It’s been an odd reading month in terms of time to read, but a good one in terms of books read! I started this month with tons of reading time, and thought I’d have time to read while sitting at the hospital. That hasn’t happened so much. However, I started the month by finishing three books that I’d almost finished in February, so that boosted my number of books this month.
Let’s start with historical fiction.
Beyond the Clouds by Elizabeth Camden
Loved this final book of the Women of Midtown series. The World War I history in it was so fascinating, but I especially loved the historical surprise toward the end. (I won’t spoil it for you!) Such a wonderful story of love and sacrifice on so many levels.
Taming Lady Temperance by Karen Witemeyer
A story of the transforming and healing nature of love. A heavier themed historical romance, but one that completely satisfies the soul. I expect no less from Karen!
Of Silver and Secrets by Michelle Griep
I liked this one, but I enjoyed the first book in the series more. Still, definitely worth the read.
To Love a Lady by Gabrielle Meyer
Book one in a Gilded Age series with each book based on a movie musical. And all involving American heiresses marrying British nobility. Isn’t that fun? First up, a tribute to My Fair Lady. I’ll admit I found the first part a bit slow, but by about halfway, I raced to the end. And I absolutely loved the quick meeting of the hero and heroine for the second book (which I’ve pre-ordered!)
How did I read so many contemporary stories this month? Probably because two of them were audiobooks! So we’ll start there.
Kate Landry Has a Plan by Rebekah Millet
The second story in Beignets for Two was so good. And I do love this particular narrator for these stories. Rebekah Millet does a great job of blending the subplots into the main storyline and in creating the nuances of a romance between two people in their 40s who have lived life before meeting.
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston
Hearing this Aussie-written/set book read in an Australian accent was awesome! It really put me there. And the story? Sweet, funny, sad, and happy all at once! A precious story of redemption.
More contemporary stories that I read:
Renegade by Susan May Warren
Book one! This series was developed by Susie May and author Lisa Phillips. I’ve read their collaborations before and loved them. This one was a great start—a heart-pounding romantic suspense that also set up the overarching plot for the series. This one is out now on Amazon. Excited to read the second one! You can get the others in the series early on sunrisepublishing.com or wait for the Amazon release dates.
East by Susan May Warren
Book two of The Hunt for Alan Martin is out on Susie’s website now, but if you want to by on Amazon the release is April 3! This book is set in Thailand! It was fun to have a setting I didn’t know much about. Another satisfying story that propels us into book three!
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
Book one of this series. My husband had told me he liked this series better than The Thursday Murder Club series. I was skeptical until about halfway through the book! What a fun and eclectic group of people solving the murders happening all around them, for which one of them is being framed. A bit of language from certain characters and mentions of sex but no showing it. A worldwide romp, all the time wondering exactly who the bad guys are!
On to April reading, and again I’m at 25-50% of four different books! I’m excited for what’s on tap in the coming days!
What was your favorite read this month?
I am reading Taming Lady Temperance right now, just getting into it. It’s been a good while since I’ve read anything by Karen Witemeyer.
I’ve loved so many of her books. If you want to go back and read some, her fairy tale retellings are all wonderful!
My favorite read this month, hands down, was This Book Made Me Think of You – I laughed, I cried, I loved the 90+ book mentions. If you’ve recently lost a loved one, it might be difficult, but then it might also be therapeutic as you follow the MC through a year of books to heal her heart and remind her how to read and live again.
I’m putting that one on my list! Sounds great!