 because 1) I flew through the book. I wanted to keep reading and that has to count for something. And 2) damn those sex scenes were awesome. In conclusion, it seems like Colleen Hoover is the next 50 Shades. Mildly toxic characters but great smut.
Nobody Will Tell You This But Me by Bess Kalb 📖
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5/5
Read synopsis here
This memoir is a love letter to Bess Kalb’s grandmother, all Jewish grandmothers and all grandmothers in general. There were a lot of fun little bits of advice and nuggets of wisdom. The relationships between mothers, daughters, grandmothers and granddaughters shine through the family stories that somehow feel like they could be written by my own family (even though we’re not Jewish or as close). I highly recommend listening to this one on audiobook read by the author.
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Read synopsis here
I am so glad I gave Tessa Bailey another chance! I think the one I didn’t like before was primarily due to the “Babygirl” nickname and that’s not for me. BUT this book was awesome. The plot moved, the tension rose, the characters were deeply flawed… everything you need for a good R rated romcom. Additionally, the small fishing town was so well described I could almost smell the fish. I’m definitely adding the sequel to my TBR list.
Hot British Boyfriend by Kristy Boyce
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5/5
Read synopsis here
YA isn’t normally my thing but I really enjoyed this one. It’s a classic love triangle with a friends to lovers (I can’t say “lovers” without feeling creepy with minors but you know what I mean) twist. This book is full of teenage angst, flirtatious fun, England and Italy descriptors, and of course a boy crazy girl. It’s perfectly sweet and everything I would have eaten up in high school, pretending I could be stuck in a love triangle with two boys who both liked me (17 year old me wishes lol). While I don’t think I’ll be a regular YA reader, this one was a sweet little pallet cleanser from the sexual tension of my beach reads 😉.
My Rating System
⭐️ – I did not like this book and generally would not recommend it.
⭐️⭐️ – This book was oook, but I felt pretty meh about it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ – This book was average. Didn’t love some parts but I still liked it overall.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – I really liked this book and will definitely recommend it to friends.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – I’m shouting this book’s praises from the rooftops! I loved it!
💫 – Half star
📖 One More Page Book Club pick of the month!
