Recent Reads

 

28 Summers – Elin Hilderbrand // I didn’t finish an entire book the month of May.  I needed something to get me back into reading.  To be fair, I did listen to this on audio, but it was just what I needed.  Even though I have incredibly mixed feelings on Jake, you could really feel the love between him and Mallory.  This was my first Hilderbrand on Nadine’s rec, and now I’ve got them all on my TBR.

The Sixth Wedding – Elin Hilderbrand // Nadine told me this was a short story follow up to 28 Summers, so I was all over it.  And while I really enjoyed the update on everyone’s lives, I hated the ending.  Really really hated it.  Without saying too much, it could have gone a better way at the end to not make Jake and Mallory’s relationship seem so surface level.  With that being said, if another one comes out for 28 Summers, I’m in.

The Maid – Nita Prose // Oh man – this one sucked me in so good.  It was such a good little mystery, and I loved the little twist at the end that I didn’t even come close to seeing.  I loved Molly’s character so much, and love that she found her people at the end. “You can be so important, so crucial to the fabric of things, and yet be entirely overlooked.”

Wicked Beauty- Katee Robert // I’m obsessed, y’all.  This is Robert’s third book in the Dark Olympus series, and I am so hooked.  This one is a super sexy retelling of Achilles, Patroclus and Helen, and it is steamy.  I don’t normally do series, but this one I am in to.  Her next book releases in February, and you better bet I’ve already got it pre-ordered.

Wish You Were Here -Jodi Picoult // If I’m being honest, I’m still not sure what to think about this one.  I’m all for finding and following your path, but I don’t know if I was up to being taken back to beginning Covid times.  It kept me interested – read it in about day and a half, and I have to say, I really liked the ending, but I’m still reeling.  Worth the read, I think, unless you’ve got some Covid PTSD.

The Guilt Trip – Sandie Jones // I flew through this in a day.  At times, it seemed a bit childish for a group of 40-somethings, but I still wanted to know what happened and who to trust.  I did like the ending, and will probably read some more by the same author.

The Younger Wife – Sally Hepworth // I don’t know about this one, guys.  I really liked the ride throughout the book, and it definitely kept me hooked, but I was not a fan of the ending at all.  I’m cool with an open-ended ending, but this one left it waaaay too open-ended.  I honestly have no idea what happened or who did what.  Could definitely have used more closure, and just didn’t get it with this one.

The Paris Apartment – Lucy Foley // I saw a lot of people that really hated this book for some reason, but I really liked it.  It was definitely a slow-burner, and there were some parts in the book where nothing really happened, but I thought it all came together pretty nicely in the end.  If you’d read Foley before, you kind of know what you’re going to get, but I loved the main female character and the dysfunction of the family.

Book Lovers – Emily Henry // Nadine let me borrow this book, and I tore through it in a day.  I loved all of the characters so much, and I loved the ending.  I think one of my favorite things about the author is that you can literally feel the tension when you’re reading her books, and it’s amazing.  I needed a good love story, and this one delivered.