Happy Friday, y’all!!! Today is an early edition of my July Book Review! WOOHOO! My favorite post of the month! I love book review day!

Every summer, our family of four heads to our favorite spot to relax, enjoy time with the just the four of us, and to heal from any hardships that have occurred throughout the past year. It is my spot. The spot where we all started to heal after losing Sophie, and it will always be my special place. Well, due to Covid-19, our spot is basically shut down and isn’t the safest location for us to spend our time right now. So, while this is SUCH a small issue in the scheme of things, we have cancelled our trip to our special spot. I am bummed. But, I am thankful and blessed that we were able to just change our plans to go somewhere that is safe and that we also love with a special place in our heart. So, this afternoon we are headed back out to try to find some of that magic. Which (sorry for the LONG explanation) is why I am doing an early July Book Review! It also means that the August Book Review is going to be HUGE because I am starting on book #1 today! WOOHOO!

This month, I read four books. I really enjoyed all four. Yeah! Here we go . . .

Love You, Love You Not by Jo Watson

The first book I read this month was Love You, Love You Not. This is the first book that I’ve read by Jo Watson, and let me tell you that I am a fan!

This is a sweet chick-lit book that reads so much like a romantic comedy that I would love to have on repeat in my house. While my kids are in bed, and I have a glass of wine in hand. Rated R, people. FYI. Also, this book is based in South Africa, and I can tell you that my google history is filled with searches on this beautiful country. Definitely made me want to travel to this part of the world.

Poppy is an actress without a job. After being fired from her soap opera, and having zero money in her bank account, she desperately applies for a job as an executive assistant to the CEO of a local company. Her only experience for this position is that she played an executive assistant to the CEO on her soap opera. That’s it.

Ryan is the CEO, and is known to be a very hard man to work for. He has been through five assistants in the last two months, and is on the search for another. Because of his desperation in needing an assistant, he hires Poppy and hilarity ensues.

Y’all. I just loved Love You, Love You Not! Was it sweet and cheesy? YES! Was it hilarious and had me laughing out loud? YES! Was I cheering for every single character? HECK YEAH! Precious, easy read for the summer. Highly recommend to those of you that want an easy read that makes you laugh.

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

WOWZA, y’all! I love a great murder mystery. You can all go back to my obsession with Liv Constantine’s The Last Time I Saw You for proof. I posted a little about this book over on the Lunchbox Babies Instagram page earlier this month because I just can’t get over this book. This book was written in such a unique way, and I was all about it. Each chapter is written by a different character, and some are told in the present time, and some are told from the day before. This book definitely keeps you on your toes, and keeps you guessing. I just loved The Guest List!

The Guest List is about the story of Will and Jules and their wedding on a beautiful island off the coast of Ireland. The wedding party is a mix of some crazy characters, and every one of them has a past and issues that they are dealing with. You discover immediately that someone has died during the wedding reception, but you have no idea who the victim is until one of the last chapters. SOOOO great!

I was into this book from the first page, and had a hard time putting it down. My mind was all over the place, and really just enjoyed the ride. If this is how Lucy Foley writes all of her books, then I am a huge fan! If you are a fan of suspenseful murder mysteries, check this one out! So great, and does not give you nightmares. Y’all know that is how I grade my suspenseful books. I have no desire for anxiety or nightmares when reading, and this gives you zero. Just so fun!

Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren

When I am traveling, I always love to throw in a fun, easy chick lit read that can take my mind off of flying. I’m not a fan of the flying, but fake it super well for my kids. So, an easy book is always the cure with helping me appear brave and together. And, there is no one better than the author duo of Christina Lauren!

I have read several of her books now, and I always say that they are like a Hallmark movie that is rated R. You know what is going to happen in the end, but getting there is just so sweet and fun! I read this book in less than 24 hours, and I am happy to say that I didn’t even notice that our flight home from Denver was (a) delayed and (b) one of the more turbulent that I have ever been on. Well, I did notice those things, but this book made it super easy to ignore.

Josh and Hazel’s Guide To Not Dating is about . . . well, Josh and Hazel. They were casual friends back in college, and then met back up again years later when Hazel became best friends with Josh’s sister, Emily.

Hazel is such a wild character. She has a total lack of filter, and is such fun. The things she says to people sometimes makes me want to hide behind my pillow and read between my fingers that are covering my face. Oh, and she has been in love with Josh since college. Her perfect guy that she measures everyone against.

Josh is the straight-laced guy that usually has everything together, but when Hazel comes back into his life, she finds him with a cheating girlfriend and a possible case of the blues.

They decide to become best friends, and not date. Well, each other. They set each other up on blind dates and each weekend do a double date. SO many hilarious dates. And, of course, they start to realize that maybe they should end up together rather than apart. CUTE! I do love a good Christina Lauren book, and Josh and Hazel’s Guide To Not Dating totally delivers!

What You Wish For by Katherine Center

I am a HUGE fan of Katherine Center, and this is the third summer in a row that I have jumped head first into one of her books. In 2018, I stumbled across How To Walk Away, and thanks to a long flight, a lost baggage situation once we arrived, and then basically ignoring my family for a couple of more ours (sorry y’all!), I finished it in less than 24 hours and WAS IN LOVE with her writing. Last summer, I read and loved the very sweet Things You Save In A Fire. I like to compare Katherine Center’s writing as chick lit, but with a side of Kristin Hannah. Does that make sense? Y’all know I LOVE Kristin Hannah . . . she writes stories where you feel the emotions in your bones. To me, Katherine Center writes beautiful stories that tackle subject matters that make a typical chick lit deep with all of the emotions.

I pre-ordered What You Wish For earlier this year, and cracked it open the moment it showed up at my house in mid-July. Also, quick note that this book is based in Texas, so bonus points for this one!

Sam is the school librarian that loves her job, her students, and the friends that feel like family. She has worked hard to get to this spot, and chooses happiness each day.

Duncan is the new school principal. When Sam knew him years ago, he was the fun teacher that made kids want to show up at school each day. We all know those teachers. They are the best. When Duncan shows up to take on his new role, he is a straight-laced guy that is led by fear, rules, and the knowledge that bad things are around every corner.

With the school chaos in the background of every chapter, Sam and Duncan work to find their way back to who they really are.

What You Wish For is such a sweet book. It tackles some pretty deep subject matter, and really shows what it means to be brave. What it means to live even thought you know things may be hard. And, what it means to choose happiness every day and to dance in the face of hardship.

I really liked this one. Sweet and heart-warming. Katherine Center delivers again.

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That’s it for the July Book Review! I love this post each month. So fun! And, as always, send me your thoughts on these books and recommendations of other books I should read! I always love hearing from you! Have a great weekend. XO