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Book reviews

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

This was a great way to jump into my fall reading. I prefer to read these type of books more in the fall/winter. It took me a little while to get into, as there are many character POVs, plus time jumping. There are some characters that aren’t very likeable, as is expected with this type of book. I will say, there were several things that I didn’t see coming! I even gasped in a few spots. I loved the creepy feeling you get on the island and the slow burn as it all played out. Definitely recommend.

Bottom Line: Read it!

Mr Big Shot by RS Grey

I devoured this book, as I always do when it comes to R.S. Grey! So many tropes! You have hot boss, forced proximity, fake dating, off limits, age gap. Goodness. And they all somehow worked perfectly in a way only R.S. Grey can pull off!!! I enjoyed this one immensely. The whit and banter are on point and had me smiling the whole way through. Fantastic cast of characters and storyline. Loved the dual point of view. I cannot wait to get my hands on her next one!

Bottom Line: Read it!!

**I received a copy of Mr Big Shot in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailer

Now, usually I love Tessa Bailey for her characters and her spicy scenes. And while I did like both Natalie and August, they were both a bit immature for me. August is an Ex Navy Seal, and I loved his strong, alpha man personality…but I felt like we could have gone a lot deeper with his PTSD to make the book more interesting. It was fun getting to revisit the Voss family and the cute little town. I just wanted more from the book. And maybe a little less of the cringy dirty talk. The relationship was missing that depth I love in a romcom.

Bottom Line: Read it if you enjoyed the first and Tessa Bailey is your jam.

Love Interest by Clare Gilmore

**This one releases on October 10, 2023**

This was an office romance/hate to love trope that had me swooning! We meet Casey, a super smart, finance girl who just had her promotion snubbed from her by Alex, the bosses son. He knows there is some tension between them, but doesn’t know the reason why. Watching these two go from hate to love was such a fun ride! We watch Casey grow and figure out who she is, there is a lot of personal growth for both characters. This one will pull at your heartstrings and make you feel all warm and fuzzy. I definitely look forward to reading more from Clare Gilmore!

Bottom Line: Read it

**I received a copy of Love Interest from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

The Glucose Revolution by Jessie Inchauspe

This book was recommended to me by both my doctor and my RD. This book is packed full with valuable information that will benefit everyone. While I do not have numbers that show insulin resistance or diabetes in bloodwork, I do feel highs and crashes all day long and now I know why! Just doing a few of the hacks in this book has me feeling so much better and I cant wait to incorporate even more, I am all about taking steps and not a total overhaul overnight. I highly suggest this book, or at least following her on Instagram!

Bottom Line: read it!

The Glucose Goddess Method by Jessie Inchauspe

Reading this book for the actual material isn’t necessary if you read her first book, Glucose Revolution. But if you want an exact plan to follow to get started and lots of recipes, then you will want to check out this book as well. I liked that she broke down the four most important hacks to start and gives you an easy way to incorporate them into your life, one week at a time so it isn’t too overwhelming.

Currently Reading

None of This is True

I had a very slow start to the reading month, I was reading a nonfiction hormone book that took me awhile to get through, then Mac passed away and I wasn’t in the mood to read anything. I got an ARC copy for a book I was really excited about and made myself start it and got my reading mojo back and finished with a decent amount of books for the month!

The Barista’s Guide to the Perfect Steam by Valerie Pepper

Valerie instantly became a must read author for me. Someone on TikTok described her as Tessa Bailey’s sassy southern sister, and I 100% agree with that. If you like Tessa, give her a try for sure! The Guided Love Series takes place in Talladega, which makes my Bama girl heart happy. The cute little town makes me feel right at home. I love the first in the series, and this one is just as good! There is some serious steam, a badass coffee shop owner, a hot firefighter, the meddling townsfolk…what is not to love??? Watching the relationship between Jodi and Price bloom makes me so happy. I love that there is some depth to Price and how he was on a journey to bettering himself, definitely had the misunderstood bad boy thing going for him. And Jodi always trying to be the people pleaser and base for her family, she had some growth throughout the book as well. I cannot wait to read the next one in this series!

**I received an ARC copy from the author in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

The Honeymoon Crashers by Christina Lauren

I was excited to dive back into Olive and Ethan’s world, with Olive’s sister and Brody as the main focus in this quick read. I believe this is only available on audio? And it was such a fun cast of characters, very enjoyable to listen to. It was a whirlwind of wedding planning and watching Ami and Brody get to know each other. Definitely read Unhoneymooners first, as there would be far too many spoilers in this one if you didn’t. Why is no one talking about this??

Bottom Line: Read it!

With My Little Eye by Joshilyn Jackson

Love Joshilyn Jackson books and was super excited to get an ARC of this one. I actually read it after it was released, sorry!!! I took a little while to get into this one at first, but once I got a good footing of all the characters and what was going on, I really flew through it! It isn’t thriller level, but I appreciated the mystery behind who trying to figure out who the stalker was and trying to guess if it was someone she already knew. There were some unreliable characters that kept me on my toes. I guessed several things before they happened, but didn’t guess the actual stalker, so that was nice. I really loved Honor, she was such a great kid character. My only complaint was that the ending happened quickly and I wanted a little more from it.

Bottom Line: Read it!

**I received a copy of My Little Eye from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune

Loved this one and flew through it. The book switches back and forth in timeline, which I liked the layout of. I also enjoyed Fern’s mom’s diary readings, though I felt like they could have been more. Fern and Will were relatable characters and their history was messy and relatable. The setting of the resort was dreamy and the perfect way to finish out my “summer reading.” I think I liked Every Summer After a little more, but still enjoyed this one a lot.

Bottom Line: Read it!

Wheat Belly by William Davis

There is no doubt in my mind that our food supply is our biggest problem when it comes to our health today. I have done so much research and really opened my eyes over the last several years. Big Food and Big Pharma run everything and it is always about money and never about what is actually good for us. It is obvious that the author of this book has done a lot of research over the years and he makes some excellent points throughout the book. I will say, I did get a little bored at times, as there is a lot of science and medical talk. He makes an excellent case to consider eliminating wheat and gluten from your diet.

Buried Roots by Terra Weiss

I enjoyed this one! It was a romance/mystery book that drew me in right away and had me guessing through the end. It isn’t a thriller by any means, but it wasn’t advertised as such either. It was the perfect read at the beginning of September when I want to grab more mysteries. I loved the small town feel. While I felt like Willow and Owen had sort of an insta-love, it worked in this book. They were both broken from their pasts and just clicked really well together. Willow was a badass, restoring the old home and running her business. I loved all the side characters from the town, especially the animals from the farm. It gave me all the feels. This is a new to me author, and I definitely want to read the next in the series!!

Bottom Line: Read it!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Hormone Fix by Anna Cabeca

I found this book interesting and informative. I wont do everything in the book, but I am definitely glad I read it and have some key take aways I want to implement. Trying to find what works for you and your body is always difficult!

Coming in with some more book reviews! I was at the beach when I consumed most of these, and they were so perfect for that! So many good reads from so many of my favorites.

The Sweetheart List by Jill Shavis

The Sweetheart List was a cute read. I liked that Harper picked up and moved to start a new life and follow her dream of opening a bakery after a rough time in her life. Bodie and his whole family were awesome. I really liked Shay and Ham too. I enjoyed following along with Ivy’s story as well. I saw the plot twist and the problems coming, but still enjoyed the ride!

Bottom Line: Read it!

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

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren

I adore Christina Lauren’s books and this was no different. I am so glad that Fizzy got her own book! I absolutely loved her and Conner. The banter and steam were awesome. You definitely feel the connection. It was such a fun, unique plot with the dating show. I loved the names that Fizzy gave Connor, and her dad is just the cutest. Definitely recommend reading, but make sure you read The Soulmate Equation first to get River and Jess’s story.

Bottom Line: Read it!

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

The last short set of three Hazelwood books were a little bit of a let down for me. They were very copy-cut-paste stories for sure. So I was pleasantly surprised when I had the warm fuzzy feelings that I got when I first read The Love Hypothesis. But with that said, she definitely still has a lot of the same tropes and problems in this book as all of her others. And let’s not even talk about the use to the word big. Once, fine, but do we need it that many times? Insert all the eye rolls. I did appreciate all the Twilight references and the physics jokes. I do love a woman in STEM read and I really liked Elsie’s character. Her people pleasing tendencies really hit home for me. I also liked Jack for the most part. Overall, a solid read. I do hope that Ali gets away from her normal stencil and gives us something fresh next time.

Bottom Line: Read it!

Fast Like a Girl by Dr Mindy Pelz

I have been getting back into intermittent fasting after a long break. This time I have done a ton of research because I want to do it different. I have been reading up on a lot of hormone health books and they all have some common themes, getting your blood sugar and gut health under control. Many of them also suggest IF, as does my functional doctor. This book takes a slightly different approach in that Dr Pelz suggests varied fasting based on where you are in your cycle, and also eating along with your cycle. LOVE this approach. Women are different than men, things that work for them do not work for us. This book had so much good information. I also appreciate that Dr Pelz called out the pandemic issue of no one talking about metabolic health and educating people on doing better to seeing better outcomes. Bravo to her for that. HUGE ball dropped by the government and others who were the face of the pandemic.

Bottom Line: Read it.

Linking up with Tanya for the last few months of Amazon purchases.

Swimsuit

I ordered this for myself and absolutely love it! I saw it on a few people on Instagram that are in similar shape/size to me and it looked so good on them. I was a little worried it wasn’t going to work for me, I hate pretty much all swimsuits on me. But I love this! I felt secure, it isn’t too cheeky, it held up the girls alright and it covers all the bits I don’t care to show. It is rather flattering and I highly recommend. Oh, it it is a great price considering. There are several colors/prints. The only thing I wish I could change, is that the cups were sewn in. But I wish that about nearly all swimsuits, so that is pretty common.

Beach Towel Clips

Nothing is more annoying than trying to relax and constantly having to adjust your beach towel. Love these, they are inexpensive and you get a ton. I keep them in my Bogg bag, my beach bag, some in my car. They are everywhere. You can even use them as a chip clip or paper weight as I have done in a pinch.

Nail Clippers

These are amazing for toenails! I feel like the older we get, the thicker our nails get. I love how easy these are to use and cut nails with. I don’t get jaggy corners with these, and they feel much more substantial that my old regular clippers. Highly recommend.

Swim Goggles

I ordered these for Zoe. We love the clip on the back, it keeps the goggles from getting tangled in her wet hair. What a game changer!! They came in their own protective carrying cases which was a nice touch.

Fabric Planters

I love how big these are, but also collapsible to store for future years. I have our tomato and pepper plants in these and it is the perfect size. I also like how light these are compared to heavy containers, so they can easily be moved if they aren’t doing well in a certain part of your yard.

Organic Expresso Beans

I do not understand why I cannot find expresso beans in hardly any grocery stores around me. Ground, plenty. But never whole beans. I guess it is for the best, as I have found this organic expresso bean that is really fabulous and a good price with next day delivery most of the time! This has been purchased several times over the last few months.

Parchment Cupcake Liners

Love these. Nothing sticks to these. I use them for muffins, cupcakes, egg bites, mini meatloaf, etc. I have repurchased this brand several times.

Mint Julep Syrup

Self explanatory, delicious.

Dish Soap

This is clean, smells amazing and works great! A bottle of this lasts me longer than other dish soaps I have used. It doesn’t dry my hands out or irritate them either, which I have had happen with other brands. I have repurchased this several times.

Hello Bello Body Wash

Grabbed this for Zoe’s bathroom. I switch between a few different brand and scents for her, and we have always liked the Hello Bello stuff. This is clean, no bad stuff or synthetic fragrances.

Reusable Water Balloons

Water balloons are fun, but they sure make a mess. Enter these reusable ones! They have a magnet type closure to them and provide hours of entertainment for the kiddos.

Unbleached Parchment Paper

I have talked about this a ton, repurchased several times. Love it!

Coming in with some more book reviews. Am I just a book blogger now? With some random Amazon posts thrown in. Anyway, I had so many good ones in a row with some of my favorite authors!

The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand

I just love Elin’s books and I am so sad that they could be coming to an end soon. I read somewhere this was her last one, or there would be one more. Not sure which is true. Either way, nothing wraps me in like her books. This was such an interesting concept with the five-star weekend, inviting a best friend from each era of your life. What a fun idea! Of course, when you get five women together, some drama is going to ensue. There were several twists, the biggest one I totally guessed almost immediately. That didn’t take away from the story though. I will say, if this was her last book, I was expecting more of an epic finale? That is what makes me think there has to be one more for Nantucket. We shall see. Either way, I enjoyed getting to know each of the five stars in this novel, and even Caroline, the daughter, was an interesting character. I couldn’t put it down, which makes it a five star book for me.

Bottom Line: Read it!

Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane

I wasn’t sure how I felt about Harriet at the beginning of the book. But the deeper I got in to it and learned about her past with her ex….I was like oh wow. Her ex was exactly like someone I used to date. All the gaslighting and lies. I am very far removed from that relationship, but dang if it didn’t bring back some memories I long since repressed. So, while she wasn’t my favorite character in a book….I sure could appreciate where she came from. And Cal, I loved him! He had his own baggage as well. I wouldn’t call this one a romance so much. It wasn’t really focused on that, as much as Harriet’s story and her growth throughout the book. While I felt their connection was realistic, I didn’t feel the actual spark between them. But that is ok, because again, the book is more focused on other things. I love this author and will read everything she puts out.

Bottom Line: Read it.

Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan

I absolutely loved Nora Goes Off Script, so I was super excited to read this. I got sucked right into Sam’s world. I felt like she was very relatable. And her family!!! I absolutely LOVED her family. I feel like Monaghan writes such unique, lovable characters and there was no shortage of them in this book. Wyatt and Sam’s history is so complicated. It was fun watching them fall in love, and then break apart. I won’t talk about what happens towards to end of the book so as not to spoil anything. I will just say it all felt right. I consumed this as audio and the narrator was fantastic.

Bottom Line: Read it