April 2022 Book Reviews

This month's reads include everything from what I am predicting with be in my Top 5 Romance category to one that I would recommend one to my grandmother. 😂 

I'm going to call it now.  This book will be in my Top 5 Romance Books of the Year.

Firstly, I knew that this wasgoing to be a good book when the first line referenced peacocks. 😂 Freya's fiancé, Michael, calls off their engagement the day before the wedding as the two of them stand inside a broom closet in Freya's father's house.  His words pierce her and crush her at the same time.  This is the catalyst for everything that follows in The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall.

Here is a list of things you can look forward to reading:

• The list of all the things Michael took from the house before Freya returned
• Freya's adventures in cooking spoke to my soul and right there I knew I could be Katy's friend in real life.
• The Wedding Survival Guide and all the shenanigans it inspires!
• Any book containing a scene with a London pigeon is it for me. I have a love affair with London pigeons in particular. 😂
• Jamie. He is adorable. The banter between him and Freya are perfection.
• Hotel Hallway scene: Hilarious and heartbreaking.
• The Restaurant scene: Yes and yes!
• Again, I want to be friends with Freya and Katy. 

Katy Birchall's writing style is gold.  I laughed out loud quite a few times!  Freya's acts of bravery and self discovery are inspiring and I found myself wanting to have a Hotel Hallway scene of my own. 😂 Not only did Freya and Jamie find a place in my heart, but the magnificently written best friends are who I want to be to my community of people.

This is beautiful written clean romance about putting the pieces back together and having fun while creating something new!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the Advanced Readers Copy.  I will be singing my appreciation of this book for years to come! 

Books that I enjoyed and caused me to purchase more books!

All Fired Up by Dylan Newton is the second book in the Matthews Brothers series but could definitely be read as a stand alone.  I however, purchased the first book, How Sweet It Is, mid way through reading this one because Dylan's writing is sweet with a side of spice, sass and feels which gets me every time. 😂

The story of Imani and Zander is one of opposite's attract, second chance romance.  Zander is patient, relaxed and takes life one day at a time while Imani is textbook Type A. You will be rooting for these two characters the entire way through.  I could have done without the foul mouthed parrot, but that's neither here nor there.  What endeared me to this book is how head over heels Zander is for Imani and the things he goes through to show her how much he loves her.

Pre-orders today! This book comes out on May 17th!

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the Advanced Reader Copy!

Books that I enjoyed but left me wanting more!

Debut author Jenny L. Howe has written a delightful and enjoyable story of exes who end up in the same graduate program pursing the same mentor professor in The Make-Up Test.  In her dream graduate program Allie finds herself face to face with the man who crushed her heart in undergrad and then disappeared without a word for years.  Now Collin is back and only interested in reconciling with Allie, or as she thinks once again stealing everything she's been working hard for.  

An adorably and wittily written enemies to lovers story that is heartbreaking at times {Why won't Allie just stop and hear Collin out?!} and hilarious in others.  The book ended too quickly in my opinion, I wanted more! 

Books I would recommend only to my Grandmother

Summer Love by Nancy Thayer is a story about four friends, the first summer that they met and stayed in the basement of a hotel that was being renovated and the reunion that they have 26 years later.  

Summer Love is a style of book that my 86 year old Grandmother would enjoy reading.  And that's not a knock on the book - My grandmother is an avid reader of all genres!  It was not my favorite style of writing and the characters, while interesting, lacked the warmth or emotional depth that I enjoy.  This book also contains an affair and immediately sealed my dislike for the character, coloring my opinion of the book.

In conclusion, not my favorite read of the year.  Not a horrible book, but not one I would recommend to anyone other than Grandma Ruby.

Thank you NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book.