Christine Kelly Reads and Writes

It’s August and I’m holding off on my cozy fall vibes, but when a cold breeze hits my skin the sense of nostalgia that comes with fall hits me hard. I’m trying…but come September, all bets are off. This author will be full on Fall Vibes.

This was a fun reading month. This summer thus far has been a fun reading month. I’m knocking off books from my TBR I had on from before they were released. I’ve also read some of my favorite books of the year in the last two months.

Let’s start with the first book I read this month: The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Potson, which I had mentioned in my June 2023 post I read in one night. It is written beautifully with details of grief (TW Suicide) and visuals.

The Plus One, by Mazey Eddings was up next. I didn’t read the other two in this series, so this would work as a stand alone. I really felt the tension between the two love interests, which is something I look for in a romance. If you like the enemies to lovers trope, this is a good one for you!

After that I read Will They or Won’t They, by Ava Wilder. This book has the *feels*. It’s second chance romance and enemies to lovers with a dual timeline. While still set in the world of fame and Hollywood, it is a departure from Ava’s other book, How To Fake it in Hollywood (a great read!).

I read Ugly Love, by Colleen Hoover as the girls I work with really loved this. I find Colleen Hoover’s stories to make what appears to be the villain have a sensational arc to come around and you end up cheering for them. In this one though, I really had a hard time in the third act. The big incident (TW Infant Death) really had me reeling.

Next I read We’d Know by Then, by Kirsten Bohling. This is from a indie publisher (Lake Country Press and Reivew) and I was sold on reading it once Speak Now (TVFTV) came out citing Timeless as a perfect song. MAN, this book is an emotional roller coaster (positively) and tears may be shed. If you are a fan of having your heart ripped out, I’d say it’s ok to proceed. If not, proceed with caution. There is a bit of grounded magic in this as well, so if you aren’t into heavy fantasy but OK with a touch of *something* different than the real world, this is a good read for you!

Ok, this will go down as my favorite July read along with Seven Year Slip…You, with a View, by Jessica Joyce had me enthralled. I loved the tension between the love interest and the MC (I’m a sucker for tension!). The journey with grief with the loss of a grandparent was touching. I generally just really, really loved it. I think it would pair well (like back to back reading) with Mrs. Nash’s Ashes. Can you tell I work on a vineyard for my FTJ?

Ya’ll, I’m not done. I still read TWO more books this month. When you read your favorite books in one night, it’s easy to fit more books into the month. But you will be very, very tired.

Two Wrongs Make a Right, by Chloe Liese has been on my list since I love her Bergman Brother series. As always she does ND rep very well and I like how it’s made relatable. I also love the creativity she has for her character’s jobs. They’re entertaining and unique. If you like fake dating and enemies to lovers, this book has those tropes for you!

My last read of the month was Forget Me Not, by Julie Soto. (Not to be mistaken with another book by the same name on my TBR: Forget Me Not, by Alyson Derrick. ) I believe this book is being adapted into a TV series by Universal. If you enjoy Colleen Hoover, I think this is adjacent to her writing, but the characters are not fighting demons or coming back from dark places. This book was a delightful light read and reminded me why I’m happy our winery doesn’t do weddings anymore. The STRESS!

How is your reading going this summer? I’d love to hear about your favorite books so far!