Happy Summer, friends! School ended for us, and we grabbed the first plane out of town for a week! I brought my laptop to write this review while we were gone, but the laptop sat in its case on the kitchen table all week long. Lots of fun and relaxation turned into zero work for me. SO . . . it’s a very Belated MAY BOOK REVIEW DAY! Woohoo!

In May, I read FIVE books! I finished my VERY FAVORITE SERIES EVER . . . just wait until it comes out on Hulu! I’m going to host watch parties and dress up like my favorite characters. Ha!

All five books are from authors that I love. Four of them were amazing, and one I was super bummed about. Here we go . . .

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

Oh my heart. This series. I am in love. And, I am happy to announce that several of you have started reading this series. YEAH! More people to discuss my obsession with!

A Court of Frost and Starlight is the fourth in the series, and it is a sweet story of all of our favorite characters as they prepare for the Winter Solstice. I can’t say more because I don’t to ruin anything, but y’all . . . UGH! I love this book and these characters. READ IT!

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

When I say that I slow-played reading the end of this book, that is an understatement. I read the last several chapters a second time before moving to the very last chapter in the series! And, Sarah . . . if you are out there . . . this cannot be the last book. There are so many things left to discuss and figure out. I am not disappointed because I know the series on Hulu is in development and a new book is clearly coming at some point.

A Court of Silver Flames is written from another point of view than the first four, but still follows all of our favorite people. Please note that the author ramped up the steam on this bad boy, and WOW!! Don’t take anywhere that someone could accidentally read over your shoulder and wonder why you are fanning yourself. So, very rated R for this one.

If you need me this summer, I will either be working to convince another friend to read this series OR I will continually be checking online to figure out who has been cast in the upcoming show! SO EXCITED!

Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey

I love Tessa Bailey’s books. Her tag line is “Heat, Love, and Happily Ever After”. Let me just say that is the perfect tag line for most of my favorite chick lit books. Ha!

A few of you recommended Fix Her Up to me earlier this year. It wasn’t until the end that I had (1) fallen in love with the characters, and
(2) discovered that this is the first book of three in the “Hot & Hammered Series”. HAHAHA! I lost my marbles when I found out that was what it was called. But, please note that the family in these books own a successful construction/house-flipping business and all of the characters are centered around that industry. So . . . construction = hammered. Not drunk. But, still made me laugh out loud!

Georgie is the youngest of the Castle siblings, and the only one that is not employed by the family business. Instead, she is a clown. Seriously. A clown that entertains children at local birthday parties. But, also a clown that has a dream of expanding her one-woman show into a full fledge entertainment business.

Travis is the local hometown baseball star that is a dear friend to Georgie’s family. After several years in the majors (including a World Series win!), he has a career ending injury that sends him back home. And knee deep into a bottle of booze and a mountain of depression. Everyone tries to help him rediscover himself, but it is his best friend’s little sister that is the only one that can get through to him.

Travis and Georgie work together to help the other grow and mature in the midst of life changes. This book made me laugh out loud . . . I loved all of the characters. This book made me blush (Hello . . . it is in the “Hot and Hammered series”). And this book just made me so happy. Definitely rated R . . . I was just thankful that I read the last half sitting on an airplane next to my best friend knowing she wouldn’t judge me. Ha!

Super cute, y’all! Perfect beach read for the summer. I will be reading the second and third book this month, and look forward to reviewing those in my next book review!

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez

Abby Jimenez always writes the sweetest chick lit books. Her newest release, Part of Your World, is no exception.

Alexis Montgomery, a Minneapolis ER doctor from an extremely famous and illustrious line of doctors, is in a holding place in her life. She is living with an emotionally abusive man, she can’t seem to win her father’s appreciation, and her life is just running in one giant rat race without a goal in mind.

Daniel Grant, owner of the Grant House Bed & Breakfast two hours outside of Minneapolis, is from a distinguished family that is known to love on and help others in their tight-knit, small town community.

On her way home from a funeral, Alexis narrowly avoids a deer on the country road and ends up in a ditch. Daniel happens to be driving by and helps her out. Chance meeting that ends up creating life changes for both of them.

This was a sweet one, y’all! Just loved both of the main characters. EASY read for the summer! Check it out!

Something Wilder by Christina Lauren

I love Christina Lauren books. I think I have read 99% of them over the years. All of them sweet, easy, and fun. I was PUMPED about her newest release, Something Wilder, but I was BUMMED to not love it. Boo!

Lily and Leo fell in love ten years ago when Leo came to work on Lily’s Montana family ranch for the summer. A summer fling turned into love. But, we have all been 19, right? Life happens, Leo leaves, and Lily is left heartbroken.

Fast forward ten years . . . Duke Wilder, Lily’s father and the famous treasure hunter of Butch Cassidy’s hidden stash, has sold the ranch and passed away. Lily has moved to Utah and is scraping pennies together as she leads vacationers on “treasure hunts” that her dad once told her about. She desperately wants her family ranch back, but there is no money.

Brought along on a guys’ trip, Leo ends up on one of her tours after not hearing from her in over a decade. You can imagine the shock. And heartache.

As the treasure hunt starts to go horribly wrong, Leo and Lily are forced to reconnect if only to survive. Listen . . . I liked both of the characters, but they never seemed like they really fit together. By the end of the book, I got it. I’m glad that I read it, but it isn’t one of my favorites. Not sure if treasure hunting in Utah just isn’t my thing (it’s not!) but didn’t love it. Still love Christina Lauren books though and will keep reading them. Have you read this one? Would love to know your thoughts!

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That’s it for May’s belated book review. Lots of good stuff here! As usual, send me your book recommendations and let me know your thoughts on the ones above! Have a great week! XO