Books – September 2022

Book reviews for the month. I had some really good ones, and two not so much. I have a few Christmas books that came in that I cannot wait to get to! I am sure I will be breaking them out in the next month or so. I did listen to one of them this month, but it was only Christmas-y because it took place on a Christmas tree farm. Do you have any good fall books you have read/looking forward to reading? I would love a few suggestions!

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

I absolutely loved this one! Maybe even more than the Love Hypothesis, which is really saying something…because that book was fantastic. I love bad ass women in science, and Bee was so quirky and funny. Levi was a great male character in this book. I felt like there was a little mysteriousness to him, and he really ended up being a stand up guy. I loved Bee’s twin sister and her assistant. They were hilarious and added some fun to the main plot. I LOL’d several times throughout this book. I will say, I could have done without some of the woke talk in the book. I feel like authors love to throw in some wokeness in their writing and it just isn’t needed in the story. I cannot wait for Ali’s next one!

Bottom Line: Read it!!

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand

I didn’t realize this was part of a series, but it makes sense since it is supposed to become a series for TV soon. I have read so many Hilderbrand books, and yet I still have a decent backlog of her older stuff to read. I really enjoyed this one, I couldn’t put it down! I really wanted to know what happened, and I saw everything coming except the big thing of who done it! I liked how the book went between the present investigation and the past leading up to everything. Every character was fantastically interesting.

Bottom Line: Read it!!!

The Sweetheart Deal by Miranda Liasson

This is a take on Romeo and Juliet, which was quiet fun, as I love some family drama. The premise is also faking a relationship, which tends to work well for me. I loved Leo and Tessa as characters, and loved seeing them try to save their family businesses together. This is the first in a series, as I am guessing we will see perhaps Tessa’s sisters or Leo’s best friend in future books? I hope so! It was just a fun read that I finished rather quickly. I absolutely loved the ending.

Bottom Line: Read it! You have a morph of fake relationship/second chance romance/enemies to lovers thing going on.

**I received a copy of The Sweetheart Deal from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Do I Know You? By Emily Wibberley

Publishes January 24, 2023

I really loved the premise of this, a married couple struggling in their 5th year, pretending to be strangers on an anniversary trip to try to save their relationship. I found it very realistic, as Graham and Eliza tried to navigate how to get back to how they were. I really liked that the chapters switched back and forth from Graham’s POV to Eliza’s. It drew me in quickly, and I felt like I got to see what each side was struggling with. This was a sweet read, sometimes the marriage in trouble trope is hard. This is a great reminder to always date your spouse. I liked this better than The Roughest Draft that I read last month by the same duo.

Bottom Line: Read it.

**I received a copy of Do I Know You? from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Arsenic and Adobo by

I do love a cozy mystery from time to time. Especially closer to fall. This was a fun read. I think the author might have gone overboard on all the food descriptions. It was a little maddening at times, and pulled me out of the story. It was more of a distraction, than anything. I also think Lila wasn’t the most likable character. She had two guys falling all over her, and I am not sure that she deserved either of them. But otherwise, I enjoyed this. Made a good palette cleanser.

Bottom Line: Read it.

Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

I absolutely loved this book! While it takes place on a Christmas tree farm, it isn’t an overly Christmassy book. Though, I never mind lots of Christmas cheer in my books, but if it isn’t your think, you could still enjoy this one. This is a fake relationship/friends to lovers trope…and I am here for it. I just loved Lucas and Stella!!! The build up and pace of the book was perfection. You get fun and a little steam. There is also a little bit of a mystery going on at the farm, which kept it interesting. I cannot wait to read the next one!

I consumed this on audiobook, and I really loved the narration. It definitely added to the enjoyment of the book.

Bottom Line: Read it!

**I received an audio copy of Lovelight Farms from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

The Last Housewives by Ashley Winden

WTF did I just read? This book is so messed up. I know sometimes that is a good thing, if that is what you are craving, but this is just….I don’t even know? I will say that I read it super fast, because I did want to know where it was all going to go. But the content of the book? It is about a cult and making women be submissive to men with sex torture. To each their own if you are into that. And its not even a “trigger” for me, I don’t really care about trigger warnings in books. But I felt like the book wasn’t done very well. There was no big twist. And most of the story was Shay wanting to tell Jamie about her and her past, so it loses some of its edge that way. And the chapters that are in the present as they are investing what happens to Laurel, anytime Shay gets near danger she magically gets out. It is so unrealistic to me.

Maybe it is by design from the author, but I also couldn’t care about anyone in this book. I didn’t even feel bad for the victims. I especially hate Shay, our main character. The only one with redeemable qualities was Clem.

Bottom Line: If I didn’t have to finish this one, I wouldn’t have. I would say pass.

The Grace-Filled Homestead by Lana Stenner

Well now I just want to move on some land, grow a garden and play with goats! I want a grace-filled intentional life.

I received an audiobook of The Grace-Filled Homestead and really appreciated that the author read it. I enjoyed consuming this on audiobook, it felt like that author was just telling me stories about her life in my car. It kept me entertained.  I hope then released, it will come with PDF of the recipes and such, as that is hard to put to use from an audio copy.

Bottom Line: If you are interested in becoming more self sustaining, homesteading, farm house living, etc, read it!

**I received an audio copy of The Grace-Filled Homestead from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

The Second You’re Single by Cara Tanamachi

Publishes January 31, 2023

I just couldn’t finish this one. Our main character Sora is so judgmental, constantly making comments about what people eat, wear, their body size. It is quite the disservice to put a midsized character in a book, and make her a total bitch. She is constantly talking about bacon, it is so cliche. I am tired of the healthy at any size movement that is going on right now, it should be unhealthy at every size for our country and the relationship so many of us have with food. I just can’t tolerate reading anymore of this garbage. Sorry.

Bottom Line: Pass

**I received a copy of The Second You’re Single from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Currently Reading

The Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand