And just like that it’s December… the rain has finally arrived and Christmas is in full swing! This time of year is so bittersweet for me. I love all things Christmas, but the pressure to make it magical while my husband tends to work a lot of overtime, is physically exhausting and emotionally draining. I’m grateful to have these problems, but it puts a strain on my mental health.
I’m technically on track to reach my goal of 50 books for the year, but it means that I would have to finish 5 books in December, and I’ve already given up on two books so far this month. How are you feeling about your reading goal for the year?
Messy Minimalism: realistic strategies for the rest of us
Most books I’ve read about Minimalism, have asked the reader to develop a why for going minimalist. What I liked about Messy Minimalism, is that Crawford asks us: Who do you want to be? Once you know who you want to be you can make decisions and choices to identify if your possessions align with the person you want to be. Some quotes I found helpful:
“Picture-perfect minimalism is an exhausting journey that will get you nowhere fast.”
“We’ve got to stop sacrificing the moments that matter on the altar of busyness because we just don’t know when to quit, when to rest, when to play, and when to say no.”
Scandalized – 5 Stars!
First of all, when I found out that this book was written by one of the Christina Lauren authors, I was really nervous to read it, as they are hit or miss for me. But I’m so glad I took a chance, because this is WAY spicier than anything CL has ever put out.
I don’t feel like I need to say much on this one… If you love steamy romance, read this book! 🔥🔥🔥🔥💥 Make sure you keep your partner at the ready or your vibrator fully charged; do not read during shark week (big mistake, HUGE); and be prepared to physically and emotionally fall in love with these characters and their chemistry – it will leave you with your heart full . Also, if one of my moms decides to read this, can we agree to not discuss it? Thanks 😉
The Star Crossed Sisters of Tuscany – 4 Stars!
Over two hundred years ago, Filomena Fontana cast a curse upon her sister, and not one second-born daughter has ever found lasting love since. Emilia and her cousin Lucy join their Aunt Poppy on a trip to Italy for her 80th birthday, where she vows she will break the curse of the second-born Fontana daughters.
We have family secrets, love, loss, family curses, adventure, Italy. What more do you need? Poppy was so delightful and I loved her message of living life to the fullest. I imagined her to be a colorful Betty White, full of life and possibilities. This was a great fall read – longer and heavier than I like my summer novels to be. It did start off slow and I almost put it down, but I’m glad I kept at it.
Other books on my TBR that take place in Italy:
One Italian Summer
From Scratch
Beneath a Scarlet Sky
A Very Merry Bromance – 5 Stars!
Gahhhhhh! If you a romance reader and you haven’t read the Bromance Book Club yet, what are you waiting for?!?!?! This was my favorite one yet and I had such a fun time reading it with Becca and Nicole while we tried out the Fable app.
Country music star, Colton Wheeler, just can’t get past his one amazing night with immigration attorney, Gretchen Winthrop, after she walked out on him a year ago. But when she approaches him for an opportunity with her family’s business, Colton takes it as a Christmas challenge to win this Scrooge over. But can Colton convince Gretchen that they belong together and that Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year?
Oh. My heart. This was such a lovely way to start the holiday season. While it’s not necessary to read the books in order, it obviously helps to have the back story of the supporting characters. Adams nailed the banter in this book, and I mean NAILED it! You’ve heard me complain about humor before, friends and how sometimes the author tries to hard. This is not the case here! It was perfection- sassy, sweet, and sexy. Brace yourself for the permagrin!. And the characters were so amazing, the love and support from Colton’s family and friends. Just AHHHH!
Kiss Her Once For Me – 4 Stars!
One year ago, Ellie had her dream job and met the woman of her dreams on Christmas eve. After an amazing night together, she never saw her again. This year, her dream job is long gone and she makes ends meet working in the local coffee shop. When the shop’s landlord, Andrew, offers her money to pose as his fiancé and come with him to his family’s cabin for Christmas, Ellie hopes that this will finally solve her woes. But when she discovers that Andrew’s sister Jack is her lover from last Christmas, she is forced to make a choice.
The first 20% was really slow for me and I wasn’t interested in the fake relationship between Andrew and Ellie. But once she arrived at the family cabin, I fell head over heels. This house was filled with an amazing cast of secondary characters – quirky grandmas, non-binary best friend. There were so many fun Christmas activities and songs that made me yearn for a cabin in the snow with my family and closest friends at Christmas. As Cochrun did in The Charm Offensive, she tackled a beautifully written queer story while giving our characters depth and real life struggles. I was surprised to realize that this was my first F/F romance, so I’m definitely going to add some more to my TBR. Let me know if you have any favorites!
Other F/F romance on my TBR:
The Last Stop
How to Excavate a Heart
She Gets the Girl
Looking for more book recommendations? Check out all of my book posts here!
I’m in full on Holiday Romance mode right now. Do you have any that you would recommend I add to my TBR?
Becca @ Life’s A Pearl
What a fantastic reading month! Alison Cochrun will be on my romance list for next year! I don’t think you should put extra pressure on yourself this time of year with your reading goal. I’m hoping the right books come into your life to enjoy though. I’m really enjoying Lovelight Farms!