Book Love—Summer 2022 Edition

Well, peeps.

Helloooooo, from back home in SA!

We packed so much activity into our Oklahoma-in-July week, and then it was a loooooong drive back yesterday. 

During the final hour, all five of us were randomly groaning, complaining, or just plain feeling a bit stir crazy and insane-in-the-membrane and READY to be OUT OF THE CAR.

Driving isn’t our favorite, but it’s a necessary task sometimes.

And looking on the bright side…I read an ENTIRE BOOK yesterday, and that’s a pretty major accomplishment—all thanks to that car confinement, ha.

As I finished the book, I realized it’s been awhile since I’ve shared some of my favorite reads, so here’s a small list of my VERY TOP books of the past couple months.

UGH. This one. This one. Just SLAYED me.

Apparently, it was published three or four years ago, but gained massive momentum during the pandemic (likely because of the insanely fun global locations of the book and the escapist vibe).

Uber-short synopsis: a 40-year-old woman takes her daughter to a boy band concert and finds herself in a clandestine relationship (meeting up in cities all over the world, naturally), with one of the very young—insanely attractive, talented and alluring—band members.

When I say that this book SUCKED ME IN, it’s an understatement. I finish it, scrolled my device back to the very first page, and read it all over again. And then a third time. And I NEVER do that. I had the HARDEST time moving on from it.

It’s sexy, angsty, full of amazing locations, and I hope (I hope, I hope) there will be a sequel someday. I lost a solid two weeks of reading time to this book. Maybe three.

And I’m not at all made at it.

They’re publishing it now with an alternate cover below, in case you get confused.

READ IT.




Now, this one. Oh, my heart, I adored this one:



It’s hands-down the PERFECT summer read, as it takes place at a lake in Canada, follows the main characters through their coming-of-age summers there,  while simultaneously telling their story as adults, and it’s WONDERFUL.

It’s the debut novel from a woman who’s spent her career as an editor, so its pacing and narrative are perfection, naturally.

If you want to be swept away and to be filled with all the nostalgic feels, READ IT.

Now, this one is by one of my auto-buy authors, and it’s hands down my FAVORITE she’s written (and that’s saying something impressive):



Perhaps because I adore a bit of love-hate in my tropes, and because I’m a sucker for books that involve the writing and/or publishing of books, I LURVED it. Plus, it’s set in a small town, and that’s another fun trope I always adore.

But the highlight of the book’s many highlights is the dialogue. This books sings through its CRACKLING dialogue. So sharp. So witty. So hysterical. I honest-to-goodness snort-laughed through so much of it, and smiled so hard my face hurt. READ IT.

Now. These final two are the best of the BEST kind of reads, because they’re both books that are among my ALL TIME FAVORITES, from my ALL TIME FAVORITE authors—and that’s gloriously high praise.

But they’re ALSO books that have recently been extended with sequels—years after the original stories were published. And to have this happen to BOTH of these books I adore was like a miraculous Christmas-in-July morning for me! Squeeeee!

This one is hands-down my favorite of 20 plus novels by this author (and if you like contemporary romance and haven’t read Colleen, I can only assume you’ve been living in a lovely cocoon). 

Her books often have a really sad element, but this one is angsty without official sadness/tragedy, and I’ve re-read it MANY times over the years.

Just…sigh.

One of the main characters is deaf, but an incredible musician, and this story—pun intended—just SINGS. It’s amazing. All the feels. All the butterflies in the belly. Amazing written dialogue, thanks to the communication barrier between the main characters and the texting they do. 

So imagine my JOY when we got a sequel!!!

I DEVOURED it yesterday on the road. Considering how much I love is the original, I was terrified the sequel would ruin it, but it only enriched it. I ADORE great supporting characters, and this book has it in spades. Love it. READ IT.




Now, this one…same deal. An ALL TIME favorite from an ALL TIME FAVORITE author, and so gloriously ANGSTY (are you sending the trend that I love angst in my books), and full of amazing dialogue and a true push and pull of emotions (and another book centered around a musician!). 

I inhaled it a few years ago and have re-read many times since. And I just started re-reading again, in anticipation of the sequel.

And this is the sequel. I fully expected it to drain a LOT of my sleeping time this week, and I’m not at all upset about it.

So there you have it. Some of my MUST reads of summer 2022…so far.

BRING ON THE BOOKS!

I’ve got oodles more on my list! Always.

Happy Sunday, peeps!

Over and out.