MY Summer Reading List—2023

Okay, peeps.

It’s almost embarrassing (but, really, more like sorry/not sorry) how much I rave about books and reading on this here blog, but…BOOKS ARE LIFE!

But, hey—at least this post isn’t me waxing obnoxiously about my kiddos and their reading. This post is all about me and MY reading, and the best of the best, lately.

Beginning with…THIS ONE!!! GAHHHHHHH!

I literally just finished this book today, and…I DIE. 

It’s the reason I finally decided to type up a post about some of my favorite reads, of late.

Because THIS ONE had me staying up insanely late, avoiding things I very desperately needed to do (at a ridiculously busy and over-scheduled time), and squirreling away my Kindle to read at the dinner table, at a stop light (when the hubby was driving), or, basically, any time I could.

It. Is. AMAZING.

And I read a lot, so you just need to trust me!

And if you don’t trust me, then trust the goodreads rating, which is currently a 4.69 which is blow-your-mind, unheard of high. Like, all of the Harry books aren’t even that high (which is a discussion for another day, ha).

And if you still don’t trust me, or goodreads, then trust the fact that I called older bro and basically strong-armed him into reading it, stat, and because he’s amazing and usually listens to me when I do this, he started the book and he’s hooked, too. Mission Accomplished..

Now.

Don’t be scared, but it’s fantasy.

About dragon riders.

And lots of amazing love story angst and military insanity and just…dragons.

I used to read a ton of fantasty, but not as much lately (with the exception of ANYTHING and EVERYTHING written by the incomparable Sarah J Maas; the only other author with also insanely-high goodreads ratings that I also devour), but this book popped up in my recommendations, because the author previously wrote contemporary romance.

Without thinking too much about it a few nights ago, when I’d just finished another book and needed a new one immediately, if not sooner, I downloaded a sample and was hooked within a couple pages of Chapter 1.

This fantasy thing might be new for this author, but she is SLAYING IT.

Please, if you have any interest at all, just…READ IT.

The end.

Okay, next up is the latest book by my favorite duo-authors. I read EVERYTHING they write, and this is one of my favorites (and that’s saying a lot, because they’ve written more than 20 books):

It’s technically a spin-off of their prior book (The Soulmate Equation; also an amazing one!), but you could read this as a standalone.

It involves a romance writer who ends up the lead in a reality TV dating show, and she is hysterical. Laugh out loud dialogue and fantastic, swoony romance. READ IT. 


Okay…next up is the latest by an author who is new to me, and this one is a PERFECT summer read, because it takes place at, well, the BEACH. Ha.



If you love second chance romances, a perfect summer vibe, and a great then/now concurrent telling of the story, then READ IT. It’s so well crafted. I actually love to dissect how the author writes her scenes like they’re a movie script. She’s brilliant. 

Okay…this one was also an impulse download because I’d seen it everywhere and wanted to know what was up. It’s a Reese’s book pick, which doesn’t always align with my reading preferences, but it’s really fun and sharp.



Think: a writer of an SNL-type show falling for one of the guests, but in a crafty gender reversal. It’s ALWAYS the funny but not wildly attractive dude who snags some amazing actress/celebrity out of his league and this reverses that. SO fun and with lots of really coolio behind the scenes hoopla of producing a show of that variety.

Okay…next up is one by an author who has also become and auto-buy for me regarding anything she writes. All of hers are fantastic, easy to dive in to, and with great characters, and this was no exception:



If you love a fake dating (that becomes real dating) scenario, this is golden. I also realllly love books where the hero and heroine truly get to know one another and don’t just skate by on an insta-attraction, and this has that in spades.

As a side note, the hero of the story deals with social anxiety and it’s always wonderful and fascinating for me to read REAL characters with REAL life challenges. Plus, it’s wild to see a bit of myself in this hero’s social anxiety and the particular way it drains his energy on a physical level. I lurv it when I learn things and/or identify with entertaining reads!

Okay…ironically, this next author publishes in a nearly identical pattern as the one above. So I always seem to get a new book of theirs each May/June, ha. This latest one is the 6th book in a series I ALWAYS recommend to people, as each book (centered around a different member of a really awesome, amazing, giant family) is fantastic:

Again, Chloe is an author that challenges each hero/heroine with a real life situation that’s interwoven with their path to love.

Her books run the gamut of debilitating arthritis to autism to hearing loss to celiac disease, to anxiety disorders…real challenges as real characters find love. She’s a solid, wonderful writer, and also an auto-buy for me.

And, lastly, the first book by this author (last year’s Love Hypothesis) is a 10/10. LOVED it. This one, I rank just below that, and I’ll tell you why…

Every so often, I want to get ahold of a book’s editor and have a little chat with them (and shake them a li’l bit), and that’s absolutely what I want to do regarding this book.

The first handful of chapters involved far too much backstory being told to the reader instead of letting it unfold as part of the dialogue and story. In fact, I very nearly set it aside (gasp!) because I wanted to get into the meat of the events, already.

BUT. I’m so stinking glad I didn’t, because when the book got in its groove, it was FANTASTIC. And holy hotness, some of she shmexy scenes. DANG.

So for the way the book got into its groove and powered through an amazing story, I couldn’t leave it out because of those first, not-as-stellar chapters. I’m just hoping other readers will discover and enjoy, as well!

Okay.

There you have it.

Some of my favorites of the past couple months—and really, just a way to rave about the first book on the list that I just can’t stop thinking about. :)

Off to re-read a bit of it before I can officially move on to a new book. I’m just not ready, yet!

Happy Wednesday That Feels Like It Should Be Saturday, peeps!

Over and out.