Let’s talk about the books I have loved the most this year (so far)! but before getting into the books, be aware that this list is not ranked, it’s in the order I read the books because I could decide on a ranking.
Without further ado, here are my favorite books of 2024 so far:
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett: I loved this cozy fantasy told in an interesting academic and epistolary style, with a few darker and violent elements since it’s a book about fairies. Set in a small town, it’s full of side quests and adventures involving the townspeople and fairies, ranging from fun and cozy to distressing. The best aspect of this book is the main characters. They are so different from one another: Emily is serious and scholarly, while Wendell is charismatic and talkative. Their dynamic is so entertaining, and their bickering is so much fun.
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty: Amina is a character with a strong, captivating voice, which is one of my favorite aspects of this book. I also loved the endearing found-family made up of a ragtag group of characters. This plot-heavy story is full of adventures, mixing real historical details with magical creatures, sea monsters, sorcerers, and magical artifacts, this combination makes it incredibly interesting. I had so much fun discovering this world.
Tastes Like Shakkar by Nisha Sharma: I really liked both main characters, they were loyal, hardworking, and passionate. They had so much chemistry from the very beginning and I loved the development of their relationship from animosity to love. The friend group is fantastic and I appreciated the way this discussed complicated family dynamics and the toll that family obligations can have. Overall, a really great romance!
Bride by Ali Hazelwood: I honestly believe that Ali Hazelwood could write a grocery list, and I would read and love it. She makes me feel invested in her characters and stories. This book is set in an interesting world; I always love stories about humans, vampires, and werewolves coexisting, and I appreciated the unique elements that made this one stand out. I loved the romance—a marriage of convenience where the hero is secretly pining for the heroine. It’s a slow-burn, fated mates story that I couldn’t get enough of.
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez: I LOVED the hero in this book, he’s swoony and embodies the idea of “if he wanted he would”. He is not just a nice guy but a layered character, with a complicated family storyline that had me hooked. A scene with his mom even made me cry, which is rare for me. The heroine was frustrating at times, but it was easy to understand her due to her childhood trauma. Her powerful character arc was compelling. The romance was adorable, the main characters had so much chemistry and I loved to see a relationship built on honesty. There was great banter, inside jokes, and also the pre- and post-date questionnaires were delightful.
Hi everyone! I’m a bit sad to say that I spoke too soon in my last wrap-up, I thought the reading and blogging slump was behind me, but unfortunately, the reading is still sporadic and the blogging is even more so. That said, I’m determined to get back to my usual routine. So, here I am, giving it another go.
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez(5 stars): I LOVED the hero in this book, he is so swoony and he’s the embodiment of “if he wanted he would”. He is a layered character, and his storyline in this book revolving around his family is so complicated and I was invested.I also liked the heroine, the character arc she goes through dealing with her childhood trauma is powerful, and I loved seeing her journey. The romance was so cute, the main characters had so much chemistry and I loved to see a relationship built on honesty. There’s great banter, inside jokes and also the pre and post-date questionnaires were so cute.
Funny Story by Emily Henry (4 stars): I’m someone who loves fake dating/friends-to-lovers stories, and this delivers such a good one. I really liked the characters and the journey each of them goes through to figure out what they want out of life, I loved their chemistry and how their relationship slowly evolves from acquaintances to friends to lovers. I also found the complicated family dynamics in this book interesting to read about and I also loved the friendships in this.
Only and Forever by Chloe Liese (4 stars): I loved the dynamic between the main characters in this book, seeing the characters become friends while trying to deny their attraction to each other until they reluctantly fall in love was so captivating. I loved how honest and communicative the characters were with each other, and the fact that it’s a low-drama, low-conflict romance. The heroine’s character development was one of my favorite parts of the story, seeing her start to believe in love and learn to open up to someone was wonderful. I appreciated the ADHD and Diabetes representation and I enjoyed getting to see the Bergman family again.
Swift and Saddle by Lyla Sage (4 stars): This was a sweet romance with some steamy moments. Wes was caring and gentle and Ada was capable and guarded. They had a lot of chemistry and their communication and honesty were great, I loved seeing their relationship evolve throughout the book. The family dynamics and the female friendship were other aspects that worked well. I usually like low angst, low conflict stories but I think this book takes it a bit too far. There’s little plot and there was a situation that seemed like it was going to be the main conflict, but it got dropped at the end of the book.
Only for the Week by Natasha Bishop (4 stars): The writing and the dialogues in particular didn’t completely work for me. However, I liked the main characters, they had great chemistry, I loved that the hero was completely gone for the heroine, and also there were some good steamy scenes. I also liked the group of friends and I hope the friends get their own books. The family drama was frustrating but also interesting and I appreciated that the heroine was able to stand up for herself.
How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin (4 stars): I had so much fun reading this. It’s a fantastic cozy mystery, the story is well-crafted and entertaining, there’s an interesting cast of characters and a small town full of secrets. It was exactly what I wanted.
The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose (4 stars): It took me a while to get into this, while I got used to Molly’s voice again, but I ended up enjoying it more than the first book. I liked seeing the growth that Molly has gone through, the mystery was interesting and overall this was a very fast and entertaining read.
The Marlow Murders by Robert Thorogood (4 stars): This is a solid cozy mystery. It has delightful main characters, who are very different from each other and each has their skills and strengths, it has an interesting mystery and it’s well written. It’s also compelling because there’s always something happening and the characters are constantly uncovering clues, despite being a cozy mystery, this is quite fast-paced in a way.
Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood (3.5 – 4 stars): This still has delightful characters and it’s well-written, but the mystery in this is a little less interesting than the mystery in the first book. There’s a point halfway through when the book starts to drag because the investigation slows down a lot, and the resolution feels a little convoluted and forced.
A Grave Robbery by Deanna Raybourn (3.5 stars): I liked this book, but unfortunately, it dragged at certain points. I think this suffered because most of the mystery solving involved talking to people and there wasn’t that much action. As always, I enjoyed seeing Veronica and Stoker together and how their relationship has evolved into something a lot more domestic and I also appreciated seeing old favorite characters.
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen (4 stars): This is a You’ve Got Mail retelling set in a very interesting fantasy world where there are demigods, zombies and talking animals who deliver mail. This is fun, cozy and entertaining. Both main characters go through internal conflicts, which makes the story more complex, and their relationship once they get together is so sweet. The side characters are all so lovable and they make the story more interesting to read. Lastly, there were a lot of different plotlines and I liked how they were tied together at the end.
The Brides of High Hills by Nghi Vo (4 stars): I love Nghi Vo’s writing and stories. This had a different tone from the other books in the series and I enjoyed that. I found the story interesting and while I was confused at certain points and there were things that didn’t add up, I think this was meant to be because Vo lets you believe you know where the story is going and then reveals the true story which was interesting.
Before Your Memory Fades by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (3 stars): This is definitely my least favorite installment of the series because it wasn’t as hard-hitting as the others. Additionally, I found it repetitive, not only because the rules of the Café were constantly reiterated, and we were constatly reminded of events that we just read about in previous stories, but also because the motivations of most characters wanting to travel in time were very similar. I didn’t really enjoy the first story, and the ending of the last story felt unnecessary.
Salt Slow by Julia Armfield (5 stars): This was grotesque, visceral and inventive. The writing is raw, beautiful, evocative, and the imagery is so powerful. This is a collection about messy women, passionate, violent and often unlikable, and it’s full of gore and speculative elements that allow the expression of things that women are sometimes not allowed to be be or feel. It explores puberty, motherhood, queerness, and so much more, and it does it in such an interesting way.
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell (3.5 stars): This is an interesting exploration of the connection between language and cults and cultish behavior, and it’s written in a very accessible way. Nonetheless, this is an intro to those topics, so it covers them in a superficial way which sometimes made the book feel repetitive. Overall, I wanted a bit more depth to the analysis.
Dear Girls by Ali Wong (4 stars): I didn’t know a lot about Ali Wong going into this, but I still really enjoyed it. I found myself laughing out loud often. Since I’m not really a fan, I wasn’t expecting anything so I didn’t mind that this was mostly a collection of wild stories without much reflection or vulnerability. It was just a fun book.
Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher(3 stars): This had been on my tbr for a long time and I’m not even sure why. I finally decided to pick it up on a whim and unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped. At some points this was really interesting, there were other points where I was bored while reading, and the humor overall didn’t land for me.
What’s the best book you read in lately? What are you currently reading?
This is technically part two to my list of anticipated releases of the first half of 2024 which I posted a couple days ago. This is focused only on romance because I read too many romance books and I have a never ending list of romances that I want to read.
Without further ado, here are some upcoming romance books I want to read:
Why do I want to read it? I really enjoy rivals to lovers romances and I want to read more romance books by Japanese authors.
Release date: January 30, 2024
Synopsis
On Nami’s 30th birthday, she’s reminded at every turn that her life isn’t what she planned. She’s always excelled at everything – until now. Her fiancé blew up their engagement. Her pride and joy, the tech company she helped to found, is about to lose funding. And her sister, Sora, is getting married to the man of her dreams, Jack, and instead of being happy for her, as she knows she ought to be, she’s fighting off jealousy.
Frustrated with her life, she makes a wish on a birthday candle to find her soulmate. Instead, the universe delivers her hate mate, Nami’s old high school nemesis, Jae Lee, the most popular kid from high school, who also narrowly beat her out for valedictorian. More than a decade later, Jae is still as effortlessly cool, charming, and stylish as ever, and, to make matters worse, is planning a hostile take-over of her start-up. Cue: sharp elbows and even sharper banter as the two go head-to-head to see who’ll win this time. But when their rivalry ignites a different kind of passion, Nami starts to realize that it’s not just her company that’s in danger of being taken over, but her heart as well.
Why do I want to read it? I have been waiting for this couple’s second chance at love for SO LONG. This is going to be so angsty and I can’t wait.
Release date: February 06, 2024
Synopsis
West, the Marquess of Weston, and Sophie, Lady Fitzwilliam Bridewell, have lately been spending a considerable amount of time together. But West and Sophie are not new acquaintances. In fact, years ago, they had once been nearly engaged until West’s almost fatal curricle accident and his meddling father threw them off course.
Now recently widowed, Sophie has put aside all thoughts of romance. But when her widowed sister, Alexandra, mentions a fondness for an earl, Sophie realizes that she may be holding her sister back. Alexandra won’t move forward with an engagement until Sophie, too, settles down again, and so Sophie approaches West with a plan. They will announce their engagement and break things off once Alexandra is happily married. It’ll be simple. After all, it’s not like she is going to fall for West a second time, not when Sophie has sworn not to risk her heart again.
Why do I want to read it? I love Ali Hazelwood’s books and this is a romance between a vampire and a werewolf which sounds fun.
Release date: February 6, 2024
Synopsis
Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again…
Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was….
Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she’s ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.
Why do I want to read it? I really liked the first book in the series and I’m interested in going back to this small town full of cowboys.
Release date: March 25, 2024
Synopsis
The last thing Ada Hart needs is a man to take care of her. Not anymore. After failing out of her interior design program and the disaster that was her short-lived marriage, Ada clawed her way up from her rock bottom. Now, the only person she trusts is herself, and that has gotten her further than ever before. She has her own business, and one of the largest ranches in Wyoming just hired her for the most important project of her career.
When Ada arrives in Meadowlark, she finds herself in a dive bar where she can’t seem to shake the eyes of a handsome cowboy. When she leads him to the back of the bar, he leaves her with a kiss that most people can only fantasize about. She almost regrets that she’ll never see him again . . . except it turns out he’s her new boss.
Weston Ryder is a happy guy. Even happier now that the mystery woman from the bar is the interior designer for his dream project on his family’s ranch. He feels like he hit the jackpot. It’s too bad she wants absolutely nothing to do with him outside of work. Ada is convinced the pull she feels toward Wes will go away, but Wes can’t stop thinking about her. Even though walls are coming down around Rebel Blue, Ada’s walls are firmly in place.Can they make it through this project without giving in? Or will they both put their dreams on the line for a chance at love?
Why do I want to read it? It has a fun premise and I’ve loved the last two Abby Jimenez books I have read.
Release date: April 2, 2024
Synopsis
Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it’s now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They’ll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work.
Emma hadn’t planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.
It’s supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma’s toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they’re suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected–including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?
Why do I want to read it? Chloe Liese is one of my favorite authors and I can’t wait to read the final book in this series that introduced me to her.
Release date: April 9, 2024
Synopsis
Viggo Bergman, hopeless romantic, is thoroughly weary of waiting for his happily ever after. But between opening a romance bookstore, running a romance book club, coaching kids’ soccer, and adopting a household of pets—just maybe, he’s overcommitted himself?—Viggo’s chaotic life has made finding his forever love seem downright improbable.
Enter Tallulah Clarke, chilly cynic with a massive case of writer’s block. Tallulah needs help with her thriller’s romantic subplot. Viggo needs another pair of hands to keep his store afloat. So they agree to swap skills and cohabitate for convenience—his romance expertise to revive her book, her organizational prowess to salvage his store. They hardly get along, and they couldn’t be more different, but who says roommate-coworkers need to be friends?
As they share a home and life, Tallulah and Viggo discover a connection that challenges everything they believe about love, and reveals the plot twist they never saw happily ever after is here already, right under their roof.
Why do I want to read it? I need more sapphic romances in my life and this one is anopposites-attract romance which I love.
Release date: April 16, 2024
Synopsis
Winning the lottery has ruined Opal Devlin’s’s life. After quitting her dead-end job where she’d earned minimum wage and even less respect, she’s bombarded by people knocking at her door for a handout the second they found out her bank account was overflowing with cash. And Opal can’t seem to stop saying yes.
With her tender heart thoroughly abused, Opal decides to protect herself by any means necessary, which to her translates to putting almost all her new money to buying a failing flower farm in Asheville, North Carolina to let the flowers live out their plant destiny while she uses the cabin on the property to start her painting business.
But her plans for isolation and self-preservation go hopelessly awry when an angry (albeit gorgeous) Pepper Smith is waiting for her at her new farm. Pepper states she’s the rightful owner of Thistle and Bloom Farms, and isn’t moving out. The unlikely pair strike up an agreement of co-habitation, and butt-heads at every turn. Can these opposites both live out their dreams and plant roots? Or will their combustible arguing (and growing attraction) burn the whole place down?
Why do I want to read it? When Emily Henry writes a book, I’m going to read it. But also this is an opposites-attract romance with a unique premise.
Release date: April 23, 2024
Synopsis
Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.
Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.
Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads—Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?
But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right?
Why do I want to read it? A romance between a romance novelist and a divorce attorney who are co-hosting a podcast sounds so good.
Release date: April 30, 2024
Synopsis
As a bestselling romance novelist, everyone thinks Truly Livingston is an expert on happily-ever-afters. She’s even signed on to record a podcast sharing relationship advice. Little do they know she feels like an imposter—her parents just announced they’re separating, she caught her fiancé cheating, and her entire view on love has been shaken to the core. Truly hopes the podcast will distract her… until she meets her cohost.
Her first impression of Colin McCory is…hot. But then he opens his extremely kissable mouth. Colin’s view on love just pisses Truly off, even if he does have an annoyingly attractive face. Bickering with a cynical divorce lawyer is the last thing she needs—so she walks out, with no plans to return.
A few days later, Truly is surprised when Colin tracks her down, asking for a fresh start. Truly can’t deny the little thrill she gets from Colin begging, so she reluctantly agrees. As they go from enemies to friends to something else entirely, Truly discovers they have more in common than she ever imagined, including their shared queerness. He’s a genuinely good guy—charming, sweet, and equally as unlucky in love as herself—and there’s something about Colin that drives Truly a little wild. When their attraction reaches a fever pitch, Truly is happy for the first time in years. Yet she can’t help but wonder… is Colin truly, madly, deeply in love with her? Or is it all too good to be true?
Why do I want to read it? This is fake dating in a small town and that sounds perfect for me.
Release date: May 21, 2024
Synopsis
Sage Byrd has lived in the coastal town of Spunes, Oregon (not to be confused with Forks, Washington) her entire life. She’s learned to love her small world, with the misfit animals on her hobby farm, and her friendships with the town’s inhabitants. But when her 5-year relationship ends and her ex, town-golden-boy Ian, suddenly gets engaged, Sage needs a win―something that will convince everyone to stop pitying her all the time, and to put Ian in his place. The Festival of Spunes, the town’s annual summer competition, would be the perfect opportunity. She just needs a partner.
Fisher Lange was a hotshot chef in New York City until the loss of his sister left him numb, grieving, and responsible for his teenage niece Indy. When Fisher loses his Michelin star along with his love of cooking, his boss sends him and Indy to Spunes on a much-needed summer sabbatical to consult on a restaurant opening. But when clashes with the townspeople threaten his last chance to redeem himself and a kiss with his new neighbor Sage leads to dating rumors, a strategic alliance might just be the best way to turn things around.
A deal is struck. Sage will improve Fisher’s image in the eyes of the town and remove the roadblocks he is facing with the restaurant, and Fisher will be Sage’s partner for the competition. But as their pact quickly turns into steamy rendezvous, emotional wounds begin to heal, and the pair tries to savor every moment, they start to realize that summer is racing by much faster than they would like…
Why do I want to read it? An Emma-inspired romance set in India sounds like something I would love.
Release date: June 4, 2024
Synopsis
Jia Deshpande, the ever-confident fashionista, is a writer for Mimosa, Mumbai’s top women’s magazine, where she begrudgingly writes cliché articles about finding “the One.” Out of the office, Jia writes the messy truth of real love on her anonymous blog while balancing competitive family game nights and growing feelings for her childhood friend. If that wasn’t enough, Jia has been tasked with successfully setting up a coworker to get her boss’s approval for her new matchmaking column. Thankfully, orchestrating meet-cutes has never been difficult for Jia.
Jaiman Patil can’t help but be enamored with Jia and her meddling spirit. They’ve known each other since childhood, playing while their fathers bonded over business. Now he’s an honorary part of her family, ever since his own moved to America, leaving Jaiman behind to pursue his dream of running a local pub. Life with the Deshpandes is chaotic and loud, but it’s more love than he had growing up. It’s also a lot to lose, so confessing his deep feelings for Jia is completely out of the question.
When Jia’s attempts at office matchmaking go haywire, risking new friendships and her relationship with Jaiman, she must reevaluate her own thoughts on love. For the first time, Jia Deshpande doesn’t know how to juggle the obstacles ahead of her. Love may be a bit more complicated than she thought, but luckily, happily-ever-afters are never in short supply in Mumbai.
Why do I want to read it? I’m always anticipating a new Ali Hazelwood book, and this one is a forbidden, secret affair which sounds so good.
Release date: Jun 11, 2024
Synopsis
Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.
Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through—and he’s a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can’t stop thinking about. The woman who’s off-limits to him.
Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business—one that plays for keeps.
What are your most anticipated romance releases of 2024? Do you want to read any of the books I mentioned?
Since the Latinx Book Bingo ended on October 15th and I posted a wrap-up, I decided to talk about the books I read in the last two weeks of October in my November wrap-up. The only issue was that I read too much during those weeks, because of that, I’m posting my october/november wrap up divided into 2 parts, one where I talk about all the romance books I read (this post!) and another where I talk about all the other books.
So here are my thoughts on all the romance books I read in the last 6 weeks, which are mostly 2023 releases:
Better Hate than Never by Chloe Liese (between 3.5 and 4 stars): I had a hard time getting into the story. I don’t like when the hero is mean to the heroine because he likes her but doesn’t want to, men who can’t appropriately deal with their emotions really frustrate me. Nonetheless, once he started to try to make it up to Kate and they started to be tentative “friends” I started to like the book a lot more. I really liked Kate and the portrait of her ADHD, I enjoyed the way the romance was developed after the initial tension, I liked the steamy scenes and the demisexual representation, and I appreciated how the conflict was handled because both of them actually behaved like adults and communicated with each other.
Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez (4 stars): I loved the start of this book. There’s a misunderstanding between the main characters when they first meet and I loved the way it was handled, how Briana slowly realized that Jacob is actually an anxious cinnamon roll and they become friends writing letters back and forth. I think they have chemistry from the very beginning, I really appreciated the anxiety representation, I loved the friendship between the main characters and once they started to fake date things got really fun. I had a bit of an issue with the second misunderstanding that happened later on, the miscommunication frustrated me a little bit, but I think it was understandable and I also liked the fact that it didn’t get dragged on for too long.
Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon (4 stars): This is a traditional romance with a lot of thematic depth, it heavily deals with mental health (anxiety and OCD) and does it really well. I really appreciate that this showed a first time that wasn’t that good because sex is not always fantastic from the very beginning and while it made for some awkward moments, it also led to some honest and healthy conversations about sex and also to the sex lessons trope, which was well-executed. The two main characters had such a sweet connection. they had a great relationship based on honesty and things between them got really steamy.
Full Moon Over Freedom by Angelina M. Lopez (4 stars): I loved the main character, Gillian, and the character development she goes through was my favorite part of the book. I loved the side characters, as well as how the Latinx community is represented and the importance heritage has on the story. The writing is fantastic. The romance was sweet and there were some really good steamy scenes. My one issue is that the hero, Nicky, was not as fleshed out as Gillian, so at times I wasn’t completely invested in the romance because of that.
The Seven Year Split by Ashely Poston (4.5 stars): This is a romance with a time travel element that has great main characters that have a ton of chemistry and the tension between them is incredible. It has a really sweet romance, particularly, their interactions in the past timeline. The time travel element kept me engaged the entire time wondering when the hero was going to find out and what was going to happen. I also appreciated the journey that the heroine goes through dealing with her grief and deciding what she wants to do with her life. The only reason this doesn’t get 5 stars is that I wish the main couple had more moments together in the present timeline.
The Nanny by Lana Ferguson (3.5 stars): I liked this even if I had some issues with it. The main characters had great chemistry, there were some good steamy scenes, the hero’s daughter was adorable and I loved her relationship with the heroine. My issue with this is that it was too long so it dragged at certain points, especially because they get together early on and there’s a big portion of the book that it’s them together while the heroine tries to hide part of her identity and not much else is happening.
Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage (4 stars): The main characters had amazing chemistry from the beginning and I loved seeing the development of their relationship from dislike to love. I think the author did a good job of showing how Emmy went from distrusting Luke to seeing how caring he was. I loved the fact that they were there for each other and they communicated with one another. There’s not a big, dramatic conflict in the story, there’s a bit of external conflict and it’s solved rather quickly, and I appreciated that. My one issue with this is that Luke had a couple of behaviors throughout the book that I didn’t love.
Friends Don’t Fall in Love by Erin Hahn (3.5 stars): This was ok but it wasn’t really memorable. I loved the fact that the friendship between the main characters felt believable, the romance was sweet and there were some really good steamy scenes. Nonetheless, this dragged. I usually love slow-burn romances, but in this book, the main characters were not communicating with one another, they were assuming a lot of things about the other’s wants and expectations and that’s the only reason they weren’t together and that went on for a little too long and it started to be frustrating.
Codename Charming by Lucy Parker (3.5 stars): I’m feeling very conflicted about this book. The main couple was so sweet, they understood and comforted each other, they communicated and there was a lack of unnecessary conflict between them, and the steamy scenes were really good. I loved the grumpy/sunshine dynamic and the slow-burn romance. Moreover, even when it was a low-angst, low-conflict, slow-paced book, I was entertained the whole time. Nonetheless, it made me uncomfortable that it’s established very early on that the hero is ugly – which I appreciated because we need more protagonists who don’t look like movie stars- but this fact was repeated so many times by every single character in almost every single page of this book, so I feel like it was overdone and it reduced the hero to his appearance which I think was the opposite of the message that it was trying to send.
A Dish Best Served Hot by Natalie Caña (4 stars): Both main characters were loyal and they were willing to fight for the things that are important to them. The relationship Saint had with his daughter was adorable and the trust and love that Lola builds with her was a highlight of the book. This does a good job of talking about gentrification and activism and also about the importance of not prioritizing our causes over our happiness and instead finding a balance. While this wasn’t that steamy, the characters did have great chemistry and banter from the beginning. The author does rely a little too much on the feelings the characters had for each other when they were younger and sometimes the development of their relationship in the present felt like it came out of nowhere. Nonetheless, I appreciated that they quickly cleared up the misunderstandings of the past and, by the end, they had serious discussions and they had to think about how they were going to make their relationship work in the present.
The Honeymoon Crashers by Christina Lauren (3.5 stars): This was a fun, quick novella. While the relationship developed a little too quickly, I appreciated that there were some very romantic moments and also some steamy ones.
A Walk in the Park by Rebekah Weatherspoon (4 stars): This was a sweet story. It had two likable main characters and even if the way they met was a bit hard to believe, I really liked how their relationship developed from sharing a dog as two strangers to falling in love. I also appreciated that we get fat representation of the hero and the heroine.
Crimes of Passion by Jack Harbon (4 stars): The grumpy/ sunshine dynamic worked really well in this, the two main characters are so different but they have common interests and I loved seeing them go from dislike to like. I loved the way the podcast element was incorporated into the story. My only issue is that there was an argument at the end and some things were said that I think needed more groveling to be forgiven and that did not happen. But overall, this was a very fun read.
Coming Home by Kennedy Ryan (4 stars): This was a sweet story. I’m usually not a huge fan of second-chance romances but in this case, it worked because it felt realistic, both characters went and lived their lives (got married, divorced, one had a child) and then they found themselves again in their 40s and decided to give the spark and chemistry between them a chance.
What were the best and worst romance books you read in 2023?
It’s been a while since I participated in Ten Top Tuesday, which is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, but I wasn’t sure what to post, and when I checked the topics for this month, this week’s topic “books set in X” really caught my eye. So I decided to make a list of romance books set in small townsthat I have read and loved in the last couple of years. I kind of cheated and included books in a series just as one entry on the list, so there are more than 10 books in this list, but I couldn’t pick just 10.
Both of these books are set in a small town in Kansas and they have a big Mexica-American family at the heart of the story, some paranormal elements, female characters that go through a lot of character growth, and really sweet but steamy romances. In After Hours on Milagro Street, there’s an opposites attract romance with forced proximity. In Full Moon over Freedom, there’s a second chance romance between childhood friends.
This is set in a small town in Wyoming and if you like cowboy romances, the brother’s best friend trope, two main characters with tons of chemistry, and a reformed bad boy, this book is for you!
This book is set in a small town in North Carolina and it’s a slow-burn romance with two plus-size characters, it includes the grumpy/sunshine trope and there’s a big focus on the healing and character growth of the heroine.
This is set in a small town in Michigan. It’s a second-chance romance between childhood sweethearts, and it’s a perfect example of a low-angst, low-conflict romance book done right.
This is set in a small town in South Carolina, and it’s a romance between someone running TO a small town and someone running FROM a small town that has to come back. It’s a friends-with-benefits, interracial romance with a plus-size female main character.
These books are set in small town in Maryland. Lovelight Farms is a friends-to-lovers romance with a fake-dating plot. In The Weeds is a second-chance, grumpy/sunshine romance, with forced proximity. Mixed Signals is a friends-to-lovers, sunshine/sunshine romance with a little fake dating.
This series is set in a small town in Oregon, both books are sapphic romances and deal with complicated family relationships. Delilah Green includes the sister’s best friend trope and one of the main characters is a single mom, and Astrid Parker is a rivals-to-lovers romance.
A big part of this is set in a small town in Minnesota. It’s an opposites attract romance where there’s an age gap and the woman is 10 years older than the guy, and it deals with heavy topics such as past abusive relationships.
A big part of this book is set in small town in North Carolina and it’s an enemies-to-lovers romance between two people who work in the publishing industry.
Set in a small town in Colorado, and it’s a slow-burn romance, with a grumpy/ sunshine dynamic, a single dad as a protagonist and a bit of forced proximity. It has a very outdoorsy vibe and there’s a lot of hiking.
Is there any particular setting that you love in books, like a specific city or country, large city or small towns, beaches vs snowy places?
Hi friends! As I mentioned in the first part of my august wrap up, since I don’t post full reviews anymore, wrap ups are the place where I share my mini reviews of the books I read, which means they are usually really long. That’s why, after reading 22 books, I had to divide this post in two.
So in this part 2, I’m sharing my thoughts on all the romance books I read this month:
The Roommate Pact by Allison Ashley (5 stars): I wasn’t expecting to love this as much as I did. The two main characters had so much chemistry, they made sense together and they had such an easy and fun dynamic between them. I love how their relationship transitioned from friends to best friends to lovers, it was very organic and it was so captivating to see them develop intimacy between them and fall in love. Also, the forced proximity and the nursing someone back to health tropes were fun plot elements. One of my favorite parts of the book was the emails that Graham wrote to Claire and I loved how he used them to confess his feelings. I’m a big fan of more intimate gestures and this was so swoony. In terms of the conflict, it made sense to me but I’m glad they didn’t drag it out too much. Also, Claire’s gesture at the end was also really sweet.
Happy Place by Emily Henry (5 stars): As always, Emily Henry’s writing is fantastic. She has the skill to make me like things I usually don’t. For example, I’m not usually a fan of second-chance romance because it feels unrealistic sometimes. But in this case, it worked so well because the two main characters had been together for years, and the breakup was recent. Also, I normally don’t love a book that has a lot of flashbacks, but I LOVED the flashbacks in this. Seeing how the main character fell in love and how much they loved each other was captivating. I was so intrigued by what tore the main couple apart, and, unlike Friends We Meet on Vacation, I was actually satisfied with the reveal. Both the relationship trouble and the friendship troubles felt so realistic to me. I LOVED the group of friends, seeing them struggle to stay friends despite the changes in their lives but loving each other enough to try. Also, I really appreciated that this book focused a lot on the personal growth of the characters.
Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez (4.5 stars): This is an emotional read, much heavier than many traditionally published romances. While the focus is on the romance, the story also deals with serious and heartbreaking topics. In particular, it discusses emotional abuse in a previous relationship. I felt enraged on behalf of the heroine, who was surrounded by people who wanted her to go back to her abuser because he was powerful and influential, and they liked him. I am glad that she found some peace and healing throughout the book. The hero is swoon-worthy, kind, and sweet. I loved the chemistry between the main characters. Despite coming from very different worlds, they understood each other and had a strong connection. However, the story dragged a little bit towards the end, and the solution to the big conflict felt unrealistic.
Next to You by Hannah Bonam-Young (4.5 stars): I love friends-to-lovers romances, especially when there’s pinning, and this book delivered that. The characters go from friends to lovers while the hero helps the heroine convert a school bus into a home, which is a cool element, and their relationship is sweet but also really steamy. The hero is kind, patient, and a bit too selfless. His family is also super sweet and they added wholesomeness to the story. Meanwhile, the heroine heals and grows so much throughout the book while dealing with grief and guilt, I loved how her complicated relationship with her family is addressed and the positive representation of therapy.
Curves for Days by Laura Moher (4 stars): I loved the healing and character growth of the heroine in this book, watching her make friends, renovate her house, help others, and go back to school was lovely. And the hero with his grumpiness grew on me as the story progressed. I ended up loving their relationship, how they slowly became friends, and then fell in love, by learning about each other, being there when the other needed them, and making each other laugh. I appreciated that it highlighted the victims of sexual assault within the military, the struggles of former military with mental health, and the lack of access to care they face. My main issue with this is that not a lot happens plot wise and it started to drag a little in the middle, and the conflict at the end wasn’t my favorite but at least it was resolved quickly.
Would You Rather by Allison Ashley (3.5 stars): I’m a big fan of the friends-to-lovers and the marriage of convenience tropes, and I think they were executed really well. I really enjoyed the beginning of this book; the main characters had a friendship that felt very realistic and it quickly becomes evident that the guy has been pining for his best friend for a long time. I enjoyed all of that. Nonetheless, the conflict of the book – the heroine not wanting to be in a relationship because she has an illness and doesn’t want to be a burden – dragged and I felt frustrated while reading. Also, the hero feels responsible for something that happened to his brother, and there’s a reveal at the end that felt very unnecessary. The last part of this book lost me a little, and I didn’t really feel invested.
Set the Record Straight by Hannah Bonam-Young (3.5 stars): I enjoyed this. Since it’s a short novella, there’s a bit of insta-love, but it’s a fun read and it gets really steamy. The story revolves around childhood best friends who reconnect after some time of not being super close and end up fake dating, which leads to one of them realizing she likes women while she is in her mid-twenties. The romance between them is super sweet. There’s no homophobia on page but one of the main characters was disowned by her family in the past.
The Boyfriend Candidate by Ashley Winstead (3,5 stars): I really liked both characters in this book, I found them very compelling and the writing was also really good. I appreciated that it highlighted some of the issues teachers and school administrations face when it comes to funds. Overall, this was a fast read and it was engaging enough. But there needed to be more moments between the main characters and also more chemistry for me to be completely invested in their relationship. The miscommunication between them got a bit frustrating towards the end. While I actually enjoy romances that also deal with politics, there were points when the political speeches and policy talks were a bit too much.
Off to the Races by Elsie Silver (3 stars): This is my first time reading Elsie Silver, and it wasn’t terrible, but I can’t say I really enjoyed it either. While I liked Billie, I was never sold on Vaughn as a hero. There was some tension and chemistry between the characters, but I was never convinced about their connection beyond the physical aspect. There were some good moments between them, but it wasn’t enough. Since I wasn’t invested in the romance, I was bored at some points. Nonetheless, as I mentioned, I liked Billie and enjoyed reading about her work with the horses, especially DD, which stole the show. I also liked the side characters, even if we didn’t see too much of them.
What were the best and worst romance books you read in August?
Bookish Wanderess 