May you read this with joy… pun intended.
I had such a great month of reading. Was it a great month in general? One can argue for either which way, but yes, overall, still blessed.
Reading wise, I rediscovered my obsession with regency novels. I’m literally on a hunt for a regency fair. Why do we have a renaissance fair but not a regency one???? Inquiring minds wanna know. I didn’t read only regency, but I think I don’t have enough. I’m anxiously waiting for Megan Walker’s next book specifically.
Okay, before I spoil it all!! Let’s starting talking about all these books. 🙂
Commit by Kortney Keisel
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating explained:
I so enjoyed this quick read! Matt and Remi are best friends with the happy couple getting married but Matt and Remi broke up two months ago. They meet after getting off the same flight and realize they’re sharing a lot of space the whole weekend. It was perfect.
- Matthew Johnson – 30
- Remington Ward – 27
- HOW THEY MET
- How sweet Matt is even when she was the one who broke up with him
- Their growth
- dual POV
SO THIS IS THE FIRST BOOK IN THE SERIES. I found out after I read book “one” and this is actually the novella to kick off the series. But it wasn’t a huge jump, you don’t miss much. So it’s fine.
Love Rekindled at Evergreen Inn by Willa Lyons
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating explained:
This was a sweet, separated couple reconciling book. They end up in town at the inn and spend time together.
This is part of the sweet Christmas kisses multi-author series.
Complex by Kortney Keisel
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating explained:
I enjoyed this one! Tessa and Luke are basically enemies at the beginning. Luke doesn’t want her on his work site because he just wants to get the job done while she’s working to delay it for her boss and plus, she’s a distraction to him! Alllllll the banter and funny shenanigans in this one as she works to delay the work. Like her shoes getting stuck, LOL.
This is book two in the Sweet Rom”Com” series.
The Duke’s Bargain by Megan Walker
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating explained:
I know it only took me a few days but WHY DID IT TAKE ME SO LONG?
This was my favorite book of 2026. I know this was read in month 5, but I KNOW. I know it because it was just that good.
It was one I didn’t want to end but I also wanted to hurry up and finish because I MUST SEE THE TENSION RESOLVED.
Can I first just preface this with a warning? SO MUCH SWOON.
Okay, now that that’s done, we need to talk about the characters and my dilemma.
It is not necessary to read Megan Walker’s other books, but just know they are intertwined. All the characters bleed into each novel. The two MCs in this book were side characters in other books (only one of which I’ve read) and like it wasn’t great things that happened to them. They’re almost viewed as villains, especially Georgiana. 🫠
Notes:
- Duke of Marlow
- Georgiana Wood
- Gabriel and Maggie, he Duke’s cousins!
- Cleo the cat
- the stabble
- the library
- the tunnel shenanigans
- age gap (it was revealed in the second half of the book!)
- arrogant Duke
- witty banter for days
- misunderstood villain energy
- dual POV
Quotes:
I felt the sight of her.
I might not be an expert, but I could jab a man with a sword.
I mean, with quotes like these, who wouldn’t want to read it????
A beautiful book and I cannot wait to read what Megan Walker writes next!! I ordered her two other books I haven’t read yet. I’m READY. (I did read them this month and you’ll read those further down, LOL)
Hey, did I say this was my favorite yet??? 🙂
Lucy Loves Him Not by Rebecca Jo Jackson
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating explained:
I absolutely loved this one 🥹
Lucy and Adam got matched online but very quickly find out they’re enemies when it comes to the community festival planning.
Notes:
- Olivia is 29
- Gracie is 22
- Lucy is 26
- Lucy has a yellow VW bug
- Adam is 28
- Victor is 25 (he’s been in every book as a side character – looking forward to him being an MC in book three!!)
- ADAM GREW UP IN TULSA AND I’M FREAKING OUT
- He has a Jeep Patriot
- He wears glasses
- Enemies to lovers w/ instant attraction
- They meet twice in one day (online and then when she finds he’s the new city manager)
- Flirty banter (flirty passion LOL)
- Close family relationships
- The way Lucy helps Adam reach out to his brother
- single POV
No quotes, but so many sweet moments in this one.
This is book two in the Sweet River romance series.
Complete by Kortney Keisel
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating explained:
Wow! This one was a wild ride for Ben, for sure, LOL.
I loved the beginning of the story, where it starts off with how they first met many years prior when she was 18, still in high school and then how they met later again and then stayed in contact. Ugh, it was so cute. They had chemistry from the beginning but had these moments that kept telling them no. Like when she was 18, he was 20 and in college and he thought she was too young for him. He deleted her number when she texted him because he wasn’t gonna mess with a girl still in high school like some creeper.
Notes:
- Ben Jackson
- Brooke Johnson
- best friends to more
- funny meet cute
- dual POV
- jealousy
This is book three (last book) in the Sweet Rom”Com” series.
Highcliffe House by Megan Walker
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating explained:
This was so much more enjoyable than I thought it was going to be based on the synopsis (don’t judge me like I did the book, LOL). The banter and flirting they play off as not serious, is seriously the best. Another amazing Megan Walker read.
Notes:
- Graham
- Anna
- misconceptions
- enemies to lovers
- the cow scene
- goat cheese
- dual POV
This is technically book three in Megan Walker’s Proper Romance Regency novels, but can be read as a standalone…
Love You Later by Julie Christianson
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating explained:
I know it took me a little while, but this one was so sweet. Bridger and Loren were in book two and they are great side characters. Bridger has always had a thing for Loren, but she’s always been in a relationship since they met so he was resigned to be in the friend zone forever. She was engaged after all… until she wasn’t.
Notes:
- Loren Jenkins
- Bridger Jefferson Adams – 29, turns 30 in three weeks from start of novel
- best friends to more
- marriage of convenience
- she’s taking care of her dad
- he needs to keep access to his trust fund
- her summer class gets eliminated
- Bridger is filthy rich if he keeps his trust fund
- learned what NBD is thanks to this novel (it’s no big deal)
- he calls her Kitten
- one curse word
- dual POV
Quotes:
“So you’re just gonna put a ring on her finger, move in with the woman, and pine away for her in silence?
“Pretty much.”
“Good luck with that, man.”
My chest tightens. “I have zero expectations of us ever being anything but platonic friends,” I say. “That’s not what marrying her is about. I can promise you.”
“You don’t think that’ll be hard?”
“I don’t care if it’s torture,” I say. “T’ll do anything to make sure Loren gets the stable, secure future she deserves.”
My future wife is hilarious. It’s one of the many traits I adore about her. For better or worse.
I adore her.
This is book three in the Harvest Hollow Love Stories series.
Beauty and the Baron by Joanna Barker
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating explained:
I’m a sucker for a Beauty and the Beast retelling. While this wasn’t my favorite, it was still really well done and enjoyable. It was very loosely a retelling, not really a beast or scarred MC, but rather a man that her father owed money to.
This is book one in the Forever After Retellings multi-author series.
Perfectly Pretend by Grace Worthington
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating explained:
I loved Brendan Marco. I didn’t like that there was so much non communication going on. They could have sat down at the beginning and just had a conversation to tell each of their sides of what happened to clear the air, but then we wouldn’t have this story, so. But again, I was there for Brendan.
Brendan’s been in pretty much all the books so far, but it was nice to see his story and what brought him into the scene from the start.
Scarlett is his one girl he never got over and they had met when they were teens in high school. He summered at their town of Sully’s Beach. I haven’t mentioned there was a lot of swoon, but there was a lot of swoon. 🙂
Notes:
- Brendan Marco – assistant coach (formerly the conditioning coach in other books)
- Scarlett Rossi – coffee house owner/operator
- Scarlett needs the arena vendor contract
- Brendan’s uncle owns the arena
- forbidden romance
- fake dating
- they both put forth effort
- dual POV
Quotes:
As she walks backward now, still tugging me toward the dance floor, memories stir that I’d buried long ago.
“Scarlett,” I exhale, finally giving in. “I don’t stand a chance against you.”
And I don’t just mean the game.
I mean this dance. The pretending. This woman who’s been under my skin for half my life.
I have never stood a chance.
This is the last book in the Perfect Crush series, but Jaxon who appears more heavily in this book is getting his story in a spin-off series that follows his brothers on a ranch. so looking forward to Grace Worthington’s ranch series coming soon!!!
The Secret Letters by Kristine W. Joy
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating explained:
This was cute!
Not a favorite, but it was enjoyable. It seemed like Weston was really looking for love everywhere and he still held onto a crush of his best friend’s little sister even though he hadn’t seen her since like college. He was the definition of a hopeless romantic.
Notes:
- dual POV
- Weston – programmer
- Brittany – lawyer
- part of story overlapped with events of previous book that I read months ago
- pen pals (not secret)
- forbidden romance
- high view of marriage
This is book three in the Falling Friends series that I just realized I didn’t read book one… so that’s been ordered. FUN. 🙂
Lakeshire Park by Megan Walker
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating explained:
EVERYTHING MAKES SO MUCH SENSE.
This is the story of Amelia and Peter Wood. Oh, how I loved them.
Amelia would do anything for her sister, Clara, and Peter would do anything for his sister, Georgiana (she was MC in the Duke’s Bargain). It’s not a good time when both their sisters are after the affections of the same man…
Notes:
- Amelia Moore – 19
- Peter Wood – unknown age
- single POV
- sibling relationships
- enemies to friends to more
Quotes:
“But mind, Mr. Wood, if you so much as step out of line, I will make you the most miserable man in all of Hampshire.”
To my further irritation, the words only bolstered Peter’s grin. “Don’t tempt me, Amelia. I am already having so much fun.”
This is technially the first book by Megan Walker in her Proper Romance Regency series. Do not have to read them in order, but always helps. Characters are seen in other novels. I went back to read this one because what happened in this one was alluded to in The Duke’s Bargain.
The Captain and Miss Winter by Sally Britton
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating explained:
This was a cute regency retelling of Snow White. Scarlett and her sister and grandmother were hiding away in a cottage when an English soldier came along.
This is the second novella in the multi-author Forever After Retellings series.
The Steadfast Heart by Arlem Hawks
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating explained.:
This was a regency retelling of The Steadfast Tin Soldier, which I had never heard of. 🙂
This was also a new to me author.
A broken engagement lands Holly Addison removed from society to stave off gossip. Lieutenant Robert Brenton arrives home to his father and stepmothers home to find someone unexpected in his room.
I loved how the story progressed from I can’t stand you to I can’t live without you.
This is book three in the multi-author Forever After Retellings series.
Books read this month: 14
Books read this year: 67
Book goal for year: 96
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/notyourseason?igsh=MW5kMnltOXJocTEyOQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Books I have for sale:
https://pangobooks.com/bookstore/notyourseason
GoodReads:
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/131896341-summer
Thanks for reading! Feel free to drop in the comments all you read in the month of May as well!
Not Your Season: Summer's Blog 