It’s BOOK REVIEW DAY! Woohoo!

Full disclosure that this month was a little “meh” for me on the reading front. I read four books, and I can’t say that I was overwhelmed with love as I look back on them. Well, I guess that isn’t true. I really liked one of them, and the other three were just fine. Just fine in a “this book was entertaining enough for me to finish, but I’ll forget about the moment I put it down” kind of way.

I read a lot of books, and I have managed to really get into the craziest of storylines. This month, I was a bit cynical, so I apologize in advance for for this book review. I promise that I am in a good mood today! Ha!

Here we go . . . yikes!

Roomies by Christina Lauren

So, y’all know that I love Christina Lauren books. They are fun, they are easy. I grabbed this out of my stack of books I have on my desk in hopes that I could find a fun chick lit that I could breeze through while Reid was out of town and my kids were already in bed for the night. Success on the breeze through part. I literally finished this bad boy in 36 hours. Now, saying that, this was my least favorite Christina Lauren book that I have read, and I have read a ton of them!

Roomies follows Holland and her life in New York City. For months, she takes a subway she doesn’t need to take just to see the guy playing music for cash in the station. She finally learns his name, Calvin, and brings her Broadway composer uncle to see him play. Calvin is invited to play for the new hit musical (think Hamilton here), and has to turn down this dream role because he is in this country illegally. In order to make his and her uncle’s dreams come true, she offers to marry Calvin and let him stay in the country. Yes, they had just met and were total strangers.

I mean, it was cute. I couldn’t really get into it because I thought Holland was a bit weak. No strength there at all, and I needed that to root for her a bit more. I can deal with a ton of stuff while reading books, and can accept the craziest of things. But, for some reason, the starving artist story line did not do it for me. That is a reality of so many people, so maybe it was the way her character was written? I did LOVE her uncles though, and would love if they ever wanted to adopt me. Definitely on the rated R side . . . FYI.

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver

Oh, this book. My heart still hurts for sweet Lydia Bird.

On Lydia’s twenty-eighth birthday, her fiancé dies in a car accident while driving with his best friend. After weeks of grieving and not sleeping, her doctor gives her a sleeping pill to help her get rest and try to move forward. These little pills give her more than just sleep, and each time she takes one she “wakes up” in her dream and lives a life where the love of her life is still very much alive.

The chapters are told as “Awake” or “Asleep”, and you see how her two lives are being played out. As the book moves forward, Lydia starts to see that even though her “Asleep” life is preferable since her fiance is still alive, continually visiting him is wrecking her “Awake” life.

This book was so, so sweet. Definitely a trigger warning for anyone that has lost a spouse or a significant other. I am blessed to have Reid with me, but found myself heartbroken for the main character. The author must have been through a horrible loss in her life because the way she writes the grief Lydia experiences is so raw and beautiful.

I really enjoyed this book. Such a testament to healing and life moving on when all you want to do is rewind the clock and hold onto something you love. I have chills writing this right now. My heart!

The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

A random fact about me: I wouldn’t turn down the chance to be a a member of the Royal family. Of any country. If Reid finds out he is somehow a prince, I would not be upset about it. In fact, you would find me wearing my tiara to Central Market on the regular! Ha. Can you imagine? Anyway . . . years ago (before my blog and my monthly book reviews), I read The Royal We. I LOVED that book. Loved the characters, loved the sweet story, just loved it all. Just all of the Royal happies!

I was pumped that now, years later, the authors were coming out with the sequel! The Heir Affair this year! And . . . let me just say that two thirds of the way in, I asked the best friend if it got better because I was incredibly annoyed and losing interest. I am glad that I finished the book. It ended up sweet, but still so strange. I know that there has got to be SO MUCH craziness that actually happens with the monarchy, and this book definitely touches on lost secrets and hidden pasts. I just found myself super annoyed that a chick lit sequel to one of my favorite books went down a very strange path. Trigger warning to anyone that has dealt with infertility. Maybe I am too sensitive about that subject due to my history with infertility, but oh my goodness! Infertility, miscarriage, desperate need to be a parent while everyone else around you in pregnant, the heartache . . . all of it was a HUGE story line in this book. HUGE. And, if it was an underlying theme, I would have been fine with it. But, chapter after chapter, it was annoying and just too much. So bummed by this book.

Fools Rush In by Kristan Higgins

I really wanted to finish this month on a high note, with regards to reading. So, I dug deep into the well, and pulled out one of the only Kristan Higgins’ books that I have never read. I went through a phase sometime in 2019 where I read at least one of her books a month before I finally made myself take a break. Her older books have a tried and true formula . . . girl meets guy, girl falls in love, some obstacle is in the way and heartbreak is real, they end up together. Classic Hallmark movie in the making. Fools Rush In is no different.

Millie, a newly licensed doctor, moves back to her home town on Cape Cod to grow her practice and set up roots. In her free time, she carefully stalks Joe (the guy that she has been in love with since she was fourteen) and helps to entertain Sam & Danny (her brother-in-law and nephew) after her sister leaves them. An interesting story of growing up with a dream of someone that really doesn’t exist. Or does he? Hmmm . . .

Precious town, precious characters. Definitely a classic chick lit book that would be perfect for a vacation or an afternoon in the backyard. While this book gives you the happy ending, the family dynamics are WHACK.A.DO! The book ends all lovey and happy, and I’m over here thinking about how awkward Thanksgiving and Christmas is going to be. Super cute book though. Easy, breezy.

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That’s it for today, y’all! Whew! Have you read any of these books? Would love to talk with you about them.

I need some amazing books to read for October. Any recommendations!?!?! I have a few options sitting on my desk, but they are all suspenseful books. Would love to throw in another genre or two into the mix. Let me know what you’ve got!

Have a great week! XO