I love a grumpy hero but after reading this I found out that I really love a grumpy lumberjack hero. Henri was 🥵 and while he gives caveman vibes 24/7, deep down he’s a squishy little cinnamon roll. At least for the people he loves 😉 Alice was also everything I want in a heroine and more. She’s tender hearted and so kind but there’s an inner badass inside her and moving to a new town is allowing her the opportunity to find her inner sassiness. I really appreciated that their relationship was mature and felt so real, they communicated and didn’t let silly miscommunications come between them and I was so here for it. Lovewell was such an interesting town and the residents were anything but welcoming to Alice and I’m dying to find out more in the next books. There was also a small mystery that wasn’t quite solved so onto book two for me asap. If you like small town romance, large families, messy and realistic problems and spicy scenes this one was fantastic. 

Oh my heart 🥹 If you’re in the mood for a deeply emotional read this was sooo good but also soooo sad. If you’ve ever lost a loved one the author captures those feelings for overwhelming grief so perfectly it hurts. As heartbreaking as this one was it was also funny at times and ultimately Kate’s journey is hopeful. There are several heavy triggers including miscarriage, death of a spouse and infertility so be mindful. If you ever want to read a book that will make you cry though it was excellent and powerful  and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. 

Ok I think this is my new favorite from the author, it was twisty and clever and just such a fun time. I was sucked into this one from the start but as things progressed and the tangled web of secrets began to unravel I was super invested. This was short and super fast paced with so many smart twists, both big and small that really kept me engaged. The audio version was excellent and was narrated by Patti Murin, Dan Bittner, Eliza Foss and John Pirhalla making it such a great multicast listen by some true pros. Definitely pick this up when you want a popcorn read that feels smart and super entertaining. 

The past few Decembers I’ve been lucky enough to receive an audio copy of Emma Lord’s latest and it’s always such a delightful treat. Her books are always adorable and heartfelt and this was no exception. 

Instead of being firmly YA this one was NA as Riley has just graduated from high school when the book begins so it has a coming of age vibe going on. The NYC setting was perfection, the friend group that Riley meets thanks to crashing with Tom for the summer was amazing and the friends to lovers thing between the two of them made for some great banter. This was too cute and funny and the audio was excellent. Norma Butikofer is a new to me narrator and she was fantastic, she really brought the authors story to life. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Every time I start a new book by Jill Shalvis I’m always pleasantly surprised by how much I love it from page one. It’s like I know from the start that I’m reading a special book, and one that will be five shiny stars and it’s such a great feeling! This is the fifth book in her Sunrise Cove series but each reads separately, the only thing they have in common is the location and each installment focuses on a brand new set of characters. All of that to say, you can jump in right here or read them out of order and it doesn’t matter one bit but they are all totally delightful and come highly recommended by me. 

The Bright Spot follows Luna and Jameson and a whole group of misfits who make up the community Luna has created at Apple Ridge Farm. Found family is one of my favorite tropes and I don’t know if I’ve ever read a better example of it than in this book. All of the secondary characters were so freaking good and added so much to the story. Mainly humor, I swear the authors books are always funny but this one had some extra humor that I loved. Luna and Jameson both have several issues they’re trying to work through but trust issues are high on the list and seeing them navigate this together was so sweet. I adored their relationship, their chemistry was so hot but they were also tender and sweet and their banter was excellent as well. There was an emotional depth to the story as well as plenty of sexy romance, family drama and sparkling wit. If you want a book that feels like a warm and cozy hug this is it, I absolutely loved it!

This book was an absolute delight and I loved every minute of it! If a book has food in it I’m sold and this is a foodies dream. From Paris to San Juan Island there are so many incredibly gorgeous sounding food descriptions I was drooling and besides food you also get some romance, family drama and an unforgettable journey for Georgia. There was a little bit of magic in this book, both in the literal sense and just a sense of wonder and awe and I loved the special gifts the women in Georgia’s family had. A totally enchanting and heartfelt read that I just loved.